As I write this, most marchers have returned to their buses, planes, or cars and are now on the road home. We have finally left Union Station, and are expecting an 18-20 hour trip home (ugh...). I have a little time right now, so I am going to relate to you the happenings of this day.
After my last entry, I went to the hotel lobby and sold some Pro-Life Wristbands, which sold like hotcakes to many different youth! I stayed in the lobby for a while with many other seminarians who were waiting for our buses, in order to load our luggage on them. Some of the seminarians and I walked to Pennsylvania Ave. and 15th Street to meet with other Seminarians who were at other places, such as Planned Parenthood or the Youth Rally and Mass.
I met with the seminarians and snapped some photos, then pulled out wristbands and bumper stickers to sell them. Immediately many more youth mobbed around the 'wristband crew', made up of four seminarians - one to handle money, one to handle the wristbands, one for the bumper stickers, and one with wristband business cards. We sold out of all the approximately 600 wristbands I had brought with me within about one hour! I have heard that the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office sold out of the 1,000 wristbands they had brought as well -- the wristbands are defintely a hit! I only hope they can help to reinforce the Pro-Life message in our nature.
The March, as it always has been, was an extremely moving and strengthening experience. There are so many people there that you can't find the beginning or the end of the marchers, looking all the way up or down Constitution Avenue (I would guestimate there were at least 100,000 marchers there). Along with my fellow Kenrick-Glennon Seminarians, I participated in a sung litany of saints, a Rosary, and a sung Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I took many pictures, and you can find a link to them at the bottom of this post.
I pray for an end to the evil that is abortion, and for a change in our culture from a culture of death to a culture of life. Not only does there need to be an end to abotion, but also an end to artificial contraception, Planned Parenthood, euthanasia, the death penalty in the U.S. and other deeds and institutions against certain human life. We must pray that the Holy Spirit may strengthen our nation's leaders; both in the government and in our Church.
2005 March for Life Main Page
March for Life - Pictures - Day Four (The March)