Calling All Men!
(What it means to be a Pro-Life man)
“What do you know, you’re a man” is something I’ve heard many times. What I do know is that men have a big part to play in both the problem of abortion and the solution. The problem: in a post modern society, the sexual revolution has tricked many men into a state of ‘perpetual adolescence’. With less and less authentic male role models the narrative goes something like this “you’re a real man when you’ve conquered enough women”. The solution: “a real man conquers himself for the sake of a woman”. We need a generation of bold men, servant leaders, equipped and educated on life issues. Men who see the beauty of femininity and the innocence of children. Men who are ready to say no to themselves and call out their brothers. Men who are willing to take on a spiritual fatherhood for the unborn. Calling all men, are you with us?
David is a seminarian at St Mary’s Oscott College who will be ordained to the priesthood later this year.
Calling All Women!
(What it means to be a Pro-Life woman)
It’s a difficult time to be a pro-life woman. Challenges can be personal – from struggling to find a good spouse, struggling with issues like infertility, to struggling to find a genuine sense of the role of a woman in today’s world – or more practical, such as finding time for anything outside the daily grind, – or even spiritual; ‘What is God calling me to do?’ Sometimes in pro-life work we find ourselves trying to witness in the middle of our own pain, loneliness, busyness or confusion. Yet with all the challenges a woman can face, our witness is greatly needed in the pro-life movement today. Come and hear how pro-life witness of woman to woman helps us find healing as we support Mothers in crisis in choosing life for their children.
Clare is the founder of The Good Counsel Network, a life-affirming women’s organisation which offers a free pregnancy test, free advice, medical information, practical help and moral support to women seeking abortion. They reach out to women seeking abortion who have not been informed about the risks to their physical and psychological health and who have not been presented with realistic alternatives to abortion. They deal with the hardest cases of crisis pregnancy every day.
What’s Church got to do with it?
Rarely do you hear the word abortion uttered from the front of Church, let alone taught about thoroughly, and as for activism on behalf of the unborn, it’s frequently dismissed as “too political”, “a distraction from the gospel”, “divisive”, “off-putting”, “upsetting”, or even – and this is perhaps the one I hear most often – “American”, to belong in the life of the Church. But what if standing up for the unborn is not fringe, extreme, or even optional – but a core part of Christian discipleship? What if it belongs right at the heart of what the Church is called to be and do? Join us as we explore the idea of activism as worship – a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to Christ – an act of obedience with a biblical mandate and stacks of inspiring examples to follow.
Whilst working in a missionary school in Kenya, Dave met his now wife Anandi who was working in a baby orphanage in Uganda.
After they got married, God began to speak to them about the issue of abortion with increasing frequency and volume.
Through Scriptures, personal encounters, becoming more aware of the facts, and having a baby themselves, the scale of the crisis of abortion in the UK gradually dawned on them, and after a year of volunteering with Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform UK – the first pro-life work they came into contact with that really made a difference – it was clear that God was calling them to give themselves full-time to the work, and in particular to focus on the Church, since they could not see much theological or church-based engagement on the issue in the UK. In January 2018 they launched Brephos, a new project of CBRUK, to urge and equip the Church to speak out on the issue of abortion.
Raising Pro-Life Children in a Pro-Choice Society
Pierpaolo Finaldi is a Formation adviser for the Achdiocese of Southwark. He studied Classics and Archaeology at UCL and has worked in Catholic publishing for over 20 years. He is an experienced Catechist especially in Confirmation and Marriage Preparation. He is a married father of seven and the author of several children’s books including ‘Why Does the Pope Wear White?’, ‘Why does Mary wear Blue?’ and ‘My Simple Mass Book.’
How to communicate with people after an abortion.
Grief cannot be ignored… it won’t just go away. Grief caused through abortion is complicated as is the post abortive person dealing with their loss and with knowing their irreplaceable child isn’t here because of them. Some go into denial . . . for many it is a dark secret. Some secrets are so dark that they only come out at night, whilst you sleep. The nightmares are a reminder of what happened. Eating disorders, self harm, suicidal thoughts, rage, denial and relationship breakdowns are just a few of the symptoms of the trauma of abortion. How can you help? Do you know someone in your family/uni/workplace or a friend who has had an abortion? Are you lost for words? Your words matter, your actions can help to lead someone to the healing they need or keep them locked in shame. Come and find out how best to communicate with those who have been through the trauma of abortion . . . what to say . . . or not. Four words changed my life forever . . . four words turned my grief into grace and led me to the road of recovery and healing.
Rachel Mackenzie runs retreats for Rachel’s Vineyard. Rachel’s Vineyard is a safe place to renew and rebuild your life after experiencing the trauma of abortion. The healing weekends offer you a supportive, confidential and non-judgemental environment where women and men can deal with painful post-abortive emotions.
Being Pro-Life in the world of healthcare.
We’ve moved a long way from the Hippocratic oath to modern healthcare. This workshop will briefly trace key milestones that brought us to the medical ethics we have today. We will look at the most pressing current concerns for professionals who believe in the sanctity of life from natural conception to natural death. We will explore ways and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in the defense of life. The workshop will provide opportunity for sharing good practice of working towards a healthcare system that does justice to life, professionalism and works towards the restoration of health and dignity of patients.
