PALM BEACH GARDENS | As a religious sister, retired Army colonel and physician, Sister Deirdre “Dede” Byrne has a fascinating story to tell. Her life and work in the pro-life cause will be the focus of her appearance at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the Family Life Center of the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 N. Military Trail in Palm Beach Gardens.
A member of the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts, Sister Byrne is a board-certified surgeon who has served as a missionary, physician and soldier in places such as Sudan, Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq. She happened to be in Manhattan Sept. 11, 2001, and ministered to those in need at the flaming base of the towers.
“My feeling, as I reflect back, is that’s a Ground Zero, but the real Ground Zero in our life right now is the mother’s womb,” she told the Florida Catholic by phone. In her talks, Sister Byrne shares “about how the life of the child within a womb is like a still pond, but when it’s ripped out, this pond ripples with all sorts of terrible side effects in society, which is the annihilation of babies and the destruction of families.”
She currently provides medical care to those in need at her community’s basement clinic in Washington, D.C., Sister Byrne helps by offering hope and healing and overseeing abortion pill reversal treatment, resulting in the birth of healthy babies. She also travels the country to speak to pro-life groups and be a cheerleader for those on the front lines of the battle against abortion, which she calls “the sacrament of Satan.”
“I think we need to fight this battle on our knees. We need to start at the family level, and fathers need to be the leaders of the family. They’re the ones who will lead the family to Christ. People won’t kill babies if they believe that life is precious and that they have a great love of faith,” Sister Byrne said.
The book, “Sister, Soldier, Surgeon,” written by Leisa Marie Carzon, recounts Sister Byrne’s unwavering commitment to the dignity of human life and the integration of Catholic faith in medical practice. Copies of the book will be available for sale at her appearance.
One of the points that she stresses is that people working in the pro-life movement need to be in the state of grace, which is defined as being free from mortal sin and living in friendship with God.
“The devil is going to take advantage of you if you’re not prepared for battle,” Sister Byrne said. “Basically, I talk about being battle ready, and having been in four battlefronts myself, although I was on the healing end of war, I was always in the hospital. These guys, the ones that had the Kevlar and the helmets, came back alive, the others who did not, who were exposed, didn’t. And that’s why we need to be in the state of grace. That’s our Kevlar and our helmet.”
To learn about the pro-life movement in the Diocese of Palm Beach, contact Deanna Herbst-Hoosac, Respect Life director, at dherbst@ccdpb.org or 561-360-3330. To see upcoming events, visit www.diocesepb.org/news.
