The pro-life movement has a thriving community at the University of Dallas in Crusaders for Life, one of the largest clubs at UD.
Crusaders for Life is dedicated to promoting the dignity of life through natural death. Teresa Roach, the club’s outreach officer, emphasizes the gravity of right-to-life issues, especially abortion.
“It’s a really big issue … the most fundamental right isn’t being respected,” Roach said.
For the past two years, the university has provided the most students for Texas Right to Life’s annual Boots on the Ground Conference.
During Lent, Crusaders for Life brings students to an abortion clinic outside of Irving every other Saturday to pray for the women and babies inside, and to pray for an expedient end to abortion. Sarah Culbreth, the club’s prayerful presence officer, advocates the importance of student involvement in this event.
“[We are] getting outside of our UD Bubble to actually get involved in the prolife movement outside of campus,” Culbreth said.
Crusaders for Life hosts many speakers addressing the full spectrum of life issues, including recent topics such as the damage of contraception, the death culture embedded in the medical system and pro-life feminism. Last week, the club hosted Dr. John King who shared his personal and gut-wrenching encounter with human trafficking.
The next Crusaders for Life event is a visit to the Dallas Holocaust Museum on March 24. The club will also sponsor a 24-hour adoration during Holy Week to pray for the end to abortion.
Culbreth believes the club holds an important role in the pro-life movement, even while the campus is already largely Catholic and conservative.
“Our main goal is to educate people, so that they can then in turn go out and be an effective pro-life presence outside of UD,” Culbreth said.
Crusaders for Life meetings are open for anyone to join. They are held every other Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Seraphy room when the club is not hosting a speaker.
Crusaders for Life helps students at UD gain the knowledge and experience they need to fight for the right to life once they leave the UD Bubble.
“It’s important to be actively pro-life because people’s lives are at stake, and that’s not okay,” Culbreth said.
