Five for five.

We are the Pro-Life Generation.

Over 55 million babies have been aborted since the legalization of abortion in 1973. Approximately one third of our generation is missing. How has this affected our world? How has this affected mothers, children, families, and doctors? The March for Life is the largest annual protest that takes place in Washington D.C, and 41 years after the legalization of abortion in America, the pro-life generation still refuses to be silent. Instead of silence, we stand up to speak the truth. This truth is even engraved at the top of our very own supreme court house- “Equal Justice under law” - and that is what we stand for. This year, I marched along side hundreds of thousands of young people in 5 degree snowy weather. A reasonable question to be asked is simply, why? Why did we march? Why are we PRO-LIFE? I contemplated this question thoroughly this year, to honestly search for the reason why I am so drawn, like millions of other Americans, to fight for an end to abortion. To fight for life and persistently choose to fight for the restoration of truth that many are too scared to face. After listening and re-reading the homily given by Cardinal Sean O’Malley at the Right To Life vigil Mass in D.C, I was able to better understand my own reasons as to why I am PRO-LIFE. Five reasons and five ways to respond.

*Everything in bold italics are the words of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, taken from his homily. 

1.  Because unborn children deserve "equal justice under law".

 "Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere." –MLK

"When Roe vs. Wade was handed down 40 years ago, Archibald Cox, the Harvard University expert in constitutional law and Watergate prosecutor stated “This decision (Roe vs. Wade) fails even to consider what I suppose to be the most compelling interest of the State in prohibiting abortion:  the interest in maintaining that respect for the paramount sanctity of human life which has always been at the center of Western Civilization."

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 

The desire for justice and equality of rights is the common denominator among almost every citizen of this country, yet the way we define equality is where the division begins. Equality? That word, like many others, is subjectively defined by every person. Subjective. That’s the other problem. Truth is now subjective in our world, where everyone holds their own set of convenient and personal “truths”. Nevertheless, I find it ironic to know that a country that has the words “EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW” engraved on their supreme court house does not in fact freely grant justice for the most vulnerable; the unborn. Someone saw a sign at the march that said, “Everyone who is pro-choice has already been born.” It's kind of funny how those who were given the right to live don't seem to think its a right for everyone. 

2. Because we believe that abortion aims toward an end that does not promote the joy and happiness for which we were created. 

(Aristotle thought this first, not me.)

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." –MLK

Since each person pursues different activities, and there is a different pleasure or pain linked to every activity, all humans pursue different types of pleasures depending on their state in life.  Every action aims towards reaching a specific end. In each activity, there will be a different “good” to be reached, but collectively every “good” aims towards an ultimate end.  The human persona is naturally inclined to seek some level of happiness through every function it completes.  Sleeping to feel rested, drinking to quench a thirst, exercising to lose weight, giving away your coat to someone in need; the “good” that each function aims toward appears to be different from one another, but they are all aiming toward one ultimate end. What end does abortion lead someone to? What kind of “good” does abortion bring, and is it enough to justify taking away a life? Everyone’s motives are different, sometime it’s something forced on another or it may a desperate attempt to continue living a “happy” life, untainted by the responsibility of raising a child. Regardless of the reasons or motives, there is no way that abortion can aim toward the ultimate happiness of a Mother. (Again, these are the ideas of Aristotle, in my own words but not my original thoughts.)

The fact that there is a website called Abortion Recovery should say enough.

3. Because we see beauty in every human life conceived, regardless of how it was conceived, how long it lasts or how fortunate their life is promised to be.

“When the value of life is compromised or diminished, all life is at risk.  When we give the State the power to determine which human beings are worthy of living and which should be eliminated, what we are doing is opening a Pandora’s Box that unleashes every kind of injustice and violation of human dignity.”

I wanted to incorporate personal testimonies of people I know who understand this statement to a different degree. They each have a deep understanding of how one life can change the world around you and that EVERY life is beautiful.

I asked my two cousins to tell me in one sentence why the lives of their younger siblings, who were both born with down syndrome, are beautiful. They both said they could have gone on forever had I let them. :)

Monica Slonkosky on her little sister Magdalena

“Because she forever carries an irreplaceable innocence that changes you the moment you look at her and her soul is pure as snow.” 

 Margo Slonkosky on her little brother Daniel
“To be honest, pure and innocence is all he knows, and he helps us to remember that life should be cherished and respected. I can’t imagine life without him, he brings so much joy that unites us all.”

I also asked my two cousins and a close friend to share a few words about becoming a mother, despite the difficult situations they faced.

Maria Dunlap on her daughter Vivian, who was born into eternal life on September 21st, 2012 at 59 days old. 

