COLORADO SPRINGS. A ballot initiative that would ban abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy has been approved by state election officials in Colorado. A group called the Coalition for Women and Children, which is based in Englewood, filed the proposed initiative.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Fear of suffering and a lack of appreciation for the dignity of each human person are two of the driving forces in the culture of death, said Sister of Life Maris Stella, who was the keynote speaker at the Bishop’s Respect Life Dinner on Oct. 24 at The Broadmoor Hotel.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Out of the proceeds of the 2017 Bishop’s Respect Life Dinner, the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center (SPRC) received $10,000 to help them expand their hours and add professional staff in support of their mission to help women during pregnancy.

“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7)

The phrase “breath of life” took on a whole new meaning when, at seven months pregnant, I found out our preborn son may or may not be able to breathe once he was born.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Save the Storks, a pro-life organization based in Colorado Springs, will sponsor its first ever “Storkfest” on Aug. 31 from 1-9 p.m. at Glen Eyrie. The family event will include music, a petting zoo, kids’ fun run, food vendors, and a laser show to end the evening. Proceeds will benefit Colorado Springs Pregnancy Centers and the purchase of a mobile pregnancy center, or Stork Bus. For more information, visit www.storkfest.com.

Project Rachel, a healing ministry for men and women seeking forgiveness and peace in the aftermath of an abortion, will offer eight-week groups beginning May 8. For more information or to register, contact Father Greg Bierbaum at 720-348-9700, ext. 209; Sarah Bidon at 719-866-6426; or Rhonda Miller at 719-649-6198. All calls are held in strict confidence.

NEW YORK. The hard-hitting, fact-based drama “Unplanned” (R, Pure Flix) dares its viewers to confront the reality of what happens when a baby is aborted.

That’s an effective strategy on the part of co-writers and directors Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, not least because the peculiar institution of our day thrives on  concealment, muddled thinking and Orwellian euphemisms. But it also means that this emotionally unsparing film is not for the casual moviegoer of any age.