I join in congratulating President Donald J. Trump on his election to be the 47th President of the United States.
I am among the millions of Americans who remain grateful for and inspired by the policies that made the first Trump Administration the most pro-life presidential administration ever. And I’m grateful to have been a part of the White House policy team that contributed to that historically pro-life era.
Now in my new role at March for Life, I look forward to working with President Trump, Vice President elect Vance, and their teams in the coming years to get back to building a culture where unborn life is protected and all pregnant women have the resources and support they need.
March for Life Unveils 2025 Theme: “Life: Why We March”
Theme reminds nation of the value of life, and the pro-life community of the need for perseverance and unity in the next phase of the battle for life
For Immediate Release: 10/10/2024
Washington, D.C. – Today, the March for Life Education and Defense Fund announced the theme for the 52nd annual March for Life – “Life: Why We March.” March for Life President Jeanne Mancini and March for Life President-elect Jennie Bradley Lichter unveiled the theme at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. and discussed how the theme highlights the values at the heart of the pro-life movement. “Life: Why We March” seeks to unify, encourage and strengthen pro-life advocates in this next phase of the battle for life.
Over the past 52 years, the March for Life has collectively united millions of pro-life Americans from every age, background, nationality and faith with a common purpose: to witness to the inherent dignity and worth of every single human life, especially those endangered by abortion. The March’s powerful presence in the nation’s capital every January has demonstrated the seriousness, conviction and permanence of the movement. It has also helped educate Americans about the beauty of the lives of unborn children and their mothers so that a majority of Americans now support protections for life in the womb at least by the time a baby can feel the pain of an abortion.
In the two years since the Dobbs decision, the pro-life community has fought the advancement of relentless and radical pro-abortion legislation at both the state and federal level; faced attempts to destroy and discredit pro-life pregnancy resource centers; and even battled deadly misinformation campaigns related to state pro-life protections – all which allow medical treatment to save the life of pregnant women.
“Life: Why We March” will encourage pro-life advocates to draw renewed energy for this challenging moment in the movement by reflecting on the basic truth that inspires the pro-life cause: every human life – including the unborn and their mothers – is beautiful, has unique dignity, and worthy of protection.. “Life: Why We March” invites all Americans of good will to recognize and unite around this truth.
“During 52+ years of marching, the pro-life community has seen countless highs and lows, but the value of vulnerable unborn children and their mothers has not changed. Neither can our resolve to protect and provide for these vulnerable lives change, even in the face of setbacks and attacks from those who tragically fail to recognize their equal dignity. We hope that this year’s theme: “Life: Why We March” can be a source of renewed energy and focus so needed for this moment,” said Jeanne Mancini, President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, “Many in our nation see this issue as a cause that divides. May our humble voices and peaceful presence serve as a reminder of the beauty and dignity of every human life, and as an invitation to all Americans to come together in recognition of this truth and to serve the most vulnerable.”
The 52nd March for Life will be held on January 24th, 2025. The March for Life has announced Bethany Hamilton, professional surfer, author, motivational speaker and champion for the pro-life movement, as the keynote speaker. The organization also announced that the Unspoken Band will be performing at the March. Additional information, including a list of speakers and other details, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Additional theme materials and information here.
March for Life theme video: Life: Why We March | 2025 March for Life
The Reason We March: 52nd National March For Life Unveils New Theme
(THE DAILY WIRE) — We march, not for ourselves, but rather for the pregnant women across the country who are in need of love and support.
Many in our nation see the topic of life only as a cause that divides. Each year at the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., our humble voices and peaceful presence serve as a reminder of the beauty and dignity of every human life, and as an invitation to all Americans to recognize this truth and to serve the most vulnerable.
Now, more than ever, we must come together to witness to the inherent dignity of life.
