Next Tuesday, January 22, is the 35th annual March for Life . I was fortunate to make it down to D.C. for the march (and the weekend conferences leading up to it) several times when I was a student at Princeton and in the years immediately thereafter. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it this year, but for those of you who might be able to make it, here is a schedule of pro-life events for the long weekend —it highlights the Students for Life of America Conference, Rock for Life Training & Activism Weekend, Cardinal O’Connor Conference, National Prayer Vigil for Life at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Rally for Life and Youth Mass 2008, Lutherans for Life worship service, Silent No More rally, and much more. It really is a great weekend and a great march for a great cause.
Also, something new this year, the Catholic Information Center will be offering a pro-life bloggers discount . But contact them soon, because you have to register by the end of today. Dawn Eden sends along this note:
The Catholic Information Center, downtown Washington’s “street parish” — thought to be the first U.S. Catholic bookstore on Facebook — is poised to be “Blogger Central” on the day of the 2008 March for Life, with free wireless Internet, a 15% discount for pro-life bloggers, and a tea party, plus celebrity book and DVD signings.“Our store and chapel have traditionally been a respite stop for March-for-Life participants,” noted CIC manager Kevin Jones. “This year, we wanted to do something more, so—since we already offer free wireless internet—we decided to create some special incentives to encourage marchers to show their support for the Culture of Life on the web.”
The 15% discount for pro-life bloggers will apply all day on January 21-22. To receive the discount, pro-life bloggers must register in advance by e-mailing their name and blog URL to info@cicdc.org by Friday, January 18. On the day of the march, those who have registered may give their name to the CIC cashier to receive the discount on anything the store sells, including books, rosaries, jewelry, prayer cards, religious decorations, and stationery.
For the purpose of this discount, and to encourage pro-lifers to have a strong Web presence, the CIC is defining a “pro-life blog” as any family-friendly Web site that actively promotes the culture of life. This includes MySpace and Facebook pages, so long as they contain a prominently displayed pro-life item.
The bookstore recently augmented its own Web site, www.cicdc.org, with a ” Catholic Information Center ” Facebook page — believed to be the first-ever Facebook fan club for a U.S. Catholic bookstore.
Bloggers who visit the CIC during the afternoon of January 22 will find a special treat: a tea party immediately following the March for Life, from 3-6 p.m., hosted by Dawn Patrol blogger Dawn Eden. Eden, who has appeared on EWTN’s “Life on the Rock,” will be signing copies of her book The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On , which will be available for 25% off the cover price.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
