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 Our "Camp Joshua" program has been such an important part of Louisiana Right to Life since I came aboard and helped start the project in 2008 with Leo Segalla and the Knights of Columbus. We have been grateful to train more than 700 teenagers to be pro-life leaders!
Now, as Alex talks about in our main column, we are transitioning to our PULSE Pro-Life Youth Initiative that will include our PULSE Immersion Weekends and our PULSE Leadership Institute. While the weekend and week-long youth training programs will remain virtually the same, we are looking forward to expanding our youth education under the banner of PULSE!
PULSE Immersions in 2016:
-- Baton Rouge: February 12-14
-- Shreveport: March 4-6
-- Baton Rouge: April 15-17
-- Covington: April 29-May 1
-- Baton Rouge Institute: June 19-24
For a Pro-Life Louisiana,
Benjamin Clapper
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Shooting at Planned Parenthood
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LARTL Strongly Condemns Violence in Colorado Springs
Last Friday a gunman killed three people, including a police officer, and injured several others at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colo. First and foremost we send our condolences and prayers to the victims of this senseless violence, as well as to their families. We encourage all of Louisiana to remember the heartfelt reactions of other communities to the tragedy we recently suffered in Lafayette and to keep Colorado Springs in your thoughts and prayers.
There have been many contradictory and confusing reports about the motivation of the gunman, and several articles have attempted to link this tragic shooting to a reprehensible instance of arson that took place in August at the Planned Parenthood construction site in New Orleans. While it is too early to know the complex motivations of what appears to be a mentally unstable individual, Louisiana Right to Life would like to re-emphasize what has always been our position:
Violence of any kind against Planned Parenthood, abortionists, or any abortion industry workers is NEVER justified.
The foundation of Pro-Life ethics is that all life is worthy of protection, and that includes the lives of those with whom we disagree. Over the past 42 years there have been stories of those who have found redemption and healing after being actively for abortion, including former abortionists, Planned Parenthood employees, and even "Roe" from Roe v Wade. One thing they all have in common is that they say they were won over by the love and compassion they were shown by those in the Pro-Life community.
The Pro-Life movement is a movement of peace, and our goal at Louisiana Right to Life has always been to peacefully, and lovingly, engage our current culture through education, activism, legislation, and service. Louisiana has been ranked as the Most Pro-Life State for six years in a row, which was accomplished solely through peaceful and legal means. Louisiana Right to Life will continue our efforts to educate our communities, protect the vulnerable through legislation, and promote a culture of life that recognizes all life as precious and worthy of protection.
- Louisiana Right to Life
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La. Remains A Pro-Life State
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Election Results: Majority of State's Leaders Are Pro-Life
November's run-off election results showed that Louisiana citizens care deeply about respecting life. They continue to vote for candidates who share their pro-life values, and many candidates made life issues a priority in their campaigns. Louisiana will continue to have a pro-life majority in both houses of the Legislature as well as pro-life individuals in all levels of the Executive branch.
Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has vowed to govern Louisiana from a pro-life position, and his 100 percent pro-life voting record as a state representative, as well as his personal testimony, lends credibility to that promise. Louisiana Right to Life has been in communication with Edwards since his election to discuss a number of key issues, including the nomination of a pro-life secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, the support of ongoing federal court cases, and the composition of key legislative committees. While there are more decisions that will have to be made in the coming months, we are optimistic that we will be able to advance the pro-life cause under Gov. Edwards.
In addition to the governor, newly elected Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Attorney General-elect Jeff Landry are strongly pro-life and friends of Louisiana Right to Life.
The Louisiana Legislature will have some new faces in January, but the body is still strongly pro-life with majorities in both the House and the Senate. In total, 61 percent of the newly-elected Legislature either has a 100 percent Pro-Life voting record or 100 percent Pro-Life questionnaire response.
"Louisiana Right to Life is committed to working with our newly-elected Legislature, which remains solidly pro-life, and our statewide elected officials to build a even stronger pro-life Louisiana," said LARTL Executive Director Benjamin Clapper.
"We encourage the pro-life citizens of Louisiana to stay engaged as we move forward into 2016. It will be important with newly elected officials for us to show the pro-life unity and dedication of the people of Louisiana."
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NOLA Right to Life Hosting Proudly Pro-Life Dinner
New Orleans Right to Life will host the 17th annual Proudly Pro-Life Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, at Chateau Country Club in Kenner.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails. Dinner is at 7 p.m.
John Hauler, a longtime New Orleans Right to Life board member and current president of Baton Rouge Right to Life, and the Louisiana Knights of Columbus will receive the 2016 Proudly Pro-Life Awards.
Rachel Campos-Duffy, an author, television personality and mother of seven, will present "The Real War on Women" as the keynote address.
Tickets are $100 per person. Tables are available.
Click Here to Order Tickets
Click Here to Download Flyer
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Video, Poster Contest Winners
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New Orleans Poster, Video Contest Winners Announced
Several schools and a number of students participated in the 2015 New Orleans Poster and Video Contest, and winners were recently announced.
Elasha Carey-Rand, a student at Cabrini High School, won the 9th-12th Grade Video Contest.
Ahn Dao, a student at St. Cletus School, won the Poster Contest.
Congratulations to these students, the school winners and all who participated!
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Alex Seghers with Archbishop Chapelle sophomores.
