ROCKFORD—“This is not your grandfather’s pro-life movement” is just one of the slogans that Eric Scheidler has seen in his work as a pro-life advocate.

The irony of this message is not lost on Scheidler, who was the keynote speaker at the annual pro-life banquet held at Holy Family Parish Jan. 29.

Scheidler is the executive director of the Pro-Life Action League and his remarks, “Bringing the Pro-Life Message into the Public Square,” encouraged those at the event to tailor this outreach to a younger audience.

“I think a lot of our problems in the pro-life movement come from the generational shift, the different circumstances we face today versus what we faced in 1973,” he said.

“How do (young people) take it when someone says, ‘This is not your grandfather’s pro-life movement’? My kids are out on the street protesting with their grandfather; who is the godfather of pro-life activism, Joe Scheidler.”

According to Scheidler, the vocal protests, abortion clinic blockades, graphic signs and shocking slogans prevalent in the early days of the pro-life movement need to give way to a different means of communicating the message of life.

“These images wouldn’t work or resonate with people today … but they made perfect sense … in a world that had been shocked by this sudden injustice, when there were several generations that could remember a world without legal abortion,” he said.

“Many of those who are active in the pro-life movement today, have no memory of a world without abortion. Now we have two generations that have grown up with abortion as a ‘normal’ thing. It’s very important … that we understand how to talk to this generation about abortion without compromising the pro-life message,” Scheidler said.

Praying, listening, being patient and well-informed, and finding common ground are all components that Scheidler advocates using to bring the pro-life message to this and future generations.

“When it comes to abortion, my goal, in any conversation, is to get a sense of what I might be able to actually achieve. And that first means listening,” he said. “Until I know what someone really thinks and where they’re coming from. ... I can’t get anywhere with my pro-life argument.

“Listening is the number one tool for transforming peoples’ hearts and minds on abortion and bringing them to a different understanding,” Scheidler said.

Lucas Falco, a fourth year medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford attended the banquet to learn more about the pro-life movement while gaining information valuable to his upcoming specialty in pediatrics.

Falco’s mentor, Rockford pediatrician and Holy Family parishioner, Dr. Errol Baptist said, “I have been a pediatrician most of my life and have been extremely involved in reviving newborn babies, going down to size 1 pound. When I see the beauty of these babies in every stage, that they are human — human life — it pains me to see that in some cases, these babies don’t have the right to life.”

Stephen Richert, a member of St. Mary Oratory and student at the Sacred Heart Classical Center attended the banquet with his family and some of his classmates.

“As a Catholic,” he said, “I believe that life begins at conception and also scientific fact shows the same thing. So I find it’s important to come out and support the pro-life cause, both monetarily and with a group of my peers.”

In his remarks at the banquet’s end, Bishop David J. Malloy encouraged attendees to frame their pro-life activities with mercy.

“Here we are ... in the Year of Mercy. We’re putting all of these things together … not only for the unborn but also for those who are close to death,” he said. “When we hear about the coming wave of things like assisted suicide, it means that we are going to have even more work to do. We keep our positive outlook, our faithful outlook and don’t give in to discouragement.

“In everything that goes on to support that (pro-life) agenda,” he continued, “we are carrying out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. ... The summary of the Year of Mercy, it seems to me, coincides very well with the best of the pro-life movement,” he said.

Two awards were given at the banquet.

The Holy Family pro-life essay winner was Maddy Montalbano, a seventh grade student at Holy Family School.

The St. Michael Defender of Life Award was given to Drs. Edison Lim and Jocelyn Go-Lim who are a part of the OSF Cherry Valley medical practice.

The award recognizes community members who have done an outstanding job of promoting the cause of life and dedication to the unborn in keeping with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The doctors honored at this year’s banquet have incorporated the use of Natural Family Planning and NaPro Technology in their practice.   

The banquet ended with a live auction and a raffle.