By Mary Kay Hastings

Our very own Jill Stanek was presented the Henry Hyde Life Leadership Award at the The 2008 Speak Out Illinois Conference —on February 2 of this year.

Previous winners include Fr. Frank Pavone, Founder and National Director of Priests for Life (2006), The Pro-Life Action League's Joe and Ann Scheidler (2004) and Sandy Rios, Fox News Contributor (2005).

"When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgment, I've often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, "Spare him because he loved us," and God will look at you and say not, "Did you succeed?" but "Did you try?"

Henry Hyde

um, and we're just hearing about this now????
:)

Congratulations, Jill. Well deserved, although I wish you never had to do anything to get that award in the first place. (i.e,. no abortions, no pro-life advocacy, no award).

You have truly been such a blessing to the unborn and the born that are alive today thanks to all that you have done.

As always, may God continue to bless you.

mk,
Thanks for posting Henry Hyde's quote. What a visual! What a Day!

Congratulations Jill!!
Ok, the quote made me cry. Big surprise there.

Congratulations Jill!
BTW, I have like four orange shirts. I love orange.

Congratulations, Jill!

"Previous winners include Fr. Frank Pavone, Founder and National Director of Priests for Life (2006), The Pro-Life Action League's Joe and Ann Scheidler (2004) and Sandy Rios,"

Wow, she's in some great company! Congrats!

Well now Bobby,

I like to think they are the ones in good company! ;)

Ah, touche MK!

um, and we're just hearing about this now????
:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, it WAS Groundhog Day...

(Wow! Maybe she'll receive the award over and over like Bill Murray!)

Jill:

Congratulations! Thank you for your awesome witness to the dignity of LIFE!

FF:

Too funny!

um, and we're just hearing about this now????

Well now, she puts up her own posts and it wasn't until she put Bethany and I in charge that we stumbled across it...blame her! Sneaky little wench. Receivin' awards and not sharing!

Hey Jill,
Congrats!! I am so happy for you!!
Well deserved!!!!

FF & mk,
LOL!!!

Jill, you're awesome ! Congratulations !!!

Jill! Dying to see pics of you in your pointy hat and bed sheet! Do share.

Congratulations Jill!!!!!

well deserved!

Lol Sally it took me a minute. I was picturing her in an actual pointy party hat and bed sheets and wondering why she would be dressed like that.

Well, MK, what a surprise! Thanks... :)

Sally, that's my prison inmate t-shirt. Bought it at a flea market near the Joliet prison.

A well deserved honor, indeed.

I feel proud to be part of the committee that nominated Jill for this award—although I would feel even prouder had she worn the orange T-shirt the day she received it.

(Relevant aside: Of the myriad wall hangings that have a home in Joe Scheidler's office, my favorite is a plaque that says, "God so loved the world that He didn't send a committee.")

No Jill! *I* was the one who liked your shirt! Do prisons sell them?