SAN DIEGO — Bishop Michael Pham rallied the crowd with what he called “a simple and powerful truth.”
“Life, from the womb to the tomb, is a precious gift,” he said, passionately defending the sanctity of human life as one of the speakers at the 14th annual San Diego Walk for Life.
The largest pro-life gathering in San Diego County, it was held Jan. 24 at Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego. For Bishop Pham, who has led the Diocese of San Diego since last summer, this was his first time speaking at the event.
The theme, taken from Jeremiah 1:5, was “Known, Created, and Loved in the Womb.”
An estimated 2,100 people, both Catholic and Protestant, attended the walk. They listened to a line-up of speakers, including a keynote presentation from Catholic singer-songwriter Kairy Marquez; visited exhibitor booths; and, with many of them carrying pro-life signs and banners, gave public witness as they walked a half-mile loop around Waterfront Park.
Among those participants were Avery Kessler, of Queen of Angels Parish in Alpine, and Rebecca Cummings, of Santa Sophia Parish in Spring Valley, each of whom spoke to The Southern Cross with children in tow, and Riley Wallevand, a freshman at John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, who was among a group of students from the school.
‘Proclaiming a truth’
“When we speak of respect for life, we are not talking about a slogan or a political position,” Bishop Pham said in his remarks. “We are proclaiming a truth at the very heart of our faith.”
Human life is sacred because “each person is created in the image and likeness of God,” he continued. “Birth and death are the two great markers of every human life; between them lies a sacred journey, one that no one else has the right to erase, discard or diminish.”
The bishop said that human life is “so valuable that God’s only Son became one of us” and, through his life, death and resurrection, we are all “invited into God’s kingdom.”
“Each life has been given the highest dignity and called to the highest destiny: everlasting life with God,” he said. “Our lives come from God, and our lives are destined for God.”
Bishop Pham said that respecting life “means more than opposing abortion or euthanasia,” although he acknowledged that those two issues are “central moral concerns.” He said that it also means “recognizing and confronting (everything) that threatens human dignity,” such as war, homelessness, discrimination and addiction.
“When life is treated as disposable at any stage,” he said, “it becomes easier to treat all life as expendable.”
Offering some words of motivation for the crowd, Bishop Pham said, “Because of Christ, we are never a people without hope. We walk today, not in anger, but in hope. We trust, not in ourselves, but in God who makes all things new.”
‘A passion for this topic’
As the event got underway, and with her 4- and 5-year-olds in a stroller beside her, Avery Kessler explained what brought her out to the Walk for Life.
“I just have a passion for this topic,” said Kessler, 28, “and I truly believe life begins in the womb and that it’s just a tragedy that a lot of people don’t really see that.”
She said that she was there “to add numbers to the walk” and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be around like-minded people.
Kessler, who aspires to be a social worker, feels that her pro-life views are “sort of an unpopular opinion” in her chosen field.
She shared that, during the week before the walk, she had an “in-depth conversation” about abortion with one of her fellow interns. Her views were met with “resistance,” she said, and the conversation was “kind of uncomfortable.”
“But it’s cool … to start having those conversations and building my voice,” she said.
Kessler said that one of her hopes for the pro-life movement is simply that it will be able to reach more people.
“I love Jesus so much, and I think that he’s the best thing ever,” she said, “but I think some people look at the pro-life cause and only see Catholicism or Christianity and might feel turned off.”
She hopes that these people might come to know that “there’s a place for them here, too.”
‘Follow God’s plan’
Riley Wallevand, an 18-year-old freshman from John Paul the Great Catholic University, attended the walk with his girlfriend, Audrey Juhasz, as well as fellow students.
“For me, (the pro-life cause is) an important issue,” said Wallevand, a member of his university’s pro-life club. “I think life should be protected. I think that the more people that exist, the more possible saints we have in Heaven. I want those souls to be with God, and I’m here to protect that life and give them the best opportunity to follow God’s plan.”
He said that he would like to see more abortion restrictions this year, especially with regard to the abortion pill, and greater support for all facets of life, including children in the foster care system and the elderly.
Juhasz said, “It’s absolutely insane how one-third of my generation isn’t alive (because of abortion), and I feel like that’s not something to just take lightly.”
She said that she hopes that more people will become aware that “there’s so many options” and “support systems” available for mothers in crisis pregnancies.
“You can give your baby up for adoption, if you can’t take care of it in the way you’d like to,” she said, giving an example of one of those options.
‘Huge change of heart’
Rebecca Cummings, a 39-year-old member of Santa Sophia Parish, grew up in a pro-choice family. Her mother had worked in abortion clinics, and she herself had once identified as pro-choice.
But today, she and her husband are solidly pro-life. They participated in this year’s walk with their 4-year-old son.
“We had a huge change of heart, especially as we decided to have a child ourselves,” she said, reflecting on their conversion. “Through that whole process, it became really clear (that) this is actually a human life.”
Cummings began “questioning the abortion rhetoric” about seven years ago and has considered herself pro-life for about five years now. She said that the Catholic Church’s strong pro-life stance played a “huge” part in the couple’s spiritual journey toward becoming Catholic.
As she pushed her stroller amidst a crowd of pro-life advocates holding signs, she said that the walk made her feel that she was “not alone.”
“Being able to realize there’s other people who are equally as passionate about this,” she said, “it gives me more courage and confidence to stand in the truth about life.”
For information, visit sandiegowalkforlife.org or contact Maria Valencia at (858) 490-8323 or mvalencia@sdcatholic.org.
