Parishes gear up for trip to annual March for Life in nation’s capital Jan. 21

WASHINGTON, D.C.  On Friday, Jan. 21, the 49th annual March for Life will take place in the nation’s capital here to let the nation know that all life is sacred from the womb to the tomb. This year’s theme is, “Equality Begins in the Womb.” The March for Life marks the Jan. 22, 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal.

The Diocese will have a smaller contingent traveling to Washington, D.C. due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Those attending are asked to bring extra masks and use hand sanitizer.

The March for Life rally will begin at noon and then it will be followed by the march down Constitution Ave., starting at the Na­tion­al Mall and ending at the U.S. Supreme Court.

From the diocesan Respect Life Office, two buses will be taking diocesan pro-lifers to the March for Life.

On the morning of the March, St. Mar­garet Parish in Morristown will celebrate Mass at 6 a.m. and then board the bus at 6:30 a.m. Another bus will depart from Holy Family Parish in Florham Park, a joint effort with St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison. Mass will be celebrated at 7 a.m. and the bus will depart at 7:45 a.m. The bus trip is free. (To reserve a spot, see contact information at the end of this story.)

Frank Tinari, a parishioner of Holy Family in Florham Park, who edits a monthly newsletter on “Family and Pro-Life News Briefs,” will be organizing the bus leaving from Florham Park. He has attended more than 20 marches in the past. “This is personally the most important issue of our times — the treatment of human life,” he told The Beacon. “We are hopeful the Supreme Court will change the very liberal polices in abortion. It is very important we show our physical presence in Washington. It’s important we continue to speak out. More than 100 pro-life state laws were passed in 2021.”

With less participants in the Diocese, Tinari notes it is great that many cities and states are having their own marches on the local level. He encourages people to participate in their communities. “People are showing their continuing concern over this issue all over the country,” said TInari.

Because the March falls on a workday every year, many laypersons from around the Diocese use vacation days or personal time to attend the March, which shows the deep commitment many have to the fight to end abortion.

One of the most popular age groups attending the March every year are high school and college students. Tinari said, “Millennials in many polls are showing that they are pro-life and are sharing that they are the pro-life generation. I also encourage families to participate in pro-life marches because we want to get word out to the next few generations about the importance of life.”

The March for Life organization offers a mobile app to stay up to date with the March and other information.

“Life is so important that it keeps driving me to pray for the unborn and elderly,” Tinari said. [ To reserve a bus seat from Holy Family Parish in Florham Park, contact Frank Tinari at (973) 885-9933 or at [email protected].

To go on the bus from St. Margaret Parish in Morristown, contact Barbara Rado at (973) 879-9132. ]