Center’s work is inspirational

Editor’s note: Another Viewpoint is a column The News-Herald makes available so all sides of an issue may be aired. Tom Wetzel lives in Willoughby.

It was sad to watch some of the confirmation hearings for Judge Neil Gorsuch for an open spot on the U.S. Supreme Court as Democratic senators seemed intent on trying to deny him an opportunity to serve.

Listening to their arguments against him has led me to an obvious conclusion. Regardless of all his other perceived positions, if they believed he would support legalized abortion, there would be no threat of a filibuster.

The life argument appears to be the linchpin on whether he one day sits on that court in their eyes.

What is clear to me is that those same eyes don’t recognize the precious value that each life has, especially the most vulnerable, who may be an unborn baby within a womb or an adult with severe developmental disabilities. Both deserve dignity and respect.

Reflecting on that reminds me of a recent visit I had to a group home in South Euclid that was recently built by the Rose-Mary center.

It is within those freshly built walls where one can watch love in action as souls with extreme challenges are nurtured.

Those who attend to their needs clearly see Imago Dei, Latin for the Image of God, in each face of a child or adult under their care.

One can sense angels in disguise in either a resident or a caretaker as both seem to have a special closeness to God.

The Rose-Mary center itself was established in 1922 after Caesar Grasselli donated a summer home to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland in honor of his late wife Johanna.

It would be a home for crippled children and they would be cared for by the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary.

It was named “Rose-Mary, the Johanna Grasselli Home for Crippled Children” in honor of the Blessed Mother and Johanna.

Sister Joan Acker, in her book “An Eighty-Year Connection: The Grasselli Family, RoseMary, The Humility of Mary Sisters” wrote about the first recipient of kindness there.

“The first resident of RoseMary was Polly, an orphan who had been discovered when she was 8 months old abandoned in an ash can in the Youngstown area, her body crippled and covered with sores and her sight impaired.

Before she was finally brought to Rose-Mary at the age of 3, she had been in and out of several institutions in the Youngstown area, one of which was St. Elizabeth’s Hospital run by the Humility sisters.

“At the first Mass celebrated at Rose-Mary on Sunday, Oct. 15, 1922, by Bishop Schrembs, she was baptized Rosemary Smith.”

Sister Acker went on to say that, “Thanks to the endless care and devotion of the sisters and other staff, Rosemary became a normal, healthy, and happy child.”

And today based on a group home model, many children and young adults with developmental disabilities are getting a home of their own along with the personal privacy so often lacking in larger facilities. These beautiful souls are now our neighbors as their homes are spread throughout Northeast Ohio.

They are part of the fabric of a community and integrated into it instead of being off to the side.

I believe both Caesar and Johanna must smile and marvel from Heaven at how that original effort has grown to such an amazing degree.

The Rose-Mary center is a living example of Jesus’ words when he said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

I so wish those senators in question would recognize that we must value all life, regardless of status or ability or whether it is inside a womb or not.

They only need to look to the Rose-Mary center to learn how to see God’s image in all life.

To learn more about the awesome work at Rose-Mary or donate to their work, you can visit them online at www.RoseMarycenter.com or call them at 216-481-4823.

Tom Wetzel