Cardinal Mooney is headed to D.C. for the March for Life. We're spending three days standing up for life, growing in our faith, and touring our nation's capital. The whole thing is happening from Thursday January 18 through Friday January 20, 2018.
Find Out MoreThe March for Life is the largest pro-life event in the world. It started in 1974 as a response to the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade, which struck down laws against abortion in the United States.
Since then the March has grown into a celebration of what Pope John Paul II called "the culture of life." Every year tens of thousands of people gather to commit themselves to justice for all—born and unborn.
The March for life is also a great opportunity for teenagers to grow in their faith. They get to see the Church in all its vibrancy: from the vigil Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to the Youth Rally at the Capital One Center to the March itself, teenagers get to see others like themselves deepining their relationship with Christ and working for justice.
We will also take some time to take in the city. We will get to see the monuments on the Mall by moonlight, tour Georgetown, and explore the Holocaust Museum as well as the Smithsonians.
You can also download a flyer for printing and for online.
See for yourself!Sometimes people wonder about what it's like to go to the March for Life. Here are some videos from past years at the March for Life. These should give you a better sense of what we will be doing . . .
On Thursday, January 18, tens of thousands of cardinals, bishops, priests, seminarians, religious, and laypeople will gather at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the campus of Catholic University for the National Prayer Vigil for Life. The Vigil begins with a Mass which we will attend. Here are some scenes from the event:
On Friday, January 19, thousands of teenagers will fill the Capital One Arena (home of the Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals) for the Youth Rally and Mass for Life, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington. The rally includes music, preaching, and prayer, and ends with Mass celebrated by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. Here is what the youth rally is like . . .
On Friday afternoon, January 19, tens of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall, in front of the Washington Monument, and then walk to the Supreme Court to commemorate the Court's 1973 decision Roe v. Wade, which struck down laws against abortion in the United States. Despite its somber cause, however, the March itself is a joyful celebration of life . . .
In addition to participating in events related to the March for Life, we will take some time to see our nation's capital. We'll go for dinner in Georgetown, tour the monuments on the Mall by night, visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, tour one of the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, and celebrate a Saturday evening Mass at the Dominican House of Studies.
See the ScheduleThursday, January 18 |
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| 7:00am | Depart Cardinal Mooney High School |
| 5:30pm | Vigil for Life — National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception |
| 8:00pm | Compline — Dominican House of Studies |
| 9:30pm | Night at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Bethesda, MD |
Friday, January 19 |
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| 5:15am | Rise and Shine |
| 5:45am | Depart St. Jane's (Breakfast on Bus) |
| 6:30am | Youth Rally and Mass for Life |
| 11:00am | Lunch at National Place |
| 12:30pm | March for Life on National Mall |
| 6:00pm | Dinner in Georgetown |
| 7:30pm | Monuments by Night |
| 10:00pm | Return to St. Jane's |
Saturday, January 20 |
|
| 9:00am | Depart St. Jane's |
| 10:00am | Holocaust Museum |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Tour a Smithsonian Museum |
| 4:00pm | Vigil Mass for Sunday — Dominican House of Studies |
| 10:00pm | Approximate Return Time to Cardinal Mooney |
Cost. The cost for attending the March for Life is $60 per person. This price includes food. (Though we do ask that you either pack a lunch or bring money for a meal on the way down to D.C. on Thursday). We highly encourage you to bring at least a little spending money. We are budgeting $10 per meal, and you might wish to spend more. You might also wish to make a few incidental purchases along the way.
What to Bring. To cut down on costs, we will be sleeping in sleeping bags in the a parish hall. (Don't worry, men and women will have separate accommodations). So, you will need to bring toiletries, overnight clothes, a pillow, and a sleeping bag. Also bring something to keep you busy on the bus, but don't bring a lot of extra stuff: due to security, many of the event locations limit the kind of bag you can bring to one small drawstring bag.
Cold Weather. January in D.C. can be pretty cold, and we will be spending a lot of time outside on Friday. So, make sure you wear plenty of layered clothing, because if you do not, you will get cold. Here are some tips for how to dress.
Cardinal Mooney Students. You can sign up outside the chapel or in your theology class. You can also talk to either Dr. Mattiussi or Fr. Peter to sign up. Payment is not due when you sign up, and permission slips will be handed out at a later date, as the March approaches. If you cannot pay the $60, then contact either Dr. Mattiussi and Fr. Peter, because financial aid is available.
Other Students. Although Cardinal Mooney High School is sponsoring the trip, we are opening it up to high school students in the Youngstown area. You can RSVP with your youth leader if you would like to come.
The March for Life and all of the events that surround it provide a great opportunity for our students to grow in their faith. For three whole days they are surrounded by joyful young people, as well as priests, religious, and seminarians. They get to see the vibrancy of our Church, participate in worship, and take ownership of their faith. In order to make this happen, we are appealing to the Mooney Family and to the broader community to help us defray some of the cost for attending this trip. Your donation will help to cover the cost of transportation, room, and board. The students will be picking up the remaining costs. We hope to use this trip as a springboard to make our pro-life witness and strong Catholic identity at Cardinal Mooney even better. Will you help us . . .
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