"Sometimes we can grow weary in the battle for the restoration of respect for human life. Sometimes we are tempted to say that our pro-life efforts are useless. It is then that we should recall the words St. Paul wrote to St. Timothy: ‘But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ [1 Timothy 6:11-12, 14].” Sermon by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke to the Sursum Corda Brigade, Holy Comforter Church, Washington D.C, January, Friday 24. (Full Text HERE)
Dear Defender of Life,
Thank you to all of you generous donors and supporters! This trip wouldn't have been possible without your prayers, your sacrifices and your financial support.
Thank you very much for your very generous and most kind efforts in support of the Institute’s annual participation in the March for Life in Washington D.C.
We are all very grateful for the prayerful help you have given, especially our young pilgrims, many of whom are able to participate in this important public witness largely because of the generosity of kind donors like you. Your great love for the cause of life, for the Catholic faith and for the family spirit of the Institute is very encouraging for the canons who have the privilege of leading this pilgrimage.
We are particularely grateful to His Eminence for offering the Mass and preaching the God Word to our generation in need of the Truth.
A special Thank You to Monsignor Charles Pope for kindly allowing us to have the Mass said at his parish. (Saint Cyprian-Holy Comforter Catholic Church)
Wholeheartedly,
Rev. Canon JB Commins
Chaplain
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Testimony from a Marcher:
What an eventful March for Life! After attending for four consecutive years, I can say that this was, by far, the most hope-filled and inspirational trip. Not only did we again participate with the Institute, but we were blessed to both attend Mass offered by Cardinal Burke, and witness President Trump speak at the pre-march rally, making the March for Life, once again, the highlight of our January.
Our pilgrimage began early Thursday morning, with the bus from Kansas City picking up the St. Louis contingent at St. Francis de Sales Oratory. Although it can feel long—it is no short distance from St. Louis to Washington, D.C.—I always look forward to the bus ride, which included rosaries, spiritual talks, and time for meditation, as well as movies, nap time, choir practice, and, as it was still within the Christmas season, carols. A general atmosphere of joint duty and joy in our journey pervaded the air and gave a unique feeling of deep, spiritual camaraderie—a faint sense of the unity of the Church Militant.
The morning Mass on the day of the March was very special this year, as it was celebrated by his Eminence, Cardinal Burke. I was blessed to be part of the small choir that sang for the Mass, and our director gave us a Christmas carol—"Adeste Fideles"—as the recessional. We found the piece fitting and right for the occasion, and being able to sing it as a sort of march, as a last rallying hymn for us and for the Cardinal, before the day, was a deeply stirring experience.
Upon reaching the street where marchers were already congregating, and hearing that our president had not yet addressed the rally, myself and a small group headed to the Mall. Arriving when we did, we weren’t able to see President Trump, but we could hear him, and to hear our president, the President of the United States, address this event and support our cause in person, and proclaim the Catechism’s assertion that all human souls are made in the image and likeness of God—well. That was about as monumental as anything ever will be.
We were able to rejoin the Institute group, and the March itself followed. The Institute contingent was marked with a quiet atmosphere of prayerful determination, and we chanted a rosary as we walked. Upon reaching Capitol Hill, we stopped for pictures on the stairs of the Russel Senate Office Building and sang our Marian hymns for the rest of the marchers, before completing the March at the Supreme Court. There, the group broke up, with some members returning to the hotel and others visiting the national museums. My family (and our newly-adopted “family-members”—about fifteen people total) visited the National Archives before heading back to the hotel for a pizza dinner. While the canons led the night monument tour, the rest of the pilgrims went to bed early, or alternatively, went up to the roof for several fierce games of spoons before chanting compline together.
The bus ride back to St. Louis was very like that coming away, albeit slightly quieter. We stopped at the Pittsburg apostolate, Precious Blood, where the parishioners had graciously prepared a hot meal for us. During the dinner, the Pittsburg choirs entertained us with a recital that was beautiful and impressive, as was the generosity of these people—it seemed as though they thought we were doing them a favor, rather than the other way around. Here, our two buses—Chicago and Kansas City/St. Louis split up and went their respective ways. Our bus arrived in St. Louis at around midnight. Here, we parted with our Kansas City friends and headed to our hotel for the night.
Canon Commins, our chaplain, started our journey with an emphasis on the importance of coupling prayer with our physical presence in D.C. This sums up the Institute’s spirit at the March. Our “boots on the ground” and banners are all very well, but without prayer, we become just another demonstration, which the capitol sees every day. By God’s grace, our prayers have helped the March receive presidential recognition. One day soon, please God, Roe v. Wade will be overturned, and we will be able to join the Institute on a journey to the March OF Life.
