March For Life, 2022

After not having a March for Life last year because of the pandemic, the pro-life people came back with a strong march this year.  I was there again, my sixth attendance.  Let me share some pictures and video clips.

The day for me started with Mass at St. Charles Catholic Church on Staten Island.  It’s not my parish but the trip coordinator’s parish and that is where we would meet the bus.  The priest—I never caught his name—gave a wonderful homily on how forty years prior a Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J. described right there at St. Charles his experience incarcerated in the Siberian gulag.  He had been captured by the Soviets during WWII and sent to Siberia as a spy, all on trumped up charges and spent twenty-two years there.  Fr. Ciszek had written several books on his life before he passed away, but on that particular day forty years ago he explain to the gathered congregation how in all those years in the gulag he had not converted one soul in Russia.  But he had borne witness.  The point of the pastor’s homily at St. Charles the day of the March was that just like Fr. Ciszek we may not convert one soul with our March in Washington this day, but we would be there to bear witness to the injustice and evil of abortion.  He was quite inspirational.

By the way, do a search for “Bible quote bear witness” and see how rich a Biblical phrase “to bear witness” is.  But when I hear it my thoughts always rush to John 18:37 with the words of Christ, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.” 

Now this year we arrived earlier than the past and the rally speeches may have started later than in the past.  In the past I was never there to hear the speeches, but this time I was there and was able to hear about half the speeches.  They were fantastic.  The personal testimonies were so moving.  Several had me in tears.  If you have time, watch the speeches.  Here is the video for the entire rally.  The actual speeches start at just before the 36 minute mark, and make sure you listen to the National Anthem performed by Matthew West at the 37:30 mark.  Super performance.

 

The speeches end at around the 2 hour mark with a God Bless America beautifully again performed by Matthew West. I would say I was there for the last forty minutes of the speeches. 

I must embed the Keynote speech, Fr. Mike Schmidt’s speech.  If you’re only going to watch one speech, watch his.  It was terrific.  Now if you’re not familiar with Fr. Mike, he has one of the top podcasts in the country, the Bible in a Year Podcast.  I think everyone is amazed at how his podcast has zoomed to the top, but as you will see Fr. Mike is very charismatic.  And very smart.

 

It really was freezing.  Low 20’s and with a steady wind.  I was off camera, off to the left of the stage.

So at the conclusion of the speeches we were dismissed to March up Constitution Avenue toward the Capital Building, then pass behind it and in front of the Supreme Court Building.  Just like every year.

Here is a picture of my view of the stage.

 

And then our group from Staten Island collected itself and marched on. 

 

You may remember (or go back to my previous posts “March for Life” posts) the sign with the infant with the crown of thorns.  He’s our sign post for us to keep together. 

And we’re off.

 

I spoke to a young fellow with the group with that green flag up ahead.  They were from a high school in Savannah, Georgia.  It took them over 10 hours of bus ride to get to D.C. and they were going back later that afternoon.  It’s amazing the commitment of people that come.  I love the signs.  Here are a few new ones that I was able to photograph.

 

 

 

That last one is from a group from the Dominican Sisters of Mary in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  I didn’t ask but gosh that must have been a fourteen hour ride for them.  Obviously the young lady is still a novice since she is not wearing a habit.  There was about six in their group there and we got into a little conversation about me being a Lay Dominican. 

Let’s check out some sounds in a video.

 

“Sweet Caroline!”  Lots of singing along the trail.  I have to apologize.  My phone doesn’t take the best videos.  I did take my camera but unfortunately the batteries died early.  Here’s a very lively cheerleader group.

 

I have no idea what their chanting or where they’re from, but what an energetic bunch.  To be young again!

I always like to include a picture of the journey toward the Capital Building. 

 

No we were not like the Jan 6, 2020 riots.  We were peaceful. 

And here then from on top of Capital Hill looking back toward the rest of the marchers.

 

Then we turn the corner to behind the Capital.

 

And then the final destination in front of the Supreme Court.

 

Pray that the justices this year decide to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

There is always some sort of action by the Supreme Court.  Usually there are a handful of pro-abortion activists that station themselves there to attempt to counter the Pro-Lifers.  Though I don’t think I captured the pro-abort’s in the video, you can hear the Pro-Lifers overcome them with chants.

 

“Hey hey, ho,ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go. 

Hey hey, ho ho, Roe . Wade has got to go.”

It’s always nice to see a time lapse video of the entire March.

I try to look for something to tip me off of where I am in that mass of humanity, but no such luck.  We all bore witness.  They estimated the marchers to be at around 150,000 this year.  I think that’s a little down from other years, but with Covid and the cancelling of the march last year, I think that’s to be expected.  But that time lapse video sure makes it look impressive.  I didn’t feel it was less than other years.