As the final hour of January 17 waned, the day was just beginning—at least for the 32 Eagles from BC’s Students for Life club en route to the 46th March for Life in Washington, D.C.
Boarding the bus just before midnight, the BC students arrived at Union Station and attended a send-off Mass at St. Dominic’s Church in Washington. During his homily, Bishop Foys of Covington, KY reflected upon how society has elevated the self to an untouchable pedestal, characterizing a large number of the generations after the Baby Boomers as the “Me Generation.” Foys then stressed that the March for Life “isn’t a protest.” Instead, he insisted that those gathered were “standing up for the lives of the most vulnerable among us.”
After the Mass, the students joined the crowd already assembled and waiting to March, a congregation which likely amassed upwards of half a million people who had made the pilgrimage from around the country. The group was positioned on the National Mall.
While the March, throughout its history, has cloaked itself with an unmistakably religious tenor, the event’s political resonance is also hard to dismiss. First among the March’s speakers was pundit Ben Shapiro, editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire and host of the popular podcast The Ben Shapiro Show. Shapiro closed his speech with a resounding proclamation, saying, “We stand between America and the darkness, and we will march until that darkness is banished forever, and all our children can stand together in the sunlight.”
Later, several pro-life congresswomen and men took the stage, including Democratic Representative Dan Lipinski. The highest-ranking guest was the Vice President Mike Pence, who assured those in attendance that the “Pro-Life Generation” was indeed “winning” and that the Trump Administration embraces the challenge “to be the administration which restores the right to life in America.”
At the conclusion of his address, President Trump’s pre-recorded remarks were displayed to the crowd. He highlighted the letter he submitted to Congress that morning, which insisted that he would veto any bill that “weakens the protection of human life.” Trump also touted his administration’s appointment of a historic number of judges with anti-abortion track records, a movement that pro-life advocates hope will dismantle the watershed Roe v. Wade decision.
Trump commented, “When we look into the eyes of a newborn child, we see the beauty of the human soul and the majesty of God’s creation.”
Following a closing prayer given by Dr. Alveda King, the niece of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., the March commenced and the crowd started the walk towards the Supreme Court. One man brought up the rear of the March while carrying a massive wooden cross on his shoulders. Traveling the route took the BC group three hours.
Later, with the day ending, the March finished at the steps of the Supreme Court. Students spent the rest of the evening attending various landmarks, including the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, and stayed the night in the city. They traveled safely back to Boston the next day in anticipation of the winter storm.
BC’s students’ March for Life attendance rates grew markedly this year, climbing from last year’s 14 students to 32. The March is held every year close to January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, with offshoot Marches hosted around the country.
Justin is a sophomore studying English and Communication, discerning life in law or as a priest, to name a couple. He spends an exorbitant amount of time playing guitar and listening to the greatest rock band ever—Pearl Jam.
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