Ways to make the pro-life cause come to life

By ADAM GANUCHEAU
For The Catholic Week
Though the decision was made months ago, it finally hit me just a few days ago: we would not be taking a March for Life pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. this year. From an abstract place, I knew in the back of my mind that this was going to be the reality. Yet, from a practical place of actually looking at my calendar, it’s actually starting to take root. 
Due to COVID and heightened security around the National Mall, the national March for Life cancelled its in-person march and will instead offer a virtual event. While this is a suitable substitution in light of the circumstances, it will not replace our pilgrimage. 
It is not easy to replace a twenty-hour bus ride with excited teenagers. It is not easy to replace the crisp January air on your face as you walk through Arlington Cemetery.  It is not easy to replace praying with thousands of young people from around the country in an arena normally reserved for professional basketball. 
Young people are resilient, but this doesn’t mean that they are not capable of disappointment. I imagine that there are many teens that are disappointed we were not able to make a pilgrimage for the March for Life. To them, and to all of us who are Catholic Christians in southern Alabama, let me offer these three thoughts for reflection. 
First, one of the main messages that I relay on our pilgrimage is still appropriate: the first life that we are to be “pro-life” is our own. Each of us is made in the image and likeness of God. At Baptism, we are new creations and become children of God. To treat our own bodies and souls with dignity can be a challenge, but it is a necessary call. Turning from our own sin and turning towards God is a pro-life activity. 
Second, being “pro-life” is about much more than abortion. Working towards a consistent ethic of life – from womb to tomb – is an important step that each of us can take. Let us examine our own biases and thoughts on other pro-life issues, such as the death penalty, racism, immigration, gender discrimination and so on. 
Let us call to mind the corporal works of mercy, and as a tangible sign of our pro-life witness, let us engage in one act of mercy, or one random act of kindness in the name of Christ. Pray in front of the abortion clinic. Donate canned goods to a food bank. Drop off unused blankets or jackets for the homeless. Collect diapers and wipes for a pregnancy resource center. Avoid gossip and negativity. These and many other ways can be concrete, pro-life activities.
Finally, a pilgrimage is a spiritual journey, often with some sort of sacrifice. I can tell you that “charter bus” is not my preferred method of sleeping, but it is a sacrifice to do so in the name of our spiritual journey. Often, a pilgrimage is to a holy site; Celtic Christians had a term for these, “thin spaces,” where the distance between Heaven and earth was slim. 
Each parish church is a thin space when we come to celebrate the Eucharist or to adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is the bread of life, so entering into a personal relationship with Him and partaking of the meal that He left for us can be a pro-life activity. Seek out the thin space at Mass, where heaven kisses earth and Jesus is made present in the bread and wine. 
Being “pro” our own lives, working for charity in a tangible way, and fully participating in the Eucharist are three ways to make the pro-life cause come to life. They aren’t replacements for the March for Life, but essential actions each of us can take to advance the Gospel of Life. 
— Adam Ganucheau is the Director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. He may be emailed at [email protected]
Visit our website, www.ArchMobYouth.org Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ArchMobYouth and follow us on Twitter and Instagram - @ArchMobYouth