Let’s usher in a Year of Gratitude #3

Jan 5, 2024 |
year of gratitude

The Sisters of Life sent us their latest publication titled, “The Life-Changing Power of Gratitude.” You’ll recall that they spoke at our Christmas Gala a year ago. There is power in gratitude, as their publication points out, so much so that Pulse Life Advocates believes now is the time to usher in a year of gratitude.

Some of the most famous saints talked of the power of gratitude, for example:

St. Therese of Lisieux: “Gratitude is the thing that brings us the most grace.”

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier: “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

St. Gianna Beretta Molla: “The secret of happiness is to … thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness.

St. Ignatius of Loyola: “Ingratitude is the cause, beginning, and origin of all sins and misfortunes.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux: “Ingratitude is the greatest hindrance to progress in the spiritual life.”

St. Augustine: “Ingratitude is the root of all evil.”

“Happiness is a serious problem”

Talk show host, Dennis Prager, wrote a best-selling book in 1998 titled, “Happiness is a Serious Problem.” In it, he said that each of us has a moral responsibility to be happy, and that gratitude is foundational to happiness:

“Gratitude is the basis for happiness and goodness. You cannot be a good person if you are not grateful. Everything good flows from gratitude and everything bad flows from ingratitude. If you’re not grateful, you walk around thinking you’re a victim. A sense of victimhood in you or your group is the single biggest reason people commit evil.”

You can watch more of Prager’s views on gratitude above.

Years ago, we attended a Mass said by the late Fr. James Kiernan who encouraged us to get down on our knees each night before bedtime and thank God for the gift of our life.

Fr. Kiernan’s supplication resonates more than ever, as a record 50,000 people committed suicide in the U.S. last year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 20 to 24 year olds.

Worse, we aborted the lives of roughly another 800,000 unique human beings last year.

Fight back with an attitude of gratitude

This ingratitude for life causes so much evil. Let’s fight back by making 2024 the year of gratitude.

Let the words of the great G.K. Chesterton inspire us:

“At the back of our brains … [there is] a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life [is] to dig for this submerged sunrise of wonder; so that a man sitting in a chair might suddenly understand that he [is] actually alive, and be happy.”

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is Life. Each abortion, each suicide, denies Christ.

Let us affirm the Way and the Truth he showed us by demonstrating our gratitude for the gift of Life. 2024 is a beautiful year to begin. What a great new year’s resolution!

Happy New Year.

[Join us in our life-affirming mission. Donate today. We are grateful for the support of all of our stakeholders.]

Top ten blogposts of 2023

Jan 3, 2024 |
global boiling

Pulse Life Advocates published 72 blogposts in 2023 on issues ranging from the political to the cultural to the religious.

Here are the top ten:

“Thank-you” and “F*#@ you!”

“How many children have YOU adopted?!” #2

Pro-Life is a winning political issue

Christians and Contraception

A scary and subversive movie opens on April 14th

How to reframe the abortion debate

Iowans are Pro-Life

Anti-Catholic bigotry is epidemic

Global ‘boiling’ is bad for the planet’s sanity

What kind of people can celebrate the mutilation of babies?

Let’s usher in a Year of Gratitude

Dec 30, 2023 |
year of gratitude

The Sisters of Life sent us their latest publication titled, “The Life-Changing Power of Gratitude.” You’ll recall that they spoke at our Christmas Gala a year ago. There is power in gratitude, as their publication points out, so much so that Pulse Life Advocates believes now is the time to usher in a year of gratitude.

Some of the most famous saints talked of the power of gratitude, for example:

St. Therese of Lisieux: “Gratitude is the thing that brings us the most grace.”

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier: “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

St. Gianna Beretta Molla: “The secret of happiness is to … thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness.

St. Ignatius of Loyola: “Ingratitude is the cause, beginning, and origin of all sins and misfortunes.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux: “Ingratitude is the greatest hindrance to progress in the spiritual life.”

St. Augustine: “Ingratitude is the root of all evil.”

