March for Life 2008 by Dawn Iacono Director, Office of Pro-Life Activities of the Diocese of Buffalo.   The 35th annual March for Life was the driving force to mobilize Catholics from the Diocese of Buffalo to Washington DC. Arriving on Monday, January 21, 2008, ironically on the observed birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King who is remembered for his non-violent movement against injustice,...

One of the three bus loads of Buffalo marchers assemble on the lawn near the National Mall prior to the March for Life Rally.

Cardinal Rigali, main celebrant and chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities

....we united in prayer at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 7:00pm. “Roe v. Wade is incompatible with human dignity," said Cardinal Rigali, main celebrant and chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. "It must not stand. It cannot stand. It will not stand." More than 200 adults and a record 85 teens from the Diocese of Buffalo joined forces to protest the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that is

responsible for 50 million lives lost to abortion since 1973's heinous Roe v Wade decision. . Roe was described as a victory for women. Abortion is no victory for anyone; mother or child. You can't hurt one without harming the other. We march to mourn and to proclaim to our representatives that Roe remains the worst abomination of constitutional law and to testify that abortion and death are never solutions.

Reaching a New Generation: 8th grader Brigid Gerrity traveled with her mother Liz and we listened to her first impressions of the March. "When I looked to the left I saw little children, and on my right there were elderly people who could hardly walk and I know that in between these generations we don't always see eye to eye with each other but this, we got right!" We truly are reaching a new generation and they certainly prove they are pro-life. Our buses were packed to the brim with many teens and eleven seminarians from Christ the King Seminary. Youth groups included Saints Peter and Paul Hamburg, Nativity of Our Lord Life Teen, St. Gregory the Great, St. John's Alden and Soldiers of Christ, St. Francis and Immaculata schools. This speaks volumes to where the pro-life movement is headed in our country. Twenty of our teens bunked up at Catholic University of America but united with 40 others at the annual Rally for Life and Youth Mass that housed 25,000 at the MCI/Verizon Center. On the morning of January 22, they were offered the sacrament of confession and Mass before the rally began at 8:45. Teens traveling with our Diocese expressed a great sense of belonging and comfort among their peers knowing they are united with so many others in their pro-life convictions.

Voices For Life Forty visitors from the Diocese of Cleveland joined us for Mass with Bishop Kmiec in the hotel where a sit down breakfast followed. The new choral group Voices for Life performed with soloist Debbie Kilgore who sang Ave Maria accompanied by Istvan Hernek on the keyboard.

President of the Canisius College Students for Life, Ann Wojtaszcyk   Dawn Iacono, Director of Pro-Life Activities- Sister Johnice from Response to Love Center- Diocesan guest speaker Father Tom Euteneur and Bishop Edward Kmiec stand for LIFE in Washington, DC. 2008 President of Human Life International, Father Tom Euteneur, closed the morning's event with a powerful talk on Fighting the Spiritual Battle of Abortion. He challenged us to look at the abortion culture and industry through the lens of spiritual warfare and called the Church to rise up and be on it's knees in prayer as a weapon to battle the war on the unborn.

Concelebrants included Father Dan Young, Pro-Vita award recipient Father Nicholas Swiatek. Father Paul Seil and Father Raymond Uschold were also present. The O'Brien family participated in the liturgy with Teresa and MaryClare reading the Intercessions and signing with the Voice For Life while brothers Patrick and Richard both served as altar servers. President of the Canisius College Students for Life, Ann Wojtaszcyk read as lector and newly ordained Deacon Bob Zilliox proclaimed the gospel. Rallying on the National Mall, we took our Buffalo contingent to hear President Bush address us saying that "America must be a place where the dignity of both the mother and the child is honored and cherished." He reminded marchers that the Declaration of Independence speaks of the right to life as a "gift of the Creator, not a grant of the state."

Homeschooler Olivia Musilli marches with her dad up Constitution Ave.

What does the future hold? First time marcher, Peggy Mead, overheard a conversation between a mother and child as we approached the top of Capitol Hill. "Mommy, there are so many people here, what are they doing?" said the child. Mother replied, "They are all marching against abortion." What followed was a statement more wise than his years, "Then why, mommy, do we still have it?"

We hear complaints that the war in Iraq seems never ending. For 35 years we've watched the war on the unborn but might there be an end in sight? Abortion numbers continue to decline, and so does the acceptance of the once held "abortion on demand" position. Public opinion polls continue to show opposition to legalized abortion. Zogby International poll showed that 56 percent would ban all abortions or only allow them in the hard cases of rape, incest and danger to mother's life. 13 percent said abortion should be legal for any reason. 2003 Gallup survey of teens found 72 percent called abortion morally wrong. People today do not accept the policy of Roe. The parital birth abortion ban sheds light that this court may see the pre-born as having personhood status and reversal of Roe may be just a justice away. Many see the next President as having the potential to appoint one-two possible Supreme Court justices. That's why we must vote Pro-Life to see the reversal of Roe. Should reversal occur, the war on the unborn is not over but rather changes landscape and gets handed down to the states. Here in NY, Governor Spitzer has submitted a radical abortion bill, S. 5829, to "lockdown" a woman's fundamental right to privacy in our state through the RHAPP proposal, or Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act. Clearly he must see the threat to Roe is pending and we must do all we can to show him clearly that NY has gone far enough. Go to www.nycatholic.org to voice your opposition today. Is it possible that we will not have to march next year? Whether abortion remains at the federal or the state level, the real victory lies in changing hearts and consciences. To eliminate abortion is to make it unthinkable. No matter where the laws land, this will have to be a powerful strategy into the future.

For more photos on the Diocesan March For Life pilgrimage, CLICK HERE Photo Gallery Hint --(To see the full sized image simply click on top of the image then right click to save it to your computer. )--
	Anyone wanting to serve on the March for Life Advisory Board please contact the Office of Pro-Life Activities. Organizing now will help our event to be bigger and better than before, all for God's glory. 847-2205

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