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From left, Finola Glassmoyer, Claudie and Jerry Heckert, Archbishop Cordileone, San Mateo Pro Life director Jessica Munn, Susan Arms, Elena Alejandre, Dave Arms. (Courtesy photo)
November 8, 2019
Catholic San FranciscoThe annual fundraiser for San Mateo Pro Life, a nonprofit pro-life organization, was held Nov. 3 at St. Mark Parish in Belmont. There were more than 100 attendees, many of whom participated in the 40 Days for Life fall campaign which ended the same day. The 40 Days for Life campaign is a worldwide event where participants pray outside an abortion clinic, peaceably holding signs, for 40 consecutive days to end abortion.
In an article shared with Catholic San Francisco, the organization said Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone delivered a keynote talk on the importance of the defense of human life and encouraged those in attendance to keep up the work promoting a culture of life amid the prevailing culture of death. He praised San Mateo Pro Life for its efforts “on the front lines and in the trenches.”
The archbishop pointed noted how those pushing abortion are “panicking” as there is change taking place favoring a culture of life. The number of abortion clinics is diminishing throughout the country. He pointed out that in Santa Clara County for every abortion clinic present, there is a pro-life center on the other side of the street that will provide the support a woman needs to help her choose life for her baby.
He praised RealOptions Obria Medical Clinics, which provide compassionate, comprehensive and high-quality reproductive health care, including access to free ultrasounds. Helping women choose life whether it is in raising their baby as a single mother or choosing adoption as an option is “really pro-choice,” the archbishop said.
The pro-choice option that Planned Parenthood offers is “one choice -- namely, abortion,” he said, a point demonstrated in the recent movie, “Unplanned,” based on the life story of former abortion director Abby Johnson.
The archbishop noted that crisis pregnancy centers offer tangible help in many ways to the woman facing a crisis pregnancy, including providing the basic needs for her baby such as diapers and formula. He also praised the efforts of Project Rachel in helping the post-abortive woman find healing and peace.
The archbishop also spoke about the need for strong Catholic families with parents who practice and teach their children the faith and how to be virtuous, which in turn helps them to choose good spouses and remain chaste and postpone sexual intimacy until marriage. He recommended monthly confession for the grace needed to live lives of virtue in today’s society.