Rally ends pro-life week at Academy of Our Lady

    On Jan. 16, Academy of Our Lady’s Right to Life club hosted a pro-life rally. At the event, tables were set up by students and several local organizations to present nearly all the aspects involved in the right to life to promote the education and awareness of these issues.
    Giving presentations were the Archdiocese of New Orleans Prison Ministry, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Justice for Immigration, the Louisiana Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, Café Hope and Louisiana Right to Life.
    The Sisters for Life, a religious order of sisters who meet with and support vulnerable, pregnant women, and Silent No More, a campaign educating on the effects of abortion while promoting the healing of post-abortive women, also manned tables near PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) that explained how they provide care for the elderly.
    Right to Life club members discussed topics such as suicide, genocide and human trafficking. The True Love Waits club also spoke as senior Hunter Picard said, “You have to respect yourself before you can respect or love anyone else.”
    Students are taught about many of these issues in religion classes. Since the entire student body attended, many teachers gave assignments to connect the rally to the curriculum.
     “Hearing it repeated outside of class from someone who works with it daily makes it real,” a student said.
    This rally was the largest pro-life event Academy of Our Lady has offered.
    “The outcome was amazing,” said Right to Life club moderator Doris Bridges. “The girls came back with so many stories of what they learned, as well as new interests and facts they were not aware of.”
    The event required weeks of preparation by the club.
    “There are so many problems that contribute to the loss of life,” sophomore Ariel Aguilar noted. “Receiving this awareness helps lead us to the solutions.”
    Senior Lauren Guillot enjoyed the interactivity.
    Spanish teacher Cristina Couri thought, “It was a wonderful opportunity to better inform ourselves on what it means to respect the dignity of human life. Also, I was happy the students were engaged in discussion and were enjoying learning of the wonderful programs.”
    This event vividly reminded the students of the spectrum of topics that the right to life includes.
    “The pro-life rally was an excellent opportunity for our young ladies to see the many ministries in the church that promote the dignity of individuals at various stages and situations in life,” Salesian Sister Michelle Geiger, principal, said. “My hope is that the students will be inspired to pursue various careers in our church and community that protect the rights of others and help those marginalized know how deeply they are loved by the Lord. … It is our job to help them realize their potential and expose them to the possibilities.”
    Danielle Bourg is a senior at the Academy of Our Lady in Marrero and a member of its Pro Life Club.