Maria Cahill is not your typical Miss Delaware. Underneath the glittery dresses, and dazzling smile is a girl who is down-to- earth, motivated, and courageous.
She is determined to redefine the “pageant girl image” by proving that your favorite meal can be a Big Mac from McDonald’s (don’t forget the large fry!), and you don’t have to think twice before playing video games with your brothers.
She couldn’t care less if she broke a nail; but most importantly she couldn’t care less about what people think of the principles she lives by and the causes she is adamant about. Where is the golden rule that if you are a beautiful and confident young woman in the spotlight you must either conceal your conservative values or pump your fist high for “women’s rights”? Well, it’s her body, her choice, and she has chosen to stand for life.
Maria is the second oldest of seven children, and has always been passionate about the pro-life movement:
“It came from growing up in a household where the value of life was respected no matter what the case. I became even more involved when I met women that were contemplating abortion. Seeing the pain in their eyes and hearing them talk about the fact that they believed that there was no other way out was heart wrenching; and honestly made me want to make a difference”.
Standing firm amidst today’s opposition is not an easy task, though. Shocking right? No, but one would hope that in a society that promotes the “liberation of women”, a young woman would be free to speak her mind on one of the biggest controversies that has enveloped her generation. “Thinking of the lives that will be lost, and how these children have not had the opportunity to make a name for themselves”, only compels her even more to be their voice. She continues to spread her message regardless of the harsh criticism she sometimes receives along the way. “One of my mottos is, “it is better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you are not”.
Four days after returning home from the Miss America competition, Maria was back on the road again; only, this time to a less flashy destination. The 2012 March for Life in Washington, D.C. couldn’t have been a more perfect opportunity for Miss Delaware to be a public witness for this powerful movement.
In an interview with EWTN’s Teresa Tomeo during the march, Maria stated “it doesn’t matter whether I’m a Miss Delaware or just Maria Cahill walking the streets. My message is still the same, and that is that life is beautiful and life begins at conception”.
Maria is proud to be a voice for a movement that she has stood for all her life, and honored that the Miss Delaware organization would give her the opportunity to publicly share her beliefs. She says:
“I have heard that because I am in the public eye, I have no right to speak about the pro-life movement. I feel the total opposite. There is a crown on my head for a reason. I am trying to save innocent lives and if it takes a crown for people to maybe consider this issue a little further, then my mission has been accomplished.”
With crown and sash in hand, Maria Cahill not only continues to defy the status quo, but is becoming a source of encouragement for those new to the pro-life movement and those who have fought in it tirelessly for years. Perhaps it stirs an excitement in each one of us to rediscover the talents we possess that can be instrumental in swinging this culture of darkness to the light. Maria’s crown is her means to inspire… what is ours?
LifeNews Note: Jessica Ferraro writes for Live Action and this item is reprinted with permission from the Live Action blog.
