Photo credit: Jeff Weese (CC-By-2.0)
Matt Birk is an NFL star and a pro-life warrior. A two-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection, and a Super Bowl champion, Birk will share his story of living his faith in the public eye when he greets an audience of up to 500 other Catholics, who will gather for the Iowans for LIFE (IFL) 7th Annual Fundraising Dinner from 6 pm-9 pm, Thursday, October 12 at The Meadows Bishop Ballroom in Altoona, IA. His talk is titled: “Standing Ground: NFL Pro Says YES to Life.”
Pre-Dinner Huddle for Students
Birk also will hold a Pre-Dinner Huddle from 4:45 pm-5:15 pm for students with paid tickets to the dinner. They can catch or toss the football with him and talk with him about his faith, family, and football.
Super Bowl champion made headlines on and off the field
When the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2013, Birk, the Ravens center, declined to meet President Barack Obama with his teammates due to the President’s comment in a speech in which he said, “God Bless Planned Parenthood.” Birk stated then, “It was because of my Catholic faith and my pro-life convictions…ultimately, it was because of my kids. I want to not just talk about my faith, but…live it out, too. And a few years ago, some of the older ones [were] aware of Planned Parenthood and what occurs there, and so, I wanted to set the example for them and be a dad that they could be proud of.”
The Super Bowl champ with the #77 jersey has said he believes God gave him a platform through football to defend life, marriage and family values. He and his wife Adrianna are raising eight children, all under the age of 14, in St. Paul, MN. Birk, a Harvard graduate in economics and a professional football player for 15 years, fell back in love with the Church after an evangelical team chaplain challenged him. During his football career, he was recognized for his community service by winning the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2011. Sporting News named him in the top ten of the nation’s smartest athletes in 2010. Since retiring from player status in 2014, Birk has served as Director of Football Development for the NFL since 2014. He’s also the author of the book All-Pro Wisdom: The 7 Choices That Lead to Greatness.
IFL’s Executive Director Maggie DeWitte notes that “Matt Birk showed admirable courage in the highly competitive NFL but even more importantly, in refusing to endorse the estimated 330,000 abortions that Planned Parenthood performs annually. Leaders like Matt provide the foundation for others to stand their ground on what is morally acceptable in America today.”