As more than a hundred thousand prolifers marched on January 22 to mark the 37th anniversary of Roe v Wade, Fr Pavone, mindful of the threat to preborn lives around the world and inspired by Dr Alveda King's belief that "abortion IS the civil rights issue of our time", dispatched his international outreach team to Nigeria (Africa's most populous country) to work with prolife organizations to help fend off the culture of death being imposed on them from the West.
In Nigeria, abortion is illegal except to save the life of the mother. The culture of Nigeria is rich in family life, valuing motherhood and children and supported by a strong and active faith However, outside population control organizations are pressuring federal and state governments to influence women to have fewer children.
International Directors Bob Lalonde and Michele Velasco, who are already familiar with the African prolife movement, are working with Theresa Okafor and the Foundation for African Cultural Heritage. Priests for Life along with the Foundation are co-sponsoring a series of seminars entitled "Stable, Strong & Happy Families: The Key to Healthy and Successful Nation Building" in the cities of Lagos, Enugu, Onitsha and Abuja (see program), held in community centers, parish halls and two seminaries. Participating Nigerian groups include Life League Nigeria, Project for Human Development, Doctor's Health Initiative, Institute for Work and Family Integration, and the Happy Home Foundation.
We will keep you updated on their progress throughout their stay in Nigeria. Fr Pavone and Dr Alveda King ask that you please pray for the success of the PFL sponsored conferences in Africa.
Read Part 2 of the update from Nigeria.
Read Part 3 of the update from Nigeria.