Thousands of people from all walks of life join the March for Life rally in Washington DC each Jan. 22nd, and for many years each joins hands in flesh and in spirit to commemorate the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade's decision legalizing abortion with a peaceful rally and protest.
This year's march to DC was my first time to have joined this national event. With my participation to this march, with other 65 seminarians from St Meinrad School of Theology, I could only recall the years I spent in Mendiola, Manila as witness to the year-in and year-out marches and rallies of Filipinos of various sectors at the foot of the historic Mendiola bridge nearby the school campus of San Beda College, where i taught for almost 20 years since 1984 to 2001, to stage and present their protests to national issues affecting the Filipinos and the country in general. All I can say is: the heightened feeling of being one of thousands of marchers is just indescribable. It was such a universalistic feeling of commitment for a cause!
I can still recall what one marcher said: "I'm here with thousands of others who believe we must work to end abortion," she said. "I'm happy we have this kind of crowd, because this is where we need to gather to be nourished by Our Lord, so we have the strength we'll need to go out to the march and take action, " she exclaimed.
Catholics from all over the country traveled to the nation's capital for the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, with blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, elderly, middle-age and young Americans represented in the crowd at this historic event.
Cardinal Rigali applauded the sacrifices of those who attended the March for Life 2009 and said he believed God was calling on his Catholic "pro-life disciples" to gather prayerfully in His name so they could better understand His will in what may be challenging times ahead.
Though Cardinal Rigali expressed joy that newly inaugurated President Barack Obama had broken the racial barrier to become the first black American to hold that high office, he said Catholics must voice their opposition to abortion and convince the new U.S. leader to help protect the most vulnerable: the child in the womb.
Cardinal Rigali said: "Thank you for your commitment to live out your faith, and to exercise your duties as Catholic citizens by standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves."
It's indeed touching that people from all walks of life have shown so much dedication to this cause amidst the freezing temperature. This only shows how God has empowered people for the common purpose of supporting life by bringing people altogether in such remarkable and historic event: right-to-life march!
I can still recall what one marcher said: "I'm here with thousands of others who believe we must work to end abortion," she said. "I'm happy we have this kind of crowd, because this is where we need to gather to be nourished by Our Lord, so we have the strength we'll need to go out to the march and take action, " she exclaimed.
Catholics from all over the country traveled to the nation's capital for the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, with blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, elderly, middle-age and young Americans represented in the crowd at this historic event.
Cardinal Rigali applauded the sacrifices of those who attended the March for Life 2009 and said he believed God was calling on his Catholic "pro-life disciples" to gather prayerfully in His name so they could better understand His will in what may be challenging times ahead.
Though Cardinal Rigali expressed joy that newly inaugurated President Barack Obama had broken the racial barrier to become the first black American to hold that high office, he said Catholics must voice their opposition to abortion and convince the new U.S. leader to help protect the most vulnerable: the child in the womb.
Cardinal Rigali said: "Thank you for your commitment to live out your faith, and to exercise your duties as Catholic citizens by standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves."
It's indeed touching that people from all walks of life have shown so much dedication to this cause amidst the freezing temperature. This only shows how God has empowered people for the common purpose of supporting life by bringing people altogether in such remarkable and historic event: right-to-life march!
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