Category Archives: March For Life

The post The Latest Horrific Information About Planned Parenthood appeared first on March For Life.

“Yesterday’s draft of the HHS Interim rule signals hope for the full reinstatement of our right to conscience protection. Having gone to court over this issue ourselves, the March for Life knows firsthand how oppressive the Obama-era mandate is, forcing groups like ours and religious orders like Little Sisters of the Poor to cover conscience-violating drugs. We thank both HHS Secretary Tom Price and President Donald Trump for continuing to prioritize the protection of conscience for every American, and look forward to this administration fulfilling one if its most central and integral promises.”

– Jeanne Mancini, March for Life President

The post March for Life Statement on HHS Interim Rule appeared first on March For Life.

Planned Parenthood typically releases its annual report in December or January each year, but only made their latest report, for 2015-2016, available earlier this week, six months late. Could it be that they sought to delay or hide the truth about the “services” they provide?

As Congress considers healthcare reform legislation that would redirect the federal funding Planned Parenthood currently receives to Federally Qualified Health Centers, this latest report from the nation’s largest abortion provider gives information that pro-life Americans need to know.

Here are six points from Planned Parenthood’s latest annual report:

In the last year,* Planned Parenthood performed 328,348 abortions. This is an increase of over 4,300 more abortions from the prior year. Note that the national number of abortions decreased during this time. Planned Parenthood is increasing its market value for abortions.

Total revenue ($1.354 billion) and government funding ($554.6 million) in 2016 are the highest they have been for Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood made more than $77 million in profit. This is an increase of $19 million more than the year prior. Keep in mind that Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization. Additionally, Planned Parenthood invests heavily in electing abortion advocates. A recent article revealed that Planned Parenthood’s political arms spent over $38 million in election funding between 2012-2016.

Non-reproductive health care services have greatly decreased. Cancer screenings have dropped by half since 2011, abortions now outnumber basic breast exams for the first time in its history.

The number of patients and prenatal services continue to decrease. Prenatal services have dropped by almost a half since last year alone, and the number of patients is down by four percent.

They falsely claim that the Center for Medical Progress Video footage containing damning evidence of Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the trafficking of baby parts was “heavily edited” and “widely discredited”. However, a forensic analysis and congressional investigation have disproven these erroneous talking points. Read more HERE.

As you can see abortion and revenue numbers continue to go up, and women’s health services continue to decrease, and yet government funding has increased over the past year.

What can you do?

1. Please share this information and the graphic below to show the truth about Planned Parenthood, our nation’s largest abortion provider.

   
   
   

2. Contact your lawmakers to demand an end to federal funding of abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. It is the right thing to do, and over 60% of Americans oppose their taxpayer dollars paying for abortions.

   

*All information from Planned Parenthood’s 2015-2016 annual report. Source: http://bit.ly/2rkG2TQ

The post 6 Things You Need to Know from Planned Parenthood’s Latest Annual Report appeared first on March For Life.

Guest blog post by Corinne Zay, March for Life intern

Making major news recently is the story out of Hagerstown, Maryland of a pregnant high school Senior, Maddi Runkles, denied the opportunity to participate in graduation from her small Christian academy. Maddi is a straight A student who has been involved in many extracurricular activities at her small school, which requires all students to sign a Christian code of conduct to attend. Included in the code of conduct is the concept that the sexual act is meant for marriage, and the school rightly expects students to abide by this rule.

Earlier this year Maddi discovered that she was pregnant with a baby boy due in September. Acknowledging that she broke the code of conduct, Maddi apologized to the school administration. The school board determined that Maddi would lose her position on Student Council and involvement in extracurricular activities at school, in addition to prohibiting her to walk at her high school graduation in June. Major media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post and NBC have reported this story, which has remained in the headlines for days:

• Christian school: Teen banned from graduation ‘not because she is pregnant but because she was immoral’
• Christian School Bans Pregnant Senior From Graduation, Pro-Lifers Respond
• Pregnant Maryland Student Barred From High School Graduation Ceremony
• Pregnant at 18. Hailed by Abortion Foes. Punished by Christian School.

