March for Life

National March | Eva Steier

The annual March for Life pilgrimage has been a longstanding tradition here at SMCHS. Every year, students brave the January weather and cramped bus ride to go to our nation’s capital and march for the protection of the unborn. Even with decades of Saints having gone before us on the same pilgrimage, this year was a little bit different. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June, many states are beginning to institute laws that protect the unborn and aid mothers in difficult pregnancy situations. While this is a huge leap in the right direction, the culture of Americans remains divided in their recognition of the human rights of an unborn child. Amidst this division, it was inspiring to see so many young people at the March for Life. People from different states, different faiths, and different backgrounds coming together to fight the same battle. Their example is what can change culture for the better. While there are great movements happening, the future is yet to be decided. One thing for certain is that the SM Saints will continue to support the Pro-Life movement, whether holding our banner high at the National March for Life or supporting loudly in our own community.

Local March | Fiona Kelly

Hundreds of students and citizens of Bismarck alike gathered on the Capital grounds Friday, January 20 to show their local support for the pro-life movement. Echoing the annual March for Life in D.C., the local March is a more accessible alternative. Priests and clergy, as well as members of the Right to Life movement, spoke to the gathered crowd on a distinctly recurring theme: action behind words. Arguments and professions of belief in regards to the right to life are not inherently evil; if anything, they are generally good. However, when no action accompanies these words, they are rendered shallow. A common misconception, when the subject of action is brought up, is that it needs to be drastic, violent action. On the contrary, most action involves small choices, made on the daily, to respect the dignity of life. This was an ecumenical event, with officials from multiple denominations speaking and attending. It was a display of North Dakotan unity in support for the dignity that is inherent in every human person.

down its cupola, I finally was able to take in the beauty of inside the world largest church: Saint Peter’s Basilica. Walking with a newfound friend, I gazed up at the beautiful artwork on the ceiling and the many altars, reading their descriptions and trying to decipher their meanings together. There is an area to the right of the main entrance that is curtained off. We venture over, squeezing past some other visitors and there it is, Michelangelo’s Pieta. Carved out of creamy marble, this life-size statue is protected in a glass case, which has been there since the 1970s when a visitor attacked it. It is a depiction of Mary holding the body of Jesus, just taken down from the cross. The Pieta was familiar to me because there was a replica in my school, but it was completely different seeing the original and knowing its story. Sadly, I was not able to stay long at the time because there was so much to explore. Thankfully, later that day, I was able to discover more about this sculpture and learn about how the Pieta is a symbol of compassion and openness to God’s call.

I was able to take a tour a few hours later and my chaplain gave a further description of the statue. He described carved his name on the sash of Mary and it was one of the mistakes he regretted for the rest of his life. He also mentioned artistic choices that Michelangelo made. For example, Mary seems to be barely holding on to the body of Jesus. It is as if, at any moment, Jesus’ body would fall and it would be up to the viewer to catch it. Her arms are open to whatever God has in store for her next. This depiction of Mary shows how the Faith is my duty to take up and be responsible for. No one else is in charge of my relationship with Jesus, and I must be open to whatever God calls me to do. This is what I gathered from this wonderful sculpture. Even though the message of being open to whatever God has in store has been told to me countless times before this, I finally was able to understand it in a new way. It was no longer a repetitive phrase from a boring homily or religion class, but an actual duty on my part. The sorrow that Mary shows in this piece gives it another level, as if she is begging me to take up this relationship, dive deeper into my faith, and be open to whatever God has in store for me. I am so thankful for the opportunity to visit and experience this statue.