Why Should We Still March for Life?

My VIP for this week is Jeanne Mancini, the president of March for Life. The annual March for Life will be held in Washington, D.C., this month, the first since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022. According to Mary Margaret Olohan, Mancini is calling for pro-life Americans to continue to march for life.

Abortion is expected to take well over 700,000 lives nationwide in the coming year…. Even though the overturning of Roe v. Wade is an enormous victory for the pro-life movement, we have a duty to fearlessly continue marching because our work as the largest and longest-running human rights march nationwide is far from finished.

We will continue to courageously and joyfully march until the grave injustice of abortion is unthinkable, and every life is valued and protected…. I can’t think of a worthier cause.

Not all pro-life organizations are continuing to fight against abortion. Olohan reported that Catholic Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington canceled the 2023 Youth Rally and Mass for Life in November. That particular event was held for the past 25 years and usually pulled about 20,000 young people from across the nation, according to Olohan.

The statement from the archdiocese “offered little explanation” for canceling the youth rally other than stating that “many dioceses” are focusing on state-level efforts to fight abortion.

The cancellation was protested by Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas. The Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus announced last month that they will host a morning rally on the same day as the March for Life. Sister Marie Veritas explained why her organization marches for life.

Because abortion is more than a political issue, or a legal term, or a medical procedure. We march because we stand with women who are pregnant and in need. We march because no woman who has experienced abortion is left unseen by God’s love and mercy. We march because God wants to heal broken hearts and lives. We march because your life, and every life, is a gift.

We know that Jesus holds all things in His hands…. We pray for peace in this nation, for healing, true dialogue, and solidarity. We know, and see all the time in our missions, that perfect love casts out fear. We place all our trust in Jesus’ love and mercy.

In the words of Sister Maris Stella, the upcoming march is “one of the most crucial” in the history of the pro-life movement.” She continued:

            In the wake of the recent Dobbs decision, we see a profound opportunity to build the culture of             life in a new way…. We want to serve the Church in her most urgent need – that of the cause of             human life, sharing the good news of God’s plan for life and love. So, let’s return to the heart of             the matter. Let’s renew our commitment to love. Let’s be agents of healing in a broken world.