“Happiness is a serious problem”

Talk show host, Dennis Prager, wrote a best-selling book in 1998 titled, “Happiness is a Serious Problem.” In it, he said that each of us has a moral responsibility to be happy, and that gratitude is foundational to happiness:

“Gratitude is the basis for happiness and goodness. You cannot be a good person if you are not grateful. Everything good flows from gratitude and everything bad flows from ingratitude. If you’re not grateful, you walk around thinking you’re a victim. A sense of victimhood in you or your group is the single biggest reason people commit evil.”

You can watch more of Prager’s views on gratitude above.

Years ago, we attended a Mass said by the late Fr. James Kiernan who encouraged us to get down on our knees each night before bedtime and thank God for the gift of our life.

Fr. Kiernan’s supplication resonates more than ever, as a record 50,000 people committed suicide in the U.S. last year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 20 to 24 year olds.

Worse, we aborted the lives of roughly another 800,000 unique human beings last year.

Fight back with an attitude of gratitude

This ingratitude for life causes so much evil. Let’s fight back by making 2024 the year of gratitude.

Let the words of the great G.K. Chesterton inspire us:

“At the back of our brains … [there is] a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life [is] to dig for this submerged sunrise of wonder; so that a man sitting in a chair might suddenly understand that he [is] actually alive, and be happy.”

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is Life. Each abortion, each suicide, denies Christ.

Let us affirm the Way and the Truth he showed us by demonstrating our gratitude for the gift of Life. 2024 is a beautiful year to begin. What a great new year’s resolution!

Happy New Year.

[Join us in our life-affirming mission. Donate today. We are grateful for the support of all of our stakeholders.]

How to beat the culture of death

Dec 28, 2023 |
culture of death

culture of death

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

“Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law” (No. 2271).

So do American Catholics embrace Church teachings on sanctity of life issues as expressed in the Catechism? Sadly, no. 

Sad poll results

In a 2022 AP-NORC poll, only 36% of Catholics said abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. By contrast, 68% of weekly Mass attendees and 71% of Protestant evangelicals thought abortion should be illegal in most or all cases.

Many reading this, perhaps even you, take a nuanced position, that although you are personally against abortion, you can’t impose your view on others. (Needless to say, the other side has certainly imposed their views on the 65 million babies who have been aborted in the U.S. since the advent of the Roe v Wade decision.)

Almost all reading agree that abortion should be avoided, which begs the question: how do you raise pro-life children?

New 4-part series

Pulse Life Advocates launched a new 4-part series, “How to Raise Pro-Life Children,” to answer the question.

Each episode is concise and clear, ranging from 10 to 15 minutes each. Pulse interviewed moms and dads around the state asking two questions: “How are you raising pro-life children?” or “How did your parents raise you to be pro-life?” Clearly, weekly church attendance is a starting point. Our series builds on this.

You’ll relate to all of the responses, because these moms and dads took different paths. There is not a single way to raise pro-life children. But there are consistent approaches that often overlapped.

Listen to highly regarded sages

We included additional insights from three highly regarded religious and cultural sages, including the late Msgr. Frank Chiodo, in one of his last projects before his death; Catholic radio talk-show host, Dr. Ray Guarendi; and Bill Donaghy of the Theology of the Body Institute.

Abortion disrupts and inhibits family life. Its promoters proclaim abortion to be healthcare. And yet it kills the unborn, ravages women’s bodies, and wounds their souls. There is nothing healthy about abortion. Why do we permit it?

Pulse Life Advocate’s new series, “How to Raise Pro-Life Children,” provides you with a pathway to avoid the future pain and suffering that awaits your children and grand children if they succumb to the lies of abortion. We hope it helps promote Protestant and Catholic teachings on sanctity of life issues with the next generation.

You can view the series at PulseForLife.org. Go to the drop down menu, “what we do,” and select “projects,” where you’ll see this project displayed. Let’s beat the culture of death!

[If you want to see more video content like “How to Raise Pro-Life Children,” donate to Pulse today.]

Why America is hungry for Holy Families

Dec 26, 2023 |
holy families

holy families
Today is the Feast of the Holy Family in the Catholic Church. Although Protestants may not formally recognize the day in the same way as Catholics, they still appreciate Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as THE foundational family of all holy families.

America is hungry for holy families.

Just this morning, Bill McGurn wrote in the Wall Street Journal about the shocking birthrate decline in the U.S., which is but 1.784 births per woman. The replacement level is 2.1.

