—Families to Unite Virtually on January 23 in the Celebration of the Beauty and Dignity of Every Human Life —
January 14, 2021  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

The seventh annual OneLife LA will be celebrated virtually due to COVID-19 safety measures with Archbishop José H. Gomez as keynote joined by a roster of renowned performers and international and national voices sharing their personal and life-affirming stories on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. PST on OneLifeLA.organd facebook.com/lacatholics. This year’s celebration themed “The Joy of Life” aims to unite communities and inspire positive action that promotes the beauty and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death.

“OneLife LA invites us to celebrate the joy of life. Now more than ever, we are reminded that our lives are a gift from God to be treasured and respected. We share our joy in life through thousands of small works of mercy performed throughout the year for our neighbors in need,” said Archbishop Gomez. “We defend the dignity of every human life and decry attacks against the defenseless and the marginalized. OneLife LA is building a culture of care and sharing the joy of life when our world needs it most.”

OneLife seeks to promote a culture of life, where every human life is dignified, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. Funds raised during OneLife 2021 will benefit Harvest Home which transforms the lives of homeless pregnant women and their children by providing housing, support, and programs that equip women to become great mothers.

“Like everything else, OneLife LA will look different this year. We will miss gathering in downtown LA, but we look forward to welcoming our OneLife LA family to our virtual event on January 23,” said Kathleen Domingo, senior director of the Archdiocese’s Office of Life, Justice and Peace. “Now, more than ever, we value the gift of life! Join us to be inspired as our favorite OneLife LA speakers share how they live the Joy of Life, even in these challenging times. Meet our 2021 OneLife LA grant awardees and learn how you can share the Joy of Life in your own neighborhood!”

Traditionally, OneLife LA is hosted at the Los Angeles Historic Park in downtown Los Angeles, where thousands of people from all backgrounds in Southern California come together after a mile walk led by Archbishop Gomez beginning at the birthplace of the city at Olvera Street.

OneLife LA speakers include:

  • Christopher Duffley is Christopher Duffley is a 19-year-old musician, inspirational speaker, and podcaster. Born prematurely, Christopher is blind as a result of Retinopathy of Prematurity. He was later diagnosed with Autism.
  • Damon and Melanie Owens aninternational speaker and evangelist for over 20 years, is the founder and executive director of joytob, a new teaching ministry of dedicated to proclaiming the joy of being made in the image and likeness of God, male and female.
  • Gloria Purvis is a public speaker and radio host. She is the leading Catholic voice on racial justice and the pro-life movement, connecting our understanding of the dignity of the human person to the issues of racism and abortion. She is dedicated to promoting the dignity of human life and marriage and creating a just society for all.
  • Jess Echeverry is a women and family advocate and speaker and OneLife LA 2020 grant recipient. She has survived parental divorce and alcoholism, as well as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Her testimony includes dark times of physical and sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, years of on and off homelessness, abortion, same sex attraction and two attempts at suicide.
  • Karen Gaffney is an advocate for the inclusion of people with physical disadvantages in families, the workplace, and schools, will share her own experiences and challenges as a person born with Down syndrome. She is the first person with Down syndrome to swim the English Channel.
  • Noemi Amezcua has been a foster parent for the past 28 years together with her husband. As a foster care recruiter for FosterAll, she visits faith communities weekly and gives guidance and support to prospective foster parents.
  • Sarah Wilson is a passion for utilizing her skills in leadership and administration to serve at-risk women and children, equipping women to break the cycle of poverty and dysfunction, and creating long term health and wellness for future generations.

The celebration will culminate with the 26th annual “Requiem for the Unborn” Mass celebrated virtually by Archbishop Gomez at 5 p.m. on OneLifeLA.org and facebook.com/lacatholics. There will be 175 candles lit in remembrance of the babies lost to abortion daily in Southern California. Following the Mass, the candles were placed in the windows of the Cathedral Colonnade where they will remain lit and on display for a week as a shining witness, to the City of the Angels, of our commitment to the sanctity of all human life. 

In preparation of OneLife LA, the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles invites everyone to spend time with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament on Friday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. PST to offer prayer for the dignity of all human life. The Holy Hour will be livestream on OneLifeLA.org from St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

For more information on 2021 OneLife LA speakers and more details, visit https://onelifela.org/. OneLife LA was first celebrated on January 17, 2015. OneLife LA 2020 drew tens of thousands to downtown Los Angeles in celebration of the beauty and dignity of every human life. For more on 2020 highlights visit https://onelifela.org/.

For OneLife LA updates, visit Facebook,Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and follow #OneLifeLA.

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The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is the largest Archdiocese in the United States with approximately five million Catholics. For the latest news, events and to subscribe for media alerts visit media.la-archdiocese.org. Follow us on social media using @LACatholics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Video archives and footage of Masses celebrated by Archbishop José H. Gomez are also available.