"I will no longer be a passive member of this movement"
This week's story is from Joe Paolelli of Loyola Students for Life.Joe's story can inspire many of us who are pro-life but have had our passion wane. There are a lot of pro-lifers out there who need to be inspired just like Joe was at this year's March for Life!Enter Joe...Raised in a pro-life household and inspired by the example of my mother, who runs a pro-life ministry at our church, I was always an unwavering supporter of life. Seeing the film Silent Scream in high school particularly galvanized my commitment to the pro-life cause. However, this commitment was essentially limited to voting for pro-life politicians and wearing a pro-life button on my backpack.I must confess that in the back of my mind, I viewed the fight against abortion as a losing battle; the die had been cast in 1973, and it didn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. My commitment would always remain, but I wondered if justice would ever truly be restored for the unborn.Going on the March turned my dismal thoughts upside down.I joined more than half a million people on a freezing hike through our nation’s capital and despite a bitter chill in the air, the enthusiasm was joyful and electric.As we approached the Capitol building, I realized the true magnitude of our statement: we had come (in droves!) to call on our leaders to respect the rights of the voiceless. And seeing the enthusiasm and hope in others on the March inspired hope within me that someday abortion will be illegal, and unborn life— and pregnant mothers — will be given the respect and protection they deserve.I found my pro-life voice on the March.In a culture that is too shallow, distracted, and just plain afraid to talk about serious issues of right and wrong, I found my voice, and I will no longer be silent.I will no longer be a passive member of this movement, but an active one—spreading the pro-life message with conviction, grace, and charm. As we chanted in Washington, “We are the pro-life generation!” And we have a voice![image credit, nytimes]
