Clemson University group starts Students for Life

October 2, 2008 Terry Cregar | The Catholic Miscellany News and Events

CLEMSON — A small group of Clemson University students, staff and faculty has started an effort aimed at bringing together pro-life members of the school community.
The group calls itself CU Students for Life and it hopes to activate the pro-life cause at the university and in the city of Clemson that surrounds the campus.
CU Students for Life kicked off their effort last week by hosting a talk on campus by Mike Koelzer, a national pro-life speaker.
Cathy Bell, who is an advisor to the new organization and a member of St. Andrew Church in Clemson, said in an e-mail that the student group wants to work to save lives.
Bell said the group’s mission is to “organize and activate pro-life members of the university community and work to save lives that are threatened by induced abortion, euthanasia and the destruction of human embryos for the purpose of research.”
She said the membership hopes to promote respect for life not only at Clemson, but also on a local, state and national level by “educating on life issues, collaborating with others on common goals and helping those in need so that life is a promising choice.”
Stefan Zollinger, the organization’s president, said their top goal right now is to build membership, which they hope to do by bringing national figures like Koelzer to the campus.
“It’s very tough to build membership in the midst of a secular society, but through the Lord’s help, it will grow into an army of love of life,” said Zollinger, a sophomore at the university.
The group has already booked its next speaker, Father Richard Hogan of Natural Family Planning Outreach, for an Oct. 6 talk on the “Theology of the Body.” His appearance will tie in with the 40 Days for Life campaign in the Upstate, Bell said.
She said the organization encourages both Catholics and Protestants to join.
“We would like to follow the teachings of the Magisterium in how we go about promoting our pro-life work in a secular environment,” Bell said. “It will definitely be a challenge, but we are sure the Lord will lead us if we just have patience and let him.”