March for Life
Courtesy of Ascension Presents
By Renee Rasmussen
Washington D.C.’s streets were filled with visitors from all across the country to participate in the annual March for Life. The largest protest in the United States, this year’s march brought a record large crowd to the Supreme Court to protest the passing of Roe v. Wade in 1973 which gave women the ability to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
The weekend started early with the Mass of the National Vigil for Life hosted in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, January 23. With an estimate of 10,000 (add link) people present for the Mass, every pew and empty space was filled. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, gave the homily and focused on what he called “a moral twilight zone.”
In the society we live in today, abortion is considered “heroic and brave,” and “is now hailed as the cornerstone of women’s rights,” Naumann told the auidence in front of him.
He then continued his homily with a warning, “In this cultural, moral twilight zone, to stand for the sanctity of the lives of unborn children, you may face ridicule and social exclusion. You may be penalized in the academy and workplace.”
Naumann also gave hope to the audience when he pointed out that the younger generation is more anti-abortion than their parents, and that the pro-life movement is being taken over by the youth, seen throughout the crowds of the march in groups of students from different schools across the country.
“There is also reason to hope the United States Supreme Court, which imposed by judicial fiat our current liberal abortion policy, may be poised to return to states a greater ability to protect the lives of unborn children,” Naumann said.
The next day, ten of thousands of anti-abortion men, women, and children lined up to march for life. The day began with a rally at the National Mall where President Trump made an appearance as the first president to address the March for Life in person.
Courtesy of New York Times
During his speech, President Trump called all mothers heroes and told the crowd before him he is committed to defending unborn children. While the crowd in front of him held up signs in support, the Trump administration announced plans to withhold federal money from California if it did not drop a requirement that private insurers cover abortions.
“The far left is actively working to erase our God-given rights,” Trump said. “When it comes to abortion, Democrats have embraced the most radical and extreme positions.”
After Trump left the stage, many other anti- abortion speakers came to celebratethe right to life as well as this year’s theme for the march: Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Women. This theme is centered around the idea that women do not need to choose; the goal is to raise awareness that women can choose life, as well as pursue their dreams. Throughout the rally, attendees heard from many different speakers, most notably, abortion survivors who came to be witnesses to the beauty of life.
Courtesy of Ascension Presents
When it was time to march, the streets of D.C. were packed with people of all ages, acting as a witness to the beauty of life, carrying their own reasons for attending the rally. Students from CUA were also able to attend because classes were cancelled from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for the march.
Curtis Boomer, a freshman international economics and finance major, marched for his friend.
“I’m pro-life because I have a friend who was going to be aborted,” Boomer said. “I can’t imagine where my life would be without him.”
Ali-Jae Nicolai, a sophmore Media major, marched for those who struggle to see the beauty in the unplanned.
“I am pro-life because my teenage birthmom saw the value in my unplanned pregnancy and chose life for me, along with my other sibling’s birthparents who chose life for my brother and sister,” Nicolai said. “The circumstance of my beginning does not lessen the worth of my life.”
Stretching a little over a mile, the march ended at the Supreme Court, symbolically showing that the pro-life movement will not back down until the voices of the unborn are heard.
