Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Italy’s March for Life draws global participation

Italy’s March for Life draws global participation

Last updated on: May 4, 2014 at 7:11 pm by CNA Daily News

Italy’s March for Life draws global participation 2014-05-04T19:11:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, May 4, 2014 / 01:11 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The fourth annual March for Life held in Rome May 4 drew attendees from across Italy, Europe and the United States.

“The beautiful thing about this march is that it has always been very international,” explained Joseph Meaney, Director of Coordination for the global pro-life group Human Life International.

“The Italians have had a pro-life movement for years, decades, but they’ve never really had a lot of marches, and so they put this together… (with) all different kinds of Italian groups, widening out to European, and now even further,” he told CNA on May 4.

Rosa, an Italian woman from the province of Caserta, north of Naples, was at the March for Life in Rome for the first time. “I’m happy to be here with my friends because it’s a moment of joy and happiness,” she explained.

The group came to “demonstrate together for life, because life is good, and invaluable for all, and it’s necessary to protect it.”

“Life is the most fundamental good that we can have. Therefore, if we don’t protect it as young people, who can?” Rosa’s friend added.

Giorgio, a young man originally from Albania, expressed a similar conviction.

“Life must be respected properly–it’s the foundation of everything,” he said, adding “it would be very beautiful if…everyone in the world rose up to protect life.”

Elvira, a 17-year-old girl from Poland, travelled to Rome with a group of 50 young people. She said they wanted to show that “life is very important for everyone.”

Sunday’s March also had an interreligious element: as one Muslim man who walked with a group of Moroccans explained, “we are together, here for life.”

Pope Francis touched on this theme in his greeting to the march participants. At the close of his Angelus address from the window of the Apostolic palace, he noted that this year the March for Life had “an international and ecumenical character.”

“Many congratulations and go forward, and work on this!” the Pope encouraged participants.

Last year, he made a surprise visit to the March for Life by riding the popemobile to greet marchers.

The March for Life in Rome is one aspect of a wider pro-life movement in Italy.

“The Italian pro-life movement really started very strongly in the crisis pregnancy area, and the ‘muovimento per la vita’ has had a huge impact in almost every major city in Italy,” Meaney said.

These efforts draw “wonderful people who are out there all the time” and have phone lines open 24 hours each day people to call for help. “The Italian pro-life movement has worked very hard to help mothers in distress,” he said.

“But the political level and the marching level has kind of lagged a little bit behind,” he acknowledged, “and so I think they’re kind of taking a page from the US and saying it’s important to get together as a people of life–to get all together, and go out on the streets.”

Geoffrey Strickland, who works with Priests for Life in Rome, noted a similar trend. “The Italians frequently say it’s the initiatives in the United States that give them hope to continue on.”

“Today is a beautiful example of the universality of the Church in action,” remarked Strickland, a young man from Gulfport, Miss. “You have a grassroots movement that has just taken root and grown…(and) an absolutely amazing movement among the youth to be here.”

The March has grown significantly in its first four years.

This year marks Dr. Marie Meaney’s third year participating in the March.

At first, she recalled, “we were a rather small group.”

“It was still wonderful to be there and to be part of that, but it was amazing to see the growth in the last years: suddenly we’re 30,000 people, and it seemed there was no end to it!”

Europe

Previous Post

May 4, 2014

Pro-life leaders hold international conference in Rome

Next Post

May 4, 2014 UK rules exclude pro-life medical professionals from diploma

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called ____ of God.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Servants Disciples Children Friends