Prolife Committee of Chautauqua County

From: Catholic News Agency
By Adelaide Mena

Washington D.C., Jan 22, 2014 / 05:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Young people from around the U.S. and its territories travelled hundreds, even thousands of miles, through winter weather conditions to attend the March for Life and speak out in defense of the unborn.

Timothy Olive, 21, from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, traveled over 1,500 miles by plane to attend the March, along with more than 70 people from the territory’s diocese.

“This is a special event for us … because we’re a U.S. territory, the laws of abortion apply down there. There’s lots of abortions. We have to step up to the plate and do what we have to do,” Olive told CNA during Wednesday’s event.

The day before the March for Life, a snowstorm travelled through the northeastern United States, leaving more than six inches of snow in Washington, D.C. Temperatures in the nation’s capital dipped into the single digits the morning of Jan. 22, rising only to the low teens for the March itself.

While the unexpected weather disrupted some travel plans – particularly from pro-life supporters coming from east coast cities such as Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, the foul weather did not keep the hundreds of thousands of participants in the March for Life indoors.

While no official attendance count has yet been released, in the past several years between 350,000 and 650,000 people have participated in the March for Life.

Pre-march events such as the National Prayer Vigil for Life and the Youth Rally and Mass for Life reported similar attendance to previous years’ participation.

Olive reflected that the March for Life is “a spiritual awakening for our youth” traveling from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“A third of our generation since 1973 is missing. It’s very sad for all of us: 56 million citizens gone.”

He said he would pray for those who support abortion “so that they know what’s going on” and know “that’s not right.”

Sofia Quiñones, 17, from St. Augustine, Fla., who experienced her first snowfall the day before the March for Life, said that while the weather was cold, it was exciting and “feels like a movie.”

“The whole meaning of this gathering for this purpose is so meaningful for me,” she said, because “it’s a life.”

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

Shaya Oliver, also 17 and from St. Augustine, explained that the group travelled “about 12 hours” to attend the March for Life.

She said participating in the March was exciting because “I’ve never been a part of a group that big all fighting for the same thing,” and she was eager to give witness to other teenagers about “the negative things” that happen to women and society after abortion.

Though Monica Rivera, 19, only had to travel from her dormitory at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the cold weather and travel concerns still affected the Miami, Fla. native.

“This is the coldest I’ve ever been,” she said, adding that her plans with her brother, a seminarian traveling with the Archdiocese of Miami, had also been changed.

“Their flight was canceled because of the snow,” she explained. “They’re flying straight in and marching.”

Rivera stressed that while she was marching to “defend those who don’t have a voice,” it is important that “while we do this, we pray.”

“That’s the most important part.”

Not all travelers to the March for Life found the weather uncomfortable. Arshad Williams, 17, from Chicago, said that the winter storm felt warm compared to the those he had been experiencing at home.

Williams did not travel for the relatively warmer weather, however, but to “support the cause” and reach out to other young people.

“A lot of abortions are happening among young people,” he said, emphasizing that it’s important for him to tell other youth “what you know to dissuade them from abortion.”

Megan Fisher, also of Chicago, said she wanted to make the 700-mile bus ride for some of those who are closest to her.

“I wanted to come to save the babies, especially all the disabled ones.”

“My younger brother is multiply handicapped, and most people abort them,” Fisher explained.

Instead of being a burden or someone to discard, she continued, people with disabilities should be loved. “He’s such a blessing.”

Andrew Chorich, 15, a freshman at Mt. Carmel High School in Highland, Ind., said he came to his first March for Life in order to “experience what it is like” and to “support the Catholic Church” and its defense of life.

“Every day there’s three thousand kids being murdered.”

“There’s no justice in such a situation.”

Organizers hope the nation’s largest annual pro-life event will propel even more good people into action.

From: National Catholic Register by PETER JESSERER SMITH 01/21/2014

WASHINGTON — Organizers for the 2014 March for Life have placed a greater focus on turning the energy from this year’s pro-life march into positive pro-life action at home throughout the year.

The 2014 March for Life begins on Wednesday, Jan. 22, with an 11:30am pre-rally warm-up and live concert. The rally begins at noon, with U.S. Catholic and Orthodox bishops offering the opening prayers. The march itself will begin at 1pm and end at the U.S. Supreme Court building.

The event will be televised live on EWTN.

This year, March for Life organizers have directed marchers to take their protest from the U.S. Supreme Court right into the offices of their elected federal officials.

“It was Nellie’s first intent to have that day as a lobbying day, where people could come and try to speak to their members of Congress or, if not, to their offices,” said Tom McClusky, executive director of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, of the late founder of the march, Nellie Gray.

McClusky told the Register the March staffers are planning a “huge push” for New Jersey pro-life Rep. Chris Smith’s No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. He said March for Life volunteers will be stationed at various points along the route, passing out background materials on Smith’s pro-life legislation and how to lobby elected representatives in D.C.

Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, told the Register that the bishops have urged “all Catholics and people of goodwill to participate in the political process and advocate for the most just laws possible for the protection of human life from conception to natural death.” She pointed out that the law is a teacher, and many people have been hurt by Roe v. Wade’s and Doe v. Bolton’s “false lesson” that abortion is not wrong.

“Every opportunity that we have to witness to the dignity of human life and advocate for the most just laws possible is a great opportunity and a great privilege we have,” she said, adding that the U.S. bishops have also called on Catholics to lobby for the Health Care Conscience Rights Act.

Adoption Theme

The theme for this year’s March for Life is “Adoption: a Noble Decision.”

This year sees the first-ever March for Life Law Conference on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which the march is co-sponsoring with Americans United for Life and Ave Maria School of Law.

The March for Life Exhibitor Show takes place at the Hyatt Jan. 21-22. Tickets sold out in advance for the Tuesday March for Life youth rally at the Hyatt.

The second annual Nellie Gray 5K Run/Walk also begins the morning of the march: Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 8am, at East Potomac Park.

Ryan Bomberger, founder of The Radiance Foundation, is the keynote speaker for the 2014 Rose Dinner. Bomberger is a pro-life advocate and adoptive father, who himself was conceived in rape; his biological mother chose life by giving him up for adoption instead of having an abortion.

March for Life organizers are also focused more than ever on maximizing engagement with this year’s marchers, especially youth, through technology.

“Social media is certainly going to be a huge tool in our tool box,” McClusky said. March organizers have rapidly increased the organization’s Facebook audience to more than 20,000 fans. The group is also seeking to keep in touch with pro-life marchers through text messages. McClusky said a March for Life app is also in the works.

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said the march organizers were headed in the right direction.

“Our movement has to go where the young people are,” she said. “Quite honestly, that’s social media and the Internet.”

Hawkins said social media can help the whole of the pro-life movement engage with the Jan. 22 march, not just the marchers in D.C.

Creating a Year-Round Force

McClusky said the March for Life has a vision to help pro-life marchers turn the reinvigorating energy of the march into a year-round force.

“We want to give them activities to do throughout the year, both nationally and with pro-life groups and causes on the local level as well,” he said.

Hawkins said that Students for Life was “very excited” about this move, adding that SFLA is also unveiling at the march a pro-life unity website of various organizations and activities people can get involved in.

She said, “Coming to the march is a great opportunity and a great shot in the arm for you, but, really, what matters is what you do when you get home.”

Peter Jesserer Smith is a Register staff writer.