The 2025 Youth Mass for Life on Jan. 24 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., drew hundreds of young Catholics, families, and school communities. The annual Mass, sponsored by The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and celebrated before the March for Life, included prayers and reflections on the dignity of human life.
In his homily at the Mass, Father James Glasgow, the chaplain to the Catholic Newman Center at George Washington University, urged attendees to stand firm in their faith and advocate for the sanctity of life.
“We must build a culture of life by recognizing that every human life, from conception to natural death, reflects the image of God and is sacred,” Father Glasgow said. “The care for life in all its stages should be seen as an unfolding and a building upon the defense of life in the womb.”
Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the apostolic administrator of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, was the principal celebrant of the liturgy. The concelebrants included Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop-elect of Washington.
On Jan. 6, Pope Francis named Cardinal McElroy, the bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, as the new archbishop of Washington, succeeding Cardinal Gregory, who had served in that role since 2019. Also on Jan. 6, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Gregory as the archbishop of Washington. As required by Church law, Cardinal Gregory had submitted his resignation to the pope two years ago, after he turned 75 in December 2022. Cardinal McElroy will be installed as the new archbishop of Washington on March 11 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The concelebrants at the Mass also included Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States; and Washington Auxiliary Bishops Roy Campbell Jr., Juan Esposito and Evelio Menjivar; along with Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson, the cathedral’s rector.
During the Mass, Cardinal Pierre read a letter from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, on behalf of Pope Francis.
In the letter, Pope Francis expressed his spiritual closeness to those gathered, commended their public witness, and encouraged them to foster a culture of life. “During this Jubilee Year of Hope, which entails enthusiasm for life and the readiness to share it, His Holiness encourages all, especially young people, to continue their efforts to protect the most vulnerable,” the letter said.
The pope also emphasized justice and charity, entrusting participants to the intercession of Mary Immaculate and imparting his apostolic blessing on them.
In his homily, Father Glasgow told the young people at the Mass that “"we shouldn’t be afraid to condemn something if it goes against the justice of God.”
The priest addressed the gravity of abortion, emphasizing its far-reaching consequences. “Abortion intentionally removes the foundational good of a human person, namely their life. If you don’t have life, you can’t actually have any other good. If you’re not alive, you can’t go to school, you can’t have a family. If you’re not alive, you can’t eat a cheeseburger,” he said, later adding, “If you’re not alive, you can’t receive the gift of faith.”
In his homily, Father Glasgow challenged attendees to expand their advocacy beyond protecting the unborn. “You cannot say, ‘I love every unborn child,’ and then turn your back on the poor, the homeless, and the elderly,” he said.
The priest also underscored the importance of God’s Divine Mercy.
“Without an unshakable confidence in Divine Mercy, we’re toast,” Father Glasgow said. “The greater the sin, the greater the need to distinguish between sin and sinner, the greater the need to be utterly convinced of the infinite power of God’s mercy.”
The Youth Mass for Life was preceded by music, a witness talk, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and a question-and-answer session with Cardinal Gregory.
Youth from across The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington served as lectors and participated in the offertory procession at the Mass. Groups attending the Youth Mass for Life represented a broad cross-section of Catholic schools and youth ministries from the Archdiocese of Washington and beyond.
Local Catholic schools with students attending the Mass included Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Maryland; Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.; DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland; The Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland; and St. Anthony Catholic School in Washington, D.C. Youth ministries from Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Waldorf, Maryland, and St. John Vianney Parish in Prince Frederick, Maryland, were present, and seminarians from the Archdiocese of Washington also attended the Mass.
Chesterton Academy of Annapolis represented the Archdiocese of Baltimore, while groups participating in the March for Life from across the country also joined the Mass, including some from as far as the Archdiocese of Chicago who attend Fenwick Catholic High School in Oak Park, Illinois. Participants from the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey included students from Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon and teens from St. Therese Catholic Church’s youth ministry in Succasunna, New Jersey. Youth attending the Mass from the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, included representatives from Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus and Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey. Students from St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, were also present.
In interviews after the Mass, students from the Archdiocese of Washington said it was important to stand for life.
“Coming to the Youth Mass puts a focus on how we need to be praying for the people who have no voice,” said RJ Thurston, a 10th grader from DeMatha Catholic High School who read the first Scripture reading at the Mass.
Andrea Patino, a student at The Academy of the Holy Cross, emphasized the power of prayer in the pro-life mission. “Now is the time to pray for clarity, for justice, and for those who can’t speak for themselves,” she said.
For Dylan Stewart, a senior at Archbishop Carroll High School, the pope’s words were a reminder of the importance of compassion. “I’m taking away from today’s Mass that we should love everybody and pray for inclusivity,” he said.
Father Glasgow’s words struck a chord with Clarissa Collado, a student from St. Charles High School in Waldorf. “We are never too far from God,” she said when asked to reflect on the priest’s words, and how Jesus responds to sinners, suffering, and evil in the world with compassion.
The Youth Mass for Life concluded with prayers and blessings, sending attendees forth with a message of hope and encouragement. Many participants planned to join the March for Life following the Mass, continuing their public witness in support of the dignity of human life.
