Grand Valley Students for Life

Hey everyone! As the new page designer I thought I would say a few words. First of all I hope everyone is having a fantabulous summer and that you’re staying cool :). Congratulations to the group’s graduates; hope you’re all doing well.

For those of you still in Allendale, the Lakeshore Pregnancy Center is hosting its annual LifeWalk this Saturday, June 14th. If you can make it, either as a volunteer or a walker, stop on out and support the Center. For more information, see the Events page.

It’s looking to be a rockin’ 2008-09 year; hope to see you then.

-Carl

Check out this story that I saw today.

Gearing up for the trip to Washington DC next week!

This is the Vietnam Memorial Wall. On it, there are 58,195 names of men and women who were killed during that war. Since then there have been enough people killed through abortion for a wall designed exactly the same to go all the way from where the Vietnam Memorial stands in Washington DC, to Baltimore 20 miles away…

…and back again.

This is a talk given by Fr. John Riccardo. It is in mp3 format and can be listened to online, or downloaded into your mp3 player (like an iPod). He is a young priest from Plymouth, MI (Our Lady of Good Counsel) in the archdiocese of Detroit. The topic of the talk is “The Inviolable Dignity of the Human Person.” The talk was given in November of this year. You will not regret listening to this.

All of Fr. John’s talks and homilies can be found here, or you can subscribe to his talks through iTunes by clicking here (meaning it will automatically download it to iTunes).

She is why we do what we do.

Was it the beyond life-size statue of Lincoln towering above the reflecting pool? Or the picturesque view of the Washington Monument behind the branches of an oak tree? Or was it the proud moment of standing in front of the Declaration of Independence in the Smithsonian that made the trip to Washington D.C. memorable?
It was none of them.
It wasn’t because all of these things weren’t breathtaking or patriotic, because they were. But, it was because we were there for the babies – the millions of babies that die each year from abortion.

We were speaking on their behalf.
It was January 22, 1973 when a controversial ruling about abortion arose. Roe v. Wade was the Supreme Court case decided on this day that allowed women to have an abortion up to a certain point in the fetus’s life (the argument of viability).

I’m not sure what was said or not said in the court room that day, but I do one thing…that was the day the gavel silenced all…

Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. There doesn’t have to be silence no more – those unborn babies who die each year, who have no voice to scream out in protest can once again speak. And that’s why it was so memorable – the March for Life 2007. For those of you unfamiliar with the March for Life, let me fill you in. March for Life is a peaceful protest in which pro-lifers march from the National Mall to the Supreme Court building in protest of the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade on the case’s anniversary. “On January 22, 1974, the first March for Life was held on the West Steps of the Capitol. An estimated 20,000 committed pro-life Americans rallied that day on behalf of our preborn brothers and sisters” (March for Life Web site).
And let me tell you…it was an unforgettable experience and, frankly, one that needs more attention. I remember standing there in the land of Lincoln and Washington – the land founded on liberty and justice, but I couldn’t help but think – where was the justice for the unborn? They can’t speak up and proclaim they want to live, but they have the right to live just like any other human being. Their lives should be protected; all life should be protected. Give the unborn voices…

…speak. 01.22.08

* * * * * * * *

GVSU Students for Life will be traveling this year to the March for Life 2008. For more information click the March for Life tab at the top of the web site or visit: http://www.marchforlife.org/index.cfm (March for Life Organization Web site)
For more information on the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade visit:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=410&invol=113 (Find Law Web site)

This fall, 89 cities in 33 states across the nation will unite for a unique pro-life campaign called 40 Days for Life — an intensive effort designed to raise awareness, save lives, bring healing, and prepare America for the beginning of the end of abortion.

The campaign will be conducted simultaneously in all locations from September 26 - November 4.

There are three components to 40 Days for Life…to read more of this great article, click here.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A doctor has no duty to tell a woman considering an abortion that her embryo is an “existing human being,” a unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, averting a trial over when human life begins.

The decision, citing past rulings, said the court “will not place a duty on doctors when there is no consensus in the medical community or among the public” on when life begins.

The 5-0 Supreme Court ruling reversed a unanimous ruling by a three-judge appeals panel and dismissed the lawsuit of a woman who had an abortion. Abortion

By Carl Webb

Three A words are up for discussion in this first weekly blog posted.  They are abortion, adoption, and abstinence.  Obviously all three are methods to avoid having a child.  So when should each be used? 

Let’s start with the easiest of the three to answer: abortion.  Abortion should never be used.  Period.  End of story.  This seems kind of obvious (since this is a pro-life website), but it was really only mentioned because three A’s sound better than two.

Now let’s talk about the other two options.  Adoption has been called the “loving option” by many pro-life groups because it not only saves a life, but also gives the child a chance to grow up with caring parents.  Many couples are incapable of having children and would gladly accept a child a mother can’t care for.  Who knows; by choosing adoption, a mother could save a child who goes on to make the world a much better place.  Adoption should be used in cases of rape, incest, or other emergencies.  Rape and incest are wrong, but so is abortion and two wrongs don’t make a right.  The other option is abstinence.  Abstinence takes discipline and responsibility from couples, but it pays to wait until the couple is ready.  Many abortions are a result of a simple lack of responsibility, and these abortions are the worst because they are the easy way out; one irresponsible act followed by another.  Abstinence may be difficult, but it’s usually the key to strengthening a healthy young relationship.

We are all certainly capable of making mistakes, which is completely understandable because we’re human.  Abortion, however, is murder, and murder doesn’t happen by mistake.  Choose responsibility, and choose life!

Pretend you are a college student who attended an event that introduces students to campus life, and while at that event you remember a group dedicated to the pro-life cause. Then remember how easy their website was to remember- studentsforlifegvsu.org. Just pretend, for one minute.

Pretend no more, friends! Because it is true!  Whether you really were just pretending or actually came accross our booth, members, website, or other PR methods, we’re really happy that you stopped by and are taking time to check us out. Feel free to explore the site, get to know the group, our mission, and our members.

Before you’re let go to check everything out though, remember that our first meeting is Wednesday, September 5 at 9pm in Kirkhof. There will be free ice cream as well.

Oh, and by the way- you don’t have to be pro-life to come to our meetings. We assume you will have questions, concerns, and other things; we have answers. We’re fun too. Check out the events page for more information.

Hope to see you there! Until next time,

GV S4L