The Face of Pro-Life News
By Hannah Graham (This article originally appeared in issue six of VIGIL, published in the spring of 2022)
Catherine Hadro is the television host and managing editor of EWTN Pro-Life Weekly. She has been with EWTN for over eight years in roles such as reporter, producer and founding team-member of EWTN News Nightly. Passionate about creating a genuine culture of life, Hadro shares her experience with the pro-life climate, practical ways of promoting life and advice for women seeking meaning within their careers.
VIGIL: What does it mean to be pro-life? Is it only opposing and ending abortion?
Hadro: Being pro-life means fiercely protecting each and every human life from conception to natural death. It’s a recognition that every human being was made in the image and likeness of God and has an inherent dignity. We as Catholics know that building a culture of life goes beyond abortion––it is protecting our medically vulnerable from assisted suicide and euthanasia, advocating for mercy and justice for our brothers and sisters facing capital punishment, working to end the climbing suicide rates across the globe and on and on. However, we know that ending abortion is the preeminent priority in the United States because it is a direct attack on the family and because of the sheer number happening here: nearly one million unborn lives are lost each year in the United States alone because of abortion. This should shock us to our core. We cannot grow numb to our most vulnerable being killed in their mother’s wombs at a massive rate under the lie of “women’s health.”
VIGIL: What is the pro-life climate in America today?
Hadro: It’s no secret that the abortion debate is one of––if not the most––divisive issue in America. It’s tense and politically-charged, especially here in Washington, D.C. Our current president is only the nation’s second Catholic president but is arguably the most aggressive president on abortion. The Supreme Court in the fall of 2021 is taking up a major abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which experts say could chip away at Roe v. Wade.We are living during a historic time for the pro-life movement.
VIGIL: How can someone get involved in the pro-life movement? Can you provide some basic resources?
Hadro: Absolutely! First, I invite you to watch EWTN Pro-Life Weekly to get the pulse of the pro-life movement and hear what the top priorities are each and every week. Joining us is a great place to start to be informed and grow in awareness of what’s happening in the pro-life movement today. If you’re interested in praying outside of abortion facilities, go to 40Daysforlife.com and find a vigil near you––but I encourage you to bring a friend along and protect yourself in prayer. Pro-life pregnancy centers and maternity homes are often in need of volunteers and donations.
VIGIL: What are practical ways individuals can promote a pro-life culture?
Hadro: The best advice I can say is to be present to the very people God put in your life. If you know of a young family who just welcomed a baby, set up a MealTrain for them. If your grandparent is often isolated, go visit and cherish your time with them. Find a way to reflect Christ’s love to the people in your life––especially if they may be marginalized in any way. Each individual has a unique way they can build up a culture of life, depending on their season in life and their gifts––perhaps you’re in a position that you can advocate for better maternity and paternity leave in your workplace; perhaps you can educate other women in your life about natural family planning methods and empower them to know more about the beauty of their reproductive system. It will vary person to person––but start in your immediate community.
VIGIL: How did you get to where you are in your career?
Hadro: I can confidently say that God placed me here. I landed at EWTN in Washington, D.C., eight years ago––right as I graduated college and just as EWTN was launching the EWTN News Nightly program. It was a sudden change from what I thought my post-graduate plans would be, but it’s a path that God paved for me each step of the way. Within my first three years at EWTN, I transitioned from researcher to producer to reporter at EWTN News Nightly. When I was 25 years old, EWTN offered me the opportunity to be the first host and producer of EWTN Pro-Life Weekly. We launched the show early in 2017, shortly after I had turned 26.
VIGIL: What advice do you have for young women seeking to advance their career and make an impact through their work?
Hadro: Find a mentor! Find a woman who is a few years ahead of you in their career and is willing to meet with you, be a sounding board for you and is generous with advice. It can be intimidating to find a mentor––but find the courage to reach out. We as women need to be there for each other in the professional world and not think of each other as competition. I would also say it’s crucial that you pay close attention to what specifically makes you feel alive in your work. Hone in on that and chase after it! God is telling you something about yourself there. But also, re-think what “impact” means. St. Teresa of Calcutta is quoted as saying, “God doesn’t ask that we succeed in everything, but that we are faithful.” Be faithful to what God is calling you to do each and every day, and that will bring the greatest impact to the world!
VIGIL: Do you have any advice for Catholic women working in secular work forces?
Hadro: Yes, we need you where you are at––to bloom where you are planted. You have the mission to be the salt and light of the earth. Please frequent the Sacraments and pray before each work day that the Lord will use you as His instrument in your workplace. Even if you’re not outwardly discussing the Catholic faith in your workplace, you have no idea the kind of witness you can have simply by being close to Christ.
To watch Hadro and learn more about the pro-life movement, tune into EWTN Pro-Life Weekly on Thursday evenings at 10 p.m. EST. It re-airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m. EST and Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. EST.