McGurn talked with Catherine Pakaluk who teaches at the Catholic University of America, specializing in the economics of education and religion, family studies and demography, Catholic social thought and political economy. 

She spelled out the peril of falling birthrates:

“Total fertility rates below replacement lead inexorably to a shrinking population, economic stagnation and lower quality of life. We won’t have the people to staff valuable services. Social Security and Medicare will be shuttered. Many countries are already on this path.”

It’s hard to reverse demographic decline

The mindset that babies are bad for Mother Earth and an impediment to women’s equality with men led to a contraceptive and abortion culture that has artificially suppressed birthrates. Once birthrates begin falling, it is very hard to reverse the trend.

She said tax and spend government polices that promote larger families aren’t effective. Rather, the solution is religion. A civil society that is “thick with religious institutions” that value motherhood is vital.

In an increasingly secularized Italy, for example, the birthrate has plummeted to a sobering 1.24 as citizens increasingly stop attending religious services. Only a quarter of Italians attend church even once a month. Forty percent attend but twice a year (Christmas and Easter).

By contrast, Israel has the highest total fertility rates in the industrialized world at 2.9 because it has a greater share of religious people, says Ms. Pakaluk. 

The demographic decline of the U.S. has been gradual. For six years, 2011 to 2017, we grew by 2 million people per year. It dropped to 1.1 million in 2020 and but 393,000 in 2021.

Holy families value motherhood

Holy families value motherhood and children, as did Mary and Joseph. Pulse Life Advocates likes to emphasize that abortion rates within marriages (4.1 per 100 live births) are a fraction compared to those outside of marriage (40.4 per live births in 2021).

Even more, religious couples who attend services once a week are half as likely to divorce as non religious married couples, according to a Harvard study, leading to better outcomes for children and fewer abortions.

America needs more babies. That’s one of many reasons Pulse Life Advocates collaborated with the late Monsignor Frank Chiodo in developing the 4-part Holy Family Project.

As Msgr. Chiodo said,

“the Holy Family is the ‘soul’ solution for a wounded world.”

As Saint Pope John Paul II said,

The family “constitutes the primary, fundamental and irreplaceable community for man. The mission of being the primary vital cell of society has been given to the family by God himself.”

On this feast of the Holy Family, Pulse invites you to check out one, two, or even all episodes of this family-affirming project.

[Pulse Life Advocates stands up for the unborn, motherhood, and families. Support our pro-life, pro-family outreach with your financial support today.]

The mysterious politics of abortion

Dec 23, 2023 |

The politics of abortion works against Republicans, goes the mantra this campaign cycle. Pundits all assert the pro-choice position is a winning issue, THE single issue upon which Democrats should run.

Some Republicans agree. This blog has pointed out the tepid pro-life rhetoric used by two of the three leading Republican candidates for president, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. But is the pro-life issue really a losing issue?

If restrictive legislation on abortion was so bad, obviously people would migrate from overly pro-life states to states with few, if any, abortion restrictions. In fact, the exact opposite has occurred.

Today’s Wall Street noticed the migratory trend:

Leading the boom were Texas (473,453), Florida (365,205), Georgia (116,077), South Carolina (90,600) and Tennessee (77,512). Driving their growth was migration from other states.

Eight states saw population declines, with the biggest in New York (-101,984), California (-75,423) and Illinois (-32,826). They can blame population flight. California lost the most residents to other states (-338,371), followed by New York (-216,778), Illinois (-83,839), New Jersey (-44,666), Massachusetts (-39,149) and Maryland (-30,905).

The Journal believes the root cause of the Blue State exodus is high taxes. Pulse acknowledges that taxes and other factors play a role in the complex issue of demographic movement. Interestingly, though, the Journal didn’t mention the night and day contrast between the winning and losing states when it comes to abortion.

Let’s take a deeper dive.

Winning states’ abortion laws

Texas: Banned, except in cases involving the Mother’s health

Florida: Heartbeat Law

Georgia: Heartbeat Law

South Carolina: Banned at 6 weeks

Tennessee: Banned, with limited exceptions

Losing states’ abortion laws

New York: unqualified right up to 24 weeks

California: viability, with broad exceptions

Illinois: viability, with broad exceptions

New Jersey: no limits

Massachusetts: 23 weeks and 6 days

Maryland: no limits

To review, people are flocking to states that restrict abortion to 6 weeks or less at the same time they are fleeing states that allow it up to 21 weeks and beyond.

