‘Great spirit of hope’ animates 2025 March for Life

52nd annual March for Life was held Jan. 24 in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON — The theme of the 52nd National March for Life was “Life: Why We March,” and for the thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in the freezing cold Jan. 24, everyone had their own “why” for coming out that day to stand for the life of the unborn child.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, who led the rally in prayer, said that he attends the annual march “because this is the most important human rights issue.” But also, he said, “to get recharged with all the great people that are here.”
He praised both the personal testimonies of those who spoke at the rally about choosing life in difficult circumstances and the enthusiasm of those gathered to march more than two years after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The court returned the issue back to state lawmakers in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
“I think there’s a great spirit of hope,” Archbishop Naumann said. He said some recent hopeful news was President Donald Trump pardoning 23 pro-life protestors who had been convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinics (FACE) Act. He also welcomed the president’s video address to the march.
At the same time, in the post-Dobbs climate where pro-life efforts in many states have failed, Archbishop Naumann emphasized that “we have to change the culture.” He said, “If we want good laws, that means we have to evangelize others.”
“We have the truth, we have good arguments, but we have to evangelize them with love and with our joy,” he said. “That’s what’s going to convert culture. That will change laws.”
President Donald Trump pledged to “stand proudly for families and for life” in a video message for the March for Life.
Trump, who took office just days earlier, delivered the message to the crowd at the event’s preceding rally, while Vice President JD Vance addressed marchers in person.
Trump told rallygoers, “to all of the very special people marching today in this bitter cold, I know your hearts are warm and your spirits are strong because your vision is just very, very pure to forge a society that welcomes and protects every child as a beautiful gift from the hand of our Creator.”
Marcela Rojas, who lives in the Archdiocese of New York, said that she came to the march with a group of 75 people, many of them mothers bringing their small children. They came, she said, to be the voice of those babies “who cannot have a voice,” adding that their presence in the march is a way to say “yes” to life.
Rojas also had a message “for all those moms or those people who are going through moments in which they do not want to have their baby.”
“Be aware that you are not alone. You are not alone; seek help,” she said. “There is a lot of help in which there are ways out — not to abort — there are ways out to feel better and there are ways out to be able to say yes to that life.”
Chris and Isabel Hoff traveled from Michigan to be at the March for Life. They held a brightly colored sign that announced, “We’re adopting,” and included a link to their adoption agency information. The couple first started going to the March for Life when they were students together at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.
They were overwhelmed by the “beautiful” responses they got from their fellow marchers to their sign, including encouraging stories from those who were adopted and from couples who have adopted. Isabel felt blessed “to witness to adoption and to promote our adoption journey with so many other pro-lifers here.”
A new generation of young people at the march also showed their determination to bring about a pro-life culture shift in the post-Dobbs era.
“If we want the culture of death to change to a culture of life, then we, the youth, are the ones in charge of making the difference,” said Michelle Rivera, 19, from San Diego.
Life Fest 2025 called an ‘explosion of life, joy and grace’
By Kimberley Heatherington | OSV News
FAIRFAX, Va. — When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, some Catholics wondered aloud: In the wake of such a resounding victory — tenaciously fought for during a 50-year local, state and national campaign — would there still be a March for Life, as there had been since 1974? Was it still needed?

Students from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, carried the March for Life banner at the front of the annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 24.
A resounding affirmative answer rang out Jan. 23 and 24 at Life Fest 2025, where thousands of young people from across the country gathered at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax — just outside the nation’s capital — to energize and encourage one another before taking to the streets of Washington, in peaceful witness to a sobering fact: The battle against abortion in America is far from over.
The Sisters of Life, the Knights of Columbus and the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, united to present the two-day event, which drew almost 8,000 people.
Life Fest builds upon the success of the organizational trio’s support of the annual March for Life in Washington — including the Diocese of Arlington’s “Life is VERY Good” event, held annually for 12 years at EagleBank Arena, and the Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus pro-life event Life Fest, first held in 2023.
“We march with renewed hope this year, and we’re grateful for that,” said Sister Pia Jude, a Sister of Life. “And we’re grateful for the gift of Jesus. He marches alongside with us — in us — to proclaim the dignity of every human person.”
Sister Juliana Guadalupe, also a Sister of Life, agreed. “It’s an explosion of life, an explosion of joy, and an explosion of grace — we feel so blessed to be part of the March for Life in this way,” she said.
Jane Bremberg — a homeschooled 11th grader who attends the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia — was also anticipating a renewed witness.
“Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, that doesn’t mean we stop praying,” Bremberg said. “We keep praying, keep going to rallies, keep doing the March for Life.”
52nd annual March for Life was held Jan. 24 in Washington, D.C.
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