Several groups traveled from the diocese of Savannah and joined a quarter of a million people in the 37th annual March for life activities.

In addition to several callers who left messages describing their impressions of the event, we spoke with Emily Fisher who called us as from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington on Jan. 21. Emily a 15-year old from Richmond Hill GA was sitting on the floor in a side aisle of the Basilica about an hour before the National Prayer Vigil for Life and Mass began.

Carola Stone’s comments in her message echo a theme in most other messages – the joy at seeing so many young people supporting the Pro Life movement.

Joshua Glasscock’s voice mail and accompanying text support Carola’s observations.

Thirty two youth and seven adult chaperones from St Anne Church in Richmond Hill attended events over the weekend. They attended the Vigil Mass at the Basilica, the Youth Rally and Mass at the Verizon Center, and participated in the March. On Saturday, they toured the White House and the Holocaust Museum.

See photos here

"I felt excited to be in a nation where I could stand up and be proud to feel passionate about my faith. When I started to march with the entire crowd of over 200,000 people I knew then that I was somebody who can really change things in my lifetime.

The motto of our youth group says it best. We wear them on our shirts and we lived these words when we marched.

“I’m not afraid to SAY what I mean,

to SAY what I think, to SAY what I feel,

to SAY what I believe…”

Josh Glasscock, 17 – Senior, Richmond Hill High School, Richmond Hill, GA. St. Anne Youth Group (SAY) - Vice President

"The crowd was incredible and huge. I felt so powerful to be part of that crowd. It showed me that one person does make a difference. Each person in the March was “just one person” but together all the people made up a huge amount of “just one person”. The signs carried by the Marchers were powerful and meaningful for me. My favorite sign was one that reads “Face it…. Abortion kills a person”.

The police men on the horses and the other security guards upset me because they obviously thought we would be rowdy and not peaceful. Although the March for Life organizers had all the paperwork (parade permit, etc. for the March) the law enforcement people still would not let us near the Supreme Court building steps where the March concluded. The picture of the mounted police clearing the crowd just seems to illustrate much of the emotional atmosphere on the March. Some of the atmosphere created by those who were opposed to the March was hard to take because it was so negative. I had to keep reminding myself that I was there to stand for something positive- life."

Caitlin Glasscock, 14 –Freshman, Richmond Hill High School, Richmond Hill, GA. St. Anne Youth Group (SAY) - member.