~ by Jim Yankovich
The model pictured above, is a rendition of an idea I had for a memorial to the unborn. Actually, Unborn Innocence is more of a directive than an idea.
A little over a year ago, I stopped into our Church (St. Joseph’s, Grand Junction) during Wednesday Adorations, for a short visit, and some quiet prayer time. I prayed the Rosary, and a Chaplet, and had just opened my bible to read a story,…the book of Tobit I think. Anyway there was a bookmark prayer card at that page, and on it was a prayer for the unborn. I started thinking about this terrible thing called abortion, and about how we are all responsible for it in one way or another… I mean, we read about it or listen to some news story about nearly every day, yet save for a few dedicated people praying in front of abortion clinics, most of us do nothing to put an end to it. I was trying to pray my way out of that guilt trip, when I was suddenly restless, I mean leg twitching - can’t sit still – restless. I started to get up to walk around, leave actually, when I found myself moving towards the Tabernacle. I was actually drawn to a chair directly in front of the Tabernacle. I sat down, and asked God what I could do to help put an end to abortions?
The answer was instantaneous. In a voice as clear as an be, I was simply told “build a memorial to the unborn,… and you know what it should look like. It would be of great help, if this were to be erected everywhere”
So, here is what I seen. A cross, with Our Lord crucified upon it. He only has one hand nailed to the cross, the other is extended towards me…and in it are three aborted babies. Looking up into His eyes, I witness the most agonizing, pain filled, tear stained face imaginable…but I don’t think it was from being crucified, I think it was Him crying over these little babies! He is looking at them, and He says to them “before you were formed in your Mothers womb I called you by name, and then He looks right into me, and says “therefore whatsoever you do to the least of these, that you’ve done unto me”. He looks back at those little babies, lying side by side in his hand, and then the vision goes away. Well there was one more part,… there was a pile of little dead, aborted babies. A dumpster full of them, the three He held were from the top of the pile, like He had reached down and scooped them up into His hand.
So, the thought that I was left with, is that I am a part of this problem too. As I have prayed about this over the last year, I see that He is right. I mean sure you’re probably like me and support the various ‘Right to Life’ groups, and attend the occasional ‘Right to Life” Banquet. You may even pray outside of abortion clinics, or march in ‘Roe vs Wade’ anniversary walks, but the fact is … despite all of this, abortion lives on. In fact, it seems to be growing all of the time.
So how are you and I guilty of unconsciously supporting abortions?
I think the answer is multi faceted.
1) If your not taking a pro-life stand, actively supporting ‘right to life’ initiatives for example, or supporting abortion awareness programs, or worst of all… not exercising your constitutional right to vote against the barrage of ‘Pro-choice’ issues, then sadly, you become a complacent ‘pro-choice’ supporter.
What Jesus is telling us, is that if we are not doing everything in our power to stop abortion, … then we are helping to keep abortion in place.
2) When we allow the moral fiber of our country to be compromised, then we enable terrible things like abortion to become acceptable.
We will have to answer for this. The Lord is going to hold us all accountable. It’s called justice, and we should greatly fear the Judgment, “… for whatsoever you do to the least of these, that you’ve done unto me”.
3) You don’t have to weld the abortionists knife to commit abortion…you need only look the other way when you know it is happening ~ to be just as guilty.
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This ‘vision’ if you will then, lasted only a few minutes, perhaps only seconds. After it went away, I asked “how do I do this?”, “show me the way”, when?, where?, what? And the answers were all the same … nothing. That’s right, nothing. Just do it!
I have hid behind the fact that I don’t know how to sculpt, therefore I can’t make a bronze memorial…. and I don’t carve, or paint, or any of those things. I work wood!
That is what I do…I work wood. So how is this memorial going to ever get done?
I have been talking about it for over a year now. Not to everyone, just occasionally, but the good news is: every one that I have discussed the project with, has been overwhelmingly supportive! Build confidence! In my feeble mind, I thought that if I had enough supporters, this would get done over night, and I could get back on with business!
Surprise, this is the business. And now that I have accepted this fact, it seems to be moving along in an orderly fashion! That’s how it is that you’re reading this letter right now.
Who will benefit from all of this? Several great causes actually.
All profits from Unborn Innocence will go to Rachel’s Vineyard, (or someplace similar) local “Right to Life” organizations (they do wonderful billboard campaigns), local Pregnancy Centers (the ones that counsel women not to abort their baby), the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound program (and any other ‘right to life’ programs that the K-C’s are involved in) and the “Little Light Project”. There will be others, these are just a few that I am personally aware of or involved in. Any legitimate pro-life cause, especially those who provide retreat/counsel/reconciliation services will be considered as recipients of Unborn Innocence profits.
This “Memorial” is entitled Unborn Innocence. By the grace of God, and the influence of Fr. Rob Wedow and Fr. Canice Eneyaka, my wife Christal and I (J Lazy 3 Woodworks, LLC) and Mary C. Unrein (Joshua’s Stone) have combined talents and expertise to bring this memorial, this monument to the unborn, to fruition.
Unborn Innocence is available in 3 sizes.
1) a Tabletop version that features a 15” Corpus on a 36” tall cross display.
2) a 2/3 life size version that features a 48” Corpus on a 92” to 106” tall cross display.
3) a 5/4 life size version that features an 84” Corpus on a 168” tall cross display.
All 3 versions are available in Bronze on either Wood (interior display) or Powder Coat Steel crosses (exterior display).
