+ Fr. Paul Marx, O.S.B., Ph.D., the pioneering pro-life missionary, has entered eternal life +

Let us pray for the repose of the soul of the great pro-life missionary, Fr. Paul Marx, O.S.B., Ph.D., who entered eternal life at 8:10 U.S. Central Time this morning, Saturday, March 20.

Steve Mosher, founder of the Population Research Institute, reports that those who were at Fr. Marx's bedside say that at the moment of his death, he stretched forth his hands to Heaven and said, "Take me home."

Click on this post's title to read about Fr. Marx. You can also read about him at the websites of the Population Research Council and Human Life International.

Fr. Marx was born in 1920 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1947. He was a sociologist, and he taught marriage and family life in college. From the start, he was a loyal supporter of Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, and he was a pioneer in pointing out the contraception-abortion link and slamming the contraceptive mentality.

Fr. Marx founded Human Life International three decades ago. He held annual international conferences that drew thousands; and through those meetings and his travels to dozens of countries, he organized effective right to life movements all over the world.

Catholic liberals, including some right here in L.A., disliked and criticized Fr. Marx for upholding Catholic doctrine on contraception, for his fearless and tireless pro-life activism, and for his opposition to Catholic anti-life politicians and their cronies in the hierarchy and clergy.

Fr. Marx used to go right into abortion mills and start counseling the moms in the waiting rooms. When the abortion staffers would ask, "Who are you?" he would reply, "I'm the chaplain."

I don't think Fr. Marx ever actually sat in at a rescue, but he was present at some, and several times he was arrested. One time, the cops who were driving him away said, "Our wives will give us hell for this. Do you think we'll go to hell?" and Fr. Marx replied, "I wouldn't rule it out."

Pope John Paul II received Fr. Marx more than once. The first time, he mischievously asked Fr. Marx, "Is there any of Karl [Marx] in you?" and Fr. Marx replied, humorously, "Only through Adam." Another time, His Holiness called Fr. Marx "The Apostle of Life" and told him, "You are doing the most important work on Earth."

Think of all the little babies welcoming their champion, Fr. Paul Marx, to Heaven.

God rest the soul of heroic and faithful Fr. Paul Marx and raise up many worthy successors to him in the hierarchy, clergy, religious, and laity. Amen.

Did you know Fr. Marx, ever meet him, ever hear him speak, or ever pray with him outside an abortion mill? If you have a chance, please tell us about it.