CHICAGO, Ilinois, January 18, 2016 (LifeSiteNews)
-- Over five thousand people braved the bitter cold to gather in the
largest pro-life demonstration in the history of the Midwest Sunday
afternoon.
With
the temperature close to zero, diverse faiths, cultures, and
generations united to proclaim the sanctity of innocent human life as
they rallied at Federal Plaza, then marched past City Hall and the
Illinois State Building.
The route represented getting the pro-life message to three levels of government: federal, state, and municipal.
Friday
is the 43rd anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton
Supreme Court decisions which legalized abortion throughout all nine
months of pregnancy.
Among the featured speakers was the Right Reverend Paul, Orthodox Bishop of the Midwest, who began the Chicago March for Life
by praying that God would "enlighten the minds and hearts of those
blinded to the truth that life begins at conception, and that the unborn
in the womb are already adorned with Your image and likeness."
Bishop
Paul added, "Be merciful, O Lord, to those who, through ignorance or
willfulness, affront Your divine goodness and providence through the
evil act of abortion. May they, and all of us, come to the light of Your
Truth."
Catholic Archbishop Blase Cupich told demonstrators,
"This isn't just about Chicago. This is about our nation and the soul
of our nation.” Archbishop Cupich continued, “What we do here today has a
message beyond the borders of the state, beyond the borders of the city
and speaks to the world about the importance of protecting life."
"The
womb should not be their tomb," Archbishop Cupich said. "Their lives
matter. We should make room at the table for them, each and every
child."
Archbishop Blase Cupich speaks at the 2016 Chicago March for Life. Chicago March for Life
New
Beginnings church pastor Reverend Corey Brooks said he wanted to take
the pro-life fight to his African-American community, calling abortion a
"scourge" and "the leading cause of death for African-Americans."
Brooks explained that even though the black community makes up 12
percent of the population, it makes up 30 percent of abortions in this
country.
"I
have heard it said many times over and over: 'Black lives matter,' and
they do," Rev. Brooks preached. "I've heard it said many times from
many people, 'All lives matter,' and they do. I'm here to say, 'Babies'
lives matter!'"
In
a rare show of bipartisanship, Republican Congressman Randy Hultgren
and Democrat Congressman Dan Lipinski took the stage together to affirm
their support for the sanctity of innocent human life.
Self-described
“Living Testament” Melissa Ohden also spoke. An abortion survivor,
Melissa shared how she was aborted and left to soak in a burning saline
solution for five days, but she didn’t die. She ended her story with
the declaration, “We are pro-life, we are pro-baby, we are pro-woman,
and we are pro-love.”
Bishop
Paul, who was among seven Orthodox Christian clergy attending, told
LifeSiteNews, "Given the cold weather there were not as many people
there as expected, but I would say the enthusiasm of the group was
great, despite the cold weather."