If these demographic trends continues, says the Journal, these pro-abortion states will lose 12 Congressional seats in the 2030 reapportionment. 

Maybe abortion isn’t the losing issue conventional wisdom proclaims.

Interestingly, the most pro-life candidates for governor mopped the floor with their pro-abortion rivals in 2022:

Pro-life candidates who remained on offense by promoting gestational limits on abortion enjoyed great success.

Pro-Life winners in 2022

Alabama governor Kay Ivey won reelection with 67 percent of the vote.

Sara Huckabee Sanders won the Arkansas governorship with 63 percent.

Idaho governor Brad Little won reelection with 60 percent.

Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt won reelection with 55 percent.

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem won reelection with 62 percent.

Texas governor Greg Abbot won reelection with 55 percent.

Georgia governor Brian Kemp won reelection with 53 percent.

Here in Iowa, governor Kim Reynolds won reelection with 58 percent.

And the list goes on: Ohio governor Mike Dewine by 62 percent; Tennessee governor Bill Lee by 65 percent; South Carolina governor Henry McMaster by 58 percent.

And perhaps the highest profile winner was Florida governor Ron DeSantis who supported and signed pain-capable limits and a complete ban on abortions after 15 weeks. He won reelection by 60 percent.

Since reelection, he signed a heartbeat bill into law.

So what’s mysterious about the politics of abortion is why so many on both sides of the aisle seem to think it’s a losing issue.

[The map above shows those states with a total abortion ban. Here in Iowa, the legislature has passed a Heartbeat Bill twice and awaits the imprimatur of the Iowa Supreme Court this summer to begin enforcing it.]

How culture intersects with the pro-life movement

Dec 21, 2023 |

Here’s the question: is politics always downstream culture, or vice versa? In other words, does culture impact politics more than politics impacts culture?

Catholic writer and Pope John Paul II biographer, George Weigel reflects at length on the subject:

“Politics, John Paul II knew, is always downstream from culture. If our politics is divisive and rancorous, it is almost certainly because something is wrong with our public moral culture. That is true in the United States, and it is true elsewhere. Moral and cultural renewal – a recommitment to “living in the truth”, which helped liberate East Central Europe from communism – is thus an essential part of democratic renewal.”

Pulse Life Advocates agrees, which is why we think outside the box in promoting the cause of Life. To that end, we commissioned a theater piece five years ago, “A Clash of Creeds,” and had it performed at our annual banquet. We even took it out into churches the following year to showcase the ideas, or creeds, that have molded America.

At this year’s Christmas Gala, we were honored to premier a pro-life song, “This Side of Heaven,” performed by the Saints and Sinners Band. The piece was written by band member, Marilyn Jerome, and her son Matt. Here are the lyrics:

VERSE 1

Here I am, don’t know why, safe inside, I reside.

I am small, before long, I’ll arrive and I’ll be strong.

We’re close as two can get; although we haven’t met.       

I can feel your heart beat       close to mine. 

VERSE 2

He knits me together, every day I grow. You’ll count all my fingers and my toes.

I cannot wait to see your smile. Someday soon the world will know.

CHORUS

This side of heaven…… I’ll be gazing in your eyes. You and daddy will teach me about life.

I’ll have questions; you’ll have answers; and sometimes you won’t know.

I look forward to our life together………………… this side of heaven.

BRIDGE 

My body, my choice”.  That’s what you heard.       A burden I’d become.

Who gets the choice? Would my voice have changed their mind?

That side – snuffed out the light. Taken from your womb.

This side – come to the Light, I’m walking out the tomb.

CHORUS -2

This side of heaven……, I see with perfect eyes. I’m with the Father who gives eternal life.

I have questions; He has answers;     He always knows.

I look forward to our life together………………… this side of heaven.

(PRAYER)

HOLY INNOCENTS …PRAY FOR US.     ALL THE ANGELS …PRAY FOR US

ALL SAINTS IN HEAVEN…PRAY FOR US

PRAY FOR MAMAS   AND DADDIES, TOO

PRAY FOR ALL CHILDREN; THAT’S WHAT WE MUST DO……

OUTRO

I hope one day I’ll see your face.      I know you’ll love this place.

