Thousands are expected at this year’s Walk for Life West Coast, which will be held in the streets of downtown San Francisco on Saturday, Jan. 24. The event is in its 22nd year and previously has drawn crowds as large as 50,000.

Major features of the event include a rally at the City’s Civic Center Plaza beginning at 12:30 p.m. followed by a 1.8-mile walk to Embarcadero Plaza beginning at 1:30 p.m. 

Rally speakers include filmmaker and podcaster Jason Jones, Spokane pregnancy center director Glendie Loranger, pro-life advocate and convert to the pro-life cause Elizabeth Barrett, and Baptist pastor Clenard Childress. 

“This is an effort to bequeath to our children a civilization of love and life,” said Jones, who is attending the walk for the second time and his first as a speaker.

Jones’ motivation to join the pro-life movement, he explained, dates back to his “irreligious” teen years when, at age 16, he learned he had impregnated his girlfriend. 

He joined the U.S. Army upon turning 17 as a way to support his child, only to learn that his girlfriend, due to pressure from her father, had had a late-term abortion. He recalled: “It was insane. Even as an uneducated high-school dropout, I could see that abortion was unspeakably evil.”

Jones began his pro-life activism while stationed in Hawaii, later becoming a prominent pro-life advocate in the media and participating in the production of pro-life films such as Bella in 2006. His chief activities today include serving as president of The Vulnerable People Project, through which he defends “the most vulnerable across the globe, from the unborn to persecuted minorities in war zones.”

Jones said he is excited about the progress the pro-life movement has made in recent years, particularly after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision that overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision striking down the nation’s anti-abortion laws. 

“The abortion establishment is a billion-dollar industry fighting for its life. They’re at the end of their rope,” he said. “The pro-life movement, conversely, is vibrant, lively, spirited, and diverse.”

He lamented that the pro-life movement “lacks the political power it should have” but noted that much of the efforts of pro-lifers are directed at operating pro-life pregnancy centers at the local level. Their work, he said, is “the biggest untold story in American history.”

Today, Jones is a Catholic convert living in Texas and is married with seven children. Of his faith, he remarked: “I’m so glad I’m Catholic. Whether it be dehumanizing ideologies that lead to abortion or other evils, our faith inoculates us and enables us to see the truth.”

Catholic Schools and Parishes

Participating in the walk annually are groups from Catholic schools and parishes. Among the most prominent participants are students from Thomas Aquinas College (TAC) in Santa Paula, California, which this year will turn out over 250 walkers. These include senior Patrick Daly, a regular walk participant during his college years. 

“It’s really cool to see the number of people who make the trip to San Francisco from long distances, especially high school students,” Daly said. “The younger generation tends to lead the walk, which gives it a lot of energy.”

The Walk for Life West Coast in downtown San Francisco is in its 22nd year and has drawn crowds as large as 50,000 in past years. | | Francisco Valdez

Daly also said each time he walks the experience is “eye-opening” and “rekindles the fire against abortion.”

He noted that unlike many political demonstrations that can be loud, vulgar and violent, in contrast the West Coast Walk for Life is peaceful and joyful, with participants singing the Salve Regina or praying the Rosary. 

“It’s a beautiful experience. We’re not there to fight or to yell. We humbly walk and ask God to intervene on behalf of our nation, that we develop a greater respect for human life,” he said.

Daly acknowledged that the political culture of San Francisco is at odds with the pro-life beliefs of Catholics, but added: “We’re bringing a Christian influence on an evil city. It is a special walk in a broken place.”

TAC sophomore Basil Gutch is another repeat walker, annually participating because “it is a way to share my beliefs in a community setting.”

“Abortion is a modern-day holocaust. It hits close to home when I realize that a third of my generation has died by abortion. Also, the abortion industry is corrupt, selling dead fetuses for experimentation. When we walk, we wrestle with its grave evil and pray for it to end,” he said.

