In previous years, the Life is VERY Good rally held at George
Mason’s Patriot Center, now Eagle Bank Arena, in Fairfax, was
near capacity. Young people packed the floor and most of the
seats in the arena clapping and singing to Christian rock
bands.
This year, Snowstorm Jonas kept attendance at about a quarter
of the past several years.
There still were bands Jan. 22, and students sang along, but
many churches and schools cancelled their trips.
The local schools that were represented included students
from the four diocesan high schools. But there were also
groups from Illinois, Florida and the Diocese of Ogdensburg,
N.Y., where Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde served
previously.
Those who were there for the rally were energized.
There was a large group of Ireton students wearing
school-color scarves.
Ninth-grader Annie Mildrew said, “We speak for those who
don’t have a voice.”
Senior Isabel Anderson said, “It’s everyone’s right to be
born, and no one can take that away from us.”
John Paul junior Angela Brown said she’s been to the march
four times, but this was her first rally.
“I march because I believe that all life is sacred,” she
said.
Some people came a long way. About 25 students came from
Mount Royal Academy, a private Catholic High School in
Sunapee, N.H. Headmaster Derek Tremblay said that these
students are the future of the pro-life movement.
“All life matters,” said Tremblay. “They are the pro-life
generation.”
Christian singer and speaker Jackie Francois and the Josh
Blakesley Band opened the rally at 9 a.m.
Christian speaker and musician Cooper Ray finished the
entertainment before Mass was celebrated by Bishop Loverde
and the priests of the Arlington Diocese.
In his homily, Bishop Loverde spoke about what makes life
very good.
He said that things like money or power do not make for a
good life.
“What makes life very good is mercy,” he said.
The bishop said that some people think it’s merciful to end
the life of a baby in the womb in an attempt to end
suffering, but he said that ending the life of an innocent
baby in the womb is not merciful. Each child is a gift from
God, he said.
“Whatever the weather,” said the bishop, “life is very good
when there is mercy.”
After Mass, and before everyone returned to their buses for
the trip to the march in Washington, the bishop spoke again.
He told the students to continue to defend life. He also
asked everyone to pray for vocations.
Bishop Loverde said he is celebrating 50 years of priesthood,
and as he often remarks, “I’d be a priest all over again in a
heartbeat.”
Before the blessing, he gave a shout-out to his former
Diocese of Ogdensburg, thanking them for making the trip from
New York.
Colleen Miner, Ogdensburg’s respect life director, said they
brought four buses called Youth Buses for Life. She said
originally they were going to the march and then leave around
5 p.m. Instead, she said they planned to leave right after
the march to try to stay ahead of the storm.
“It’s a great experience,” she said, “to have the youth
experience the church universal.”
