Category: Diocese of Scranton News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Following the Holy See’s Oct. 13 announcement that Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with lung cancer and had the lower lobe of his right lung removed, Church and civic leaders expressed their hope and prayers for his full recovery.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the faithful to pray for Pope Leo in a post on X.

“Doctors at Gemelli Hospital removed a cancerous tumor from Pope Leo XIV’s right lung, according to the Holy See Press Office,” the post said. “The surgery was successful, with no complications, and the Holy Father has returned to his hospital room. We ask the faithful to continue praying for Pope Leo’s recovery and for the doctors and staff caring for him. We also hold in prayer all who are living with cancer, their families, and those who care for them.”

The following day, the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops sent a letter to Pope Leo, assuring him of the prayers of the bishops and faithful of Canada, entrusting him to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

Individual bishops and dioceses in the U.S. also urged prayer.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, Pope Leo’s hometown, said in an Oct. 13 statement that while the cancer diagnosis was not the news they hoped to hear, “we are heartened by the skill and optimism of his physicians and the countless prayers” being offered for the pope.

“I ask that people of good will everywhere, but particularly here, in Pope Leo’s hometown join me in asking the Lord to return this son of Chicago to wellness,” the cardinal said. “He has much more good work to do, many more wise words to preach and many more ways to inspire others.”

“Bless Pope Leo XIV with strength and peace as he faces this illness and unite him ever more closely with your Son,” said the Archdiocese of New York in an X post asking for prayers for the restoration of the pope’s health.

In a separate post, Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York thanked God that the pope’s surgery was “by all accounts, successful” and added that he joined faithful from the archdiocese, country and the world “in keeping the Holy Father in our prayer.”

“Friends, please join me in praying for healing for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer,” Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, wrote on X.

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis asked “all people of good will to join us in prayer for Pope Leo XIV and those who are caring for him.”

Bishop Mark A. Eckman of Pittsburgh said in a statement he joins Catholics in that diocese “and around the world in lifting up our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in prayer following the news of his surgery and lung cancer diagnosis.”

“We are grateful to hear that the surgery was successful, and we pray that the Holy Father will experience a full and peaceful recovery,” Bishop Eckman said. “Pope Leo has reminded us of the importance of faith, hope, and caring for one another. Now, as he faces this personal health challenge, we have an opportunity to surround him with the same love and prayerful
support that he so generously offers to the Church and the world.”

— Civic leaders express support, pray for Pope Leo —

U.S. officials and lawmakers also weighed in, including Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson, D-Ill., who represents a Chicago-area district.

“Pope Leo XIV is one of our own, a Chicago kid who carried the values of our neighborhoods all the way onto the world stage, and today our whole city is wishing him strength and a full recovery,” Jackson said in a post on X. “Let his diagnosis also be a reminder to talk with your doctor about lung cancer screening, because catching it early saves lives. Chicago is with you.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is Catholic, wrote in a post on X the same day, “Jeanette and I are united in prayer for (Pope Leo)’s health following his recent diagnosis.”

“May the Lord give him strength and the Holy Spirit guide the medical professionals taking care of the Holy Father,” Rubio said.

Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, wrote in a post on X the following day, “Our family continues to pray for the good health and full recovery of Pope Leo XIV. May God grant him strength as he works to get better. I hope he knows that millions of American Christians are thinking about him.”

Vance also noted that Louis Prevost, the pope’s brother, is also suffering from cancer, and said, “May God keep both of these brothers healthy for years to come.”

Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., who is Catholic, wrote in a post on X, “Saint Teresa of Avila reminds us that ‘those who were nearest to Christ our Lord were those who had the greatest trials.'”

“This is no doubt true of (Pope Leo),” he said. “Please join Mina and me in praying for the Holy Father as he begins this battle to defeat cancer.”

In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney, a Catholic, wished the pope “a full and swift recovery following his successful surgery.”

“His Holiness is a source of hope and inspiration for billions around the world,” Carney wrote on X. “His message of unity and compassion reminds us of the strength we can offer one another in moments of uncertainty.”

— Surgery to remove nodule was announced after Sunday Angelus —

The 71-year-old pope disclosed during his Oct. 11 Angelus address that doctors had found a “localized nodule” in his lung. He said the nodule was “detected at a very early stage” during “some recent medical examinations.”

“The doctors believe intervention is advisable, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to have it removed,” Pope Leo said.

The pope arrived at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital at about 1 p.m. Rome time on Oct. 13, and underwent the surgery in the late afternoon.

“The surgery was successful, completed on schedule and as planned, and the Holy Father has returned to his room,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued shortly before 8 p.m.

