By Isabel Rennella - Little Flower Church (Coral Gables)
Carmelite Sister Shawn Pauline of St. Theresa School in Coral Gables poses outside the entrance to the St. John Paul II National Shrine. She accompanied over 90 young people from Miami who took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
A reporter from Radio Paz 830 AM/96.1 FM interviews one of the Sisters of Life at the Life Fest hosted by her community and the Knights of Columbus at the D.C. Entertainment and Sports Arena. Over 90 young people from Miami took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
4,000 young people from across the United States take part in the Mass that concluded the Life Fest hosted by her community and the Knights of Columbus at the D.C. Entertainment and Sports Arena. Over 90 young people from Miami took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Seen at the March for Life: a pet with a message. Over 90 young people from Miami took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Sidewalk Advocates for Life were among the thousands who took part in this year's March for Life. Over 90 young people from Miami were among those who attended the first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
One of the messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
One of the messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
One of the messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of Little Flower Church in Coral Gables, holds a homemade pro-life sign while accompanying over 90 young people from Miami to the first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
One of the messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Isabel Rennella, center, joins over 90 young people from Miami at the first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables. (COURTESY)
Some of the many messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Some of the many messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Carmelite Sisters Shawn Pauline, left, and Rosalie Nagy, of St. Theresa School in Coral Gables, accompanied over 90 young people from Miami who took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Photography: ISABELLA RENNELLA | FC
WASHINGTON, D.C. | There was a different feeling in the air during the 2023 March for Life, held Jan. 20, 2023 in Washington, D.C. This was the first March held since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, almost 50 years after the high court legalized abortion in the United States.
The mood during the March was celebratory that this landmark ruling was finally overturned, but there was also a mood of determination because there is still much work to do to change laws, not to mention hearts and minds, before all children in the womb are protected under the law.
Photographer: COURTESY
Isabel Rennella, center, joins over 90 young people from Miami at the first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Photographer: ISABEL RENNELLA | FC
Carmelite Sisters Shawn Pauline, left, and Rosalie Nagy, of St. Theresa School in Coral Gables, accompanied over 90 young people from Miami who took part in first post-Roe March for Life, traveling to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21, 2023. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
Photographer: ISABEL RENNELLA | FC
One of the messages carried by marchers at the March for Life, where over 90 young people from Miami took part Jan. 20, 2023. They traveled to Washington, D.C., Jan. 18-21. The pilgrimage was led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
The Archdiocese of Miami sent a delegation of over 90 young people to the nation’s capital on the Jan. 18-21 pilgrimage, led by Stephen Colella, director of the Office of Parish Life, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
The pilgrims came from across the archdiocese: Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, St. Brendan High, Christopher Columbus High and Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, all in Miami; along with Archbishop Edward McCarthy High in Southwest Ranches. Making their debut trip in their first year of existence were students from Cristo Rey High School in Miami Shores.
Young adults from Encuentros Juveniles and Little Flower Church also traveled along with staff members from the Office of Respect Life and Radio Paz 830 AM/96.1 FM, who chronicled the event on social media for their listeners.
“It truly is remarkable to see these young people stand up for life,” said Father Alvarez.
He celebrated a send-off Mass at his parish Jan. 15 and a Mass Jan. 19 for all the pilgrims at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
“These kids are bombarded daily by so many mediums that pull them into this throwaway culture, but here in D.C. they’re literally marching in the opposite direction and embracing the ‘gospel of life’ that St. John Paul II wrote about so beautifully,” Father Alvarez said.
Students were able to tour the museum at the St. John Paul II National Shrine and learn more about a pope who died before most, if not all of them, were born. They also toured the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum the day before the March, which added context for many of why every human life matters.
On the morning of the March, the archdiocesan group attended the Life Fest hosted by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus at the D.C. Entertainment and Sports Arena, which was filled with 4,000 young people from across the United States.
After listening to testimonies from several speakers and taking part in eucharistic adoration, Life Fest concluded with Mass.
By the time the March For Life started at 1 p.m., thousands of people were lined up on Madison Avenue ready to march towards the U.S. Supreme Court.
Our Lady of Lourdes student Catalina Cantens said she was “so surprised to see so many different age groups at the March.”
This was the 15-year-old’s first time attending the March for Life. “I saw not only young people my age but also children, adults, and senior citizens,” she said.
When making a turn onto Constitution Avenue, could see the Capitol building, a reminder that more work remains to be done for abortion to be unthinkable in this country.
Isabel Rennella is a teacher’s aide at St. Theresa School in Coral Gables and an “asesora” or member of the leadership team for Encuentros Juveniles. She is currently studying education at Miami-Dade College.
