MADISON — Wisconsin’s pro-life movement was dealt a significant loss in 2019 at the passing of Pro-life Wisconsin’s founding director, long-time activist, and statewide leader, Beloit native Mary Catherine Matuska.
Yet, her legacy and zeal live on in the Diocese of Madison through the Mary Catherine Matuska Pro-Life Endowment.
Established in 2021 through the generosity of fellow activist and long-time friend Greg Chesmore, the endowment will perpetuate her life’s work to embolden individuals and parishes across the diocese to get involved.
Maintained by the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF), the fund supports pro-life activities in honor of Mary’s lifelong passion for babies and their mothers.
Greg felt a compelling call to the pro-life movement while still in high school.
After seeing a video of an abortion, he felt the Holy Spirit convict his heart to get involved and started a pro-life group for high school students.
In her 40s and a member of a Beloit pro-life organization, Mary invited Greg and other students to picket and pray with them at a Rockford, Ill., abortion clinic.
“That’s how we met, but really Mary became a mentor and one of my best friends for the next 30-plus years of my life.” shared Greg.
Living out the pro-life message
Mary Catherine Matuska was a co-founder of the Stateline Pregnancy Helpline in Beloit (now named Willow Women’s Center). She was involved in all three parishes in the Beloit area, St. Jude, Our Lady of the Assumption, and St. Thomas.
She often went into schools to give talks, and she lobbied at the Capitol for years.
In the late ‘80s and ‘90s, Mary spent many nights in jail because of her involvement in Operation Rescue, an effort in which protestors peacefully and prayerfully put themselves in between the clinic and women seeking abortions.
Both Greg and Mary felt a need for a statewide organization to provide life-affirming education and fight for pro-life legislation — a 100 percent pro-life organization founded on the truth that every baby was precious, regardless of the circumstance surrounding his or her conception.
Along with Sheri Billett, they founded Pro-Life Wisconsin.
Mary directed Pro-Life Wisconsin for many years before she retired. She was a regular on TV talk shows advocating for an end to the cruelties of abortion and continued her direct-action work outside abortion mills.
More than just a warrior for the cause, Mary was also amazingly generous, often taking pregnant women in need into her home. She accompanied them through the pregnancy, through childbirth, and became a part of their lives and their children’s lives — living out the full breadth of the Gospel.
Continuing to inspire the next generation
Greg shared his inspiration for perpetuating Mary’s work through a CDMF legacy endowment:
“When thinking about how to honor Mary, I knew it had to be focused against abortion. What is happening to the babies, the moms, and the families — that’s where Mary’s heart was. She helped families put the pieces together after abortion and saw what it did to women who had to carry that enormous weight for years.”
Greg wanted Mary’s legacy to live on, and an endowment is the best way to consistently allow people an opportunity to be engaged and grow in the pro-life movement.
“She was a powerful witness, and I want to provide a glimpse into who she was, so more people can learn about her, and she can continue to inspire the next generation of pro-life leaders,” said Greg.
Many life-affirming ministries bless the Diocese of Madison through the generosity of the faithful, a tradition that will continue to grow through the Mary Catherine Matuska Pro-Life Endowment.
An endowment is a perpetual fund invested for long-term growth that makes annual distributions to a beneficiary or grants supporting a cause.
The fund will support parish and community-based activities, including advocacy against abortion, abortion healing ministries, and prayer groups for the sanctity of human life at its earliest stages.
The CDMF oversees applicant requests and grant awards. You can get involved and increase the fund’s annual impact simply by making a donation at diocesemadisonfoundation.org/prolife or mailing a check to the CDMF office at:
Mary Catherine
Matuska Pro-Life
Endowment
c/o Catholic Diocese
of Madison Foundation
702 S. High Point Rd., Ste. 223
Madison, WI 53719
Nikki Sena is the development impact manager of the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation.