Marching for Life

Richard A. Sokerka

Tomorrow, tens of thousands of people from around the nation will converge on Washington to take part in the 43rd annual March for Life. Every year the March for Life is the nation’s centerpiece event to show all in America that life in the womb is precious and there needs to be a voice to the voiceless to stop the scourge of abortion.

With what is being done and not done by our elected representatives in Washin­gton about abortion and its ancillary issues, this year’s March may be the most important one in its history.

Congress kicked off its session Jan. 6 by voting stop federal funding of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s abortion leading provider. But no matter what support it garnered in Congress, it met a dead end in the Oval Office where President Barack Obama vetoed any effort to defund Planned Parenthood. This despite videos released last year by the Center for Medical Progress that exposed Planned Parenthood’s apparent practices of harvesting the body parts of aborted babies for sale and altering the positions of babies during abortions in order to harvest intact organs.

In a symbolic affirmation of recognizing that there is a voice for the voiceless in the womb, Congressman Steve King (R) of Iowa left an empty chair for the unborn at the president’s State of the Union address.

Additionally, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling on our elected officials for greater protection of pro-life professionals and organizations. Arch­bishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., the USCCB president, lamented the absence of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (ANDA) in Congress’ 2016 omnibus funding bill. He warned that the failure to include robust conscience protections against participation in abortion is a cause for grave concern.

“The principle at stake is whether people of faith and others who oppose abortion and abortion coverage should be compelled to participate in them,” the archbishop said. “We will continue to reach out to the White House and Congressional leaders untiringly until proper protections are guaranteed.”

Those going to Washington tomorrow are to be applauded for their efforts in being visible witnesses to the sanctity of life. May this be the year the March for Life changes hearts and minds, not only of our elected officials, but also of our fellow Americans, so that the innocent child in the womb’s right to life is protected by law.