Engraved on our Notre Dame coat of arms are the words: Vita, Dulcedo, Spes — Our Life, Our Sweetness, Our Hope. Notre Dame was built upon these words, the first of which is life. Inspired by the Lady who bears our beloved school’s name, we resolve to build a culture of life, of sweetness and of hope at Notre Dame, creating an atmosphere of radical love toward mothers, fathers and children.
Last semester, this sentiment and flourishing culture of life at Notre Dame was evident when sophomore Mireya Monterroso found herself pregnant. Pressured first by a society that told her she was incapable of being both a successful student and mother, she felt abortion was her only choice. However, after finding sweet support in the Family Resource Center, the Women’s Care Center, and Right to Life (RtL), Mireya courageously chose hope — and life — for her baby. We celebrated Mireya and Anaís at her baby shower in April, organized a meal train to support her during the summer and look forward to organizing babysitting for Anaís while Mireya resumes her full-time studies. Anaís Hope Wagoner, born this past July, truly is a beacon of hope for our campus, and we can’t wait to continue walking with Mireya and Anaís as they begin their journey under the Dome.
By choosing life, Mireya sparked a wildfire of inspiration, urging Right to Life and students on campus to extend the support she received to other student mothers in pursuit of saving lives.
In a letter to Right to Life, she wrote, “My beautiful little daughter is the best thing that has happened to me, and I would not change anything that I have lived through to have her. [God] has put into our lives so many generous and caring people, especially the help of you, the Notre Dame Right to Life ... It is such a miracle to be able to have and provide for a child of my own.”
This year, we turn our focus to promoting a culture of life centered on the words of Jesus Himself and echoed by our patron saint this year, Pope St. John Paul II — ”Be Not Afraid.” We wish to make it abundantly clear that if a student ever finds herself pregnant, she need not be afraid, for the entire RtL community is readily available to shower her and her baby with boundless love and support. Furthermore, RtL’s support does not stop at the end of her pregnancy. We look forward to walking with Mireya and Anaís for as long as she needs, as we will with any student who finds herself pregnant. Whether in babysitting or in bounds of prayers, the University of Notre Dame and the Right to Life community pledges to radically support pregnant mothers in their decision to choose life.
If you or someone you know may be pregnant, please contact the Family Resource Center for Notre Dame-specific support and visit HerMichiana for more resources in the South Bend area. If you are a tri-campus student, please reach out to us prolife@nd.edu — it would be our absolute joy to get to know you, to walk with you and to support you and your child in every way that we are able.
Right to Life, the largest non-academic student club at ND, strives to build this culture of life through prayer, service and education. Join us for our first events of the semester including our Opening Bonfire, Opening Lecture by our beloved Fr. Pete McCormick CSC and our annual pro-life celebration, Lifefest. Visit our website for more event details, to join our newsletter, to meet our team and to learn more about our mission!
Reflecting on Mireya’s journey fills me with hope for a future where pregnant students at Notre Dame view motherhood not as a barrier to their aspirations but as a cherished blessing in the miracle of life. Whether you’ve been to every RtL event or have no idea what or who Right to Life is, I extend a warm invitation for you to come join us this semester in building a culture of life, of sweetness and of hope at Notre Dame, for it is built into our very foundations of this beloved place we call home. May we be inspired by Mireya and Anaís Hope and foster a spirit of radical love toward every life, from its conception to its natural death.
Pope St. John Paul II, pray for us!
Notre Dame, our Mother, pray for us!
In Notre Dame, for life,
Jackie Nguyen
President, Notre Dame Right to Life
Aug. 10
