Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans flock to Washington D.C. to participate in the country’s national “March for Life.” This year, I had the privilege of attending the march, and after doing so, I hope to attend many more in the future.

The march’s goal is to support the sanctity of life, especially in unborn children, as well as to dissuade panicked mothers from getting an abortion. In addition to Delbarton’s “Wave-4-Life” team, we traveled with St. Joe’s School in Mendham, as well as with nuns from the Sisters of Christian Charity, also in Mendham. Battling roads choked with traffic for the march, our bus began the five hour ride down to our nation’s capital.

After first getting off the bus, I was a little nervous. Crowds of people surrounded the Washington Monument, the starting line for the march. I can remember watching as thousands of people pushed forward across the green to hear the encouraging words of each speaker, each orator more enthusiastic than the last. After first seeing the large numbers of people, I mistook the rally for a near riot. The intensity of the congregation’s energy seemed to pulse in the air, riding on the waves of the speaker’s powerful speeches. It took me time to realize this, but it was finally registered when President Trump said it himself. He reminded us, “We are here for one purpose, and one purpose alone. To support Life.” I finally grasped the simple, yet deep meaning the march has. It didn’t matter where we’d come from. North, south, east, or west, but yet it only mattered that we were there. We came to the march to celebrate life. The energy, power, and spirit that came from the crowd was not for the purpose of rallying against, but rather for the purpose of rallying for. We marched to support the beauty of life, a gift bestowed on each human being. We marched to support chances that should be given, not taken away. We marched to support the honor of God, who blessed all creatures with the right to life.

Walking along Pennsylvania Avenue, I can still remember the singing, praising, and sheer joy in others’ eyes. It was because the marchers found such joy in life, that they wanted others to feel this overwhelming happiness as well. Especially as Catholic Benedictines, we protect the innocent, just as Christ himself was innocent upon His death. For we believe that each person in the world is Christ, and thus it is our responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves.

Reaching the Capitol Building, I too felt an immense amount of joy. Not just because I had decided to attend the march, but also because I had a new realization about the sanctity of life. In passing the Supreme Court, I can vividly recall the jubilation that occurred when the crowd succeeded in upholding their conviction that life is to be cherished, not just for some but all people, big or small. I remember to this day that life is beautiful, and that not everyone gets to experience such beauty and joy. It is because of these people and this simple celebration that will lead me back to March for Life for future years to come.