Marching for Life Brings Hope
By Carroll Rees

This year, a group of young adults from Ottawa participated in the annual March for Life in Washington on January 23, 2006.  These young Canadians joined the more than 100,000 Marchers who converged on Capital Hill to mark the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion in the US in 1973.  Recent marches have been characterized by younger and younger participants.  Many students, university and youth groups carried banners identifying the school or church they represented.  This youthful trend has also been happening at the annual March for Life held in Ottawa each May.

Many courageous women could be seen at the Washington March for Life holding signs which said “I regret my abortion”.  These women, who led the March, are members of the Silent No More Awareness campaign.  They have decided to speak out about their abortions in an effort to make the public aware of the devastation abortion brings to women, men and their families.

US President, George W. Bush, personally delivered a message by phone from Kansas in which he encouraged participants by reminding them that his administration is working on a number of pro-life initiatives.  President Bush said “We're vigorously promoting parental notification laws, adoption, teen abstinence, crisis pregnancy programs, and the vital work of our faith-based groups. We're sending a clear message to any woman facing a crisis pregnancy: We love you, we love your child, and we're here to help you.”  President Bush also reminded everyone of the accomplishments of his government to build a culture of life which include banning the use of taxpayer money on programs that promote abortion overseas, the Laci and Conner Peterson Law which allows prosecutors to charge those who harm or kill a pregnant woman with the added charge of harming or killing her unborn child, the signing of a pro-life bill supporting ethical treatment and research using stem cells from umbilical cord blood, and the renewed call for Congress to ban all forms of human cloning. “Because human life is a gift from our Creator and should never be used as a means to an end, we will not sanction the creation of life only to destroy it” says President Bush.

The young adults from Ottawa who attended the annual March were truly inspired by the experience.  Sheila Trainor, a young woman who works for the Companions of the Cross order of priests and leads a young adults group at her local Church, said “attending the March for Life in Washington was very inspiring.  So many great things are happening to stop the tide of abortion in the United States.  Hearing about these efforts gave me hope that if we persevere in standing up for life here in Canada we will see the change we are seeking.”

A pro-life March for Life was also held in France on Sunday, January 22, 2006.  It is obvious that the increased participation of young people in pro-life events is not only a North American phenomenon.  Many young people were among the almost 10,000 participants at the event hosted by the organization «30 ans ça suffit».  The goal of the French March was to promote the need for a law to protect the unborn child and to bring attention to the physical and psychological consequences of abortion.

The French Marchers were joined by 2 German delegations, pro-life youth from Belgium, a Spanish delegation and four persons from Switzerland adding a European flavour to the event.  Demonstrations were also held in solidarity with the March for Life at the French embassy in Spain and consulate offices in Barcelona and Seville. 

The third March for Life in Paris is planned for January 21, 2007.  It is hoped that this will be the largest one yet and will have a positive impact on elections which will be held the spring of 2008.