Summer Seminarian Institute
HLI World Headquarters Front Royal, VA
August 2-7, 2004

Human Life International conducted a successful seminarian summer institute. It was very exciting! HLI sponsored four seminarians to come to America and learn about pro-life issues. We conducted the institute mostly in Front Royal. We emphasized education, prayer and street activism. We invited Conan Shillingford from the Commonwealth of Dominica (in the Caribbean), Taras Baytsar from Ukraine, Geoffrey Ngugi from Kenya and Simon Kanji also from Kenya. They were with us principally from Aug 1-17.

While in America, they learned much about pro-life issues. During August 2 - 7 the seminarians attended lectures given by various HLI staff from Front Royal and abroad. They learned about human rights abuses in Africa from Kenyan representative Father Wanjohi; bioethics issues from our Roman representative Monsignor Barreiro; the contraceptive roots of the anti-life movement from Father Euteneuer; overpopulation and demographic issues from Joseph Meaney; and theology of the body and pro-life activism from me. Brian Clowes, Ph.D. presented his pro-life basic training course. They even learned a little about American culture and history by visits to sites in the Washington D.C. and New York City areas. Taras Baytsar learned more about contraception, abortion and sex education because he was with us for an extended period starting in late June. While here we put him to work writing an article on Contraception and Orthodox Teaching that now appears on our website.

The seminarians experienced the battles for life on the streets. They prayed outside of abortion clinics in Falls Church, Virginia and Newark, New Jersey. They also participated in a Genocide Awareness Project displaying graphic images of abortion on the streets in Newark. Their reactions showed how much these activities affected them. Taras said how he was both inspired and saddened during his first pro-life prayer vigil at an abortion clinic. He explained that no one in the Ukraine organizes protests. In Ukraine the situation is dismal where one out every two pregnancies ends in abortion. Geoffrey, upon seeing the indifference of Americans to the large signs depicting aborted fetuses lamented, "In Kenya women would be weeping and kneeling in front of the signs saying 'How could this be?'" Coupled with the talks given at the Seminarian Life Link conference on the abortion mentality, the politics of abortion, and post-abortion healing these events were great learning experiences.

The seminarians expressed how much the Summer Seminarian Institute helped them understand the urgency of the worldwide pro-life battle. Each said after their experiences here, they want to start some pro-life initiatives in their countries. We learned a lot from them also by their gentle ways and different perspectives on American culture. The seminarian's enthusiasm and interest for the cause of life was inspiring to see. I had a tangible sense during these few weeks with the seminarians that we were forming future national pro-life leaders. After these two weeks, I have no doubt these men will put pro-life issues at the fore front of their ministry. With the education we gave them and a suitcase of materials to take back with them, I believe they are well equipped.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Joseph LoJacono

 

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