On Saturday, January 23, pro-lifers will be marching and praying for the littlest among us and for women and families suffering from the effects of abortion at the 17th Annual Walk for Life West Coast.

Due to Covid restrictions and concerns, this year’s walk will be smaller than ever before. There will not be the annual accompanying rally, and almost all of the associated events have been cancelled or will be online. Many pro-lifers will be participating through prayer at home.

The day will begin with the annual Walk for Life West Coast Mass at 10:30 a.m., celebrated by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and priests of the archdiocese in the plaza of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Following Mass, the faithful will gather at Civic Center Plaza, before processing down San Francisco’s Market Street to the Ferry Building. Instead of being able to use all of Market Street, as in all other walks, the San Francisco Police Department will accompany the walk and block off one lane for the walkers. The archbishop will be joining the walk.

“Many people have voiced their concerns about holding this event given fears of Covid and political unrest,” said Walk for Life West Coast co-chair Dolores Meehan. “As the leaders of this local event, we prayerfully considered all of these concerns. We discerned that continuing to stand as a peaceful, public witness to the harm that abortion has inflicted on our society is as important today as it has ever been. We appreciate all of the pro-life warriors who will be supporting us in prayer (from home) this year. Your contribution is essential and your pro-life commitment is unquestionable.

“Mother Teresa once said, ‘If you can kill the child in the womb, what is stopping you from killing me or me killing you?’  St. Teresa of Calcutta’s prophetic words succinctly sum up a major underlying cause of our societal ills today. How can we expect peace on our streets, in our workplaces and in our homes when we sanction violence in the womb? How can we expect justice towards the marginalized in our legal system when our laws deny justice to the innocent child in the womb?”

Walk co-chair Eva Muntean said, “When we started the Walk, George W. Bush was president. We have walked through four years of the Bush administration, eight years of the Obama Administration, four years of the Trump Administration, and we will walk through the Biden Administration… and whoever comes after. We have walked under three popes and three archbishops. Whoever is in the White House, whoever is in the statehouse, whoever is in the doghouse, we will not falter or fail. We will lovingly and peacefully embrace our responsibilities to the littlest among us and to the women hurt by abortion.”

For event details and updates, visit http://www.walkforlifewc.com/

– Story by Gibbons Cooney