Benedictine Runners Complete National Pro-Life Relay – Benedictine College Media & Culture

Oct 31, 2024

The A-Cross America Relay for Pro-Life, which concluded in the Kansas City area on October 19, was billed as the largest spanning pro-life event in the world. The relay covered more than 5,000 miles from all four directions in the United States, creating the symbol of the cross over the country and carrying the message to “REMEMBER The Unborn” on their shirts. The final 5K of all four legs of the event were run by members of the Benedictine College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams.

“Thank you, LIFE Runners, for keeping the faith and fighting the good fight by raising awareness of the sanctity of human life,” the Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, who greeted the Benedictine runners at the finish line. “Please support the A-Cross America Relay for Pro-Life and join the race to save moms and babies from the predatory abortion industry. Life will be victorious!”

The event comes from LIFE Runners, a community of more than 23,000 teammates in more than 3,500 cities across 47 nations, which exists to “Prevent abortion by wearing a life-saving message.” The group cites a number shared by the Vitae Foundation’s Vitae Research Institute, an organization dedicated to pro-life evidence-based research, which states that “82% of women would’ve chosen life if just one person intervened.”

Something as small as a tap of encouragement or a moment of prayer can be all that is needed “for a little baby to quite literally get a birthday,” said Pat Castle, president and founder of LIFE Runners.

“I understand that every situation is different and that sometimes it might make sense or there’s pressure to have an abortion, but I really believe that there is a better option,” said Gemma Downey, a Benedictine College senior. “There are so many youths coming up who want to share this message.”

The Benedictine College runners made the local news in the Kansas City metro area and were moved by the showing of support in the community. Next year, the A-Cross America Relay is scheduled to end in Atchison, Kansas, on the Benedictine campus on Homecoming Weekend.

“Many thanks to President (Stephen) Minnis who has supported our apostolate activity at Benedictine College for many years,” said Castle. “LIFE Runner students wear their ‘REMEMBER The Unborn’ shirts on campus on the first Wednesday of each month. High five for Benedictine College (Track and Cross Country) Coach (Jacob) Connealy who got “REMEMBER The Unborn” jerseys for the entire men’s and women’s cross country team and participated in this Relay finish line event during their busy Homecoming Weekend. We are so excited that President Minnis approved the Relay to finish at Benedictine College next year as a Homecoming weekend event.”

(ABOVE PHOTO from LifeSiteNews.com)