When Mrs. Rose informed me that the Massachusetts Citizens for Life 50th Anniversary Gala would host Dr. Ben Carson as the keynote speaker, I almost fell out of my chair (Vivian ‘24 and Rosie ‘25 can attest to this).
Dr. Ben Carson has been a huge role model for me since I was little. When I was 9, I watched the movie “Gifted Hands,” an adaptation of the book he wrote about his life. The way he speaks to adversity inspires me. His hard work and determination to be better in the face of challenges changed the trajectory of his life. Growing up without a father, facing racism, and living in poverty, shaped him to be the compassionate, intelligent man he is today. His response to the adversity he faced made all the difference. Because of his dedication to preserving life, MCFL asked him to be the keynote speaker.
The night’s program began with Isabella Olohan, who wrote an original poem as a school project, titled “A Letter For Mommy.” She wrote from the perspective of a child in utero, whose mother decided to abort. By the end of her presentation, there was not a dry eye in the room. There were a few more speakers, a couple who were pressured to have an abortion because of potential health risks as well as Myrna Maloney Flynn, the President of MCFL. She spoke about the positive impact the foundation has had in Massachusetts because of the decrease in abortions.
Dr. Ben Carson spoke to end the night. He talked about America as a whole and its need to be united. He said that we must have courage because America is a “republic if you keep it.” We must be able to have courageous conversations instead of enabling cancel culture to keep us silent. Progress is made in the absence of silence. He cites courage as a catalyst for progress. His mother’s tremendous encouragement, prayer, and faith in him made the biggest difference in his life. He had the courage from her to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.
Additionally, he spoke about his conversion to the pro-life movement. He thought about the concept of slavery and how anything was allowed until the abolitionists spoke up. He realized that in both cases, a human’s worth is diminished. Since then, he has been an avid supporter of the pro-life movement.
Finally, he spoke about a difficult time during his residency. All of the attending neurosurgeons were at a conference. A man came into the emergency room requiring immediate brain surgery. However, Dr. Carson wasn’t yet qualified to perform the surgery, but the man’s life was in jeopardy. He could lose his job and reputation but prayed for the courage to do the correct thing. He says that he was “afraid but didn’t turn back,” and completed a successful surgery on the man. Dr. Carson tied it back to Jesus dying on the Cross for us. He says that Jesus did it for all of us so that we could live for peace and freedom. Now it is our turn to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.
The night ended with a standing ovation, followed by a prayer for respect for all life, from conception to natural death.
By Anya Marino ‘24, Faith Editor
