Youth and Young Adults from Saint Teresa, Saint Sebastian(Woodside) and Queen of Angels (Sunnyside)

 

The reason I came here was to support life. This is my second time coming and it was another year I was very privileged to not only represent New York but the youth as a whole.

I came not only to march but to pray for those who are dead and those who are thinking of ending life.

This year I learned a little bit more than the first time I came. One of the things I learned was that Margaret Sanger was the creator of Planned Parenthood. She was a very cynical human being which helps us understand why abortion came to be and the horrors of it. It really is sad to see how many people think this way.

What I’m taking back home is the knowledge of what abortion really is and the effects it has not only on the child but on the person itself. As a result, I am able to spread knowledge to my fellow youth and teens since our generation is filled with ideas that abortion and birth control is okay when it really is not.

– Jocelyn Rodriguez

 

The reason why I came to the March for Life was to speak up for those who can’t. For all the infants who are defenseless, vulnerable and helpless. I learned a lot during this March for Life. It’s a sad and touchy subject, but one has to do something to help all these lives.
 Each and every one of us in that march represented a child that has been aborted.

We are their voices.

The number of people that were on the march can not accumulate to the number of aborted children there are but, little by little with the help of God, we will out number the amount of kids aborted and better yet, end abortion. What I’ll be taking home from this experience is speaking up for those who can’t. Speak to people who think the best option is abortion and talking them down from doing it. Explaining to women that there is a life living in their womb, a creation of God.

-Alejandro Rocha 

 

At first I came to this trip because I wanted to support my mother and I have never been to Washington D.C. I also wanted to march against Trump and basically “hate” but what I’ve come to learn is that my purpose for this trip was a different reason and I really did not expect this trip to change and open my eyes the way it did to God’s love and the peace it brings you.

It truly showed me that you can fight and stand for what you believe in and I just think that is a beautiful thing and such a blessing to be able to do that in this country. I learned a lot of about abortions and about pregnancy, the different stages of life. I also learned about birth control pills and how taking birth control pills it can still kill a baby without you even knowing.

I also realized that Pro-life isn’t just about anti-abortion, it’s about supporting life, it’s about being hope to many women who don’t have any hope or anyone there to support them.

It’s also made me realize us as human beings have a long way to go and we can’t give up now or stop standing up for what’s right to you. God’s love and love in general wins over everything.

The genocide of babies is not right, the genocide of any type of life IS NOT RIGHT. I think after we accomplish making abortion illegal, we should start focusing on other problems in the world that endanger LIFE, like the refugees who want a LIFE and are not being supported by our President Trump who also supports Pro-life, we must have open arms and open hearts to everyone. We must show our compassion and love for all lives, we must be the example, Jesus loved the sinners as much as he loved the little ones. We must be that example. I just want to thank God for this experience. The truth will be the truth, and not everything that might seem good is actually good. We must always seek knowledge and ask God to guide us in the right direction. Now what I plan on doing is to continue fighting for what I believe, continue researching, talking to women and seeing everyone’s point of view of things and not judging. I want to stay on this track of divine truth. I want to be active about fighting for all lives and I’m going to push for that. I’m going to push for love and peace in this world in the name of God and His love. I am also going to be going to be trying to get closer to God and pray every day.

– Elizabeth Pena

 

I chose to come to this March for Life event because although I know by heart that abortion is wrong, I was having doubts of my own. Friends and social media make it look as if it isn’t that big of a deal, to them it’s a “right” that a woman has since it’s her body.

In reality, it isn’t her body, it pertains to God. If anything we are the ones who decide to ruin it. I understood the great responsibility that comes along with a child, especially for a young mother. I thought about being in that position, and yes it would be so scary to face the consequences both emotionally and physically. I can only imagine the panic and stress that a girl who’s not financially stable or who has very conservative parents may face.

I learned that abortion is never justifiable. Planning to have an abortion is the same as planning a murder. It’s murder because of that small embryo, fetus, however, you want to call it, has a unique set of DNA that no one else in this world will ever possess. No matter what your conditions are, dismembering a small baby into pieces will never be a better choice than not having enough money to feed that child. There’s so much help that the government offers, lots of organizations are willing to help as well as long as you make the right choice.

Many also do not consider adoption as a choice because they fear that they will get attached to the baby during those 9 months of pregnancy and won’t be able to give it up. But what’s wrong with that? A child is never a burden but rather a blessing. They’re basically saying that it’s okay to murder their child, but not to give it up to a family who is eager to take care of it. It’s strangely selfish because at the end of the day they just care about how they will feel, and how they will have to change plans, and how they won’t ever be good enough without even trying.

