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From the National Coordinator - Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
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Pro-life Philippines:1975-2005
Simple Vision, Bigger Mission
30 years is a long time, especially to children. But to us who have so many dreams and plans that we still wish to accomplish, 30 years went by so fast. Many people have asked me how I started the pro-life movement in the Philippines.
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Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
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It was the summer of 1974 when I attended a talk by Rev. Fr. Paul Marx, OSB on how abortion got legalized in the United States. He predicted the onslaught of other evils – increase of premarital and extramarital sex, multiple divorces, homosexual unions, and the demand for euthanasia because of aging population. And how true his predictions have come to be in the US and other countries. He prayed that abortion will never be legalized in the Philippines.
I was touched by his talk. I felt that God was calling me to do more than help the unwed mothers that we, Good Shepherd Sisters, were sheltering in our maternity homes. I knew that there were many other girls and women abandoned by their boyfriends, families and friends, going through their pregnancy alone and never made it to our Home. Worse, they end up in abortion because they felt or knew no alternative.
How to stop abortion? Work on prevention. Those words made me seek ways to reach out to those women. I then wrote Fr. Paul to send me posters, books and films on abortion. They were 16 mm films. I was given a heavy movie projector that I would carry from place to place - no vhs, vcd or dvds then!. Fr. Paul is now in his 80’s, retired, but we communicate regularly. He still sends me copies of his books, especially his autobiography, and he is always eager to know what is happening in our country.
Much has happened these past thirty years, not only in the political arena but also in the socio-economic and cultural-moral milieu worldwide, These have affected very much the life of the Filipinos. Globalization and international conventions such as the United Nations Conferences in Cairo and Beijing have pushed the population control agenda aggressively so that it is not only contraception that is being promoted. “Safe abortion” is now being presented as a component of “reproductive health”.
The strong lobby for population control through contraception-abortifacients, legalization of abortion, secular sex education, and homosexual unions through so-called anti-discrimination bills have kept pro-lifers vigilant in congress and media.
Little did I know thirty years ago, that my simple effort in giving talks to teens in schools would eventually develop into a nation-wide effort resulting in an organization called Pro-life Philippines Foundation.
Thanks to those parish workers and organizations working for the family, we now have a viable network whenever we hold conferences, marches or lobby activities in congress. More and more parishes are setting up pro-life centers that also respond to the needs of pregnant girls, battered women, and families in distress. Schools and youth groups send their teachers and counselors to our pro-life training workshops, borrow or buy pro-life materials and encourage their students to research in the Pro-life Resource Center or through our website.
How is our work maintained? We certainly need funds to pay the salaries of our ever committed staff members. We continuously produce training manuals, posters, pamphlets, newsletters, and video tapes. We travel to schools and parishes in Metro Manila as well as the provinces. We provide free pregnancy tests, pay our counseling telephone bills and conduct responsible parenthood seminars in poor communities.
So how have we been able to carry on from day to day when we are a non-profit organization? Truly by the providence of God through generous donors and friends like you! You who believe in the urgency and value of our pro-life mission. You who sacrifice from your hard-earned savings to mail a check or deposit to our bank account. You who refer us to others who could be potential pro-life benefactors and friends.
To all of you who have sustained our spirit that sometimes flagged
To all of you who stood with us when we were battered by people who held different sets of beliefs on life, family, marriage and sexuality
To all of you who walked with us in our search for more effective ways to accomplish our mission and goals
And to all of you prayed with us and for us that there maybe the fulness of LIFE to everyone.
A million thanks!
Thirty years of pro-life is us!
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