Catholics who would like to help save the lives of unborn children and to protect their mothers from the devastation of abortion can make a real difference on Sunday, Jan. 22. The annual MCCL March for Life will begin at 2 p.m. on the State Capitol grounds. The Diocese of Duluth is again planning to take a bus to participate in the event.
The 2017 March for Life, sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, commemorates the 44th anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton U.S. Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. These devastating rulings have resulted in the deaths of more than 59 million unborn children, including more than 625,000 in Minnesota.
“Abortion is the greatest human rights issue of our time,” said MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach. “We encourage Catholics throughout Minnesota to speak up for the sanctity of human life by participating in the MCCL March for Life.”
Each year on Jan. 22, citizens march and call on lawmakers to enact protective legislation. The 2017 legislative session begins Jan. 2. Citizens can encourage their lawmakers to attend the MCCL March for Life. Prominent pro-life state and national officials are expected to attend the March.
The Diocese of Duluth Office of Marriage and Family Life will again be sponsoring buses bound for the annual march in the Twin Cities. The day will begin with 9:15 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Duluth celebrated by Bishop Paul Sirba. The group will board the bus after Mass and arrive at the state Capitol to join in on the March for Life. The cost to attend this event is $5 per person. Diocesan officials anticipate arriving back in Duluth by 6:30 p.m. Children are encouraged to participate. For more information or to reserve a place on the bus go at www.dioceseduluth.org or call the Pastoral Center at (218) 724-9111.
Every pro-life voice is needed to demonstrate that the pro-life movement is as strong as ever, MCCL officials say. They ask Catholics to help make this the largest, most effective MCCL March for Life by attending this one-hour event with your family and friends. Marchers will be provided with pro-life signs on the Capitol Mall. In case of severe weather, check the MCCL website (www.mccl.org) and Twin Cities news outlets or contact MCCL at [email protected] or (612) 825-6831.
The 2 p.m. start time is later than usual because it is a Sunday. Buses are expected to come from across Minnesota. For more information, visit www.mccl.org, e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 825-6831.
— The Northern Cross
