by Ed Harpring
It’s not too late to join with hundreds of local pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Louisville for the 45th annual March for Life on January 19 in Washington DC. Our pilgrimage includes: 
- The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a place of pilgrimage, learning, and prayer. It was designated as a National Shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2014. The 30,000-square-foot building is built on 12 acres adjacent to The Catholic University
- Daily Mass in the Redemptor Hominis Chapel
- Venerate first-class blood relic of Saint John Paul II.
- Permanent Exhibit – The shrine also houses a state-of-the-art exhibit on the life and legacy of St. John Paul II. Called A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II, the exhibit leads the pilgrim on a spiritual itinerary through Karol Wojtyła’s early years and the maturing of his vocation as a priest and bishop amidst some of the darkest moments of the twentieth century.
- Personal artifacts – texts, images and interactive displays combine to illustrate the pope’s historic election, his passion for “Christ, the Redeemer of Man” and his courageous defense of the dignity of the human person.
National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
- Over 20,000 pilgrims attend the annual Vigil Mass, held the eve of the March for Life. with hundreds of priests, deacons, bishops and cardinals processing in at the beginning of the Mass. Archbishop Kurtz will be participating along with several seminarians. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, will be the principal celebrant and homilist.
Youth Mass and Rally – Capital One Arena
- The Rally (with over 20,000 attendees, including youth, cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and seminarians) strives to encourage the youth participating in the national March for Life in their witness as disciples of Christ and promoters of the Gospel of Life, through inspiring motivational speakers, inspirational speakers and the Holy Mass.
March for Life – 2018 theme, “Love Saves Lives”
- The mission of the March for Life is to provide all Americans with a place to testify to the beauty of life and the dignity of each human person. Over 500,000 pilgrims attend from across the country.
Local Activities here in Louisville:
- Walk for Life – Locally, the Youth Ministry office will sponsor the prayer walk for students, families and anyone who wants to make a stand for the sanctity of Life on Friday, January 19, gathering at 4:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Assumption’s Undercroft.
- Pro-Life Memorial Mass – On Sunday, January 21, more than 150 parishes, schools and organizations come together to witness to the sanctity of human life. The Pro-Life Mass is dedicated to the protection of the unborn and to lift our hearts to the Lord to help change the hearts of our country from a culture of death to a culture that celebrates Life and defends all lives from conception to natural death. All are welcome.
As an additional incentive for those considering attending the March for Life, “Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, and Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, have issued a joint letter announcing that a plenary indulgence can be obtained by the faithful who “take part in the sacred celebrations, along with the great assembly of people, throughout the whole course of the annual event that is called ‘March for Life.’”
I hope you will join us. Feel free to email me at eharpring@archlou.org if you have any questions!
Archdiocese Of Louisville Family Ministries 