‘Youth, Faith and Unity’ focus at upcoming pro-life luncheon

Celebrating the gift of life, and defending it, has been number one on the agenda for local pro-life association Right to Life Association (RTLA) of WA, who are set to host their 40^th annual luncheon on Sunday, 24 October at the new ‘Cirrus Club’ at the Bullcreek Royal Australian Air Force complex.

The tickets are sold at $80 each, $50 for pensioners and students and $20 for children (children’s meal included).

RTLA member Perth Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, are among the guests expected to attend the luncheon.

In explaining the event theme ‘Youth, Faith, and Unity,’ RTLA President Steve Klomp spoke to The Record about the cultural realities which have affected the state, particularly in dealing with abortion and voluntary dying or assisted suicide – and why it is important for the community to join in and champion “God’s first gift to us.”

“Our stated objective is to defend life from conception to its natural end. The reason we do that is because we are Christ-motivated,” Mr Klomp said.

“Rather than thinking that defending life is a good thing, or a popular thing, or it is okay now or in certain circumstances but may not be at other times, we do our work because we have faith in Christ. This means that our defense of human life is absolute and unchanging with time, society or circumstance. So that’s the ‘faith’ bit.

“The ‘unity’ angle is because there are so many faith-based, and secular based pro-life organisations around, but very few of them work together. We want to change that,” Mr Klomp added.

“Then there is the fact that whilst we have some very dedicated people, most of them are older. We need to work hard to get young people into the fight.”

Mr Klomp who has made pro-life causes his mission for the past 20-years and serving as RTLA president for the past four years, said that it is imperative as a member of society, to “maintain Christian values within the government, other institutions and that all decisions to be Christ-based.”

With many events cancelled or postponed since the pandemic, Mr Klomp said that the biggest impact has come from changes to legislation.

“The most obvious change is the ‘safe access zone’ legislation that now prevents us from praying outside Perth’s two main abortion mills. This means the chance to help women who come to us for assistance is gone,” he said.

“Latest statistics show that 83 per cent of all abortions in WA are carried out at Nanyara Clinic in Rivervale and Marie Stopes in Midland. There are other abortions of course, and abortions are gradually being ‘disguised’ in Medicare and doctor’s notes and in government reporting.

“We can say that 11 children die each day, Monday to Saturday, at each of the two clinics mentioned,” he added.

With the legalisation of Voluntary Dying and Assisted Suicide in play for WA since July this year, Mr Klomp said that the association is pressing ahead with a ‘Euthanasia Prevention Kit” “which will help protect the lives of our elderly in many ways.”

Mr Klomp added that RTLA continually strives to achieve the ‘pro-life’ message on a parish, community, and government level – while providing avenues of healing for those affected.

This includes reaching out to the homeless in form of counselling and food, particularly women who are at risk of abortion, holding prayer vigils at Parliament House, a roll-out of the pro-life churches programme (so far participated by 95 parishes), and providing education information through the RTLA website and newsletters, among other things.

“Every life is worth fighting for. Science has now acknowledged that a child in the womb is a person, right from the moment of conception (as if there was ever any doubt!) However, our legal system still insists that a child can be killed in its mother’s womb and the ‘permitted period’ is getting longer all the time,” Mr Klomp cited.

“In Victoria, NSW and New Zealand for example, a child can be killed right up to the moment before birth, for any or no reason. At the other end, Euthanasia is taking our elderly and most vulnerable.

“We don’t know why God chooses to keep someone alive. We don’t know what they are learning, what they are communicating or thinking, what sacrifices they are making for the Lord, what influence they are having on the faith of those around them. We should leave it up to the Lord to decide when to call them home – It is not for Man to decide when to reject the gift of Life,” he concluded.

To attend the event, RSVP at admin@righttolifewa.com.au or phone 92217117.