The Church of St. Luke

Pro-lifers hold their signs up at the March for Life Rally on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: Tessa Gervasini/EWTN News

Jan 23, 2026 / 18:54 pm (CNA).

Thousands of pro-lifers attended the  53rd annual March for Life on Friday in Washington, D.C. The 2026 event’s theme was “Life Is a Gift,” to invite “all people to rediscover the beauty, goodness, and joy of life itself,” the March For Life reported.

As attendees marched on the National Mall, they held signs, prayed, and sang their way toward the U.S. Capitol.

Here are some of the best signs that EWTN News spotted at the march.

Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, attends the March for Life on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Alex Schadenberg

, Jan 23, 2026 / 18:14 pm (CNA).

Attendees promoted a wide range of life issues at the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the March for Life rally on Jan. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: EWTN News/Screenshot

Jan 23, 2026 / 15:29 pm (CNA).

Vice President JD Vance and Republican lawmakers defended President Donald Trump’s abortion-related policies at the 2026 March for Life on Jan. 23.

“You have an ally in the White House,” Vance said in his speech.

Vance was the first political speaker at the march, and he was followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, the longtime leader of the House pro-life caucus.

Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune addressed the marchers in prerecorded video messages.

In his speech, Vance said: “One of the things I most wanted in the United States of America is more families and more babies,” and touted the recent announcement that he and his wife, Usha, are expecting their fourth child.

“So let the record show that you have a vice president who practices what he preaches,” Vance said.

The vice president said Trump’s Supreme Court appointments were vital to overturning Roe v. Wade, which he called “the most important Supreme Court decision of my lifetime.”

He said the decision “put a definitive end to the tyranny of judicial rule on the question of human life” and allowed the people to settle these disputes democratically.

Vance spoke about some of the pro-life victories during the first year of Trump’s second term.

This included legislation that blocked Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements as well as reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy, which bans federal tax money from being used to support organizations that promote abortion abroad.

The vice president also spoke about the restoration of conscience protections for health care workers, the expansion of the child tax credit, and the pardoning of pro-life activists who were convicted of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

“Building a culture of life requires persuasion,” Vance said.

“That effort is going to take a lot of time, it’s going to take a lot of energy, and it’s going to take a little bit of money,” he said.

The vice president briefly addressed some criticism the administration has received from members of the pro-life movement who have been unhappy with certain developments.

Some pro-life advocates have expressed concern about the lack of action on the abortion pill mifepristone, which is under review by the Food and Drug Administration.

Others have raised objections to Trump urging lawmakers to be “flexible” on taxpayer-funded abortions in negotiations about extending Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Vance asked people to look at the successes.

“Look where the fight for life stood just one decade ago and look where it stands today,” he said.

In his video message, Trump celebrated many of the same pro-life policies as Vance and thanked marchers for their efforts to “stand up for the unborn.”

“We will continue to fight for the eternal truth that every child is a gift from God,” Trump said.

Johnson said a shift in policy from the Trump administration is that success is not just measured by the economy but also “the strength of the American family.”

He also spoke about the actions taken to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, saying: “We finally defunded big abortion and it was a long time coming.”

“Every single child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their God-given potential,” Johnson said.

Smith referenced the recent Marist Poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, which showed most Americans supporting at least some restrictions on abortion and approving of the work of pregnancy resource centers.

He also spoke strongly against the chemical abortion pill mifepristone, which he called “baby poison that kills the unborn child by starving the baby boy or baby girl to death” and said it poses health risks to women.

“We must today recommit to protecting the weakest and most vulnerable,” Smith said.

In a video message, Thune called abortion an “evil that’s too often brushed to the side.”

He said Republicans “will continue to do everything we can in Congress to support moms and protect preborn children.”

After the speeches from lawmakers, March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter urged participants to contact their senators amid ongoing negotiations related to health care.

Lichter encouraged them to ask their senators to oppose any health care legislation that excludes the Hyde Amendment, which bans taxpayer funding for abortion.

Credit: Carl DMaster/Shutterstock

, Jan 23, 2026 / 11:34 am (CNA).

After a chemical abortion almost killed her, Dora Esparza joined the movement pushing for safety regulations for chemical abortions.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, offers the homily at the closing Mass for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN

Jan 23, 2026 / 10:34 am (CNA).

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.

O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

“I know that many of you are tired and have made many sacrifices to be here,” O’Malley said. “I assure you, you could not be doing anything more important than being here today. And your presence is not by accident. The Lord in his providence has brought all of us here today.”

