by Tom Shaheen, VP for Policy

John and Harriet Stanton

John and Harriet Stanton

The pro-life movement in Pennsylvania lost a pillar in our “community” of allies committed to defending the sanctity of human life and working against the culture of death. In fact, he was a pioneer in the pro-life movement even before it became known as such, even before the infamous Roe v. Wade abortion decision. And his legacy is not only political and cultural, but is alive and well in three generations of his own family in Philadelphia and beyond.

Michael Geer, president of Pennsylvania Family Institute, had this to say about John:

“John Stanton was an inspiration to me in many ways.  He demonstrated the deep value of persistence and faithfulness in standing up to the evil of abortion. He radiated love for the lives impacted by abortion — the baby, the mother and the father.  And he rightfully bristled with indignation at the failure of government officials to carry out their most basic responsibility: to protect innocent human life.  John Stanton’s life epitomized the Scripture verse from Micah 6:8  — He sought justice, embraced mercy, and walked humbly before God and man.”

I wholeheartedly agree and could not have said it better myself.

To read more about John and his legacy, go to this article in Philadelphia Catholic news.