At noon on January 20, just hours after the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, Rev. Walter Hoye will stand at a microphone in Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza to open his annual Issues4Life Rally.

For the first time in the 10 years Rev. Hoye has been leading this rally, he sees hope.

”The election has given us an enormous amount of hope for the country,” Rev. Hoye said. “We’ve always believed America was a Christian nation deep down and held onto biblical values.

Although he said he has been pleased with the potential nominees for Cabinet positions — particularly Dr. Ben Carson, who is expected to be nominated as Secretary for Housing and Urban Development — this is not the time for pro-life leaders to drop their vigilance.

When it comes to President-elect Trump, Rev. Hoye said, “As I would say with any president, hold his feet to the fire.”

The first priority, Rev. Hoye said, is to “make sure we nail down the Supreme Court position. I just want to be sure the Supreme Court (vacancy) is decided quickly,” said Rev. Hoye. “We have both sides of Congress, we have the presidency. We can’t waste time.”

Next, he said, “I want to see a real effort to investigate Planned Parenthood,” he said, “not just on selling baby body parts, but other crimes, such as abortions on minors and not reporting rape.”

 Also important, he said, is to stop the taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.

Rev. Hoye will be meeting with the Oakland Police Department in advance of the rally, which was disrupted by protesters two years ago.

 “They hit us hard, with the cooperation of the Oakland Police Department and the Oakland City Council,” Rev. Hoye said. An investigation was conducted.

 “Since then, we’ve been able to build a much better relationship with the Oakland Police Department,” Rev. Hoye said.

Rev. Hoye said the rally has drawn great speakers, both national and local. “I want to hit home a little harder,” he said.

Rev. Antoine Miller of Rehoboth Christian Fellowship in Alameda will speak, as will Rev. Clenard Childress of New Jersey, founder of blackgenoicide.org. Author Rochelle Petersen will speak. Also on the program are Pastors Bruce Rivers and Walter Moss, two longtime allies of Rev. Hoye.

Reggie Littlejohn, whose work on human rights in China seeks to end forced and gender-specific abortion, will speak at the Conversations4Life dinner that evening in Walnut Creek. Advance tickets are recommended for the dinner, which is often a sell-out.

Issues4Life 
Rally and Walk


When: Jan. 20, noon to 2 p.m.

Where: Oakland City Hall, 
Frank Ogawa Plaza

Speakers: Rev. Antoine Miller, Rev. Clenard Childress, Rochelle Petersen, Pastor Bruce Rivers and Pastor Walter Moss

Conversations4Life Dinner


When: Jan. 20, doors open 
at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m.

Where: St. Stephen Church, 1101 Keaveny Court, 
Walnut Creek

Speaker: Reggie Littlejohn, founder, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers

Tickets: Adults $50; students $25; table of eight $350

Website: www.issues4life.org

 

Full story at The Catholic Voice.