Tribute
Right to Life wishes to pay tribute to the Austrlian Endeavour Forum leader Mrs Babette Francis AM (pictured left).
A tribute was held in Melbourne Saturday 25 November.
Many community leaders, including former politicians, came together to pay tribute to the outstanding service of Mrs Francis.
Catholic Bishop Peter Elliot, and Culture Watch’s Bill Muehlenberg led the tributes for Mrs Francis who has provided leadership for pro-life and conservative forces over the past 44 years. The secretary of Endeavour Forum John Morrissey, chaired the meeting. He outlined the history on Endeavour Forum and told of how Mrs Francis initially formed `Women who Want to be Women’ to counter the rise of militant feminism with its push for abortion on demand and other socialist left demands.
Mr Morrissey said Mrs Francis had led many Australian delegations to the UN sponsored family conferences held in New York, USA. At the UN many fierce battles raged for control of UN policies between conservative forces led by Mrs Francis and Mrs Phyllis Schlafy, the founder of the influential American pro-life and conservative Christian movement, Eagle forum. He concluded by thanking Mrs Francis for her for long and fruitful service.
Other tributes also came from Catholic clergymen and former leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Spiro Katos.
Michael Treacy, the secretary of the Family Council of Victoria, and former editor of News Weekly, John Ballantyne also were in attendance.
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At the break for afternoon tea, a special anniversary cake was presented to Mrs Francis. After the break Bill Muehlenberg and Bishop Elliott expanded on the life, work and influence of Mrs Francis over the past four decades.
Miss Lucy De Summa, who has been involved with Endeavour Forum for many years, has succeeded Mrs Francis as the New National Co-Ordinator.
Chris O'Brien
President Right to Life NZ Inc.