Connecticut March for Life to Encompass Mass, Rally, March and Advocacy

Story by Shelley Wolf  |  Photos by Aaron Joseph

Next week, thousands of pro-life advocates will be descending on Hartford for the third annual Connecticut March for Life. The action-packed schedule for the day will include opportunities for a Mass, the Rally, the March and advocacy with legislators.

This year’s Connecticut March for Life is slated for Wed., March 20, with the Rally at noon on the grounds of the Connecticut State Capitol, located at 210 Capitol Ave. in Hartford, followed by the March around Bushnell Memorial Park at 1 p.m.

March for Life Mass: The day will begin with a 10 a.m. “March for Life Mass” at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, located at 140 Farmington Ave. in Hartford. All are welcome to join in praying along with Archbishop Leonard P. Blair, the principal celebrant and homilist, for an end to abortion and for the renewal of a culture of life.

“I would encourage those who are attending the March to join us in prayer at the Cathedral with the archbishop so that we may be invigorated with the words we hear from our Lord, to witness to who he is, and to his life-giving presence in the world,” says Father Glen Dmytryszyn, director of the archdiocese’s Respect Life Ministry.

The Cathedral is a 15-minute walk from the State Capitol building. Shuttle buses will also be available.

Rally and March: After Mass, Father Dmytryszyn plans to participate in the Rally at noon at the Capitol building and in the March, which will extend from the Capitol to Main Street this year. “It’s important that we make it visibly known that we do care about every human life,” he says.

Deacon David Reynolds, associate director of Public Policy for the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, says, “The Connecticut March for Life sends a clear message that there are people in our state, thousands of people, who disagree with the strong pro-abortion legislators and advocacy groups in our state. Attending the March is one of the best ways to display the rejection of their extremism. The more people that attend, the louder and stronger our message becomes.”

Eight speakers, including Archbishop Blair, will address the crowds at the Rally.

Legislative Advocacy: The Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference is also asking for everyone’s support in contacting state legislators to fight legislative proposals currently in progress that will further threaten the life and rights of the unborn.

In a legislative update released in late February, the Conference wrote, “Abortion extremism at the State Capitol quickly unveiled itself over the last several weeks. Abortion minded legislators called for abortion without limits, increased taxpayer funding of abortions, a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion into our state constitution, and weakening the ability of Catholic hospitals to not perform abortions.”

The various committees of the legislature have taken action to hold public hearings on these issues, Deacon Reynolds says, but exact language for these proposals is still being developed. More information will be available by the time of the March.

The Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference suggests making an appointment to speak with your legislator on March 20 to discuss your concerns about these possible bills or make a future appointment.

Before You Go: For more details about Connecticut March for Life, including a map, parking, buses from local parishes, and a talk about this legislative session, visit marchforlife.org/Connecticut.

To find your legislators, and to sign up for action alerts and newsletters on legislative matters (via e-mail or text) from the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, visit ctcatholicpac.org.

The Connecticut March for Life is being co-hosted by the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference and the national March for Life.