The Mass featured prayers for the pro-life movement and provided a moment to strengthen commitment to defending human life ahead of the march.

“Abortion is the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world. It’s a matter of life and death in a very grand scale," O’Malley said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege for me to be at every March for Life here in Washington for the past 53 years.”

“It’s such a joy to be with you here today in this March for Life. This is a pilgrimage for life, and it begins with prayer, here in Mary’s shrine. I thank God for all of you,” he said.

‘Life Is a gift’

O’Malley spoke about the 2026 March for Life theme: “Life Is a Gift.”

“What a powerful theme,” O’Malley said. “Sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse.”

The cardinal detailed a recent poll that found “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children.” O’Malley called it “an alarming statistic.”

“Life is a gift, a gift given by a loving God,” he said. “Life is beautiful, especially when it is received with gratitude and love.”

We must “love as God loves,” O’Malley said. “We must love first, forgive first, give first. That’s why we’re here in this Mass for life.”

“We’re here because life is a gift. God has given us this precious gift. We must be grateful and express our gratitude by proclaiming the gospel of life,” he said.

Future of the pro-life movement

O’Malley, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades, said the opposition once believed the pro-life advocates would “die off,” but “we’re still here, proclaiming the gospel of life.”

“Our mission is not a political crusade. It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other. And God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said.

To end abortion, “our task is not to judge others but to bring healing,” O’Malley said. We must be “gentle” like Jesus was with “the Samaritan woman, the poor, the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the good thief,” he said.

“Our task is to build a society that takes care of everybody, where every person counts, where every life is important. Political polarization, racism, economic injustice will only continue to fuel abortion in a post-Roe v. Wade world,” O’Malley said.

“Our world is wracked by divisions and violence. Pope Leo is inviting us to be messengers of unity and of peace. But we do not want to get in the way of the message,” O’Malley said.

“Together, we can protect and nurture that gift of life. We must look for opportunities to be apostles of life, building a civilization of love and ethic of care,” he said.

“The antidote to abortion is love. Love manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity. Life is a gift. Every person is a gift. Every person counts. All are important. Our mission is to work so that no child be left behind. Every baby will be welcomed, loved, cared for, nurtured, and protected,” he said.

“Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you,” O’Malley concluded.

EWTN News’ coverage of the 2026 March for Life can be found here.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

Sisters of Life and All the Living Band perform at Life Fest on Jan. 23, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. | Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal/EWTN News English

Jan 23, 2026 / 09:34 am (CNA).

Young Catholics who traveled from across the country for the March for Life started their day singing and praying with the Sisters of Life early Friday morning.

Life Fest 2026 participants gathered at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, to get energized, sing songs, and receive the sacraments before heading to the National Mall for the March for Life 2026.

The event, organized by the Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus, began at 6 a.m. with music, pro-life testimonies, and chances to go to confession and venerate the relics of numerous saints. Several nuns played music as a part of the All the Living Band alongside Father Isaiah Marie Hofmann, CFR, while participants in the crowd sang along and clapped.

The crowd included everyone from young children to elderly people, Sisters of Life, Dominican brothers and priests, and the Knights of Columbus, who sponsored the event.

Students from Lansing Catholic High School in Lansing, Michigan, waited in a line to venerate relics of St. Carlos Acutis and St. John Paul II.

The event featured pro-life testimony from women and families who experienced crisis pregnancies and chose life, including the Schachle family, whose son Michael McGivny Schachle, who helped make his namesake a “blessed” through the miracle of his birth.

Schachle’s parents, Michelle and Daniel, gave their testimony while he stood alongside them on stage.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

WASHINGTON - “As tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered for the annual March for Life this week, we were grateful to see the U.S. House of Representatives pass the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act and the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act,” announced bishop-chairmen of three committees of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday. 

“Building a culture of life requires helping mothers to be able to welcome their new children,” they continued. “Too often, however, expectant and vulnerable women are essentially told that they have to choose either their child or their future. No one should have to make this ultimately false choice. The Pregnant Students’ Rights Act is needed legislation that would simply ensure that colleges and universities at least provide information about the resources, services, rights, and accommodations available for pregnant and parenting students. The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act would help ensure that key public resources are available to pregnancy help centers, which compassionately accompany women in need with baby supplies, childcare assistance, health and parenting information, career services, and more. Amid great uncertainty and difficulty, such support can make a life-saving difference.”

