A loud minority encourages me to “be myself”, but they do not want me to be like me, they want me to be like them. In today’s politically charged and divided America, it’s socially acceptable for me to stand out, but only if I’m standing up for the opinions shared across mainstream media platforms. My own personal convictions, supported by the objective truth that life begins at conception, have led me to embrace an unapologetically pro-life position, but publicizing such convictions—in a world that considers truth to be taboo—is risky. In the past, when I have taken risks to share my convictions, whether that be with friends, classmates, or co-workers, I have received rejection as often as I’ve received reward.
I had a friend in college who, after learning my convictions aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church, looked at me skeptically and asked how I could be happy. She told me there were some things we would never agree on, and our friendship did not survive graduation. While tabling with Students for Life, some passersby called out, claiming that I must hate women if I’m “pro-baby,” but others stopped to talk and to listen, engaging in meaningful dialogue in the middle of UC’s campus. More recently, I’ve been encouraged and energized in conversations with a colleague who is searching for truth amidst the fast-paced social scene of young professionals in New York City. I encouraged her to attend a night of Eucharistic adoration and praise and worship at St. Patrick’s Cathedral hosted by the Sisters of Life. Please pray for her that she has the courage to do so.
Introducing the Special Guests for this year’s Evening for Life
Brad Wenstrup and Jeanne Mancini are two individuals who understand deeply the cost (and rewards) of standing up for life in the public square. We are thrilled they will both join us this spring for the Evening for Life as keynote speaker and emcee, respectively. The two of them share many of my personal convictions, especially when it comes to upholding the sanctity and dignity of human life, and they are no strangers to the risks involved in standing up for the most vulnerable.
Wenstrup served Ohio’s second district in the United States House of Representatives for twelve years. During his time in Congress, he consistently championed pro-life legislation, including the Heartbeat Protection Act. As a former combat surgeon, Wenstrup was instrumental in saving Congressman Steve Scallise’s life during the congressional baseball shooting in 2017. His achievements in D.C. and successes in the Army Reserve and medical field, however, cannot compete with the experiences of becoming a biological and adoptive father to his two children.
Mancini, too, has had a long career in public policy and has held roles in multiple agencies and organizations including with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and most recently as President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund. Like Wenstrup, the impact she has made with a microphone does not compare to the impact she has made in the lives of countless individuals who have been influenced by her leadership.
What can you do?
Each of the situations I shared above about taking risks to share my beliefs recounts interactions with individuals rather than with large groups. I’ve found that I can have the greatest impact investing in relationships rather than posting on social media. This goes to show that regardless of your position or the span of your sphere of influence, it matters that you stand up for life by your word and your example. As Wenstrup and Mancini take on new titles as former congressman and former president of the March for Life, they will continue to stand for the unborn, on and off the record. You may not ever have as large of a platform to share your convictions, but hearts are often changed slowly and typically only one at a time. Some of the most powerful encounters with truth happen within the walls of our own homes.
A New Location for Our Annual Fundraising Event
Join us this year on Thursday, April 10, for the Evening for Life at the Cintas Center. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 P.M. Dinner and programming commence at 7:00 P.M. Tickets are sold for $125 for individuals and $1,250 for a table of 10. If you’re new to the PCPlus family or there’s someone you’ve been hesitant to invite to your table in the past, now is your chance to stand up, stand out, and stand with us. Now, more than ever, our community needs the hope and refuge that is the Pregnancy Center Plus.
