March for Life
*** Respect Life Office Decision Regarding the 2021 March for Life ***
Dear Faithful Defenders and Past Pilgrims
After much prayer and discernment, the Respect Life Office has made the difficult decision to forego the annual bus pilgrimage to the 2021 March for Life in Washington DC, on Friday, January 29, 2021. Although much thought went into this decision, it ultimately boiled down to three factors:
Dear Faithful Defenders and Past Pilgrims
After much prayer and discernment, the Respect Life Office has made the difficult decision to forego the annual bus pilgrimage to the 2021 March for Life in Washington DC, on Friday, January 29, 2021. Although much thought went into this decision, it ultimately boiled down to three factors:
- COVID-19: Registration for our March for Life Pilgrimage has typically opened up the third Monday of September every year. However, due to the size and complexity of the trip, planning has always begun in late Spring. This year, uncertainty around COVID-19 has postponed or prevented many of the necessary preliminary planning activities until very recently. This is in addition to on-going uncertainty around event and travel restrictions and the likelihood and timing of having a solution to the pandemic prior to the trip. Furthermore, many of our pilgrims the past three years have been either older adults or families with younger youth – two groups least likely to participate this year given the circumstances with COVID-19.
- The 2021 Youth Rally & Mass for Life: This event, an important part of past trips for many of our youth held at the Comcast (Verizon) Center the morning before the March for Life, will be an entirely virtual event this year. As information is made available by the Archdiocese of Washington, it will be communicated by the Respect Life Office. This will hopefully be a wonderful opportunity for every person interested in participating to do so remotely. In the meantime, please visit www.youthrallyandmassforlife.org for updates.
- Trend Toward Decentralized Trips: Over the past three to five years, we have seen a steady increase in the number of parishes and schools that have begun hosting their own trips, many organized by past diocesan pilgrims, and a steady decrease in the participation in the diocesan trip. This has created a new opportunity for the Respect Life Office to shift its focus to consultation for more decentralized trips and sponsorship and facilitation of shared diocesan activities, both locally and for those pilgrims that do travel to Washington DC. As this trend continues into the future, many more of our faithful will have the flexibility to participate in a variety of different types of trips to Washington DC.
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The March for Life is an annual pro-life rally protesting abortion, held in Washington D.C. near the anniversary of the January 22, 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Roe v. Wade case which legalized abortion for any reason throughout all nine months of pregnancy.
Logo: The color red is a symbol of mourning. We are saddened by the 60 million unique American lives that have been lost to abortion since 1973. Yet a red rose is also a sign of life and love. In this case, an image of the love between a mother and child. Abortion not only takes a life, it harms a mother emotionally, psychologically and physically. Until recently, marchers were allowed to personally deliver red roses to legislators in their Hill offices. The roses symbolized the lives of the unborn and were meant to encourage Members to support policies that protected and built a culture of life. |
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One-minute time-lapse video of the 2020 March for Life
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Resources for Parishes/Schools Interested in Hosting a March for Life Pilgrimage
For14 years, from 2007-2020, the Respect Life Office hosted an annual March for Life Pilgrimage to Washington DC. Although some years the trip was a four-day event that included the Vigil for Life Mass, sightseeing on the National Mall and an overnight hotel stay, other years we opted for a three-day "hardship trip" that consisted of traveling to Washington DC, attending the March for Life and immediately getting back on the bus to come home. However, with the exception of the "Blizzard of 2016", the mechanics and the route of the trip remained the same.
In addition to sharing so many spiritual and personal memories with literally thousands of pilgrims, parents, teachers, priests, religious and volunteers who made these trips such life-affirming events, the Respect Life Office also gained a great deal of insight into the planning, collaboration and execution required.
Below are a few SAMPLE materials from the most recent diocesan March for Life Pilgrimage that can be used to help plan a trip for your own parish, school or organization. Included are templates, guidelines and on-line resources for promotion, participant registration and payment, communication, fundraising, and leadership and volunteer activities.
If you or your group is interested in hosting a trip to Washington DC in January, or if you would like to learn more about trips and related local activities that are being planned, please contact the Respect Life Office at francis@diocesekcsj.org.
In addition to sharing so many spiritual and personal memories with literally thousands of pilgrims, parents, teachers, priests, religious and volunteers who made these trips such life-affirming events, the Respect Life Office also gained a great deal of insight into the planning, collaboration and execution required.
Below are a few SAMPLE materials from the most recent diocesan March for Life Pilgrimage that can be used to help plan a trip for your own parish, school or organization. Included are templates, guidelines and on-line resources for promotion, participant registration and payment, communication, fundraising, and leadership and volunteer activities.
If you or your group is interested in hosting a trip to Washington DC in January, or if you would like to learn more about trips and related local activities that are being planned, please contact the Respect Life Office at francis@diocesekcsj.org.
SAMPLE Promotional & Program Materials
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SAMPLE Registration
OPTION 1: On-line registration -- Please contact the Respect Life Office for recommendations and guidance.
OPTION 2: Mail-In registration -- Complete a Registration Form and submit to:
Respect Life Office
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
20 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
NOTE: All Youth** must also complete and submit a Youth Parental Consent and Medical Release Form .