Just before 10 p.m., a joint statement by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, chief thoracic surgeon at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, and Dr. Luigi Carbone revealed that the “examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the preoperative tests.”

ROME (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV underwent more medical exams and started respiratory physical therapy on Oct. 14, the day after the lung cancer surgery that removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung.

In the first medical update provided by the Vatican since the late-night revelation of the pope’s lung cancer diagnosis, the pope’s doctors said Wednesday that the pope’s “recovery is proceeding as expected” and the pope has begun walking around his hospital room.

“This morning, the Holy Father underwent the blood tests and chest X-ray scheduled following the surgery. The results confirm a normal postoperative recovery: the values are within the normal range for the type of surgery performed,” the joint statement by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the pope’s surgeon, and Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pope’s personal doctor, said.

“The Holy Father underwent respiratory physical therapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed his regular diet, having had breakfast and lunch. His recovery is proceeding as expected.”

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists that Pope Leo was “in good spirits” the day after surgery. Bruni told journalists that before having surgery, Pope Leo had undergone a robotic bronchoscopy with biopsy, a chest CT scan with contrast, and a PET scan which indicated the need for the Oct. 13 surgery.

Pope Leo was admitted to Gemelli Hospital Oct. 13 for the lung surgery, following the pope’s Oct. 11 disclosure that recent medical examinations had revealed a “well-contained” lung nodule that had been “detected at a very early stage.”

According to Vatican News, post-operation tests will be conducted on the removed tissue in the coming days.

In response to a question of how long the wait might be to receive any results as to whether cancer remains beyond what was removed during the pope’s surgery, Bruni said, “You have to ask a doctor for the timing of those. It usually takes five, 10, 15 days depending on the situation.”

Speaking with OSV News, medical experts indicated that a potential analysis of the pope’s lymph nodes could be key to evaluating the next steps.

Dr. Nirmal Veeramachaneni, professor of cardiothoracic surgery at St. Louis University School of Medicine and medical director for lung cancer screening at SSM Health — who is not involved in the pope’s care — said in an interview with OSV News that it would typically take a week to get all of the biopsy results back.

The pope’s doctors Oct. 14 statement is the first update from the Vatican on the pope’s medical condition since the pope’s surgery ended with the revelation from his doctors that the “examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the preoperative tests.”

Adenocarcinoma of the lung is the most common form of lung cancer in the United States. It represents about 40% of all lung cancers, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.

The right lower lobe of the lung, which Pope Leo had removed, is the largest of the three lobes in the right lung. Located in the posterior and inferior part of the right chest cavity, it contributes roughly 30% of total lung capacity, making it the single largest lung lobe, according to the Baylor College of Medicine.

Pope Leo is expected to remain in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital as he recovers from surgery for at least one week. The Vatican has canceled all of the pope’s scheduled audiences through Oct. 20.

Bruni said that there were no changes to announce at this time to the pope’s expected length of stay in the hospital or to the pope’s scheduled trip to Latin America Nov. 6-17. He said that Pope Leo XIV had “manifested his intention” to travel to Peru and “that’s still there.”

The previously published schedule for the 12-day trip to South America indicated that he would travel more than 19,000 miles on 14 flights during a November trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, which includes stops high in the Andes mountains.

Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori said the country received the news of the pontiff’s diagnosis “with deep sadness” and asked God “to care for him, to give him strength, and allow us to see him soon recovered.”

“Holy Father, this land, which is also your home, embraces you with immense affection. Today it is our turn to accompany you with our prayers, just as you have so many times accompanied us with yours,” she wrote.

SCRANTON – Young adults are invited to join the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, and the Diocesan Vocations Office for the eleventh annual Leave a Mark Mass on Nov. 1, 2026, to kick off National Vocation Awareness Week!

Mass will take place at 5:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

Leave a Mark is the Diocese of Scranton’s response to what Pope Francis said at World Youth Day in 2016: “Dear young people, we didn’t come into this world to ‘vegetate,’ to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on. No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark. It is very sad to pass through life without leaving a mark.”

Now, every year on the Sunday before National Vocation Awareness Week, young adults from around our diocese come together to worship the Lord, meet one another, and discern how God is calling us to leave a mark in this world through our vocation.

There will be a reception following the Mass at the Diocesan Pastoral Center across the street from the Cathedral of Saint Peter featuring food trucks and interactive activities.

SCRANTON – Just one month after launching in parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton, the 2026-2027 Catholic Ministries Appeal is already approaching the halfway mark toward its $4.5 million goal, reflecting the generosity and commitment of parishioners supporting the vital Catholic ministries of our local Church.

