WINDSOR, Ontario, February 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - “Earl the Pearl” as he was known to his pro-life colleagues, frequently described himself as one who was meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
For nearly 3 decades Mr. Amyotte of Windsor, Ontario was a leading Canadian pro-life activist.
He was a founding member of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), the political arm of the pro-life movement in Canada, and was the first leader of the Pro-life Party of Canada. I
n recent years, Mr. Amyotte particularly enjoyed participating in Show the Truth, the in-your-face street presentation of abortion, using graphic images to make the reality inescapable.
Earl was a regular hospital picketer with his ‘friends across the river’ and would travel 15 hours by bus to attend the annual March for Life every January in Washington, D.C.
In his role as Windsor area President of CLC he was the newsman’s best friend-always available with a quotable quote.
A staunch Catholic, Mr. Amyotte usually reserved his most biting criticism for bishops and those in charge of Catholic institutions who were slow to respond to crucial moral problems. ‘The bishops are lost’ he would often say.
Earl had little time for those who gave ‘lip service’ to an issue. The ‘meet, eat and retreat’ crowd was anathema to his instincts and desire to do good.
The wealthier do-nothing pew sitters he dubbed, ‘the wine, dine and recline’ crowd.
Mr. Amyotte was incensed when it was announced that Assumption College would present the Christian Culture award to Jean Chretien, who is a pro-abortion ‘Catholic’ who would later become Prime minister.
He picketed former PM John Turner’s visit to St. Mary’s Cathedral in London, Ontario. Turner, another pro-abortion ‘Catholic’, was Minister of Justice in the Trudeau government who rammed through the Omnibus Bill in 1969 which threw open the door to abortion-on-demand,
Earl loved people and especially young people. At any pro-life conference or gathering you’d see him with a child in his arms-any child.
Mr. Amyotte was a defender of the rights of children in the womb, their moms, the handicapped and elderly-at-risk and everyone who was disadvantaged.
The late, great Mother Teresa referred to those in the pro-life movement as ordinary people doing extraordinary work for God.
In Earl’s case he was an extraordinary character doing extraordinary work for his Lord and Saviour.
He will be greatly missed by his companion, Anne Marie Stephens, his sons Tom and David (Cheryl), grandchildren Jessica and Adam, sister Linda Whitehouse and brothers Lawrence and Ron Amyotte and by legions of pro-life friends.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
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