The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was extremely well-represented at the Jan. 22 March for Life in Washington, D.C., said Becky Bauerle, youth minister for Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Maryville.

"All together we counted 12 buses that came from the Springfield diocese," said Bauerle, who was one of the people leading the youth (eighth grade and up) who came from Jerseyville, Nokomis, Maryville, Collinsville, Vandalia, Effingham and Charleston. "Our group had four buses with 209 people, including three priests who traveled with us: Father Brian Alford, Father Dan Willenborg and Father Steve Arisman." Several deacons and other adult chaperones attended along with college students who "came back to help out."

Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, organized a large group as well. Holtgrave said his group contained 175 pilgrims riding four buses originating from Quincy, Springfield and Raymond representing: Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Christ the King, St. Aloysius and St. Joseph in Springfield; St. Joseph the Worker, Chatham; St. Mary, Farmersville; St. Agnes, Hillsboro; Our Saviour, Jacksonville; St. Brigid, Liberty; Holy Family, Litchfield; St. Maurice, Morrisonville; Sacred Heart, Oconee; Blessed Sacrament, St. Anthony, St. Francis Solanus, St. Peter and Vermont Street Methodist in Quincy; St. Raymond, Raymond; and St. John Vianney, Sherman.

"This is the second year Christ the King in Springfield has sent students," said Claudia Connelly of Christ the King. "Last year we had six CTK students go with us; this year we had 21 CTK students, along with five Sacred Heart-Griffin High School students, all CTK alums."

Other people came as well, Holtgrave pointed out. These included groups from Father McGivney Catholic High School, St. Anthony Catholic High School, Quincy University, St. Paul Parish in Highland, Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Bethalto, the Illinois Life Caravan, and the Eastern Illinois University Newman Center. "I saw seminarians from Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary there, too," Holtgrave said.

Some young people from St. Paul Parish rode on a bus with group from Belleville and some others went with the Father McGivney group, said St. Paul youth minister Kayla Korte. "This was my sixth March for Life (trip) but the first time I went as a leader," Korte said. "We had 10 youth from our parish who went."

"Mass was celebrated with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at St. Peter Church in downtown Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning of the trip," said Holtgrave, with priests concelebrating and deacons and seminarians taking part in the liturgy. Bishop Paprocki also walked in the march.

"Overall, the march was much longer," Bauerle said. "They told us at the march that we were making history and they estimated that close to 700,000 people were taking part that day."

This year's weather cooperated as well, she added. "My daughter, Mandy (Hoffman), is grown and married now but she has been going on the trip since she was in fourth grade. She commented that this is the first time she could remember being comfortable marching without a heavy coat, in just our hoodies and scarves."

Social media adds a new dimension to the march, allowing young people to share their faith and pro-life beliefs with their friends and relatives who might not have traveled with them. "Oh, the kids have pictures pasted all over Facebook," Bauerle said.

Holtgrave said the trip gives him a chance to connect personally with more people in the diocese and to learn more about what's happening in local parishes. "It is from those contacts that I am able to follow up throughout the year with other activities for young people or to come to a parish to meet with leaders about youth ministry or with teens to share our faith together through a retreat program."

The March for Life is also a great way to put faith into action, Holtgrave said. "By going to our nation's capital, we make the pro-life message real and personal with hundreds of thousands of others. There is strength in unity and seeing so many people gathered for this event is an inspiration to keep pushing forward with the message that life is important and that our society through its democratically enacted laws should support what we believe."