A Pro-Life Conversion
This is the story of how I came to be pro-life. I’ve had some reluctance to writing this story because this conversion came about when I was seeking truth, yet already convinced I was living in it. Ultimately, it was my first intentional step towards deciding to follow Christ. Despite growing up Catholic, participating in retreats, and even serving on the Newman Leadership Team, I hadn’t yet decided to make Christ the Lord of my life. It was through an unlocking of my heart that my ears were unplugged, blinders removed and brokenness healed so that I could run knowingly, passionately, and freely to God. The Walk for Life was the key that unlocked my heart and sparked my conversion.
Fortunately, I decided to attend the Walk for Life without being fully convinced of the pro-life perspective arguments. “A book should do it,” I thought, one day before the bus rolled out. Thankfully, it did. When I reflect, I find it strange that reading a book on a bus headed for San Francisco was my “struck down and blinded by God” moment, not just for my pro-life conversion, but for my conversion to Christ.
Quick tangent: long before attending the Walk for Life, back when I was first discovering “faith deficits” in myself, I set out to learn all mysteries of the Rosary. The pamphlet I used for the meditations centered on the pro-life message. For example, the meditation for the first mystery of the Joyful mysteries – the Annunciation – prayed for all the women who, unlike Mary saying, “yes,” to carry the Son of God, have said, “no,” to their unborn child through abortion. Let us pray for those children denied life and their mothers… and so on. And it took me a while to memorize all 20 mysteries and the days in which they’re spoken, so I cycled through this prayer guide many times. I firmly believe that through the intercession of our most loving (and Pro-life) Mother that my heart was transformed to receive truly the love of her most adorable Son.
As I was saying before, I’m on the bus, about 1/3 of the way through my book. I was completely convinced. Cue conversion: here I was, familiar with the liturgy, sacraments, parables, and prayers, but selectively ignorant to some teachings of the Church. God had to strike me down, blind me from my ideas about relative truth on so that I could intellectually come into the fullness of the Church.
The education received on the Walk for Life directed my gaze on Jesus, and ultimately encouraged me to accept all teachings of the Catholic Church (and not just the easy ones). I must be willing to expose myself to possible ridicule, judgment, and persecution because of what love demands.
To all of those reading this, I pray that you may re-discover that moment that changed your life forever. And if not one moment, lots of little moments. And if no moment, that you are able to open your heart to the love and truth God wants you to know.
Casey Collins is a senior studying Nutrition at OSU and is in the Honors College. Casey serves on the leadership team at the Newman Center as the Leadership Chair and enjoys singing in the choir at Sunday Mass. Making new friends and telling jokes about whales are two of Casey’s favorite ways to bring a smile to those around her.