International Forum Large Family and Future of Humanity. Interview with John-Henry Westen, Co-Founder of LifeSiteNews.com, Canada

by Stiripentruviata.ro

What was the most important trigger in your life, the personal reason that made you get involved in a pro-life news website?
I was raised as a good Catholic. Then lived apart form the Church and on the other side of Life and Family for many years. But my life as a non-practising Catholic was very hard, although, in the eyes of the world it was very good: I had a girlfriend and a car and I was popular.

But in the inside I was terrible. I was always feeling guilty and lonely and knew I was wrong on the inside.

And what happened to me was that I had a very holy father, who prayed for me all the time. I would make fun of him, I would do, you know, all those things that were against his wishes. I even got in trouble with the law. I was involved into pornography and late-night dancing with girls and things.

And eventually, through my father prayers, my life took a downward spiral. I was in trouble with the law – I was arrested –, I was going to lose my education, I was going to lose my freedom and I was going to lose the only girl that I liked.

And that’s when I turned back to God. Mostly through the example of my father but also following true devotion to Mary by St Louis de Montfort. It is a way of giving your life to Jesus through His mother, Mary.

And that is why LifeSiteNews.com began. Because I knew the life on the other side and how much harm it brought both to one’s body and one’s soul. And I only want good for people. And so, Life Site News’ mission is to expose the horror of life in that way and the beauty of life in Christ and having given yourself to Life and family.

And my joy is great: that girl whom I thought I’d lost when I was living a bad life has become my wife and I have eight children with her. And I don’t deserve this good life, so it’s a great honour for me to share it with the whole world through LifeSiteNews.com

What are your thoughts and expectations coming at this forum?
This is an amazing thing. In all of North America and most of Europe, we have the government against large families. And they are against life: they are pro-abortion, they are pro-homosexuality. But here is a conference promoting large families and life and the family. And it is supported by the government with ministers of the government speaking. So it is astounding in that way.

What is your message for Romanian families?
We have to latch on to the teachings of Christ through His Church, for families, which means we have to be fruitful and multiply, to embrace life and to embrace love and to embrace the family. And the whole reason why is that God made us and knows what is best for us. Being open to life and being open to family will not cause us harm, as the world says it. It’s exactly the opposite: it’s the best thing for us. In all of life, while on the other side, while I may have looked good on the outside, on the inside it’s harm. And on this side, while it is sometimes hard outside, on the inside there is always joy.