ANNAPOLIS – The annual Maryland March for Life was held Feb. 4, with a socially-distanced gathering of several hundred on and around State Circle designed to get the attention of the General Assembly, but minus the traditional Mass at St. Mary’s Church and youth rally, because of COVID-19.
It came six days after the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., which usually draws a strong contingent from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, became primarily a virtual event.
What it lacked in numbers from years past, the Maryland March for Life made up in spirit, as pro-life advocates promoted respect for life from conception to natural death, with a scope that ranges from Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling which legalized abortion, to the Maryland legislative session, where physician-assisted suicide is an evergreen concern.
The gathering included many Catholics, among them Erin Younkins, who last summer left a career as a therapist to become coordinator of outreach and education for the archdiocesan Respect Life Office.
“Having worked with thousands of patients – the disabled, sick, dying, in hospice, impoverished and immigrants from different countries – the innate and irreplaceable value of every person, there’s nothing more important I can think of,” she said of the Maryland March.
Wearing face masks and bearing placards, those gathered heard from several prominent speakers, including Catherine Glenn Foster, president and CEO of Americans United for Life. She noted progress in the effort, such as the newest member of the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett.
Watch a video of photos taken by Kevin J. Parks below; story continues beneath.
Laura Bogley, executive director of Maryland Right to Life Inc., framed abortion as a civil rights issue, noting the prevalence of abortion clinics in predominantly Black communities.
“If we can get the message out to legislators that life is the first human and civil right, we can really move that needle forward and get more support,” she said.
Bernadette Roney, a regular at the National March for Life, attended the Maryland event for the first time. A mother of three and parishioner of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland, she went to the state capitol at the request of her 12-year-old daughter, Larkin.
What does Roney want her children to take from her example?
“First and foremost, respect the life that God gave us,” said Roney, who referenced the inspiration her family found in Chris Nikic, the first person with Down’s syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon. “Every life has purpose, and God is the one who determines that purpose.”
Other newcomers included Amelia Eudy, the matriarch of a military family whose six children range in age from 2 to 12.
“It’s the first time we’ve lived in a state capital or have something high profile around,” said Eudy, whose family worships at St. Mary’s in Annapolis. “We wanted to be here, to represent the people around the state who can’t be here participating.
“I’ve been blessed to have a strong support network and through my marriage. We have to be there to provide (pregnant) women the support they need, whether it’s resources or emotional support or something to help them realize that this is something they can do. Even for those of us who have all the support, it’s still hard.”
The issues resonate for Larry Petro, a parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows in Owensville who was born in 1960 and given up for adoption.
“It’s really heartwarming,” Petro said of the gathering.
Matthew Liptak contributed to this article.
Email Kevin Parks at kparks@CatholicReview.org
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