March for Life in D.C.
Jesuit High School's Pro-Life Club traveled to Washington D.C. for four extraordinary days last week (Jan. 17-20), centered around their participation in the annual March for Life.
Led by Pro-Life Club moderator Kaitlyn Agrippina and school president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J., the 44 Jesuit students and six chaperones joined tens of thousands of others who marched in demonstration of their support for the right to life of the unborn.
The Pro-Life Club members were on pilgrimage in the D.C. area for four very chilly and snowy days – it was the first time experiencing snow for several Tigers. Shortly after their arrival on Wednesday afternoon, they visited the Museum of the Bible, which documents the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible, before heading to Georgetown University, a fellow Jesuit school, and attending Mass at the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart.
On Thursday morning, they prayed at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (the Patron Saint of civil servants), where they listened to several speakers from the Ethics and Public Policy Center. After lunch at Union Station, they prayed the rosary outside of a Planned Parenthood Clinic. Later that afternoon, the group was among some 10,000 who attended the Opening Mass for the Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at Catholic University.
On the morning of the March for Life, Friday (Jan. 19), the group attended Mass at the Catholic Information Center before departing for the National Mall, the starting point of the March and the location of the pre-march Rally for the Unborn. From there, in solidarity with tens of thousands, they marched through the snow from the Washington Monument to the steps of the U.S. Capitol, holding high the Jesuit Pro-Life banner and listening to Silent No More testimonies. After dinner and impactful personal reflections about the march, they ended the evening with the D.C. Illuminata walk, passing the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House.
Saturday, on the fourth and final day, the group visited Gettysburg, site of the famed Civil War battle; Mount St. Mary’s University, where they celebrated Mass in the Glass Chapel with memorable views of the snow-covered trees; and the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first U.S.-born American Saint.
This is the 15th time a contingent from Jesuit has participated in the March for Life, which was held for the 51st time since the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion at the federal level. In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling, essentially shifting the issue from the federal to the state level.
Chaperone Mr. Connor Smith, S.J. posted daily during the trip on the @TigerPilgrims Instagram account. More photos also can be viewed by scrolling below, beneath the list of Jesuit's participants in the March for Life.
MARCH FOR LIFE 2024
STUDENTS: Elias Acevedo '24, Joseph Acosta '27, Aidan Agustines ’25, George Al-Ali ’26, Hayden Baudoin ’24, Thomas Beard ’27, Ben Beavers ’27, Robert Bogle ’26, Michael Bohinick ’27, Bo Bunch ’25, Tyler Campillo ’26, Sergio Carrion ’24, Vincent Caruso ’27, John Castellano ’26, Emmanuel Chiaku ’27, Christian Diaz ’26, Ethan Gillett ’24, Griffin Hodgdon ’24, Cade Holland ’26, Christopher Kelly ’24, C.J. Kilkelly ’24, Jake Killian ’24, Tate Kiser ’27, Carlos Lamoutte ’25, John LeBron ’24, Lucas Lopez ’24, Nicodemo Mammola ’26, Kelley Martin, ’25, Marvin Martirez ’24, Daniel Odio ’25, Noah Orenchick ’26, GianLuca Pasquotto ’26, John Pawlusiak ’24, James Pawlusiak ’26, Ryan Rooth ’25, Andrew Rossi ’26, Dominic Rossi ’24, Mark Sierra ’26, Justin Slack ’27, James Slack ’24, Gabe Themar ’24, Sawyer Themar ’27, Rafael Tionko ’26, Vincent Vardijan ’27
CHAPERONES: Kaitlyn Agrippina, Randolph Davidson, Denise Diaz, Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J., David Mammola, and Mr. Connor Smith, S.J.