Imagine the largest Church you've ever seen, completely full of people.  Now multiply that.  The national Vigil for Life is held at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.  As we arrive, there will be literally thousands of people praying for life.  Together, we will celebrate one of the most powerful masses you will ever experience.  The energy in the room is hard to describe.  Everyone is here to stand for life, to pray for life.  Dozens of Bishops, Hundreds of priests, and thousands of people are gathered.  Imagine a Church so full, that ushers literally have to move people from the aisles in order to let the procession go past.  Then, for all the people in church, just as many more are downstairs in the crypt chapel.  Together, we celebrate life with the largest mass you have probably ever seen.  To give some perspective, St. Benedict's Church, the largest in our area seats about 1,000 people.  the Johnstown War Memorial seats about 4,000 people.  The basilica seats about 6,000 people, and that's just the upstairs.  People are praying everywhere, you can look around at the vast crowd and have a real sense of just how big, faithful, and young the Catholic Church really is.  Perhaps the most remarkable thing, is that the average age of the crowd might be 25, if that.

If the Vigil Mass at the National Shrine is hard to describe, the Youth Rally and Mass for Life is even harder.  Beginning in the morning, the Verizon Center in DC, the largest indoor arena in the city, will be filled to capacity with over 20,000 young Catholic to celebrate life, to pray for life, and to sing their hearts out.  From what happened at the Basilica, there are nearly 4 times the people here, and every single one is either a high school or college student.  Meanwhile, the event is simulcast to the DC Armory, another venue with another 15,000 young people.  The tickets are in such high demand, they all disappear within minutes of their availability.  All the famous Catholic Musicians are there for the rally.  You'll hear the likes of Steve Angrisano, Jesse Manibusan, Matt Maher, Joia Farmer, Jackie Francois, and many others.  The performers vary from site to site and year to year, but all the big names are there.  Then, together we'll celebrate mass with the Young Catholic Church.  If you've ever had the opportunity to attend "Winter Jam"  This is the Catholic version, only bigger.  

The March for Life itself, is the grand-daddy of them all.  Take in all of those scenes from the night before and that morning.  Look at a crowd of over 6,000 Catholics praying in the National Shrine.  Then move to a crowd of over 20,000 young Catholics praying in a stadium, simulcast with another 12,000.  After the Rally and Mass, we walk out into the March itself.  There is a constant sea of people, for as far as the eye can see in every direction.  All of them Talking about life, praying for life, standing for life, and marching for life.  Best estimates of the crowd are at around 500,000 people.  Realize that the largest stadium in the world seats about 150,000 people.  Beaver Stadium in State College seats 100,000 people.  This crowd would fill five Beaver Stadiums.  Together, we walk, holding signs, showing support for our cause.  Generally as we March, we'll pray the rosary.  As you look out at the crowd, you can see banners representing every part of the country, many, many faiths, and Catholic Religious everywhere.  What is most striking though, again, is the age of the crowd.  They're teens, college students, young adults.  Occasionally off in the crowd, you might catch a glimpse of grey hair, but by in large, it's young people standing for life.  There are few things in life like the feeling of solidarity, marching with a crowd 500,000 strong, standing up for what you believe in.  Be part of the cause, join us for the march!