Gutch noted that in last year’s walk residents approached his group seeking to dialogue about abortion — both from curiosity and trying to convert his group to a pro-choice view. He continued: “While there were people who were yelling pro-choice slogans at us as we walked by, these conversations were surprisingly civil.”

Other Activities

Other activities for the Walk for Life West Coast include a Silent No More Awareness Campaign led by Georgette Forney and Frank Pavone of Priests for Life from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The event precedes the rally and features testimonies of individuals harmed by abortion. There will also be an Info Faire on the Civic Center Plaza, in which pro-life groups share information about their activities.

Additionally, there will be a series of events on the Friday before the walk and the day of the walk. Friday events include a Walk for Life prayer vigil at St. Dominic’s Church at 5 p.m. followed by Mass, a Holy Hour, and confessions, and adoration for life at Sts. Peter and Paul Church from 8 to 10 p.m. 

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has attended previous Walk for Life events. This Saturday he will preside at a Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 9:30 a.m. | Dennis Callahan

Saturday events include a Walk for Life Mass with San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 9:30 a.m. and a Traditional Latin Mass at the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi at 5 p.m. Star of the Sea Parish will host a barbecue and all-night adoration for life beginning at 5 p.m. For a complete list of activities, visit the event website at WalkforLifeWC.com.

Organizers request that participants register for free on the website. The site includes helpful information on such topics as parking, public transportation, and accommodations, as well as a code of conduct for the walk.

Watch on EWTN.

When Jerome Síbulo left church choir rehearsal on a Wednesday night, he found his vehicle’s back windshield completely shattered.

The director of music and arts ministry had parked his car just outside of Trinity United Methodist Church, at Broadway and East 18th Avenue, when someone hurled a large rock into the glass on December 17. The rock was left sitting on the dashboard, Síbulo recalls. Nothing was stolen. There was no message or explanation for the crime.

It seemed almost random — except that the same thing has happened to twenty other cars belonging to church members since November, according to reports to church staff. And they’re not the only victims.

The Denver Police Department received 22 reports of broken vehicle windshields and twelve reports of broken building windows near Broadway from December 1 through January 7. Repeat incidents have occurred between 17th Street and Blake Street, covering a mile-long stretch of the boulevard.

“I work at the church part-time and I have other jobs, so I basically live in my car. Having my car broken into felt very violating,” Síbulo says. “But it didn’t feel like the harm was directed at the church members.

“It felt like someone disturbed. And it seems like it’s spreading.”

Police say the string of vandalism incidents began a couple of months ago, and they believe there are even more cases than they know about.

“DPD continues to investigate these incidents, including whether or not they are connected,” says the Denver Police in a statement. “We do not believe all the incidents have been reported to police and encourage anyone who has been victimized to report it. The more information investigators have, the more helpful it would be for the investigations.”

Emily Shupak says her car was attacked on January 3, while parked near the Brown Palace Hotel at Broadway and 17th Street. She was gone for no more than an hour between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. when someone shattered her back windshield, not stealing anything from the vehicle.

She claims the same thing happened to her partner’s car on December 26.

“It’s super frustrating,” Shupak says. “It’s happening to a lot of people, so it’s not just a prank. …It sucks for all these people who’ve been impacted, not just me or him.”

Shupak had to pay $510 to replace the windshield. “I’m a social worker, I don’t make much money,” she adds. Síbulo paid $486 to have his vehicle repaired.

Shupak says some witnesses told her that e-scooter-riding teenagers were responsible for the vandalism, while others claimed it was a homeless individual. Police are not releasing any suspect information at this time.

Such acts of vandalism are not typically common within the community, says Paul Smith, chair of the board of trustees of Trinity United Methodist Church.

“We’re in a neighborhood with a lot of unhoused people, and I don’t think this is characteristic of our experience with our neighbors there,” Smith says. “A lot of those people are very respectful of the church. Some of them are actually proactive in looking after the church, cleaning up trash and so forth.”

