Thousands descend upon Springfield to give voice to the voiceless
Illinois March for Life included hundreds from our diocese and full Sangamon Auditorium for Mass
By ANDREW HANSEN
Editor
If the size of the crowd didn’t catch people’s attention, the joy from the crowd did. For the first time the Illinois March for Life took center stage in downtown Springfield, bringing with it thousands of pro-life advocates from every corner of Illinois, including hundreds from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The list included bishops, Catholic schools, Newman Centers, priests, religious, and lay Catholics.
“It’s really motivational and inspirational to see everyone standing up for the unborn,” said Maria Slagle, a home-school student in Springfield.
“I want every baby to have a chance at life,” said Joe Brangenberg, a student at Marquette Catholic High School in Alton. “There are a lot of people behind the movement. It makes you feel like you are part of something bigger. We’re doing something to help prevent abortion one day.”
While the sight of thousands of joy-filled, life-loving people was inspiring to see in downtown Springfield March 21, another sight was just as powerful — a full Sangamon Auditorium on the campus of the University of Illinois Springfield for Mass before the festivities downtown. There, nearly 2,000 Catholics from across the state heard the Gospel message, listened to Bishop Thomas John Paprocki’s homily, and received Jesus in the holy Eucharist. Other bishops from the state and dozens of priests from our diocese and beyond concelebrated. One funny moment also happened during Bishop Paprocki’s homily. A bird descended from the ceiling and landed by the altar, only to take off again for the ceiling. Without missing a beat, Bishop Paprocki said, “I guess the Holy Spirit is with us too!”
After Mass, busloads of students were dropped off downtown in front of the statehouse for the Illinois March for Life, hosted by weDignify. There, the students heard powerful speeches from Bishop Paprocki, other faith leaders, pro-life leaders, among others during a rally.
“As people of faith, we come here in peace, prayerfully asking the members of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our Illinois state government to harden not your hearts,” Bishop Paprocki said during the rally. “May you find compassion for the lives of the most vulnerable among us, the sacred human lives of unborn babies.”
After the rally, the thousands of people marched peacefully and prayerfully around the statehouse, a powerful witness to lawmakers who were in session that day. Following the march, people went inside the statehouse to lobby lawmakers asking them to protect the unborn, uphold the dignity of human life in all stages, and not pass legislation that attacks crisis pregnancy centers.
“At the age of 1, I was adopted from China and my mom who adopted me brought me back to Texas, so as we go through this pro-life movement, it is such a gift to be adopted and each life is a gift, and even if someone isn’t able to care for them at the time, there are people out there who want to support life in whatever way that is,” said Sister Stana Maria Burnham, FSGM, of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George in Alton.
“I actually used to live overseas, and my mom was really involved in foster care there for disabled children, so being exposed to that, I really feel like the unborn need to be spoken for, their lives are valued, and there are people who want them,” said Ellie Stahr, a student at St. Teresa High School in Decatur said.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, states around the country have been going in two different directions — either passing laws protecting the most innocent, the unborn, or passing laws that promote, advance, and/or protect the ability to destroy that precious life in womb. This is why those who believe in the right to life are taking their voices to state capitals, Springfield being one of the most important in the country, as the actions from most state lawmakers and Governor J.B. Pritzker have made Illinois the abortion capital of the Midwest. This year, there are several legislative proposals at the statehouse that would continue and even expand that unfortunate trend.
“We talk a lot about being pro-life, and I think events like this, that’s what you see is that we are not here to talk about what we are against, but to actually show the joy that life is, and it is worth fighting for,” said Father Rob Johnson, pastor of Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Maryville.
In addition to the Mass, rally, march, and lobbying, the entire afternoon, many people spent time in adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, turning to prayer in this fight for life.