March for Life speakers praise God’s gift of life, stand firm for the unborn
(CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY) — A diverse group of speakers including activists, politicians, and individuals sharing personal stories fired up the crowd on the rally stage ahead of the 52nd annual National March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
The theme of this year’s demonstration, “Life: Why We March,” was highlighted as speakers, many of whom are Catholics, explained the reasons for their pro-life convictions.
Outgoing March for Life President Jeanne Mancini, who has led the organization since 2012, introduced the new March for Life president, Jennie Bradley Lichter. Lichter — a Catholic mother of three, a lawyer, and a longtime advocate for the sanctity of life — has been active in the pro-life movement since her childhood.
“You know that the wantedness of a human being doesn’t determine our value. You know that it is right and good to stand up for people who are too small to defend themselves … but lately many of the loudest voices have been shouting the lie that women need access to abortion,” Lichter said.
“I will see you all back here next year and every year until every woman and every baby is loved and protected,” she added.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, led the crowds in prayer, praying that the pro-lifers in attendance go out in strength to build the culture of life and asking the Lord to bless them with “the fire of your Holy Spirit” so that they “never tire of the crusade for life whose origin is in you.”
Following remarks from Sen. John Thune of North Dakota, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson described himself as a “product of an unplanned teen pregnancy,” the first of his parents’ four children, and gave thanks for the fact that his parents chose life.
Johnson went on to highlight Congress’ work defending fundamental freedoms and the new administration’s pro-life actions, including Trump’s pardoning of pro-life activists and his defining life as beginning at conception.
“America is premised on the self-evident truth that every single person is made in the image of our creator God, and thus every single person has inestimable dignity and value,” Johnson said.
Speaking next, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis encouraged all present to “show courage in defense of the unborn” and recounted how his state defeated a pro-abortion ballot measure in November despite misleading information from the opposition and an estimated $120 million spent by the pro-abortion side.
With the ballot measure’s defeat Nov. 5, 2024, Florida became the first state to rebuff a pro-abortion ballot initiative since the overturning of Roe v. Wade along with Nebraska and South Dakota on the same night.
DeSantis argued that standing for the right to life is not bad politics and that he himself is proof of it, pointing to his victory in Florida after overturning Roe v. Wade. DeSantis, who is Catholic, signed legislation in April 2023 to prohibit abortion in Florida once the unborn child’s heartbeat can be detected, which occurs at about six weeks into pregnancy.
