A peek at Pro-life club
Pro-life club leaders (top left to right) senior Gloria Neumann, senior Natalie Vaitas, senior Alexis Ripke, junior Kennedy Griest, senior Nadine Foumia, (bottom left to right) senior Bridget Kenney and senior Jessica Kayden work hard all year long to make Pro-life club the best it can be. (Photo Credit: Caitlin Jefferson)
Abortion is usually the first thing that comes to people’s minds upon hearing the words “pro-life,” but other important subjects covered during the Pro-life meetings include: suicide, capital punishment, euthanasia, and war. Along with these topics, members learn to defend a pro-life stance in an argument to support unborn children without a voice.
Pro-life club meets once every month and during A-clubs. Senior leaders Nadine Foumia, Gloria Neumann, Natalie Vaitas, and Alexis Ripke plan the pro-life monthly meetings. Seniors Bridget Eusebi, Jessica Kayden, Bridget Kenney, and junior Kennedy Griest are also Pro-life club leaders involved with A-club meetings. These meetings involve careful preparation to educate members about the value of life.
Neumann knew she wanted to help protect the unborn babies at a young age, and she is a firm believer that all life has value.
“I learned about it in fourth grade when my teacher presented it, and I was amazed,” said Neumann. “I became a member as a freshman to learn more about it and a leader my junior year.”
Foumia had a different approach to becoming pro-life. She was taught about abortion in seventh grade and did not yet understand the parallels between abortion and being pro-life. Foumia learned about the Pro-life club at Mercy and joined her sophomore year.
“I think all humans have the right to live,” said Foumia. “I have little cousins I love very much and I think, ‘how could people abort innocent lives?’”
Along with the club meetings and occasional outings, the Pro-life club participates in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.
“I have never been, but I’m interested in going and being surrounded by that community who feels the same way about life that I do,” said Neumann.
While Neumann has never gone to the March for Life, Foumia went her sophomore year and realized it was important to go stick up for her beliefs because many pro-abortion people also attend in protest. She saw so much passion in an organized, peaceful setting without danger or fighting. Mercy girls and teachers will be attending the March for Life in January 2017.