By Lauren Castillo
My pro-life journey as a wife and mother of four began at 17 years old at the March for Life in Washington, D.C.
It was there that I committed myself to work towards protecting the preborn. Over the years, I have come to understand that this mission is deeply rooted in evangelization. We must evangelize the culture of life we are working to build in a way that ensures we uphold the dignity of the human person.
I am a multi-generational native of Colorado, where abortion is normalized — even celebrated. In recent years, we have faced some notable policy losses, and pro-life work can feel daunting, and even something we might feel ready to abandon.
But I have a plea of hope and encouragement for you to not just continue working for a culture of life but to deepen your pro-life convictions and how you live them out.
Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila often reminds us that we are living in a post-Christendom world, an apostolic age. We are living in a time where many have no faith and those who do even hide their faith and pro-life values out of fear of secular consequences. Christianity and its values are no longer the norm, and to many, the work of pro-life evangelization is too arduous or uncomfortable.
But now isn’t the time to give up or spend time mourning. It’s an opportunity for us to embrace mission in our evangelization efforts.
Mission comes from a word that means to be sent forth — with purpose. Our purpose in this apostolic age is to enter every part of our communities with the truth about the dignity of life, doing so without fear and with love. When I say every part, I mean every part. Not just working top down, but talking to our neighbors, cousins, siblings, parents, fellow parishioners and, yes, even strangers. As Catholics, we are called to mission by evangelizing just as the early apostles did — with courage, joy, compassion and unwavering faith. This is not a time to retreat but to press forward, trusting in God’s plan and knowing that, with his help, we are part of something far greater than ourselves. But we must check fear at the door and ensure we are reaching all in our spheres of influence.
I am reminded of the story of Nehemiah in Scripture, who was deeply grieved by the destruction of Jerusalem, and yet turned to the Lord in prayer and fasting. Despite the damage, obstacles and mocking of his faith and efforts, he worked tirelessly alongside others to rebuild in just 52 days, and a spiritual renewal of the people followed. Nehemiah’s servant leadership models a faith, trust and perseverance in the Lord. As uncertain and challenging as this time may be, Nehemiah’s exhortation to his people rings true even now: “Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not lament, do not weep! Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:9).
I am deeply inspired by the early Christians and saints who spread the Gospel with courage and trust in God, despite the challenges. They followed Christ’s example, seeing each person as a beloved neighbor — worthy of love, truth and support. Whether that is someone facing an unplanned pregnancy or someone you are having a conversation with about pro-life issues, draw from the inspiration of these holy men and women who approached evangelization not to win arguments or gain power, but to change hearts and minds with truth and love. We cannot change hearts and minds simply by speaking truth, we need love to reach the soul of a person — and make no mistake, we are in this work to get souls to Heaven.
So where do we start?
First, let’s deepen our faith and allow the Lord to pour his wisdom and grace into our hearts. Next, I encourage all to do some apologetics training to have better conversations. Then, begin by evangelizing those closest to us. It’s tempting to avoid these conversations with those we see weekly because they cause discomfort, but these moments are where the Lord works miracles. I have witnessed pro-life conversions in my own family and friends simply by opening discussions with love, compassion and a willingness to see their perspective and answer questions. Be the one who speaks about your pro-life efforts at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, trusting that the Holy Spirit is present in you. And do it with love and patience, as many conversions happen over long time periods, very rarely in a single encounter.
As a mother, I see the value of life in my children every day. My oldest was an unexpected blessing during college. That experience shaped my resolve to ensure every mother and child has the same opportunity to experience the dignity and beauty of life that I have been blessed with in my family. I encourage you to share your own testimony and why you are pro-life. You would be surprised by how many are impacted by your story and how you live out your pro-life values.
In this new age, my hope for the pro-life movement is that no mother facing an unplanned or difficult pregnancy feels unsupported or unaware of the resources available to her. Ask yourself, if you were facing an unplanned pregnancy, are the resources you need being promoted around you?
We must continue to strengthen the infrastructure for women to courageously embrace each baby without feeling abortion is the best option. We need more resources and tangible support for these women and their families, and that is an opportunity for us to build them.
The Lord calls each of us to use our unique gifts to build these resources. Perhaps he’s calling you. Ask the Lord to reveal to you what your gifts are. Trust me, you have them, and the world needs them!
Yes, this mission is not without its challenges, and there are no quick solutions. It’s okay to feel disappointed by setbacks but take heart: the apostles didn’t change the world in a day, and they had setbacks, too. But they laid the foundation for a mission that reached the entire world! We just can’t give up; we must continue to plant seeds. As Msgr. James Shea reminds us: “If we don’t give up, we always win.”
The pro-life mission in this apostolic age is, above all, a mission of hope that calls us to act, rooted in love — for mothers, fathers and their babies. Each act of love — a conversation, a prayer or a small gesture of support — is an opportunity to evangelize.
While the task may seem insurmountable at times, trust in God’s plan, knowing that every step we take is part of a greater mission of getting souls to Heaven, one conversation, one prayer, one day sidewalk counseling, one encounter at a time.
Don’t sit on the sidelines for our pro-life mission in the apostolic age; we need you. In moments where you feel overwhelmed, surrender to God, make a joyful act of charity in action or prayer, and hold onto hope. We are after all in a Jubilee Year of Hope!
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