In this episode, Rev. Caesar LeFlore is joined by Cynthia Morales from Pro-Life Champions.

Cynthia, and her husband John, started their pro-life advocacy with the “40” film, a powerful documentary featuring Abby Johnson and others on the reality of the aftermath of abortion.

This project led them to start “Shout My Story,” a campaign started to combat Shout My Abortion:

“The Shout My Story campaign was created in response to websites like ShoutYourAbortion.com

This episode of Spotlight features Steve Karlen who serves as the campaign director for 40 Days for Life, where he trains and assists campaign leaders, co-hosts 40 Days for Life podcast and is the author of the book, “This is When we Begin to Fight.”

For those who may be unfamiliar, 40 Days for Life is a local pro-life ministry whose aim is to end abortion through prayer, fasting, and community outreach.… Continue Reading

Pro-life organizers are starting their preparations for the Fall 40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign.

This episode features a conversation between Catherine Walker, a prayer organizer with the Aurora 40 Days for Life, and Steve Carlin, the National Campaign Director with 40 Days for Life.

In this conversation, both Catherine Walker and Steve Carlin share encouragement for pro-life prayer warriors in Illinois.

“More than 25,000 lives have been saved because someone showed up to pray at an abortion facility.”

Did you know that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) includes coverage for the cost of abortions and abortion-related services?

The PWFA, which went into effect on June 27, 2023, was originally intended to provide pregnant workers with reasonable accommodations due to their pregnancy.

“Generally, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires a covered employer to provide a ‘reasonable accommodation’ to a qualified employee’s or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an ‘undue hardship.’”

Recently, the 40 Days for Life pro-life activist, Catherine Walker, spoke outside of Illinois’ Flossmoor Planned Parenthood.

Catherine Walker is a post-abortive, pro-life warrior and she has dedicated her life to helping women through the ministry of sidewalk counseling. In this episode of Spotlight, Catherine shares how she is seeing a positive impact in her community as a result of sidewalk counseling.

“My job is to be faithful and be a warrior in the army and go and try to save one life at a time.

Did you know that the abortion industry is trying to shut down SouthSide Pregnancy Center and other crisis pregnancy care facilities?

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we feature remarks by Frank Pavone given at SouthSide Pregnancy Center’s 2024 Banquet. Reverend Frank Pavone serves as the national director of Priests For Life and president of the National Pro-Life Religious Counsel and pastoral director of Rachel’s Vineyard.

“There is nothing that takes more life than abortion.

Governor JB Pritzker has been forthcoming and direct in articulating his desires to make Illinois the “abortion capital” of the United States.

In July of this year, Pritzker signed the Birth Equity Act (HB 5142) into law, which mandates insurance companies in Illinois cover the cost of abortion without any deductibles, extra costs, or copays.

In the state of Illinois, you can kill your baby at any point, for any reason, and with no added impact to your wallet.… Continue Reading

Does sex outside of marriage have any consequences?

Pam Stenzel answers this vital question during her keynote remarks at Illiana Right To Life’s 2024 Fall Banquet. Pam Stenzel has been a pro-life advocate since the 1980s and currently helps to operate four pregnancy resource centers in the state of Florida.

She is the author of “Sex Has a Price Tag” and co-author of the book, “Nobody Told Me: What You Need to Know About the Physical and Emotional Consequences of Sex Outside of Marriage”.… Continue Reading

“We are here to pray for sure. We are a peaceful prayer movement, and we always have been.”

In this special episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Catherine Walker, one of the leaders of 40 Days for Life Aurora. Catherine emphasizes the importance of getting involved in the prayer vigil– a time to pray for “image bearers that are at risk.”

Unfortunately, the fall of Roe v. Wade has been the pro-life work more difficult for pro-life centers in the state of Illinois.… Continue Reading

A Newsweek article from August chronicles the many Republicans who have openly pledged their support for Kamala Harris.

Their list includes former Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney (Wyoming), Adam Kinzinger (Illinois), former Trump White House official Stephanie Grisham, and a group of over 200 staffers for previous presidential Republican candidates.

Enough Republicans are feeling likewise that Newsweek reports a program started by the Harris campaign—”Republicans for Harris”—which is intentionally catering to Republicans who are rejecting Trump.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features remarks from the Go Public for Pro Life rally, organized by Vision 2020.

Julie Garofalo, executive director of the women’s crisis pregnancy center, Waterleaf; Matt Yonke of the Pro Life Action League; and Veronica Janiszewski with Students for Life, all speak on the vital importance of speaking truth and hope into the lives of women facing unexpected pregnancies.

“Our voices are a gift from God, and we must use them for good.

