A Veritable United Nations at June 8 Livonia, MI Rally

Posted by AngieSchubert (July 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm)

Livonia Michigan’s first Stand Up for Freedom Rally was held June 8th. To all 225 men, women, and children present, it appeared to be a mini meeting of the United Nations.

Opening up the rally in prayer was Fr. Theo D’Cunha, pastor of St. Priscilla’s parish in Livonia, who has been serving the Diocese of Detroit for 5 years. A priest of the Pallotine Fathers and native of India, Fr. Theo reminded us that this fight is about keeping our religious freedoms so that we can pass them on to future generations.

Following the opening prayer the Star Spangled banner was sung by Emily Crombese, a homeschooled high school sophomore who performs with the Michigan Opera Theatre. The son of a Mallorcan immigrant, Michael Vallespir led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Michael Tworek, a homeschooled fifth grader, then read the First Amendment.

International Lineup of Speakers Make Threats to Religious Freedom Clear

Dr. Philip Blosser is Professor of Philosophy at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit Michigan. He is the son of evangelical missionaries and was born in China. His parents were placed under house arrest for one year after his birth.

They then moved to Japan where Dr. Blosser lived for 20 years before coming to America. He received his doctorate in Philosophy at Duquesne in Pittsbugh P.A. and has taught around the country for 25 years, the last 5 years at Sacred Heart. In 1993, he completed his journey home to the Catholic Church. After giving us his thoughts on the HHS mandate, Dr. Blosser read a letter from Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on
religious liberty.

Colombian born Miguel Dr. Lis-Planells was the keynote speaker. In 1989 he received his medical degree from Our Lady of the Rosary Medical School in Columbia. He completed his training in neurosurgery at Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan, in 1996 and is currently the Vice-Chief of the Department of Neurosurgery at Sinai-Grace Hospital.

He spoke of his love for America and how he and his wife immigrated here 21 years ago looking for peace, freedom and a better future for their family. Finding that freedom here, he fully immersed himself in society. He is on the board of several Catholic institutions i.e. Ave Maria University, Catholic Social Services of Oakland County, and the Detroit Chapter of Legatus.

Dr. Lis-Planells spoke of the harm that will come to society if the HHS mandate is not overturned. He warned us not to fall prey to the arguments by the promoters of the HHS mandate that this is a women’s health issue. Never before, in the history of mankind, has pregnancy been considered a disease that needs to be treated with harmful and dangerous chemicals.

This mandate is a blatant attack on the religious liberty in general and the Catholic Church in particular. The Catholic Church has never wavered in its defense of the most vulnerable, who will be most victimized by this mandate, which is why they are being targeted. He ended his speech by encouraging us to fight the good fight and get involved at both the state and local level.

Prayers and Psalms Bring Faith to Public Square

Psalms were read by Doreen Kinast, member of Ward Presbyterian Church. The Divine Mercy Chaplet was led by Bob Noch, a local pro-life activist and retired GM employee. An abridged version of the Declaration of Independence was read by Liz Vallespir Uof M graduate with a degree in International Business.

Religious and patriotic songs were sung by Anna Shubert, daughter of the rally captain, Angie Shubert who was born in the Phillipines. Songs were accompanied on the violin by 7th grader Thomas Folbaum and 8th grader Colleen Herrmann, both of whom are homeschooled. After a call to arms read from selected Galatians and Ephesians passages by Debbie Kinast the rally was closed in prayer by Fr. Theo.

Those in attendance commented afterward on how successful the rally was and how smoothly everything went. They walked away encouraged by the sacrifice of those born in other countries, who left their homelands to come to America, the greatest country in the world, for greater freedom and liberty.

The fight for religious liberty is not to be fought only by and for Americans, but by and for all people of every race, creed and country.

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