2021 Speakers

Catholic Mass

Archbishop J. Michael Miller

Born in Ottawa, Canada, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, became Archbishop of Vancouver in 2009.  He previously served as Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, as President of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, and in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See.  He is currently a member of the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Editorial Committee of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, and the Canadian and International Boards of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.  Archbishop Miller taught theology for many years in Houston, Mexico and Rome and is a prolific author, a specialist on the papacy and modern papal teaching, and a popular speaker at international conferences.  He has received seven honorary doctorates from universities and colleges in North America and Australia.

Protestant Prayer Service

Reverend Jeremy Segstro

Reverend Jeremy Segstro is one of the newest Reformed ministers to come to the Fraser Valley, coming from Hamilton Ontario, and before that, from Winnipeg Manitoba. If he had to choose between East, West, or Central Canada, his heart has been taken in by the majestic mountains, the powerful ocean, and the towering trees of BC. He currently serves in the Cloverdale Canadian Reformed Church in Surrey, where he has made a name for himself by singing off the pulpit, baking innumerable banana breads, and bringing board games with him for every pastoral visit…just in case.

2021 Virtual March for Life Speakers

Fr. Mark McGuckin

Fr. Mark McGuckin was born and raised in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.  Prior to entering the Seminary of Christ the King in 2010, he was working as writer, actor, editor, and producer in the Vancouver Film and TV industry.  Father Mark was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Vancouver on May 14th, 2016 alongside his good friend Fr. Lucio Choi.  Currently, Fr. Mark is pastor at St. Joseph’s in Port Moody, he is the Spiritual Director of our local Cursillo Movement, and he is one of the high school chaplains at St. Thomas More Collegiate.  Fr. Mark describes his ministerial vocation to serve the people of God in the Archdiocese (and beyond) as an absolute joy and privilege.

Bishop Gary Michael Gordon

Most Reverend Gary Michael Gordon was born on June 10, 1957, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He attended Christ the King Seminary in Mission, British Columbia; Resurrection College in Waterloo, Ontario; and St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario, where he graduated in 1982. Bishop Gary was ordained to the priesthood on May 22, 1982, by Archbishop James Carney at his home parish, St. Francis de Sales, Burnaby. On June 14, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Gary Gordon as the 17th Bishop of Victoria.

Since his ordination, Bishop Gary’s love of nature and connecting with his congregation, especially with First Nations communities, developed a lifelong bond with the Stó:lō Nation. Embodying the model to Authentically Witness Excellence, his adventurous, outgoing spirit, and gift of storytelling endeared him to the community. Shortly after being appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Whitehorse in 2006, in honour of his evangelising and connecting with the people, Bishop Gordon received the name Xyolhmetoxw, which means ‘taking care of the people’ in Halq’eméylem, the language of the Stó:lō Nation.

 In November 2014, when Bishop Gordon was appointed Shepherd of the Diocese of Victoria, he continued to personally engage, accompany, connect, model, and mentor, encouraging his staff and clergy to follow suit. Bishop Gordon guides and teaches in his own special, personal, and unique way—whether it is creating sandboxes as a prop to explain the complexities of Truth and Reconciliation to Grade Two students, working with inmates, victims, and families through Restorative Justice, or simply connecting with people on their own terms while fishing.

Gisela Montague

Gisela joined the Catholic Women’s League in 1985 in Lahr, Germany where her husband had a military posting. Since then Gisela has served in various positions in the League; at parish level as communication chair and secretary, organization chair/president-elect, president and past president; at the Vancouver diocesan level as communication and legislation chair, organization chair/president-elect, president and past president. At provincial level she has served as resolution and legislation chair and as president-elect/organization chair and is currently serving as provincial president.

As a military wife Gisela has lived in different provinces and now lives with her husband in Chilliwack, BC. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.

When their children were small she was involved with their schools. At parishes she has constructed banners, coordinated several CWL bazaars, dinners and anniversaries, served with the Outreach team, Prison Ministry, Project Advance and implemented the Parish Information Fair. She has served on the pastoral council and has been a choir member for numerous years as well as being active in her own CWL parish council.

Gisela is passionate about the League that has tremendously enhanced her faith life. She believes that as members, catholic women possess great potential for service to church, community and the world.

Fr. Thomas Lynch

Fr. Tom Lynch is the President of Priests For Life Canada. Fr. Tom has been directly involved in advocating for the rights of the weak and defenseless for the past 30 plus years.

