The following comes from a September 30 posting on the website of the Catholic News Agency.
An “upbeat” pro-life event this November at Dodger Stadium will bring together teen speakers, professional athletes, celebrities, musicians and religious leaders to encourage young people to “go to bat for life” and become outspoken pro-life advocates.
“Young people speaking to young people is what will make our event unique – along with a joyous tone that will convey the beauty, fun and normalcy of being pro-life!” Carol Golbranson, co-founder of LIFEsocal, said Sept. 14.
LIFEsocal, a group of Los Angeles-area high school and college students and their parents, organized the Nov. 18 event, called Go2bat4LIFE. The interfaith gathering has the support of Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez.
Golbranson said the event will send the message that “not only is it okay to be prolife, but it is fun, and it is cool as well.”
Baptist Pastor Walter Hoye II will emcee the event. Christian bands such as Christafari and Lincoln Brewster will perform on the stadium’s infield stage. Professional athletes and other guests will rally the crowd.
Featured speakers and special guests include actor and “Bella” star Eduardo Verastegui; actress, singer and visual artist Alexandra Besore; 14-year-old actor Mauricio Kuri, who starred in the movie For Greater Glory, and pro-life advocate Marion Jones.
Several teenagers will tell the gathering about their unplanned pregnancies, what choices they made in response, and how those choices affected their lives.
One university student will talk about how she placed her baby in an adoptive home, while an abortion survivor will talk about forgiveness. A young man who was involved in an abortion will talk about how the death of his son changed his perspective.
Organizers have invited churches and schools from across southern California to attend.
Attendees can play baseball-themed games, ride a zip line and carnival rides, and enjoy ballpark food.
Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. and the event lasts from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event begins with a one-mile walk around the perimeter of Dodger Stadium.
Entry tickets cost $10 per person, though children 10 years-old and under can attend free. Game ticket proceeds benefit local pregnancy help centers and other pro-life ministries.
To read entire story, click here.
Go Dodgers!!!
I hope they get a HUGE turnout. This is what kids need…to be together and unembarrassed about faith and rejoicing. Joy is infectious and like the World Youth Day, it spreads the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ! What’s not to like? Walter LaHoye is such a great witness to truth and a masculine role model for young men.
Reminds me of how I first came to know Robert K. Dornan when I joined in the organizing of a “Youth for Morality” Rally at the Hollywood Bowl.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Awesome!
Also I hope they preach chastity! Focus is good to be pro-life but better to do preventive spiritual care with promoting chastity! Kids now a days are indirectly told that they can’t control them selves.
I usually get concerned when they have teenagers give their story because I really hope that they don’t water down the lesson about what happens when you have sex outside of marriage.
I remember a few years back, there was a speaker, I can’t recall his name now but he is famous in spreading the word on John Paul sexuality message, he conveyed the message so poorly that my kids, my hubby and I left concerned. He used Hugh Hefner as an example but it was not a good message, that it left us puzzled. So I hope that whoever is speaking to our youth, that they have screened them well. Nothing sucks more when you bring your kids to something that was suppose to be positive but then regret it because the speakers only gave confusing messages.
Abeca,
Have no fear. The Emcee, Baptist Pastor Walter Hoye II, will correct anyone who gets off base! He would make a great Deacon in the Catholic Church.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fishere
I have to agree with Abeca Christian, although on a tentave level : AWESOME! The reason that it must be tentative with me is that it’s right now kind of celebrity-driven, and outside of Pastor Hoye, where are the priests, bishops, pro-life Evangelicals, etc., that it seems to me should be signng on to this event in DROVES? And why is the only mention of Abp.Gomez in connection with this happening is his “support”? Does that translate into his being there physically and speaking as only he can? Does anyone know? At any rate, I’m certainly not trying to throw cold water on it, but in reality, MUCH if not MOST of the opposition to legalized murder (abortion) calling itself “exercising choice” should be in obedience to what JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY informs us about the TRUTH of the matter. AND ESPECIALLY UNDER THE HEGEMONY OF PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WE AS A NATION ARE SUFFERING UNDER AN ICIPIENT TYRANNY WHOSE VERY HEART SEEMS TO CENTER ON THE NECESSITY OF SLAYING THE PREBORN IN THE WOMB, but masquerading this horrific action under the rubric of WOMEN’S RIGHTS, and, once again,CHOICE.
One final thought: Is there going to be some kind of subtle undercurrent during this pro-life gathering to the effect that if “we” could only pressure all those who are “sexually active” to use artificial contraception, well, THAT could cut the abortion rate.Well, BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!! Hopefully, the main message to be advanced under this, once again, AEWSOME EVENT is the necessity for ALL PEOPLE to be sexually pure at ALL STAGES of their existence, PRAY as if everyting depends upon God and his grace, BUT WORK as if everything depends on one’s own actions, first recommended by St. Augustine, I believe. and GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE
Markrite are you one of the speakers? Come on you can tell us. lol
So nice to read something positive!!
What a wonderful event for our young people. Thank you Archbishop Gomez and Rev. Hoye for your support, and thank you to all who, by the grace of God, will make this possible.
Christifari?
Dave huh? (puzzled look)