WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Care for life in all its stages “should be seen as an unfolding and a building upon the defense of life in the womb,” said the homilist at the Washington Archdiocese’s 2025 Youth Mass for Life Jan. 24 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
“We must build a culture of life by recognizing that every human life, from conception to natural death, reflects the image of God and is sacred,” said Father James Glasgow, the chaplain to the Catholic Newman Center at George Washington University.
He urged attendees to stand firm in their faith and advocate for the sanctity of life.
Hundreds of young Catholics, families and school communities attended the annual Mass, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and celebrated before the March for Life. It included prayers and reflections on the dignity of human life.
Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, newly retired as Washington’s archbishop and currently apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, was the principal celebrant of the liturgy. The concelebrants included Cardinal Robert E. McElroy, former bishop of San Diego, who was named by the pope Jan. 6 to succeed Cardinal Gregory and who will be installed March 11.
The concelebrants at the Mass also included Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States; and Washington Auxiliary Bishops Roy E. Campbell Jr., Juan Esposito and Evelio Menjivar; along with Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson, the cathedral’s rector.
During the Mass, Cardinal Pierre read a letter from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, on behalf of Pope Francis.
In the letter, Pope Francis expressed his spiritual closeness to those gathered, commended their public witness and encouraged them to foster a culture of life. “During this Jubilee Year of Hope, which entails enthusiasm for life and the readiness to share it, His Holiness encourages all, especially young people, to continue their efforts to protect the most vulnerable,” the letter said.
The pope also emphasized justice and charity, entrusting participants to the intercession of Mary Immaculate and imparting his apostolic blessing on them.
In his homily, Father Glasgow told the young people at the Mass that “we shouldn’t be afraid to condemn something if it goes against the justice of God.”
The priest addressed the gravity of abortion, emphasizing its far-reaching consequences.
“Abortion intentionally removes the foundational good of a human person, namely their life. If you don’t have life, you can’t actually have any other good. If you’re not alive, you can’t go to school, you can’t have a family. If you’re not alive, you can’t eat a cheeseburger,” he said, later adding, “If you’re not alive, you can’t receive the gift of faith.”
In his homily, Father Glasgow challenged attendees to expand their advocacy beyond protecting the unborn. “You cannot say, ‘I love every unborn child,’ and then turn your back on the poor, the homeless, and the elderly,” he said.
The priest also underscored the importance of God’s divine mercy.
“Without an unshakable confidence in Divine Mercy, we’re toast,” Father Glasgow said. “The greater the sin, the greater the need to distinguish between sin and sinner, the greater the need to be utterly convinced of the infinite power of God’s mercy.”
The Youth Mass for Life was preceded by music, a witness talk, the sacrament of reconciliation, Eucharistic adoration and a question-and-answer session with Cardinal Gregory.
Youth from across the archdiocese served as lectors and participated in the offertory procession at the Mass. Groups in attendance represented a broad cross-section of Catholic schools and youth ministries from the Archdiocese of Washington and beyond.
Chesterton Academy of Annapolis, Maryland, represented the Archdiocese of Baltimore, while groups participating in the March for Life from across the country also joined the Mass, including schools and/or parish ministry in the archdioceses of Chicago and Atlanta and the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson, both in New Jersey.
In interviews after the Mass, students from the Archdiocese of Washington said it was important to stand for life.
“Coming to the Youth Mass puts a focus on how we need to be praying for the people who have no voice,” said RJ Thurston. A 10th grader from DeMatha Catholic High School who read the first Scripture reading at the Mass, RJ made the comments to the Catholic Standard, Washington’s archdiocesan news outlet.
Andrea Patino, a student at the Academy of the Holy Cross, emphasized the power of prayer in the pro-life mission. “Now is the time to pray for clarity, for justice, and for those who can’t speak for themselves,” she said.
For Dylan Stewart, a senior at Archbishop Carroll High School, the pope’s words were a reminder of the importance of compassion. “I’m taking away from today’s Mass that we should love everybody and pray for inclusivity,” he said.
Father Glasgow’s words struck a chord with Clarissa Collado, a student from St. Charles High School in Waldorf. “We are never too far from God,” she said when asked to reflect on the priest’s words, and how Jesus responds to sinners, suffering, and evil in the world with compassion.
The Youth Mass for Life concluded with prayers and blessings, sending attendees forth with a message of hope and encouragement. Many participants planned to join the March for Life following the Mass, continuing their public witness in support of the dignity of human life.
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