Scottish Catholic Observer

Hundreds of thousands of pro-life activists travelled to the US capital to protest against abortion, including, Leonora Blackwood and Rachel Kidd (above), SPUC Scotland’s education officer and field officer respectively, who represented Scotland at the event. “The March for Life is an international event,” a spokesperson for SPUC Scotland said. “It’s a great opportunity for our representatives [above with Fr Frank Pavone] to go and meet other pro-life activists from around the world and then carry the pro-life message forward back here in Scotland.”

Over the last four decades, millions of people have participated in the march, which takes place on the anniversary of the Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling, which legalised abortion in the US. This year was thought to be one of the largest marches ever, beginning with a rally on the National Mall featuring speeches from pro-life advocates, politicians and religious leaders.

Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he would march in memory of ‘those lost to abortion.’

“We march for the voiceless children to defend their right to life—especially for those like my brother Georgie, born with Down’s syndrome, whose lives all too often are deemed unworthy to see the light of day,” he said. “We march for the women considering abortion, that in our concern for their needs, they will find the strength to choose life.

“We march in solidarity with post-abortive mothers… and we march in thanksgiving for the courageous birth mothers who, despite many odds, have given their children the gift of life and an adoptive family to raise them.”

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—This story ran in full in the January 24 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.