For those who recognize the value of all life, the early months of the year offer many opportunities to publicly declare the sanctity and dignity of every human person.
On Jan. 19, Archbishop Coyne was the main celebrant for a Pro-Life Mass & Baby Shower Collection at St. Mary Church in New Haven, part of Blessed Michael McGivney Parish. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the Mass provided time for prayer and the chance to donate baby items for the Connecticut Pregnancy Resource Centers.
Mary, Gate of Heaven Parish hosted a Mass for Life on Jan. 20 at St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Windsor Locks. Father Michael Ruminski, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Bloomfield, was the main celebrant and offered a reflection after the Mass. Prior to the Mass, pro-life advocates recited the rosary for life.
The 2025 National March for Life, set for Friday, Jan. 24 in Washington, D.C., is billed as the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world.
Although Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, Sister Suzanne Gross, program coordinator for the archdiocese’s Respect Life Ministry, says it’s important to keep marching. “We’ve changed the law but we haven’t changed the hearts and minds of people,” she says. “We’ll still be making a statement. So that’s why we go.”
The Archdiocese of Hartford pilgrims leave from the Franciscan Life Center in Meriden on Jan. 23 to attend the Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Next day, they will enjoy a Mass at the Washington Plaza; a concert by the Christian band Unspoken at 11 a.m.; the rally at noon on the National Mall with keynote speaker Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer who persevered despite her disability; and the March for Life at 1 p.m. to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Closer to home, the 2025 Connecticut March for Life is slated for March 19, and there’s still plenty of time to register and sign up for buses.
The rally begins at noon at the Connecticut State Capitol, located at 210 Capitol Ave. in Hartford, followed by the march around Bushnell Memorial Park and along Main Street at 1 p.m. The Connecticut Pregnancy Care Coalition will also host a student sign-making contest between 11 and 11:45 a.m.
“The March shows the importance of what prayerful witness is all about. We’re marching for the unborn, who cannot speak for themselves, and for humanity and the dignity of every human person,” says Father Glen Dmytryszyn, director of the archdiocese’s Respect Life Ministry. “With the inception of human life, all other rights follow. What else can we march for?”
Christopher Healy, executive director for the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, strongly recommends participating in the Connecticut March for Life. “Your attendance,” he says, “will help send the message to lawmakers that we will not allow laws to be passed that do not respect God’s greatest gift to us all.”
Before You Go: For more details about the Connecticut March for Life, including a map, parking, buses from local parishes, and other events that day, visit marchforlife.org/Connecticut. For more information on legislative matters from the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, visit ctcatholicpac.org.
The 2025 Connecticut March for Life is sponsored by the National March for Life, the Connecticut Catholic Conference and the Family Institute of Connecticut.
By Shelley Wolf
Catholic Transcript