“At the 20 week ultrasound for my daughter, Vivian, my husband and I were hit with news no parent wants to hear. Our daughter, our first child, had a very serious heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, HLHS. Although there was a great pain thinking that there was something wrong with my baby, I could never think about 'getting rid' of her, even though that is what some people do in our situation because a devastating diagnosis is seen as a dead-end. For me, I didn't love Viv any less. In fact, I learned to love her in a way I never knew possible. Not only did I learn to love so fully, the world learned to love her as prayers were lifted up for her by close friends and strangers. More people were changed forever because of her life, although short, than most people influence in a long lived life. Nobody knows what God has planned for our life. No one knows what special gift each child can bring to this universe. All I know is God gives life, and He has the right to take it, not me. And Vivi left an imprint of love that would have never been here on this earth if I wouldn't have fully said 'yes' to what God had asked of us and of her. “ 

Tara Casey on her son Jacob, who was born with autism.

"It is truly amazing the impact he has already had on so many lives. However, there have been so many times of despair. Feelings of sadness that he will never live a normal life, frustration from not being able to communicate with him or him tell me that he loves me. It's been a long, difficult journey, but it's been inspiring and a blessing at the same time. I never had an amniocentesis preformed with any of my pregnancies. I knew that, no matter what, my baby was a blessing from God. Who am I to play God, to decide whether to keep my baby or not based on the test results, that may or may not be accurate. There have been times that I often felt jealous of other parents, not knowing what it would even feel like to be able to live a normal life. To be able to plan more activities for the kids and to not have to plan each and every event according to whether or not he would tolerate it. One day I had a woman come up to me and tell me how much she admired me and how highly she looked at me, it really made me think. Why was I jealous of them? Through my sweet Jacob I had attained everything they so desired and never even realized it. He has taught me so much and my life is forever changed because of him, for the better!"

Luci Klare on her twin daughters, Hope and Grace, who were conjoined at the heart. They were born into eternal life on June 23rd, 2009 after surviving for 47 minutes.

"It was worth giving birth to Hope and Grace because our hearts truly understood from the moment we held them, what love was, as wife and husband and as parents. All of the fear, anxiety and pain that we felt during the pregnancy was constantly trumped by the love that was consuming us by our daughters. And when they were born it was the culmination of their love AND God's love for us. In the end, we both felt so undeserving of the gift of Hope and Grace. Though our hearts are constantly crying to hold them again, we rejoice that we will hold them for an eternity when we meet in Heaven."

Read more moving stories like this at the website Every Life is Beautiful

A group of women caught my attention this year,

 holding signs that I had never seen in years passed. 
I chased after one of them as they were walking away 

and asked her if I could snap a photo. 
She humbly smiled and allowed me to. 
On the other side, the sign read, "I LOVE MY LIFE". 

4. To save mothers.

“The truth is that we can save those babies only by saving the mothers.  When they experience God’s loving mercy then they will become capable of showing mercy to their children.  The Pro Life Movement has to be about saving mothers.  The work of the pregnancy crisis centers has helped countless women to be able to choose Life.  We owe a great debt of gratitude to all the volunteers and workers."

“The Good News is that God never gives up on us. He never tires of loving us.  He never tires of forgiving us, never tires of giving us another chance.  The Pro-Life Movement needs to be the merciful face of God to women facing a difficult pregnancy.  Being judgmental or condemnatory is not part of the Gospel of Life.”

Care Net and Heartbeat International 
are both helpful websites! 

5. Because we are not indifferent to unnecessary suffering.

"At Lampedusa Pope Francis cast a wreath into the sea where thousands of poor immigrants lost their lives at sea.  He warned about the globalization of indifference.We face this in the Pro Life Movement.  Just as with slavery in the past, today many Americans are repulsed by abortion but believe that it is a necessary evil.  Our task is to show them that it is not necessary.  It is an evil but it is not necessary."

Although adoption is not the “fast and hidden” solution, I would like to share the words of a very courageous woman that I have the privilege of knowing, who not only said YES to giving life to her son, but also was brave enough to entrust him to another family that God brought into her life. Her story is one out of so many that proves abortion is not the absolute necessary option.

Leslie B. on her son, Anthony P.
“Adoption can be a scary word if you don't understand it. I personally rejected the idea when someone suggested I "look into all my options." How could I give my child away? I had just found out I was pregnant a week ago and already loved him so much.
I spent months trying to figure out what I was going to do. Budgeting, rearranging, planning,contemplating, hoping, trying to find any and every way possible that I could give this new life a good home. It was in all that planning that I had a minor revelation. Ohmygosh I am a mother. What does that mean?! It means I have been entrusted with a new soul. A soul that I have to raise to be a good person.This was not just anything. Somehow I had to not only help this little soul become a good person, become the man he was created to be. How on earth was I going to do that?!
Thank God that in that moment I was provided with the grace to realize that even though I loved thischild he was not mine to possess. He was Christ's child, entrusted to me for what ever reason, and it was my job to present him back to his Creator. I knew I could not give him the things that he needed. I knew that he would be okay with me but would be better in a more stable environment, with two established parents. And I knew that even though I could not provide these things God could. So I prayed. At the time it was a desperate prayer but so heartfelt. "God I give you my sons life, I give you my life, please help us."

