Vigil for Life alternative to annual D.C. trip

Creatively adapting to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 the Diocese of Baton will again replace its traditional trek to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life with the Vigil for Life to be held locally. 

The theme of Vigil for Life is “Light has Dawned.” It comes from Isaiah 9:2: “For those living in a land of deep darkness light has dawned.” 

The vigil is scheduled to begin on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. and conclude Sunday, Jan. 16 at 10 p.m. St. Michael the Archangel Diocesan Regional High School in Baton Rouge will be the home base but youth will travel by bus to other sites scattered throughout the diocese. 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for this past January were pulled for the trip to the nation’s capital, according to Emily Froeba, campus minister at St. Michael. Froeba coordinates the pilgrimage for the diocese.

Instead, the diocese hosted a Vigil for Life, a satellite event for church parishes and schools. Because the event effectively connected with the youth, it was decided to host it again once more.

“This year, with being able to gather, to fellowship, we are trying to pull the kids in together,” said Froeba. 

This year’s event will feature speakers, live music, competitions, games, pro-life education, prayer and a focus on vocations with the presence of priests, seminarians and religious sisters including the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, who usually accompany the youth on the pilgrimage and who will be flown in from Nashville Tennessee, as well as the Mercederian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. 

In keeping with the “bus culture” of the March for Life trip, youth will travel by bus to sites around the diocese.

Also planned, weather permitting, is a “lock out for life,” providing youth an opportunity to raise funds for local crisis pregnancy centers through obtaining sponsorships allowing them to sleep outside. Security will be provided.

“One of the big tenants of the march is the prayer and sacrifice so the youth are invited to enter into that experience so that it’s not like a slumber party, but really like entering into the isolation and the suffering of people who face crisis pregnancies,” said Froeba. “Even though we cannot travel to Washington, D.C. our goals are personal conversion and vocational discernment. Prayer and sacrifice is always a big part of what we do and pro-life advocacy. 

“We’re helping the kids grow in their relationship with Christ, where God’s calling them to and then that will be the thing that allows them to really live their life.”

Froeba noted that the March for Life pilgrimage is “more of a spiritual journey rather than a physical journey.”

“We will still have the same opportunity to take the youth on a journey, even though we are not going to Washington, D.C.,” said Froeba.

Although the youth will be close to home, they will remain vigilant.

“We’re not taking the year off, we’re still going to grow in holiness,” said Froeba.

“We chose our theme not knowing what would be happening in the Supreme Court,” she added. “I think we are at a point where the sun is rising (for life). There’s a hope that that at least (the court) is re-evaluating (Roe V. Wade).

“We want the youth to know about (Roe V. Wade), we want them to know about abortion laws, but more than anything, we want the light to dawn within them, their own hearts and their minds to be wrapped around the truth of dignity of life.”

For more information about the event, visit youthmarchforlife.org.