Heartbeat International and pregnancy help were highlighted on broadcast television as thousands marched for life in Washington D.C. Jan. 21.
While the 49th annual national March for Life processed through the U.S. Capitol, Catholic media apostolate the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), broadcast on the ground and in-studio, with numerous guests throughout the day, including Heartbeat International President Jor-El Godsey.
Hosts Prudence Robertson and Tracy Sabol first asked Godsey about the mission of Heartbeat- the largest network of pregnancy help in the world.
“We're all about serving the pregnancy help community,” Godsey said. “Heartbeat International was called into existence by those that were in the movement 50 years ago. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2021.”
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Godsey said that back then when the Roe v. Wade decision came down, the people who were on the compassion side of the abortion issue were trying to help women not need abortion, and they determined that a group needed to come together.
Women were in the midst of that were making decisions and needed support, Godsey said.
“And so, before Roe,” he said, “God was calling a group of people together to say, ‘How do we do this?’”
At the time, it was called Alternatives to Abortion International, and it became Heartbeat International in 1992 and has been ever since.
“We really are all about advancing the pregnancy help movement both here and around the globe,” Godsey said.
Godsey discussed how Heartbeat supports expecting mothers and how moms in need find information about Heartbeat.
“That's the challenge,” Godsey said. “One of the ways that we do that is we operate OptionLine.org, as well as the Abortion Pill Rescue Network.”
“And when we're trying to help women, it's first thing that they need to know is that there are other options,” he continued. “And so, however, we can find them, reach them on social media, or we maybe pop up in an ad or be known in their community, however we can do that, we're trying to make that happen.”
“It literally is the church of Christ in action in communities around the U.S. and the globe,” Godsey said, with Heartbeat always working to expand that network.
“But that's exactly what we do, is help them find people,” he said. “One, that maybe a friendly voice on the phone, or maybe a friendly to chat that says, ‘You know what? You can do this.’ And when we can help them, sometimes they need material help. Sometimes they just need a shoulder, right? They need support.
“They need someone to stand with them and say, you can do this,” he added. “And God is already on our side. He's already working in their hearts. We just really kind of exposed that and say, ‘You know what, sometimes God comes in the form of another person to stand with of them.’
“And so that happens in the pregnancy centers,” said Godsey. “It certainly happens on the sidewalk, and it happens in a number of ways.”
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Robertson recalled Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) having had APR mom Rebekah Hagan on the broadcast earlier in the week, asking Godsey about the recent remarkable APRN milestone of 3,000 lives saved.
Statistics show that to date, 3,000 lives and counting have been saved thanks to APR.
Godsey said he has had the opportunity to join with some of the APR moms on the March for Life.
“It's a different day when you can really see; this is the fruit of what we do coming back,” Godsey stated. “And so, we get to have that opportunity to walk with women in that moment, when they're trying to say, ‘Is there another way do I, do I have to go through with this chemical abortion?’”
“And the truth is no, she doesn't,” said Godsey.
Robertson asked Godsey what the March for Life meant for him. The event had special significance this year with the Dobbs case before the Supreme Court and the possibility for Roe v. Wade to be overturned.
“Oh, it is the Super Bowl of the pro-life movement in the U.S.” he said. “It is more than just speaking to the nation that needs to happen. And this does that. This, although I think it's the biggest pro-life event that no one knows about because it doesn't get the kind of airplay it should for the, for how long it's been going on, and what's been happening.
“But it is the pro-life Super Bowl,” said Godsey. “It is the ability for us to get together and be excited and renewed about each other.”
“I love to hear the music. I love to have the young people” he said. “I love to see all the coordinated beanie caps and scarfs, and all of that energy is just something that everyone should experience at least once. Every pro-lifer should come to the March and experience it in person at least once.”
