Denver Catholic

BY DENVER CATHOLIC STAFF T he battle for life rages on in Colorado. As the so-called Right to Abortion amendment heads to the ballot this November, stakes are high. The proposed amendment would go much too far in prohibiting any reasonable restrictions on abortion in perpetuit y by enshrining a "right to abortion" in Colorado's foundational document, banning parental notification requirements for minors, allowing for taxpayer money to fund abortion for in-state and out-of- state pregnant women and banning restrictions on late abortions. Amid the bleak landscape, there is a group of individuals, groups, churches and communities that have come together to be a city on a hill, shedding light in the darkness. Pro- Life Colorado, a coalition of pro-life groups in Colorado, has been working to advocate for life at the local and state levels in the legislature, courts and community. Quite possibly the first time Col- orado has seen such a unified effort for life, Pro-Life Colorado has hit the ground running since their founding in 2023. The coalition sponsored a Rally for Life on the anniversary of the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2023. Barely a year old, it partnered with the National March for Life organization to host Colorado's largest March for Life earlier this year, with 4,000 people in attendance. "We placed our trust in the Lord and did the work we needed to do to promote it, and it all came together in a powerful moment on the west steps of the Capitol," said Lauren Castillo, chair of the Pro-Life Colorado Action Committee. "I saw the mountains in front of me, and it was gorgeous. It reminded me of the line in the Scrip- tures that says we are a city on the hill, and we have a light to shine forth to the world, even when it feels dark and heavy." The hope, joy and devotion of the pro-life community certainly shone forth in the nearly 4,000-person march through downtown Denver. PRO-LIFE COLORADO BUILDING A CULTURE OF LIFE 27 DENVER CATHOLIC | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2024 ⊲

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