Prisoners Walk with us, Babies are back and
Kathy Folan tells the world:
“You are talking about me and people like me!”
Buoyed by the appearance of President Donald Trump at Washington D.C.’s March for Life, and then energized by the re-appearance in their mothers’ arms of four of the babies who were on stage in 2019 while still in the womb, the atmosphere at 16th Annual Walk for Life West Coast was one of joy, hope, and encouragement.
We heard the rousing speeches of long-time Walk stalwarts Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and the Rev. Clenard Childress of blackgenocide.org. Fr. Pavone analyzed the extremely hopeful pro-life political climate and told the crowd how important political engagement is: “Prolife is a winning issue. Register to vote.”
Perhaps most moving was the incredible story of trust of Mrs. Kathleen Folan and her son, Nathan. Nathan was conceived during a rape, and Kathleen, wanting him to be raised in a family, gave him up for adoption. But hey stayed close, and after her talk, Kathleen introduced Nathan. He told the crowds that with abortion, people often say they are pro-life, with the exception of rape. He said “I want everyone to understand, especially the ‘excepters’ , that you are talking about me and people like me!” Mrs. Folan’s talk has already gone viral, and she has received a number of invitations to share her story.
The St. Gianna Molla Award for Pro-Life Heroism was presented to Dr. Ron Konopaski, leader of San Francisco’s 40 Days for Life. The video of the 85 year old being attacked by a much younger man last year in front of San Francisco’s Planned Parenthood garnered national coverage.
Eva touched the crowd with an incredible example of the fruits of the Walk: that as we Walked down Market Street a group of pro-life inmates in the California prison system would actually be joining the Walk for Life West Coast, as they have since 2011, by slowly Walking for Life around the prison yards at the exact same time.
But the whole show was stolen when Eva presented four of the seven Moms who had appeared at the 2019 Walk, where the crowd heard their babies’ hearts beat from the womb. This year, those Moms appeared with the adorable babies in their arms. But as we were captivated by the babies’ antics, Eva urged us to remember and never forget that last January it would have been “perfectly legal” to kill those babies.
Another gift of hope and fruit of the Walk was given when Walk co-chair Dolores Meehan introduced San Francisco’s new pro-life Bella Help and Wellness Clinic, scheduled to open in November right in the Chancery building of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Rev. Childress, theWalk’s clean up hitter, sent Walkers on their way with his usual brilliant oratory: “Abortion and Roe v. Wade’s days are numbered!”
So our 2020 Walk featured new life, new hope in Washington, a new pro-life medical clinic, and new hope right here in San Francisco. What a day!
Go here for pictures of the 2020 Walk.
We thank you…and can’t wait to see you again on January 23, 2021!