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This article appeared on the homepage in Dec 2003-Jan 2004.
"Empty Manger" Christmas Caroling Day
Clare Scheidler sings carols beside the empty manger at Western and Diversy
The Pro-Life Action League and fifty volunteers from around Chicagoland faced bracing cold to sing Christmas carols at four abortion clinics in the first "Empty Manger" Christmas Caroling Day, Saturday, Dec. 20. The caroling day began at Albany abortion mill on the northwest side of Chicago and concluded at the recently closed Concord facility on Grand Ave. downtown.
We began each site with "Away in a Manger," gathering behind a large wooden manger in remembrance of those unborn children who will never "lay down their sweet heads" upon any bed. The manger was also an invitation to abortion-bound mothers to figuratively place their babies upon the manger like baby Jesus.
The Guras' banner frames the caroling group on Washington
For the first three sites, Dan Gura and his daughter Corinna held a large banner reading, "All I want for Christmas is an end to abortion. After singing the rest of the caroling program we concluded each site by facing the clinic and singing "Silent Night".
Planned Parenthood deathscorts with their Condom Tree
At the Planned Parenthood facility on North La Salle Street, a half dozen deathscorts emerged from the clinic to "guard" the door, one of whom held a small Christmas tree decorated with condoms. A police officer arrived to rudely demand the carolers clear a path on the sidewalk at the behest of the abortion mill operator. As League Communications Director Eric Scheidler patiently submitted to swearing and threats from the young officer, teens from the Lake Zurich Generations for Life group cleared the sidewalk to his satisfaction. There was no other contact with police during the caroling day.
Caroling with Baby Jesus at shut-down Concord facility
The program concluded at the recently closed Concord abortion mill on Grand Ave., where many Chicago-area activists first cut their teeth back in the 70s and 80s. Some passers-by, on learning what we were there to do, stopped to join us. For this last stop celebrating the demise of the notorious Concord clinic, we placed a model of baby Jesus in the manger.
Caroling Schedule
- 9:00: Albany Medical Surgical Ctr., 5086 N. Elston Ave., Chicago (map)
- 10:00: American Women Medical Ctr., 2744 N. Western Ave., Chicago (map)
- 11:00: Family Planning Associates, 659 W. Washington St., Chicago (map)
- 11:45: Planned Parenthood, 1200 N. La Salle Dr., Chicago (map)
- 12:15: Concord Medical Ctr. (Closed!), 17 W. Grand Ave, Chicago (map)
The League conducted the "Empty Manger" Christmas Caroling Day in cooperation with Pro-Life PLAN (Pro-Life Activist Network), a national affiliation of pro-life activist groups that coordinate quarterly pro-life events. The "Empty Manger" Christmas Caroling Day is Pro-Life PLAN's first event.
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