blast from the past

When sorting through folders on my lap top yesterday, I stumbled across this email. I sent it out in February 2009- a few days before my 19th birthday. Sitting in my dorm room in Williamsburg, Virginia during the winter of my freshman year, I remember feeling compelled to do something about abortion. The combination of discouragement due to Obama's recent inauguration, the 9 hours that separated me from home, and the simple fact that I didn't know what else to do compelled me to sit down at my computer and begin to write. Perhaps what I wrote then will serve as some sort of stimulus for a friend or family member now.

Vita Pro Omni!

Note: The image shows a friend and myself at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. about a week before I wrote this email.

February 2009

Hi, my sweet family and friends,

I hope this email finds each of you well. :) I miss you all very much.

As Christians, we are both collectively and individually called by Jesus Christ, the Author of Life Himself, to defend what is holy and good and true. We are to revere all of God's blessings and gifts; the greatest of which is life itself.

Since 1973, our country has been deep in the midst of a silent holocaust. 4000 innocent children are being crushed, lacerated, and ripped apart limb by limb behind the white, sterile walls of 900+ abortion clinics across the United States. As we go about our days- working, laughing, putting gas in our cars, buying groceries, eating a turkey sandwich at lunch time... whatever- doctors in our very own neighborhoods are helping women murder their sons and daughters. These young children are the most innocent, helpless, and vulnerable members of the human family. We must be their voice.

My dear family and friends, we are not just to be anti-abortion, but actively, comprehensively, and uncompromisingly pro-life. We, right now, are living in one of the most crucial and decisive moments in our country's history. In his inaugural address last month, our president, Barack Obama, proclaimed: "We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." It all sounds very noble, doesn't it? But I ask: in what ways has Mr. Obama chosen to redefine "all"? Are "all" equal as long as they are healthy and strong? Do "all" deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness as long as they are more than 9 months old? Do "all" deserve to live as long as they are not weak, small, helpless, or "inconvenient"?

Please pray for our president, as well as all those in our country- and the world- who do not uphold the dignity of every last human being on this earth- weak or strong, young or old, male or female, educated or not, healthy or sick, black or white, red or yellow. Prayer is the shield of the soul, the ammo of the Church, and the foundation of our very lives. If you do nothing else for the Pro-Life Movement today, say a prayer for even just one of the 51 million children who will never get to meet their mother and father face to face, never get to make a friend, never get to laugh or cry or grow, never get to learn to ride a bike, read a book, or fall in love… never even get to smile. Abortion stops a beating heart.

Here you can find some wonderful pro-life statements and quotes to read and pray. I encourage you to meditate on even just one of them each day as fuel for our fight. Be a warrior for life. Do not just defend life; be on the offensive. What does that mean or look like? First and foremost, pray, lest we fight in vain. We can no more easily live without breathing than fight for justice without praying. Next, take it to the law. You might not be sure where to begin in this arena; lots of people aren't, myself included. So, do 7 minutes of research on Google and find out how you can contact your local representatives to object to pro-abortion legislation like FOCA. There are few better ways to spend a couple of minutes of your day. We are talking about the difference between death and life. We are talking about human beings' lives.

Finally, nurture a culture of life; and do not lose hope! The Pro-Life Movement is strong and getting stronger. Don't think for a single second that this is a settled issue or a lost cause. Less than two weeks ago, hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers filed into Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life. Many passionate, intelligent, and effective people in the courthouses, media, and public arena have devoted their entire lives to fighting the good fight. Evil can only temporarily appear to conquer Truth; it can't really win in the end.

Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey stated, "Abortion is destined for the scrap heap of history. Abortion is being held aloft by the hot air of a small well-heeled elite. It's on the artificial life support system of foundation money, politically correct elite opinion, special interests, media bias, and widespread ignorance of the facts. Legal abortion will never rest easy on this nation's conscience. It will continue to haunt the consciences of men and women everywhere." We're not done talking about this. We're not okay or content or complacent. And we refuse to be silent until every last human life is welcomed into this world.

Thank you all for your courage. Thank you for being fighters. I will conclude with the beautifully simple words of sweet Mother Teresa: "We want to create hope for the person... we must give hope, always hope."

Yours for Life,

Catherine