About 150 faithful—clergy, religious, and laity—gathered at St. Cecilia Parish in Rockaway on Jan. 18 for its 12st annual Right to Life March to publicly witness to the dignity of all human life. It was possibly the largest crowd in the event’s history, which included Mass, education, and praying the rosary around Rockaway Lake Park.
The March for Life in Rockaway was for those faithful who cannot attend the March for Life on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 24, said Jim Clancy, St. Cecilia’s faith formation director, who coordinated the event.
The local March for Life began at 8 a.m. Mass in St. Cecilia Church, which Bishop Sweeney celebrated. Father Zig Peplowski, St. Cecilia’s pastor; Father Mateusz Darlak, the parish’s parochial vicar; and Father Pawel Bala, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, also in Rockaway, concelebrated the liturgy with the bishop. The faithful, who included families, had the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Gianna Molla brought from Sacred Heart. St. Gianna is the patron of mothers, physicians, and unborn children.
Then, participants moved to Hayes Hall for a pro-life rally. It included a light breakfast, remarks by Bishop Sweeney to inspire the marchers, and the showing of Respect Life videos. The crowd sang Happy Birthday to the bishop as he blew out candles on a birthday cake. Bishop Sweeney turned 55 on Jan. 10.
Afterward, the marchers headed to Rockaway Lake Park, where they prayed the rosary for the defense of human life from conception to natural death. Many of them carried pro-life banners.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI