By TAMI QUIGLEY
Staff writer
A snowfall on the eve of the 46th Annual March for Life that lingered into the early morning did not deter scores of pro-life faithful from the Diocese of Allentown from joining the thousands gathered for the Jan. 18 celebration of life in Washington, D.C.
“We gather here because we believe as our founders did that we are, all of us, born and unborn, endowed by our creator, with certain unalienable rights, and first among these rights is the right to life,” said U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who with his wife Karen made a surprise visit to the rally with a video message from U.S. President Donald Trump.
“When we look into the eyes of a newborn child, we see the beauty and the human soul and the majesty of God’s creation. We know that every life has meaning,” Trump said in his video.
Buses traveled to the nation’s capital from all corners of the five-county Diocese of Allentown, and many who didn’t make the journey joined their pro-life prayers with those who attended the march.
Bishop Alfred Schlert attended his second march as Bishop of Allentown.
The yearly event protests the Jan. 22, 1973 Roe vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. The theme of this year’s march was “Unique From Day One.”
Speakers at the march included: Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana); Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois); Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey); state Rep. Katrina Jackson (D-Louisiana); Ben Shapiro, editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire; Abby Johnson, founder of “And Then There Were None”; Dr. Alveda King, director of civil rights for the unborn with Priests for Life; and Dr. Kathi Aultman, fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Also, Ally Cavazos, president of Princeton Pro-Life; Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus; and Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Activities Committee.
Father Mark Searles, chaplain of Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS) – which sent five buses to the march – said since the weather caused a later departure for Washington, a planned Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Schlert prior to the march with all Diocesan high school students and seminarians at the Basilica of the Assumption, Baltimore, Maryland, was cancelled.
Father Searles is also Diocesan director of vocations promotion.
Parishes slated to run buses to the march were Assumption BVM, Bethlehem; Immaculate Conception BVM, Douglassville; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem and St. Thomas More, Allentown, who traveled together; Sacred Heart, Bath; St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven; St. Benedict, Mohnton; St. Columbkill, Boyertown and Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally; St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring; St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton; and St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield.
In addition to ACCHS, Diocesan high schools scheduled to run buses included Bethlehem Catholic High School, one bus; Berks Catholic High School, Reading, one bus; Marian High School, Tamaqua, two buses; and Notre Dame High School, Easton, two buses.
Local prayer opportunities were offered for those who could not attend the march, including at St. Jane, which offered Eucharistic Adoration Jan. 18 after the 8:15 a.m. Mass, ending with benediction at 5 p.m.
Bishop Alfred Schlert
“The legalization of abortion continues to tear at the soul of our country, and it should,” said Bishop Schlert.
“Abortion speaks against every principle upon which our nation was founded and, most importantly, against God’s Law. We cannot truly be a great nation while we live under this scourge.
“Our great hope is in the youth of our country who stand up for life in ever-greater numbers. We pray that in their lifetimes they will see the end of such innocent killing.”
Mary Fran Hartigan
“It was a beautiful ‘March for Life’ experience once again,” said Mary Fran Hartigan, secretary of the Diocesan Secretariat for Catholic Life and Evangelization and director of the Diocesan Office of Pro-Life Activities and Social Concerns.
“We were all grateful that the weather cooperated this year with mild temperatures.
“This year as in the last couple of years, the faces of those who march are getting visibly younger. It gives me great hope for the future that one day we will march in thanksgiving that abortion is no longer the law of the land. It is beautiful to see so many people participate from all over the country.
“People are friendly and joy-filled walking with a sense of purpose. Prayers and singing can be heard all around. It is a display of love – love for the unborn child and their mothers.
“We continue to march and pray that hearts will be transformed, and people recognize that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception.”
Hartigan traveled with the group from St. Joseph the Worker, which included marchers from the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown, including Deacon Robert Snyder and his wife Karen.
Andrew Azan
Andrew Azan, parishioner of Sacred Heart, Bethlehem, traveled with the group from St. Jane Frances de Chantal. He is boy scout chaplain for Troop 359 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem and a Catholic Committee on Scouting member. He has attended the march approximately 15 times; some previous trips with a New Jersey parish.
“This march weather was decent, we had the fullest bus in recent memories. We had a few first-time participants in our bus and many veterans. The speeches, monitor and public address system were all excellent,” Azan said.
“The march as usual is a slow parade, which gives you an opportunity to speak with others of all ages and from other states. This is what makes this March for Life vibrant, that many come from so far away to support life.
“There were some protestors on the curbs, but we encountered no issues.
“Those who have never attended must experience this live, as the media does not properly report the support for life at all stages.”
Candee Holzman
“Two weeks before the march we only had a dozen people signed up for our trip, which made me nervous,” said Candee Holzman, organizer of the trip sponsored by St. Columbkill and Most Blessed Sacrament. “Surely God would provide ... and he did.
“In the next week and a half, St. Columbkill and Most Blessed Sacrament Church filled an entire bus with passionate pro-lifers.
“We began the day with Father Martin Kern, pastor of St. Columbkill, celebrating Mass for the unborn. It was an awesome day. When you see hundreds of thousands of people in our nation’s capital standing up for life, it’s a powerful witness.
“It gives you real hope for the future, especially given the tremendous number of young people there. Our bus itself had 12 teenagers and four college students join us.
“We were surprised by Vice President Mike Pence’s unannounced speech in person. After the rally, the sun came out, just as we stepped off for the march. God blessed us with terrific weather and a wonderful day.”
Holzman, a parishioner of St. Columbkill, said this marked the 11th year she has organized the trip. She said their oldest son has been coming since fifth grade. He’s now in his second year of college and still comes home to join them at the march. The Holzman’ younger son has gone for about five years.
Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS)
Sisters of Christian Charity (SCC) Sister Sophia Marie Peralta, assistant director of campus ministry at ACCHS, made the journey to Washington with the large ACCHS contingent.
“This March for Life was truly a celebration of life. What a grace-filled opportunity to share this pilgrimage with so many of our students from Central. Their enthusiasm and desire to show others the ‘path to life’ gives us all hope for the future,” said Sister Sophia.
“From the pregnant woman I encountered, to the elderly man being pushed in his wheelchair, all of us came together in ‘one heart, one soul’ as the body of Christ to give witness to the greatest gift we have been given – life.”
“The March for Life is the largest peaceful protest for human rights in the United States. I had the honor of attending the march with ACCHS,” said freshman Katie Cavanagh.
“As Catholics, we believe that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death.
“This was my fourth year attending the March for Life, and it gave me great hope to see hundreds and hundreds of young people like myself standing up for life and not keeping silent. After all, my generation is the pro-life generation.”
“I’ve attend the march three times now, twice with ACCHS, and my favorite part of the trip is always seeing how many of my peers attend,” said sophomore Ashleigh Meskill, “not only from my school, not only from the Diocese, but from across the country.
“It’s so beautiful to see the future of our Church and future of our world so passionate about something so important.
“During the march there is a point where you’re standing at the top of a hill and you can see all people in front of and behind you all at once. It’s always so incredible, but this year the sight was especially beautiful.
“The line in both directions extended beyond what I could see. Knowing hundreds of thousands of people are coming together for the cause gives me hope that my generation will be the generation to end abortion.”
“I love that our school gives every student the opportunity to travel to D.C. and speak up for the unborn,” said junior Elizabeth Ulicny.
“The March for Life is an incredible experience that allows us to join hundreds of thousands of people from across the nation to fight for the right to life.
“It was an awesome way to live out our faith and give voice to those who will never have one.”
Senior Michael Fleck also shared his thoughts: “I was fortunate enough to travel to Washington, D.C. with my school for the March for Life for my third consecutive year.
“While this year was similar to others, there were some novel feelings that I experienced this time around. One of these was awe at the sheer scale of this gathering.
“Getting caught up in the heart of the crowds where I could see nothing but pro-lifers was overwhelming enough, but watching aerial videos of the march when I was back home helped me appreciate the truly outstanding turnout.
“While I walked down Constitution Avenue, arms linked with my friends, I noticed two more feelings: determination and hope.
“There was determination in that crowd to protect all life, and there was hope that this protection will soon be granted to all.”