Fr. Tom was born in Lindsay, Ontario, on July 29, 1957, and ordained to the Catholic priesthood in the Diocese of Peterborough, Ontario, on May 25, 1984. His extensive knowledge and experience has made him a popular advocate, lecturer, and teacher in the area of family and life. His work includes: Ethics Consultant with the Archdiocese of Toronto, Ontario Catholic Conference of Bishops, and the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops (1994-2006); Lecturer in Moral Theology; St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto ON, where he teaches Bioethics, Sexuality, and Marriage, and Papal Teaching on Social Justice (1995-present); and Lecturer at St. Paul’s University, Ottawa ON where he taught on Sexual Issues and Catholic Morality, Bioethics, and Introduction to Moral Theology.

In addition to his role as National President of Priests For Life Canada, Fr. Tom serves as rector of St. Peter-in-Chains Cathedral Church in Peterborough, Ontario. Fr. Tom continues to use his extensive knowledge and resources within the Catholic community to advance the purpose and aims not only of Priests For Life Canada but of the entire Canadian Pro-life movement.

Ian and Reine Mykyte

Ian and Reine Mykyte are parents to 2 daughters and are members of the Archdiocese of Vancouver and Diocese of Victoria. They are passionate about the gift of adoption and want to bring more positive awareness to this option of growing your family. They often speak to others about the process of adoption and the early years of adoption. From 2010-2020, they served as chairs of the Marriage and Family council in the Diocese of Victoria. Ian works for the BC government and Reine is a school principal in Vancouver. They hope to promote adoption as another option to people considering abortion.

Stephanie Gray Connors 

Stephanie Gray Connors is a seasoned and international speaker, originally from Canada, who began presenting at the age of 18. She has given over 1,000 pro-life presentations over two decades across North America as well as in Scotland, England, Ireland, Austria, Latvia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica.  She has spoken at many post-secondary institutions such as Yale University, George Washington University, and the University of California, Berkeley.  In 2017, Stephanie was a presenter for the series Talks at Google, speaking on abortion at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Stephanie has debated abortion advocates such as physicians who do abortions, which includes debating late-term abortionist Dr. Fraser Fellows in front of medical students at the University of Western Ontario’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.  She has also debated Peter Singer, Princeton philosophy professor, Ron Fitzsimmons, executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, Dr. Jan Narveson, Philosophy professor and recipient of the Order of Canada, Elizabeth Cavendish, legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Dr. Malcolm Potts, the first medical director for International Planned Parenthood Federation.  In 2019, Stephanie participated in an historic eight-woman debate on abortion at La Ciudad de las Ideas (CDI), an event similar to TED Talks which was held in Puebla, Mexico.

Stephanie’s audiences are vast, including medical and law students, churches of various denominations, seminaries, high schools, and conferences. She has spoken at events for YWAM (Youth With A Mission), Alliance Defending Freedom, and Colson Center for Christian Worldview, to name a few.  Besides speaking on abortion, she also presents on assisted suicide and can tailor messages for specific audiences, whether sectarian or non-sectarian.

Stephanie has done hundreds of media interviews, which include being a guest on CTV News, CBC News, CBC’s The Current, Global News, EWTN, Back to the Bible, Catholic Answers Radio, Relevant Radio, 100 Huntley Street’s Listen Up, and the Miracle Channel’s Insight.  She has been interviewed by ABC-, NBC-, FOX-, and CBS-affiliated television news programs throughout the Midwest of the United States.

Stephanie is author of the book Start with What: 10 Principles for Thinking about Assisted Suicide as well as the book Love Unleashes Life: Abortion & the Art of Communicating TruthShe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UBC in Vancouver, and a Certification, with Distinction, in Health Care Ethics, from the NCBC in Philadelphia.

Alex Schadenberg

Alex has been the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition since July 1999 and became the International Chairperson in 2007. EPC’s goal is to build a well-informed, broadly based membership of groups and individuals in order to establish an effective social barrier to euthanasia and assisted suicide. EPC is based in Canada, and is working to launch EPC-USA in May in Washington, DC. EPC-International, which has standing at the UN, has member groups in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. EPC has organized numerous international symposiums on euthanasia and assisted suicide, drawing attention to this world-wide epidemic.

