20 Young Catholics Launch Pro-Life Crusade
Twenty TFP Student Action volunteers launched a 10-day pro-life crusade through five East Coast states, beginning in Pennsylvania. Here is a report from the front lines as these young Catholics set out to defend innocent life.
Day 1: Gettysburg, Carlisle, and New Oxford
Braving 105-degree weather, the campaign launched in downtown Gettysburg, Penn. on July 15, 2026. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Gettysburg's historic sites were crowded with visitors, allowing the pro-life campaign to reach a wider audience.
“Is it them?”
The unabashed proclamation of the truth that marks every TFP campaign received a variety of reactions from the general public. This time, a family of four stood gaping as TFP volunteers set up their pro-life banners and signs in the square.
“Is it them?” the woman asked her husband. “I think it is. Yes, it’s them.”
Husband and wife approached. “You are TFP. We watch your videos. This is great.” They promised to pray the rosary for the caravan at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine.
Why did they eat a TFP flyer?
Next stop: Farmers Market in Carlisle.
Many showed support by honking their horns and giving thumbs up; however, the general attitude was more liberal than Gettysburg.
“You’re all [expletive]!” yelled one pro-abortion advocate.
“Why don’t you give us arguments instead of insults?” asked a TFP volunteer.
Then a homeless man who heard the exchange got involved. “Leave them [TFP] alone,” he said. “You will burn in hell.”
When the pro-abortion driver pulled away, the homeless man said, “Good job, keep doing what you do no matter what.”
However, the vulgar driver returned with three friends, convinced he would win the debate.
Pro-abort: "[The fetus] is not sentient, so it's not alive."
Volunteer: "Sentience does not determine life. People in comas are not sentient."
Pro-abort: "What about rape?"
Volunteer: "The innocent baby does not deserve the rapist's punishment."
Unable to defend their position, they literally began eating the TFP handout.
Then one of same flyer-eating liberals sprinted toward a TFP volunteer and, with full force, kicked the pro-life sign he was holding. In the process, both his shoes flew off and landed in the street. He fled shoeless.
Support Outshines Hostility
As TFP members wrapped up, a man said, “I saw what happened to you. Thank you so much for what you are doing. Carlisle needs this.”
Even as the volunteers were about to drive away, another man congratulated them. “God bless you, gentlemen. Never stop doing what you do.”
Day 2: Camp Hill and Lancaster
The next day, the caravan headed east to Camp Hill and Lancaster, where it encountered hostility and encouragement.
At a busy intersection in Camp Hill, TFP volunteers held a “honk” campaign where drivers are asked to “Honk against abortion.” When all the cars honk, it breaks the myth that the majority of people favor baby killing. It also boosts the morale for local pro-lifers.
From their vehicles, we heard:
“You’re doing the Lord's work! Keep it up,” and “For people to come out to do what you're doing is very difficult. Thank you!” and “Never stop being pro-life.”
Another car swerved into the parking lot and blocked the TFP’s vans. An older woman emerged, visibly upset that TFP was promoting purity and chastity as a remedy to the culture of impurity and abortion. She physically hit and shoved TFP volunteers. Seeing that her blows did not dampen TFP resolve, she acted lewdly and lifted up her skirt.
As the police arrived, another car pulled up: “Thank you so much,” the lady said. “Babies are precious in the eyes of the Lord.”
“You Changed My Mind”
The next stop was at Penn Square in downtown Lancaster, where the TFP standard and banner went up near the beautiful veterans’ memorial.
TFP: “If the baby in the womb is a human life, which it is, it deserves to live.”
Pro-abort: “But it’s only a fetus.”
TFP: “Whether you call it a fetus, embryo, zygote, infant or adolescent, it does not change the fact that it is human. Those are just words used for different stages of human development.”
Pro-abort: “But you are putting its life [baby] above the mother’s.”
TFP: “If anyone is putting one life above the other, it’s the pro-abortion movement. They say the child can be killed. The pro-life movement never advocates for death.”
Pro-abort: “I am glad I talked to you. You changed my mind. God doesn’t want us to kill our children. Thank you.”
A Chilling Conversation
The next encounter showed how abortion and paganism often go hand in hand.
One cyclist openly defended what he called a "Celtic" practice of abandoning deformed infants to die in the forest. When a TFP volunteer asked if he really favored killing children with Down syndrome or autism, he replied, “Absolutely.”
Unexpected Encouragement
Soon afterward, another man approached, thanked the volunteers for defending the unborn, and made a donation after recognizing TFP from its videos.
A 13-year-old boy even bought the volunteers a case of water.
Later, while a group of feminists mocked the campaign, nearby pedestrians responded with approving cries of "Honk! Honk!"
When Slogans Replace Reason
Many abortion supporters rely on empty slogans, for example:
"You just hate women!"
"No," replied a TFP volunteer. "The pro-life movement includes countless women, including hundreds of thousands who attend the March for Life."
Another feminist shouted, "You're all white men!" Then she noticed Joseph, a black TFP volunteer. "Oh... never mind."
Pro-Life Truth Prevails
The abortion movement is devoid of logic, truth, and sound arguments. To shift public opinion in their favor, they count on lies wrapped in slogans. For that reason, the culture of death is fundamentally weak.
Which explains why a group of young Catholic teenagers, such as those who volunteer with TFP Student Action, can create shock waves by simply holding a peaceful demonstration in the public square that announces common sense truth.
Indeed, the truth will always conquer error even when it is outnumbered.
As long as innocent life remains under attack, young Catholics must continue bringing the truth into the public square. May God raise up many more courageous souls to proclaim what never changes: every innocent life deserves protection, and abortion is a grave offense against God.