Future U.S. Military Leaders Join 52nd Annual March for Life

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Dozens of future U.S. Army and Navy officers braved 35-degree (F) temperatures and snow-lined streets in the Nation’s Capital on Friday to walk in the 52nd annual March for Life—the third in a post-Roe America—along Constitution Avenue. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), led the group of more than 80 prospective U.S. Military officers including cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, among others.

Also marching were staff and clergy of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), including the Rev. Monsignor Anthony R. Frontiero, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia; Father Mark Rutherford, J.C.L., J.C.D. Cand., Judicial Vicar and Moderator of the Curia; and Father Paul-Anthony Halladay, Director of Vocations.

The AMS delegation joined the March for Life at the National Archives where members traveled by public transportation after a noon Mass in the main chapel of the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center, the AMS headquarters in Northeast Washington.

In his homily Archbishop Broglio called to mind the true meaning of the celebration:

“We gather at that perfect sacrifice in order to enter into union with Christ before we march together to proclaim his truth about the life and the dignity of the human person.

“It is important that we frame our action in the clear teaching of the Church about the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death. If society behaves as if life is expendable, up to the option of the individual, then what prevents one from killing someone to have his or her car, watch, inheritance, or whatever. Violence breeds violence.

“The Lord tells us that life belongs to Him. He gives it, and he takes it away. This commemoration was established with the wish of defending unborn children, but the ramifications extend to life at any stage of our pilgrimage. We defend life by proclaiming the dignity of the human person: unborn, immigrants, poor, living in a foreign land, or needing our assistance.”

Tens of thousands of pro-life advocates from around the country took part in the peaceful demonstration on the one-mile route from a pre-march rally site on the Washington Monument grounds near the World War II Memorial to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, where the majority in June 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abrogating any “constitutional right” to abortion in America.

The theme of this year’s March for Life was “Life: Why We March,” a rallying cry to pro-life advocates, heralding their cause—that every human life, including the unborn and their mothers, is beautiful, has unique dignity, and worth of protection.

Scheduled speakers included Kansas City, KS Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Vice-President J.D. Vance, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), and  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.