OPTION 1: On-line registration -- Please contact the Respect Life Office for recommendations and guidance.
OPTION 2: Mail-In registration -- Complete a Registration Form and submit to:
Respect Life Office
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
20 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
NOTE: All Youth** must also complete and submit a Youth Parental Consent and Medical Release Form .
SAMPLE Payment
Prices below are per pilgrim and include round-trip bus fare, educational materials, official stocking cap, life-changing memories, & more!
Adults* & Youth**
Early-Bird Registration (Sep. 16 thru Oct. 31) ................................. $325
Regular Registration (Nov. 1 thru Dec. 12) ....................................... $355
Priests and Vowed Religious (Sep. 16 thru Dec. 12) .......................$165
* Adult registrants are pilgrims 18 years of age or older and who have already graduated from high school.
** Youth registrants are pilgrims 17 years of age or younger or pilgrims who have not yet graduated from high school.
OPTION 1: On-line payment
Prices below are per pilgrim and include round-trip bus fare, educational materials, official stocking cap, life-changing memories, & more!
Adults* & Youth**
Early-Bird Registration (Sep. 16 thru Oct. 31) ................................. $325
Regular Registration (Nov. 1 thru Dec. 12) ....................................... $355
Priests and Vowed Religious (Sep. 16 thru Dec. 12) .......................$165
* Adult registrants are pilgrims 18 years of age or older and who have already graduated from high school.
** Youth registrants are pilgrims 17 years of age or younger or pilgrims who have not yet graduated from high school.
OPTION 1: On-line payment
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Payment may be made electronically in the Respect Life Office donation tool. Please select the "Donate" button below and then enter the following options, along with your Contact, Payment and Billing Address information.
Please be sure to also check the box next to "I am not a robot" at the bottom of the page. This ensures the payment information is being entered by an actual person and not by an automated tool. |
OPTION 2: Mail-in payment
Mail check payable to "Respect Life Office" to:
Respect Life Office
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
20 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
Mail check payable to "Respect Life Office" to:
Respect Life Office
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
20 West 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
SAMPLE Fundraising
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2020 March for Life Pilgrimage Program Booklet Advertisements
Each pilgrim will receive a program booklet full of pro-life educational, spiritual, and social information and activities to prepare for the March for Life and to assist with pro-life ministry activities once home again. Pilgrims can sell advertisements to help pay for their trip or local organizations can simply place an advertisement to help cover the cost of the trip for a particular pilgrim or for any pilgrim who may be in need of assistance. Since 100% of the proceeds from advertisements go toward helping to defer the cost of the trip for needy pilgrims, the pilgrimage booklet not only serves to educate pilgrims and to promote local pro-life parishes, organizations and businesses, it is also a great way for pilgrims to pay for their 2020 March for Life Pilgrimage trip! To learn more, please review the 2020 March for Life Program Booklet Advertising Packet, which includes:
Pilgrim Sponsorship The Respect Life Office works closely with local Catholic parishes and Knights of Columbus councils to facilitate sponsorship of individual pilgrims from their respective youth ministries and parish families. Group Fund-Raising Events For larger school, parish, and other pro-life groups making the pilgrimage to Washington DC, the Respect Life Office can assist with planning and organizing local fundraisers for the 2020 March for Life Pilgrimage. Make a Donation to the 2020 March for Life Pilgrimage Fund To make a donation to the 2020 March for Life Pilgrimage Fund, simply select the 'Donate Now' button below. Sponsorship Levels:
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To learn more about how you or your organization can participate in a 2020 March for Life Pilgrimage fundraising opportunity, please contact the Respect Life Office at francis@diocesekcsj.org ...and thank you for supporting those who take the fight to the front lines!
Leadership & Volunteer Opportunities
It does not matter how effective we may be at providing pastoral care if we do not also have volunteers helping with such things as promoting and organizing events, managing supplies, and most importantly, praying both inside and outside of our parishes. Every person must have the opportunity to share his or her unique gifts, limited only by the guidance of the Holy Spirit!
Below are the current volunteer opportunities for the March for Life Pilgrimage program.
Leadership & Planning
- Create or join a Respect Life Committee in your parish or local faith organization
- Volunteer as a bus captain, activity leader or chaperone for the March for Life Pilgrimage or assist current leaders with their planning activities
- Data entry of pilgrimage registration information and other administrative tasks for the trip
- Assist with planning and organizing local activities to support March for Life pilgrims
Pastoral Care
- Organize a group of pilgrims from your parish
- Facilitate parish, school and group presentations on the March for Life pilgrimage
- Organize a group of pilgrims from your parish
Fundraising & Promotion
- Promote the March for Life Pilgrimage in your parish
- Serve as diocesan resource for questions about the March for Life and pilgrimages available from our diocese
- Ask your parish ministry or Knights of Columbus council to sponsor a pilgrim with a scholarship, contests or donation
- Organize, or assist others in organizing, a fundraiser to sponsor pilgrims from your parish or school
Prayer & Worship
- Organize a group to participate in local prayer vigils.
To learn more about these opportunities, or to sign-up today, please contact the Respect Life Office or email francis@diocesekcsj.org .
