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Washington (Agenzia Fides) – Following the first Hispanic National Pro-Life Congress that took place in Dallas, Texas September 19-21, 2008, several leaders have been working on the formation of a coalition of pro-life groups and persons in the USA. After several months of working on the project, the Hispanic Alliance for Life and Family has arisen. Among the Alliance's objectives is that of providing pro-life information and educational materials for Hispanic Americans, as well as supporting the pro-life groups that already exist in various parts of the country, and collaborating in the establishment of new Hispanic pro-life groups.
This new initiative will offer a response to several challenges. Firstly, there is the fact that Hispanics are one of the major targets of the abortion industry. At the same time, thanks to their religion and culture Hispanics have a pro-life mentality that offers them a potential for moral renewal.
“We believe that the time has come for every Catholic to answer the call of their Church and we invite all Hispanic Catholics to do likewise and join us in this important and urgent effort,” said the leaders of the new project. According to a press conference, the main objective of the Hispanic Alliance for Life and Family (AHVF) is “to make an appeal to all Hispanic Catholics, asking them to defend the five essential principles and non-negotiables promoted by the Catholic Church in the areas of: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning, and homosexual marriages, as well as the Catholic Church's teaching on contraceptives. All these acts are morally evil and can never be promoted through laws.” The organizers make an appeal to all the Hispanic leaders of the various different dioceses of the USA, asking that they join the Alliance. The Directive Team of the AHVF is made up of pro-life leaders from the Hispanic community in the USA, among them being obstetrician Dr. Martha Garza; Ms. Marcella Melendez, former president of Hispanics for Life; and the consultation team includes members such as pro-life activists Magaly Llaguno (Executive Director of Human Life International; Aurora Tinajero (Director of the Spanish Ministry of the North Texas Pro-Life Committee; Adolfo Castañeda (Director of Educational Programs for HLI); and Astrid Bennett Gutierrez (Executive Director of the Los Angeles Birth Center).
Among the immediate objectives of the Alliance are: organize a 2nd Hispanic National Pro-Life Congress in the US in September 2009; organize seminars and workshops for training Hispanic pro-life leaders in the five essential principles and non-negotiables; design a monthly news bulletin on topics of interest for the Hispanic community. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 22/1/2009)
