Thomas A. Haltigan is shown with his wife, Joan, at the 2019 LIFE Runners 5K.
Like last year, the Thomas A. Haltigan Memorial LIFE Runners Pro-Life 5K — to be held in Morristown on Sunday, Oct. 22 this year — will draw some inspiration from its late namesake: a “pro-life champion.”
The family-friendly pro-life 5K will start at Assumption Parish in Morristown at 2:30 p.m., following sign-ins at 1:30 p.m. and a prayer gathering. All age groups are welcome to run, walk, jog, or stroll. The 5K is not timed. Light refreshments will be available afterward.
Proceeds will benefit the Rockaway Denville Catholic Respect Life Ministry, which for years has offered practical and financial assistance to many pro-life community services. The ministry conducts public events such as a biennial Pro-Life Community Evening.
Last year, the annual 5K returned after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was renamed after Haltigan, who served as chairman of St. Cecilia’s pro-life ministry for 13 years. He died in his home on July 25, 2020, at age 79.
“We were delighted to bring back the pro-life 5K and remember in a very special way the unborn, as well as our friend, Tom, who was a pro-life champion,” said John Byrne, the 5K coordinator. He also heads St. Cecilia’s LIFE Runners, part of the Rockaway Denville pro-life group.
A resident of White Meadow Lake in Rockaway, Haltigan helped organize many pro-life fundraisers for the St. Cecilia’s group, now known as the Rockaway Denville Catholic Respect Life Ministry. He also sought to educate people by promoting the ministry far and wide and distributing handouts on various aspects of the respect-life cause.
Haltigan helped organize the Baby Bottle Boomerang Fundraiser — a campaign to fill baby bottles with donations for outreaches to unwed pregnant women; attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.; and was involved in Morris County Right to Life.
“Tom devoted an exceptionally large amount of time to the pro-life movement. He really got the Pro-Life Ministry of St. Cecilia’s moving. He was extremely protective of the unborn child,” said Joan Haltigan, the honoree’s widow.
The Pro-Life 5K will follow a route along the sidewalks from Assumption Church toward Speedwell Avenue, and through Morristown, and back to Assumption. Participants should arrive by 1:30 p.m. Register at https://www.st-cecilia.org/
The entry fee is $25. Donations accepted. Make checks payable to St. Cecilia Church. Write ‘LIFE Runners’ in the memo section of the check. Mail to: St. Cecilia Church, 90 Church St., Rockaway, N.J. 07866. Venmo @StCecilia-FaithFormation. Write ‘LIFE Runners 5K’ with your name.
For further information, call Bryne at 973-529-4699.