Archive for the 'Abortion' Category

I have often driven by the abortion clinic nearby my home and seen courageous people out there praying. Though I had joined them occasionally in years past, it is only recently I have begun going regularly.

It is a difficult thing, standing there, knowing what is going on inside. A baby is being killed and their mother’s, father’s, grandparents’, and siblings’ lives are being altered forever. Yet it is a spiritual battle that needs to be fought, and for more than one reason. (more…)

On Wednesday, March 30, the National Institute of Reproductive Health’s Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign is sponsoring a Day of Action aimed at high school and college students.

By spreading the word about so-called emergency contraception (EC), apparently the campaign’s purpose is to try to prevent unintended pregnancies. But I have to wonder if the folks at NIRH somehow missed the memo that EC has proven to be not all it’s cracked up to be.

“More Effective Than Nothing”: The Best That Can Be Said of EC?

Three years ago, Dr. James Trussell conducted a web seminar (accessible here) in which he made some very candid admissions about the failure of EC to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy. (more…)

I was privileged to give a series of talks this past Friday at the Archdiocese of Omaha’s pro-life teen conference held at V.J. & Angela Skutt High School in Omaha.

The Archdiocese’s Respect Life Apostolate organized the event, which served as a reunion for high school students who attended the Archdiocese’s March for Life pilgrimage in January, and to encourage them to ramp up their involvement in pro-life activities. That’s why the Apostolate selected “The Next Step” as the very appropriate theme for this conference.

The first talk I gave was titled “Making the Case for Life”, which dovetails with the League’s Sharing the Pro-Life Message handbook — copies of which were given to everyone present. This talk was very well received, as evidenced by student Clare Ellis, who commented, “This talk helped me as well as others in understanding better how to talk to people that are pro-choice and have a better discussion.” (more…)

Here’s the winning entry in the Expose Planned Parenthood Video Contest — not only does it hit on the major points of what’s so bad about the Wal-Mart of the Abortion Industry, but it’s also deeply heartfelt and personal:

You can see the second, third, and fourth place videos here.

It has been my own experience that sometimes, by getting so caught up in being pro-life, I lose sight of the reason I am pro-life. It is a dangerous trap to fall into, I know. At times like these, this is what I remind myself of.

The pro-life movement is very much a political movement. Yet, it is so much more than political protests and rallies. This is not to say these aren’t important, for they are. But at the end of the day, it’s not the essence of the pro-life movement.

In two words, being pro-life comes down to this: human dignity. (more…)

I just got an e-mail from my friend Bryan Kemper about a great spring break opportunity:

If your Spring Break is between March 9th and April 17th we want you to spend it praying for the end of abortion. Stand True and Austin Coalition for Life are teaming up to provide a great pro-life mission opportunity for you during spring break.

March 9th marks the start of the spring 40 Days for Life campaign where pro-lifers from around the world gather to pray and minister outside of abortion clinics. Hearst and minds are change and hundreds of babies are saved during each 40 Days for Life event.

Former Planned Parenthood Director, Abby Johnson quit and joined the pro-life movement because of the efforts a 40 Days for Life campaign in Texas. One of the key figures in her journey into the pro-life movement is Elizabeth McClung who will be hosting this Spring Break Mission Trip in Austin, TX. (more…)

Generations for Life has partnered with Live Action, Students for Life of America, Rock for Life, Right to Life of Central California, Susan B. Anthony List, Teen Defenders, Cherish Life Ministries, Stand True, Students for Life of Illinois, LIFEsocal, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, and Pro-Life Action League in sponsoring the Expose Planned Parenthood Video Contest to show America why America’s largest abortion chain must be defunded.

You’ve seen the undercover videos of Planned Parenthood aiding and abetting child sex trafficking, covering up statutory rape, and lying to young girls.

You’ve read the reports about how Planned Parenthoods across the United States have been charged with crimes ranging from covering up illegal late term abortions, not reporting the rape of young girls, and falsely billing the state of California.

