“Roe will NOT HAVE a 50th birthday
and what that means is many thousands of children WILL HAVE a FIRST birthday!”

 Pro-Lifers face a changed world at the 19^th Annual Walk for Life West Coast

On Saturday, January 21, 2023 tens of thousands of pro-lifers from all over the United States came together at the Walk for Life West Coast in a changed world. As Walk co-chair Eva Muntean told the tens of thousands in attendance:

“For the first time, we stand together at the Walk for Life West Coast in a country where the so-called ‘right’ to kill an unborn child is no longer the law of the land. This is a battle we have been fighting for 50 years. Tomorrow WOULD HAVE BEEN the 50^th anniversary of the atrocity of Roe v. Wade. Thanks to pro-lifers and to God Almighty, Roe will NOT HAVE a 50th birthday. And what that means is many thousands of children WILL HAVE a FIRST birthday!”

The day started with a spectacular new Mass celebrated at a standing-room only St. Mary’s Cathedral. Walkers were thrilled by the musical setting commissioned by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and created by noted composer Chris Mueller.

The Rally at Civic Center Plaza featured four stunning speakers, each of whom shared their stories of pain, struggle, and triumph.

Rebecca Kiessling, an attorney and international prolife speaker, was born after her mother was raped. She told the crowd, “I did not deserve the death penalty because of the crime of my biological father.”

Angela Minter, president and co-founder of Sisters For Life, Inc., a post-abortive woman, reminded us “Women do not just show up and have an abortion. Someone needed to enter my world and tell me that you can do it, you can have your baby but there was no one there to do it.”

Shawn Carney, president and CEO of 40 Days for Life, noted that across the U.S. pregnancy resource centers outnumber abortion providers 5 to 1. Abortion proponents (now)“do not know what to do because they have realized for the first time in 49 years that they have to defend this barbaric surgery that is built on violence and you cannot defend it.”

And we were sent on our way by the great Rev. Clenard Childress, who as Eva said, like the Prophet Isaiah, has always been there for us  to “speak the word the weary that will rouse them!” The Reverend was also the recipient of this year’s St. Gianna Molla Award for Pro-Life heroism.

Despite the very real sense of triumph, Eva was quick to point out we must not, cannot, falter in our pro-life work:

“All Dobbs means that it is up to each state to decide whether or not to value and protect innocent human life. Some have chosen to do so, others, like our state of California have doubled down on the massacre of the innocents. So, we have much work to do! But, as the last 50 years have shown, YOU are dedicated, YOU are committed, YOU are unstoppable. We will continue to work, to pray, to provide alternatives, and be a beacon of hope to women from coast to coast, no matter what.

Following the rally, YOUR presence filled Market Street for more than a solid mile, curb to curb with happy, peaceful, prayerful witnesses to life. We had a larger than usual group of opponents this year, but as always, they were completely eclipsed by your numbers and shamed by your goodness. Let us keep them in our prayers!

As Archbishop Cordileone said last year “We have not yet begun to fight!”

For videos of our speakers, go here.

For photos go here.

For all news and press coverage of the Walk go here or here.