by Rick Cheek
The March for Life this year was both amazing and successful.
When I say successful, I mean getting all 150 students and adults to Washington, D.C., and back home without incident or illness.
Having to take 2021 off because of COVID, it felt good to invite our high school students once again to take this pilgrimage to Washington.
While there may have been some struggles along the way (24-hour bus ride and cold weather), in the end, the Blessed Mother saw us through. Our hope is that someday soon there will be victory over the genocide that is abortion.
Speaking of victory, our theme this year for our annual Jr. High Youth Rally is: “Victory.” I believe parents are looking for a victory over the struggles our young people are experiencing through the lockdown that separated them from family, friends, school and other activities. It’s been a tough two years.
Where do we need victory? Sister Karolyn Nunes will engage our young people on how to overcome suffering, sin and Satan through prayer, Scripture and tangible strategies they can use — including talking to parents, a teacher or their pastor.
Our young people need to know there is always someone willing to listen. As parents and or influential adults, we need to be that person that will listen.
But we also need to model humility, surrender and gratitude: taking our own struggles and sins to prayer, going to Mass, reconciliation, diving into Scripture and sitting before Jesus in eucharistic adoration.
We should also welcome young people into these moments as much as is possible or practical.
This year’s rally on Feb. 27 will be a time of reflection and revival for our middle school young people. But also, we want them to become firm, steadfast and devoted in their faith.
For more information on this year’s Jr. High Youth Rally, check our website, www.arch kckyouth.org/junior-high-youth-rally.
Lastly, I ask you to wrap the rally and our young people in prayer. Please offer a daily Memorare to our Blessed Mother that she may intercede on behalf of our attendees, and that God may have the victory in each heart at the rally.
