A New Generation Devoted to Life, “Generation Vitae” Looks to the Future

Group harnesses the energy of (relatively) younger pro-life advocates.

By Charles Molineaux

After years of pro-life work, Fernanda Ricaud stands on the verge of a challenging change to her mission. She's graduating from college.

"After we graduate, what is there to do with the pro-life movement?" she asked, pointing enthusiastically to Generation Vitae.

As a 22-year-old, long involved in St. Thomas University's Celts for Life and the Houston Coalition for Life, Ricaud was grateful for Generation Vitae, a group specifically for younger advocates trying to fit their mission into a demanding life of their own.

"It can be rough, frustrating," she said, "when you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s. You might have kids. You're focusing on your job. You might feel like your schedule is too cluttered for a pro-life meeting or event. It's on you to stay committed to helping mothers and their unborn children."

"You're involved in advocacy in high school and college," observed Anna Knox with the Houston Coalition for Life. "Generation Vitae is 'what's next.' It's the step after college."

The organization was established in 2022 to unite and nurture the next generation of pro-life advocates, and to do it with an awareness of their busy world, offering encouragement and a chance to come together for gatherings as simple as coffee, cocktails or a bowling outing. Organizers say such simple contact can be priceless in today's pervasive culture of death, steeped in decades of pro-abortion sentiment and messages, where pro-life advocates can feel isolated and unsure how to spread their message.

"We do feel alone," said Ricaud, "My generation, 'Generation Z,' our motto is 'do whatever makes you happy.' That leads to major consequences."

"The cancel-culture that exists out there today, it's intimidating to be outspoken about where you stand. You have to tread so lightly," said Kelly Carp, a founding board member of Generation Vitae. "We do the advocacy component, but a lot of it is just knowing you have a community of other people out there to support you, I hope others find that beneficial."

"We equip them to do pro-life apologetics," added Alexandra Sizemore, Director of Development at the Houston Coalition for Life, "to make it clear we're mindful of the issues that women face, and to show the world that the pro-life movement is here, not just for the baby but for the moms, to show mothers that they're loved, cared for, to let them know that they're seen."

The target age for Generation Vitae members has another special significance. They are those born in the years since the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which legalized abortion nationwide until it was overturned by the court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022. Born, when they could have been aborted.

"It's the generation of survivors," Knox observed. "The age of 20 through 40. We survived the era of legal abortion."

At this time of year, Generation Vitae members may feel extra inspiration and excitement following January's national March for Life in Washington and the Rally for Life in Austin, which every year bring together thousands of advocates, many of them younger.

"It was exhilarating. I felt so overwhelmed with joy," exclaimed Ricaud, who went to the Washington march, "It was beautiful, everyone singing or saying the Rosary. I saw families with kids, babies, but it was mostly the youth I saw. I was so proud of everyone saying 'This is why we're here. This is our mission.' It makes you feel as if there really is a chance that abortion can be not just illegal, but unthinkable."

"It just gives you hope," added Knox, who joined the rally in Austin. "There's spiritual warfare and sometimes you get discouraged. You feel like the world is against you. Then you go to places like Austin and there are so many young people, and they're so inspiring."

Far from the seats of law making, Generation Vitae also unites in the more personal and intimate work of creating the Houston Coalition for Life's Blessing Bags for new mothers. Unlike ordinary new-parent gift packages which focus on supplies for babies like diapers or formula, the Blessing Bags are aimed at the moms, with simple essentials like shampoo, hairbrushes and soap, but also inspiring gifts such as crosses, prayer cards, and personal messages of blessing and encouragement written by the volunteers. The packing of the bags, in the Coalition for Life offices, or in a volunteer's home, can turn into a joyful gathering of its own, often involving volunteers' own children too. "It would be chaos within the first 10 minutes," Ricaud exclaimed. "People would be putting inspirational notes in the bags, the kids would be helping, which is really adorable. The bags would be all over the kitchen, or the office. Then we have a moment, and we say 'wow,' and we say 'let's do more.'"

"The future looks pretty good," Knox said. "It's far from over. Women are still being directed out of state and abortion pills are still being delivered to Texas. So we still help women in crisis. You can't change everyone's mind, but you can try. You can pray. We pray a lot."

As Generation Vitae welcomes new generations of advocates, Carp sees yet another generation, in the very youngest volunteers who help to prepare the Blessing Bags. "It's a family event," she explained. "I have four children and they all join in. My 11-year-old and 8-year-old write notes that 'we're praying for you!' I can only hope that, if we teach them anything, we teach them this."