Finding friendship, hope at march

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By Fr. Corey Close

Fr. Close

This year, for the first time in my life, I had the privilege of participating in the March for Life. The march began for me the night before, Jan. 24, when I went to a youth event held at a nearby parish where they needed confessors. The youth were from around the country and we had about a half-dozen priests to hear confessions in the span of an hour. The confessions were nonstop and it was great to see so many young people come to Washington, D.C., to the march and to grow in their faith.
The next day the youth group from our parish, the pastoral associate and I went downtown to the Verizon Center where the youth rally and Mass for Life were held. My priest friend and I went to one section of the stadium where the sacrament of reconciliation was being held with dozens of other priests; nuns helped to direct the very long line. We heard confessions for two hours nonstop, both of the youths in attendance and their chaperones. At noon the priests and bishops processed in and Mass began. It was truly amazing to look up from where I was seated and see the Verizon center (which seats over 18,000 people) full to capacity of young people in their teens and early 20s, many of them volunteering at the event as well.

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