Thousands descend upon downtown Springfield for Illinois Pro-Life March

SPRINGFIELD, IL - It was a scene of hate versus love and anger versus joy. There on the street corner of Capitol Avenue and Second Street in downtown Springfield on March 25, under the shadow of the Illinois Statehouse, stood about a dozen pro-abortion protesters shouting lies in a megaphone, wearing Halloween style masks, and promoting abortion as "healthcare" despite the fact that a baby dies every time during an abortion. Their faces showed scowls, their voices carried hate, and their message was one of selfishness.

This group of protesters, however, were not anticipating what would stand in front of them this day. A sea of more than 2,000 people, mainly teenagers and young adults, cheering, dancing, singing, smiling, laughing, and praying. This large crowd was there not for themselves, but for someone else - the unborn and all the vulnerable in society. Their faces showed joy, their voices carried hope, and their message was one of love and life.

That was the scene during the Illinois Pro-Life Rally and March, an annual gathering that attracts people from across the state who are a witness to life by rallying and marching around the Illinois Statehouse praying, carrying signs, and showing the public that life is beautiful.

"I came out here because I think it's important to give voice the voiceless, and I love seeing loads of people come together for a common cause," said Oceana Huang, a freshman at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (SHG) in Springfield. It was her first time going to this march, and she called it "exciting."

"I firmly believe that everyone should have a chance to grow up into their gifts and grow up into the blessings God has given us, and I believe God sets us out for a purpose into the world, and we can make a difference, and I am grateful to be a part of it and be with my school," said Ella Timmermann, a junior at SHG.

With Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022, the battle for protections for the unborn and the vulnerable is now centered on state capitals with Illinois being one of the most important due to its pro-abortion laws and a culture in the state that generally approves of abortion.

"It feels good to be a part of this because it shows that everyone cares, and we all feel the same way about being pro-life," said Curtis Tingley, an eighth-grader at St. Anthony Grade School in Effingham. "It was fun to do this and learn new things."

For Faustina Hoerdeman, a postulant for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George based in Alton, this rally and march is personal to her. That's because when she was conceived, her mother was 50 years old. Doctors told her mother that "it would be safer for her to get an abortion." Doctors told her mother that her child would have a poor quality of life because she was 50 years old and had too many complications.

"One day, after a really stressful appointment where the doctor was pushing abortion, she went into her car crying and then pulled the sun visor down. A Divine Mercy card fell into her lap, and she had just begun a devotion to St. Faustina. She was overcome with peace, and she heard a voice from St. Faustina that said, 'I will hold your child until you can.' She knew at that moment that everything would be OK, and I was delivered with no complications and was very blessed."

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A powerful moment of good triumphing over evil

Before the march began, a rally took place by the Abraham Lincoln statue outside the Statehouse. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois began the rally with a prayer followed by several speakers. While Bishop Paprocki prayed, those pro-abortion protesters shouted in their megaphones, trying their best to disrupt the prayer. That's when Bishop Paprocki said this:

"Dear God, you are the giver of all life, our Creator, the giver of all grace. We thank you for your grace and the human life you have given us. We thank you for the freedom that lets us choose between good and evil, including those shouting at us on behalf of evil. We pray for them. We pray that God will touch their hearts and remove the hatred from their hearts so that they could come to love all human life from the moment of conception."

Bishop Paprocki then asked the more than 2,000 pro-lifers to pray the St. Michael Prayer. In this powerful moment, the crowd turned from rallying to prayer warriors, calling on the intercession of St. Michael to protect all people from evil.

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Mass for Life 'sells out'

Before the march and rally, more than 1,750 Catholics attended the Mass for Life at the Sangamon Auditorium on the campus of the University of Illinois Springfield. That was the maximum number that was allowed in. Bishop Paprocki was the main celebrant with Bishop Michael McGovern of the Diocese of Belleville as the homilist. The large gathering was composed mainly of students from Catholic grade schools, high schools, and Newman Centers from across the state, as well as men and women religious and lay adults. Bishops from the Dioceses of Peoria and Joliet were also in attendance. This was the third year the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois hosted the Mass before the march. The altar used during the Mass was the same altar used by Pope St. John Paul II when he celebrated Mass in the dome at St. Louis in 1999.

"Even though we are in the middle of Springfield, it feels like we are on cloud nine, and that's why I love coming to this Mass," said Amalia Dorgan, a junior at Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon. "Being with people from different dioceses, it just reminds us we are all coming together to worship our Lord."

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Springfield was also open in the afternoon, hosting hundreds of Catholics who prayed before our Lord in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Confessions also took place for several hours.

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Physician assisted suicide pending in state legislature

Being pro-life goes well beyond protecting babies in the womb. It's a cause that defends the right to life and dignity for all, especially the vulnerable, from conception to natural death. That's why legislation pending at the Statehouse that would legalize physician assisted suicide was also a topic during this year's Illinois Pro-Life March.

Senate Bill 9 and House Bill 1328 are now the pieces of legislation that would legalize the right for someone to kill themselves. Laws permitting assisted suicide pose significant risks to the poor, marginalized, and disabled, who may face pressure to end their lives rather than receive the care and compassion they need and deserve. There are documented cases in states where assisted suicide has been legalized, where individuals with rare or life-threatening conditions were denied necessary medical treatment and were instead offered life-ending prescriptions. Contact your state lawmakers and tell them to vote "No."