Bishop McElroy attends San Diego Walk for

San Diego Walk for Life 2022. (grabbed photo from SD Walk for Life Facebook page)

Bishop Robert W. McElroy led the annual San Diego Walk for Life on Jan. 15. It was his first appearance since his heart surgery last Nov. 22.

Bishop McElroy at SD Walk for Life

The bishop joined an estimated 2 500 attendees at Waterfront Park for San Diego Walk for Life. The intermittent and cold drizzle did not stop the bishop and pro-life activists from going out the streets for this annual event.

The Southern Cross reported his presence at the San Diego Walk for Life after the news of hospitalization surfaced in November last year. Bishop McElroy got hospitalized for a planned coronary bypass operation.

He made his first public appearance after recovery from this event. The San Diego Walk for Life event circled the streets around the County Administration Building.

The bishop acknowledged the efforts of pro-life activists but emphasized the need to exert more efforts to bring legal protections for the unborn in the state of California.

He addressed the crowd for a few minutes, speaking first in English then Spanish before the walk. After the bishop’s speech, the pro-life activists gathered on the corner of Grape Street and Harbor Drive and started the three-quarter-mile walk around the County Administration Building.

Participants waved blue flags and signs at the passing vehicles with messages such as “Love Life, Choose Life,” “Pray to End Abortion,” and “Life Begins at Conception.” Messages were written in English and Spanish.

Unstoppable Fight

It was the 10th year for the San Diego Walk for Life fight. According to the report of Southern Cross, over San Diego Walk for Life history, organizers have coped with various factors that may hinder the event from taking place.

These factors include inclement weather, the Covid – 19, and even a tsunami alert. Last year the pandemic led to San Diego Walk for Life suspension in favor of a car caravan.

For this year, it was a milestone; the event pushed through despite a tsunami warning, issued for the coast minutes before it began at 8:30 a.m. following the destructive eruption of an underground volcano in the Pacific.

The San Diego Union-Tribune also reported about this local event.

Nothing can stop the pro-life activists’ spirit in their fight for the unborn. The San Diego Walk for Life participants include families with small children, adolescents, and young people.

Despite the cold weather, many went out on the streets to make their voices heard.

The event also served as a time for many to reconnect with friends they had not seen for a while. It also brought the community together – people from all walks of faith and background joined the walk. Christian and Orthodox pastors and their congregation were present.

The flock visited dozens of exhibitors – pregnancy resource centers, family clinics, and church communities. Participants also listened to several speakers, including Shawn Carney, 40 Days for Life co-founder.

Auxiliary Bishops John Dolan and Ramón Bejarano joined Bishop McElroy to support this cause. They came along with pastors, seminarians, and groups from parishes. After the event, Auxiliary Bishop Bejarano joined a group of participants at the park and prayed the rosary.