Posted: 8/21/02

A priest for life

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

Fr. Peter West, a priest associate with the Priests for Life organization, visited the Forest Lake area last weekend to spread the message of the sanctity of human life.

One of four priest associates in the Fr. Frank Provone-led organization, West travels around the United States spreading the message of life.

ìWherever I go, I talk about alternatives to abortion, I talk about life at all stages,î West said.

West was invited to the community by Mickey Muske of Lakes Life Care Center. West spoke at Masses at St. Peterís Catholic Church this weekend, sharing his message on the value of life.

As a Priest for Life, speaking on the value of life is Westís full time mission. However he does live in a parish in the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ. While West received the Priests for Life newsletter in the past, West has made Priests for Life his full time mission since 1998.

ìOur focus is abortion and euthanasiaópreeminent threats to human life and human dignity,î West said.

Nationwide, 120,000 receive the Priests for Life newsletter, including 45,000 priests. Pavone hosts a weekly show on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) to spread the word to the masses.

He compared the work of Priests for Life and pro-life people to the work of early Christians who saved babies in pagen Rome.

ìOur pre-born brothers and sisters are the most innocent and vulnerable of our society,î West said. ìWe are obligated to protect them.î

Defending life, West said is an aspect of being not only a priest but a Christian or decent human being.

Progress

Westís work and the work of other like-minded souls has been fruitful, as West said he sees progress being made.

ìRecent public opinion polls show more people identify themselves as pro-life, abortions are going down,î he said.

West said there also have been successes on the political front and remarked on legislative victories.

West stressed political responsibility to the unborn.

ìWhether or not we get Roe V. Wade overturned is going to depend on getting pro-life supreme court justices on the bench,î he said.

West said being pro-life is a foundation of the Catholic faith.

ìOne simply cannot be a good Catholic and be pro-choice on the issue of abortion when the choice being taken is the taking of human life,î West said.

West said life issues should be first and foremost when making decisions.

ìWithout the right to life all other rights are meaningless,î he said. ìHuman life must take precedence.î

Life Care Center

The Lakes Life Care Center is located at 155 S. Lake Street, in the Butts, Sandberg, Schneider Law Office Building. There is off-street parking available on the east side.

The center, which has been providing assistance to women and their children for 21 years, is open by appointment by calling 651-464-4340. This number is answered 24 hours a day.

ìWomen choose abortion not because of free choice but because they have no other choice,î West said.

He applauded Lakes Life Care Center, and other similar centers, for providing choices for women.

ìLakes Life Care Center is really the greatest witness to dignity and sanctity of life,î he said. ìThey are doing more than saying abortion is wrong. Theyíre offering help.î

Lakes Life Care Center offers help for women from those who believe they may be pregnant to those who have had abortions and need someone to talk to.

Services include free pregnancy testing, confidential counseling, referral services for housing, help with obtaining government assistance and information on adoption, birth control, natural family planning, post abortion syndrome and sexually transmitted disease.

All services at Lakes Life Care Center are free. A non-profit organization, Lakes Life Care Center does accept donations.

The center has 15 volunteers, including four of the founders.

Information

For more information on Priests for Life, visit www.priestsforlife.org on the World Wide Web, write P.O. Box 141172, Staten Island, NY, 10314 or call 1-888-PFL-3448.

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