Sts. Peter & Paul

A  group of Sts. Peter and Paul Parishioners, adult and youth, participated in this years 2010 National Prayer Vigil for Life Mass and, also, the National Rally and the Annual March For Life in Washington, DC,  this  January, 2010. 

 A bus departed from Sts. Peter and Paul parish  on T’ues. Jan. 19 with members from Sts. Peter and Paul parish along with a few adults from local area parishes and  joined up with a Hayden High School, Topeka, group of students, parents and faculty and all made the long joint journey to Washington, DC  together.

The Annual Mass for Life and National Rally and March For Life has taken place every year on Jan 22 on the Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe vs Wade decision that made abortion on demand legal in the United States.  It is held on the Anniv. of the Roe vs Wade decision to help people understand that life is precious and prolife efforts encompass a wide range of issues that threaten the right to life and the dignity of the human person.

Our bus group attended the National Prayer Vigil for Life Mass  that was held on Thurs. evening, Jan 21st at 6:30 pm at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  For more than three decades, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Concepton has hosted the National Prayer Vigil for Life which begins with a Mass on the evening before the National Rally and March for Life and continues throughout the night and closes with another Mass at 7:30 am on the morning of the Rally and March. 

Basicila of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The 6:30 pm Mass was offered in the upper church of the Basicila.   Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston- Houston, Texas,  Chairman of the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on ProLife Activities was the Principal Celebrant and Homilist at the Mass.   Concelebrating the Mass were Their Eminences:  Cardinals of the American Hierarchy;  Their Excellencies: Archbishops and Bishops;  along with Abbots and  Priests , attending Decans and over 400 Seminarians.  Thousands of adults and youth attended the service.

Plasma TV’s were set up throughout the Basilica so the crowds who were seated and standing in side chapels and areas where they were unable to see the main altar in person were still able to view and participate in the Mass.

Some photos taken at the Mass are as follows:    ( More photos will be added when received.)  ( For an enlarged photo click on picture)

Many Pro-Lifers come early and wait for the Mass to begin. 

Annie Elder lights a candle for a special intention while Kim Bontrager looks on in the Basilica. 

As many as 400 seminarians were present for the Mass.

Procession to the Altar

Many priests were in attendance at the Mass in  the Basicila

Father Greg Hammes attends the Mass along with students, parents, and faculty from Bishop Miege High School, Kansasa City.

Father Greg Hammes joins other attending priests in procession to the altar before Mass.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas was present for the Mass.

Principal Celebrant and Homilist at the Mass was Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston,  chairman of the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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Early Friday morning of the March  the group attended an all Kansas Pro-Lifers  Mass at the Nativity Catholic Church  in Washington, DC.   Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was the principal celebrant and homilist.   Senator Sam Brownback was in attendance and gave words of encouragement to those attending  before the Mass began.

  

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On Friday,  January 22,  over 250,000 Pro-Life activitists flocked to the Nations Capitol for the 37th March For Life.  The anti-abortion rally main event began with a noon rally at the National Mall.   After the introduction and preformance by the Sounds of Liberty singers and singing of the the National Anthem,  Nellie Gray, March For Life Fund President was introduced.   She gave  inspirational words to the crowd and introduced all the speakers for the remainder of the 2 hour rally.  Multiple speakers addressed the crowd including the Supreme President of the Knights of Columbus ;  a woman who has had an abortion;  approx.  25-30 congressmen and women;   Rabbi’s;    Daniel Cardinal DiNardo introduced many of the attending Catholic Cardinals,  Archbishops, Bishops;  Deligation of the Eastern Orthodon Clergy spoke;  Pastor Luke Robinson of the A M E Church.   Lastly,  Nellie Gray  introduced this years winners of the youth essay contests. 

Nellie Gray addresses the crowd

Bill Nordhus  and sister, Kathleen Nolte, listen to the speakers at the rally.

Taylor Kuckelman is seen in the crowd that’s present for the Rally.

Chase Kramer holds a sigh for the March.  Karleen Boden looks on.

Benedictine college students from Atchison, Kansas  attended the Rally

 A  Final prayer was  lead by Bishop John Mikael Darcy of Ft. Wayne, Indiana,  who lead the Hail Mary in honor of Mary who they say is the symbol of hope for the ProLife  movement.      He then gave all  attending a Blessing before the Rally March .    

All then joined in on the March For Life walking along the long trek down Constitution Avenue and ended at the U. S. Supreme Court.  During the walk many signs were lifted high, chants were sung, multiple prayers were offered all along the route to be voices for the Life of the Unborn.  

A group along the side of the route holds  the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary while praying the Rosary.

A band played on the sidelines while the marchers passed

Fr. Shawn,  Hayden High School chaplin, (on the right)  marches along with two other priests from Kansas.

Haden High School banner can be seen above the crowd.

The Capitol in view as seen from where the March was going on.

This was truly a pilgrimage.  People were trekking from all over.  Many people made sacrifices to come to the rally.  It was evident that our youth embrace the Right To Life with multiple thousands of youth attending the Rally and March from all over the country as friends of the Unborn.   

Following the Right To Life March the group from our Seneca area stopped on the steps of the Library of Congress for a group photo.

Left to Right:

Back row:  Jean Renyer, Jane Heinen, Barb Montgomery,  Marilyn Ronnebaum,  and standing Chase Kramer, Janie Kramer and Karleen Boden.

3rd row: Mary Jane Deters, Joan Henry, Amanda Henry, Judy Deters

2nd row:  Kathleen Nolte, Taylor Kuckelman, Melissa Sperfslage, Kaylee Bontrager,  Annie Elder,  Kim Bontrager,  Donna Elder

1st row:  Michele Heinen, Kelly Runnebaum,  Nikki Henry, Erin Hermesch,  Kaitlin Heinen,  Kristi Clark  

Not in the picture but went  with the Seneca group were Bill Nordhus and Cory Nolte.

The High School girls stayed for a photo memory of their own.

(To Be Continued with more photos)                                             

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The following are various photos taken throughout the trip.     (To Be Continued with more photos)

A walk and viewing of the White House

A White House memory

Students ride the Metro while in Washington

Friday evening after the Rally and March the students enjoy a meal at the ESPN resturant in Washington, DC

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Saturday morning after boarding the bus the group made a final stop and tour of Arlington National Cemetery.  Special moments seen there were watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; a visit to John F. Kennedy’s grave and Robert Kennedy’s grave and seeing the many, many graves of soldiers buried there. 

   

All stopped at the grave and memorial of John F. Kennedy

Visit to Robert F. Kennedy’s grave.