Now it’s time to create your own video to tell Congress why they should defund Planned Parenthood. (more…)

Obviously to those in the pro-life movement, abortion is a real evil. But for some of us who grew up in pro-life families and Christian circles, we are somewhat sheltered from the first-hand impact of abortion.

What I mean is that I’ve never looked back and said, “Wow, I’m so glad my parents chose life, and decided to keep me.” Coming from a pro-life family, that’s something I take for granted.

But many people live in a different reality.
(more…)

Live Action released a great new video today that in 33 seconds makes the case for why Planned Parenthood should be defunded:

(more…)

The TeenSpeak 2011 Essay Contest asked students to respond to one of the following three common pro-choice arguments:

1. Don’t tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies.
2. Abortion must remain legal to protect victims of rape and incest.
3. If we don’t have legal abortion, the world will become overpopulated.

The winner of the first prize, a $1,000.00 scholarship, went to Victoria Holmen. Her essay is included below. Have a read—I think you’ll agree her essay is excellent.

Second place, a $500.00 scholarship, went to Joey Pontarelli. His essay follows Victoria’s.

Congratulations to Victoria and Joey!

Just released this morning, here’s the latest undercover video from Lila Rose and Live Action. This is definitely their most shocking video so far:

From Live Action’s press statement announcing the video’s release:

A Planned Parenthood manager in New Jersey coaches a man and a woman posing as sex traffickers how to secure secret abortions, STD testing, and contraception for their female underage sex slaves, and make their whole operation “look as legit as possible” in an undercover video released this morning. (more…)

This past Monday, I took part in my second ever March for Life. While my school, Franciscan University of Steubenville, took seven busloads of students down to D.C., I decided to drive down with four of my close friends.

As expected, D.C. was teeming with Pro-Lifers. I split up with my friends to meet up with my brother who had traveled with his youth group from Chicago. I never made it back to my original group, as I was caught up in the sea of peaceful protesters.

And while I was separated from my friends, I got to better take in the atmosphere around me. The environment was a complete melting pot, from Catholics praying the rosary, to groups like ‘Lutherans for Life’ and ‘Pro-Life Rabbis’. (more…)

Do pro-lifers believe a woman should have a choice of where she wants to go to college?

Do we believe women should have a choice of what kind of career they would like to pursue?

Or what kind of car to drive?

Or what kind of music to listen to?

Or what foods to eat?

Or…well, you get the idea.

Quite obviously, we believe women should have the right to choose any number of things (just as we believe men should have the right to choose any number of things).

And yet, those in favor of keeping abortion legal frequently refer to us not as pro-life, but rather, “anti-choice” — as if we were somehow opposed to women choosing anything. (more…)

I just finished watching MTV’s No Easy Decision, about teen mom Markai Durham’s second pregnancy and her decision to have an abortion.

The best response I’ve read so far is one co-written by Bryan Kemper of Stand True and Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America, who start off by saying:

We know that MTV is no bastion of decency or truth, but we did not think the show would actually go as far as it did. We were wrong.

Read the whole thing.

One other thing to point out: the show originally aired on December 28 — the feast of the Slaughter of the Innocents.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus in a few weeks, I’m also looking forward to one of my favorite Advent traditions: the Pro-Life Action League’s annual “Empty Manger” Christmas Caroling Day.

Each year on the Saturday before Christmas, we visit abortion clinics in Chicago to sing Christmas carols, gathered around a life-size “empty manger”, which symbolizes both the empty space
left behind by abortion and the hope born with every child, even in difficult circumstances.

This year’s Caroling Day is Saturday, December 18, and we’ll be conducting TWO different caroling tours — one in Chicago and one in west suburban DuPage County.

You can get all the details, including maps and schedules, here.

If you don’t live near Chicago, how about doing your own “Empty Manger” Caroling Day at abortion clinics or Planned Parenthood offices in YOUR area? Pro-life groups all over the country have taken up this idea, and babies have been saved when their mothers heard the caroling.

To make it easy, we’ve prepared a caroling song sheet [PDF] you can copy and pass out.