Montini Students Attend "March for Life"

Bishop Sartain made it perfectly clear in the very first talk he gave to the group, at the National Shrine of Our Lady, that this pilgrimage is different from a sight-seeing tour.  Besides giving witness to what Catholics believe as Christians and exercising the duty to be good citizens, he told the group that a fundamental goal of any pilgrimage is the interior conversion of the pilgrim himself/herself.  One affect of this trip should be a closer union with God, a more perfect union of one’s own will with His.

Montini joined Bishop Sartain in praying the rosary together, attending Holy Mass at the largest Catholic Church in the United States--the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC—at which 7,000 people gathered.  The Montini group prayed grace before every meal, recited the Church’s official Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours before going to bed, and visited some historic sacred shrines.  While traveling on the bus, the students and staff watched several videos on various saints, the call to religious life, and a documentary on four American Chaplains who died while serving their country.

Dr. Mordente shared his experience, “One of the most poignant moments of the pilgrimage occurred at Arlington National Cemetery.  As the entire crowd of 220+ watched, in absolute silence, the ceremony of the changing of the guards, both Montini High School Senior Theresa Weber and Bishop Sartain together were given permission by the US Department of the Army to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.  Having positioned the wreath, Theresa stepped back into line and a lone bugler then slowly and ever so solemnly played “Taps” while the rest of us gazed out onto a sea of tombstones marking those who had given their lives in service to our country.”

Dr. Mordente continued, “The March for Life--always held on January 22nd, the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision (Roe vs. Wade)--was unforgettable.  Because of the near total absence of major media network coverage one would never know that 250,000 to 300,000 people had gathered to march up Constitution Avenue.”  Gathered behind a huge banner of the Diocese of Joliet, students and others, accompanied Bishop Sartain, walking, chanting, and praying for an end to abortion in our beloved country and throughout the whole world.  They were not alone.  Imagine a river of people, packed-in like sardines, shoulder to shoulder across an entire boulevard, stretching as far as the eye can see and lasting 3 1/2 hours from start to finish.  The most inspiring aspect of the whole spectacle was that the vast majority of the multitude was composed of young people--teenagers and young adults.  “Peaceful, prayerful yet full of exuberance, they marched.  And what a sign of hope for the future it was,” observed Dr. Mordente Ph D.