Skip to content

AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE

FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How can I support ALL?

Please visit our DONATE page for more information

What is ALL?

American Life League is a 501©(3) organization cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown and nine other dedicated pro-life Americans. It is the oldest grassroots Catholic pro-life education organization in the United States. ALL is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. It is rooted in pro-life integrity that stands up for every innocent human being whose life is threatened by what Pope John Paul II called “the culture of death.” That ranges from the single-cell human embryo to the elderly, the infirm, and others at risk of having their lives terminated by acts of euthanasia.

The mission of American Life League is to give light and hope to a broken world by promoting a culture of life that respects, protects, and cares for human beings from creation to death without exception. Our focus is on providing TRUTH-based educational materials and opportunities, inspiring and equipping generations to act for GOD and LIFE, and protecting and caring for the most vulnerable among us.

ALL includes such programs as Celebrate Life Magazine, STOPP International, the Culture of Life Studies Program, the Marian Blue Wave, Protecting Christ in the Eucharist, and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School.

What is Planned Parenthood?

Planned Parenthood is an organization founded in 1916 with three basic principles: uninhibited sexual activity, small families (less than 3 children), and eugenics (purification of the human race through selective breeding). Planned Parenthood adheres to a philosophy that God may or may not exist, but He has no effect here on earth. Man is in charge. All rules are relative and can vary.

Planned Parenthood obtains the money to spread its philosophies through sex-based clinics that sell birth control and related products to young women and girls. In the United States, it receives half of its billion dollar annual income from government programs.

Does Planned Parenthood try to destroy the Catholic Church?

Yes. As part of this campaign, American Life League produced a report in 2014 entitled The Vatican Can Help Save Souls from Planned Parenthood, which documents how Planned Parenthood targets the Church. That report is available in English, Spanish, Italian, and French on our STOPP program page.

What is wrong with Planned Parenthood?

Do you have a document that summarizes why Planned Parenthood is evil and should be opposed?

In addition to the report referenced in the prior question, we have a brochure entitled Why Do We Oppose Planned Parenthood? that is available in English from the American Life League resource department (540-659-4171). It can also be ordered online at ALL’s store.

Another great brochure is Planned Parenthood Steals Souls, which is also available in English and Spanish from our resource department and online.

Additionally, American Life League’s STOPP International program is dedicated solely to educating the public on what is wrong with Planned Parenthood and how to successfully fight against it. You will find additional resources here.

Why is ALL targeting Planned Parenthood?

As shown in the documents and on the website mentioned above, the International Planned Parenthood Federation and its country affiliates help create problems which lead to the moral decay of our culture. Its total dedication to, and insistence on, recreational sex and the killing of children through abortion make it the single most harmful influence on society.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation currently operates in over 160 countries around the world. In most countries, it goes by a name other than Planned Parenthood, but they are all part of the Planned Parenthood network. A list of all of IPPF’s affiliates can be found at ippf.org/our-work/where-we-work.

How does Planned Parenthood destroy souls and families?

The family is the cradle of life and the cradle of the Church. Planned Parenthood exists to rob the cradle and destroy the family. It pits itself directly against the Church in its bid to do so.

While Planned Parenthood pretends to nurture healthy families through its deadly birth control, sex instruction, and abortion agenda, it is an exemplification of the dragon of the apocalypse in the New Testament. It waits, then lunges to devour our children. If it fails at killing them by abortion, it tenaciously pursues them, luring them into the lair of sexual depravity and spiritual death. While it claims to be a champion of women, Planned Parenthood is the cause for their despair and death.

What is the purpose of getting Planned Parenthood declared an enemy of the Church?

Planned Parenthood has a very effective public relations effort and is continually portraying itself as a good organization. As was pointed out in our report (mentioned in a previous question), many bishops have commented that Catholics are being led astray or are confused by the propaganda from Planned Parenthood. A clear statement by the Church that IPPF, and all its country affiliates, is an enemy will clear up much confusion.

What is to be gained from this?

Such a declaration will give clear guidance to clergy and laity that they should never cooperate with Planned Parenthood in any way. It will also allow Church leaders to take the necessary steps to prevent Planned Parenthood employees or volunteers from serving in positions of responsibility in parishes or dioceses.

It is our hope that by issuing such a declaration regarding Planned Parenthood, all active Catholics will have a clear understanding of the danger posed to their souls by Planned Parenthood and will immediately cease any and all relationships with the organization altogether.

How will this help protect families?

By removing Planned Parenthood’s influence from our schools and other institutions, it will give parents the opportunity to instruct their children and spread their faith without having to fight IPPF. Children will receive a clear message that what Planned Parenthood does is evil, and they will not be as susceptible to IPPF’s publicity campaigns and sales pitches.

