For the first time in Cathedral Catholic High School/University of San Diego High School history, the office of Mission and Ministry, along with the Dons for Life club, is hosting Life Week this week to promote pro-life values and to educate students about pro-life issues, including abolishing abortion and the death penalty.

“Our mission is to make this campus unapologetically and comprehensively pro-life,” Dons for Life moderator and CCHS math teacher Ms. Christine LaPorte said.

Life Week, which emphasizes the dignity of humans in instances of abortion, assisted suicide, and death penalty, will feature pro-life panels and seminars, along with a school-wide speech by Sister Helen Prejean, American author of the wildly successful novel Dead Man Walking and advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.

The first Life Week event, a lunchtime anti-abortion seminar, spotlighted pro-life student advocates yesterday who educated students about abortion and encouraged them to choose life.

“I really didn’t know [how many people were going to show up],” Dons for Life club leader and student speaker Cecilia Bacich ‘20 said. “I was really surprised that the room was even half filled. The turnout was so wonderful, especially because this event was made for both pro-life and pro-choice people to make everyone feel included.”

Decorating the CCHS campus with crosses and pro-life statistics, the Dons for Life team worked hard to ensure the week will be transformative for students.

“We are hoping our lunch events are well-attended, and for the people that attend, that their hearts are opened to the dignity and sanctity of all life,” Ms. LaPorte said.

The rest of the week’s events include an assisted suicide seminar today at lunch in the lecture hall, the speech by Sister Prejean tomorrow in the Claver Center, a death penalty service Thursday in the chapel, and a celebration of life Friday on the knoll.