“Love Deeply, Live Boldly”: Teens Called to Stand for Truth and Human Dignity at Annual Symposium

(Photo by Ryan Brady)

Nearly 150 high school students from across the Archdiocese of Denver gathered at St. Mary Parish in Littleton for the 2025 Pro-Life High School Symposium, hosted by Respect Life Denver, a ministry of Catholic Charities, and St. Mary’s Respect Life group. The day offered students a chance to grow in faith, courage and authentic love through the theme “Rise Up: Love Deeply, Live Boldly.”

Both Catholic and non-Catholic pro-life students attended, representing schools including Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Mullen High School in Denver, John Paul the Great High School in Denver, St. John Paul II High School in Windsor, Goldenview High School in Golden and several homeschool co-ops. The event invited teens to embrace their identity as sons and daughters of God and to stand confidently for the Church’s teachings on human dignity, especially in a culture that often challenges those beliefs.

The morning began with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, who urged the students to ground their pro-life convictions in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Abortion, euthanasia, treating the poor or the immigrant with less dignity is not the will of God,” the archbishop said in his homily. “If we put Christ first, everything else will be ordered properly.”

Throughout the day, students heard from inspiring local speakers, including Sister Mary Grace and Sister Jordan Rose of the Sisters of Life, Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a pro-life OB-GYN, and Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of CatholicVote.

Serving as master of ceremonies, Chas Canfield, operations manager for one of Catholic Charities’ Samaritan House Women’s Shelters, wove together the day’s message with his own experience of serving people experiencing homelessness while a missionary with Christ in the City in Denver. His reflections connected seamlessly with the speakers’ calls to love courageously and serve the most vulnerable.

The Sisters of Life shared about the power of encounter — the simple yet profound act of saying “yes” to knowing, loving and serving the person in front of you, especially women facing unexpected pregnancies. Dr. Wheeler challenged students to look beyond media narratives surrounding abortion, urging them to seek truth with compassion. Reinhardt spoke on the virtues of courage and beauty — essential qualities for anyone advocating for life in today’s culture.

One student reflected on the impact of the event: “I’ve never had the chance to learn so much about abortion. It was awesome to hear from speakers that have real-world experience.”

Between sessions, students visited ministry tables from organizations across Colorado, discovering opportunities to deepen their formation and service. Representatives from Marisol Health, Hope’s Promise Adoption Agency, Bella Health + Wellness, Sidewalk Advocates for Life, 40 Days for Life, Students for Life, Weeks for Freedom and Turning Point USA offered resources, volunteer opportunities and mentorship to help teens live out their pro-life convictions.

The day concluded with a prayerful call to action, inviting students to listen for how the Lord might be asking them personally to stand for life — with mercy, courage and hope.

Reflecting on the Latin root of courage, cor (meaning “heart”), Canfield reminded students of the invitation to let their hearts remain open and vulnerable to God’s call to mission.

Through events like this, Respect Life Denver continues to form the next generation of missionary disciples — young people who love deeply, live boldly and rise up for life.