Pro-life advocates from throughout the Springfield diocese who participated in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., last month, returned home inspired by the scores of young people they witnessed standing up for the unborn.
The annual March for Life observes the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States.
“The gathering this year was larger — over 400,000 people were there,” said Becky Bauerle, youth minister at Mother of Perpetual Help, Maryville, and at Mother of Dolors, Vandalia, who organized one of the bus caravans.
One of the highlights of the trip was joining Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, who celebrated Mass for the Illinois groups the morning of Jan. 24 at St. Peter Church, not far from the U.S. Capitol.
“We are here in Washington, D.C., today to promote this pro-life agenda with thousands of others who will take part in the March for Life this afternoon because they believe as we do in the sanctity of life from the moment of conception to natural death,” Bishop Paprocki said in his homily.
“Perhaps the basis for the different views of pro-life and pro-abortion advocates is how each answers the question, ‘Who is in charge, God or I?’ It is the question that echoes through the history of man, from Eden to America. Who owns the world, and what is it for?
“Who is the poorest, the most innocent and the most defenseless among us? Who is more susceptible to a violent death than the little child in his mother’s womb? He needs the protection of a nurturing mother, of loving parents, and of a society that respects the dignity of his life.”
Bishop Paprocki said the unborn child “is neither a statistic nor a social problem. He is a human being, made in the image and likeness of God.”
In closing, the bishop reminded everyone, “We will be judged on how we have treated the least powerful among us, and how we have loved them. For God, who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth has told us so. ‘Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.’”
Concelebrating Mass with the bishop were Fathers Christopher House, Daren Zehnle, Christopher Comerford, John Titus, and David Hoefler. Five deacons assisted. Seminarians there from the Springfield diocese were Martin Smith, Wayne Stock, Greg Fleckenstein and Braden Meyer.
Bishop Paprocki joined the group to walk in the March for Life to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building.
“A lot of the first-time people in our group were amazed at the size of the crowd there for the march,” Bauerle said. “I got that time and again when we did some de-briefing on the bus heading home. A lot of the adults traveling with us said they were really impressed by the number of young people they had seen. I’ve heard that many times. Young people have made this a priority.”
Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for youth ministries in the diocesan Office for Catechesis, headed another bus caravan. “It is an eye-opening experience for the young people to see they are not alone. There are so many young people like themselves, who see the injustice here.”
Deacon Ben Hoefler and his wife, Leona, traveled with a group from St. Aloysius in Springfield. “The temperature in Washington the day of the march wasn’t really that bad,” he said. “For the most part everybody had expected it to be real cold, so they had dressed for it. Our group got to meet with Congressman John Shimkus on the steps of the Capitol.”