Alex has had articles published in newspapers world-wide and has the world’s most widely read blog on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide (www.alexschadenberg.blogspot.com). Alex has become known as the definitive source of information on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide as seen in his book entitled, Exposing Vulnerable People to Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. He is currently working on a book featuring the best articles on euthanasia and assisted suicide as well as producing a new video/documentary. EPC’s video entitled, “Turning the Tide,” sold more than 1800 copies since 2007.

Alex is also a world renowned speaker and has spoken throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. Alex has debated euthanasia enthusiasts Jan Bernheim, Wanda Morris, and Udo Schuklenk.

Alex works with many other groups to establish an effective world-wide opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide, such as: HOPE Australia, TAS, Choice is an Illusion, and the Care Not Killing Alliance. Alex is married to Susan and they have six children.

Dale Hofer

Dale Hofer joined the Knights of Columbus in 2005 with Council 12202 in Coldstream, BC. Dale was elected Deputy Grand Knight at the next election and retained that position for 3 years before becoming Grand Knight. He was Grand Knight for the next 3 years and during that tenure, his council earned Double Star Council in the first year and Star Council in the 2nd and 3rd years. Council 12202 earned Most Meritorious Council 2 out of the 3 years, as well as a State Community award for the Keep Christ in Christmas Program.

After the 3 year term as Grand Knight, Dale was appointed District Deputy for District 11. During this time, a 2nd degree team was created in District 11 of which Dale is a member, as well being a member of as the Vernon/Coldstream 1st degree team. Dale has also served as State Warden, State Advocate, State Program Director and State Treasurer, State Secretary 2017-2019.

Since buying a business and moving to Vernon with his wife Dianne and 3 children in 2004, Dale has been involved with Our Lady of the Valley Church as a lector, the Youth Club and St. James School in various capacities. Dale and his family have been selected as Family of the year twice during their time in Vernon.

Cathay Wagantall, Member of Parliament

Cathay Wagantall is the Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, SK. Cathay and her husband of 40 years, Marty, have three adult children and ten grandchildren. In February 2020, Cathay introduced a Private Members Bill, the Sex Selective Abortion Act. This Bill, if passed, would make it illegal to perform an abortion when the sole reason of the abortion is the sex of the pre-born child. In April 2021 this Bill was debated, making it the first time in about 15 years that a Bill that would limit abortion was debated in Canada.

Tamara Jansen, Member of Parliament

Tamara Jansen is the Member of Parliament for Cloverdale-Langley City. Before entering politics, Tamara and her husband Byron worked hand-in-hand to build a successful greenhouse business in Langley. The mother of five and a grandmother of twelve, she is dedicated to defending the faith, family, and freedom of all Canadians at all stages of life, from conception to natural death. She has a particular passion for advocating for those approaching the end of life and spoke at length in the House of Commons against Bill C-7, the federal legislation that expanded access to Medical Assistance in Dying, and in support of palliative care.

Angelina Ireland

Angelina was born and raised in Winnipeg. She attended the University of Winnipeg where she received a Bachelor’s degree and then went to Ottawa and received a Master’s Degree in political science from Carleton University.

Afterward, she went to live in London , England where she entered the world of credit and finance working for British Telecom. Upon returning to Canada she lived in Toronto and then moved to Vancouver and worked as an accountant. 15 years ago she started her own business  and now works with other small businesses.

After a diagnosis of cancer she became a client of the Delta Hospice Society. When she recovered to good health she joined the Board of Directors. After the last AGM she was elected the President of the Board of Directors.

Sisters of Life

The Sisters of Life are a religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor who take a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. Immersed in Eucharistic prayer within a vibrant community life, their missions include caring for vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children; inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus; fostering a Culture of Life through evangelization; retreat works; spiritual accompaniment of college students; and upholding the beauty of marriage and family life. (www.sistersoflife.org)

Mary Wagner

Mary Wagner was born and raised on unceded Coast Salish Territory and is the third of twelve children, including five adopted siblings. She was raised in a Catholic family that fostered belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in the teaching that every human life is sacred. In her early-mid twenties, she was led by Grace to begin a deeper relationship with Our Lord through prayer, leading to a commitment to love and serve Him present in our littlest brothers and sisters (and their moms) in danger of abortion. As a result of Mary’s presence at abortion facilities, she has spent about six years in custody for the charge of “mischief: interference with lawful enjoyment or operation of a business”, and while in custody, she met many post abortive women whose stories convinced her of the need of a Church-wide, profound repentance. Mary is currently living with her parents and four young children in their care.

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