Have any other groups or organizations been declared an enemy of the Church?

Historically, popes have identified and condemned organizations that pose a grave threat to the Catholic Church. In 1738, Pope Clement XII issued a clear and strict condemnation of Freemasonry. His condemnation was so firm that Catholics were forbidden, under pain of excommunication, to join a Masonic lodge, to receive Freemasons into their homes, to be present with them, or “to help them in any way, to give them in any way advice, encouragement or support either openly or in secret, directly or indirectly, on their own or through others.” papalencyclicals.net/Clem12/c12inemengl.htm

In 1949, Pope Pius XII issued a Decree Against Communism, wherein all Catholics who vote for a communist, who join a communist party, or who write pro-communist books or magazines are excluded from the sacraments. Furthermore, those Catholics who defend, promulgate, or declare Communist Materialism are also automatically excommunicated. See montfort.org.br/old/index.php?artigo=anticomunismo&lang=eng&secao=documentos&subsecao=decretos.

Shouldn't all abortion providers be declared an enemy of the Church?

While all abortion providers commit grave sin by ending the lives of human beings created by God, Planned Parenthood goes well beyond killing God’s children. Planned Parenthood specifically targets pre-teens and teens to try to convince them God doesn’t matter and what is most supreme is the joy of uninhibited sex. Planned Parenthood routinely, and as part of its business plan, leads our children into lives of sexual sin and away from God. When taken as a whole, Planned Parenthood is a most hideous organization that specifically intends to thwart the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I want to share what I’ve learned about Planned Parenthood with others. How do I do that?

American Life League offers exceptional informational brochures that break down Planned Parenthood’s history, plans, and methods on how they impose and implement their anti-life, anti-family agendas in our communities.

You can order these items or download and print materials from our website. You can also share links online via e-mail or social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

You can subscribe to STOPP’s semi-monthly e-newsletter, the Wednesday STOPP Report, to stay informed on what Planned Parenthood is doing today and how people are having success in stopping PP. You can see the most recent issues and sign up for this FREE e-newsletter at stopp.org/wsr.php.

You can also arrange for a knowledgeable speaker to come to your community to speak about Planned Parenthood and meet with local church and civic leaders. You can arrange a speaker by e-mailing Bridget Carroll (bcarroll@all.org) or “Mike” Sedlak (msedlak@all.org) at American Life League.

Shouldn’t we be concerned for the souls of those people working at Planned Parenthood facilities?

Absolutely! We are very concerned with the souls and well-being of those who work at Planned Parenthood. This is why we pray for them without ceasing. This is why pro-life groups reach out to offer them assistance to escape the abortion industry. This is why pro-life groups on the sidewalk act as barriers between them and those who would do them harm. Certainly, they are among those whose conversion (from the philosophies of Planned Parenthood to following the Word of God) we pray for.

Why do we want to declare them enemies of the Church when they need the Church more than anyone?

We do not seek to have Planned Parenthood personnel declared enemies of the Church.

We pray for them to leave Planned Parenthood and amend their lives. The object of the campaign is to have institutional Planned Parenthood declared an enemy of the Church so that people will come to know and understand that:

Planned Parenthood promotes an evil agenda and is directly responsible for the death of more than six million tiny children killed in its facilities through surgical and medical abortion (and millions more through its “contraceptive” products).

With its population control, perverse promiscuous sex instruction, and abortion business, Planned Parenthood acts in direct contradiction to the Catholic faith.
In its attempt to use birth control and homosexual marriage as a wedge to take away religious freedom, Planned Parenthood directly attacks the Catholic Church.

 

How can Planned Parenthood be an enemy of the Church when it does so much for women?

Planned Parenthood sells products to women that suppress their body’s natural function and create a host of physical problems. In addition, the lifestyle advocated for women by Planned Parenthood leads to multiple sexual partners and exposure to severe diseases. Just about all the so-called “good” services of Planned Parenthood (cancer tests, STI testing and treatment, etc.) are treating the results from the products and lifestyle PP pushes. Far from being part of the solution, Planned Parenthood is the problem. 

Why is this effort happening now?

In the past, Planned Parenthood’s propaganda machine had been able to establish an image of respectability that would have made the declaration we are asking for difficult to obtain. But, over the last few years, the number of groups willing to tell the truth about Planned Parenthood has grown. So too has the number of former Planned Parenthood employees who are willing to tell the truth about what goes on behind closed doors. In addition, Planned Parenthood has become more brazen in its public efforts against the Catholic Church.

For all of these reasons, this is the right time to pursue a declaration.

How can my local pro-life or other group help in this campaign?

You can have an educational program to explain the campaign to your members.

You can encourage Catholics in your group to say the prayers after Mass.

