Right to Life Month

By Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB

This post is taken from Fr. Steve's weekly Don Newsletter (October 21).

It’s Pro-Life month. As Catholics we are pro-life. We are clear about our concern to preserve and protect HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL: BORN AND UNBORN. Being pro-life is not being insensitive to women. It is being sensitive to innocent babies in the womb and not allowing them to be killed. This month many people throughout the country have been going out to abortion clinics on Saturday mornings to pray. Others are doing the rosary at home. All of us are challenged to speak up. Opportunities arise frequently when the conversation comes up at home or with friends. As you watch television these next two weeks you will hear lots of political advertisements. Many of them mention explicitly whether the candidate wants to fund or de-fund Planned Parenthood. Many of them are explicit about the candidates' desire to work toward expanding or restricting abortion (I’m not just talking about the presidential race here).

So... What to do? What to do to be pro-life? Here’s a list:

• Pray, pray, pray! Our most important weapon against the evil of abortion is prayer - especially the Rosary.
• Read, read, read! An effective pro-life advocate must be informed; know the facts and share the truth. Do not hesitate to speak up. With knowledge, you will have the confidence necessary to be a voice for the unborn. Be KIND, LOVING AND PATIENT with those who don’t know the truth.
• Be prepared to provide resources that will help your friend in a crisis pregnancy. Load phone numbers in your cell phone.
• Wear the Pro-Life baby feet pin - a conversation starter. The pin represents the actual size of a baby’s feet at 10 weeks. Also share the fact that a baby’s heart starts to beat 18-21 days from conception, even before the mother may know she is pregnant.
• Attend prayer vigils in front of abortion mills - be a voice for the voiceless!
• Support your local pregnancy care center. Volunteer at the center or help to raise funds.
• Spread the truth through Facebook and other social media. Strategically place Pro-Life literature around school and the community.
• Attend the March for Life or other conferences to be inspired and learn ways to be more effective in teaching the truth about life.
• Challenge yourself. Be a light to others and help them see that all human life is sacred and deserves to be protected from conception to natural death.
• Vote your conscience in elections, but don’t wash over this issue as if it's insignificant or unimportant. Babies terminated are not unimportant.