Washington, D.C. (23 June 2009) – Rita Diller and Bishop John W. Yanta led a 12-year campaign to expose Planned Parenthood in the Texas Panhandle, which culminated in the closing of 19 Planned Parenthood facilities.
Now Rita is set to assist others in replicating that process nationwide as the new national director of American Life League’s STOP Planned Parenthood project.
“Rita’s proven track record of eliminating Planned Parenthood from the Texas Panhandle makes her a formidable adversary for the world’s largest abortion chain,” said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League. “We’re extraordinarily excited to have her join our team and put her passion for human rights to work for American Life League.”
For more than 26 years, Rita has been involved in the full spectrum of pro-life work, which has included serving as the Diocese of Amarillo’s Respect Life director for 12 years.
While in Amarillo, Rita challenged Planned Parenthood at every turn – in the media; on the streets; at its meetings, fundraisers and educational events; in community organizations; and before the city council. She also educated its supporters and the community at large about Planned Parenthood’s radical agenda.
At the end of the 12-year campaign, 19 Planned Parenthood facilities had shut down and the remaining two had disaffiliated from the Planned Parenthood Federation.
Prior to her work in Amarillo, Rita was on the board of directors of the first Gabriel Project in the U.S. – a parish-based outreach to women in crisis pregnancies. She was involved in Birthright and was a volunteer director for Hope House, a home for women in crisis pregnancy situations. She was also a faithful sidewalk counselor at abortion mills in Corpus Christi.
Under the watchful eye of Bishop René Gracida, she participated in Body of Christ Rescues and participated in weekly prayer vigils at the abortion centers. After years of prayer and perseverance by Corpus Christi pro-lifers, the two major abortion mills there closed and one remaining abortion facility in an OB/GYN office temporarily closed.
Rita will now head up the implementation of American Life League’s proven strategy to defeat Planned Parenthood, which has shut down the racist organization in hundreds of communities around the nation.
“Now that Rita has been unleashed at the national level, Planned Parenthood should be very worried,” said Sedlak.
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- American Life League: STOP Planned Parenthood http://stopp.org/
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