A Voice for the Voiceless

CLIFTON  By the busloads from diocesan high schools and from parish youth groups in Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties, young people will be a major part of the contingent going to the 47th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Jan. 24. They will be attending the March to overturn the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal.

A significant number of attendees at the March for Life are people under the age of 25, who are known as “the pro-life generation.” At the March, many young people are seen holding signs that proclaim, “I Am the Pro-Life Generation,” sponsored by the Students for Life organization. According to March for Life organizers, the number of young people participating in the March grows every year. They will journey to the nation’s capital from Catholic schools and colleges across the nation. This pro-life generation is the generation that is alive to see the advancements in technology with 4D ultrasounds showing babies clearly in the womb and have seen the high chances of survival today for babies born prematurely.

This year’s March is themed around the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, and is titled “Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman.” This year, 2020 marks the centennial of the amend­ment. [For those interested in attending the March, see a bus list of parish groups traveling to Washington, D.C. on page 7.]

Lee Imbriano, theology teacher at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, will be leading about 50 young people to the March for Life in Washington. He believes they are an integral part in the fight to end abortion. “I think it's important that young people get involved with life causes for a number of reasons,” he told The Beacon. “Primarily, as a community of faith in the Catholic tradition, one of the most important lessons we try to impart to our students is that every life is sacred. The sanctity and dignity of the human being, made in the image of God, is something that all people should always be reminded about. By taking part in the March, we are giving Pope John students the opportunity to use their time and energy to stand up for life, particularly for some of the most vulnerable. I hope that they will remember this experience as they go on to college and beyond. And, that it will inspire them to continue to stand up for life in the future.”

At Pope John, like many of the Catholic high schools in the Diocese, the theology curriculum continually enforces to its students that they are deeply loved by God, that their lives are valuable and filled with hope according to Imbriano. “The March allows them to put their classroom learning into practice,” he said. “In addition to joining with other young people from around the country in witnessing their faith.”

Morris Catholic High School in Denville will also be sending young people to the March for Life. The group will be traveling with St. Mary Parish in Denville. Sister of Christian Charity John Paul Thorley, a math teacher at Morris Catholic who will be attending the March with the students, said, “The young people that I work with here at Morris Catholic have a deep conviction of the sanctity and gift of life — all life. The students are excited to participate and witness to the gift of life.”

Before the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., there will be a youth rally on Thursday, Jan. 23 in the grand ballroom of the Renaissance D.C. Downtown Hotel. Speakers include Charlotte Pence, daughter of Vice President Mike Pence and Abby Johnson, a former employee at Planned Parenthood. Families and youth from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Branchville are expected to attend the sold-out event. As an alternative, young people can participate in the March for Life expo, which will be held from Jan. 22 to 24. The free event will feature information for pro-life organizations, volunteer opportunities, pro-life speakers and free resources.

In October, during Respect Life Month, the Catholic high schools in the Diocese joined together for a pro-life rally at Morris Catholic in which the students learned about pro-life issues, had discussions, participated in activities and took part in the celebration of Mass. Several high schools around the Diocese have a pro-life club for students to learn more about all pro-life issues.

St. Therese School and Parish in Succa­sunna will be attending the March for Life. Seats are still available on the bus. Bus organizers are asking a minimal donation of $5. The bus will be leaving the church parking lot at 135 Main St. Succasunna, at 6:30 a.m.; Principal Tim Dunnigan has more information for those interested at (973) 584-0812, ext. 103.

Both Imbriano and Sister John Paul have previously attended the March for Life and now they are leading youth as teachers in the March for Life. “My first time attending the March for Life was as an undergraduate in college,” Imbriano said. “I have been privileged to take students a number of times as a high school teacher. This will be my third time chaperoning Pope John students.”

[For those interested in attending the March for Life, see bus list of parish groups traveling to Washington, D.C. below.]