The three bishops spoke as chairmen of their respective committees: Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop David M. O’Connell, CM, chairman of the Committee on Catholic Education, and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Bishops O’Connell and Thomas had also sent a letter to Congress on Thursday in support of the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on its own version of that bill next week.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Advocating for unborn children is fulfilling the Lord's command to serve him in the most vulnerable, Pope Leo XIV told those taking part in the March for Life.

"I would encourage you, especially the young people, to continue striving to ensure that life is respected in all of its stages through appropriate efforts at every level of society, including dialogue with civil and political leaders," he said in a written message released by the Vatican Jan. 22.  

"May Jesus, who promised to be with us always, accompany you today as you courageously and peacefully march on behalf of unborn children," he wrote. "By advocating for them, please know that you are fulfilling the Lord’s command to serve him in the least of our brothers and sisters." 

The March for Life is held every year in January in Washington, D.C., to march on Capitol Hill to remember the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973. While the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022, abortion policy is now determined at the state and federal levels.

Addressing his message to all people taking part in the Jan. 23 March for Life, Pope Leo sent his "warm greetings" and expressed his "heartfelt appreciation."

He assured them "of my spiritual closeness as you gather for this eloquent public witness to affirm that 'the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right,'" quoting from his Jan. 9 address to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. 

"Indeed, 'a society is healthy and truly progresses only when it safeguards the sanctity of human life and works actively to promote it,'" he wrote.

"With these sentiments, I entrust all of you, as well as those who support you with their prayers and sacrifices, to the intercession of Mary Immaculate, patroness of the United States of  America, and I gladly impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of abundant heavenly graces," his message concluded.

Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, celebrates Mass at the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. | Credit: EWTN

Jan 22, 2026 / 22:17 pm (CNA).

Thousands of young Catholics gathered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 22, to worship at a vigil Mass on the eve of the March for Life.

“Our goal is not only to make abortion illegal,” Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, Bishop James D. Conley said during the homily. “Our goal is to make abortion unthinkable.”

More than 5,000 people — many of them high school or college students — filled the upper church of the basilica to attend the Mass. Following Mass, many worshippers prayed at the National Holy Hour for Life, which was held in the crypt of the basilica during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which included praying the luminous mysteries of the rosary.

The Jan. 22 service marked the 47th straight National Prayer Vigil for Life held at the basilica, which it began hosting in 1979 — six years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade. The Thursday night event marked the fourth post-Roe vigil.

The first reading came from Isaiah 49, in which the prophet wrote: “Before birth the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.”

In his homily, Conley referred back to that reading a few times and expressed joy at the number of young people who attended the vigil with the goal to “build a culture of life and a civilization of love, where babies are protected in their mothers’ wombs and women are loved, heard, and cared for when they find themselves faced with very difficult and life-changing decisions.”

The bishop noted that there are many threats to the dignity of the human person prevalent in society, including euthanasia, gun violence, the death penalty, the suffering of the poor and of migrants, racism, and a lack of access to health care and education.

“But our brothers and sisters in the womb are the most vulnerable and the most voiceless,” he said, noting that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has labeled the issue its preeminent priority in terms of political concerns.

Even after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Conley noted there are still over 1 million abortions annually. Yet, he expressed hope that the young people in front of him “are the pro-life generation” and will help bring an end to abortion in the United States.

“I firmly believe that 50 years from now when my generation will have gone to God, your grandchildren will ask you: ‘Is it true, that when you were my age, they put children to death in the womb?’” Conley said.

Conley was the main celebrant of the Mass, but it was concelebrated by Cardinal Robert McElroy of the Archdiocese of Washington; Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Boston; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States; and other archbishops, bishops, and priests.

Pierre, at the start of Mass, read aloud a note offered by Pope Leo XIV to attendees of the vigil in which the pontiff assured participants of his “spiritual closeness” as they gather “for this eloquent public witness to affirm that the protection of the right to life [is the] ... indispensable foundation of every other human right.”

According to the note, Leo told participants they are “fulfilling the Lord’s command to serve him in the least of our brothers and sisters” and bestowed an apostolic blessing on them.

Many attendees traveled from other parts of the country to worship at the Jan. 22 vigil and attend the Jan. 23 March for Life.

Miriam Ware, 16, flew from Idaho with a local group called Teens for Life and told EWTN she has become “very interested in becoming a pro-life advocate.”

She said she has attended the Idaho March for Life, but this is the first time she has come to the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., and enjoys seeing “how united we are” as a pro-life movement: “Just to see everyone here is awesome.”

