March for Life {Olympia}

It all began with Jesus... in the Eucharist and in our hearts 

as we gathered in Olympia this week to pray for an end to abortion.

Archbishop Sartain celebrated a beautiful Mass for Life at Saint Michael's 

before the rally on the Washington State Capitol steps at noon.

Our day began at 5AM with a tour bus ride from Bellingham to Olympia, which was organized by my amazing husband, the Knights of Columbus and other friends for life.

Marching

Rallying and praying

Pro Life politicians addressed the crowd, several who grew up attending the March for Life as kids.

MC Noreen McEntee Hobson, sister of Josephs' and Zachary's Godmother, Aileen, and the youngest daughter of Dick & Kathy McEntee, founders of the Washington State March for Life, inspires the crowd. 

The estimated head count was between 6,000-8,000 pro life marchers*.

Noreen

Second generation marchers, Peter, Peter, Joseph and Ryan at the capitol steps

First generation marchers, Aileen and me

Peter, Joseph and Peter heading back to St. Michael's for lunch after the march.

Warriors for the unborn gathered on the steps of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia Tuesday, to pray for an end to the war on the womb; to ask our lawmakers to please make sure our tax dollars are NEVER spent to fund abortion; to remember the millions of unborn children murdered here in the US since Roe V Wade legalized abortion in the US 38 years ago today.

Archbishop Sartain's homily at the Mass for Life at St. Michael's included these powerful reminders:

Every life conceived is destined for eternity.  No exceptions. 

To live is to praise God; simply by being alive I am praise to God, regardless of my ability to speak or walk.  

Only in God do we find life.  

To live is to praise, to praise is to live.  

The origin and destiny of every creature is God.  

Is abortion a matter of choice? No, it's a matter of life & death, of right and wrong.

Let's choose LIFE
Let's make the right choice... some choices are always wrong.

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for us!

Let us not remain silent while the innocent are slaughtered.
Please pray without ceasing for an end to abortion; for the conversion of those who participate in and profit from abortion; for healing for each and every woman and man who has suffered by abortion; and for the millions of unborn babies; and for purity for our children and God's mercy upon our country.
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*After a reader's comment suggested that I had intentionally mis-reported the number of attendees at the March for Life, I contacted the State March for Life board to request confirmation about the numbers for the 2011 March.  Here's the reply:

Hello there.  Your post is spot-on. The media always under reports…and we don’t really stress about it.  However, this year the media said that they interviewed someone from the March For Life who told them that we expected 7,000 but only 4,500 showed.  None of the board was interviewed about this.  We don’t comment on anticipated attendees…for just this reason.  So – the media got their information wrong.  We contacted them…haven’t seen a retraction yet.Based on the way the State Patrol has told us they calculate…when the steps are filled, that’s about 4,500 people.  Then they add w/ spill-over.  Considering we had significant spill-over on both sides, plus onto the sidewalk and into the grassy center by the flag – our conservative guess was 6,000-7,000.  We truly are amazed that so many people show up each year!We have confirmation from the State Capitol (and you can see online too) that we are the largest annual gathering there.  On occasion, there may be a larger group…but we are consistently the largest group that gathers...  Let’s be glad that we continue to have the largest gathering and will not stop until the genocide of the innocent unborn stops.