Gulf Pine Catholic

16 Gulf Pine Catholic • July 27, 2018 Riders are Biking for Babies on trek to St. Louis from St. Paul in Tylertown BY DAVID TISDALE A group of seven biker missionaries put their wheels in motion at about 5 a.m. July 9, departing from St. Paul the Apostle Church in Tylertown headed toward St. Louis on a mission for life. The riders are making the journey in support of “Biking for Babies,” an organi- zation that formed in 2009 with the mis- sion of supporting pregnancy resource centers across the country that advocate for expectant mothers to choose life, and assist them in multiple ways to facilitate that choice through biking events that raise money from individual and organiza- tional sponsorships. Members of the Southern Team for Biking for Babies can be viewed online at https://www.biking - forbabies.com/2018-ride/teams/. The bik- ers hail from Florida, Alabama and Tennessee. The first Biking for Babies event near- ly a decade ago was one trek from New Orleans to Chicago. Now, the organization has Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western “Rides” across the country in support of these centers. Resources paid for with the funds raised from the rides include MRIs, counseling, education as well as other resources and supplies expectant mothers and their families need in advance of and following birth. Griffin Wacker of the Memphis area is a route leader for the Southern Team and said Biking for Babies takes a “grass roots approach” to soliciting support for its mis- sion, either with one-on-one contact with supporters or in connecting with larger groups who endorse its cause. “We’re working to spread the culture of life with this ride by not only raising money for these pregnancy centers, but also building awareness of our mission, and to do whatever we can to support these facilities in their work to convince mothers to choose life,” he said. Wacker said Biking for Babies is not exclusively affiliated with the Catholic Church, but welcomes all to participate. “The pro-life issue isn’t a Catholic issue, it’s an ‘everybody’ issue,” he said. Saint Paul’s pastor, Father Martin Gillespie, said the church has made physical modifications to its parish hall so that bikers can stay overnight prior to their trip in preparation for their depar- ture from Tylertown, the first year this small southwest Mississippi town has been the starting point for the organiza- tion’s “Southern Ride.” “We’ve embraced the riders and their mission, and look forward to con- tinue supporting Biking for Babies in the future,” Father Gillespie said. “It’s real- ly a blessing for us to participate in this way,” Father Gillespie said. Weslee Pintarelli of Fairhope, Ala., a first-year missionary rider for Biking for Babies , said she’s been training in recent weeks to get physically ready for the ride, but admitted that the task ahead was a bit daunting to her. However, Pintarelli says she’ll lean on her faith to complete the journey. “I am a little nervous, but I feel God will take the rest of it for me,” she said prior to a dinner served to the team at Saint Paul. “I hope what I do will give others the chance to understand how abortion affects people, and that there are other options. We want to save as many lives as we can.” Father Martin Gillespie is pictured, top right, during a July 8 Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Tylertown prior to blessing a group, center right, of cyclists who journeyed from the church to St. Louis, Missouri. He is shown, bottom right, blessing Weslee Pintarelli of Fairhope, Ala. Photos/David Tisdale