A Galvanizing Defender of Life: In Memory of Mattei Radu
By Cristina Minniti

Mattei Radu

There are very few moments and even fewer people that the average person can associate with changing their life. In my case, the moment is perfectly clear and in early fall of 2000 I was introduced to that very person. A new student at Villanova University, I had just attended a beautiful outdoor mass welcoming students back to the new school year. I was greeted by two new friends, one of them being Mattei Radu.

A confident sophomore, Mattei humbled himself enough to take interest in me, a lowly freshman, and without knowing anything about my background, interests or political inclinations, invited me to an upcoming Villanovans for Life meeting. He was so earnest and welcoming in his invitation, making it seem as if the meeting wouldn't be the same without me. Who could turn down such an offer? Over the course of the next few months, I quickly became an active member of our campus pro-life group and, somewhere along that process, found my best friend.

"He didn't just lead others into the pro-life movement. He led others into leadership in the pro-life movement." --Carlos DeBayle

On May 7th, 2010, Mattei Ion Radu passed away unexpectedly, moving on to fight injustice from a much more influential place than we could ever imagine. As I've reflected on our friendship the last few weeks, I am hard pressed to think of another person that so directly influenced the course of my life. With Mattei's guidance, and after years of mutual work at the local and national level, I discovered a calling to work full-time for the pro-life movement. Looking back on the constant personal and professional challenges he presented, which collectively made me the woman that I am today, I couldn't help but wonder how many other lives he shaped. I was overwhelmed at the responses I received and the multitude of experiences similar to my own. The sentiments of those mentioned in this article are but just a few.

"I learned to be strong in convictions, faith and the truth. That wasn't simply a question- it was an invitation to change my life."  --Kathleen Lafferty, on the being asked to join ACL

Mattei's unparalleled dedication to protecting the unborn inspired me and countless others to take on the fight, learning about dangers to the culture of life and finding ways to battle them. Colin Burkhalter, VU '02, recently spoke of the galvanizing influence among his many friends and defenders of life. He recalled his gift of Knowledge, defined by St. Thomas Aquinas, whom Mattei admired and studied diligently, as 'the ability to judge correctly about matters of faith and right action, so as to never wander from the straight path of justice.'

One thing that could never be argued about Mattei was his unwavering dedication to the cause. He was steadfast and untiring in accomplishing his goals, and continually found a way to defend women and children with every move he made. As President of both Villanovans for Life and American Collegians for Life, Mattei instilled in us the importance of education, and the transforming power of peaceful and logical debate.

For the next ten years I was blessed to witness his growth as a scholar, as a legal mind and eventually as a Villanova professor, with an ultimate goal of restoring protection to the unborn and raising awareness of those whose fundamental right to a dignified life is at stake.

"His passion for spreading the pro-life message was infectious. I had always been pro-life, but through my friendship with Mattei, I learned how to do something about that." --Mike Seibert, VU '06

Losing a friend like Mattei is beyond difficult. He was the ultimate traveling companion and made every moment together a fun and completely unforgettable experience. To know Mattei was to know the true nature of loyalty, camaraderie and solidarity. The pain is compounded, however, when considering the loss to the pro-life movement. The scope of his impact in just 28 short years is astounding, and much of it began with the act of one kind, simple gesture of friendship. Let his life be an example of how realistic it is for just one person to truly influence others and affect change, while having a darn good time doing it.

If there are any lessons to be learned from a tragedy of this magnitude, let us realize the power of one person's ability to change the world in such a brief period of time. God places people in our lives for a divine purpose, regardless of how short-lived that time may be. Mattei's pure and unbridled passion for the movement has inspired, and will continue to inspire, scores of people to take on the challenge and fight on behalf of the voiceless. Many, including Carlos DeBayle, VU '03, have been stirred to action by Mattei's frequently adapted reference to Frederick Douglass's simple solution to combating slavery: "Agitate, agitate, agitate."

"It was the spark of Mattei's friendship and his loyalty (both to his friends, and in the larger sense, to all that was good and deserving of loyalty) that made him such an effective leader." --Colin Burkhalter

It simply is not enough to say that you are pro-life; rather, I urge each of you to take a page from Mattei's book and reach out to someone who may be new to the fight. Volunteer for your NRLC state affiliate or local chapter. Write life-affirming Op-Eds for your local newspaper. Offer assistance to a woman struggling with an unexpected pregnancy. With Mattei's encouragement, Kathleen Lafferty, a friend at Temple University, served two terms with ACL and later went on to found her own campus wide pro-life group. Who knows what amazing outcome your friendly gesture might inspire?

One thing is for sure: Mattei would not want to see his hard work fall by the wayside. By individually taking on a small portion of Mattei's fight, may we all come together to one day complete his unfinished efforts to bring about justice for the unborn and the vulnerable.