As pro-life advocates prepare for the 52nd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., the incoming president of the march, Jennie Bradley Lichter, remains hopeful about the movement’s future. The January 24 march will mark the final one led by Jeanne Mancini, who has served as president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund. After the march, Lichter will step into the role on February 1, bringing with her a deep commitment to the pro-life cause shaped by a lifetime of personal and professional experience.
Lichter, a Catholic mother of three and lawyer, has been involved in the pro-life movement since childhood. Reflecting on her upbringing, she said, “I grew up in a committed pro-life family” and noted that her parents “raised us to know that every life is precious.” Her father, Gerard Bradley, a retired pro-life Notre Dame law professor, was instrumental in her early understanding of the sanctity of life. Lichter credits her parents for their strong pro-life example: “They really lived that [belief] by example.”
Lichter’s personal faith has also played a crucial role in her journey. She has been a daily Mass attendee since her teenage years and continues to prioritize prayer and discernment. According to Catholic News Agency, Lichter shared that this discernment ultimately led her to say “yes” to becoming the president of the March for Life, stating, “We’re all called to put our lives at the Lord’s service.”
A Longtime Advocate for Life
Lichter’s professional background includes significant work in both the pro-life and religious liberty movements. She attended her first March for Life as a freshman at the University of Notre Dame in 2001. Since then, her advocacy has expanded to roles with the Family Research Council, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and the Trump administration.
While working with the Family Research Council, Lichter was deeply involved in pro-life research and religious liberty advocacy. She later pursued a master’s degree in theology from the University of Cambridge and earned her law degree at Harvard Law School. As a lawyer, Lichter contributed to legal challenges against the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act. Her work extended to the Department of Justice during the Trump administration, where she helped launch a religious liberty task force. She also served as a legal advisor on the Domestic Policy Council, working on faith-based issues and pro-life policies.
In 2019, she took on the role of advising the White House on pro-life matters, and after the 2020 election, Lichter worked as legal counsel for The Catholic University of America. There, she helped launch The Guadalupe Project, which offers resources to expectant mothers, aiming to support both faculty and students. The project’s goal is to make Catholic University the best possible place to bring children into the world.
Marching for Life in a Post-Roe World
The March for Life began in 1974, a year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion across the United States. Since then, the march has been a central gathering for pro-life advocates. However, the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 by the Supreme Court has not signaled the end of the march, but rather a renewed commitment to the cause.
Lichter emphasized the continuing importance of the march, saying, “We’re going to keep on showing up in Washington and we’re going to keep on marching until every baby is … protected under the law and every mom is supported.” She acknowledged the victory of overturning Roe, but clarified, “This issue is not over.” Lichter added, “Pro-life people are still really motivated, still showing up in Washington at a very chilly time of year.”
For Lichter, the ultimate goal is to “make abortion unthinkable,” while ensuring that mothers “feel supported and have the resources they need.” She called the March for Life “a hopeful day, it is a joyful day, there is a lot of energy there,” describing it as “a shot of energy for the pro-life movement every year [so that we] can go back sort of renewed for the fight.”
In addition to the national march, Lichter highlighted the importance of grassroots efforts. The March for Life organization has expanded its state marches, with events held in 17 states. Lichter said, “We’re going to keep on showing up in Washington and we’re going to keep on marching,” while also emphasizing the need to “be present in the states and provide an opportunity for the grassroots at the state level to come together at their state capitals.”
A Future of Hope
Lichter expressed confidence in the movement’s future, stating, “There’s a lot of reasons for hope” and “a lot of peace and confidence knowing we’re working for a truly righteous cause.” As she prepares to take the reins of the March for Life, Lichter’s faith and dedication to the pro-life cause offer a hopeful vision for the future of the movement.
As the March for Life continues, it remains a beacon of hope, not just for the fight to protect the unborn but for a culture of life that supports mothers and families. Lichter’s leadership brings new energy and direction, but the march itself continues to stand as a powerful reminder that the pro-life cause is far from over.
