This past weekend UFL held its annual Life and Learning Conference on the beautiful, rose-bedecked campus of Fordham University in the Bronx. The meeting featured a combination of keynote speakers, break-out sessions, and awards banquets. Among the highlights was the presentation of the annual Smith Award to Helen Alvaré, Professor of Law at George Mason University and long-time pro-life spokesperson and activist.
In her acceptance speech, Alvaré discussed strategies for effectively communicating a pro-life, pro-family message in cultural context that may not respond to arguments that appeal to the welfare of the child, the mother, or the poor. Among her proposals is to clearly articulate and compare and contrast the different anthropologies of those who reject the traditional understandings of life and sexuality and those who support them.
She also talked about the importance of showing young people in a hook-up culture how a traditional approach to sexuality helps make families into communities of love that contribute to human flourishing.
In the next few days I will post other highlights from the meeting, including the plenary talks by Sr. Agnes Donovan, SV, of the Sisters for Life, and Erika Bachiochi attorney and author of books on feminism and life and sexuality issues.