Life is on the march: Youth brave cold in support of life

The group of marchers from Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park stopped on the steps of the Cannon House of Representatives building to meet with Archbishop Emeritus Naumann. Bishop Miege has been taking students to the national March for Life for over 15 years. This year, they took 40 students and four adult chaperones on the trip. Henry Brown, a senior from St. Elizabeth Parish, Kansas City, Missouri, attended the march for the third time. “I attend the march because I think that every child has the right to live and to find success and love in this world,” said Brown. “Abortion takes away that little baby’s ability to love and to show love to others, and to live out God’s love.” LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

by Kathryn White
Special to The Leaven

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite the threat of plummeting temperatures across the United States, 230 men, women, priests and student groups from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas joined the tens of thousands of pilgrims in the nation’s capital to peacefully stand for life at the 53rd annual national March for Life on Jan. 23.

Benedictine College in Atchison, Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, St. James Academy in Lenexa and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park all sent student groups to the D.C. march. One group left after the opening rally but before the actual march, while the other groups departed immediately after the march or the following afternoon in order to beat the impending storm.

The theme for this year’s march invited participants to explore the goodness, beauty and joy of what life brings, through the theme, “Life is a Gift.”

Jamey Roth, Supreme Director for the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors, completed the March alongside Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann. Roth has served as an officer as a Kansas Knight and worked closely with all the bishops in the state. LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Along with over 150 priests and bishops from across the United States, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann concelebrated the National Vigil Mass on Jan. 22 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Archbishop Naumann also presided over the morning Mass for Kansans before the March for Life activities began. He believes this was approximately his 40th national March for Life and said this year’s mission was simple: to change the culture.

“It’s beautiful seeing so many young people here [at the march],” he said. “They give me great confidence and hope for the future.”

Vice President JD Vance spoke during the opening rally, praising participants for being “joyful in your advocacy.” Both he and Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, and other leaders spoke about the inalienable rights of Americans.

“It helps us here in Kansas to know we are not alone in our fight to protect children and expectant women from the harms of abortion and to not get discouraged by what we’re seeing in our state,” said Debra Niesen, consultant for pro-life ministries.

From left, Debra Niesen, pro-life consultant for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, her administrative assistant Melissa Joerger, and Emily Lopez, director of City on a Hill, jumped ahead of the tens of thousands of marchers to grab a quick photo in front of the official March for Life banner. Standing up for life during our nation’s 250th birthday was especially important for Lopez. “Our family marches in thanksgiving for our lives and the lives of those that have boldly stood in faith before us,” she said. “We march in the hope that God’s grace wins and the knowledge that our steps will be counted in the pursuit of goodness in our world.” LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Other presenters during the rally included a choir from Friends of Club 21, which was composed of individuals with Down syndrome who led the National Anthem, Sanctus Real, a Christian rock band, Elizabeth Pillsbury Oliver, president of Georgetown University’s Right to Life, among others.

Aquinas sophomore Lucy Chik, from Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park, attended the national March for Life for the second time.

“It is not only important but necessary for high school and college students to go to the March for Life because we are the future of this nation and the choices we make now directly impact our lives in the future,” Chik said. “If young people share their witness and demonstrate their values and faith, many others will start to recognize the importance of this issue.”

View more photos from the March for Life here.