Rated “PG-13”
Resources for Young Teens
Stories of abortion survivors, both the children and the mothers; more advanced science; more related topics and motivation to do something about it.
October Baby
• Principle: Life is Beautiful; Abortion is traumatic but survivable and healable
• Format: Silver screen quality Romantic drama based on reality (109 minutes)
• Recommended use: Enjoy watching with your teenagers and invite their friends (every October!); watch Melissa Ohden’s testimony afterwards.
• Watch movie trailer and buy DVD www.octoberbabymovie.net/
Unplanned
• Principle: Abortion is ugly. Conversion and forgiveness is available.
• Format: Silver Screen quality autobiographical drama based on inspiring true story (110 minutes)
• Recommended Use: Watch with your teenagers especially during the “respect life month” of October. Follow-up with 5 minute moving interview with main actress, Ashley Bratcher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnpHHJTRgpQ. And pray the Rosary with pro-life intentions by Defend Life (pg. 20 of the Guide).
• Watch trailer https://www.unplannedfilm.com/ and see several purchase/rental/streaming options.
• Buy DVD or Blu-ray: bit.ly/Unplanned_Movie
• Warning: Rated R for some disturbing, bloody images, although no profanity, drug abuse, nudity, or sex. Brace yourself for a sonogram viewing of a 13-week abortion. But know that “to create the abortion, the filmmakers, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon of God’s Not Dead, took actual ultrasound footage of a 13-week-old baby boy, like the one Abby witnessed. Then, using CGI technology, they created the abortion. It is powerful--and something the viewer needs to see and will never forget.” (40 Days for Life)
“Cheryl poked her head into my office…”
By Abby Johnson
• Principle: Providers of abortion can have a change of heart
• Format: Brochure of one life-changing story describing abortion
• Recommended Use: Offer a printed or screen version to your child to read silently in your presence; watch the “Tough Topics (T2) Abortion Basics” video with your teen, pausing at episode 3, read this story together, then skip to episode 4.
• View and Print PDF https://abbyj.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AbbyJohnson_Brochures.pdf
Testimony of Melissa Ohden
• Principle: Babies born alive from botched abortions have a right to life; elections have consequences
• Format: Recording of a testimony before Congress of an Abortion survivor (6 minutes)
• Recommended Use: Show to Teens before the March for Life, elections, or when discussing political pro-life issues; watch in conjunction with October Baby.
• Watch the testimony www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5uhZg4EwJg
• See Melissa Ohden’s website: https://melissaohden.com
A Basic Guide to When a Human Being Begins and the Science Behind the Facts
By Contend Project
• Principle: Decisions about sexual reproduction are serious and have serious consequences; Informed decisions are better
• Format: Magazine-sized textbook sharing essential scientific facts about human embryonic development in an accessible manner (30 pages)
• Recommended Use: Read with adolescents before they socialize with peers who might get pregnant after completing sex-ed and theology of the body.
• Recommended Re-Use: Review again at around age 15 or during high school biology.
• Buy Softcover book or ebook at www.contendprojects.org/the-science/the-science-guide/
• Learn more about the project at their website.
Defend Life 2016 Lecture Series
By Barry Sullivan
• Principle: Bad things happen when good people do nothing – Do something about the pro-life issue!
• Format: Video recording of a live talk to youth at a “Face the Truth” pro-life youth gathering by a motivational speaker (45 minutes)
• Recommended Use: Watch with your adolescent as they reach Confirmation age and are preparing to become soldiers of Christ.
• Watch Sullivan’s talk at https://vimeo.com/177056549
“You Can’t Love Another Person Apart from Truth”
By Fr. Paul Scalia
• Principle: Love has to be rooted in Truth about the human person and marriage
• Format: Video recording of Fr. Scalia, Chaplain of Courage International, speaking to high school boys on Same Sex Attraction (63 minutes)
• Recommended Use: Watch with your ~12 year old after Sex Ed and Theology of the Body or before your child socializes with someone struggling with same sex attraction.
• Watch video
Homosexuality, Gay Marriage, and Holiness
By Jason Evert
• Principle: Chastity and Holiness
• Format: Video of Jason Evert discussing homosexuality, gay
marriage, and the Catholic Church (12 minutes)
• Recommended Use: Watch with your child and discuss
afterwards and recommend to parish youth minister for group
viewing and discussion.
• Watch video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLrRfwpvERU&t=3s
Contraception: Why Not?
By Prof. Janet Smith
• Principle: Sexual Common Sense regarding overpopulation myth, STDs, physical and social consequences of artificial contraception, and NFP.
• Format: Transcript of a lecture given by Prof. Janet Smith (17 pages)
• Recommended: Print out transcript and read alone and have teen read and then discuss together afterwards.
• View and Print transcript
https://catholiceducation.org/resources/contraception-why-not-revised
When They Say, You Say
By Olivia Gans Turner of American Victims of Abortion
• Principle: Words and body language matter
• Format: Half hour episodes of an EWTN 5 part program in which Pro-life leader who had an abortion speaks to the viewing audience on how to communicate effectively regarding abortion
• Recommended Use: Watch at least Episode 1 with your teen and invite friends over.
• Watch video When They Say, You Say (Key Pro-Life Arguments) by Olivia Gans-Turner (2015) - YouTube
• Order DVD set from EWTN
https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/when-they-say-you-say-dvd/p/HV00WTSD
Students for Life of America
• Principle: Every conversation matters, building a culture of life takes collaboration and support from peers and experts
• Format: Online portal for training, tools and collaboration.
• Recommended Use: Sign up for free membership in Students for Life HQ for online training and networking.
• Learn more about SFLA https://studentsforlife.org/
How to Pray the Pro-Life Rosary
• Principle: Beautifully worded intercessory prayers specific to abortion to precede any decade of the Rosary
• Format: One paragraph praise and petition to Jesus and Mary
• Recommended Use: Use during Family Rosary, especially in October and during the 40 Days for Life.
• View and print pdf:
©2022 Elizabeth Crnkovich, Theresa Crnkovich, Rev. Christopher Pollard.
All Rights Reserved. For information on reprints please contact:
Printed with Permission by St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, VA 22101