By Dave Andrusko

Editor's note. Please send your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com

Although we are in the llth hour---the 37th annual NRL convention begins next week in Charlotte, North Carolina--I'd like to make you aware of one more very important reason you must join pro-lifers from around the nation, if not for the entire convention, at least part of it.

That reason is Fr. John Raphael, SSJ. Fr. Raphael will be our Prayer Breakfast speaker Friday, June 19. He is best known nationally for the powerful speech he delivered at the pro-life rally held at the University of Notre Dame the day pro-abortion President Barack Obama gave the commencement address and received an honorary degree.

As explained in his biography, "Convicted of the need for active witness for the protection and defense of the sanctity of life as a college student and seminarian, Fr. Raphael has dedicated himself to bringing more African Americans into the pro-life movement." (He is currently principal of his high school alma mater, St. Augustine High School, in New Orleans.)

I watched Fr. Raphael's speech online at http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=1304. It's only a little over twenty minutes long, and I would strongly encourage you to watch and listen for yourself.

Let me just make two comments. He reminded the Notre Dame students who attended the rally that they might be a minority on their own campus, "but you are not minority in the rest of this great nation of ours." Based on recent polls, including Gallup, "60% of Catholics are with you…52% of all Americans are with you…and 51% identify themselves as prolife. You are not alone."

Second, Fr. Raphael recalled for his audience the various promises coming from the University.

"Throughout this controversy many words have been spoken affirming the university's commitment to life," he said. "Our task is to make the university's honor its now oft-stated beliefs into practice."

He went on to say that, "If, as we have been told, a dialogue is actually taking place over there, between presidents of Notre Dame and the United States, between the university and the nation, then for the university at least that dialogue must be shaped by truth and charity and protecting the sanctity of all human life, as the church understands life, must be its goal."

Which means, Fr. Raphael said, that "Ours must be the voice that continues to demand proof, evidence of this [the University of Notre Dame] administration's commitment to build a culture of life, first here at Notre Dame and then in the larger sphere of its influence. This administration must be held accountable everyday for its decision that brought us here today."

Or, as he put it earlier in his speech, "Faith without works is death; words without actions are meaningless."

In addition to the Prayer Breakfast, there will be seventy-two workshops, five general sessions, and a closing banquet Saturday June 20. And that doesn't even include the separate three-day track for Teens for Life and all the materials that pro-life advertisers will have to equip you for the fight ahead.

It's not too late to register. The web site for the convention can be found at www.stoptheabortionagenda.com/convention. This is a great one-stop location. Everything you need to know about registering, what all will occur at the convention, the schedule is there in one place.

I hope to see you next week!