Matt Birk, 45, a former professional American football player in the NFL, is a noted pro-lifer in the United States. His defence of the unborn has grown in recent years. SPUC celebrates his “inspirational” pro-life leadership.
Birk, a six-time NFL Pro Bowler who played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens, knew instinctively that life was a gift from God, having grown up as a Catholic in St. Paul, Minnesota.
But it was not until Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori invited him to speak at the Maryland March for Life that Birk became much more active as a pro-lifer.
Speaking of his first march, Birk said: “It’s not hyperbole to say that that night changed my life. It really hit me. I was thinking, ‘My gosh, these women, they’ve been through it all and they want to tell everybody that abortion is wrong and that it’s a bunch of lies and the pain lasts.’”
His wife, Adrianna, is also an active member of the pro-life movement. She spent time volunteering at a pro-life pregnancy support centre in St. Paul, situated opposite a Planned Parenthood abortion facility.
“They celebrated Mass and had exposition of the Blessed Sacrament facing the abortion clinic”, Birk said, “and a few years later, [the abortion facility] closed…
“It’s a beautiful thing and just proof that God wins in the end… All we need to do is just keep being his faithful servants and doing individually what he’s asking each of us to do in this battle.”
One must “do” pro-life
In 2013, Birk controversially declined an invitation to visit President Barack Obama at the White House after the President appeared to ask God to “bless” pro-abortion giant Planned Parenthood during a speech.
Although Birk uses his prominent status to be a vocal proponent of life, he insists that one must “do” pro-life as well as say they are pro-life.
As a member of the Knights of St Columbus, he has highlighted the fraternal organisation’s donation of more than 1,000 ultrasound machines to pro-life pregnancy centres to allow women to see their unborn babies and choose life.
Birk has also explained how spirituality is encouraged and developed in the NFL, and that many players had Bibles in their lockers and attended prayer groups. He said: “The locker room is actually a very spiritual place.
“I think at least in our hearts, we all know that nothing in the NFL is really true.
“The money and the fame and the attention and all that, we know it’s not true. And our hearts long for truth. And so, the NFL environment is really conducive to guys asking the most important questions and seeking out the truth.”
“An inspirational figure”
SPUC’s Michael Robinson, Executive Director (Public Affairs and Legal Services), said: “Matt Birk is an inspirational figure, encouraging many to stand up for the vulnerable and join the pro-life movement in the United States.
“As a successful sports player, he is using his public platform to promote the truth and condemn the cruel act of abortion that harms so many women and so many millions of unborn children.”