Catholic college students to participate in March for Life en masse

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Catholic college students to participate in March for Life en masse

Washington DC, Jan 21, 2009 / 06:32 am (CNA).- Thousands of Catholic college students and faculty will participate in the National March for Life in Washington, DC this Thursday.
The March began in 1974, one year after the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade imposed permissive abortion laws nationwide, and has drawn tens of thousands of protestors to the nation’s capital for decades.
Pre-eminent among the colleges participating in the March is the Front Royal, Virginia-based Christendom College, which has participated in the demonstration since 1974. It will bus all of its students to Washington, and for the third time will lead the March with its school banner.

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That’s good to read. I couldn’t get there - I thought this was an important year to go but our bus trip got cancelled. I couldn’t arrange driving so late in the game. I’m glad a whole college is going!
 
I was there. We just made it into the Verizon Center for the youth rally before they started turning people away (because it was FULL!). The place holds about 20,000.

The march was huge. I’ll be interested in hearing what the numbers were.
 
Hello all! I was in DC for the March for Life. I participated in the vigil/mass/rosary at the Basilica the night before the march. It was so crowded with all ages, but a high percentage of youth- high school and college. It was so well attended by priests, deacons, missionaries, sisters and brothers and other religious, cardinals and bishops- that the procession in took over 1/2 half hour and they filed in non-stop. It was a sight to behold. I can’t even tell you how awesome the whole experience was. The youth are energized on a national level and I am sure there were many that could not come and would have liked to. My husband thought there could have been 100,000 people at church. It was so packed. I did not go to the youth rally the next morning that would have been ecumenical I am sure because I went to Fr. Pavone’ s interfaith prayer group in the new visitors center at the capital.

More about that in next post:
 
The interfaith prayer service this morning began at 8:30am. It was an amazing experience also. There must have been 30 ministers and priests on stage that all spoke and prayed. Each one that gave a longer talk was so good that you had to appreciate the experience in the same way a retreat is felt. There was so much to contemplate after hearing the talks that I know I will be pondering on it for weeks to come.

There was a black preacher there from Maryland I think that was so eloquent that he received more than one standing ovation.

Fr. Pavone’s speech was great and his work is tireless on behalf of the unborn. He is an amazing priest. The bonds that exist in the interfaith group gives me hope that one day Christian relgions could all be one again. When so many men and women of God work together so well it is so great to behold.

This prayer service went on for 2 1/2 hours and it could have gone on longer but the march was set to start at noon so we had to get going. More about that next…
 
The March was very well attended. I heard estimates of 300,000 but I know there is no way to be accurate with that. I took over one hour once the march started for the section I stood in to even move a foot. I was to the right of the stage, and outside the fence, and we were one of the last groups to walk.

The signs people carry are very interesting. Some people get so very creative and other signs are mass produced. Many colleges and high schools and parishs have made banners and flags and there is a lot of color. Here are some sayings that I remember and liked: Save the baby humans (written on the backs of one church groups t-shirts), abortion stops a beating heart, Stop signs with “Stop Abortion” written on them. All life is precious, Stop FOCA, The Audacity of Hope- stop abortion, Obama-Your mom saved you so help us save the babies. I will think of more as time goes on. I tried to take pictures of my favorite signs but they did not turn out. There were many many comparisons and messages from Obamas Inaugural speech turned around to show how he should be more compassionate to the unborn. Many comparisons to ending slavery, and comparisons to genocide.

There were many Catholic Bishops and Cardinals that took the stage to encourage the crowds. It is impressive and many were there the night before at the mass.

I will have to say the number of young people, high school and college is so awesome that it is a sight to behold. They are so energetic and so happy to be there. I was inspired and I began to have more hope in the Prolife Movement and its future.

The speeches of our elected prolife congressmen and women were encouraging also. I had begun to wonder if there were even any left. Yes, there are and they are vocal. We all need to keep them encouraged also. I intend to get their names and write a thank you to each one of them. One prolife congressman from Georgia, a doctor was very impressive. I need to learn their names and we all need to make sure they get reelected!

I am tired now from a long day out in the fresh air. It was warmer than Inauguration Day and it was sunny. I think the day was a day of renewal for me and those that were there. We are not alone in our prolife cause. I will add more thoughts as I remember. Others that were there will have even more thoughts on these few days. I will go again, and hopefully our numbers will grow.
 
Thank you, Fitz!

My son was there with his 8th grade class…and it sounds like he’s going to come back energized and ready to fight for life.
 
KCT said:
I was there. We just made it into the Verizon Center for the youth rally before they started turning people away (because it was FULL!). The place holds about 20,000.

The march was huge. I’ll be interested in hearing what the numbers were.
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LOL it holds 20,000 for games up to 30,000 for concerts and other things depending on the program. We were in area 215. Where were you?
 
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