For the 29th year, more than 80 St. Benedict at Auburndale (SBA) students and chaperones traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Annual March for Life.
The date marked the 46th Anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion in the United States.
The students and chaperones traveled about 17 hours by bus and checked in at Catholic University of America to set up their sleeping bags for the night’s lodging along with 1,300 other students from around the countryin the CUA gym. Then they trekked to the nearby Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to attend the Annual Pro-life Vigil Mass concelebrated by many of the nation’s Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and priests.
The Pastor of Holy Angels Church in Dyersburg Reverend Patrick Hirtz, concelebrated at the Vigil Mass and the next morning at the Mass associated with the Archdiocese of Washington’s Youth Rally at the Capital One Center. He has traveled with the SBA group for a number of years. The archdiocese holds this rally and Mass for young pro-lifers from around the country.
Following the Youth Rally & Mass, the Memphis group then made their way to the Mall near the Washington Monument for the March for Life pre-march rally to hear many speakers, from Ben Shaprio of the Daily Wire to political and religious figures.
Following the rally, with hundreds of thousands of others, the Memphis contingent marched down Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Building, where pro-lifers and post-abortion mourners were making statements about the negative impact abortion has had on their lives.
Since the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, an estimated 60 million fetuses have been aborted in the U.S.
Sponsor of the trip, Sharon Masterson of St. Benedict, said she was gratified by the students’ continued perseverance and thanked them.
Senior leader Sam Baker said, “I think it’s important for us to march because we should stand up for what we believe in, and to stand up for our faith.”
