I have a question to put to all able-bodied priests and bishops who were in Rome yesterday.
What were you doing while thousands of lay people were Marching for Life?
I went to the front of the March, and stood by the side of the road for the whole procession to sweep past me so I could get an idea of the size and make-up of the crowd. I observed that there were huge numbers of younger people, that in fact, probably the most prominent demographic was people in their 20s-30s, a great many pushing baby strollers. The pro-life movement in Italy appears to be very big with the family set. This is a bit of a contrast with the DC March where the largest single group seems to be teenagers.
The other thing I noticed, and this was a VEry sharp contrast with last year, was the absence of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. There was a small (very small) contingent of the sisters, but not. one. single. friar. Last year, there was an entire flotilla of FFIs. And I can't imagine that they were absent by their own will.
The third thing I noticed was that the number of priests (at least, priests wearing recognisable clerical dress) was - being very generous - about 1 in fifty. In Rome.
ROME.
Where were the clergy?
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