United we stand

My name is Thérèse Castillo. I’m seventeen-years-old, and I am a part of the pro-life generation. I was born on Jan. 31, 2003 – just thirty years after the tragic ruling of Roe v. Wade. At the time, I had no idea about its impact on the country or the lives of those around me, but I’d soon come to learn just that. 

Although I’ve been in the pro-life movement for quite some time now, I never took the initiative to learn about the laws currently in place. It was just a week before the Rally for Life this year when I learned that the ruling of the Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade, was made into law based on false information about Norma McCorvey (Roe), who never had an abortion even after Roe v. Wade passed. 

I knew that she joined the pro-life movement many years after the case, but I never actually knew about the nature of the law. I couldn’t believe that I had gone so long without realizing this. Gaining this knowledge shortly before the Rally, encouraged and prepared me for the event. In the days leading up to this year’s Rally for life, I began to reflect on my life and my history with the pro-life movement.

The first time I heard about abortion was when I was nine years old. I saw someone with a “Pray to End Abortion” shirt on, so I asked my mom what abortion was. She explained it to me as much as a mother could, and I remember thinking, “How could anyone think this is okay?” 

I never doubted for a moment that what I heard was wrong. Even as young as I was, I knew that all life was sacred and deserved to be protected by all means necessary. In middle school, I became more involved in the pro-life movement as I felt a responsibility to protect and defend life. 

When I was in the sixth grade, I attended Rally for Life in Austin with Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School for the first time. I had only heard about protests and marches on TV… I had never seen one, and it was difficult, to say the least. 

As our group marched, I kept staring at the opposite side of the street and watched the counter-protestors scream and chant. My gaze met one sign that said, “Keep Your Rosaries Off My Ovaries.” It was fitting as many people who were around me were praying the rosary. That struck a nerve in my eleven-year-old mind, and my heart ached for them as I struggled to hold back tears. I wasn’t afraid, though. Even though it broke my heart, I knew that I had to keep going back because if I didn’t, then they would be successful. I asked God for the strength to endure the pain.

Now I am a junior in high school and a sixth-time attendee of the Rally for Life. The size of the counter-protesters is decreasing drastically. Several speakers from the Rally noted that while the counter-protesters were falling, the pro-life crowd was increasing. We are winning.

I found myself in constant wonder as I looked at the crowd and helped lead the march. I found myself trying to hold back tears again, but this time they were tears of joy. I still get goosebumps when I think about it. 

We were all at least or under the age of eighteen, fighting fiercely for a cause we strongly believe in: life is beautiful. In our youth, we’ve come to understand this to be the truth – not a truth – the truth. And I promise that we’ll fight with our lives to make sure that every person’s right to life is respected, protected and kept. I am so grateful that I get this opportunity to attend the Rally for Life every year with St. John Paul II High School and for giving me a platform to speak the truth. 

To young people, I say, “stand up for life even if it means standing alone.” There are so many organizations dedicated to helping students become activists and leaders in their community. The future depends on us, and once the world sees they have produced a united front of young people who are unafraid of the truth, they will back down. In the words of St. Teresa of Avila, “Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. Everything changes, but God does not. With patience, you will obtain everything; whoever has God is lacking nothing. Only God is enough.” 

(“Nada te turbe, nada te espante, todo se pasa, Dios no se muda. La paciencia todo lo alcanza quien a Dios tiene nada le falta: sólo Dios basta.”) 

My name is Thérèse Castillo. I’m seventeen-years-old, and my generation will end abortion.