Parish organizers of pilgrimages to the 2016 March for Life in Washington, D.C., from throughout the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois drastically altered their plans as an intense low pressure system developed into a classic "nor'easter" that enveloped the nation's capital in monumental snowfall beginning on Jan. 22.

Adult chaperones became amateur meteorologists as they stayed glued to forecasts on the movement of the blizzard.

"I ordered the buses to leave by 10 a.m. on Friday," said Kyle Holtgrave, associate director of the diocesan Ministry to Youth and Young Adults. "Even though the snow was not supposed to hit until mid-afternoon, it would have been another six hours on the road before we would be clear of the main part of the storm."

Holtgrave headed a contingent of five busloads transporting some 23 groups from 27 parishes. In all, some 255 people strong. He said they actually arrived earlier than scheduled on Thursday (Jan. 21). Those who planned to visit the National Basilica were able to do so; as did those who attended the "Life is Very Good" event at the Verizon Center.

"While it was disappointing to miss the main event, we did get some quality time in the city ... and the vigil activities Thursday evening helped make it worth the trip," continued Holtgrave. His five buses arrived safely home to Springfield on Jan. 23.

"I feel that in God's 'eyes,' much was accomplished for the cause," said Angela Lipcamon of St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield, who was among the 16 from Pike County parishes that made the trip. "Our trip there and back entailed prayer and pro-life videos."

Becky Bauerle, youth minister for Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Maryville, reports that 154 people traveled with a group from southern Illinois. "We came from Jerseyville, Granite City, Maryville, Collinsville, Vandalia, Nokomis, and the Effingham area," she said. "We took charter buses and started out on Wednesday, Jan. 20."

Once in Washington, the group divided up and saw some sights and then met at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. However, due to the weather forecast for Winter Storm Jonas, they were only able to stay in Washington, D.C., for a short period of time.

"You know, I've been taking kids to the March for Life for 29 years and this is the first time I haven't been able to march," said Bauerle. "But it just couldn't be helped."

The southern Illinois group left Washington, D.C., in the morning on Friday. "We had been watching the forecast and between Father (Brian) Alford, the bus company people and I, we decided to leave," said Bauerle. "We knew we were going to have to stay there in the motel — and the motel people didn't know if they would have enough staff around because of the weather — or get out before the snow started. With four busloads of kids to worry about, we couldn't take the risk.

"We found out that because we left, the hotel opened up the rooms we didn't stay in and used them for the homeless or people who were stranded," Bauerle said. "So, God made something good out of that."

Although Bauerle's group ended up making the trip home "only seeing a few snowflakes" here and there, they were prepared in the event that they were stranded. "We had lunches and water with us just in case." And, Bauerle admits she always feels better knowing that for many years a physician has been making the trip to Washington with them.

"So we left early and we counted about 200 buses that were heading out of that city before the snow," she said. Her group arrived back in Illinois on Friday night, but some of them did end up marching for life.

"On Saturday morning 67 of us went down to St. Louis, and walked with Generation Life with about 1,000 teens

from the St. Louis area," continued Bauerle.

"I am so glad that we were able to gather at the Basilica together and offer Mass," Lipcamon said. "That is always the highlight of the trip ... even our Protestant friends that come with us and have never experienced a Mass. When we got on the bus for the return ride and people come up to the front and express their thoughts on the trip, that is the one consistent comment each year — that the Basilica and Mass were so impressive. One of our Protestant boys that went this year said he thought it was going to be boring ... but that it was 'awesome and not boring at all.' He was very glad to be a part of all of it."