‘So much more hope...’

First-time participants moved by their March for Life experience

Indianapolis young adults march with their banner at the March for Life in Washington on Jan. 25. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)

By Natalie Hoefer

The archdiocesan Young Adult and College Campus Ministry led a group of 50 participants on a pilgrimage to the March for Life in Washington on Jan. 25.

For some, it was their first experience on a March for Life pilgrimage, which commemorates the anniversary of the devastating 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. (See a photo gallery from the march here)

This story shares the experiences of first-time pilgrims Rikki Enzor, 26, a third-year medical student, and Dave Bibb, 70, a retired teacher.

A pilgrimage begins

How did a retired teacher come to join a pilgrimage of young adults?

“We couldn’t find a group going from our diocese [in Danville, Ill.],” said Bibb’s wife, Joanne, also a retired teacher. “So we asked [our son] Brian if we could join his group.” Brian is a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis.

Dave explained that Joanne had been on the march before, but this was his first time.

“I have some idea of what to expect from what Joanne has said about the march,” said Dave prior to the march, “but I have no preconceived notions of what to expect. I’m just really excited to get to go.”

After Mass and a brief break to settle into their rooms at a hotel in Bethesda, Md., the group gathered in the hotel lobby at 9:30 a.m. and prepared to make their way to Washington via the Metro.

“This is my first time on the march,” explained Rikki Enzor, “so I’m really excited. This is such a great opportunity to stand up with other young adults for something I passionately believe in.”

When asked what prompted her to come, Enzor paused thoughtfully.

“I’m a medical student,” she started. “One day, I’ll be looked to as an expert, and I want to help make people realize [abortion] is a moral issue.

“Many medical students believe in perceptions that aren’t true,” she continued, “but they don’t really take the time—or have the time—to think about the truth. I think this will be a great opportunity for me to do that.”

At the march

After visiting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum , the group met on the steps of the National Archives building to join the march. (Related story: Connection between Holocaust, abortion hits home for young adults)

The 10-degree wind chill did nothing to restrain the enthusiasm of the estimated 500,000 to 650,000 march participants.

A chorus of chants rang out from various groups in the march from the National Mall to the U. S. Supreme Court building.

Some groups, including the Indianapolis young adults, prayed the rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet along the route.

Signs and banners testified to the pro-life cause.

Dave was overwhelmed.

Despite the cold, a tear came to his eye as he looked around.

“I just can’t put into words what this means to me,” he said.

“To see all these young people and families, all these people who feel as I do—it just encourages me that I am not alone. It gives me so much hope.”

Enzor was moved by the connection between the images of aborted babies on some posters on the march and what she had just witnessed at the Holocaust Museum.

“It makes the moral implications of taking the life of other human beings sink in,” she said. “You can really see the parallel between the Holocaust and abortion, how both involve decisions based on certain criteria as to how valuable a particular human being’s life is.”

Reflecting on the experience

On the bus ride home, Enzor contemplated what she learned.

“The experience made me realize how our culture really tries to avoid thinking about these kinds of issues, and just how wrong our thinking is about a lot of things.

“Some would say putting political prisoners in an arena to fight to the death in Rome was horrific, but that murdering millions of innocent children is fine, that it’s a woman’s choice.”

The experience also made her consider her own involvement in the pro-life cause.

“I’m a medical student,” she said, “so that takes up a lot of time, but this experience has definitely made me feel that I need to be doing something.”

As for Dave, he came away from the experience lifted by hope.

“I feel such a regeneration of enthusiasm for our future,” he said. “I’ve been pessimistic about the secular direction I’ve seen our country going. We’ve been going the way of countries who think they’re better than God. I see that starting right at about 40 years ago [when abortion became legal in the U.S.]

“But now, after seeing all these young kids who proudly claim to be the pro-life generation—I’m praying with so much more hope now!”

He plans to participate in next year’s March for Life—with one year’s experience under his belt, and “so much more hope than I had before.” †

 

Related: Ideas for becoming involved in local pro-life activities