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New Pro-Life Youth Initiative Replaces Camp Joshua, JLI
PULSE Expands Student Training, More
By Alex Seghers, LARTL Co-Youth Programs Director
Home schooled on the Northshore, in Covington, I attended a vibrantly active pro-life group as a member of St. Peter Catholic Church. In my humble, biased opinion, this club was ideal: a group strongly dedicated to pro-life prayer, service, and activism.
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Alex Seghers, right, recently attended the Louisiana Baptists' Youth Evangelism Conference in Lafayette to visit with students
and youth pastors. She is shown with Cassidy Cunningham of
First Baptist Church of Covington.
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We prayed once a month at the Metairie abortion facility, assisted at crisis pregnancy centers and Danielle Inn, a home for unwed mothers, and participated in community and national awareness such as Cemetery of the Innocents, the Slidell Chain for Life, and the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. At the club's beginnings, however, there was a fourth aspect that took more time to develop in our activities: education. As a club member I was inspired to make a pro-life difference, and yet I dreaded the moment of ever encountering a pro-abortion person because I was sure I would not be able to hold my argument for even five minutes.
In the spring of 2008, Louisiana Right to Life initiated Camp Joshua, and by my 10th-grade year, in the spring of 2009, word had spread that this was a fantastic opportunity! We would be able to meet other groups throughout the state and concretely tackle the issues in conversation together, facilitated in such a way that we would become confident and equipped pro-life leaders. At Camp Joshua it was difficult not to be affected by the confidence and energy we felt as part of a movement. There was no need to be intimated!
In turn, we brought that confidence back home to our own communities.
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PULSE Youth Night Events will
be held around the state
and include music, speakers,
games, food, and fellowship.
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Since that time, Louisiana Camp Joshua has formed more than 700 new pro-life leaders, some who have begun new pro-life efforts at their high schools, communities, and colleges. But many high school and college students still face obstacles to their pro-life activism on their campuses or in their own homes as the number of abortions in our state continue to grow and a new Planned Parenthood abortion facility is rising up in New Orleans, here in the "most pro-life state." And Louisiana Right to Life continues trying to find new ways to help.
I have seen many of my friends, my younger siblings, and their younger siblings cycle through Camp Joshua year after year and make the advancement of the pro-life movement their personal mission. Now, it is time to keep growing, using the foundation that has been firmly built by our faithful home school groups, local Christian churches, and dedicated pro-life school teachers and clubs. It is time to reach out to the entire young generation in Louisiana in order to expand this great opportunity for pro-life community and leadership.
After many years of success in Louisiana, I am excited that Camp Joshua and the Joshua Leadership Institute are transitioning in name to "PULSE Immersion" and the "PULSE Leadership Institute" and becoming part of the larger Louisiana "PULSE Pro-life Youth Initiative." The core of the Camp Joshua and Joshua Leadership Institute programs will remain the same under the new PULSE names, with the purpose of equipping the youth to implement the skills in the acronym: Protect, Unite, Lead, Serve, Educate. The initiative expands beyond the annual training programs and maintains year-around connections with students, through secondary programs, who seek to stay involved and continue their pro-life relationships.
I believe moving from Camp Joshua to PULSE will lead to a more comprehensive, expansive, and successful pro-life youth training program. PULSE not only represents the heartbeat of one person, but it also symbolizes the sacred gift that each of us is given from the moment of conception, life itself. Pro-life isn't merely a religious belief or political stance, it is an issue for humanity. Hence, the Initiative is an all-encompassing and unifying title that expands over the breath of the pro-life movement and can reach and relate to anyone with a pulse. Get excited, and check out our PULSE programs for 2016!
4 PULSE Immersion Weekends and the week-long
PULSE Leadership Institute have been scheduled.
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Planning Continues for Louisiana Life March North, South, Central
Buses Being Reserved; T-Shirts Available
Will you march with us and take a stand for the priceless value of every human life? Join us at the Louisiana Life Marches North and South on Saturday, Jan. 23 and our newest event, Louisiana Life March Central on Saturday, Jan. 30!
The 2016 theme of the Louisiana Life March is "Life is Priceless!" With horrendous videos highlighting Planned Parenthood's sale of baby body parts, we must remind the world that human lives are valuable and priceless. In Luke 12:6-7, Jesus reminds us the value of each human life: "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
For the first time ever, the Life March North in Shreveport-Bossier and the Life March South in Baton Rouge will occur simultaneously on the same day Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. The Shreveport-Bossier march begins at Bossier's Louisiana Boardwalk, crosses the Texas Street bridge and ends at Shreveport's Festival Plaza, where a program will be held. The Baton Rouge march begins at Galvez Plaza behind the old State Capitol and moves through downtown, ending on the steps of the new State Capitol, where a program is planned.
The Louisiana Life March Central, an inaugural event, will be held Saturday, Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. It will begin on the grounds of Louisiana College in Pineville and end in downtown Alexandria. A program is also planned there.
Bus trips are being arranged by various churches and groups for the South march. Hotard is again working with us and offering a 20 percent discount, but because the
March for Life in Washington, D.C. is the day before, there will only be a limited number of
buses and drivers available. So if you haven't begun the booking process but plan to do so, remember
buses will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
More details and downloads:
Saturday, Jan. 23:
Saturday, Jan. 30:
If you would like to request materials to help publicize the events, please contact our office at 1.866.463.5433 or [email protected].
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GET YOUR 2016 CALENDAR TODAY!
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