In the real world, no nationwide abortion ban is going to pass Congress, so Donald Trump will never have the opportunity to veto it. As a practical matter, concerns from pro-life activists amount to nothing because nothing is going to happen at the federal level. But for Trump and JD Vance, how they have improvised answers to the concerns of pro-life voters could hurt them more than help them. At the local level, the pro-life movement is on defense and losing every state that puts the matter up to a public vote.… Continue Reading

There have been a lot of laughs at President Joseph R. Biden’s expense since his disastrous debate with former President Trump on Thursday, June 28.

Democrats have been in a state of panic since then.

USA Today on June 30 reported the shocking results of a CBS/You Gov National Survey in which 72% of voters –  as well as nearly half of his party – said they do not believe Biden has the mental or cognitive capacity to serve as president.… Continue Reading

Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, the pro-life issue has become more important than ever before.

With the Republican National Convention coming up on July 15^th in Milwaukee, Students for Life Action (SFLAction) understands this crucial moment and is demanding that the Republican Party (Grand Old Party, GOP) maintain its pro-life stance.

While the GOP has been dedicated to the pro-life cause for decades, there are some Republicans (Republicans In Name Only, RINOs) that stand as a hindrance to the pro-life mission.… Continue Reading

It is our understanding that the RNC is considering a national platform without mentioning pro-life, pro-family, or parents’ rights issues. That would be a major mistake. Here is why:

Pro-Life Catholics and evangelical Christians make up the largest single GOP voting bloc. Many are low frequency GOP voters, if they vote at all. In 2016 and 2020, evangelical Christians voted for President Donald Trump at a rate of 75-78 percent, according to most post-election polls.… Continue Reading

This episode of Spotlight features the legacy of Joe Schiedler, who passed away at the age of 93.

Joe Schiedler leaves a 50 year legacy of peaceful, pro-life activism that took him around the nation and the world. Schiedler and his wife, Anne, co-founded the Chicago based Pro-Life Action League, and he authored Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion and Racketeer for Life.

Back in 2017, IFI hosted a Pro-Life Forum where Joe Schiedler reflected on his work and his calling in the pro-life movement.… Continue Reading

16 years ago, Planned Parenthood opened an abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois. On the anniversary of this opening, pro-life activists held a prayer vigil outside of the building featuring Pastor Randy Schoof of Warehouse Church and Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League.

In his speech, Pastor Schoof encouraged those in attendance to continue to pray for the end of abortion, to plead for God’s mercy, and to continue the work of sidewalk counseling outside of abortion sites.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Dave Smith and Monte Larrick sit down with Evelyn Stenzel.

Evelyn works with the Southside Pregnancy Center and travels throughout the greater Chicago area for the purpose of equipping Christians with the pro-life message.

Part of Evelyn’s ministry, “Equipped!”, includes informing pro-life advocates of abortion procedures and the impact abortion has on both the unborn baby and the mother. In the interview, she comments,

Many people that are pro-life honestly are unfamiliar with abortion procedures, the impact of abortion– of course on the unborn but also on the mother…

Mentioned in the podcast is Evelyn’s Equipped!… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring the second part of Scott Klusendorf’s speech at the 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is an organization that is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend Life in the public square. He is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.

In this portion, Klusendorf tackles the topic of how one’s church can effectively engage the culture with pro-life apologetics.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features Scott Klusendorf at the IFI 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend their view of life in the public square. He has taught pro-life apologetics at over 80 colleges and universities, and he is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.… Continue Reading

Illinois Family Action is pleased to endorse Win Stoller for re-election to the 37th District. He is a strong and passionate defender of life from conception to natural death. He vehemently opposed the unilateral Pritzker lockdowns and has fought to reduce taxes and wasteful Springfield spending that hurts our families.

In his own words, from a district-wide mailing:

Pro-Life: Illinois State Senator Win Stoller is 100% pro-life and supports the unborn.

“It grieves me that our state has adopted the most extreme and radical abortion laws in the nation.

Illinois Review reported Monday, February 28, former congressional candidate Kathy Salvi of unincorporated Fremont Township in Lake County, is circulating petitions to run for U.S. Senate in 2022. 

Click HERE to download Salvi’s nomination petition. Collect as many signatures as you can in the next few days and mail them to her no later than Monday, March 7th. Petitions do not have to have every line filled and every signature will help!… Continue Reading

Why are left-wing Democrats lying about Mary Miller?

Because she stands for your values!

