Thomas Aquinas College Marches for Life in Nation’s Capital

Braving the eight-hour journey in the face of an impending snowstorm, the students and faculty of Thomas Aquinas College, New England, made the trip to Washington, D.C., last weekend for the 53rd annual March for Life.

On the day before the March, students loaded onto buses with sleeping bags and warm clothes to begin the trip to the nation’s capital. After hours of transit, they finally arrived at Our Lady Queen of the Americas Church, which generously offered them a place to stay over the weekend. 

On Friday morning, students shuttled into the heart of D.C. for the peaceful protest. Thousands of marchers filled the streets carrying signs and flags, singing, and praying the Rosary. Thomas Aquinas College’s group, adorned in red hats, joined the rest of the crowd and waited for the March to begin, greeting alumni and friends of the College as they gathered under a TAC banner. Gradually, the masses began to press forward up Constitution Avenue, protesting under the same stolid flag of justice for the innocent.

“It is really moving to see the ecumenical nature of the event, with Catholics and Orthodox and Protestants uniting under one banner,” observed Coby Meyer (NE’29). “It was also very powerful walking through our country’s capital and singing hymns to the Blessed Mother through the streets. The Holy Ghost was truly present: you could feel it.” 

As the March for Life proceeded, members of Thomas Aquinas College delegation followed in the footsteps of thousands before them and marched past the Departments of Justice and Commerce, the Federal Reserve, and the National Archives Building. Students sang hymns and prayed the Rosary in Latin and English as they walked. “It was beautiful to see so many images of Our Lady, the Queen of the Innocent and Hope of the Desolate,” said Levi Smail (NE’29). “The amount of people praying and practicing their faith in public was inspiring.”

After the March, the group dispersed throughout the city for the rest of the day and the following morning, until the buses’ departure after lunch. Students made their way all over downtown D.C. in groups, finding places to get dinner and visiting various landmarks and museums. The National Gallery of Art and the National Museums of American and Natural History were especially popular, and students were privileged to spend hours observing masterpieces of art, sculpture, and history.

The next day the group packed up and headed back to Northfield, Massachusetts, on the buses, successfully beating the incoming storm back to campus. “The March was a great time to spend with friends and experience the pro-life movement with thousands of other young men and women,” said Margaret DeJak (NE’29). “I was given a tour of the Capitol Building with a few friends, and it was amazing to learn more about our country and admire the beautiful architecture and paintings.”

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