JANUARY 26, 2024
mississippicatholic.com
Amid cold and snow, national March for Life pledges solidarity with moms and children By Peter Jesserer Smith
march there to stay, but pro-life marches would be multiplying throughout all (OSV News) – Against gray skies 50 states in the coming years. and falling snow, thousands of people "We will keep marching every year flocked Jan. 19 to the nation's capital at the national level, as well as in our for the national March for Life, gatherstates, until our nation's laws reflect ing them under the theme "With every the basic truth that all human life is woman, for every child," showing their created equal and is worthy of protecresolve amid the piercing cold to make tion," Mancini told the thousands gathabortion eventually "unthinkable" in ered on the National Mall. the U.S. Speaker after speaker at the march "If not us, then who? If not now, rally emphasized its theme of making then when?" Miguel Ángel Leyva, 21, a abortion "unthinkable," in particular Catholic and third-year college student by emphasizing the culture-changing from Detroit, told OSV News. and life-saving work of pregnancy reThe March for Life began in resource centers and related efforts. sponse to the U.S. Supreme Court's House Speaker Mike Johnson, 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which R-La., addressed the crowd and shared once legalized abortion nationwide, that he himself was once an unplanned and gathers pro-life advocates from pregnancy for his parents, just teenagacross the U.S. This year's march – its ers at the time, who chose life. second year since the Supreme Court Johnson said the U.S. House of Repoverturned Roe in 2022 – took place as resentatives passed two important piecwinter weather put much of the U.S. in es of legislation right before the march: a deep freeze, snarling transportation the Pregnant Students' Rights Act for and canceling flights. Pro-life demonstrators carry a banner past the U.S. Supreme Court building while colleges and universities to follow and While the crowds appeared smaller than in years past, this year's march participating in the 51st annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 19, 2024. another bill that prohibits the Health and Human Services Department from showed a movement eager to up its (OSV News photo/Leslie E. Kossoff) excluding pregnancy resource centers game to help American society embrace a culture that affirms and supports the dignity of all human life, and not just from obtaining federal funds. However, speakers at the march acknowledged that the end of Roe came with for the unborn. Levya said the presence of so many people amid the punishing weather condi- both successes and setbacks for the pro-life movement. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a tions "shows there are many who are willing to serve God and stand up for what is Catholic lawmaker and co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, told those gathered that they should remain "undeterred." right." "We will never quit in our defense of the weakest and most vulnerable," he said. Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life Education and Defense Fund, and others emphasized during the March for Life Rally that not only was the national
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Bishop Rolando Álvarez released, exiled from Nicaragua after over 500 days of detention By David Agren
power of God." The Nicaraguan government acknowledged the churchmen's release in a Jan. MEXICO CITY (OSV News) – Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa has been released from prison and sent into exile along with 18 imprisoned churchmen as the 14 statement, which "deeply thanked" Pope Francis and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Nicaraguan government expelled its most prominent critic, whose presence behind Vatican secretary of state, "for the very respectful and discreet coordination carbars bore witness to the Sandinista regime descent into totalitarianism, along with ried out to make possible the Vatican trip of two bishops, fifteen priests and two seminarians." its unrelenting persecution of the Catholic Church. Vatican News confirmed Jan. 14 at 10:41 p.m. Rome time that with the exception – Continued on page 6 – of one priest who remained in Venezuela, all released priests, including Bishop Álvarez and Bishop Isidoro Mora of Siuna, have arrived in Rome "in the last few hours" and INSIDE THIS WEEK are "guests of the Holy See." Nicaraguan independent media 100% Noticias posted a photograph on X, formerly Twitter, of the two freed bishops concelebrating Mass in Rome. Independent Nicaraguan media reported Jan. 14 that the churchmen had departed Nicaragua on a flight for Rome after the government reached an agreement with the Vatican for their release and exile. Auxiliary Bishop Silvio José Báez of Managua – who left the country in 2019 – also confirmed the news at his weekly Mass in Miami, and was visibly moved. Youth 11 Catholic Schools Week Sister Thea in bronze 8 "This is the power of the people of God's prayers," Youth photos from schools View profiles on schools Sculptor shares story on he said. "The criminal Sandinista dictatorship of (Presand parishes across the diocese new Sister Thea statue ident) Daniel Ortega has not been able to defeat the