The Archdiocese of Agana held a pro-life prayer service outside of the cathedral-basilica on Thursday. Archbishop Michael Byrnes gave a message on the sacredness of life at all stages, saying that abortion is the most important human right effort of our time and age.

"Unborn children have no voice. They have no means to speak or cry out against those who threaten their lives," he said. "Unborn have no way of defending themselves."

He noted that more than 62 million unborn children have been killed since the inception of Roe vs. Wade in 1973, and that it’s not only the duty of Catholics and Christians to protect the lives of the unborn, but of humanity.

The archdiocese also announced its official support of Sen. Telena Nelson’s Guam Heartbeat Act of 2022, calling it a tremendous cause for prayer and hope.

"A person is no less of a human being because they are not visible in the same way that the rest of us are," Byrnes said. 

The Guam Catholic Pro-life Committee was also in attendance at the service. Co-chairperson Sharon O’mallen shared her testimony on how she transformed from pro-choice to pro-life.

"This was actually the first time I saw aborted baby pictures, and I looked and I looked. I saw the little feets, the little feet, the legs, the arms, the bodies, and the heads all separated from each other but placed together," she said. "He was a boy. Everything was there. He was a baby, just in pieces. Just in pieces. And then she showed me another picture of a baby that had been burned in a solution, and aborted. When you know the true reality of what actually goes on in an abortion. You can’t, you can’t, you can’t continue being a pro-choice person. You must understand and respect that this is a whole other human being. I didn’t think it was my right to tell someone else what they’re supposed to do with their baby. I didn’t deeply think about it, and I think a lot of people are like that. So, pro-choice people have to understand I’ve been with you, and I understand where you’re coming from.

Byrnes recognized that the subject of abortion is often a heated and emotional debate, and that everyone has their own experiences, circumstances, and wounds that have shaped their stance on the issue. Regardless of opposing views, he says it’s paramount that we continue to respect all.