Week in Review
25 Years Ago, Rosary Saves Man on 9/11
Twenty-five years ago today, Americans watched in horror as the terrorist attacks in New York; Washington, DC; and Pennsylvania unfolded before our very eyes. What occurred that day left a mark on the hearts of all Americans. Never forget.
In the days that followed 9/11, Americans heard all kinds of stories—some heroic, some horrific. I’d like to share one with you that contributed to my decision to say a daily rosary. It is the story of a man whose life was saved from the Twin Towers, and he attributes his miraculous rescue to Our Lady and the rosary.
On the morning of 9/11, John was walking to work at the Twin Towers and realized that he had forgotten his rosary. So he turned around and went home to retrieve it. He said that he doesn’t know why, but he felt compelled to turn around.
Later that morning in his office, he and his coworkers watched in horror as the first plane crashed into the North Tower where he worked. He ran out of his office into the stairwell where he was trapped by a door bolted shut. John recounts that even though destruction and fear were all around him, he felt calm. He pulled out his rosary and began to pray.
John says that he has no memory of how much time passed, but eventually firefighters busted through the door and set John free. He was able to escape through the lobby and reach safety before the tower eventually fell to the ground.
John’s miraculous rescue is one he attributes to Our Lady’s protection.
When ALL founded the Marian Blue Wave almost seven years ago, it was stories like John’s that gave us the hope that Our Lady would lead us to victory over the evil of abortion.
Today on this anniversary of 9/11, let us return to Our Blessed Mother. As our dear friend the late Jim Sedlak would often say, the best and most efficient way to reach Jesus is through His mother.
American Life League Brings Its ‘Save Virginia’ Campaign to Parish Labor Day Event
American Life League traveled again this week, but this time within its home state of Virginia. ALL’s executive vice president Hugh Brown and researcher Katherine Van Dyke displayed an information table at St. Mary of Sorrows Catholic Church’s annual Labor Day picnic.
The table included resources from ALL’s Save Virginia Campaign, which seeks to educate and remind Virginia’s Catholics and Christians on why they must Vote NO to both the abortion and marriage amendments that will appear on the ballot this fall. Some of these resources included ALL’s ballots flyers, prayer cards for the conversion of pro-abortion Catholic politicians, and flyers with statements from the pro-abortion Catholic Virginia delegates who voted in favor of these amendments, which seek to redefine marriage in the state constitution and expand contraception, IVF, and abortion in Virginia through all three trimesters.
One of the picnic attendees was surprised to see that so many politicians claiming to be Catholic voted in favor of these abhorrent measures. She was grateful for the information and grabbed a prayer card to pray for them. Another attendee shared that he was eager to register as a first-time voter soon so he could NO to both amendments. Parishioners also informed us that the priests have been courageously speaking about these amendments regularly from the pulpits. We were very encouraged to see such attentiveness to the seriousness of these ballot measures from the parish’s clergy and laity.
ALL was grateful to St. Mary of Sorrows for having us join their parish event and helping us spread the word about these evils we are working to defeat in the upcoming weeks. We pray that our conversations and resources help inspire other Catholics to courageously speak up and vote for the protection of life and marriage within the commonwealth.
ALL in the News
Susan Ciancio, editor of Celebrate Life Magazine and director of the Culture of Life Studies Program, recently published an article with Catholic World Report in honor of Baby Safety Month. She also published an article with Catholic365 in honor of the anniversary of both 9/11 and the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Katie Brown Xavios, ALL’s national director, regularly posts updates about American Life League and its important work on social media channels X and LinkedIn. Follow her accounts to stay up to date.
Twice a week, Judie’s commentaries are distributed to an expansive media list. The list contains over 100 media outlets such as Fox News, The Federalist, Breitbart, and The Daily Caller, among others. Judie’s commentaries are each featured on the front page of ALL.org.
Pro-Life Education
Culture of Life Studies Program
Life Is Precious is a fun, age-appropriate four-week unit study designed to help young children understand the value of every human being. Using familiar themes from beloved children’s picture books, it gently introduces children in grades K–2 to the basics of human development, kindness, and caring for others. Created with guidance from experienced educators and Dr. Dianne Irving, the lessons provide accurate information in a way that respects a child’s innocence while encouraging curiosity, compassion, and a deeper appreciation for the gift of life. It’s a simple and engaging resource that families can feel comfortable sharing with children at home, in the classroom, or in a religious education setting. ORDER HERE
ALL’s Education Materials
Marian Blue Wave Hail Holy Queen Prayer Card: Carry the powerful protection and intercession of Our Lady with you wherever you go. Beautifully designed and easy to share, this 3″ x 5.5″ prayer card is a meaningful way to invite family, friends, and others to turn to Mary in prayer and join the spiritual battle for the dignity of every human being. Featuring the Hail Holy Queen prayer on the reverse, these cards make a thoughtful gift, a powerful evangelization tool, or a simple reminder to keep Our Lady close in the fight against the culture of death. Share one—and help spread a wave of Marian prayer and hope. SHOP NOW
Pro-Life Social Media
PHOTO GALLERY: Pro-Life Forces Take to the Streets at March for Life UK
The national pro-life march in Washington, DC, takes place in the cold month of January. In the UK, it takes place in the warm month of September. Good for them! American Life League couldn’t attend the March for Life UK. The march, which takes place in London, is 4,700 miles away, after all. It is estimated to have drawn over 10,000 pro-life advocates and featured a record-breaking attendance of 15 Catholic bishops, something the US version has yet to pull off.
So we pulled together a few photos and videos to give a sense of what pro-life advocates are trying to accomplish in the UK.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram