Pro-life advocates are seen near the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington Nov. 1, 2021. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)
Invitation
By Deacon Gary and Valerie Streff
Special to the Herald
As we ring in the New Year, we invite everyone to join in solidarity with people of goodwill across America by marching around our state capitol on Friday, Jan. 21 — day seven and the grand finale of seven capitol marches beginning on Jan. 15.
It’s called the Jericho March, a modern interpretation of the infamous Old Testament event that destroyed the walls of the city of Jericho.
Today’s Jericho March is an inspiring, peaceful, joyful march during which participants pray to resolve the many injustices in the world, in this case, violations against the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death.
During each day’s march, Christians look to our Lord for his strength, not ours, to combat the evils in our midst. This procession is inspired by the Old Testament story of Jericho (Joshua 1-6) in which God commanded Joshua and the Israelites to march around that city’s walls. “You shall compass the city, all you men of war and go around about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And the seventh day, you shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow trumpets … and the walls shall fall down.”
Joshua’s obedience to the Lord’s directions opened the way for God himself to intervene and bring forth the conversion of souls. In our Jericho March, we pray for the downfall of secular laws that do not protect the dignity of human life. We pray for the Light of Christ to tear down the walls that separate us from God’s love and from one another. Through prayers and fasting, we also ask Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn, to intercede for us to her Son, Jesus.
For each “march” day, Jan. 15-Jan. 21, we call upon a specific group — moms, religious orders, associations of the faithful, students, etc. — to pray and march around the capitol one time. Then on Jan. 21, all groups are encouraged to join in a huge march, seven times around the capitol, singing and praising God for all he has done in, through and for us.
Our nation’s founders recognized the dignity of all people, and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness regardless of race, sex or disability, setting the theme for this year’s march, “Equality Begins in the Womb.” Discrimination, choosing who shall live and who should die, denies the inalienable rights of the unborn. America has seen other countries choose one sex over another to be born. We have also seen at least 67% of Down’s syndrome babies aborted because they were deemed to be a burden physically, socially and financially.
Pope John Paul II’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae (the “Gospel of Life”) reiterates the teachings of the Catholic Church on the value of life and warns us against violating the sanctity of life as disobedience to the Ten Commandments. Whether it’s abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide or the death penalty, the commandment stands, “Thou shall not kill.”
As we await the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, our prayers and voices become crucial. Dobbs (Mississippi law) prohibits late-term abortions after the 15th week of gestation when the fetus (baby) feels pain and has fully formed features. If Dobbs is upheld, it will be a major turning point from the culture of death (overturning Roe v Wade) to the culture of life. Roe v Wade legalized abortion in 50 states more than 50 years ago.
The events for the “March for Life 2022” begin on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. with Bishop Larry Silva presiding at Mass and adoration with a novena at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa. Novena Masses will continue Jan. 13-19 at your parishes to honor every person’s right to life. The bishop will culminate the novena on Jan. 20 with Mass and adoration at the co-cathedral at 5 p.m.
Here is the seven-day Jericho March schedule with suggested groups for walking. Marching times for all days except Jan. 21 is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Jan. 15: Moms and babies in strollers, military families
- Jan. 16: Schools, Life Teens, Students for Life
- Jan. 17: Religious organizations, RCIA, Bible study groups, altar servers and catechists
- Jan. 18: 40 Days for Life participants, sidewalk advocates, mothers
- Jan. 19: Basic Christian Community and parishioners
- Jan. 20: Those with special needs, pregnant moms and families
- Jan. 21, 2 p.m.: Knights of Columbus and everyone else to assemble at 1:30 p.m. in front of the Capitol by Damien Statue. Between 2-4 p.m., we will dance and march around the capitol seven times, singing for joy praising God with tambourines and other instruments. No formal program is scheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Contact your parish respect life coordinator or parish priest for more details.
‘Equality Begins in the Womb’
Besides the Jericho March and the novena of Masses, the Respect Life coordinators of the Diocese of Honolulu offer other suggestions of ways Catholics in Hawaii can witness their respect for life this year.
- Display the 3 x 9 feet March for Life Banner at your parish Jan. 12-22.
- Display pinwheels outdoors, as many as possible, as a reminder of the more than 63 million babies aborted in the United States.
- Place a wreath or bouquet of flowers at your Memorial for the Unborn to honor families who have no place to grieve for their unborn children, whether it was through an abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth.