Despite the consequences of her life being altered, and her graduation experience being diminished, outcries of support have come from various pro-life organizations with encouragement for her strong courageous decision to choose life and proceed with her pregnancy. Students for Life of America has voiced their support for Maddi and helped her to embrace her decision of life, including having her as a speaker at their #Sockit2PP campaign in efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

This support for pregnant mothers is crucial and at the heart of the pro-life movement. March for Life, where I have the blessing of interning this summer, has also released statements regarding the need to support students in this situation with life-affirming actions. The value of the child’s life needs support, in addition to the mothers. Although Maddi may have been denied the support she needed from her school, she has been a tremendous voice of bravery for other pregnant and parenting students. She has joined these organizations by lovingly accepting their support and is paying it forward as a sign of hope for future mothers.

Maddi has drawn attention to the challenge student mothers and fathers face, particularly in Christian culture environments. Maddi and other parenting students inspire universities and schools across America to care for their beloved mothers on campus. Being pregnant on a college campus and in a high school is naturally very intimidating. However, in particular, devout Christian schools may encourage an environment that ironically creates a greater temptation to abort because of the increased likelihood of perceived shame with peers and faculty. The Christian values of love and mercy are so easily distorted by a focus on justice and pride. Even in my own backyard, I fight this distortion of good as President of Ave for Life.

Just this year we launched our first initiative of Pregnant on Campus at my college, Ave Maria University. Ave Maria University is a small Catholic college located in southwest Florida. The campus culture at Ave Maria is one of great joy. Students often attend daily mass, engage in discussions about faith, and work hard to become holy each day (not just on campus). Although Ave Maria University does not have a code of conduct, the moral standard each student holds themselves to is simply understood on campus and truly geared toward being the best version of ourselves.

Although this culture is overwhelmingly positive, Ave Maria is very much full of humans. It is in our human nature that we fail and then learn the importance of mercy and love towards each other. It was in my experience in leading Ave for Life that I had the opportunity to learn authentic love of the pregnant mother.

In February, one of our board members and friends came to me and told me that we had a pregnant student on campus. I was so excited to be able to serve this mother and get to know her. It was then about a month later that I met Beth and learned more about her. Here was a young freshman student at Ave Maria pregnant with a child and we as a pro-life student organization had the opportunity to support.

Ave for Life had discussed beginning a program “Pregnant on Campus” prior to learning about Beth, but God’s timing was impeccable. We began planning and discussing the importance of this issue on our campus. We knew the heart of the issue was how we as a campus would adapt to become a welcoming and loving environment for a pregnant and parenting student.

With the culture of Ave Maria focused on moral values and virtue, many on campus neglected the possibility or idea of a pregnant student. Our Board took this question to the administration and together began working towards solutions. In working with Beth and a handful of other pregnant mothers on our campus we learned how to better support students in this situation.

First, we considered resources that we could offer pregnant and parenting students. We talked with residence hall directors, administration, and local clinics about the opportunities and legal rights we could offer to pregnant and parenting students.  Next, we began to plan to make physical improvements on our campus such as adding changing tables to bathrooms and high chairs to dining areas. Finally, and most importantly, we observed the cultural change and discussion that needed to occur on our campus regarding pregnancy. While our campus believes in preserving sexual intimacy for marriage, we also believe in mercy and want to be as life-affirming as possible.  Regardless of how a baby is conceived, every life is a gift and a miracle to be received with love!

This past March this year, we launched our Pregnant on Campus initiative to helps students further understand the best ways to support a woman who is pregnant on campus. One of the most important lessons we learned is that because this has not been discussed on campus, it is possible and even probably that many pregnancies have gone unnoticed and unannounced; some that may have even sadly resulted in abortion. Our most important goal with this initiative is to show our brothers and sisters in Christ that Ave Maria is a place where motherhood should be embraced.

It is with this story and goal in mind that I share our authentic Ave for Life culture and encourage other schools and campuses to support your students. One of the simplest things we can do each day is to love our neighbor. We do not know the cross they are carrying. Maybe it is their work stress, maybe it is their day to day tasks, but maybe it is an unexpected pregnancy. Love your neighbor where they are at. To Beth and to Maddi: we are praying for you and we appreciate your unspoken courage in choosing life!

“I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?” – Mother Teresa

The post These Students Are Leading With Love appeared first on March For Life.

Whether you are a student or a recent graduate, there are many ways to contribute to the pro-life movement.

