Women of Grace Peggy Pritchard, Anne Rohrbaugh, Joanne Hudak, Paula Smeigh, Robin Enochs, Marci McKinnon, Bernadette Bernardy, Judy Auchey, Vicki Crispo & Ellyn Shelly
The idea took life after the 39th annual March for Life in 2012 when, during a Women of Grace Facilitator Network Conference call, my sister regional coordinator, Peggy Pritchard passionately presented her reflections from the March For Life and challenged us to make plans for 2013. Regional Coordinators Martha Nicolli and Jennie Stanbro joined in the discussion and with Johnnette’s enthusiastic encouragement, we made plans to officially represent Women of Grace at the March For Life in our nation’s capital on the 40th memorial of Roe vs. Wade.
For Peggy & Vicki, the pilgrimage began in the morning at St. Joseph Church, in York, Pa. where we loaded two busloads of youth and adults. Being veterans of the march, this year was special since we would make our pilgrimage and march as Women of Grace in Washington, D.C. There we would hopefully meet up with other Women of Grace who would travel from across the U.S. for this 40th memorial.
The WOG Purple Scarf Ladies – Robin, Bernadette,Peggy & Paula
On the bus Deacon Dan Bernardy, accompanied by his wife and Woman of Grace, Bernadette, offered an opening prayer and blessing followed by the rosary. A short two hours later we arrived in Washington DC and pulled up to the beautiful Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception…Our Lady’s House. We took notice of how many more busses, adults, teens, children, and even toddlers and infants were pouring into the Shrine. The dome was glistening and the doors were open and welcoming as if Our Mother herself had her arms extended to pull us into her warmth and love. The climate was bitter but the hearts were warmed by the excitement of the day. Inside the shrine we were shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other pilgrims, so we made our way through the crowd to the Crypt Church which is in the lower level of the Basilica. There we would meet Our Lord in the Eucharist at the Holy Mass offered by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Before entering, we donned our signature purple scarves so that other Women of Grace may seek us out and find us. Earlier in the week we connected with Mary Jo Jaques Daigle from Maine, Mary Gordon Judge from Boston, Jane Summers from Ohio and Patty Kneisel from California who was travelling from Virginia with her daughter, all of whom we hoped to meet that day. Of course we knew our sister Regional Coordinators Martha Nicolli with her group from Florida and Jennie Stanbro from New Jersey were already downtown at the mall where the rally takes place and march commences.
Mass in the Crypt Church.
In the Crypt Church I recalled the vigil mass just last evening, which took place in the main church above us with 13,000 faithful,5 cardinals,42 bishops, 395 priests,80 deacons and 520 seminarians. The words of Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston seemed to still echo:
” Mary is saying yes to God, yes to life, yes to love, and yes even to the Cross.”
Martha Nicolli and pilgrims from Florida braving the 20 degrees under the WoG Banner!
I thought, how often this has been the theme of our Women of Grace talks, retreats, Mornings of Grace and gatherings. And now Mary is offering us another opportunity with Sacred Sisters all over the nation and beyond– this very morning– to say yes to God, yes to life, yes to love, and yes even to the Cross. It did not matter if we were here praying and marching in DC, interceding at our home or parish, watching the coverage on EWTN, faithfully sacrificing at place of work, diapering our babies,attending to our homes…we are truly one Holy Militia Immaculata.
“Christ through His Church is urging us to be defenders of life in a culture of death…and our task is to live our faith so intensely that we will generate a culture of life,” the Cardinal said.
And here we are for just that purpose…Women of Grace represented at the 40th Annual March for Life….Daughters of the Most High God…chosen before the very foundation of the world…poised and ready ….gathered by Our Mother for Her Spouse…equipped with every spiritual blessing in heaven at our disposal…to aid humanity in not falling…for such a time as this! As Johnnette would say “Woo Hoo” and “Yippee Kiyo Kiyay!” How blessed are we. We thank you and praise you Lord Jesus!
Regional Coordinators, Peggy Pritchard and Vicki Crispo
