The 47th annual March for Life looked very different this year, but that did not stop thousands of people from tuning into one of the several virtual events that took place last week. The March was online-only to the public this year due to the pandemic and the recent attack on the Capitol, although many pro-life leaders were in attendance and returned to the special tradition of placing roses on the steps of the Supreme Court building to represent the 60 million plus lives lost to abortion. This year’s theme, “Together Strong: Life Unites,” shows that even when we are physically apart, we are able to fight for the right to life together through social media and in local communities.  

The Youth Rally and Mass for Life, typically held in Capital One Arena, also took place virtually this year but did not disappoint. The youth leaders of the Archdiocese of Washington were hard at work and prepared several opportunities for prayer and resources to help guide fruitful conversation around pro-life issues, particularly abortion. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., encouraged the youth to “flood social media with the truth, and do it in such a way that the truth is undeniable!” The three-hour event concluded with a beautiful Mass celebrated in St. Matthew’s Cathedral and concelebrated with Baltimore bishops William Lori, Bruce Lewandowski, Adam Parker, and Denis Madden.  

Earlier in the week, Archbishop Lori hosted a virtual event for youth titled “What is your life issue?” to recognize the sacredness of each human life from conception to natural death. Around 60 youth from all over the archdiocese attended the event, which included two testimonies given by those who have been personally affected by right-to-life issues. Josiah Presley shared his adoption story and encouraged the attendees to bear witness to the dignity of each person by loving those nearest to us. Vicki Schieber gave a powerful talk about the evils of the death penalty and how mercy is more powerful than anger. The Archbishop then answered questions about Church teaching on topics such as victims of rape, immigration, and science. Bob Rice, catechetics professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville, provided beautiful music throughout the evening.  

Like any other event in the past year, the March for Life 2021 overcame the challenges of COVID-19 and threats of violence and successfully demonstrated that the fight for life brings people together from all over the world. The virtual events provided many opportunities for pro-life advocates to access the March from the comfort of their homes and encouraged young people to fight for the truth. We hope for an in-person National March for Life in Jan. 2022, but until then, let us bear witness to beauty of life in our homes and communities.