December 9, 2000
Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Rejoice!

Thanks be to God—William Goodman, a full-time pro-life missionary in Madison, Wisconsin, went to the rescue of his little preborn brothers and sisters who were in danger on Friday, December 8!

The rescue, which took place at the Madison Abortion mill, came as an outpouring of love and thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin on her Firstday, the feast of her Immaculate Conception.

The evening of December 7, Will and three other members of a newly-formed pro-life community had made one-year private promises at a Catholic Mass in Evansville, Wisconsin—promises to give their lives for one year to the service of Jesus in His children in danger from the culture of death.

As a loving way of concretizing those promises, the community decided to take part in an act of solidarity the next morning. Nine pro-lifers were gathered at the abortion mill at about 9:30 am to pray Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. During the Canticle of Zechariah (Lk. 1:68-79), a couple approached the mill. While the sidewalk counselor offered them literature, Will calmly and openly walked into the Meriter Hospital building, which houses the abortion facility, undetected. He even walked directly past the security guard, who oddly did not notice him.

As he entered, the pro-life hero continued to joyfully pray the words of the Canticle, "In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." Those witnessing with him on the street noted a beautiful expression of peace and joy on his face as he relinquished his breviary in order to go empty-handed into the mill.

Will got on the elevator and, on the ride up, was able to counsel a father in crisis. He arrived at the locked door to the waiting room, and stood outside talking to a young woman about adoption and singing Christmas hymns for several minutes. He also delivered a letter to the secretery for abortionist Denis Christensen. The letter said in part, "My wish is to bear witness to the reality that love is possible, no matter how challenging the situation…. Through non-violent means I hope to testify to the goodness of the truth, defend the integrity of every human person no matter how small, and enter into solidarity with those human persons most forgotten and most in need….."

After Will delivered the letter, Kimberly Christensen, daughter of the abortionist and employee at the abortuary, passed by him and proceeded to open the locked door to the waiting room. Will followed right behind her and was able to get into the waiting room itself: a miracle straight from Our Lady.

Will began to talk to Kimberly about the sanctity of life. She was so irate that she put him in a headlock with one arm and tried to shut his jaw with the other, actually suffocating him. Because Will was obviously unable to breathe, the other clinic workers even began to object to her violence, for fear that she was going to kill him. Meanwhile he sank down to his knees, remaining completely limp and unresisting. When further pressed by her co-workers to let him go, Kimberly shouted out in complete frustration, "But he won’t shut up!" Little did she understand that Will’s meek and silent bearing of her rage spoke even louder than any words could say.

At the urging of her co-workers, she eventually let Will go, praise God. The police were called, but Will was still able to remain in the waiting room for almost an hour, counseling couples, handing out miraculous medals, using Holy Water, praying, and witnessing to the police, who seemed somewhat unwilling to arrest him.

However, after an hour they did arrest him and take him in a wheelchair (because he went limp, refusing to comply with the unjust arrest) out to a loading dock to put him in the police car. Two of the pro-lifers out on the street were able to briefly see him in the back seat of the police car as it drove by on its way to the jail.

We gladly give God the glory for this truly miraculous event, and we thank Him for showing His love for preborn children through Will’s selfless and courageous action. As Will stated from jail, "Children are dying not because God doesn’t love them. He does love them. Children die because we don’t love them enough." Will’s rescue was an act of love, freely undertaken, in which he lived the reality that babies in danger of abortion are our brothers and sisters, worthy of love and protection. He desired to peacefully and non-violently lay down his body in between the children in danger and the instruments that threatened them, saying by his actions that he would rather suffer, and even die, than see one more innocent baby, one more mother or one more father harmed by abortion.

Continue to pray for the conversion of Denis Christensen (abortionist), especially in this last month of the Jubilee Year of Christ’s birth. Pray also for Denis’ daughter Kimberly, the other mill workers, and the parents whom Will counseled. Pray also for the police and the judges, that they would come to recognize that Will’s action was just, loving and lawful, and so support him and all non-violent efforts to save children’s lives. Most of all, pray for God to spare the lives of the children in danger from abortion and to herald in a new culture of life!

Pray also for Will as he continues his act of rescue by offering up his time in the Dane County Jail. Please call us if you have any prayer requests for which you would like Will to pray while he remains in jail. We know that God will honor the prayers of a man in chains for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom.

Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
(Hail Cross, Only Hope!)

Suzanne Abdalla
Chris & Trish McKenna

December 13, 2000

Here is an update on Will's condition: he attended his arraignment on Monday, December 11, and the judge offered him to let him go on bond, on the condition that he remain one block away from the abortion center before his January 25 pretrial conference. He could not in good conscience sign that bond. Therefore, he will remain in jail until January 25, and probably beyond.

Please keep this pro-life hero in your prayers!

+All for Jesus,
Suzanne Abdalla