By Guillermo Treviño
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Half-a-million people from all over the United States marched from the National Mall to the Supreme Court Building on Jan. 25 for the 40th annual March for Life. Forty-six of those took a 20-hour bus trip from Pella, Oskaloosa, Knoxville, Iowa City and Davenport to the capital.
Donna DeJoode, director of faith formation and youth ministry at St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa, said the event was to expose youths to more social justice activities. She was born a year and a day after the landmark Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion, and went on the march in 1989. “This time was better because I’m a momma now and I got to go with my son Aaron,” she said.
The group attended Mass at St. Mary Church in Iowa City on Jan. 23, and Father Steve Witt, parochial vicar, welcomed the group with applause. Then travelers prayed a divine mercy chaplet in Iowa City outside Emma Goldman Clinic, which performs abortions. Tony Nimtz, 17, of the Davenport Diocese’s Diocesan Youth Ministry Committee and St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa, was inspired by praying and said everyone needs to work at abolishing abortion. “If every person went home and prayed peacefully in front of a clinic, (abortion supporters) would give in,” he said.
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