Because in the statement below Sonny brought up the situation of his son Jason, his wife Susan, and little Suzie Ann I think I need to preface this with their story. In 2005 Susan Torres who was 17 weeks pregnant collapsed due to a stroke from the recurrence of a melanoma she had when she was 17. It had invaded her brain. The Torres family made the decision to keep Susan alive to give her growing baby, a little girl they named Susan Catherine Ann (after her mother and great-grandmother), a chance at life. Susan clung to life much longer than any of the doctor's believed possible with her cancer. The baby was delivered by C-section at about 27 weeks and lived for a little over a month before complications from a perforated intestine overcame her tiny body's ability to resist. Susan and Jason's story made international headlines as their little one fought for life. Karen, who was arrested last Sunday, told me the day after the baby died, "I saw her will to live and her ability to love. She just wanted to live. All these people who talk so cavalierly about abortion need to know these babies want to live. We've got to stop killing them."
The night Susan collapsed Sonny and Jason both had the same dream at about the same time in the wee hours of the morning. Each heard a voice saying, "You and others will tell the world of a fight to save a precious life, not to change hardened hearts, but to give hope to those who believe, so that they know that there is more than what they see and hear. Let them come and see for themselves.”
That's what all those pro-lifers were doing at Notre Dame last Sunday - witnessing to the world know how important it is to save one precious life. And that's why Karen and Sonny were there to stand with them.
SONNY'S STATEMENT
I feel Karen and my rights were walked on by the Sheriff's department of South Bend, but that is not what disturbs me the most. I love my Catholic faith and the Catholic church and I truly believe in the sanctity of life. That is why we drove 11 hours to witness to those views.
I cannot speak for Karen, but I am starting to wonder if the Church truly believes in what it preaches. I sit and listen to priests tell us that the flock should stand up for life. We are told to give our time and money to protect life at all costs, but where were they at Notre Dame?
Several times during the approximately 6 hours we were at the gates of Notre Dame my heart would soar when a man in a Roman collar would walk up the street, only to continue walking past the protesters and through the gates. Most wore a look of disinterest, some blatant disgust on their faces. One of them, after being asked by a woman, “Don’t you think it is hypocritical to be part of this heresy?” told her to “Get a life!"
Only one little old priest, who had to walk a gauntlet of anti-Catholic monsters who yelled questions like, “How many little boy’s have you had in your life?” And being told he was going to hell with the pope, was holy enough to stay and protest! After the graduation ceremonies, several priests and a group of nuns left holding balloons with the new messiah’s picture on them!
At my parish pro-life issues are rarely mentioned and usually when they are, it is done by the Knights Of Columbus! We get more sermons on social issues and are constantly being asked to “examine our conscience” to see if we are giving enough to the new church fund or the Bishops Lenten Appeal. I know several Bishops “spoke out” against Notre Dame and Father Jenkins, but what more did they do? Most just disappeared after they spoke out.
Several years ago God gave me one of the most blessed events I have ever witnessed. I got to see how much a little life wants to survive, and I saw first hand the love of a mother and father. I feel Notre Dame and Father Jenkins have spit in the face of my son Jason, daughter-in-law Susan, and granddaughter Suzie Ann. In my opinion the Catholic Church, through Notre Dame and Father Jenkins, had all those people arrested - people who were doing what The shepherd’s of the Church should have been doing.
Please, I ask the leaders of The Catholic Church to start acting more like Christ, so I can answer the question with: “Yes, I Am Catholic,” and with my head held high!
Sonny Torres
_____________________________________________________
For more about the Torres' story see the links below:
Strange Happening on Night of Susan's Tragic Collapse
Family Struggles to Keep “Brain Dead” Woman Alive for her Unborn Child
