A day of sacrifice, spiritual prayer and visible witness

Pro-lifers in Diocese prepare for annual March for Life

CLIFTON  What does the March for Life mean to you? For some, it means protesting the sin of abortion. For others, it’s standing together in solidarity with other like-minded pro-lifers to be a voice for the voiceless in the womb.

Whatever the reason for attending the March for Life, thousands from the Paterson Diocese are gearing up to head to Washington, D.C. on Friday, Jan. 22 and join tens of thousands more from around the United States and abroad to promote life.

Father Michael Rodak, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace in West Milford and diocesan pilgrimage director, considers the March for Life a day of sacrifice, spiritual prayer and the visible witness of people who are truly concerned about life in the womb. “Attending the March shows that there are people really concerned about human life, especially the life of the unborn,” he said. “We are saying we really do care about the innocent lives and about our future. Abortion not only destroys a life, it destroys a generation.”

With many anti-abortion advocates claiming being pro-life is anti-woman, the March for Life theme reminds everyone that the pro-life message is very supportive of women. The theme this year is “Pro-life and Pro-Woman Go Hand in Hand.”

Father Rodak said, “This is something we do have to be mindful of when we March. Being pro-life supports motherhood and we are actually honoring the Blessed Mother, who is an important part of salvation history through the birth of her son, Jesus. We need to celebrate this.”

The March for Life takes place every year on a weekday on or around the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal on Jan. 22, 1973. The March begins with a rally at noon on the National Mall followed immediately by the March down Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill. At the Supreme Court building at approximately at 3 p.m., marchers can listen to Silent No More testimonies from those who have been deeply affected by their abortions. Afterward, participants are encouraged to meet with members of Congress to advocate for life.

As early as 6 a.m. buses will leave from locations all over the diocese in Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties for the five-hour bus trip to Washington [see list of buses on this page]. Many parishes will also offer participants the opportunity to attend Mass before the trip as spiritual preparation for the March itself. On the day of the March in Washington, Father Rodak will celebrate Mass at St. Peter Church on Capitol Hill, located at 313 Second Street at 12:05 p.m. This Mass has traditionally brought together the participants from Paterson Diocese prior to the start of the March for Life.

Dr. Mary Mazzarella, consultant for the Diocesan Respect Life Office and a retired pediatrician, believes life advocates need to continue to take a stand and give witness that they are pro-life. The March for Life is about getting the pro-life message out, she said. “Between 2010 and 2013 there has been a 12 percent decline in the number of abortions,” she said. “It is believed this is due to mothers choosing life. I am sure this decision has been due to the use of the ultrasound to view the baby’s eyes, hands and feet. No longer can they be told that a baby is just a ‘blob of tissue.’”

Although more than 40 years have passed since abortion was made legal, Dr. Mazzarella believes the tide is changing to a pro-life society because of young people. “They are taking a pro-life stand in high school and colleges and participate in the March for Life, no matter what the weather. The largest groups of participants for the annual March are students,” she said. “For the past few years, social media has played a significant role in spreading the pro-life message with many young people sharing images from the March.”

Father Rodak said, “This is one of the largest, if not the largest demonstration that takes place in our nation’s capital. This is something that people should want to be a part of. It’s a day of spirituality and prayer. That’s the greatest thing, this is not just a day of protest.”

Buses from Paterson Diocese traveling to
Washington for annual March for Life