By the busloads, faithful from the Paterson Diocese attended the first statewide N.J. March for Life in Trenton on Sept. 26. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the Diocesan contingent, who participated in the historic day beginning with the celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., archbishop of the Newark Archdiocese, was the main celebrant of the Mass. Bishop David O’Connell of Trenton delivered the homily.

After the Mass, the rally for life was held at the Trenton Statehouse annex. Bishop Sweeney offered the opening prayer and shared remarks referring to Bishop O’Connell’s homily and remembering Mother Teresa’s (St. Teresa of Calcutta) speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994.

Bishop Sweeney said, “Bishop O’Connell in his beautiful and inspiring homily invited us all to examine our consciences and consider the duty and responsibility that we have to protect life at all stages, in the womb, in a mother’s or father’s arms, until natural death, at every moment.”

From all over New Jersey, pro-life advocates stood up and became a voice for the voiceless.

“Many of us were hoping that the Mass, rally, and march would be a good experience through which many people from all over New Jersey could come together in our State Capitol, united in prayer and offering a peaceful, public witness on behalf of the dignity and value of every human life, from conception until natural death,” said the bishop, “I believe that we not only accomplished what we were hoping and praying for, but I think that we may look back on Sept. 26, 2024, as a day when some things began to change in our State.”

Eniola Honsberger, diocesan director of the Family Life Office, was an event organizer for the Paterson Diocese.

“To be with more than 1,000 Catholics for Mass from the state of New Jersey, about 300 represented from the Paterson Diocese, was worth the trip alone. It was a prayerful and unifying experience,” she said.

The Mass was organized by the N.J. Catholic Conference and the five diocesan Respect Life directors. There was a large presence of young people from Catholic high schools at the Mass, rally, and march.

According to organizers of the rally and march, New Jersey is one of 14 states where large-scale Marches for Life have been held or are planned to be held since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

In previous years, the Mass for Life and rally/march at the New Jersey State House was held near the Jan. 22 anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Organizers expected a greater turnout with a move to September and a wider invitation to all New Jersey pro-life advocates as well as Catholic parishes and schools across the state.

Father Michael Rodak, pastor of St. Jude Parish in Hardyston and diocesan pilgrimage director, has been a constant presence year after year at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. He also was one of the diocesan organizers of the N.J. March.

“Like the March for Life in Washing-ton, the March in Trenton, for the first time, brings people together to speak up for life. Speaking for life is not just part of our Catholic faith, but also pro-child and pro-woman,” Father Rodak said.

While Roe v. Wade has been overturned and brought the issue back to the states, the State of New Jersey is one of the states that has the most pro-abortion laws in the country.

“For too long, elected officials have ignored the voice of the voiceless, and have enacted draconian anti-life laws such as abortion permission till birth and euthanasia. In both cases, that is more extreme than the majority of other states,” Father Rodak said.

With the day such a positive experience for many, the work continues in the pro-life movement. Bishop Sweeney expressed gratitude to all who helped organize the march and participated.

“I now hope and pray that this will become an annual event, as we continue to build a Culture of Life, with the ultimate goal that our laws, families, individuals, and communities will protect and respect life. It would be wonderful to organize a Mass, rally, and march in gratitude and celebration for a true Culture of Life in our beloved State of New Jersey.”

BEACON PHOTOS | CECILE PAGLIARULO