From the blog.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in these posts are solely those of the authors and are not necessarily reflective of ALIES' position.
What Does it Mean to Be Pro-life in Canada?
When I was growing up in the 80’s and 90’s in Alberta, abortion never came up in conversation. We never talked about it at home. We never talked about it at school. We never talked about it at church. And yet somehow, I knew what it was, and somehow, I knew it was wrong.
Seeing Beyond Obligation
Leaving work that day, I nursed a sense of self pity. It had been a long day with tedious work. The plan I had made earlier in the month-to visit the residents at Bethany Care Center-was not something I wanted to do that evening.
Outcomes of IVF: complications for babies and mothers
In the first installment of this series on assisted reproductive technologies (ART), we explored the moral implications of IVF as it pertains to the death of the embryos created through the process.
Stories from The Back Porch
My name is Anita and I am the Coordinator at The Back Porch in Edmonton. I started as Coordinator with ALIES & The Back Porch in April of 2021. When I first started training to speak to moms, I had many preconceived notions about moms seeking abortion.
Grinches Hate Life
When thinking about the upcoming blog post for December my thoughts turned understandably towards Christmas. I thought about what connections could be made between our work at ALIES and the Christmas season, and while there are many, all I could think about was my siblings and our family Christmas traditions.
A Prenatal Diagnosis Story: Counseled to Abort, but Chose Faith in God
I’ll never forget that day seven years ago. It was November 3, 2016, a Thursday. I was pregnant with twins and it was the day of my 18-week ultrasound. I was so excited to find out the babies’ gender. Were we having two boys, two girls, or a boy and a girl? Though I would have been thrilled with any combination, I was hoping for a boy and a girl.
The Gift of Adoption
While adoption can be a beautiful and loving act, it is often discouraged because of the stigma surrounding it and because of the intense emotional nature of the subject. Despite this, adoption can be the most amazing gift you can give to a baby.
Meet the Team Part 2
Everyone at ALIES has their own story about why they care about the prolife movement and how they got involved. Here is Part 2 where we hear from Gabrielle, Anita, and Meg on why they said yes to the call.
Meet the Team Part 1
Everyone at ALIES has their own story about why they care about the prolife movement and how they got involved. Here is part one into why the different team members at ALIES said yes to call. Stay tuned for part 2 later this month!
A Happy Death
Just about every weekend of my childhood was spent alongside my grandma Sally. We would spend time at the mall, playing cards and watching far too much TV, while getting far too little sleep. She was the ideal grandmother.
Death of Embryos
When I set out to write this blog, I jotted down my thoughts about the ethical dilemma of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and realized that, to treat the issue as thoroughly as I needed to, it would take… well, quite a few words.
I Am a Mother
“You’re a mother.” Why didn’t I know that as I signed the consent forms for the doctor to abort my child? I had to reason I was merely carrying a “cluster of cells” in order to go ahead with it.
My Body, No Choice
In my mid-twenties, I was a poor grad student at a small, elite American college. I spent my first year living in residence, and being a half-generation older, I found myself the object of father-hunger (or maybe uncle-hunger) for several fledgling freshmen, girls and boys. These were kids considerably more well-heeled and sophisticated than this middle-class Albertan, and it was mildly interesting to be their library-closing confidant: hearing the same-old, same-old adolescent obsessions and anxieties translated to Cape Cod and Twin Peaks.
Joseph: A Model for Fathers
I was walking past the abortion clinic one day and happened to notice a row of vehicles parked in front. Sitting in the driver’s seats were men. Men who should have been fathers, waiting for their significant others. In one tender moment, a young woman walked out clearly not doing well, her boyfriend walked around and opened the backseat door for her, proceeding to take care of her. This moment of support is particularly ironic given that he had just subjected her to one of the most invasive and heart-breaking medical procedures a young woman could ever encounter, instead of doing the right thing and seeing the joy of this pregnancy and stepping into his role as father.
Masculine Life Advocacy
I’m not sure when I first knew what “pro-life” meant. Being active in such advocacy was an important part of my grandparents’ lives. Though it was obvious that the law allowed abortion and some people made that choice, there was never a question in our family about whether this could be a necessary or good choice. Not only did we oppose abortion, but it was likewise obvious that it was right and good to support those faced with a crisis pregnancy.
Why We Waited...
Last month’s blog was on the topic of how to make abstaining from sex before marriage possible and some of its benefits, written from the perspective of a single person. This month, I’m writing on why I think people should abstain from sex before marriage from my perspective — the perspective of a married woman — and why my husband and I chose to pursue chastity while we prepared for our sacramental marriage.
Is Abstaining Before Marriage Hard? What Are The Benefits?
The answer to the first question might seem obvious. In a culture obsessed with sex, there is a lot of pressure on those choosing to abstain to conform to mainstream values. Sex is everywhere we look and is hard to escape. Sexually explicit media and music dominate the mainstream and are compounded by hook up culture.
Reflections on Easter
In past years, I thought of Good Friday as a dreadful day. I never really liked the solemnity and couldn’t wait to be done with it to get to the happy parts of Easter, like the resurrection. Today, I realize that it was because I only saw Good Friday and the passion of our Lord, as a day of sadness, grief, silence, and suffering, without seeing the great love that was behind it.
Consent is Not Enough
A culture in which the prevailing narrative of sex is centered on mutual consent. It is a culture that does not force anyone into anything, respects bodily autonomy and is based on the belief that a person is always the best judge of their own wants and needs. Consent to any activity is ongoing, freely given, informed and enthusiastic.