When we look out at our culture, it can be easy to feel alone in our pro-life beliefs – especially on campus. At many colleges and universities, abortion is viewed as a sacred right and at the same time a normal medical procedure.

A new trend on college campuses is vending machines that dispense Plan B, or the so-called morning-after pill, which is an abortion-causing drug and extremely dangerous. It’s in this atmosphere that, as young people, you are called to be a light in the darkness of a very confused culture.

If you have ever attended the March for Life, you know how incredible it is to witness the tens of thousands of people marching alongside you. It’s so inspiring and encouraging to be surrounded by so many passionate and compassionate Americans – most of them young – all committed to the cause of life.

And yet, you do not have to experience the March for Life to know that you are not alone in your beliefs.

When you actually get past the labels of pro-life and pro-choice, which can be very politically charged, there is actually a very strong consensus for life in our country. Eight out of ten Americans believe that there should be strong legal protections for the unborn and that abortion should be limited to the first three months of pregnancy, at least.

That should be extremely encouraging, in regards to the future of pro-life legislation and growing a culture of life in America. Conversations are an incredibly significant way for everyone to invite dialogue about the truth of the unborn and to stay involved in the pro-life mission.

Stay engaged and talk with your friends and fellow students about these issues. Again, once you get past labels and talking points, most people agree with the humanity of an unborn child. They may have certain objections or talking points to throw back at you, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to be the world’s foremost debate expert, but do your best to stay informed and keep up with pro-life resources so you can answer objections and represent your beliefs well (you can stay in touch with the March for Life on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).

More importantly, in your conversations and relationships, whether it’s with a close friend, or a classmate who’s an acquaintance – strive to be the person that they would come to if they found themselves facing an unplanned pregnancy. Yes, it’s important to have our pro-life facts and arguments in our back pocket, but it’s infinitely more meaningful to wear our love, compassion, grace, and mercy on our sleeve. You can absolutely change the world if a pregnant friend approaches you and you let her know by your words and actions that she is loved and her baby is loved.

Changing our culture and saving lives is a daunting goal, but it happens person by person, and one saved baby at a time. For example, Students for Life has a great initiative called Pregnant on Campus – familiarize yourself with that and know what resources are available at your school. Additionally, Feminists for Life leads the U.S. Pregnancy Assistance Fund which will, in part, help transform campuses in support of pregnant and parenting students, as well as birth mothers. If the resources in your school are inadequate, why not be the one who spearheads making some changes?

It can be as simple as contacting your local pregnancy resource center (PRC) and learning what resources they have available. And while you’re at it, these PRCs are a wonderful way to be involved in the pro-life movement. They do amazing, life-changing/life-saving work and they are always looking for volunteers.

Finally, do not underestimate the power of staying engaged with your lawmakers, especially at the state and local level. Important pro-life policy changes are happening in state legislatures all across the country. And at the federal level, there is more opportunity to enact pro-life policy changes than ever before, but pro-life Americans, especially young people, must make their voices heard.

Stand firm in your commitment to your pro-life beliefs and know that you are not alone. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of ways to stay involved in pro-life work, but hopefully, it’s a start. To summarize: 1) stay engaged in conversations and relationships, not only when it comes to pro-life policies and ideas, but more importantly, being the person who can support someone during an unplanned pregnancy; 2) Get involved with your local pregnancy resource center, and; 3) stay in touch with your lawmakers to encourage them to pursue and support pro-life solutions.

This year’s March for Life theme, “the power of one,” should be a great inspiration to each of us – one person can make a difference in the world, whether in the life of one person or many. Always remember that we are on the side of truth, and every action, small or large, can make a difference. I hope that you can continue your efforts, and if you ever get discouraged, come join us at the March for Life in January for inspiration.

The post Advice for Pro-Life Students and Graduates appeared first on March For Life.

The post The March for Life Around the World appeared first on March For Life.

This week is National Women’s Health Week and we’re spreading the truth about how abortion harms women. The bottom line is that pregnancy is not a disease and killing unborn children is not healthcare.

The post National Women’s Health Week: Spotlight on Abortion appeared first on March For Life.

The post Behind the Scenes at Hope Resource Center appeared first on March For Life.

On May 16, 2017, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini appeared on EWTN News Nightly to discuss changing rhetoric in the abortion industry.

The post Jeanne Mancini on EWTN News Nightly appeared first on March For Life.