(This article has been updated to include information about the plenary indulgence announced by Pope Francis for those who participate virtually in the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, Jan. 28, and those who will participate virtually or in-person in the Mass for Life on Friday, Jan. 29.)
The Archdiocese of Washington this year will once again host the Rally and Mass for Life that it traditionally sponsors before the annual March for Life. However, because of the ongoing pandemic, the event will be virtual, with no in-person gathering at the Capital One Arena.
The rally and Mass this year will be held Friday, Jan. 29, beginning at 8 a.m., and will be livestreamed. Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory will be the main celebrant of the Mass at 10 a.m. On the day of the rally and Mass, livestreaming begins at 8 a.m. and the rally begins at 8:30 a.m.
Persons interested in streaming the rally and Mass can register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-youth-rally-and-mass-for-life-tickets-128047711151. A link to join online will be sent before the day of the event.
“This year, we are very excited to be focusing on the theme of pro-life apologetics. We want to encourage young people to speak about their pro-life values with authenticity and conviction. We also want to model the importance of respectful and civil dialogue,” said Kathryn Windels, director of life issues for the Archdiocese of Washington.
The main speaker at the rally will be Josh Brahm, president and co-founder of Equal Rights Institute, a national organization training pro-life advocates to think, reason and argue persuasively. He has spoken in six countries and in 22 of the 50 states.
“We are thrilled to have Josh Brahm speaking with us about best practices for talking about pro-life values, while also teaching us some key philosophical arguments that he has found to be most effective in his work,” Windels said.
The virtual rally will also include musical performances and a virtual recitation of the rosary from students representing various cultures, languages, and geographical regions. Students representing the Archdiocese of Washington Youth Leadership Team will host this event from a “newsroom” setting and will help to transition between these messages, videos, and musical interludes.
Music at the rally will be provided by PJ Anderson, a Catholic recording artist; Javier Iván Díaz, a musician, speaker and teacher; Sarah Kroger, a Catholic worship leader and songwriter; and Out of Darkness, the husband and wife team of Adam and Lori Ubowski who lead retreats, youth conferences and concert-style worship events throughout the country.
The annual Rally and Mass for Life is held each year in conjunction with the national March for Life which marks the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions making abortion legal in this country. For more than 25 years, the Archdiocese of Washington has hosted the rally and Mass on the day of the March for Life.
“We hope that this year’s rally will encourage students to talk openly about their pro-life values in a way that embraces consistency across life issues,” Windels said.
For more information about this year’s Rally and Mass for Life, visit https://youthrallyandmassforlife.org/
Traditionally, parishes in the Archdiocese of Washington have hosted or provided hospitality and other services to pro-life marchers traveling from other areas of the country.
Father Daniel Carson, vicar general and moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Washington, reminded local priests that “COVID-19 cases across the country continue to rise, so an event that draws people nationally to our area increases the risks for spreading this virus.” He said that “to protect our staff and parishioners,” the Archdiocese of Washington recommends parishes:
• Stay updated on county and state guidelines for travel and gatherings
• Avoid any overnight events, including hosting outside groups in the parish
• Not to organize transportation for large groups such as buses
• Protect travelers by following CDC recommendations for transportation
As it has in past years, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception will again host the National Prayer Vigil for Life held on the evening before the March for Life. And, like the Rally and Mass for Life, the event will be virtual.
The vigil – which will air on EWTN and be livestreamed on the National Shrine’s website, https://www.nationalshrine.org/ – begins Thursday, Jan. 28, with an 8 p.m. recitation of the rosary followed by Mass celebrated by Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Following the Mass, bishops from across the country will leading Holy Hours throughout the night in the livestreamed vigil. The vigil will end Friday, Jan. 29, with an 8 a.m. Mass celebrated by Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman-elect of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
The closing Mass will be open to the public. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in the District of Columbia, the National Shrine is limited to 250 persons inside at any one time. Because of this, participation in the closing Mass will be limited and will require advanced registration by visiting https://www.nationalshrine.org/mass-registration/. Those who enter the basilica will be required to follow established safety protocols and procedures.
This is the text of the plenary indulgence decree issued by Pope Francis on Jan. 13 as requested by Cardinal Wilton Gregory for those who participate virtually in the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, Jan. 28, and those who will participate virtually or in-person in the Mass for Life on Friday, Jan. 29:
“For the sake of increasing the devotion of the faithful and salvation of souls, by the power of the faculties given by the Supreme Pontiff, Francis, the Pope by Divine Providence, in response to the request of His Eminence Wilton Daniel Cardinal Gregory, Metropolitan Archbishop of Washington, the Apostolic Penitentiary kindly grants, from the heavenly treasures of the Church, a plenary Indulgence, to be obtained under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) by the Christian faithful truly penitential and compelled by charity, which indeed they can also apply to the souls of the faithful held in Purgatory, by way of suffrage, if they take part in the sacred celebrations, among the great assembly of people, during the course of the annual event that is called "March for Life," which will be carried out on the 28th and 29th days of January 2021, in the Archdiocese of Washington (particularly in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and in the Cathedral church itself).
“The aged, sick, and all those who due to grave reason are not able to leave home will be equally able to obtain the plenary Indulgence, having the disposition of detachment from any kind of sin, with the intention of fulfilling, as soon as one is able, the three customary conditions, if they spiritually join themselves to the sacred ceremonies, provided that they will be made available by means of television and radio but also through the new instruments of social media, and also having offered prayers and their sufferings or the ailments of their own life to the merciful God.
“Therefore, and in order that easier access unto the attaining of this divine favor through the keys of the Church might go forth, for the sake of pastoral charity, this Penitentiary earnestly asks that Pastors and priests, those provided with suitable faculties to hear confessions, with a willing and generous spirit, might make themselves available for the celebration of Penance.
The present Decree will be valid for this event only. Anything whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.
“Given in Rome, from the offices of the Apostolic Penitentiary, on the 13th day of January, in the year of our Lord 2021.”
A plenary indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. The conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence generally include making a sacramental Confession, receiving Holy Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father.
