In the pro-life movement, there’s a time to be silent, and there’s a time to march. In Colorado, it’s time to march.
For the very first time, the National March For Life will host a state march here in Denver on April 12. It will begin with a 10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated by Bishop Jorge H. Rodriguez, followed by a rally at the State Capitol at 11 a.m. and the march at noon. The event is being held in partnership with Pro-Life Colorado, the pro-life coalition formed to advance and advocate for pro-life initiatives in the state of Colorado.
In years past, Catholic Charities has hosted the annual Celebrate Life March. This new Colorado March For Life is intended as a rebirth of sorts for that event, with branding and promotional support coming from the national March For Life organization. It marks a strengthening of the local pro-life movement, which continues to support and advocate for women and preborn babies, even in the wake of radical pro-abortion legislation such as the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA).
Brittany Vessely, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference and founder of the Pro-Life Colorado coalition, shared more exciting details about the first Colorado March for Life and the vital importance of participating in the march.
DC: How did the partnership with the national March for Life organization come about?
Brittany Vessely: The partnership with national March for Life began through relationships with the Pro-Life Colorado board of directors and the March for Life State March program. With the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court decision, states are now able to legislate restrictions or permissions for abortion pre-viability. In states like Colorado, this means codification of elective abortion for the full 40 weeks of pregnancy; however, in many other states, this autonomy means legal protection for preborn lives and the expansion of a culture of life. Now that power to protect the preborn has been returned to the American people through their elected officials, national March for Life is increasing their efforts to partner with state pro-life stakeholders in hosting their own large-scale state marches for preborn children and their mothers.
DC: Why is this year’s March for Life a big deal, perhaps even a bigger deal than ever before?
BV: The first national March for Life occurred after the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Now that the abortion battle ground is in the states per Dobbs (2022), Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) is our much-worse-version of Roe. Roe only restricted legislation pre-viability. Colorado’s RHEA codifies elective abortion for all 40-weeks of pregnancy, removes “individual and derivative” rights from preborn children at all stages of development, and creates a statutory “fundamental right” to abortion. RHEA goes far beyond Roe, and it was enacted on April 14, 2022. Colorado’s March for Life is therefore targeted at Colorado’s abortion law, RHEA, and is focused on fighting abortion laws while also promoting a culture of life.
DC: Which speakers can attendees expect?
BV: Confirmed speakers include: Bishop Jorge H. Rodriguez (opening prayer), March for Life president Jeanne Mancini, State Representative Brandi Bradley, American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs, along with testimonies from mothers, doctors, and a keynote address from Alexandra DeSanctis, co-author of the 2022 book Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing. Colorado Christian University and K-12 students will also be involved in the day’s event as well as closing prayers in Spanish and English from other members of Colorado faith communities.
DC: Why should people attend this year’s March, even in spite of all of the pro-abortion laws Colorado is passing?
BV: Colorado March for Life is targeted at the radical abortion laws in Colorado. We are marching during the legislative session on a day when state lawmakers are in the Capitol and will hear and see the pro-life movement in action. Furthermore, Colorado is likely to have a “Right to Abortion” ballot initiative on the November 2024 ballot, which would create a constitutional so-called “fundamental right” to abortion and remove the 1984 Colorado prohibition against tax payer dollars being used for abortion. If the pro-abortion lobby is successful, Colorado will become the number one abortion destination in the United States. It is important that Coloradans who support life make their voices heard NOW, and make this year’s march the largest yet! At the march we will announce our plans to campaign against the “Right to Abortion” ballot proposition.
March for Life Colorado
Friday, April 12
10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral Basilica in downtown Denver
11 a.m. Rally at Colorado State Capitol
12 p.m. March
Visit marchforlife.org/colorado for more information, including bussing and parking information!
