Detroiters attending National Prayer Vigil for Life say Mass at national basilica sets context for today's march

WASHINGTON — On the night before marching for the protection of unborn life, thousands of Catholics packed into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to celebrate the meal that promises eternal life.

Kansas City Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, welcomed the pilgrims to the massive church, reminding all in the pews why they will be on the streets Friday.

“Many lives have been impacted by abortion, and it is through your intercessions, your witness, that the Lord will use to protect someone who is suffering from abortion,” Archbishop Naumann said in his homily. “Since the erroneous Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, 61 million innocent American children have been killed in cases of abortion.”

Archbishop Naumann thanked leaders of the Orthodox community who were in attendance, as well as other Christians and non-religious people who will be joining their Catholic brothers and sisters in marching for what Archbishop Naumann called “the most critical social issue of our time.”

Archbishop Naumann told the marchers that on Friday, they will be demonstrating not only for the unborn, but for the economically depressed, the imprisoned, refugees, immigrants, victims of famine, victims of domestic violence, victims of sexual abuse, public safety officers killed in the line of duty and those who have been brutalized by police officers sworn to protect the community.

Furthermore, Archbishop Naumann said, pro-lifers are marching for those who will be opposing them on Friday, those who don’t believe in and actively oppose the pro-life cause, and even people who have performed abortions.

“If you want to know the value of every life, contemplate the crucifix,” Archbishop Naumann said. “The pro-life movement is about mercy. Mercy for the unborn, mercy for the parents, mercy for the marchers, mercy for the opponents of the marchers, mercy for those who attack organizations like the Knights of Columbus, mercy for the staff and volunteers and pro-choice advocates. God’s mercy is endless. So let us pray to be effective witnesses for that mercy.”

Joseph and Debbie Brenner, who traveled to Washington from their home parish of Our Lady of the Lakes in Waterford, attended the Mass in preparation for Friday’s march.

“The Eucharist is the ultimate prayer, so what better way to prepare to march for life?” Joseph Brenner, a member of his parish’s Knight of Columbus chapter, told Detroit Catholic. “What strikes me is how many people, and how many young people are so serious about standing up for life.”

The Brenner family has adopted two children, Jay and Teresa, and Debbie said it is important for adopting parents to be parents at the march.

“We are here to show there are loving parents out there who want to have children, but just can’t,” Debbie Brenner said. “And if there is a woman who can’t raise a child, but has the courage to give birth and choose life, I want that person to know there are people who will support her decision and be there for her and be there for the child.”

Scores of Metro Detroiters arrived in D.C. to show what it means to be pro-life, not only to those who will be at the march or following it through media channels, but to the people closest to them.

Kelly Ponce and her husband, Ariel, of St. Joseph Parish in Lake Orion, arrived in D.C. with their six children — Kelly is pregnant with their seventh — saying it is important for their children to see how meaningful the pro-life cause is to their family.

“It is a huge sacrifice to do it, but it is worth it (for our children) and what it means to be a witness in the world,” Ponce said. “They say family is the domestic church, and by being here, we’re teaching them that life begins at conception, and it’s not just Mom and Dad, but a whole bunch of people heading out to be pilgrims for life.”

Being pilgrims for life is part of what it means to be a “missionary disciple,” said Fr. Steve Pullis, director of the Archdiocese of Detroit's Department of Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools, using the often-quoted term from Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron’s Unleash the Gospel pastoral letter.

“It says so much about our archdiocese to have hundreds of people coming from Michigan to D.C. to be a witness for life,” Fr. Pullis said. “There was something Archbishop Naumann said in the homily, ‘We’re not pro-life because we’re Catholic,’ but because we are Catholic, our faith gives us a unique, powerful witness to take the suffering we experience and others experience and use that to be a witness.”

Fr. Pullis had the privilege to concelebrate the Mass with hundreds of his brother priests, saying it was amazing look out at the majestic basilica and see thousands of faithful praying together.

“It’s was encouraging as a priest to see such a love for the Eucharist; it is very much likened to the love for the unborn,” Fr. Pullis said. “A lot of people don’t see an importance for the unborn, they don’t see an importance for the Eucharist. But for us, we see the value. It is that devotion to the Eucharist tonight that drives people to march for the unborn (Friday).”

With hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flocking to D.C., the pressure to be gracious and accommodating hosts falls on the staff of the Archdiocese of Washington and D.C.’s Catholic University of America, which in many regards serves as a host institution for the march.

Irene Wilson is a junior at CUA, but grew up as a parishioner at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak.

Wilson volunteered as an usher at the Mass, helping pilgrims find their seats or areas to stand and answering questions about the weekend. 

“It’s really exciting for CUA to host this because we've been planning for weeks and months,” Wilson said. “Ever since I was in the fifth grade, I’ve been going to the March for Life. But as a (pilgrim) that is like a day or two, but at Catholic (University of America), you see the bigger picture of hosting it. You are even more hopeful, because you see all the work that goes into making the guests feel comfortable as they get ready to march.”

As worshipers emptied out of the massive church, Wilson looked around the basilica and said the Mass serves as a great primer of the many graces yet to come.

“I think the Mass is the perfect way to bring people together and say, 'This is why we march,'” Wilson said. “To see people who are coming together to worship a central figure, that Jesus came for all of us, and it is on us to stand up for one another.”