The pilgrimage to Washington D.C for the annual March for Life is a trip that no one who goes can forget. No matter if it’s your first year or your fifth year, the event is filled with memorable events and meaningful learning experiences.

Combatting the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States, pilgrims on the March hope to give babies in the womb their right to life again, and they hope to make abortion “unthinkable” – as Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life, says. 

Bella Convery’s Experience: 

As a senior this year, I am hopeful this past March for Life will be the last one necessary to defend the right to life for children in the womb. I have been going for the past five years and every year brings forth new experiences and perspectives I may have otherwise never considered. With Montrose one year, I was able to take a course in apologetics and learn the best ways to connect with those of differing opinions at a Students for Life conference. In other years, I have been able to attend Holy Adoration of the Eucharist in an Arena with 8,000 other students who gathered to be inspired by pro-life testimonies of speakers at the “Life is Very Good” rally. Although this year I did not attend with Montrose, many like-minded friends of the Catholic University of America, who sponsored the March this year, welcomed me. From hearing the speeches at the rally before the March, to just talking with the joyful crowd around me, it was (as always) a very warm experience. 

 Alanna Hyatt’s Experience:

As seniors who have been attending the March For Life for several years, we can attest that the March for Life trip looks a little different every year. But especially this year, with the changes Covid-19 has brought to every community, Montrose altered plans in order for the trip to work out. Our group from Montrose, instead of taking a bus and going on our own, made the pilgrimage on the train with a larger group from the Archdiocese of Boston. While it was a different experience going with the archdiocese this year, it was just as joyful and inclusive as in past years if not more so. 

One difference in the trip we took this year was that we had the opportunity to tour several of the monuments and war memorials in DC. Although I’ve been to DC several times, I had never toured the monuments up close before. The Lincoln Memorial particularly stood out to me – partially because of its exquisite detail, but also because of the historical background underlying the memorial. It was so cool to read the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address, which are engraved into the walls. The Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation were pivotal moments in American history that those who lived through them would never forget. Visiting these memorials was a reminder that we are also living in a clear moment of history for the pro-life movement.  

On Friday, the day of the March, our group attended Mass said by Cardinal Sean at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. From there we heard a talk given by Mother Olga of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She discussed what it really means to be pro-life, which is to see the image of God in every person. She also shared some very moving stories about her time caring for the homeless in Iraq and for mothers with difficult pregnancies back in the states. 

From there, our group attended the rally before the March for Life at the National Mall. We heard from several speakers – all with very different experiences in the pro-life movement. Katie Shaw – a small business owner and advocate for people, like herself, who have Down Syndrome – spoke about all that she’s accomplished, and she expressed her regret that so many people with Down Syndrome have been killed through abortion. We heard other speeches, including a much-anticipated keynote speech by Fr. Mike Schmitz. He discussed the influential story of his grandmother, who sacrificed her job when her hospital began the abortion practice. 

The March is a very joyful experience, and it was amazing to see people experience the energy and atmosphere of the crowd for the first time. Virag Marosfoi ‘25 spoke about her first impressions of the March: “Everyone came with their own strong spirit, cause, or motive, but the energy we created together as a community was unlike anything else.” Regardless of whether you are pro-life, pro-choice, or aren’t really sure what to think, if you asked anyone who went to the March for Life this year, they would probably say it was life-changing.

Alanna Hyatt ‘22, Politics Co-Editor and Bella Convery ‘22, Social Media Editor 22ahyatt@montroseschool.org, 22iconvery@montroseschool.org

Bella Convery ’22 and friends from the Catholic University of America attending the 2022 March for Life. (Bella Convery ’22)