Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   LOCAL FEATURES Friday, March 15, 2002 Pro-life dinner heralds new beginning in Stark County Speaker cites need to become more active in adopting mixed race, special needs children By Lou Jacquet MASSILLON – With close to 300 persons in attendance, the initial Massillon Area Right to Life fund-raising dinner was a huge success even before Dr. Ray Guarendi stepped to the microphone. Those gathered had come to celebrate a pro-life milestone in the area, bringing together the former Massillon Area Right to Life chapter and Canton Area Right to Life members to form the new Stark County Right to Life. But when the popular clinical psychologist, author, speaker and radio personality stepped forward to share his message on adopting children, the next half hour was a mixture of non-stop laughter and deep reflection. Dr. Guarendi and his wife are the parents of 10 adopted children – three Caucasian, two Hispanic, two biracial, and three black. He began by noting that “my 10 children are blessings through adoption,” and drew appreciative laughter when he pointed out that each brings a $2,900 tax deduction and a fair amount of stares in grocery stores from other parents. “If I am heavily sedated, I will go to the grocery store,” he said, joking that his wife keeps order in the grocery aisles by keeping the youngsters in leg irons. But he turned serious in noting that only one in 1,000 young single mothers consider adoption as an alternative to keeping their child. Nonetheless, many infants are available, but most prospective adoptive parents do not want to deal with children who may be drug-exposed, of mixed race, older or in sibling groups. The Guarendis had not expected to become adoptive parents, he said, but turned to the idea when they discovered that they were unable to conceive. Their “five boys and five estrogen Americans” now range from 14 to two. Dr. Guarendi shared the stories of how each had become part of the family, touching a special nerve when he told the story of Sammy, now 8, whose birth mother rejected the idea of abortion despite believing the child would be born with a serious neurological defect and would likely spend life in an institution. “The ‘defect’ turned out to be a shadow on the ultrasound, and Sammy is perfectly healthy,” Dr. Guarendi said, to an audible murmur throughout the hall. He brought a challenging message to pro-life supporters, saying “adoption is not for everyone, but there are an awful lot of folks who are anti-abortion; I think they need to be more pro-life. It is relatively easy to be anti-abortion.” Not everyone can adopt a mixed-race child, he conceded, recalling that “we sort of got into it by accident.” But he pointed out that many couples who are on adoption lists and are years away from getting a healthy white child could have a mixed-race infant or other special-needs child almost immediately. Agencies are unable to place these latter children, he said, even to church groups. One agency had eight black children available in a week and no takers, he noted. The speaker said nothing makes him happier than to get an e-mail from some couple who write, “My wife and I would like to adopt, and we really do not care what race the child is. Just let me know where I can get a child.” He said: “That’s a wonderful thing, because that kid is going to be raised by a mommy and a daddy in a God-fearing home.” When Jesus said in the Scriptures that “he who welcomes one of these little ones in my name welcomes me,” there was no asterisk after the passage excluding mixed-race children or those with special needs, the speaker said. Turning to his role as host of a noon-1 p.m. call-in radio program on Canton’s WRCW AM 1060, Dr. Guarendi said there is a huge need for Catholics to know more about their faith, including why the Church takes the stance it does on abortion. He touted “Catholic Answers,” the program that immediately follows his, noting that “it helps you articulate why you are pro-life.” “This [adult faith formation on radio] is a passion for me,” he said. “We Catholics are very, very deficient in understanding our faith and the reasons why we believe what we believe. Many of you have children who have left the faith,” a phenomenon “unprecedented in Church history” and one that occurred because children were not instructed well in the faith, he said. In our “sound bite culture,” it is especially important to be able to plant seeds by speaking succinctly and with a message whenever media time is available, he added. Following the event, Father Thomas Cebula, pastor of Massillon St. Barbara Parish, called the night “a significant step” for the pro-life movement in Stark County. “What tonight means is that God is raising up a newer, younger generation,” he told the Exponent. “When I look at Derrick Wyman, a young man of 17 being able to coordinate and pull off this evening that has drawn close to 300 people, I thank God for raising up a new generation at a time when it is most needed. It’s a beautiful blessing; I think it signals something new and wonderful is happening in the pro-life movement and for our Church and our country.” Wyman, president of Massillon Area Right to Life, is a senior at Central Catholic High School who plans to enter the seminary in the fall after graduation. Wyman called the dinner “a night of great hopes and dreams for us. To present a unified front to the community and accomplish so much as a Right-to-Life organization is important. I just hope that we can go out to the world and, as the Catholic bishops have said, live the Gospel of life vigorously and publicly.” At the end of the dinner, Cindy Colon of Ohio Right to Life presented Wyman with the certificate making the merger of the two pro-life groups official. “We’re working on bringing a new message to women in crisis pregnancies and those who influence them; people like you who make all the difference in the world in protecting the sanctity of human life … from the culture of death,” she told those present.   