“The unborn need you,” she said. “Never forget you are a walking testimony for life and the pro-life movement. Your actions are an incredibly powerful declaration about the truth and beauty of life, and the inherent dignity of each person.”

On a sunny but cold Jan. 21, Ingram journeyed to the nation’s capital with her pastor, Father Daniel Swift, fellow parishioners from St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, and those from neighboring parishes including St. Joan of Arc, Marlton, to participate in the 49th annual March for Life commemorating the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The group was among those who filled about a dozen buses that traveled to Washington from the four-county Diocese of Trenton.

“Walking side by side we were united, standing up for the unborn,” Ingram said, noting that she found the March for Life to be much more than just a protest. “From our parish, to people we have never met, we all walked the streets supporting the same beliefs: becoming one voice for the unheard."

“Protesting with our parishioners is important because it is the largest annual human rights protest in the world. We gather to celebrate life. We celebrate each and every life, from the moment of conception. We envision a world where every life is celebrated, valued and protected.”

Father Swift reflected on the day’s witness, sharing that it was “overwhelmingly apparent” that most of the prolife marchers are Catholic. He added that it’s important for him that he and his parishioners “attend the March as a family.

“I’m the ‘father’ of the St. Mary of the Lakes family and it’s my privilege to set the right example every year to march for those who cannot and speak for those who cannot,” he said.

Although this year’s March did not draw the number of people as it has in past years because of pandemic concerns, numerous observations were made about the large representation of young people, including 13-year-old Cella Scardino of St. Rose Parish, Belmar.

“It was inspiring and exhilarating to know that there are so many of us fighting for this important right to life,” Scardino said. “This trip was overall an amazing experience and I am very grateful to be able to express and proudly stand for my values as a Christian.”

St. Mary of the Lakes parishioners Joe Pasquarello and Gretchen Sorg, and St. Joan of Arc parishioner Gene Kotowski, also remarked on the range of young people they saw – high school students, college students, families with children of varying ages including little ones in strollers or securely strapped on the backs of their moms and dads.

“This year, as we marched, we were next to a group of young men who prayed as they marched, and I joined them until we were separated,” Sorg said, adding that she came across another group of young people who were singing religious songs in Latin.

“It was a wonderful day,” Sorg said of her second March.

While growing up, Kotowski always considered Jan. 22 as special because it is his and his twin sister’s birthday. But as an adult, he realized the date had even greater significance and joined with the parishioners of St. Mary of the Lakes Parish for the March for Life, “usually falling on my actual birthday.”

“I just had to be there (for) all of those who will never get the chance to have a birthday,” he said, noting that when he first attended, the ratio of old to young favored the old. But as the years have passed, “I've seen that flip and now more young people are there,” he said. “I'm now in the minority and it warms my heart to say that.

“They truly are the prolife generation,” Kotowski said of the young people he saw at the 2022 March. “Every year I see more and more of them coming. So many happy, smiling faces full of Life, praying, singing, praising God and supporting life, and that is a blessing.”
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Deacon Frank Golazeski, St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, attended his 10th March for Life with his wife Kathleen, and found the messaging – protecting life at every stage – affirming.

“The theme that equality starts in the womb highlighted that every life matters - of course the unborn child. The speakers affirmed that the mom's life matters, too.”

“There’s a sacredness to the March.”

Mary Owens of St. Teresa of Calcutta, Bradley Beach, shared a personal perspective on why she wanted to attend her first March for Life. She is the mother of an adopted son who was born in an abortion clinic in Calcutta, India, and survived a seven-month gestational abortion at two pounds, three ounces.  For five months, he was cared for in an orphanage operated by religious women before he was able to make the transatlantic trip to America and join his new family.

“He is now 35 and is a blessing!” Owens said.

With Owens and her husband both working in the medical profession, she emphasized that “protecting lives has been the paramount goal of our profession.”

Referring to the state’s now having no legal restrictions on abortions, she said, “New Jersey has taken abortion to the most extreme and unethical degree,” she said. “As Catholics we believe children are gifts from God and as medical professionals, we believe that medicine and science should benefit humanity with ethical compassion.”

Looking ahead to next year, Kotowski said he will be in Washington whether it’s for the March for Life, or, hopefully, that Roe v. Wade will be overturned this year.

“Only time will tell if that comes true,” he said. “But until then, I’ll keep coming to celebrate birthdays that never were and pray for an end to abortions.”