Area youth participate in March for Life

A group of approximately 300 young people and sponsors from the Jefferson City area attended the national March for Life event Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
A group of approximately 300 young people and sponsors from the Jefferson City area attended the national March for Life event Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

A group of nearly 300 young people and their sponsors from the Jefferson City area returned Saturday from Washington, D.C., filled with what organizers said was hope and motivation for pro-life issues in America.

This is the 14th year the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City has led a youth pilgrimage to take part in the national March for Life, denouncing legalized abortion. Friday's march has taken place annually since 1973, after the Supreme Court ruled the right to privacy extends to a woman's right to have an abortion.

Coming back to Mid-Missouri on one of five buses Saturday morning, the Rev. Greg Oligschlaeger, pilgrimage organizer and vocation director for the diocese, said those who went to the march were gathered in a spirit of joy and peaceful demonstration.

"We all got along," he said. "There wasn't any hate. If we did run into protesters against what we were doing, we told them we would pray for them. It seems people are looking at this more as an issue about lives instead of strictly politics."

Jay Nies, editor of the Catholic Missourian, made the trip and said he saw young people motivated to offer women alternatives that had not been available in the past.

"You can't just outlaw something without helping mothers and families raising children," he said.

Before starting the trip back, Oligschlaeger said they asked the youth to say what the trip meant to them.

"A majority were really blown away and inspired by the men and women they met," he said. "Some saw so many youth going to Mass and felt that may help them go to Mass more often. Many also said they didn't realize how many Christians believe in what they do, and that really was inspirational.

"I think the national media wanted to make it a women's issue, but I think the majority of those there believed it supported women but also the life of the child, recognizing life is a gift from God and we don't have right to take it," Oligschlaeger said.