You can encourage non-Catholics in your group to spread the message about Planned Parenthood and follow the suggestions above.

If your group already conducts a Bringing Jesus to Planned Parenthood through Mary campaign, you can add the specific prayer to defend the family to that effort.

If you do not already conduct that campaign, consider starting it now. See our campaign here. 

How does the pope declare an enemy of the Church?

As has been done in the past, the pope could issue such a declaration through a Decree or a Papal Bull.

How can my local pro-life or other group help in this campaign?

You can have an educational program to explain the campaign to your members.

You can encourage Catholics in your group to say the prayers after Mass.

You can encourage non-Catholics in your group to spread the message about Planned Parenthood and follow the suggestions above.

If your group already conducts a Bringing Jesus to Planned Parenthood through Mary campaign, you can add the specific prayer to defend the family to that effort.

If you do not already conduct that campaign, consider starting it now. See our campaign here. 

If Planned Parenthood is declared an enemy of the Catholic Church, what effect will this have on Catholics in public life who participate with, promote, and/or receive honors from Planned Parenthood?

It all depends upon the penalties imposed by the decree itself. If the decree issues the penalty of excommunication for participating with, promoting, or receiving honors from Planned Parenthood, then all such public Catholics who continue on with such things after the decree will be excommunicated. If the penalty is interdict, then they will be interdicted. In Roman Catholic canon law, an interdict is an ecclesiastical censure that excludes individuals or groups from certain rites of the Church, though they do not cease to be members of the Church. Excommunication, on the other hand, is more severe in that it may indicate a complete expulsion.

It must be understood that these penalties are not punishments but are in fact remedies imposed in order to help guide a particular soul back to the path of Salvation. And when done publicly, the remedy is also an attempt to guard against the scandal caused by these public officials. And so, as a result, even if the public official continues down the path away from the Church, at the very least, fewer Catholics will be inclined to support them because of their offenses against the Church Herself.

How can my local pro-life or other group help in this campaign?

You can have an educational program to explain the campaign to your members.

You can encourage Catholics in your group to say the prayers after Mass.

You can encourage non-Catholics in your group to spread the message about Planned Parenthood and follow the suggestions above.

If your group already conducts a Bringing Jesus to Planned Parenthood through Mary campaign, you can add the specific prayer to defend the family to that effort.

If you do not already conduct that campaign, consider starting it now. See our campaign here. 

How are prayers being incorporated into this campaign?

In our initial discussions with Vatican officials concerning our desire to have Planned Parenthood declared an enemy of the Church, they encouraged us to pursue our goal. They advised, however, that this effort would require a great deal of prayer support, and one prelate specifically suggested having the faithful say prayers after Mass.

During this time when the traditional, natural family is being weakened, true marriage is under attack, the secular world is attempting to force Catholics (and other Christians) to violate their consciences, and secularists are terribly distorting if not completely suppressing a faithful Catholic voice in the public square, we need all the extra prayers we can muster! We must beg God to protect our families and the Church from the devil’s attacks. The intercession of our Blessed Mother and St. Michael are necessary as well.

What does Mary have to do with converting our country or stopping Planned Parenthood?

Mary is the one through whom God chose to send the Savior of the world. He could have sent Him any way he chose, but he chose to send Christ through Mary. For that reason, we take our petitions to Mary, asking her to use the power granted to her by God for the conversion of America and all nations (from the philosophies of Planned Parenthood to following the Word of God), and for the grace of stopping Planned Parenthood.

At American Life League, Mary is front and center in all we do. She is the swift and sure path to victory over the culture of death and the conversion of nations.

My pastor/bishop doesn’t support pro-life ministry work at our parish; how can ALL help?

The basic problem is that, because Planned Parenthood operates the largest abortion chain in the United States and pushes for access to abortion around the world, the first reaction of anyone hearing about a campaign against Planned Parenthood assumes it is a pro-life effort.

This effort is specifically designed to help families in a world where they are constantly under attack.

Provide your pastor/bishop with a copy of the basic document How the Vatican Can Save Souls from Planned Parenthood. Ask that they read the document and notice the reasons given for asking that Planned Parenthood be declared an enemy of the Church. This is a pro-family, pro-God work. When explained in that way, you may find your pastor and bishop more inclined to be involved.

One word of caution. It has been the experience of many pastors that parishioners ask to get the parish involved in activities and then the parishioners disappear, leaving the pastor with the responsibility to run the effort. When you seek support of your pastor, make it clear that you will take care of all the details. All that is needed from him is to allow the activity to take place and let others know through the bulletin or announcements that the activity is happening.

American Life League exists to serve God by helping to build a society that respects and protects individual innocent human beings from creation to death without compromise, without exception, without apology.