It was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life, and probably will be the most difficult decision I ever make in my life. I am not saying it was easy, but I do not regret it. How can you regret love? -Yes there is pain, but there is something natural in a mother that allows her to sacrifice for her child. It is so worth it. While it hurts, the pain draws out a purified love. Something I hope everyone can experience. It is the gift we all search for. And only good can come from that love.”  

There are so many INCREDIBLY noble Pro-Life women among us. I feel blessed to know many of them. 

THE OTHER FIVE.

So what now? How do we honestly respond to the needs of our society with our actions? How are we promoting a culture of life, rather than death? How can we attempt to change the reality of abortion? Is it in our power or capabilities to save a life? The answer is yes. Even if its just one. Just one life can change the world. Here are a few ideas...

1. Reach out to those in your reach.

Stay local. This was the advice given to us by Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee, who gave a very eye opening talk at Notre Dame last year. She advised us to focus our energy on the neighborhood we live in, concentrating on one heart at a time. Her website is AWESOME by the way. 

“There are millions of women in our country who have had abortions, millions of men who pushed them, encourage them, and drove them to the abortion clinic.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if some of them could accept John Paul II’s challenge to those who have chosen abortion to commit themselves to life, “whether by accepting the birth of other children, or by welcoming and caring for those most in need of someone to be close to them; to become promoters of a new way of looking at human life.”

Option Line is a helpful website to locate the nearest women’s care center.

2. Preach the truth in words and actions.

"The challenge Pope Francis places before our young people to be evangelizers. To evangelize with beauty and joy. The Holy Father says: 'To communicate the moral teachings that promote growth in the Gospel way of life, it is helpful to stress again and again the attractiveness and ideal of a life of wisdom, self fulfillment and enrichment. In light of that positive message our rejection of the evils which endanger that life can be better understood. It is our task to witness to the truth that love, compassion and solidarity can build a just society that will be safer for the poor, the unborn and those on the periphery.'"

3. Pray.

"O Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Life, O Mother of all life born and unborn, I beseech thee to intercede with thy Son Jesus to grant me the grace to defend all human life, with all my strengths, and for all my days." Amen.

4. Forgive.

 Jesus and the adulterous woman-

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, from now on do not sin any more.” John 8:6

“Jesus has come, not for the healthy, but for the sick.  He has come to set up the field hospital.  He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep behind to seek out the lost sheep.  That gives Him more joy than the ninety-nine just people who do not need the Good Shepherd.”

“The feelings of the woman in the Gospel must be like the young woman caught in a crisis situation of an unwanted pregnancy. She feels overwhelmed, alone, afraid, confused. We must never allow that woman to perceive the Pro-Life movement as a bunch of angry self righteous Pharisees with stones in their hands, looking down on her and judging her.  We want the woman to experience the merciful love of Christ. Jesus does not condone the woman’s fall, but He does not condemn her. He invites her to make a new start, to know that she is forgiven and loved. Pope Francis urges us to practice 'the art of accompaniment' which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other, in this case, the woman in crisis.”

5. Prepare for battle and encounter.

Equip yourself to converse with confused, misguided, and wounded hearts. If you know someone who is abortion oriented, place yourself in their shoes, meet them where they are at and properly prepare yourself with the knowledge necessary to help them. Inform yourself about the local options available for women in need and be ready to confidently inform others about the harmful effects of abortion.

Updates on abortion laws HERE (Note that when they say “unless the woman is at risk of harm, they count emotional or psychological pain as “harm” so if a pregnancy is supposedly going to cause emotional harm, an abortion is justified.

           

Most importantly though, never lose hope. When we lose hope, we have already lost the war.

“I think the conscience of America is awakening to what happens in abortion. There’s more of a sense that this isn’t just an issue or a decision but this is a person, a neighbor, a human being," he explained. "I think that message is starting to get forward culturally.” 
-Russell Moore, president of the influential Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission ( Resource )

Check out a youtube video of the March for Life 2014

In attendance at the National Right to Life vigil Mass, celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, were an estimated 425 priests, 390 seminarians, 34 bishops and 6 archbishops, all praying together for an end to abortion. Powerful.That's not counting all the people in every single crevice of the church.

We march for Justice. We march because every life is beautiful. We march to restore the constitutional right to life, an equal right for all. We March to prove we are not an indifferent culture, we are not a silent generation, but rather a generation for life. We march because only God is the author of life and death, who intended every life conceived to be born. We march because the Mothers need our prayers, our forgiveness, our acceptance and unconditional love and understanding. We march because we are not satisfied with the inhumane treatment of the unborn, but rather disgusted, amazed and disheartened, and we will NEVER back down. We march because 55 million pairs of feet are deprived of the chance to walk, 55 million voices never heard, 55 million lives never lived. Our generation is missing, and I hope that those who understand this are doing something to change it. Of course, we are all called to serve our world in different ways, but I have personally found this one to be a battle I fight for. 

I am the PRO-LIFE generation.

Are you?