Life isn’t supposed to revolve around the pleasures that this world offers. Sacrifices and suffering need to be present in order to grow stronger spiritually. God knows what He’s doing in each of our lives.

We may not understand His plans at all, but the best way to live on this earth is by sticking to what He has already planned for us. As a college student, I’m learning that life holds a lot of scary stuff, and not everything goes as we want it to in the beginning. It’s easy to escape from reality but the sooner you face your fears the readier you will be as soon as the next obstacle comes. From my own experiences, there’s always going to be something that we won’t be ready for and that’s okay. The devil knows that people who don’t have God in their lives easily fall into whatever lie they’re told.

Nothing is easy but trusting in Jesus means surrendering to His will.

Thus, I do not want to be ashamed of being pro-life when everyone else may be against me.

Christ died for proclaiming the truth, the least we can do is defend what we know is just. I’m so glad I came to this youth group because hearing what everyone had to say really touched my heart deeply. I know that I’m not alone in this battle.

– Maria Atayupanqui


 

For years I’ve always heard about the March for Life, but I wasn’t too sure what it was about. All I knew was that it was a pro-life march to stop abortion. In a way it is, but it was also so much more. I went to the March for Life for the first time ever and it was amazing. I’ve wanted to go for a few years now and now I finally had the chance to go this year.

I’ve always been taught that abortion was wrong and that we shouldn’t do it.However, I still had a few lingering questions that I wasn’t able to answer. Questions such as: If abortion is bad why to people do it? What is the Pro Life community doing to end this?

Once I arrived at March for Life, I got my answers. I learned that there is plenty that the pro-life community does to help people become aware of the situation. I learned that this pro-life movement isn’t something small, but it’s something that people all over the world are involved in.

The March itself had so much more people than I imagined. However, the most important lesson I learned was that being pro-life isn’t just about fighting against abortion but also fighting for all life, from conception up till natural death. Equipped with this knowledge I plan to bring it back to New York and share it with people that I know. Although it might not seem like much, a little can go a long way.

– Jessica Peralta

 

I came to this pilgrimage because I believe everyone has the right to life. No one can decide whether or not you’re supposed to live.

During this pilgrimage, I learned about the Planned Parenthood organization. This organization is against pro-life because of the fact that they choose money before life.

I gained a new perspective about abortion.

This was my second time coming to the March for Life, and I found out that birth control pills or any other pill that prevents you from getting pregnant is considered an abortion. The best thing you can do for that unwanted baby is giving it up for adoption.

– Kimberly Quizhpi

 

 

 

 

 

Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians, Woodside

The reason why I went to the March for Life was because I believed that this march was going to change my view on how I saw abortion. In fact it did change. This march had given me the opportunity to open my eyes and to realize the cruelty that has been going on since Roe vs Wade.

From this experience I have learned to value myself as a better woman that now supports being pro-life.

I believe that this march will make a change for the world, as long as we stay united as one following our Catholic beliefs. Therefore, what I am taking home is my experience and my voice. I would like to get involved in groups where we help those mothers who are confused and scared to show them the right path in which God will take us all. They are now in my prayers. May God bless them and all of us.

-Martha Atiencia, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians

 

I wanted to come to the March for Life to have a second year of experience and to witness those who are against abortion march and pray alongside others. On the day of the March for Life, I learned the process of how little fetuses were killed, and I just wonder what their lives would’ve been if there wasn’t abortion.

Those babies could’ve been a lawyer, doctor or have a career in saving this world.

What I am going to take back to my hometown is my passion of becoming a pro-life person and to convince others that aren’t and guide them to the right path.

-Karina Atiencia, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians

 

I marched because I had never been to the March for Life, and I heard it was an amazing event. Also, I always asked myself how abortions happen and why women do it, because it’s not a “blob of cells,” it’s a HUMAN BEING. I learned that women are pressured to abort their babies and that one baby is killed every 20 seconds. What I am going to take back to New York is my experience of every single day that I was here with all the people that I met on this retreat.

I am proud to say that I am PRO-LIFE!

–Michael Hernandez, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians

 

The reason I came was because I have never been to Washington and when I heard about abortion, I didn’t know what it was. The reason I came was I have faith in God. If you’re strong in your faith, everything will become a success.

Never give up.

What I learned about this trip is the world keeps lying to people. There are secrets that companies and politics hide from you. I learned women should stop abortion and to keep being strong.

What I hope to bring back to New York is for people who go through hard times to know that there is always ALWAYS help out there. What I will bring back to New York is love, hope, peace and the hope that abortion ends.

— Logan Ruiz, Sain Sebastian Youth Ministry