On Jan. 22, 42 dedicated souls from St. Joseph and St. Thomas the Apostle respect life groups traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life. We witnessed to the truth that life begins at conception and is entitled to the full protection of the laws of our society. Over 150,000 faithful souls marched on behalf of the unborn child.

The next day, the plight of the unborn child intensified as President Obama issued an executive order allowing U.S. funds to be utilized by international groups advocating and providing abortion. For someone who claimed during the debates that the question when life begins is "above his pay grade," President Obama did not hesitate to expand the culture of death. President Obama's dissembling and deception cannot hide his support of abortion.

It is an honor and privilege as well as a duty to defend the rights of the unborn child. That only a comparatively small number actively fight against the monstrous crime of abortion does not shake our faith. Rather, it is an indictment of the rest of our society. I believe Isaiah 55:10-13 speaks directly to the pro-life movement as it did to abolitionists 150 years ago. God will find faithful souls to accomplish his will.

Robert Dougherty