This past weekend, I traveled to Washington, D.C., with my classmates from Sacred Heart Major Seminary for the 2025 March for Life. Since 1974, this event has annually drawn tens of thousands of advocates to our nation’s capital to plead for the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society – the unborn – and to celebrate the gift of human life.
The March for Life was soaked in an overwhelming Catholic presence, and the representation of young Catholics was particularly astounding. On the eve of the March, we attended Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the fifth-longest church in the world. Despite its great size, the Basilica did not have nearly enough room to seat the thousands of pilgrims who came to consecrate their advocacy efforts to God. It was beautiful to see the groups of college students, high schoolers, young children with their parents, and older men and women all come together in prayer with countless priests and bishops from around the country.
The following morning, we attended Life Fest hosted by the Sisters of Life. The witness of the sisters and the stories of the women who shared their testimonies shone a light on the life-giving and healing work that God is doing in our midst.
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the pro-life cause has suffered disappointing defeats in many states, including here in Michigan. It would be easy to lose hope in the face of these tragic setbacks. But this year’s March for Life reminded me of why we march and where our hope comes from. We march because life is a gift worth celebrating and defending, and we have hope because the victory belongs to the Lord.
The main theme that I took away from the speakers and homilies that we heard was, “Love casts out fear.” Fear is one of the primary tactics that the enemy uses to rob us of the freedom of the sons of God. It is one of the primary factors that leads women to choose abortion and to remain stuck in shame for years afterward. Let us ask the Lord to drive out fear from our own hearts by the power of His perfect love so that we may be witnesses of that love to those who need it most!