Pro-Life Stories from Our Parish
Why are you—and your family—pro-life?
The following true stories from members of Holy Spirit Parish show that the greatest choice of all is the choice to LOVE.
Pam’s Story
When I was 36 years old and 5 months pregnant with our son, my doctor required me to have genetic testing done, despite our refusal to consider other options. He said he would not continue to follow my care if I didn’t agree to the tests so that I could make any necessary “decisions” about the pregnancy. While my son had a 1-in-95 chance of having Down Syndrome, it didn’t matter to us. I didn’t think about the test again until he was born and was diagnosed with Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome).
The hospital never had his picture taken when he was born as they did with our daughter, and they didn’t offer us the “new parent” dinner offered to others. In fact, no one at the hospital celebrated our new baby with us at all. Thankfully, our pediatrician told us to “Take your baby home, and love him. Over time, you’ll see the differences, as all parents of multiple children see, and you’ll work through them together.”
Our son Robert has been a blessing to our marriage, to his big sister, and to all our family, friends, and neighbors. He keeps us grounded and has taught us how to view challenges as opportunities and to see the goodness in all people. Robert is the inspiration for his big sister’s advocacy for the inclusion and respect for all people with special needs, as well as her career path.
He has grown beyond our expectations into a friendly, fun, busy, loving, and happy young man whose unique perspective of the world still amazes us. He is a GMU LIFE graduate who interned on Capitol Hill.
He plays Special Olympics sports and can be seen at the Rec Center and CrossFit, riding his tandem bike, walking our dogs around Kings Park, and working at Milano’s Restaurant.
He had a beautiful Baptism and wonderful CCD teachers who guided him through the sacraments of Penance, First Communion, and Confirmation. It is no easy feat to teach our faith to others, especially to those who are intellectually challenged. The Holy Spirit SPRED leaders did a fabulous job! Robert has truly been a gift to the world from “Father God,” as he puts it!
Nick’s Story
When many people see my family out in public, they sometimes notice that we have a four-year gap between our oldest two children, while our others are much closer – around two years apart. This gap reflects a deeper story that is often unspoken, but of which we are acutely aware.
Our second oldest daughter, Gianna, was born in the middle of that gap with a rare condition called anencephaly. Between about 23-28 days after conception, a baby’s neural tube normally closes, allowing for the formation of the brain’s two hemispheres and skull. Unfortunately, Gianna’s neural tube did not close, so she lacked these important body parts and their associated functions. She was diagnosed with the condition at a 20-week ultrasound, a day that remains the worst of my life. There are no treatments and no cure, just waiting—waiting for the day when, not if, your child with this condition will die—normally a matter of minutes to a few days after birth. It is hard to know just how many children have this condition, as the overwhelming majority are aborted, tragically. There was never a question for us, though, that we would protect and cherish Gianna for however long her life would be.
We were fortunate to spend one hour with Gianna after she was born. In that hour: my wife and I held her, kissed her, and talked to her; Gianna met her older sister, aunt and uncle, and grandparents; and most importantly, she was baptized and confirmed. We have beautiful memories of her, and also the great assurance that she is in heaven now. While Gianna’s life may not look like much to some, it was a life full of love, which is sadly more than many other people in our world will experience.
We miss Gianna every day, and no child, no matter how many we have had since, will ever replace her.
We notice and feel her absence in our family every day, even though this cross we carry is mostly hidden from the rest of the world. While we wish she were here, we know, in God’s goodness, that our family’s story with her is one of love and mercy, and one that we wouldn’t change.
Greg’s Story
I became aware of the importance of being active in the pro-life movement when I became involved with the founder of the National March for Life, Nellie Gray.
When the Supreme Court passed the Roe v. Wade decision, Nellie was an attorney with the federal government. She decided to leave her job, and she devoted the remainder of her life to the National March. She even spent a considerable portion of her retirement funds on the March.
For the last years of her life, I was able to provide her with transportation from the National Mall to the Supreme Court, where she climbed onto the back of a pickup truck and using a public address system, she greeted the marchers from all over the country. Her dedication to the pro-life cause was a full-time job.
I regret that she passed away over twelve years ago and didn’t live to see when the Supreme Court finally overturned Roe v. Wade. Just before she died, we noticed that the crowd attending the annual
March for Life was drawing a younger crowd, and they are now a majority of those participating.
Brendan’s Story
My daughter, Elsa, is 18 years old and is now a freshman business major at college. When my wife was pregnant with her, the doctors suspected Elsa could be a Down Syndrome baby. They asked us if we wanted to consider “terminating the pregnancy.” Without blinking and with tears in our eyes, in unison we said “No.”
Of course, we couldn’t consider such a terrible “option.” Even at this point, I had felt her kick inside my wife. We had already named her. We talked about her like she was already born. We prayed for strength and guidance no matter what would happen.
Elsa is beyond perfect. She is a great student, a leader, a devoted daughter of Christ, and just awesome. In fact, she is already involved in Catholic Campus Ministry at her college. It is unreal that October is Respect Life Month and that Elsa’s birthday is the SAME month.
Patty’s Story
A long-time couple in our parish told me a compelling story about their pregnancy fifty years ago. Their unborn baby was apparently given a diagnosis with a diagnosis of hydrocephalus, a condition involving fluid buildup on the brain. Their doctors put on extreme pressure on them to have an abortion, particularly challenging them about their ability to raise a child with disabilities. But they were pro-life Catholics, so they went ahead with the pregnancy.
Their child was born perfectly fine. She is now a grown woman with a family of her own.
Ellen’s Story
Our daughter Claire was born brain-damaged from a lack of oxygen at birth. She has always been in a wheelchair and is developmentally delayed. But she is an active and involved participant in Mass, and she loves to attend. She adds so much to our family, and she is loved by all who meet her and care for her.
Maria’s Story
In April of this year, my dad was hospitalized for multiple infections. We were blessed to have the Holy Eucharist frequently brought to him at the hospital by a Holy Spirit extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.
Then his esophagus stopped functioning normally. Hospice was brought in. By this time, Dad had recovered from his infections but was frail and had lost a lot of weight. We watched him for two more days. By that time, we became painfully aware that he was not going to die from an illness but because he was being starved to death by dehydration as the hospital had removed intravenous nourishment.
The extraordinary minister said food and water should not be withheld from patients who would benefit from them, and my sister and I agreed, as did the Catholic lawyer with whom we spoke.
The hospital agreed to insert a gastrostomy tube for Dad. He came home, Fr. John anointed him again, and in the days that followed, he grew stronger. He now receives Communion every week at our home, along with his wife, who is bedridden with Alzheimer’s.
We believe life is sacred and a gift from God, and only God has the right to end it. Our parents are still with us today, five months later, and will be until God calls them home.
