On January 25 the Walk for Life West Coast will be held in San Francisco. This year’s Walk marks the 10th anniversary of the event.
The promotional video for the 2014 walk begins with a January 20, 2005 quote from Dian Harrison, the then-chief executive of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, who told the San Francisco Chronicle “We couldn’t believe that they had the nerve to come to San Francisco.” Whether Ms. Harrison (who was fired from her $340,000 a year position with PPGG in 2010–PPGG itself filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2011) can believe it or not, this year’s Walk for Life West Coast is poised to be the largest yet.
Fifteen Catholic bishops have confirmed attendance at the event, and the weekend surrounding the walk has become the largest venue for Catholic and pro-life events in the Bay Area and probably in California.
Walk-related events on Friday, January 24 include: a Pro-Life Youth Conference for grades 7-12 with the sisters of Life at St. Mary’s Cathedral; the seventh annual Standup 4Life Rally and Walk in Oakland, led by Reverend Walter Hoye; the seventh annual Conversations4Life Benefit Dinner at St. Margaret Mary Church in Oakland; the first Law of Life Summit West sponsored by the Life Legal Defense Foundation, at St. Mary’s Cathedral; theVigil for Life” with the Sisters of Life (and Mass with Bishop Tom Daly of San Jose) at St. Dominic’s Church in San Francisco; and all-night Eucharistic Adoration for Life at Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco. On January 25, following the walk, there will be a workshop on sidewalk counselor training with pro-life convert Abby Johnson at St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated at the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in San Francisco. On January 26, the day after the Walk, the first Students For Life of America West Coast National Conference will be hosted by St. Mary’s Cathedral.
While the leaders of the walk are almost all Catholics, the Walk has become notable for its ecumenical character. This year’s invocation will be given by Bishop Eric Menees, of the Anglican diocese of San Joaquin. Bishop Menees joins other non-Catholics who have given the walk’s invocation, such as Frank Lee, of Asian Americans Pro-Life (2010) and Father Aris Metrakos of the Greek Orthodox Church (2012). The San Joaquin Anglican Diocese is one of the many Anglican dioceses which have separated from the Episcopal Church, because of that body’s abandonment of traditional Anglican doctrine and practice. It is a member of the Anglican Church in North America, which in turn is part of the Global Anglican Future Conference, the body of Anglican Churches representing 70 percent of the active Anglicans worldwide.
This year’s Walk for Life West Coast speakers include Grace Dulaney, president of the Agnes Dei Foundation and Lamb of God maternity homes; actress Shari Rigby, star of the pro-life movie October Baby; Monica Snyder, who has attended the walk since 2006, and now acts as a spokeswoman for Secular Pro-Life; and Reverend Clenard Childress, director of BlackGenocide.org, who spoke at the first Walk for Life West Coast.
For more information about the Walk for Life West Coast and the associated events, visit: https://www.walkforlifewc.com/
The Pro Death leftist didn’t know what hit them
I don’t understand how Walter Hoye gets by with being always referred to as “Reverend” or “Pastor”. He is neither. He was an elder in a Berkeley progressive Baptist church but is no longer. Of course the Walk would never admit this since they want to have religious people in their Walk – the Walk to nowhere, for no reason, and for no positive results except that 15 bishops can brag about how “pro-life” they are. What a sham this is!
You’re kidding, right? Walter Hoye was unjustly imprisoned because of his stance for life. Let he who has also been imprisoned for life cast the first stone! If you ever met Reverend Hoye or his wonderful wife Lorrie, you might change your prejudiced little mind. He is a humble servant leader in the community of Oakland who has been given a national stage to promote the pro life message. Was Jesus called Reverend Jesus? Was Jesus called Pastor? Lin, you sound so bitter. I will pray for you that you realize that he who is not against us is with us.
Lin, this years Oakland Walk for Life does NOT list Walter Hoye as a Reverend nor a Pastor.
https://www.issues4life.org/pdfs/2014_oakland_flyer.pdf
America has a history of marches. The “walk” may go “nowhere”, but the message it sends does!
The WALK is a real witness to sacredness of human life, who cares what Planned Parenthood has to say, this is the City of Saint Francis!!
Many of us remember the first Walk for Life, San Francisco and how the city refused to roll out the welcome carpet for us. The City Council passed pronouncements condemning our efforts. The rabid pro abort crowd came out in an attempt to disrupt our Walk. But the light shone in the darkness that day. It continues to shine as the Pro Life Movement does an “Occupy San Francisco” on that day with peaceful, prayerful witness to the power of love, hope, joy, and witness.
So much for SF being open minded. The Walk sounds awesome…
good cause, do you still promote CONTRA(against)ception?
here’s a little clue…..
Con(with)ception = Life :)
“They had the nerve to come to San Francisco?”
Well, “they” are San Franciscans and others who have the RIGHT and DUTY to speak up for human life.
It’s not like those Nazis who wanted to march through a Jewish neighborhood in Chicago — these are young people and old people speaking up for the most basic right of all human beings: the right to life.
“Lin”: Why so bitter? Rev. Hoye is a true hero, one who walks with Christ, and has suffered for him. It does not matter that he is not Catholic, or that he is not an “active” pastor in his sect, Re. Hoye is a true Man of God (of course, it would be wonderful if he can into the Catholic Church). This event was the subject of physical attack by the City and by the goons that howl with glee with screamers of abortion rights. Pro-Life is now seen as “cool” and not nutty by more and more people. There is a tipping point, after which you will see almost everyone coming out for life! Pray for the success of the walk. Don’t worry about self-aggrandizing bishops, there are many company men among them, but a few are genuine and need our prayers and support (to make them stronger — not easy being a bishop). Come on, Lin, join in. This walk is no sham, but it is a testament to faith in God and His role in defining life. Many will oppose it, but all that participate need our support. City of St. Francis, indeed!
Speaking as a 4th generation San Franciscan…………….
We’ re taking the City back!
Might be for a couple of days now…..but, in the future…….this new generation
will be something for Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry to contend with!
God Bless all of our young people!!!!
[…] While pro-lifers literally covered Capitol Hill, dozens of smaller marches were held at regional or state levels. This type of innovation is what NARAL doesn’t want. The Walk for Life in San Francisco (of all places) is a good example of the vitality and dynamism of the pro-life movement. It just keeps growing. Last year 55,000 attended. And when this march first started in 2005, the president of Golden Gate Planned Parenthood, Dian Harrison, was a bit stunned: “We couldn’t believe that they had the nerve to come to San Francisco.” […]