On the eve of the 2026 March for Life, Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley urged Catholics to rediscover the sacredness of human life, calling it “a precious gift from a loving God,” during a Mass celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Mass, held on Jan. 23, concluded the National Prayer Vigil for Life and gathered thousands of pilgrims who traveled to the nation’s capital ahead of the annual march. According to EWTN News, O’Malley acknowledged the sacrifices made by those in attendance, telling the faithful, “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.”
Reflecting on the moral urgency of the pro-life cause, the cardinal described abortion as “the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world,” adding that it is “a matter of life and death in a very grand scale,” according to EWTN News. He also noted his long-standing participation in the movement, calling it “a joy and a privilege” to have attended every March for Life in Washington for more than five decades.
O’Malley centered much of his homily on the 2026 March for Life theme, Life Is a Gift. “What a powerful theme,” he said, while lamenting that “sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse,” according to EWTN News.
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Citing a recent poll, the cardinal warned of a cultural shift toward rejecting parenthood, noting that “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children,” a statistic he called “alarming,” according to the same source.
Throughout the homily, O’Malley emphasized that the pro-life mission is rooted not in politics but in love. “Our mission is not a political crusade,” he said. “It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other,” according to EWTN News. He encouraged the faithful to follow Christ’s example of mercy, saying the task of ending abortion requires healing rather than judgment.
Addressing the future of the pro-life movement, O’Malley expressed hope, noting that younger generations are increasingly present. “God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said, according to EWTN News.
He also warned that political polarization, racism, and economic injustice contribute to a culture in which abortion persists, even in a post–Roe v. Wade era. Quoting Pope Leo XIV’s call for unity, O’Malley said the Church must act as a witness to peace without obscuring the message of the Gospel.
Concluding his homily, O’Malley returned to the heart of the Church’s pro-life witness. “The antidote to abortion is love,” he said, describing love as something that “manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity,” according to EWTN News. He ended with a note of gratitude: “Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you.”
EWTN News provided coverage of the 2026 March for Life and the Mass preceding it.
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