What does it mean to be pro-life?

Maria Montemayor

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Maria at the 2017 National March for Life in Ottawa.

This month on Behold, we have a special Lives Lived for Life episode featuring the stories of various pro-life advocates and individuals. I was touched by their stories, especially the one of Deacon George and Susan Jurenas who adopted four daughters. Their love for their daughters was evident even though the daughters struggled. From their story, I learned that there can be unforeseen challenges even when adopted children grow up with loving parents. Still, I believe that being a parent (whether through having children naturally or through adoption) is a calling, and I commend them for answering that call for their children.

Lately, with the US election coming up, abortion has become a hot topic. The widely accepted stance, considered to be the norm by most people, is to be pro-choice or “pro-choice but personally pro-life.” We’re living in a morally relativistic society where we’re told to mind our own business when it comes to medical assistance in dying (MAID), euthanasia, or abortion. It’s not “cool” to be pro-life. However, as Christians, we’re called to respect and advocate for the dignity and life of every human person from conception to natural death.

Many people are exposed to the topic of abortion from a young age. I remember organizing the Respect for Life liturgy in high school, and that may have been the start of my pro-life advocacy. Scientifically, when a woman conceives, the embryo is formed. That embryo develops into a fetus which becomes a baby. Morally, I don’t believe that it’s right to kill or dispose of babies at any stage. I spent time with children with disabilities in Peru. Some of them, I have been told, were failed abortions. Those children brought so much joy to those around them. Similarly, even when people are experiencing intense pain or suffering at any age, I don’t believe it’s right to allow them to end their life, because there is still so much joy they can experience and bring to others.

Maria at her first Life Chain back in 2010.

I attended Life Chain a few times, and it’s intimidating when you’re standing with a sign by yourself and someone approaches you. As you can see from Katie Somers' experience doing public outreach in the Behold episode, you don’t know if you’ll be dismissed, chastised, threatened, or encouraged. If you choose to be a pro-life advocate, you have to be prepared for negative interactions in person or even online (you can receive backlash on pro-life social media posts, hostile comments, or have friends/followers unfriend or unfollow you). When you attend a pro-life event or rally with a group, you do feel a sense of solidarity. So starting out, it’s better to stand with a group of people because you’re less likely to be approached. But the most thought-provoking and meaningful conversations can occur when you stand alone.

Being pro-life means being there for women throughout their pregnancies and after birth. While I have been there for pregnant friends and relatives, I’ve also supported Aid to Women, which works directly with women in crisis pregnancies. You can check out their list of 30 things you can do today to make a difference.

If you’re someone who’s afraid to stand up for pro-life causes or to be publicly pro-life, I would suggest that you take some time to pray about it, reach out to pro-life advocacy groups, and continue to research the topic. There are many resources online that you can find if you need to learn more about the pro-life cause. The most vulnerable in our society: babies, pregnant women, the elderly, those in palliative care, people with disabilities, and people with physical and mental illnesses need you to lovingly stand up for them.

Let’s continue to encourage each other as Catholics and pro-life advocates! For those of you who have a pro-life story to share, please feel free to reach out to me: [email protected]

Learn about the Lives Lived for Life collaboration between The Catholic Register, Daily TV Mass and Salt + Light Media at lives4life.org.

Watch Behold: Lives Lived for Life on Salt + Light Plus: slmedia.org/lives4life