Until then, I’ll be loving you from this side of heaven.

End with “Jesus loves me, this I know for the bible tells me so.”

You can hear the band’s performance of the song here beginning at the 31:26 mark.

Pulse encourages you to support art that promotes the Judeo-Christian, pro-life values which built Western Civilization. One way is to attend tonight’s performance of new music co-written by Matt Jerome. Here are the details:

On December 21 at 7PM, musical duo JMMJ (Joel Magruder, Matt Jerome) will be performing original Christmas songs from their newly released album – Christmas Snow Globe – as well as other songs from their music catalogue. The evening will include live music, food, drink, and “reindeer games” for a festive environment to celebrate the holiday season. The evening will be hosted at the Younkers Tea Room in downtown Des Moines. JMMJ create hip/hop music that is rooted in faith with clean lyrics for all ages to enjoy. Their music can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, or any other music streaming platform.

Support good art!

Have a happy, holy Advent and Merry Christmas!

Reflections on Monsignor Frank Chiodo

Dec 19, 2023 |
By Tom Quiner

Msgr. Frank Chiodo

Monsignor Frank Chiodo, who died on Thanksgiving, was a good friend of Pulse Life Advocates. He served on our board for one year. In 2020, he worked with us on developing the 4-part Holy Family Project. The idea behind the project was simple: the incidence of abortion plummets in holy families.

Monsignor said the project was anointed by the Lord in a special way. As we discussed ways to frame the program, he came up with the foundational theme, upon which we built four episodes:

“The Holy Family is the ‘Soul’ solution for a wounded world”

My wife, Karen, and I sat with him at Frederichs Coffee Shop as he nursed his shot of espresso and brainstormed with us on the project. Pulse executive director, Maggie DeWitte joined us in follow up meetings to fine tune content.

Monsignor thought a good way to launch the program was a first episode on Pope Paul VI’s watershed encyclical, Humanae Vitae. The late pontiff predicted with eerie precision the consequences of the contraception culture on the generations to come.

Monsignor Chiodo suggested we could build on that with three complementary follow-up episodes:

EPISODE TWO: Fruitful Mothers
EPISODE THREE: Fearless Children
EPISODE FOUR: Faithful Fathers

The Holy Family’s format

Each episode begins with a ‘talk,’ in essence a homily by Msgr. Chiodo on each topic. Each concludes with a conversation with panelists Maggie DeWitte, Pulse executive director, Joe Stopulos, host of Man Up on Iowa Catholic Radio, and myself (board president of Pulse).

Special guests joined us in various episodes, including Bishop William Joensen; EWTN talk show host, Dr. Ray Guarendi; and Bill Donaghy of the Theology of the Body Institute.

You can view episodes at the Pulse website. Each one is front-loaded with Msgr. Chiodo’s homily, which are really worth viewing. We even included one short clip of one his talks in our new project, “How to Raise Pro-Life Children.” (Check it out in episode two.)

The project strained Monsignor. As the year progressed, he became increasingly anxious about the endeavor, and felt that he was under spiritual attack. Through prayer, he persevered and completed the four talks in October of 2020.

The following month, he spoke at the Pulse Christmas Gala in one of his final talks from the podium. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with cancer which eventually claimed his life.

Profound influence

Msgr. Chiodo had a profound influence on me personally. I got to know him well when he became pastor at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the early 2000s. His reverence for the Mass and his passion for the Eucharist drew me deeper into my Catholic faith. I had converted to Catholicism some decades earlier, but under his guidance, I let go of my final reservations and fully embraced the teaching authority of the Church.

Inspired by him, my wife and I launched a weekly group which we dubbed “Catechism & Coffee” to discuss the Catechism of the Catholic Church with a group of friends, one of the many fruits sown by Msgr. Chiodo.

Monsignor and I had so many great conversations over the years, some of which ended in raucous laughter.

I attended a funeral a few days ago for another former Holy Trinity priest, Fr. Jim Laurenzo, who died shortly after Msgr. Chiodo. One of his closest friends reflected that Fr. Jim was a complicated man with simple needs.

