Page 12 - LOTN Summer Issue 47 2021

WITNESS

Poland). I was very depressed but waited until evening for my piece, on her neck, until she was two or three years old. Today,
husband to call me on 'Skype'. this mark looks like a little dot. She doesn't get sick at all. I
am a twin. My mother gave birth to me after less than seven
Lidia Konar: How did your husband react to the news? months of pregnancy: it was probably the 6th month and the
Arleta: I think the Holy Spirit worked here, because Bartosz third week. There was no ultrasound then. She did not know
took it in his stride. He asked me if I still loved our baby. I was that she had two children lying under her heart. It came as a
furious with him for asking me this, but then I understood what great shock to her. One child was already dead and I had to
he was getting at, so when I replied to him that I did love our have a blood transfusion. I weighed about 750 grams (1lb 10oz)
unborn child he said, "Maybe it’s God’s will." It was so strange and no one gave me much chance of surviving. The priest who
because from that moment I became calm and accepting and came to the hospital and baptised me told my mother that I was
there was no more discussion. On the 31st of August I went crying so loudly in that incubator, that I would survive, but her
to Scotland. There, no one asked me about the course of my doctor wasn't so sure and felt that, even if I did survive, I might
pregnancy, only about the morphology, whether the child was have a serious handicap. When I was ten months old my mother
growing properly. I also didn't tell anyone anything because I took me to this doctor. He admitted that sometimes doctors
thought that everything would be revealed by the next scan. In get it wrong. In my opinion a doctor is not truly able to assess
September, I started subscribing to the Polish weekly magazine whether or not an unborn child's life is worth living.
"Niedziela" (Sunday) and there I read about the Novena to Our Lidia Konar: Did your doctor see Julia?
Lady of Pompeii which I started in November. I did not ask for Arleta: I wanted to show him Julia when we went to baptise her
a healthy child. Instead I prayed: "You know, Mary, that I am in Poland, but then I thought there would really be no point.
alone here. If this child is born sick, I will not know how to take God must have put us to the test, and I believe that we passed
care of him so I am asking you for help". In addition, I found it! Neither Bartosz nor I have ever thought that we have the
out about the Milk Grotto of Our Lady in Bethlehem. This has right to kill a child, no matter what sickness it might have, or
become a focus of devotional prayer for women from all over the even if it was a conception from rape. I think that if someone is
world - especially those who cannot have children or who have brought up to believe that abortion is wrong, then when they
trouble feeding children. I asked Our Lady for her protection. have problems, they absolutely do not take this possibility into
I also read about Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. She is account.
the patroness of pregnant women and, through her intercession,
I often asked for the child be born as soon as possible and that Lidia Konar: What do you think about what is happening now
Heaven would take care of me, because I could not count on as regards the pro-life movement?
anyone abroad. We received a letter from the hospital to come Arleta: I have the impression that today's 60-70-year-old
for a scan. During the examination I could not see anything grandmothers have a conscience tainted by the communist era.
because the monitor was turned towards Bartosz. Two nurses Instead of being witnesses to a culture of love and life, they
told me that all the internal organs of our child were developed are totally against it. They say that a person has the right to do
and its blood circulation was normal. Bartosz noticed that the anything because freedom matters. This worries me because if
baby was stroking its cheek with the outside of its hand. only young women took part in these pro-abortion marches, I
would think that there is still a chance that they will come to a
Lidia Konar: And the baby was born healthy? better understanding. However, often elderly people are out on
Arleta: Yes. It happened on the 9th of January. Julia was born the streets too, and actively promoting these views. We must
healthy though she had an inflamed spot, the size of a 20 pence talk about these issues to all those who are prepared to listen.

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