But beyond the broken windshields of church members, the building itself has recently been targeted.

Someone attacked the church’s stained glass windows on January 4 and January 7, Smith says. In one case, the vandal managed to break through the protective barrier and damage 140-year-old glass behind it. Smith estimates the repairs will cost upwards of $8,000.

“It takes a lot to break that glass,” Smith says. “Somebody really spent a lot of time hammering away on a couple of those windows. It wasn’t just throwing a rock and breaking it. The [protective] glass is very tough and very durable, but somebody really went to work on it.”

The church is in the process of installing security cameras, he adds.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Denver Police Department or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.

Los Angeles Rams: Protection for Matthew Stafford

A month ago, the Rams looked like a near-complete team. Special teams aside, they had answers everywhere. Coaching. Quarterback. Playmakers. A defense that could steal a game if necessary. They’re still a formidable opponent, but cracks have started to emerge.

The Rams barely survived their divisional round game against the Chicago Bears, and Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford spent the aftermath conducting a public inquest into their own performance. McVay admitted he had been guilty of “bad coaching” against the Bears. Stafford acknowledged he needs to play better. Neither was wrong. And yet, in the game’s final moments, Stafford still delivered the throws that mattered, and the Rams escaped thanks to their defense creating a decisive turnover.

McVay, belatedly, rediscovered the rushing game against the Bears. He ran the ball 19 times in the fourth quarter and overtime after barely doing so for three quarters. It was less an adjustment than a confession: McVay had been too pass-centric. His gameplan was wrong. And that has been the Rams’ greatest strength on offense this season: they can switch up their strategy during a game. But their two playoff games have shown fractures within the offense.

Stafford is not playing well. Against Chicago, he looked rattled and confused as the Bears sent every manner of blitz his way. He made late – and poor – decisions, offering the ball up for grabs or refusing to let it go. On Sunday, he had 11 off-target throws, according to ESPN, his most ever in a playoff game. More than that, he looked uncomfortable in the pocket against a blah Bears pass-rush, moving into pressure and struggling when pushed off his spot. It’s true that McVay didn’t give him enough answers, but Stafford is a limited player at this stage of his career when players are not open by design and he’s forced to create on the fly.

Stafford is taking significantly more sacks in the postseason than he did in the regular season. His offensive line has allowed four times as many free runners on the quarterback as it did before the playoffs. To win it all, the Rams will have to get past relentless pass rushes.

First up is the sternest test. It’s Seattle, on the road. The Seahawks are a tough matchup for anyone. They are particularly tough for the Rams. For as flexible as McVay and Stafford can be on offense, the Seahawks can match them. It will fall on the offensive line, McVay’s play calling, and the team’s protection plan to keep Stafford clean. No team creates as much confusion or crafts as many free runners as the Seahawks. They force the offensive line to communicate and roll out pressure from every conceivable angle.

The Rams can limit some of the blows to Stafford with their run game. They led the league in rush success rate this season and were the only team to crack 50%. In both playoff games, it’s the run they’ve turned to when things have been tight. If the Rams’ offensive line can keep Stafford clean and push the Seahawks’ defensive front off the ball, then the game will be in the hands of a great quarterback and his two star receivers.

Seattle Seahawks: Defense

After hammering the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, the Seahawks are firm favorites to win the Super Bowl. There are no holes with this team. Sam Darnold, playing through an injured oblique, barely had to do anything against San Francisco. From the opening kickoff, the Seahawks controlled the game and led by three scores at half-time.

It’s small margins that often matter in the playoffs, and all those things tilt in Seattle’s direction. They’re running the ball better than at any point this season – and have the No 1 special teams unit in the playoff field.

Still, this is a team who flow through their defense. The unit finished the regular season first in EPA/play, and was again dominant against the Niners last week. Everywhere you look, there are game-wreckers: DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy II, Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori. But it’s the non-household names such as Ty Okada, Uchenna Nwosu, Josh Jobe and Julian Love who push this group from being great to one of the best in the past 26 years. They are violent. They rush the passer. They shut down opposing run games. In coverage, they are tricky to decipher and play with all-out effort.