U.S. Representative Mary Miller is serving her first term in Congress, representing Illinois’ 15th District in Washington, D.C. Her husband, Chris Miller, is a state representative who has served in the Illinois General Assembly since 2019. They are a hardworking Christian couple who have raised seven children, operate a family ranch and farm, and are well-respected leaders in their local church and community.… Continue Reading

After the break, Eric details the Pro-Life Action League’s efforts amidst the pandemic. He also addresses probable and possible goals of a Biden presidency: reinstatement of Planned Parenthood’s Title X funding, repeal of the Hyde Amendment, a federal abortion law, and more.… Continue Reading

After that, they discuss activating more people for the pro-life movement, what the Pro-Life Action League does for the unborn, a potential legislative reversal of the parental notice of abortion in Illinois, how constituents could lobby their pro-abortion lawmakers against it, sex trafficking and parental notice, and is abortion coming to the public schools?… Continue Reading

They discuss the psychology of the Face the Truth Tour, the danger and general unpopularity of repealing parental notice of a minor’s abortion, why now is the best time to meet face-to-face with your lawmakers, and new legislation that would repeal Illinois’ newest abortion law in addition to making Illinois a heartbeat state.

They also talk about relatively recent critiques of how Republican party leadership handled the fight against the RHA, and the easiest way by far to get started in the pro-life movement: 40 Days for Life.… Continue Reading

Peter has represented many churches, organizations, and individuals pro bono in state and federal courts across the country. He has served as the Society’s Vice-President, as well as its Executive Director & Legal Counsel, directing its day-to-day operations.… Continue Reading

Here is the second of two videos aimed at encouraging more Christian conservatives to run for Precinct Committeeman. IFA’s Dave Smith is joined by northern Illinois activist Jan Klaas, and the Illinois Leadership Project’s chairman Jim Edwards.

Here is Dave’s strong introduction to this important and informative discussion:

I really want our viewers and our listeners to understand that the state of Illinois is in the position that its in right now…because people of faith — conservative Christians are just not engaged the way they should be… If more of us were engaged things would look a lot different.

In this 50th edition of the Illinois Family Spotlight podcast, IFI’s and Illinois Right to Life Action’s lobbyist Ralph Rivera gives us a recap of the spring legislative session in Springfield. Well over 6,000 bills were introduced between January 11, 2017 and May 31, 2017.  Dozens of these bills were on our radar screen. For a quick reference guide to these bills of concern, please click HERE.

In this podcast, Monte, Dave, and Ralph focus their discussions on HB 40, a bill which removes the ban on taxpayer funded abortions.… Continue Reading

Pro-life activist Chris Iverson joins Monte and Dave to discuss his campaigns. Chris leads groups of volunteers in projects that display a simple message for thousands upon thousands of people: abortion takes human life.  The three discuss Chris’ experience in his banner campaigns, his strategy behind the sign, and his long-term goal of buying billboard space.

Want to help us raise funds for a billboard campaign? Call the IFI office at (708) 781-9328 or click HERE to make an online donation.… Continue Reading

We’d love to hear from you! Email us at feedback@ifiaction.org.… Continue Reading

Jill Stanek, the National Campaign Chair for the Susan B. Anthony List, joins the show to discuss the state of affairs of the pro-life movement.  Topics include Governor John Kasich’s recent decisions on abortion legislation and what victories are within the pro-life movement’s reach within the next election cycle.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick, David Smith, John Biver, and Ralph Rivera reconvene to continue discussing the recent general election.  In this episode, they review the four now-red House seats, the future of life and bathroom legislation, and how voters can influence an election beyond the ballot box.… Continue Reading

Illinois Family Spotlight recaps the recent election, discussing how pro-family issues may be effected with our newly elected leaders.  Will our new president actually be pro-life?  Can Roe v. Wade be overturned?  Is the Illinois legislature growing more conservative?  Monte, Dave, John Biver, and Ralph Rivera (Illinois Citizens for Life) answer these questions and more.… Continue Reading

We’d love to hear from you!  Email us at feedback@ifiaction.org.… Continue Reading

Written by Micah Clark, AFA of Indiana

Scores of commentators have been rehashing the results of the November 6th election and advising the GOP on what it ought to do.  Let me say this to Republicans: only a party of fools would now take advice from the same media establishment that worked around the clock to ensure your defeat.  Instead of listening to the “talking heads” appearing on TV, both Republicans and Democrats would be wise to look at some amazing voter data from some truly large voting blocs. … Continue Reading

Recently, someone accused Illinois Family Action of “eating our own” for criticizing the positions of a Republican candidate for the Illinois State Senate. Here are the thoughts of one IFA reader, attorney Mark Rouleau, to the notion that conservatives ought not criticize any Republicans running for office:

The description of criticism of Republicans as “eating our own” is the product of a reprobate mind and a seared conscience. Such a charge reflects a kind of tribalism.