Cardinal Wuerl celebrates Mass to mark 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

About 30 pro-abortion rights demonstrators met an estimated 600,000 anti-abortion rights advocates on the steps of the Supreme Court -- where the court case legalizing abortion in 1973 was decided and where the March for Life traditionally disbands. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
The Regnum Christi Mission Corps, of New York, dressed up as the Avengers to show their support for the March for Life on Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
About 30 Pro-abortion rights demonstrators met an estimated 600,000 anti-abortion rights advocates on the steps of the Supreme Court -- where the court case legalizing abortion in 1973 was decided and where the March for Life traditionally disbands. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
March for Life organizers estimated that about half a million people came to the demonstration Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
Brother Thomas, left, and Brother Gabriel, right, are Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, of Connecticut. Hundreds of friars, priest and religious leaders attended the March for Life Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
This group, a part of the Archdiocese of Chicago, says they had more than 500 people in their group attending the March for Life Jan. 25, with buses from their state ringing in more than 1,500 demonstrators altogether. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
Daniel Lyter, 19, blows a horn during the March for Life demonstration while holding the American flag. He attended the march with about 300 other parishioners from St. John Cantius Parish, of Chicago. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
President of Secular Pro-Life, Kelsey Hazzard, 24, says she's delighted to be a part of the March for Life, adding she pins other views to it, pointing to her "Pro-Life, Pro-Gay" sticker. Hazzard's group has more than 2,000 members online. She cited other secular groups like hers that were at the march, including Feminists for Life, Consistent Life and New Wave Feminists for Life. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
More than 100 people came from Saint Benedict High School's Teens for Life group to attend the March for Life, driving more than 12 hours to get to D.C. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
This was the front of the March for Life queue of about half a million participants, according to the march's organizers. The demonstrators marched along Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court on Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
Kristin Treacy, 47, prays after receiving Communion at the Mass held at the Verizon Center prior to the March for Life on Jan. 25. March organizers say about 15,000 people attended the Mass. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, welcomes the gift-bearers during the Mass in the Verizon Center prior to the March for Life on Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
Youth rally participants line up to receive Communion during Mass at the Verizon Center prior to the March for Life. The organizers estimated that about 15,000 people attended the Mass on Jan. 25. (WTOP/Natalie Plumb)
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Natalie Plumb, special to wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, celebrated Mass at the Verizon Center on Jan. 25 with an estimated 15,000 people.

The Mass was held just a few hours prior to the 40th Annual March for Life, an event that takes place on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

Wuerl describes the significance of this year’s march as “an enormous sign of hope.”

WTOP: Why is March for Life so important?

Wuerl: Abortion is not solely a matter of religious faith. Abortion is a matter of something that comes right up out of our human nature: We should love the children we generate, not kill them. I think we need to be saying that across every culture across every part of the world. This is not a specifically religious issue. This is a human issue.

WTOP: What about the HHS Mandate?

Wuerl: We’re very hopeful that as time goes on and our conference continues to work with the administration that something will be worked out that will allow us to continue to function as we always have: as a free entity, freely exercising our ministry in our country.

WTOP: What will happen if it does go forward? Has there been discussion about what will happen?

Wuerl: We take this one day at a time, and I’m hopeful that we’re going to be able to resolve this.

WTOP: There’s only so much that you can do. You’ve been marching for decades and decades now. What more can you do to change things?

Wuerl: Each passing year we have more and more young people saying, “This is the right thing to do; that abortion is not the answer to our problems.” So sometimes it’s a matter of patience. It’s 40 years since that decision; they wandered in the desert for 40 years before they came to the Promised Land. You never put time limits on God’s plans. But you just keep doing the best you can do.

WTOP: What’s your favorite part of the March for Life rally?

Wuerl: My favorite part of the rally obviously is the celebration of Mass. But probably for me, when, at the end of Mass, we start introducing those future priests and future religious – all these young people who stand up and say, “I’m going to be a priest; I’m going to be a religious” and you hear thousands of young people applauding them. That’s an exciting time.

Correction appended: An earlier version of this story stated an inaccurate estimate of the number of people who attended Mass at the Verizon Center.

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(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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