Tens of thousands of pro-life advocates filled Civic Center Plaza and marched more than a mile through the heart of San Francisco on Saturday for the 21st annual Walk for Life West Coast.
Participants rallied behind the banner “Abortion hurts women,” reflecting the event’s core message.
“Abortion hurts women, we love babies, and women deserve better than abortion,” Eva Muntean, co-chair of the Walk for Life West Coast, told CNA.
“This is not brain surgery: Life is good, and abortion is very harmful; first, of course, to the baby, but also for women who have had abortions, for men who will not know the joys of fatherhood, and to society in general.”
“We want all babies to have a future,” Elizabeth, a participant from Young Adults for Christ of St. Elizabeth Church in Milpitas, told the pro-life organization. “Babies are life. I have my baby — he is my everything.”
Echoing this sentiment, Muntean noted: “Hope springs eternal! We hope to share hope with mothers who are scared, with women suffering the pain of their abortions, with our city, and with our culture.”
While the event steered away from political affiliations, Muntean acknowledged a sense of hope with the current Trump administration.
“We are hopeful — certainly more so than with the previous administration,” she said, adding that recent federal actions have been heartening.
However, she emphasized that the Walk for Life’s mission transcends politics. “Our focus is not on legislation alone. Above all, we want abortion to become unthinkable, not just illegal, by offering better options and fostering a culture of life.”
The walk featured a lineup of speakers who shared personal stories of transformation, resilience, and faith.
Kelly Lester, a former abortion clinic worker, said the abortion industry’s goal is not choice. “We did everything to make sure the woman’s choice was abortion,” she said of her time in the industry.
Lester also shared her journey from despair to redemption after undergoing an abortion at the age of 15. Now a wife and mother of six, she works with organizations like And Then There Were None and Pro-Love Ministries to help others find healing.
“If you turn to the Lord, he will heal you,” she told the attendees.
The event showcased the diversity of the pro-life movement, drawing participants of all ages and backgrounds. Marchers carried signs reading “Women Deserve Better Than Abortion” and “Choose Hope, Choose Life,” while speakers emphasized the importance of compassion, advocacy, and action.
Ryan Bomberger, co-founder of the Radiance Foundation, also took the stage to share his story of being conceived in rape and adopted into a large family.
“Life is everything. Without it, we are literally nothing,” Bomberger said. He highlighted how his birth mother’s courageous decision turned “triumph out of tragedy,” underscoring the belief that every human life has purpose.
Sister Deirdre “Dede” Byrne — a former U.S. Army colonel turned nun and physician — discussed the ethical and spiritual dangers of in vitro fertilization. And Walter Hoye, a Black American pro-life activist and co-founder of the Issues4Life Foundation, closed the rally with a rousing call to action: “Now is the time to stand up for life. Now is the time to walk for life.”
This year’s St. Gianna Molla Award for Pro-Life Heroism was presented to Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Coffey of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone introduced Coffey, praising his commitment to defending life.
Earlier in the day Cordileone celebrated Mass, delivering a powerful homily that connected the pro-life movement to the biblical story of St. Paul’s conversion. He spoke of the courage required to advocate life in a society that often celebrates abortion as a right.
“To stand for justice in an unjust society will bring persecution. But when one knows what is right, there is no alternative,” the archbishop said.
