Two of the classiest Oscar winners will be attending this
year's Ball for Life May 11 at the Racquet and Tennis Club, 52nd
Street and Park Avenue. Equally impressive will be the appearance
of two young warriors in the battle to restore morality to our
culture. According to Chris Slattery, director and founder of
Expectant Mother Care, actresses Patricia Neal and Celeste Holm
will be on hand for this benefit fund-raiser for EMC and Good
Counsel Homes, which provide excellent services for women in
crisis pregnancies.
Both of these marvelous women come from an era when our
entertainment culture still retained an element of propriety and
good taste sorely absent among today's celebrities. Taking on the
battle for the heart and soul of America now requires a Herculean
ability to wage war within the venue of pop culture. Dawn Eden
and Eduardo Verįstegui are very capable combatants in this just
war.
Ms. Eden, an award-winning writer and author of "The Thrill
of the Chaste," which is in its fifth printing, says
bluntly, "We may not all be virgins, but we can all be
chaste." Surprisingly, this message is being greeted very
favorably on the college campuses throughout the country where
Ms. Eden has been on tour speaking about this topic. Her book is
brutally honest about today's sexually charged environment, and
she minces no words while frankly writing of her own experiences.
At a recent fund-raiser for Senator Brownback, Ms. Eden was
introduced to the senator as the author of a book on chastity.
"I have a 13-year-old daughter," the senator said,
"Perhaps I should get a copy for her." Ms. Eden had to
explain that this was not a book for young adolescents. Rather,
it's a book for the "Sex and the City" crowd.
Anyone familiar with that popular television show has to admit
that the four female protagonists were perfect examples of how
sexual freedom rarely resulted in good relationships. The sad
truth is that in this orgasm-centered culture, love ends up as
collateral damage. "The Thrill of the Chaste" offers
sound advice for those who have discovered that a hedonistic
lifestyle isn't worth pursuing and that chastity is a rewarding
virtue, not a restriction to happiness and can be the foundation
for building a solid relationship.
Ms. Eden's writing style is breezy and refreshing and reflects
her wonderful sense of humor. "The Thrill of the
Chaste" is easy to read, yet amazingly profound. Besides the
Ball for Life, Ms. Eden will also be a guest speaker at the New
York Young Republican's Club on May 10th (www.nyyrc.org).
Mr. Verįstegui is internationally known as the Mexican Brad Pitt
because of his stunning good looks. But how many young actors are
willing to appear at pro-life events? He is, in fact, more than
an actor. He's a singer and musician who's played to sold-out
international concerts and a Mexican soap opera star. American
television viewers might also recognize him as Mr. Right, the
perfect man, in one of the "Charmed" series episodes.
In spite of his growing popularity, Mr. Verįstegui has said that
he didn't feel whole and happy inside. This forced him to change
his life, "in favor of human rights and God's love."
Because the jobs he was being offered weren't consistent with his
values, he decided to enter a monastery and to dedicate his life
to God. But a priest there, Father Juan Rivas, advised him to
instead use his talent to achieve that change he was looking for.
Mr. Verįstegui took that advice and created with friends a film
production company, Metanoia Films, to make movies that offer and
promote human values. Its first film. "Bella," which
stars Mr. Verįstegui and is scheduled to make its debut in the
United States this August, won the People's Choice Award at the
Toronto Film Festival last year and has received unanimous
praise.
Like Dawn Eden, Mr. Verįstegui is convinced he had taken the
wrong path, but they both appear headed in the right direction
and couldn't have chosen two better charities to promote. Both
Expectant Mother Care and Good Counsel Homes are providing
life-saving measures for the unborn, the newborns, and their
mothers.
So come meet and greet Patricia Neal, Best Actress for
"Hud"; Celeste Holm, Best Supporting Actress for
"A Gentleman's Agreement"; and Dawn Eden and Eduardo
Verįstegui and other distinguished guests will be on hand.
Further details and tickets are available at www.ballforlife.org.
This is my fourth time at the ball, but this time I'm bringing my
camera. Google Eduardo and you'll see why.