More than 100 students and faculty members from Walsh University traveled overnight in two coach buses to Washington, D.C., for the 2020 March for Life Rally, on January 24. Led by Walsh President Dr. Tim Collins and his bride Drenda, this is the largest pro-life pilgrimage group Walsh has ever sponsored.
“Everything is grounded on our understanding of the respect for human dignity. The March for Life is an opportunity to stand up and do something that is reflective of our values as an institution,” said Dr. Collins. “I think a university president should be there because this is modeling what we mean by leaders in service to others. It gets back to the idea that you can’t say you care if you’re not there. You can’t say you believe in something if you don’t stand up when it’s time to stand up. The March is all about human dignity but, more broadly, what we’re really standing up and saying is life matters and we ought to respect it at all stages.”
Every year, tens of thousands of pro-lifers converge on the National Mall and march on Capitol Hill on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion in all 50 states. It is the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world. The Walsh cohort departed campus on January 23, to attend the celebration of Holy Mass on Friday morning at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, participate in the Rally For Life at the National Mall, and then join in the March before departing for home.
“Our students left near midnight. They drove all through the night to spend nine hours participating in a variety of activities, mostly outside in January temperatures. They will then will get back on the bus, drive most of the night to return to school and pick up their regular schedules,” said Dr. Collins. “None of this is easy. It takes a lot of time and effort. But it’s about doing something, getting involved, and not just talking about it.”
On Wednesday, January 22, Campus Ministry hosted a “Rally For Life” in the Global Learning Center. This event featured student testimonials on the pro-life movement at Walsh University, as well as a special presentation by The Culture Project missionaries in Cleveland on the dignity of human life. The evening included a blessing for all local pilgrims attending the March For Life.
“I think it’s important that they understand that they’re standing up for something that not everyone agrees with. It’s a very polarizing issue,” said Dr. Collins. “But it’s that experience of defending what you believe in a peaceful and civilized way.”
