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§ What is Pro-Life Unity?

To achieve Pro-Life Unity we will establish standards that we all agree upon, and efforts that we all regularly participate in. By working together we can challenge the culture of death and the apathy which is pervasive in our society.

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On this last day of 2009, I wanted to reflect on some of the pro-life activities that I participated in this year.

5. Life Chain: One cold and blustery October Sunday, members of my family and I joined pro-lifers from our town of Frisco to stand on a main street and hold signs and pray.  We were there for only about an hour or so, but we got many reactions.  Most of them were positive, with friendly honks, thumbs up, smiles, and waves.  We did get some of the middle finger, angry shouting, and the condescending head shake.  It was a big sacrifice to get out there in that awful weather, but in the end I’m glad we were a visible witness for life!

4. Hike for Life: Every October, communities around Texas sponsor a pro-life hike to raise money for local pregnancy centers.  In McKinney, we walked around old Erwin Park on a sunny Saturday morning.  The Knights of Columbus from our church, St. Michael’s, coordinated the event and even cooked hot dogs and hamburgers for participants after the hike.  Collectively, hikers raised thousands of dollars to help women and babies in need…and we also got some good exercise!

3. Life Prizes Awards: I was privileged to attend the first annual Life Prizes awards, thanks to the generosity of Students for Life of America (SFLA).  It was held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. and I felt like I was at a very high-profile event, which was exciting.  Many prominent pro-life people were there, and I felt very proud for all the people who received awards: Jill Stanek, Dr. Donna Harrison, Richards Doerflinger, Kay Coles James, Peggy Hartshorn, and Lila Rose.  Laura Ingraham was Master of Ceremonies, and afterwards we enjoyed wonderful hors d’oeuvres.  I also made a couple new pro-life friends from the Midwest, and we talked as if we had known each other for a long time!  It was a great networking event.

2. Students for Life of America Conference: The day after Life Prizes was the annual SFLA conference, held at Catholic University.  It was my second time to attend, and it was again inspiring and motivating.  I have to commend the coordinators of the conference, because it takes a lot of work to plan a huge event like that.  I was able to take lots of notes and collect many pamphlets and hand-outs from the vendor tables.  It was also heartwarming to see David Bereit, 40 Days for Life director, receive the Defender of Life Award.

1. 40 Days for Life: I was finally able to physically participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign.  I have always offered up prayers during the previous campaigns, but this time I was actually able to pray at the vigil site in downtown Dallas.  I made a commitment to pray there at least one hour a week, and I usually had to go after I got off work at 7 p.m.  It was a huge sacrifice to make the trek there and back, when the selfish part of me would have rather been home eating dinner and watching Fox News.  But I am certainly glad I was able to make a difference with my presence and prayers, with God’s grace.

As we begin this new year of 2010, and also a new decade, let us keep fighting for the unborn and for the right to life.  Hopefully we will see good, pro-life politicians step up to the plate to enact good laws for the unborn, elderly, and disabled.  But most of all, may we, the ordinary citizens, step up to the plate to do what we can, to be instruments of God’s life.