Our latest pro-life street session gave me real hope

It was a really beautiful day, with the sun shining and people in good spirits. We set up our pro-life table up at O’Connell street with the baby models at the centre, drawing the attention of the onlookers. 

We also held up the posters for the passerbys to see, with people stopping to read them.

There were many smiles and thumbs up, with a midwife stopping to praise our work. A lot of people stopped and chatted with us, having different conversations, sharing concerns, or simply wanting to debate and discuss their ideas.

One of the conversations I had was with a woman who had two abortions herself. She was probably in her 60s and had previously been in an abusive relationship, and felt there was no other option but to abort her babies. She was very pleasant to talk to and acknowledged the humanity of the baby, and you could hear the regret in her voice. We parted by embracing each other, and I assured her of my prayers.

Another conversation that stood out was with a man who had completely changed his mind on abortion years ago and had campaigned strongly against the removal of the 8th Amendment in 2018. He had tears in his eyes reminiscing the loss that had happened but was hopeful about the tide changing and reclaiming the right to life for every person.

Lastly, the most memorable encounter I had was with three young girls. They were dressed in black, with dyed hair and piercings, and were 17, 15, and 14 years old. It was one of the most fruitful and respectful conversations I’ve had with girls that age. They had different ideas about when abortion should be legal, but they were attentive, respectful, and willing to listen. By the end of the conversation, they thanked me and said they wanted to look things up when they got home, which felt very hopeful. Although they held different views, they changed their minds in regards to the different circumstances and limits where abortion should be legal and then at the end they acknowledged that every person, whether in the womb or not, has an irreplaceable value.

It was a wonderful day, with children dragging their parents over to see the baby models, and many people stopping to read the posters or have a conversation with us. It was a day filled with meaningful encounters, honest conversations, and small moments of connection. While not everyone agreed, there was a genuine openness and willingness to engage, which gave a sense of hope that respectful dialogue can make a difference.