Darnold in the second half of the season may not be at the same level as Stafford or Drake Maye, but his defense is the great equaliser.

Denver Broncos: Pass rush

Bo Nix’s injury is cruel. He put together the best performance of his young career to beat the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. Now, he’s done for the season with a broken ankle.

Enter Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown a meaningful pass in two years and has never played in the postseason. At center, Denver could be down to a third-stringer, depending on the health of Alex Forsyth. None of this is ideal, particularly for an offense that lives on its pass protection.

If the Broncos are to survive and advance, their pass rush must step up. It ran a little cold against the Bills, but it has been the team’s superpower all season.

The Broncos led the league in pressures and sacks in the regular season. Vance Joseph, the team’s defensive coordinator, has become more selective about when he blitzes, but the group almost always gets home when he adds extra spice. When sending five or more pass-rushers this season, the Broncos have a 50% pressure rate. Creating havoc in the backfield and forcing turnovers is the Broncos’ best path forward. They cannot expect Stidham to go on a Nick Foles-type run. (He did look good in preseason, Broncos fans!) Edge rusher Nik Bonitto is liable to swing a game on any given snap. He isn’t the most efficient pass rusher, but he is the most explosive remaining in the playoff field. Without timely blitzes and constant pressure from Bonitto, Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach and Jonathan Cooper, the Broncos have no shot.

Denver’s defense has been strong all season. It will need to be special on Sunday and, possibly, beyond. Without Nix, the margin is too thin.

New England Patriots: The good version of Drake Maye

The Patriots were not dazzling against Houston. They were, however, effective at the right times. Now they are one win away from the Super Bowl. Again.

New England’s defense deserves credit. Sure, CJ Stroud threw up on himself last week. But it was the same with the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, whom the Patriots faced the week before. In both games, the Patriots’ defensive line wrecked shop, with the secondary helping out by masking coverage. The offense did enough against the Chargers and Texans. That has been New England’s formula this season. You can point out the favorable path, the injuries to opponents and the fortunate breaks. None of that is wrong. This is not a juggernaut. Then again, neither was the team that shocked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI to kick off the Brady-Belichick run.

The Patriots’ defense is good, but it is vulnerable. Against the Chargers, the defense conceded a 38% (!) wide-open target rate to receivers, the highest in a playoff game in six seasons. Herbert simply made poor reads and struggled to maintain his composure as his offensive line melted down. Stroud pieced together one of the worst single postseason performances in history, lobbing the ball up to the Pats defense even when he had receivers open. There will be opportunities for Sean Payton and Stidham down the field. And if New England make it to the Super Bowl, the Rams or Seahawks will be a different magnitude of challenge.

Which means the decisive plays will be in the hands of their own quarterback. Maye could wind up being the league’s MVP. He has been spectacular all season, and he can create plays out of nothing or rip a defense apart by sticking to the scheme. But he has not been as solid in the playoffs as he was during the regular season. Yes, he’s played two outstanding defenses, but it’s also not getting any easier from here on in.

Maye has been at fault for too many negative plays. He has a 50% pressure-to-sack rate in the playoffs and has doubled his turnover-worthy play rate, per PFF. Sure, his offensive line has been beaten up, but he’s also held on to the ball too long. For Maye, that’s usually fine. He can offset those negatives with spectacular throws for chunk yardage. In both playoff games, he has made timely big-time throws – often for scores – to help mitigate the down-to-down struggles.

Taking sacks is one thing. Turning it over is something else. In the playoffs, Maye has contracted a vicious case of fumble-itis, coughing up the ball six times in two games. If it’s going to be in his hands to decide a tight contest, he cannot put the ball in harm’s way. If he can be the quarterback he was in the regular season, the Patriots have a good shot at their first championship of the post-Belichick/Brady era.