• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pro-life demonstrators carry a banner towards the U.S. Supreme Court building while participating in the 51st annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 19, 2024. (OSV News photo/Leslie E. Kossoff)

Five reasons why I’m still marching for life

January 23, 2024
By Father Patrick Briscoe
OSV News
Filed Under: Commentary, Respect Life

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

While pro-lifers rightly view the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision as a significant judicial victory, attending the national March for Life was more important now than ever. Here are five reasons why I think every Catholic should still be committed to the national March for Life, which is held each January in Washington, D.C..

  1. Witness to the sanctity of life:

Showing up to the March for Life is a public declaration of our belief in the dignity and worth of every human life, from conception to natural death. The U.S. bishops recently reaffirmed their commitment to fighting abortion, saying, “The threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone.” In a society often clouded by the fog of moral relativism, our collective witness is a beacon of truth, affirming the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. This public witness is vital in continuing to build a culture of life, especially in a post-Dobbs era where the truth that every life is sacred is fiercely contested.

Pro-life demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the 51st annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 19, 2024. (OSV News photo/Leslie E. Kossoff)
  1. The need for continued advocacy:

While “Dobbs” represents a monumental shift, it is not the end of the fight. The decision decentralizes the abortion debate, shifting it to state legislatures. The national March for Life inspires and encourages those working in grassroots efforts at the state levels by building a network to exchange ideas and reinvigorate local movements. Now more than ever, we need to be actively involved in advocating for life-affirming policies and supporting leaders who uphold the dignity of life at every level of government.

  1. Promoting a culture of life:

Our participation in the march fosters a culture of life. It goes beyond the legal aspects of working to end abortion and touches hearts and minds. We march not only in protest but also in love, aiming to inspire a change in attitudes toward the sanctity of life, motherhood and the family. Every year, I’m touched by the women I see with signs saying they regret their abortion, or by the young mothers with a child in tow, sharing that they almost chose abortion but didn’t.

  1. Ecumenical solidarity:

Prayer is an important aspect of the march. Catholics gather the night before for a Mass and Vigil at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Seeing so many seminarians and young religious inspires young Catholics to think about their vocation. And while plenty of attendees are Catholic, many are not. The march brings together people of different faiths and walks of life who share a common belief in the intrinsic worth of every human life. Standing with our Protestant and Orthodox brothers and sisters — and even alongside non-Christians — is a powerful witness to the world and provides a model for exchange and collaboration.

  1. Educating the next generation:

By participating in the March, we also educate and inspire the next generation. In a world where our young people are bombarded with conflicting messages, the March gives a clear and compassionate response. The March for Life has always been a movement of young people. Youth rallies before the March, like Life Fest, hosted by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus, connect young people to their peers, assuring them that they are not alone and inspiring them to stand up for their pro-life beliefs.

In the wake of the Dobbs decision, the March for Life is not just a celebration but a rallying call. It’s a reminder that our work is far from over. The national legal victory is just one facet of a much broader, ongoing mission to uphold the dignity of life at all stages. Our presence at the march reaffirms our commitment to this mission, serving as a visible sign of hope, solidarity and unyielding support for life.

Read More Commentary

Our unexpected pope

The choices of our new pope

Gift of grace 

Yellow and white cloth hangs over the doors of Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in honor of the papal election

Who is our new pope, Pope Leo XIV?

Question Corner: Without a pope, how do we fulfill the indulgence requirement of praying for the pope’s intentions?

Masses of mourning or papal auditions?

Copyright © 2024 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Father Patrick Briscoe

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Our unexpected pope

The choices of our new pope

Gift of grace 

Yellow and white cloth hangs over the doors of Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in honor of the papal election

Who is our new pope, Pope Leo XIV?

Question Corner: Without a pope, how do we fulfill the indulgence requirement of praying for the pope’s intentions?

| Recent Local News |

Bankruptcy court judge gives victim-survivors temporary window to file civil suits

Radio Interview: Meet the Mount St. Mary’s graduate who served as a lector at papal funeral

At St. Mary’s School in Hagerstown, vision takes shape to save a school

Catholic school students ‘elect’ pope in their own ‘conclave’

Baltimore-area Catholics pray for new pope, express excitement for his leadership

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • ‘I felt heard’: Catholic school teacher recalls life-changing talk with future pope
  • ‘We look toward the new pontiff with Christian hope,’ says ecumenical patriarch
  • Bankruptcy court judge gives victim-survivors temporary window to file civil suits
  • New pope to celebrate three public Masses in May
  • Pope Leo’s motto, coat of arms pay homage to St. Augustine
  • Chiclayo, Peru — where Leo XIV was bishop — celebrates one of own becoming pope
  • Ukrainian president speaks with Pope Leo, invites him to Ukraine
  • Our unexpected pope
  • The choices of our new pope

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED