By Maria V. Gallagher
It was one of those events where you don’t know quite what to expect. It was held on a sweltering July night this past week, and people from throughout the area had been invited to hear me speak on the subject of life.
I was elated at the turnout—so many people, some of whom I have known for years. Others were strangers that I managed to bond with in the course of the evening.
All of them had come to hear a status report on the pro-life cause in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is home to the Abortion Control Act—a time-tested law which provides for informed consent, parental consent, a 24-hour waiting period for abortion, and protections for preborn babies past 24 weeks gestation. Using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions is illegal in Pennsylvania, except for the rare cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of a mother.
A pro-life majority holds the Pennsylvania state Senate, while a one-vote pro-abortion Democratic majority holds the state House of Representatives. Governor Josh Shapiro tweets regularly on the so-called “right to choose” and often speaks in favor of legal abortion
In short, Pennsylvania is home to a divided government in 2023.
As a result, we in Pennsylvania need to work to ensure that the legal protections currently in place for preborn babies and their mothers continue. We need to redouble our efforts to support pregnant women and their families, the frail elderly, and people with disabilities. We need a pro-life evolution which ensures that the rights of the most vulnerable among us are protected.
The crowd I addressed this week—the vast majority of whom were women—appeared ready for the challenge. They are on fire for life, and that spark could ignite a bigger movement in their church, their community, and their Commonwealth.
I never tire of speaking out on behalf of those whose voices have been silenced by society. I get the feeling these ladies are more than ready to raise their voices in a symphony of solidarity for the most marginalized of populations.
The state of the pro-life movement in Pennsylvania is healthy and strong!