News & Events
New postulant chaperones NAHS students at annual "March for Life"
January 26, 2010.
 Maria Gerlach, on staff at Nazareth Academy High School and the CSFNs' new postulant, was one of five adult chaperons for the NAHS contingent that participated in the annual March for Life earlier this month in Washington, DC. Here is her report on tthat day:
What made 22 young women, students at Nazareth Academy High School (NAHS) in Philadelphia, come to school at 5:45 am on a school day? Was it the free breakfast they were promised? Maybe it was a day out of the classroom? Yes, they did receive a free breakfast, and they did not have to go to classes, but the true motivation lay elsewhere: these young women were preparing to hit the road in support of every person's right to live. As students from NAHS have been doing since the beginning of the Annual March for Life in Washington, DC, these 22 young women, with five adult chaperones, boarded a bus at 6:30 am to drive to Washington to join supporters of the cause from around the country. Each year, since Jan.22, 1974, commited pro-life Americans have rallied on behalf of our pre-born brothers and sisters. The group arrived in Washington just before the start of a 10 am Mass in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which was filled to overflowing with marchers from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Diocese of Knoxville. Mass was celebrated by Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia. Asked about the Mass, two sophomores responded that the turnout inspired them: "It was cool seeing the Cardinal, and how many people came out to support pro-life, it was so many more people than we expected." Following Mass and some free time, the students and chaperones re-boarded the bus and were dropped off at Union Station, where they began their walking journey to join the official March for Life. Since this was a relatively small group, it was decided that they would join in the march along the route. First, however, they paused for 10 - 15 minutes to watch as scores of marchers from across the country filed by, carrying with flags from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, California, and everywhere in between. Some were singing, some chanting, some praying aloud, and many remained silent, in witness to the millions of children who have not had the chance to live since the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. The Nazareth Academy High School group joined the march, carrying homemade signs and participating in some chants begun by nearby groups. Just before the rally location, women carrying signs that read "I regret my abortion" and men holding "I regret lost fatherhood" really touched at least one of the students. At the steps of the Supreme Court building, the group paused to listen to music and speakers at the rally being held there. After the march, the group was back on the bus, then back to Philadelphia by 9:30 pm. A long day behind them, the young women and chaperones felt that simply by their presence, they had made some difference in the fight to overturn Roe v. Wade. On reflection, a graduating senior had this to share: "Life is an issue that we debate throughout our education; however, once you debate it outside the classroom, the topic takes a new role in your life. Seeing all those people marching for lives lost is so powerful that you can't help but want to do something more than read statistics, and so go out to voice your disapproval."
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