In a way, it makes me think of Msgr. Chiodo, who had so much depth, and yet his simple focus was always on the Mass. He lived to say Mass and preach on the beauty of our Catholic faith.

Final correspondence

As he declined, we kept in touch. He wrote to me earlier this year:

“I am delighted and grateful that the Holy Family Project is bearing much fruit and will continue. Thanks to the Holy Spirit! The solution for the Holy Family Project is truly prayer. My prayer for you, Tom and Karen, is ongoing.”

A month later …

“I’ve always enjoyed being with you. You’re still one of God’s best promoters.”

His final note, with wavering handwriting …

“Your kindness was a gift of God. I remember so much the beauty of your words. God bless you.”

Msgr. Frank Chiodo left behind a legacy that is hard to calculate. He impacted so many lives through the power of his words and his unquenchable passion for the Mass. Personally, I am grateful that God allowed our lives to intersect.

As board president of Pulse Life Advocates, I am grateful that he enthusiastically participated in and left behind a project of such depth as The Holy Family Project.

Monsignor knows that I am quite the promoter when it comes to pro-life and Catholic projects. So I encourage you to click this link and take some time to soak in the richness of the Holy Family Project. Monsignor Frank Chiodo will appreciate it.

[One way Pulse Life Advocates promotes a culture of life in Iowa comes via video projects like “The Holy Family Project” and “How to Raise Pro-Life Children.” Help us continue our outreach with your financial support today.]

It’s here! How to Raise Pro-Life Children

Dec 4, 2023 |

Today is the day we release episode one of our new video series, “How to Raise Pro-Life Children.” You may have already seen our trailer (above). Now, you can watch episode 1.

Episodes 2, 3, and 4 will be released on December 11th, 18th, and 25th respectively.

Pulse talked to regular folks in Iowa, asking them: How are you raising pro-life children … or … how did your parents raise you to be pro-life? Four themes emerged, beginning with the primacy of faith and prayer in the thirteen minute opening episode, which you can view here.

The last episode is amazing and should be viewed with your entire family on Christmas.

You’ll know some of the people interviewed for this project, so be sure to spread this important pro-life content by sharing it with your family and friends. Just forward the link above by email to people who need to hear its message. 

Be sure to go to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages and LIKE/FOLLOW us and share those links with your social media friends.

The ideas shared in “How to Raise Pro-Life Children” work best when you start young. And yet it’s never too late to speak the Truth, that human life begins at the instant of fertilization; that God knows us before we were born; and that we were made in God’s image.

You’re not alone.

Pulse has your back. This new video project is just the latest tool to help parents and grandparents promote a culture of life in Iowa and beyond. A culture of life is built one family at a time.

Will you help?

[Watch Episode 1 of “How to Raise Pro-Life Children.”]

Did you hear Maggie Dewitte’s speech?

Nov 29, 2023 |
Maggie DeWitte's 2023 Christmas Gala speech

[Pulse Life Advocates executive director, Maggie DeWitte, delivered these remarks at the Pulse Christmas Gala on November 18th, 2023.]

Thank you to Ryan Buck for producing this powerful video of our first Post-Roe Iowa March for Life. I have watched this video multiple times in hopes I could avoid the tears speaking with you tonight, but no such luck.

It just shakes you up a bit and puts things in perspective – it is about life; and you can’t get much bigger or more important than that.

Pulse Life Advocates- Iowa’s longest-standing, state-wide, pro- life organization. I feel incredibly proud, in the most humblest of ways, and blessed and honored to be working and fighting for life on behalf of Pulse over the last 13 years. 

Thank you to our Gala committee for putting this wonderful event together! Thank you to our board of directors. Please stand and be recognized! A special thanks to the staff of Pulse, Sarah Schiltz, Tom & Karen Quiner. Most importantly- thank you all for coming this evening. 

The year in perspective

Every year in preparation for my time with you this evening, I get an opportunity to evaluate last year. What worked, what can be improved and ultimately- did we move the needle? Did we change hearts and minds? Was a culture of life created? And when I ponder this- my knee-jerk reaction is- we didn’t do enough- we could have done more.  But then I am reminded of the words of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta:

“God did not call me to be successful, but rather to be faithful.”

And so it is for all of you. 

