California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared the state to be a “sanctuary” for mothers seeking abortion but thousands of people gathered outside the Capitol in Sacramento for the fifth annual March for Life today had a different view of the state.

We want to transform California into a sanctuary for the unborn. No one expects this to be an easy feat, but every journey starts with a first step and the March for Life gave pro-lifers a chance to make strides together toward that goal.

“This is not just another event; it’s a clarion call to stand up for the sanctity of life, to be a voice for the voiceless, and to show the world the strength of our conviction,” the California Family Council said in a statement as it co-hosted the event along with the March for Life Education Fund. “This day promises to be a monumental expression of our unwavering commitment to life and a vivid demonstration of unity and purpose.”

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My day began with a prayer walk to a Planned Parenthood killing center. The pro-life groups represented along with Priests for Life included our youth outreach, Stand True; Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust; Love Life and the White Rose Resistance.

A winter storm that was busy dropping feet of snow in the mountains north of here was only rain when it reached Sacramento but we got good and soaked a few times in the morning. But just in time for the rally, the clouds broke, the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful day to stand up for the unborn.

The worship band California Will be Saved performed at the rally, and Melissa Ohden, founder of the Abortion Survivors Network, was the keynote speaker. She conveyed the message that survivors are a reminder that abortion is not a matter of choice, but a matter of life and death, and that no one should be forced to endure an abortion.

Unfortunately, her message was not heard by California’s pro-abortion legislators: The march fell on the statewide Cesar Chavez Day and the lawmakers had the day off. But as I helped to lead the march, I had a chance to hand out Priests for Life prayer cards to the crowd and chat with dozens of pro-lifers who are determined to make their state safe for the unborn.

Americans weren’t the only ones marching for life this week. Thousands turned out for a pro-life march in Bucharest, Romania, where the theme of Every Person Matters was inspired by the story of Magdalena Rusu, the Olympic rowing champion at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Magdalena’s mother was 40 years old – and the mother of a pregnant 20-year-old – when she discovered she was carrying the future Olympian. Worried about being judged for having a child so late in life, she considered abortion but was encouraged by her daughter to choose life for her sibling.

In addition to the march in Bucharest, the nation’s capital, hundreds of marches were organized in various cities, all delivering the message that every life has value.

More than 400 people marched for life in Brussels, Belgium, where the more than 500,000 children killed since abortion was legalized 35 years ago were remembered. The message was an important one, as the government is now considering extending the legal limit for abortion to 18 weeks from the current 14 weeks.

In South America, thousands of people rallied in Buenos Aires, Argentina, calling for the government to abolish a 2021 law that allows government-funded abortion until 14 weeks.

Although unable to attend the march this year, as he has in years past, Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone recorded a message to the California marchers, stressing that, “When we march, we let Democrat strongholds like you have in California know that we are not going away. We allow the media to know that we are not being silent and that we have a message, too. We make sure every one of our fellow citizens is aware of the strength of this movement, and the determination of this movement, which is a movement of love.”

LifeNews Note: Bryan Kemper is the youth outreach director and coordinator of street activism for Priests for Life. He is the author of Social Justice Begins in the Womb and Pro-life is the New Punk Rock.

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