By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/27/05)

Thousands of young people from across the country descended upon Washington this week to take a stand against abortion in the March for Life.

More than 5,500 people, most of them high school and college aged, gathered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday night for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life, celebrated by Baltimore Cardinal William H. Keeler, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

Cardinal Keeler was joined by Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali and Chicago Cardinal Francis George; along with 17 bishops, including Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde; and 200 priests.

In his opening address, Cardinal McCarrick welcomed everyone, but particularly noted the number of young people, which "gives us hope and courage."

Cardinal Keeler also focused on hope in his homily, citing the recent national elections and the "growing popular recognition that the so-called pro-choice movement is aggressively anti-choice.

"Choice is a positive concept, an attractive concept. That's why abortion apologists use it," the cardinal said, "but the way they use it is a lie and, increasingly, Americans are catching on. There is hope in this development."

After the Mass, more than 500 pilgrims, most of them youths, spent the night on the floor in the shrine’s lower level before attending events on Monday, including the Rally for Life and Youth Mass at the MCI Center and the March for Life. The rally and Mass attracted more than 18,000 young people, several hundred of them from the Arlington Diocese.

The youths came to enjoy entertainment by Steve Angrisano, the "Who Do You Say I Am" band and Tony Melendez before the Mass celebrated by Cardinal McCarrick.

The cardinal opened the Mass by echoing the sentiment he shared at last year’s rally — his initial reaction was "Wow."

The homily was delivered by Father Andrew Fisher, a priest of the Arlington Diocese and the shrine’s associate rector. Father Fisher recalled a story from when he was in college to provide an example of how young people can help each other embrace life.

Father Fisher recalled a student who got pregnant, an unmarried girl whose baby would be due in the last semester before graduation.

The young woman was obviously troubled, and her three roommates, noticing something was wrong, asked her why she was troubled. When they learned she was pregnant the told her, "It will be ok. God loves you and you have family and friends who love you."

Then the three roommates went to their academic advisers and rearranged their schedules for their senior year so that someone was always available to watch the baby so that their friend could finish her education.

Not only was this woman’s life affected because she has a child she loves dearly, but she also has been an inspiration to others who have been in similar situations. She can tell other women, from her own experience, that it will be okay, because God loves them, and they have family and friends who love them.

Concelebrating were Cardinals Keeler and Rigali and 12 bishops, including Bishop Loverde.