We are living in a Post-Roe America. Praise God! And while that was the biggest victory for the pro-life movement in 50 years; our fight continues just in new ways. And Pulse is there every step of the way, leading the charge.

Shock

The election a few weeks ago left the pro-life movement in shock. In Ohio for example, 57% of the voters led to a double- digit win for a radical proposal amending the state constitution to sanction abortion with no limits to the moment of birth. Pro-lifers were outspent 2 to 1 with mostly outside money flowing into Ohio. Coupled with deceptive media that ran pro-choice TV ads that lied to Ohio voters as to what would happen if they didn’t enshrine abortion into their state constitution. 

The other side has been masterful at disguising, sanitizing and downright lying to the American people about what abortion really is. They use words like ‘reproductive freedom’ and ‘women’s rights’ to confuse people about what is really happening: the horrific, violent traumatic end of an innocent human life in the womb. There is no other way to describe it except that it is pure evil. 

The pro-life movement needs to give America a positive vision of protecting life instead of the removal of a so-called right. We focused so long and hard on the legal end; we need to focus equally hard on educating on the moral end. We have almost been apologizing for the Dobbs decision and touting moderation on life as the answer. 

No compromise

Let’s be absolutely clear- the other side is not seeking compromise or moderation. They are rather pushing extreme, radical death for any reason. The abortion industry’s mantra used to be safe, legal, and rare. Now it’s infanticide and taxpayers should foot the bill. 

But we will win when we expose the extremism of the other side and contrast that with the compassion and the love of the pro- life movement.

There can be no consensus or compromise with murder. Period. Full stop.

Subtle as a sledge hammer

It is not a political liability to be pro-life and it is NOT a losing issue! Life begins at conception, and there is nothing complicated about that. This is about what is right and wrong, and we need to speak with moral confidence!

We must be unafraid. Its either killing a baby or it isn’t. We cannot tip toe around the issue. 

And we at Pulse are not tip toeing around anything! For those who know me well, I am about as subtle as a sledgehammer on this issue! And we are going to keep pounding away using every opportunity to spread our message of life!

This summer we had a special session thanks to our incredible pro-life Governor Kim Reynolds, where we passed– for the second time– the heartbeat law- Pulse was there. We testified, we rallied, we prayed, and we witnessed. 

When the Des Moines City Council tried to make abortion a city issue-Pulse was there!

When women go into Planned Parenthood – Pulse is there praying and witnessing.

When Iowans visit the Iowa State Fair- Pulse is there educating with teen bags and fetal models!

When people across the country travel to Washington DC to the March for Life- Pulse is there.

When your children need education on life issues- Pulse is there with our Respect Life Curriculum.

And when anyone needs up-to-date information on state and local issues-Pulse is there with our cutting-edge website, weekly blogs, and rich social media content.

New project

Our newest video project is called, “How to Raise Pro-Life Children.”  Here is a trailer of this project. [See video above.]

This is what you have come to expect from Pulse. We are not fighting for a hypothetical or an ideal. We are fighting for people’s lives.

You are all here tonight because you know this. You know in your heart that this is the greatest human rights issue of our time. You know that without us standing in the gap, more lives will be destroyed by the lie of abortion. Pulse is in it for the long haul- heck we have been fighting for over 50 years, we are sure not going to stop now. We cannot be disheartened — and certainly cannot back down.

You heard me tonight talk about the losses in Ohio and other states experienced defeats on the life issue. The prevailing theme in all those losses was lack of financial resources and being outspent by large margins. 

Do not let Iowa become Ohio

I am begging you tonight, do not let Iowa become like Ohio. Commit tonight to join Pulse in our work to create a culture of life. Commit tonight to help us in our efforts and support us with your time, talent, and treasure. 

I promise you that we will not give up until we have equal protection under the law for all- including our pre-born brothers and sisters.

In today’s society, the value of human life has been diminished; but God, who sees the works of His hands with enduring love, whispers to each of us His plan and purpose for our time here on Earth. He speaks to our heart and tells us what work He has committed to us that He has not committed to another. He tells us that our life has meaning and value. He reminds us that we are only dust—but we are beloved dust!

Please pray for us. We need it. Thank you and God Bless!

[Help Pulse remain on offense in promoting a culture of life in Iowa. Support our pro-life educational outreach now. Don’t wait. The stakes are high.]