Pavilion of Life

NCLN volunteers encourage pilgrims to become defenders of human life
By Kevin Belgrave

As part of the week-long Youth Festival held at Exhibition Place, the National Campus Life Network (NCLN) mounted an extensive pro-life exhibit entitled Pavilion of LIFE. Working together with other pro-life groups from both Toronto and the US, our goal was simple- get the pro-life message out to pilgrims and remind them of their Christian duty to be courageous defenders of human life.

The NCLN Pavilion featured four interactive computer kiosks where pilgrims could explore life in the womb, test their knowledge of worldwide abortion stats, and even get a primer on answering the "pro-choice" arguments (a particular focus of NCLN's work on campuses). Together with these kiosks, we offered two big screen TVs with English, French, and Spanish presentations focussing on a Christian understanding of the human person and the duty and urgency of becoming actively pro-life. Pilgrims could also watch video presentations on fetal development and the Life Principles pro-life philosophy as well as help themselves to a variety of pro-life materials free for the taking, among them, the extremely popular "What's Life All About?" booklet, produced especially for World Youth Day by the Center for Life Principles in the US.

In straightforward language, this incredible booklet covers the essential foundations of the pro-life position from what it means to be human, to understanding human happiness (their "trademark" four levels of happiness), and finally how these concepts can help us understand and ultimately heal a culture that allows such unspeakable tragedies as abortion and euthanasia. If the Life Principles message is new to you, I can only encourage you to take a moment and visit their website at www.lifeprinciples.net . Among many other things, you'll find an on-line version of their World Youth Day booklet. It is a powerful pro-life message that easily adapts to almost any type and age of audience and presents the harm of abortion and euthanasia in a manner not easily forgotten by those who hear it, regardless of their background.   Through the determination of Camille De Blasi, the Center's Director who joined us at the Pavilion, and the tireless NCLN volunteers, we were able to get these booklets out to 11,000 pilgrims in three and a half days - Africans, Koreans, Mexicans, Europeans, not to mention countless Americans and Canadians. How many wonderful conversations were had and new contacts made, both at the Pavilion and as we passed out booklets around the Exhibition grounds!

For those pilgrims who were already committed pro-lifers, the Pavilion offered tools to work smarter and more effectively. For those who had never made the essential connection between their faith and taking a pro-life stand, the Life Principles message and other Pavilion resources sought to bridge the gap that we hope will lead to courageous new defenders of human life in many countries in the world.

While this tired group of NCLN students is thrilled to have been part of Canada 's pro-life voice at World Youth Day, our efforts to reach thousands of young people at this once-in-a-lifetime event have put NCLN into a very difficult financial situation. Faced with this unfortunate reality, we are making a sincere and important appeal to all of our fellow Canadian pro-life individuals and groups to help support, in no matter how small a way, the costs of the Pavilion of LIFE. So much has been accomplished through this exhibit and if you are able, we sincerely ask your support for it.

In the end, I know that these efforts will bear fruit for our own country and will truly be a source of renewed energy and drive as we work to restore meaning and dignity to the human person whether on university and college campuses or in our local communities.

Kevin Belgrave is former Director and Anchor Member of National Campus Life Network.

You can contact NCLN at:

National Campus Life Network

700 - 120 Eglinton Ave. East

Toronto , ON M4P 1E2

phone: 416-483-7869

email: director@ncln.ca