Thousands of Angelenos at annual OneLife event invited to find hope in LA's 'trial by fire'

LOS ANGELES (OSV News) -- At last year's OneLife LA event, it rained so much that attendees were thoroughly soaked.

At this year's event, participants prayed for even a few drops to fall -- anything to help combat the still-burning wildfires that have ripped through so much of Southern California.

The specter of the lingering wildfires hung in the air as thousands gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Jan. 18 for the 11th annual OneLife LA celebration and Requiem Mass for the Unborn.

"Our people have suffered many trials by fire this week," Bishop Joseph V. Brennan of Fresno, formerly an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said in his opening prayer. "But after this trial by fire, we know that we rise from the ashes to new life and to a hopefulness that can only come from you and being absolutely convinced of your love for us and the power of that love to change us and transform us and sustain us."

OneLife LA is an annual pro-life event that celebrates "the beauty and dignity of human life from conception to natural death" while speaking out on threats to life including abortion, human trafficking and assisted suicide.

Typically held outdoors in downtown LA, the fires still burning in LA County prompted organizers to move this year's event indoors to the cathedral amid concerns over unhealthy air quality and strained public resources.

The change of venue -- and circumstances behind it -- gave the event a different, more somber tone.

Rather than a one-mile walk through downtown LA, there was a small procession. Gone were the festival portion's food trucks; stations were set up where women religious joined those who needed prayer. Instead of music and dancing on a large stage, a band played in front of the presider chair on the cathedral's altar.

But rather than mourn what was lost, OneLife LA speakers focused on what was gained.

"In times like this we realize life is precious, but life is also fragile," Archbishop José H. Gomez said in his opening remarks. "What we have, we could lose in an instant. So, we should live for God, enjoy every moment, and never take anyone or anything in our lives for granted.

"In this moment," the archbishop said, "the Lord is calling us to be good friends and good neighbors, to bring his love to those who are suffering."

Two Catholic families who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire -- the Magallons and the Gonzalezes -- were invited to take part in the event. During the opening procession, Rodrigo Gonzalez clutched the cross while his wife, Diana, and their children, Isaac and Penelope, walked behind a OneLife LA banner. George Magallon, along with his wife, Jennifer, and their children, Sophia and Diego, carried a statue of the Virgin Mary that survived the fire that burned down their home.

Speaking to the crowd, Jennifer Magallon described the pain of seeing her home reduced to ashes, and the strength she drew from seeing the Virgin Mary statue sitting nearby unscathed.

"It was a moment of peace, grace and divine love I felt at that moment," Jennifer said. "She gave me hope and strength in one of the most difficult moments of my life. I often pray to her and ask her for strength and guidance. This time, she came to me before I even asked.

"This beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary will always be a reminder of everything I have, and not what I lost."

In her remarks, Diana Gonzalez said the last thing the family did in their home was have it blessed by a priest. She said they didn't know it at the time, but their home was about to be an offering for God.

"We gave our home and all of our belongings back to God," Diana said. "We didn't know what would happen, but we trusted his plan, even as we said goodbye to the life we had built. It is our faith that has held us together in this time of loss."

Her husband, Rodrigo, said his experience offered a new perspective on the difficulties faced by vulnerable expectant mothers.

"There's a lot of women and children, unborn and born, that suffer in silence," Rodrigo said. "In one week, we were flooded with clothing, flooded with prayers, flooded with offers of shelter. And we know there's a lot of people out there who are considering what to do with the life in their womb that are not getting a single call.

"We need to show up for them as people are showing up for us."

For Noel Díaz, founder of the Los Angeles-based media apostolate El Sembrador-Nueva Evangelización, or ESNE, seeing the salvaged tabernacle from the incinerated remains of Pacific Palisades' Corpus Christi Church was a "model example" of how nothing can destroy Jesus Christ's love and protection for us.

"Everything was burned, but the tabernacle where Jesus was is alive," Diaz said. "You can lose everything in your life, but if you have your faith in God, you have the treasure that no one can burn. If you have God in your life, you have everything."

True to OneLife LA's roots, there was plenty to advocate for beyond the fires.

One of the speakers, Sister Maria Goretti, a member of the Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ, shared her experiences of ministering to the homeless on Skid Row since her order was invited to minister in the archdiocese in 2018.

"We have walked with many brothers and sisters who live in the darkness of homelessness, addiction, material and spiritual destitution, violence and mental health crises," Goretti said. "But in these years, we've also witnessed the transformative power of hope, even amidst circumstances that seem completely lost, irreparable and despairing."

One of the emcees of the event, Nora Placencia, chronicled her painful journey of ectopic pregnancy and pushed for support for expectant mothers, while event speaker Desiree Gentile, a catechist at St. Anthony Church in Oxnard, relayed her experience of being put up for adoption by her 17-year-old mother.

"Reflecting on it now, I know that I'm an abortion survivor," Gentile said. "My mom, she chose life. As we reflect on young people today that are surrounded by all the different circumstances, including considering abortion, choose life."

Of the thousands who chose to attend this year's OneLife LA -- some first-timers, others who come year after year -- their reasons for showing up covered a wide spectrum.

Marta Loza, a parishioner at Nativity Church in Torrance, has attended One Life LA for about the past eight years.

Loza says at 23 she discovered she was pregnant with her third child, and her partner coerced her into having an abortion.

Since then, Loza says experienced repentance and healing, and has dedicated her life to encouraging pregnant women to choose life.

Loza broadcasts live from One Life LA on her Facebook account each year to help pregnant women see that there is a community that loves and supports them. She said she's saved two babies' lives through these transmissions -- including one who went on to become her godson.

"Never abandon a mother who is suffering alone," she said. "We should always open a door for them because God will go the extra step and will open thousands. We will keep opening doors and touching hearts so that these children can continue to be born."

Ricardo Manriquez, of Holy Family Church in Artesia, has been involved in pro-life ministries with his wife and was concerned about the prevalence of euthanasia in our society.

"Everyone deserves dignity, from the conception of life to the end of life and everything in between," Manriquez said. "When God takes them, it's their time. We don't believe in injections or any type of things they have out there now to assist in an early death."

Zulema and Fernando Flores attended One Life LA for the first time this year, along with their 5-month-old daughter, Eden Marie.

The couple, parishioners at St. Didacus Church in Sylmar, say they suffered six miscarriages over 15 years and were "overjoyed" to be able to participate in this year's event with their baby girl.

"We are so grateful to God that we have her, so we just want to be here to support life," Zulema Flores said.

Wendy McGrail attends annually representing St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Temple City and was inspired by the testimonies from fire survivors.

"It's one thing to read about them in the news, but it's another to hear about them in person," McGrail said. "The family where Our Blessed Mother was still standing after the fire, that was their witness to life."

Anna Serrano came with family members, all wearing matching T-shirts for their parish, Holy Name of Jesus Church in Redlands. Serrano was encouraged by the spirit of solidarity displayed at the 2025 OneLife LA event.

"Sometimes as a Catholic in this world, you think you're alone," she said. "So being able to come here and see all these people support your beliefs is really beautiful."