Gus Buell, a Catholic high school junior from Traverse City, Michigan, told EWTN that he arrived on Thursday after a 13-hour bus ride and will be attending the March for Life for the first time on Friday.

He said the march helps build up the Catholic and pro-life community, and he commented on the large number of young people active in the faith and the movement, saying “kids are finally starting to be inspired” and many are “trusting God more than they trust themselves.”

The March for Life drew about 150,000 people last year. The 53rd March for Life is on Friday, Jan. 23. The March for Life rally will be held on the National Mall from 11 a.m. until about 1 p.m., after which attendees will march past the U.S. Capitol and conclude in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

Credit: roibu/Shutterstock

Jan 22, 2026 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

The abortion issue will likely be on the ballot in several states this November.

EWTN News took a look at which states have abortion-related measures in the works or on the ballot. 

Four states might vote to create a right to abortion this November. Only one state has a measure to protect life.

Virginian lawmakers add abortion to the ballot

This November, Virginians will consider an amendment to enshrine a fundamental right to abortion in the state constitution. The amendment, if passed, could jeopardize already-existing laws protecting unborn children as well as Virginia’s parental notification law.

The proposed abortion amendment would create a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including the ability to make and carry out decisions relating to one’s own prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care.”

Virginia lawmakers approved the amendment for a second time earlier this month, guaranteeing that it will be on the ballot. Virginia Catholic bishops promptly condemned the amendment, saying they “will fight” against its passage.

Virginia protects life after 28 weeks of pregnancy, meaning that abortion is legal until the end of the second trimester and after in cases of serious risk to the woman’s health or life.

Nevada looks to confirm abortion amendment

Nevada is close to approving an abortion amendment that would recognize a right to abortion.

The amendment would establish a “fundamental right” to an abortion, “without interference by state or local governments” up to viability, and up to birth for the sake of the health or life of the pregnant mother.

In Nevada, the state constitution can be amended only after two affirmative public votes in consecutive even-year elections. About 64% of Nevadans voted in favor of the amendment in 2024, so a 2026 passage would enshrine the amendment. 

Abortion since the 1990s has been legal until the 24th week of pregnancy in Nevada. In addition to reinforcing pro-abortion laws, the new amendment could block other state laws including the parental notification requirement for minors seeking abortions.

Idaho gathers signatures for abortion ballot measure

In Idaho, a measure to create a right to abortion may appear on the November ballot.

Campaigners are gathering signatures for the measure to legalize abortion until viability, when the baby can survive outside of the womb.

The measure guarantees “a right to make and carry out reproductive decisions, including a right to abortion up to fetus viability.”

Idaho law protects unborn children at all stages of pregnancy, with exceptions if the mother’s life is at risk.

Oregon measure could reinforce pro-abortion laws

A measure to affirm a right to abortion in Oregon may be on the November ballot.

The measure states that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged … on account of sex.”

If passed, it would also affirm a right to contraception, in vitro fertilization, medical “gender transition,” and same-sex marriage. The measure would repeal a vestigial code in the constitution that defines marriage as between one man and one woman.

Oregon does not protect life at any stage of pregnancy, and the state funds abortion.

Potential ballot measure could repeal Missouri abortion amendment

In November, Missourians will have the opportunity to repeal a 2024 amendment that created a right to abortion in the state constitution. 

If passed, the measure would repeal the state’s constitutional right to abortion and allow for laws to regulate abortion. It would also codify parental consent for minors seeking abortion and prohibit gender transition procedures for minors.

The amendment would not protect unborn children younger than 12 weeks in cases of rape or incest. 

Abortion laws have been in flux in Missouri as the 2024 amendment was enforced amid legal challenges.

Blocked from the ballot: Montana’s push for personhood 

A Montana measure defining unborn children as persons is not on the ballot this year, despite efforts to pass it.

Despite Montana voters’ move to approve a right to abortion in 2024, lawmakers came close to approving the subsequent pro-life measure, which would have stipulated that the word “person” applies “to all members of mankind at any stage of development, beginning at the stage of fertilization or conception, regardless of age, health, level of functioning, or condition of dependency.”

The amendment would have required that “no cause of action may arise as a consequence of harm caused to an unborn baby by an unintentional act of its mother.”

The measure narrowly failed to pass in both the Montana House of Representatives and the state Senate in early 2025, receiving just less than the two-thirds majority needed for a measure to be added to the Montana ballot.