2006 March for Life in Washington, D.C.

1/25/06 - Charlie Samson

As a group of brother seminarians and I were walking the streets of Washington, D.C., a powerful sense of history and significance overwhelmed me.  In looking at the various war memorials, I felt both the joy and pride of victory and the despair and fear of defeat contained in the Vietnam memorial’s stoic black wall and in the bleak expressions on the soldiers of the Korean War memorial.  I was struck by the determined face of Abraham Lincoln that portrayed the same boldness with which he delivered his famous speech in the Civil War, the words of which towered over me on the side wall.  In all, I was keenly aware of the spirit of America’s past.  To me, there is no more appropriate place for a present day witness to a certain age-old battle than the nation’s capital, filled as it is with monuments depicting a past riddled with the struggle to protect and defend our most precious gift—life itself.

Gathering in front of the Mall in downtown Washington, D.C., throngs of pro-life advocates packed the streets in a procession through the city to the Supreme Courthouse. Signs of “End Abortion Now” and similar messages thickly dotted the streets as the air was filled with faint murmurs of the rosary and other prayers heard between spouts of enthusiastic cheering.  Surprisingly to me, so many of the pilgrims were young people, marching with their youth group or parish.  From their presence along with seasoned pilgrims I, like Cardinal Keeler who recognized their powerful presence in his homily at the Vigil Mass at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, draw hope for the future of our society.  Many individuals, especially the youth, value the gift and sanctity of life.  In my mind, this march affirmed the dedication of a multitude of people to defend our nation against the evil of abortion.  Yet, as strong as our praying, our pleading, and our presence were, all of the marchers understand that in this issue there is no voice more powerful than those who have none:  our aborted babies—our modern martyrs—whose witness to life is their own.

We must strive to defend life.