Jan. 16, 2015
Every year on Jan. 22, hundreds of Catholic University students participate in the March for Life alongside thousands of other peaceful demonstrators. Below are five students who share their reasons for marching.
Nicole Michaud, senior Major: Nursing Hometown: Dunbarton, N.H.This will be my fourth year participating in the March for Life with CUA. I have participated in both the march and the campus-wide hospitality event. Life is a gift that should be cherished from its natural beginning to its natural end, and revoking that from anyone is wrong. And so I participate in the march for exactly that reason: to speak up for those who do not have a voice or a choice now, to try to make a difference so that they can experience the blessing of life, to defend every life in all its stages. Everyone deserves the right to life, and that is what I stand up for.
Tyler Lomnitzer, senior Major: English Hometown: Trumbull, Conn.
I participate in the March for Life because one-third of my generation is not here with me today. I truly believe that the legality of abortion is one of the most important social issues of our time. It is a beautiful experience to march with my classmates and fellow pro-lifers from all over the country to protest the Supreme Court decision that makes abortion legal.
Colleen Danielson, sophomore Major: Elementary Education Hometown: Beltsville, Md.I march because I believe every life brings love, no matter the circumstance. So if we take a life, how do we have love? We need more love in this world, and we have the power to change this by simply saying yes to life and acknowledging that life is the greatest gift that God ever gave us.
Michael "Schultz" McLean, senior Major: International Business Hometown: Brentwood, Tenn.I march because it is our God-given duty to protect the dignity of all human life (especially those that are unable to defend themselves) and to exercise our increasingly threatened right to religious freedom in this country through prayer and protest. The march is a great opportunity each year to educate and pray for an increased appreciation of life at all stages, and an end to legislation that infringes on the dignity of life including Roe v. Wade, through peaceful protest. This is also a very delicate time for Catholics and people of all religious faiths when our religious freedom is continuously being threatened by government legislation like the HHS contraception mandate. What better way to bring attention to the many issues affecting the treatment of human life than to march and pray for life with our leaders on Capitol Hill?
Sarah Seski, senior Major: Economics Hometown: Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.
The obvious reason I participate in the March for Life is so I can be a witness to the sanctity and dignity of every human life. However, my motivation for marching this year stems from a desire to make the march more impactful. The march was founded as a pilgrimage for media coverage, and for lobbying. This year, I have created the Extended Route, ( https://extendedroute.wordpress.com/ ), which encourages pilgrims to walk to an abortion clinic to pray after or during the march to bring a witness to the city. It has the potential to attract media attention and restore the founding purpose to get the march in the media again. It will also be a longer walk so it will be more of a pilgrimage. The March for Life in 1973 was a stance against Roe v. Wade, and today, as we are in need of a new flame in the movement, I believe the best place is where it all started - the March for Life!