In the months since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Mary Ann Kuharski said she’s never seen “such a frantic, chaotic, vigilant attempt to undermine the pro-life efforts in any area,” whether education, politics or elsewhere. The week after the June 24 court decision, she said Planned Parenthood “dumped $93 million into an ad campaign, including billboards and bus ads,” with some buses in the Twin Cities painted to advertise Planned Parenthood.
In addition, “wealthy people from around the world” donated “another $334 million,” the last estimate she heard, into election campaigns supporting only pro-abortion candidates and any kind of pro-abortion legislation or statewide vote, said Kuharski, director of St. Paul-based Prolife Across America. “As a result, we lost two key states, Kansas and Montana,” she said.
“So now is not the time for pro-lifers to rest and say, ‘the Supreme Court has overturned the decision,’” Kuharski said. “Now is the time we roll up our sleeves and say, ‘Let us work now to help the moms and the babies and families that need help and return our country to protecting all human life.”
Kuharski and her daughter, Angie Johnson, marketing director for Prolife Across America, recently joined “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to discuss their pro-life work and the importance of others joining their efforts.
Pro-life supporters are needed now more than ever for their prayers and financial assistance “to help us get the billboards and the Internet ads and the radio ads before the public,” Kuharski said, with no donation too small. Having Prolife Across America’s phone number on more billboards and ads will enable staff to connect more people with resources for pregnancy services, adoption information or post-abortion help, she said.
Johnson said it’s been inspiring to work side by side with her mom, and she can’t imagine returning to a corporate job. “I see and I hear the calls that come in, and I hear the stories now that these are moms being helped, these are dads getting support, these are babies being saved, and these are hearts being changed,” she said.
Johnson said her mom lives the pro-life cause “day in and day out.”
“She has always said that she will be fighting for the pro-life cause till she takes her last breath,” Johnson said.
Kuharski said she is convinced that voters were “brainwashed” by pro-abortion ads that said, “women will die if you vote for this pro-life legislation.”
“And they didn’t realize what a lie it was, and they didn’t stop and think that there’s another human being involved,” Kuharski said. “And that’s where our billboards come in: 800-366-7773.”
People also can visit the organization’s website at prolifeacrossamerica.org.
During the interview, Kuharski also provides thoughts on retail sales of abortion pills and counseling young people about “sexual transitioning to the opposite sex.” To hear those details and the full interview, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. Jan. 20 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. Jan. 21 and 2 p.m. Jan. 22.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Deacon Joe Michalak, director of the archdiocesan Office of Synod Evangelization, and Father Joseph Bambenek, assistant director of Synod Evangelization, who describe multiple ways to receive and interact with Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter; and Roger Vasko, founder and president of the St. Joseph Business Guild, who describes the value of this network of Catholic businesses and entrepreneurs.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