In the two years since the Dobbs decision, the pro-life community has faced many challenges. We have battled relentless and radical pro-abortion proposals at both the state and federal level. Pro-abortion politicians have been using their power to discredit the life-saving work of pregnancy resource centers at a time when these charitable organizations have been suffering widespread threats, physical violence, and vandalism. Moreover, deadly misinformation campaigns surrounding state-level pro-life protections are scaring doctors and women away from addressing pregnancy-related medical emergencies even though none of these laws prohibit life-saving care.
Extreme abortion measures that would enshrine a dangerous “right to abortion” into several state constitutions will be on the ballot this November. In Massachusetts, Attorney General Andrea Campbell has initiated a national “working group” of state AGs to target the work of pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) and Governor Maura Healy launched a million-dollar taxpayer-funded smear campaign aimed at discrediting and destroying them.
Attacks like these harm vulnerable pregnant women who most need the resources and support that PRCs provide. The result is that PRCs are forced to divert attention and resources from serving women in need, toward defending themselves against political and physical attacks – all because they offer alternatives to abortion.
Pro-abortion misinformation campaigns promoting the Democrats’ vision of abortion without limits have tragically contributed to the preventable deaths of Georgia mothers Amber Thurman and Candi Miller. Pro-abortion activists, who for two years have been spreading the false narrative that state-level pro-life protections prevent doctors from treating mothers with serious pregnancy complications, are rightly described as “part of the problem.” Those who fearmonger about pro-life protections would serve women far better if they admitted that complications from the unsupervised provision of abortion drugs caused the complications leading to Amber’s and Candi’s heartbreaking and untimely deaths.
Some pro-life Americans may feel overwhelmed or discouraged by these and many other challenges we face right now as a community. But while the landscape in which we work towards making abortion unthinkable will always have its ups and downs, the value and inherent dignity of vulnerable women and children never changes. Likewise, our resolve to protect and provide for them must never waver.
That is why for the 52nd National March for Life we chose a theme that reminds pro-life Americans of our roots – the reasons why we march by the thousands each year in the freezing cold, snow, and rain. We hope that reflecting on this year’s theme: “Every
Life: Why We March” will be a source of the renewed energy and focus so needed for this moment.
We march, not for ourselves, but rather for the pregnant women across the country who are in need of love and support. We march for the innocent unborn children who deserve a chance to live, to have a future, if only they are given the chance. We march also for our neighbors, co-workers, and elected officials who do not yet see the truth: that all human life is intrinsically valuable and worthy of protection.
For the past 52 years and again this year, pro-life Americans will unite from across all generations and all walks of life, with unique backgrounds and stories, to be a peaceful presence and joyful witness to this truth – and to march in love and protection of every human life.
Outgoing March for Life leader reflects on a life of faith
(THE ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HERALD) — Jeanne Mancini went from being a self-described “policy person” to one of the most unlikely, influential and visible leaders of the pro-life movement after becoming president of the March for Life in 2012.
But the way Mancini sees it, what happened 23 years earlier was even more important. She was in her junior year at West Potomac High School and an active member of the youth group at Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria. When she signed up to attend a Youth Encounter retreat, she had no idea her life was about to change forever.
“Even though I had a very good formation growing up with my mom and dad, that retreat had a massive impact and changed the trajectory of my whole life,” she said. ”When I had that conversion experience it wasn’t so much related to pro-life issues, it was more of my heart opening and understanding how important a personal relationship with God was and how God loves me uniquely. It wasn’t just rote prayers and doing the right thing and being virtuous, but that he loves me and has a plan for me. It was very powerful.”
Two weeks after announcing her resignation as the leader of the world’s largest annual human rights demonstration, Mancini reflected honestly on the soul-searching and at times, agonizing path that prepared her for the battles she would embrace during her 12-year presidency.
“After college I worked with children who had been victims of abuse or neglect and I really began to grapple more than I ever had before with the church’s teachings on life,” she said, “Thanks be to God I had good people around me, because even though I was philosophically grappling with some of those questions, I came out on the right side of this. My understanding was tested and I came out believing even more fully in the church’s teachings on the inherent dignity of the human person.”