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2002   Christmas letter from El Salvador missions thanks diocesan Catholics   Bishop shares views, discussion with Central students   ETC slates Christmas specials throughout the season   My Favorite Christmas Memories   Guidelines on religious ed homeschooling are issued   Local Catholic radio station targets Feb. 1 date   HMs end 98-years of service to Salem St. Paul Parish   Learn ‘language’ of young, youth meet speaker urges   Bishop Tobin: Meeting in D.C. on norms was ‘anxious, tense, difficult’   Priests must ask one another the tough questions, speaker says   Catholic death and funeral rites   Deacons mark 25th with Mass, dinner, memories   Diocesan Ministry Convocation Speaker: Global solidarity, not globalization, should be aim   Jusseaume inaugurated as sixth Walsh president   Diaconate marks 25th anniversary with Oct. 27 fete   New norms sent to priests, deacons on Communion under both kinds   Ashtabula parishes are ‘one Catholic community’   Jusseaume to become Walsh’s sixth president   Charismatic speaker: ‘Church being tested in faithfulness’   Lutheran/Catholic covenant event draws 140 to Walsh   Canton St. Joseph Parish observes centennial celebration   HMHP CEO Michael Rowan   Stewardship speaker: It’s about gratitude and thanking God first   Imagination is key to resolving crisis, priests told   War with Iraq? Expo readers opposed by 81-19%   Newspaper columns didn’t give complete story, official says   Diocesan Ministry Convocation set Oct. 26 at YSU’s Kilcawley   New year brings new faculty, changes at diocesan high schools   Mont St. Michel, Avignon’s papal palace are treasures   Preparing for the priesthood   Entering well-earned retirement, Sr. Marcella’s not slowing down   Warren St. Mary observes 100th year for church building   Lay Ministry Formation program attracting new audience   The cathedrals of France: Monuments of faith in stone   Executive summary of the ad hoc commission on athletics in diocesan high schools   ‘No widespread abuse’ found   Milburn leaving pro-life post to pursue grad studies   Return to France yields history, memories, surprises   Two new members appointed for Diocesan Finance Council   Former SS. C&M school razed, but memories remain   Pastor, 80, keeps busy with ‘lots of interests’   Ravenna IC boasts 5 high school valedictorians for ‘02   Humility Sister Sandy Pedone to profess perpetual vows July 21   NRLC convention filled with good news   ‘Capture the Romance’ is theme for NFP Week   Question of moral evil discussed at Walsh symposium   Notre Dame Sisters will celebrate jubilees July 14   ‘A great lady’ retires   Statement of Bishop Tobin on the meeting of the U. S. Conference   Haladej, Celuch ordained to priesthood, diaconate in Slovakia   Bishop plans implementation of norms on sexual abuse   Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Miller are newest priests   Theologian: ‘Behave toward others as though God were there’   Fr. Bonnot: Use good judgment for TV, movie viewing   MOMS: ‘A place to claim yourself’   Storm ‘changed lives forever’ for Jackson Twp. family   Bishop will ordain Miller, McCaffrey at May 25 ceremony   Update on child abuse   Vicar general addresses issue of not giving priest names to media   New Middletown St. Paul youth — called to be ‘witnesses’ for Christ   New Ursuline Sisters leadership team elected to 6-year term   Two receive first pastorates; two pastors change parishes   Abuse coverage   Walsh University dedicates new ‘David’ campus center   Sisters’ HIV/AIDS ministry critical, heartbreaking   Bishop visits St. Peter’s as rebuilding process begins   Chrism Mass theme: Priests can’t afford discouragement   Bishop’s Appeal stresses meeting needs, funding ministries   Diocese OKs closing Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini K-8; preschool stays   St. Stan’s marks 100th year   Canton St. Joseph choir enjoys ‘incredible trip’   New schools superintendent   Four journeys of faith among hundreds marked here   DPC considers direction, importance of youth ministry   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Pro-life dinner heralds new beginning in Stark County   Kids at church   Religious day studies resurrection amid culture of violence   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Keynoter: Eucharist should change us   Speaker: ‘Truth’ key concept in Gospel of John   Parishes offer Lenten missions for spiritual enrichment   Parishes offer Lenten missions, speakers series   Working in Medjugorje   TV anchorman finds faith not incompatible with journalism   Action alert on cloning set in diocese for Feb. 2-3   Austintown parishioner finds fulfillment in El Salvador   ‘Where Faith and Knowledge Meet’   Resisting TEMPTATION: It’s worth the effort, teens say   4th annual Diocesan Pro-life Mass set Jan. 26   Catholic/Lutheran dialogue, death of Walsh president top news   Diocese helping Afghanistan relief   Past Articles From 2001