. . . because action speaks louder than words.
League history, NOW v. Scheidler, Action News, Joe Scheidler, League staff
League history, NOW v. Scheidler, Action News, Joe Scheidler, League staff
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News and commentary from the Pro-Life Action League
Joe Scheidler (right) with St. Joseph Right to Life County President Tom Gill [Photo by Ann Scheidler]
On Thursday, October 6, I gave the keynote address at the 20th anniversary celebration of St. Joseph County Right to Life in South Bend, Indiana. I had also been the speaker at the group's inaugural banquet, way back in March 1992.
I congratulated Indiana on its decision to de-fund Planned Parenthood, a move that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius immediately objected to, claiming that Indiana had no right to make such a determination. I assured the crowd that many other states are watching the drama over de-funding Planned Parenthood, with the aim of taking the same action. The Indiana law is presently awaiting a ruling from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, likely to come in early 2012.
I emphasized the importance of prayer and action in our battle against abortion. As a former Benedictine seminarian, I still adhere to St. Benedict's motto, Ora et Labora—Pray and Work. "Remember that motto. To pray, then to work, in that order. Prayer is essential," I told my audience. "But it is not enough. We have to take action to change the culture."
Among the 400 attendees at the banquet was Zane Trinkley, a classmate of mine from Notre Dame's class of 1950. Zane serves as secretary of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. Also attending the banquet were many members of various pro-life organizations at Notre Dame University. Since 2009 when the Pro-Life Action League protested the University's invitation to Barack Obama to be the commencement speaker and receive an honorary doctor of laws degree, there has been an increase in pro-life activity on campus, particularly among faculty members.
Also in attendance were several members of my family: Niece Rita Lyden and her husband, Packy, niece Alicia Nagy and her husband, John, and Alex Scheidler and his wife, Nicole, all of whom are actively involved in the pro-life movement and work at the University.
The 20th anniversary celebration included the presentation of two awards to members of St. Joseph County Right to Life. The Pillar of Life Award was presented to Ray and Anne Black, who have been active in the organization since its inception. The Annette M. Macknick Courage Award was presented posthumously to Virginia Black. Joe Scheidler had worked closely with both Annette Macknick and Virginia Black over the past 20 years.
The Brother John Lavelle Scholarship was awarded to local Bethel College student Corrie Ann Belobraydich for her tireless work to raise awareness of the destructive consequences of abortion and her promotion of the pro-life message on campus.
As always, I found this evening spent in the company of pro-lifers to be an enjoyable and energizing experience.
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Joe Scheidler speaks at the Heartbeat Bill rally in Columbus, OH [Photo by Ann Scheidler]
Creative pro-life activists in Ohio came up with a new approach to ending most abortions. The Heartbeat Bill would make it illegal to perform an abortion after the heartbeat of an unborn baby is detected. The Ohio House passed the bill in the last session by a margin of 54 to 43, and the Senate, made up of 33 members, could pass the bill with 17 votes.
On September 20, 2011 Joe and I attended an up-beat, exciting and colorful rally at the Ohio State Capitol in Columbus, organized by Faith2Action. The occasion was an all out effort to convince the State Senate to pass the Heartbeat Bill. Joe was among the featured speakers addressing the crowd, as was Jill Stanek, also from Illinois.
The rally was to urge the crowd of more than four-hundred to encourage their senators to vote "yes" on HB 125. According to the experts, a heartbeat law could save 26,000 lives in Ohio each year. To add to the excitement in the packed Capitol Atrium, Janet Folger Porter, F2A president, rally MC and long-time pro-life leader, said she had it on good authority that Governor John Kasich will sign the bill into law if it comes to his desk.
Janet set the tone of the rally with her own over-the-top enthusiasm and her obvious knowledge of the legislative process as well as her photographic memory of the names and positions of everyone in the Ohio legislature—and most of the people in the room.
The theme was hearts and the color was red. Everyone had been advised to wear red and they took the advice to heart. Most of the men wore red ties and heart pins, while the women speakers and most of the crowd wore red sweaters, red jackets, and Janet was dressed all in red. I wore a red sweater and Jill Stanek wore a red Face the Truth shirt.
There were hearts everywhere—in bunches of small hearts in white vases surrounding the speakers' platform, heart-shaped red balloons floating overhead, red paper bags of information handed to those attending, and even trays of heart-shaped cookies sprinkled with red sugar.
Besides two dozen legislators who spoke about the Heartbeat Bill, guest speakers were Dr. Jack Willke of Ohio Right to Life, Troy Newman of Operation Rescue, Wendy Wright, former head of Concerned Women of America, and many, many others.
Some called this "the most important pro-life rally of our time." The bill's passage could save between 96 and 99 percent of babies slated for abortion in Ohio. And there are at least seventeen other states in which pro-lifers are watching this bill, hoping it will pass so that they can introduce it to their own legislators.
Repeated many times throughout the day was the Ohio state motto: "With God, all things are possible." That motto is at the heart of the Heartbeat Bill.
The Heartbeat Bill, like many other legislative approaches to curtailing abortion, is not without controversy. Ohio Right to Life, an affiliate of National Right to Life, has declined to endorse the measure, and several chapters of the state organization have withdrawn from Ohio Right to Life.
Ohio Right to Life is advocating bills in all 50 states that would require women to see and hear the fetal heartbeat before agreeing to an abortion, but would not ban the procedure. Ohio supporters of the heartbeat legislation have formed Ohio ProLife Action to promote the Heartbeat legislation and encourage other states to follow suit.
On December 7, the Ohio Senate began hearings on the Heartbeat Bill, including an appearance by Baby Hallie Glockner, whose steady fetal heartbeat had been shown during hearings in the House. Hallie and her parents were there so the senators could see firsthand the natural course of events from fetal heartbeat to baby citizen. The Glockners hope to see all unborn babies in Ohio and everywhere protected from abortion.
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Eric is interviewed by Pastor Larry Stratton at Christ Community Church [Photo by Rickie Giersch]
League Executive Director Eric Scheidler continued his extremely successful series of talks at churches throughout Illinois' Fox Valley, the vast area west of Chicago that is targetted by the huge Planned Parenthood abortuary in Aurora. On September 10, he spoke alongside Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch at Christ Community Church in St. Charles at the invitation of Ricky Giersch. Eric complemented Rev. Bob's call for Christians to be politically activated with a call for them to join the pro-life witness at Planned Parenthood.
October 15-16, Eric spoke at Masses at Holy Angels Parish in Aurora at the behest of activist Jane Simmons, where the St. Michael Prayer is offered after every Mass. Eric pointed out that today, one of the primary ways that evil spirits "prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls" is through abortion. He shared a similar message October 29-30 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Aurora, at the invitation of the pastor, Fr. David Engbarth. Eric is grateful that these talks have continued to draw new people into the fight against Planned Parenthood in Aurora and is eager to continue his church speaking series in 2012.
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