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I’m Personally Pro-Life BUT…..

There I was, my face pressed to the glass of the partition in the airport, straining to hear the announcement of Pope Francis yesterday, reveling in the excitement of the moment, when all of a sudden, I heard the following words being exchanged by my fellow Pope-watchers: “I’m Catholic and personally pro-life, but I’m not going to tell anyone else that what they do is right or wrong. Who am I to judge?”

Making the Sacrifice-Part 1 of 2

As published in National Right to Life News Today on March 6, 2013: No truer words, I believe, have ever been spoken by the child of a pro-life activist than those of my daughter Olivia recently: “I wish other people knew that it was wrong to kill babies so that you...

Making the Sacrifice-Part 2 of 2

As printed in National Right to Life News Today on March 7, 2013: True confession:  I’ve thrown up in airports, even in an airport parking lot, once, after leaving my family (as my daughter Olivia says) “yet again” for another speaking engagement or advocacy...

One Door Closed, Another Opened

Yet as I write all of this out today, it is cathartic. And as I work through these feelings, what I’ve gathered so far is that today, more than sadness about the door closing to my family in Sioux City because of our move, what I’m feeling is sadness at the door that has remained closed to them because of the abortion that should have ended my life and has forever changed theirs.

The Essential Role of Forgiveness

As published in National Right to Life's News Today on February 20, 2013 Editor’s note. Melissa, the survivor of a “failed” saline abortion in 1977, speaks all over the world including at the last two National Right to Life Conventions.  She has graciously agreed to...

Daughter: But Mommy, My Brother Was Born in Your Belly

“The day that Gabriel was born and you told me about it was the best day of my life.” I dropped the laundry that I was folding and turned to Olivia as she said this recently, my heart in my stomach.

Just over a year has passed since we lost our son, Gabriel, through a miscarriage at 11 weeks, and I had thought that Olivia was more than well aware of what had happened (as well aware as a four-year-old can be).

But now this?

I took a deep breath and crouched down beside her to look her in the eye and embrace her .

“Olivia, sadly Gabriel was never born. He died while he was still in my belly.” Of all of the things that Olivia had said this past year that pulled at my heart when it came to the subject of her brother and my miscarriage, this was, by far the worst. Or so I thought. Until she uttered the most amazing reply to me.

How Will You Answer?

It’s interesting….the title of the Susan B. Anthony List ad may, at first glance, be about how each of us will answer the opportunity to cast our votes in the upcoming election, but truthfully, it has come to mean so much more to me. How will I answer when I am called to stand up for something that I believe in? How will I answer when it’s time for me to speak out? How will I answer when I am asked what I have done for the weakest among us? How will YOU answer?

Reflections on the NRLC 2012 Convention and Loving Children Into Life

As published by National Right to Life's Today's News and Views on July 9, 2012 and was later published on Life News on July 10, 2012 By Melissa Ohden Editor’s note. Melissa the survivor of a “failed” saline abortion, has spoken at the last two National Right to Life...

The Secrets Families Keep

Whether it’s said out loud or not, Dominique’s family story is a lot like many of our stories. Every family has its’ secrets. Many of those secrets revolve around the issues of abortion and adoption, and in cases like mine, both. Whether it’s said out loud or not, the Moceanu family story also speaks volumes about the sanctity of human life and about the loving option of adoption. Although I can’t imagine how difficult it was for their family to carry the secret of the adoption and then have it come to light, they have nothing to be ashamed of. Adoption is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of.

And in the case of my life and families like mine who have experienced abortion, I believe that it (abortion) needs to be talked about.