Bishop Chatard and Marian College students speak out against abortion

St. John the Evangelist parishioner Megan Certo of Indianapolis helps her son, Peter, place a rose in a vase in memory of the more than 50 million unborn babies who have died in abortion since it was legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 22, 1973. David and Megan Certo are expecting their second child in June. (Photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mary Ann Wyand

Bishop Chatard High School junior Spenser Johnson and Marian College sophomore Meredith Riley marched for the rights of the unborn on Jan. 22 in Washington, D.C.

Three days later, they shared their March for Life experiences and pro-life convictions during the Memorial Service for the Unborn at the Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis.

Their keynote speeches during the annual Right to Life of Indianapolis memorial service on Jan. 25 reflected their commitment to protecting the sanctity and dignity of life from conception until natural death.

“Abortion is wrong,” Spenser said. “It kills a human being.”

Spenser, who is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianapolis, said the sheer number of people who participated in the 36th annual March for Life was amazing.

“I don’t know how anybody couldn’t be inspired by that or moved,” Spenser said. “You couldn’t even see a beginning or an end to the line [of pro-life supporters]. I was truly touched by that. Who couldn’t be inspired by that?”

She traveled to the nation’s capital with 20 students and chaperones from Bishop Chatard High School and the Indianapolis North Deanery then joined other archdiocesan youths for the National Mass for Life on Jan. 21 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the march on Jan. 22.

“President [Barack] Obama said that we need change,” Spenser said, “and I completely agree with that. However, we need change in a different way than he thinks we do. We need an end to abortion and not an addition to it.”

Meredith Riley is studying pastoral leadership and Spanish at Marian College, and enjoys volunteering in youth ministry and music ministry. She is a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Franklin.

“I really love being involved in the pro-life movement,” she said. “This was my fifth year to go on the March for Life in Washington, D.C. I went for three years with Roncalli High School, and this was my second year to go with Marian College students. We sent about 30 students from our school.”

Each year, there seems to be more and more people at the March for Life, Riley said. “The march started at 2 p.m. and the line didn’t even get to us until almost 2:45 p.m. so we stood there and waited [to march]. That shows you how many people were there. It really inspired me. Along the march, some people sang and prayed, and you could always hear the cheers ‘Hey, hey, ho, ho. Roe v. Wade has got to go’ or ‘We love babies, yes we do.’ ”

Before the march, she listened to the rally speakers, who spoke about legislative efforts to restrict abortion and the harmful effects of abortion on women.

“The pro-life movement is getting larger and larger every day,” Riley said. “We had a pro-life concert at Marian College, and the support and donations we received were absolutely overwhelming. It’s so important to know that we’re not alone in the pro-life movement, and this has become quite clear by participating in the March for Life.” †