One unfortunate effect of the protracted struggle to obtain protection for the unborn, is that it has all been said so often that people tend to become weary of the discussion. Pro-lifers here were jolted out of any such weariness when the Charlottetown papers carried a letter by Henry Morgentaler, seeking to instruct us in modern realities. (Editor: Newspapers across Canada carried this letter.)
Among Islanders, this kind of nonsense is more likely to generate revulsion than conversion. But it clearly indicates to pro-lifers that it has not all been said – and certainly, it has not all been heard.
Using materials supplied by Alliance for life, PEI Right to Life joined a nationwide effort to place brief pro-life messages on the airwaves. They found their 30-second radio “spots” well received by the local stations. Especially surprising was the discovery that Station CHTN matched their paid spots, as a public service offered to non-profit groups.
“Having accomplished this successfully with the help of Alliance, we now realize that in future we can develop our own materials for this purpose,” said Tim Trainor, Chairman of the Charlottetown Chapter.
Chastity promotion
It becomes ever clearer that young people are hungry for good moral teaching and support for their innate idealism and desire to live good lives.
Back in September, the Canadian Youth Pro Life Organization (CYPLO) hosted an Atlantic-area weekend conference featuring eloquent defenders of chastity. They were Beverly Hadland of Straight Talk, Ontario; Maureen Whelan of Teen Aid; and Alex Schadenberg of CYPLO. Hadland went directly from the conference to a province-wide speaking tour organized by Billings/PEI. They are teachers of Natural Family Planning (NFP).
Response among parents and young people was so positive that CYPLO brought Maureen Whelan back November 24 for a series of in-depth chastity-promotion workshops. Again the response among parents and young people was excellent.
Two full-day workshops were held at the University of Prince Edward Island, one for Grades 6 to 8 and one for older students and young adults. Each drew 100-150 people.
In addition to a full schedule of evening engagements, Miss Whelan spoke to students in several Junior and Senior high schools (all PEI schools are public), as well as to students at Maritime Christian College in Charlottetown. She was also a guest at St. John’s Presbyterian Church and at Montague Church of Christ.
She even found time for a quick, side trip to Nova Scotia. As the guest of the newly-formed Pro Life Youth of NS, she spoke to some 300 young people and parents in Lower Sackville, just outside Halifax. Organizers were quite excited that 16 adults have indicated their desire to become involved in promoting chastity.
As the plane winged westward, taking Maureen Whelan home for Christmas and her January wedding, Gay Garvey, organizer of the PEI tour and adult advisor for CYPLO, noted that altogether this one young woman brought the message of chastity to about 1500 young people in just a few days.
“The seed has been planted,” she said. “We will have to wait and see what kind of plant grows from it and who comes forward to cultivate it.
