FRONT ROYAL, Virginia – With very heavy hearts, Human Life
International announces the passing of our dear friend, Magaly Llaguno.
HLI president Father Shenan J. Boquet said the following: “As many
knew, last year Magaly suffered a relapse of cancer that was
particularly aggressive, leading to her resignation from Human Life
International earlier this year so she could focus primarily on her
health and treatment. I was just one of many who were struck by her joy
and peace even amidst great suffering during this last year. With the
various treatments and the pain she was enduring, she continued to send
emails and call colleagues to keep them inspired, to translate and share
important articles and documents, to stay in the fight with every ounce
of energy that she had.”
Magaly passed away on Friday, June 28 in Miami, Florida.
Magaly started in the pro-life movement over 40 years ago, working
from her own home without pay. She helped in the founding of the
National Right to Life. In 1984, Fr. Paul Marx, OSB, founder of Human
Life International, asked her to be the Executive Director of Vida
Humana Internacional (VHI), the Hispanic Division of HLI, to defend life
and family in Spanish speaking nations.
Over many years, Magaly developed a network of affiliated and
collaborating organizations throughout Latin America and Spain. This
network not only continues today, but in fact is working better than
ever, its leaders and colleagues continuing to win victories for life
today. The network began through Magaly’s efforts to bring leaders
together at the first international pro-life congresses of Latin
America, of which she was the chief organizer.
With VHI’s affiliate in Mexico, Comite Nacional Provida, led by Jorge
Serrano, Magaly helped to create a network of crisis pregnancy centers
throughout Latin America – a network that today has over 120 centers and
has saved untold thousands of pre-born babies and their moms from
abortion.
Magaly personally saved many women and children from abortion, often
giving her own resources, and fought to keep anti-life sex education out
of Miami schools. Even while fighting for her life during the last
year, she continued to collaborate with the USCCB, as well as with many
pro-life leaders to bring Project Rachel and Respect Life Committees to
Latin America. Magaly was given the 2011 “People of Life” award from the
Pro-Life Secretariat of the USCCB for her work as a leading advocate
for life internationally.
Magaly was the key player in developing the most-visited Spanish language pro-life web site in the world,
vidahumana.org,
which often averaged 3 million hits a month, leading to many lives
saved and countless pro-lifers being moved to join the fight for life.
She participated in countless interviews and gave countless
presentations, to small groups and to thousands, all with her unique
passion and conviction.
“We will sorely miss Magaly, a sister in the battle for life, a
joyful defender of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. What kept
Magaly going through thick and thin, through terrible personal suffering
and setbacks, was her conviction that God had called her to do this
important work. Her ‘yes’ to God saved thousands of lives and brought
many champions together. Fighting for truth and life until the end,
leaving nothing on the table… We would do well to learn from such a
courageous and faithful witness,” said Patricia Bainbridge, chairman of
the board of Human Life International.
Father Boquet asks all who fight for life to pray for the repose of Magaly’s soul, and for all who mourn her passing.
Eternal
rest grant unto Magaly, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace and may all the souls of the faithful departed
rest in peace.
For more on Magaly’s life and accomplishments, and for tributes from Magaly’s fellow pro-life leaders,
visit our tribute page on hli.org.
