A Jewish activist lobbying for a ban on partial-birth abortions and a priest who stands outside abortion clinics trying to talk women out of having abortions will join Cardinal O'Connor at Respect Life '99, the annual archdiocesan symposium on pro-life issues.
The cardinal will celebrate Mass at 9 a.m. to open the event at, St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie on Saturday, April 10. He will present the Evangelium Vitae Pro-Life Hero Award and 15 Student Essay Awards.
A panel of pro-life leaders will outline visions and strategy for the future and answer questions from the audience. They include: Msgr. Philip J. Reilly, founder and director of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants; Father Frank A. Pavone, director of Priests for Life; Dolores B. Grier, vice chancellor of the archdiocese for community relations and director of the Americans Against Abortion Society; Sandi Merle, director of Standing Together to Oppose Partial-Birth Abortion; Stanley Tomkiel, founder of the Catholic Coalition of Westchester, and staff of the archdiocesan Family Life/Respect Life Office, which organizes the event.
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