She is still discerning her next role, but Mancini, who has a master’s degree in the theology of marriage and family from the John Paul II Institute in Washington, speaks with evangelistic fervor about why a hurting world needs what the Catholic Church teaches.
“Good theology, what the church really teaches, is healing,” she said. “The church is the expert on the human person. To understand healthy theological anthropology is what it means to live an ordered, happy and flourishing life.”
A true daughter of the diocese, Mancini’s path to prominence came as no surprise to her childhood friend Father Thomas P. Ferguson, pastor of Good Shepherd. “It has been a blessing for me to be able to call Jeanne a friend since the days when we were growing up together at Good Shepherd Parish,” said Father Ferguson. “Jeanne is a person of deep faith who has given me a great example of perseverance, charity and joy in promoting respect and love for the gift of life, especially the lives of the unborn.”
“I commend Jeannie Mancini for her creative, courageous, and faithful leadership at the March for Life Education and Defense Fund,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge. “Jeannie has transformed the March for Life by thoughtfully growing its annual Washington rally, expanding its reach to states and cities across our nation, and inspiring a new generation of pro-life advocates through peaceful and loving witness to the reality of the unborn child and the sacredness of all human life.”
Mancini’s conversation is filled with a joyful Catholic spirituality and optimism, despite significant setbacks and a relentless assault on life since the momentous Supreme Court decision that ended Roe v. Wade June 24, 2022.
“We’re living in this weird cultural reverberation of the overturning of Roe,” she said. “We see politicians distancing themselves from the issue and we’re not doing well, but that doesn’t mean it was a mistake to overturn Roe or that we’re on the wrong side of history. Mother Teresa would say that we are called to serve the poor, and the unborn are the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable. The other issues are important, but there is a preeminence to the protection of life.”
Mancini’s final March for Life as president will be Jan. 24, 2025, before Jennie Bradley Lichter assumes leadership Feb 1.
But Mancini will remain as a board member and chief encourager to the millions of pro-lifers who make the pilgrimage every year to stand for life. “My message is to come. We want to encourage people who are discouraged,” she said. “It’s hard to persevere when things look dark but that one little candle lit in a dark room has the power to make a difference. Whatever it is you’re called to do for the culture of life is absolutely making a difference. Sometimes things are darkest before the light comes. Persevere, persevere, persevere.”
NRO: Despite the Republican Party, the March for Life Goes On
(NATIONAL REVIEW) — Moving forward with hope and joy and justice.
The human-rights issue of our lives is abortion. Clearly not everyone sees it that way. It’s buried in euphemisms about women’s health. But follow the science. An unborn child dies.
The March for Life happens every January, marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in all three trimesters. Abortion has become so much more hot-button and angering and confusing than ever. And despite the headlines, increasingly hidden. Chemical abortion eliminates human encounter, unless CVS counts.
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The March for Life just announced a new president. Jennie Bradley Lichter is a wife and mother of three. Her father is a leading intellectual in the pro-life movement, Gerry Bradley at Notre Dame, As deputy general counsel at the Catholic University of America, she spearheaded a program to help mothers on campus — staff and students. Yes, if you’re pregnant, but also long after. Diapers. Food. Parking spaces close to where you need to be. The pro-life movement is not about politics as much as it is about basic resources. Pregnancy-care centers have been demonized in the post-Dobbs era, but they help with clothes and housing and basic skills.
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While the March for Life is about ending abortion, period, they have state marches as well. Lichter says the importance, besides education, is “to show that pro-life Americans are still here, we are still motivated, we will never, ever tire of witnessing together to the beauty and dignity and utter preciousness of human life.”
Outgoing president Jeanne Mancini speaks with great love for the suffering. “We live in a culture with many women and men who have chosen abortion and carry those wounds. Any messaging needs to both speak truth about the inherent dignity of the human person, the destructive nature of abortion to both mom and baby, and be steeped in mercy and hope.”
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The March continues. For women and children and families. For humanity.
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