March for Life 2012 - Has anyone ever gone? Thoughts?

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Hello All,

I’m thinking about - well pretty much have decided - that I’m going to the March for Life this year in Washington, D.C. The group I’m going with have no idea that I’m postabortive or anything about my journey. I will simply be (to them) another prolife witness that day. However, I know that it will be so much more for me.

Has anyone ever gone to the March and if you have how was it? Any good points or bad points to share?

Thank you!
 
It is one of the best trips of my life (that includes 20 hours each way crammed in a tiny bus seat with very annoying seatmates).

Be sure to go a day early if you can or at least get up that morning early and attend the Masses at the National Shrine. You don’t want to miss those!
 
I’ve attended the West Coast Walk. To make your walk even richer, I constantly prayed the rosary and offered my pain up for those who are contemplating abortion, who have had abortions and for women, and men at that, to give their pain to God. A lot of the women who are shouting obscenities at you are often hurting in their own hearts.
It’s an event I’ll never forget. And that’s a good thing ! :yup:

Our Blessed Mother will be with you,
James
 
I went last year, and it was great. It was a little crazy, but it was a fun experience. I’m going again this year.
 
I live nearby, so I could really go anytime I want, but I only went once just to experience it a couple years ago.

You should experience it if you can. It’s a great thing to see.

I will warn you, though, make sure you are dressed for the cold well enough, because you’ll be doing a WHOLE LOT of standing without moving. Also, be aware that there really is only one port-o-potty area for the whole march.

There are so many people there. Many, many thousands. FAR more than the media shows or gives credit for.
 
ForGood said:
Hello All,

I’m thinking about - well pretty much have decided - that I’m going to the March for Life this year in Washington, D.C. The group I’m going with have no idea that I’m postabortive or anything about my journey. I will simply be (to them) another prolife witness that day. However, I know that it will be so much more for me.

Has anyone ever gone to the March and if you have how was it? Any good points or bad points to share?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
Yes, I went to the one in Washington DC although it was years ago.

Expect that the news media will totally under-report it. There will be so many people there that on the way home you will still see cars from people you know were there for miles and miles. In my case, across 3 states. We filled, yes filled, the parks across from the White House by the Washington Monument. There must not have been a parking spot in town. We had to park out of town and ride the metro in to get there. Don’t know if it’s bigger or smaller now, but that’s how it was when we went.

Expect that you will see many pretty ordinary looking Catholics. When I was there it was a huge crowd, but a very peaceful crowd. The religious orders will be walking around mingling with the crowd, and they have large banners so you can identify them. There are many priests and nuns, but also many, many families with kids and babies bundled up in strollers, young men and women, couples, kids, everyone. All races, all ages.

There were a few counter-protesters and they were very loud, obnoxious, theatrical etc, but they were outnumbered by about 1000-to-1. Nevertheless, the news media had to take pictures of them and of course, they were on the tv that night when we watched the very slanted coverage. We realized how slanted the news media was that night because we had been there ourselves.

It’s not what you do while you’re there. It’s that you’re there, which no one in Washington DC can honestly deny. The presence of many thousands of people in town really messes up the system in a peaceful way and makes it unmistakeable that not everyone in the country goes along with this scourge of abortion. Far from it. It’s very important that this go on every year.

Dihydrogen oxide’s right. Bundle up. Washington DC can be cold in January. And there aren’t many places to um go, so kind of keep an eye out as you walk in. And take something to eat and drink in your backpack.

Have a great time. You’ll never forget it.

PS, I went pre-911. Don’t know if that changes anything regarding backpacks and the like, but this is outdoors.
 
I haven’t been to the March, but I have worked the Vigil for Life at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception a few times. I am a volunteer usher at the Shrine. If you go to that Mass be prepared to stand unless you get there real early. It is one of the most attended Masses of the year (if not the most attended.) There is usually over 6000 people in attendance and the upper church only holds about 2500 seated. The upper church is literally standing room only. Once it gets close to Mass time, all the aisles except for the aisle used for the procession/recession are totally full of people and very hard to navigate. They usually set up TVs throughout the church, both upstairs and downstairs so if you don’t like crowds you can view things from there.

Usually the Vigil for Life is the big event the night before the event.

Check all the published materials because they usually have several different events. Some for teens, some for everyone. Lately they have been using the Verizon Center for the Mass the day of the March.
 
Marauder said:
I haven’t been to the March, but I have worked the Vigil for Life at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception a few times. I am a volunteer usher at the Shrine. If you go to that Mass be prepared to stand unless you get there real early. It is one of the most attended Masses of the year (if not the most attended.) There is usually over 6000 people in attendance and the upper church only holds about 2500 seated. The upper church is literally standing room only. Once it gets close to Mass time, all the aisles except for the aisle used for the procession/recession are totally full of people and very hard to navigate. They usually set up TVs throughout the church, both upstairs and downstairs so if you don’t like crowds you can view things from there.

Usually the Vigil for Life is the big event the night before the event.

Check all the published materials because they usually have several different events. Some for teens, some for everyone. Lately they have been using the Verizon Center for the Mass the day of the March.
Click to expand...
Wow, it has grown since I was there.
 
We took a cab to the Shrine on the morning of the March, attended Mass in the crypt chapel and then went to Mass upstairs - got to shake hands with Cardinal Rigalli 👍 After that, hopped another cab to the march (there were many busses heading over, we could have ridden one of those if we asked.
 
My wife and I attended the Walk for Life in San Francisco two years ago it. My only complaint was that I wished we rode the bus insrtead of driving. Nevertheless, because we parked near the beginning of the walk, we had to walk several miles back without the main group, still holding our sign that read on one side “Men Regret Lost Fatherhood” and on the other side “Women DO Regret Abortions”. For some reason I felt like I was wearing a bull’s eye on my t-shirt as we walked past gay couples holding hands and kissing and whatnot… But I really wanted to keep that sign.

Anyways, it’s definately worthwhile. And I suggest, if you are able to, to open up about your post-abortive conversion with others. Many women in the Walks and Marches are post-abortants, but all would like to hear about how you converted and what you went through because surely you will never be finished healing and it’s a wonderful outlet to share that experience (if you want or feel you need to of course).

God bless you for doing the March this year. It will be a great experience.

God love you,

Travis Dover
 
This will be my 3rd year I love that there are so many pro-life people there.
The silent no more group usually has a speaker. If you are not familar with the group, they are post abortive women who speak out about how their abortion hurt them and their lives. I commend these women for sharing something that is so personal and painful. They are trying to use the bad to promote the good. Their courage is to be applauded.👍
 
Thank you so much!!! That’s amazing and I’m overwhelmed. I can’t believe it’s only a week away, I have much preparing to do!
 
It is so great that you are going!! I hope one day to be able to make the trip!
 
Been going every year since 2004. I think missed one year (work…couldn’t get off). It’s a wonderful experience. I look forward to Monday’s March. 🙂
 
I posted on another thread but it was amazing, life changing even. I am late to the pro life cause, I was even pro choice in my youth and gradually became pro life through my experience as a nurse case manager working with individuals with catastrophic injury. I am in RCIA coming from the Methodist Church and I actually felt mad and duped at one point by the lack of Prostestant participation and the years of moral relativism and lukewarm theology. How far we have fallen and how my generation has failed our children. If I had any doubts about looking ahead to coming home to the Church and not behind to where I came from they all were erased. Lord have mercy on our nation- I will never miss amother march again until the cause is won!

Val
 
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