WASHINGTON — A Catholic, non-profit law firm has released a documentary highlighting the influence of pro-life leader Joe Scheidler and his journey to the Supreme Court.
Fighting for Life: The Story of NOW v. Scheidler depicts a nearly three-decade-long legal battle for the freedom to speak publicly against abortion.
It will premiere on EWTN March 22. The documentary includes interviews with Joe and Ann Scheidler, and Tom and Debbie Brejcha. The couples retell their story of their involvement with the early days of the pro-life movement.
Hosted by Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood facility director and now pro-life activist, the movie follows a legal battle of Scheidler, the godfather of pro-life activism who died in January 2021, and Brejcha, the attorney who defended him against the National Organization for Women.
Joe Scheidler left his career in public relations to devote his life to the pro-life movement in 1973, immediately after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade.
The Supreme Court’s 2006 decision Scheidler v. National Organization for Women affirmed the freedom of protest, including pro-life activists’ right to pray outside abortion clinics and share life-affirming alternatives to terminating a pregnancy.
The court decision is one of the factors that led to the birth of the Thomas More Society, and the story of these two men versus the abortion industry continues to be a influence on the non-profit.
Caryn Talty, the documentary’s producer, expressed excitement for the movie’s release, saying it is a true story of an underdog who beats the odds.