The
Clifford
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Mailing address:   20517 Bernard Way, Redding, CA 96003

Today, Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004, I became the grandmother of a precious baby boy I'll never hold.

Fascle Clifford was born 1.2 ounce, 4-3/4 inches long.

Like most babies he was immediately cleaned, then embraced by his parents. Like most babies he was then thoroughly inspected by his parents. They noted the similarity in his facial features to his older brother who, on July 11th, celebrated his first birthday. They took pleasure in noting his extra large feet which are notoriously typical of the men in his father's side of the family. They knew that like his father, uncle and grandfather before him he would have had, most likely, size 13 shoes by the time he reached his teens.

Fascle then had his life celebrated. His tiny body was blessed, and prayed over, with Holy water. A priest performed the loving ritual with only Fascle's parents and immediate medical staff in the room.

My son tells me that tears were shed by hospital staff who shared their experience. They felt very loved by the Christian staff of the Catholic hospital. Everyone there understood the rightness of honoring the life of this little person and the love his parents felt for him. They showed love for Fascle, and his parents, right up to the time they left the hospital.

Fascle's mother knew, for several days, that she would have to give birth to a baby who had been dead for perhaps two weeks. Labor was induced and wasn't easy. Unlike her first birth, surgery was required hours afterward to remove placenta so it was an even more difficult ordeal.

Fascle's body is not going to a so-called "lab" where it might eventually end in a garbage dump or dissected. He's on his way to a funeral home.

This grandmother is very grateful to God to have a son and a daughter-in-law who honor life. She is grateful that they are brave enough to dare to love, to the fullest, the little life God began from them. Grateful that at this time, in our country's sad history when so many couples are counseled not to care for such tiny life, they had access to a hospital which enabled them to deal with their experience, and their grief, in the most loving and mature way.

There was no selfishness to look back on, no disregard for life, no disregard for God's will, no running away from the truth and no disrespect for the tiny temple that Scripture indicates already housed a soul.

This will serve them well through the years. And, if and when they ever tell Fascle's siblings about him, his story will confirm to them how much they themselves must surely be loved and respected by their parents. Furthermore, exemplified was, not only their respect for God-created life, but a healthy self-respect both as individuals and as a married couple.