The Diocese of Scranton extends its gratitude to the thousands of donors who have already made a gift or pledge. Every contribution helps sustain ministries that serve individuals and families, strengthen parishes, educate young people and spread the Good News of the Gospel.

The Catholic Ministries Appeal supports Vocations, Seminarians and Retired Clergy; Catholic media and communications; Parish Life initiatives; Catholic Social Services; Catholic education; as well as Parish Faith Formation and Social Justice Grants.

As the Appeal continues, previous donors may have recently received a second letter inviting them to renew their support. This year, that letter comes from the four seminarians currently living at the newly reopened Saint Pius Seminary in Scranton.

The seminarians express gratitude for the generosity that helped make the seminary’s reopening possible and invite donors to continue investing in priestly formation and the many other ministries supported by the Appeal.

“Your past support of the Catholic Ministries Appeal, through your prayers and your financial gifts, helped make the reopening of Saint Pius X Seminary a reality,” the seminarians wrote.

Those who have not yet participated in this year’s Appeal are invited to make a gift or pledge. To learn more about the ministries supported by the Appeal or to contribute, visit AnnualAppeal.org or call the Diocesan Development Office at (570) 207-2250.

WILKES-BARRE – More than 300 men gathered at Holy Redeemer High School on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, for the 11th annual ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference, a day of prayer and fellowship which was centered on this year’s theme, “Just Be Catholic.”

The day began with an outdoor Rosary before a morning session featuring speakers Rob Marco and the Most Rev. Joseph Coffey, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Following lunch, John Martignoni spoke and the conference concluded with Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton.

In his homily, Bishop Bambera challenged the men to recognize the dignity of every human person and to demonstrate their faith through their daily actions.

Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bishop shared the story of a construction worker who volunteered at Ground Zero. Amid the devastation, young Salvation Army volunteers brought water and towels to recovery workers and even removed the construction worker’s boots to give him dry socks.

The worker later recalled being moved to tears by the kindness of people he might previously have overlooked or misunderstood.

For Bishop Bambera, the experience illustrated the Gospel’s call to look beyond stereotypes and recognize every person as a child of God.

“If we are truly faithful to God’s plan and to the teaching of our Church, when we must embrace a faith-centered vision that sees beyond skin color, physical abilities, ethnic stereotypes, lifestyle and economic status,” the Bishop said.

Connecting the story to the Gospel’s parable of the wedding feast on the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bishop Bambera reminded the men that God’s invitation extends to everyone, but accepting that invitation requires a conversion of heart and a commitment to living the faith authentically.

“It’s not enough for us to say we’re Christians,” he said. “We need to give our faith a life and profess what we believe through the words we speak, the pattern of our lives and the depth of our love and forgiveness.”

The Bishop urged the men to become instruments of peace and healing in a world marked by division, beginning with their own hearts and relationships.

“Be strong in your faith and humble enough to know that we are all desperately in need of God’s mercy,” he added.

Joe Adcroft has attended the ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference for many years and said the event offers an opportunity to renew his spiritual commitment through prayer, the sacraments and the encouragement of fellow Catholic men.

“You go away and you’ve got this wind behind you, pushing you, like the Holy Spirit,” he said. “It just reinvigorates you.”

Adcroft also emphasized the responsibility men have to share the faith with younger generations, including their children, grandchildren and nephews.

“They’re looking for that connection to God, that love of Christ, and if we don’t take the first steps, then they’re not going to do it,” he added.

Greg Solfanelli, another longtime conference participant, described the fellowship as one of the conference’s greatest strengths.

“Iron sharpens iron,” he said. “We are here for each other and lift each other up and encourage one another. I find that here and I look forward to it year in and year out at the conference.”

This year’s speakers impressed Matt Schofield, a parishioner of Saint Patrick Parish in Nicholson.

“I enjoyed the speakers because they have viewpoints I don’t hear other than on a little screen on my phone. It’s nice to see these guys in person,” Schofield said.

Toward the end of the conference, organizers also recognized three longtime members of its organizing team – Jack Walsh III, Dennis Shovlin and Ed Niewinski – for their years of service.

Presenting plaques in their honor, conference chairman Mike Kilmer praised the men as “outstanding Catholic men, husbands, fathers, grandfathers and mentors.”

Catholic men are encouraged to save the date of Oct. 9, 2027, which is when the twelfth annual Catholic Men’s Conference is slated to take place.

SCRANTON – For Sister Judy O’Brien, I.H.M., leading this year’s Thanksgiving Community Program is more than a responsibility.

It is a full-circle moment.

Five decades ago, Sister Adrian Barrett, I.H.M., founded what would become a significant program of Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center, inviting people who had nowhere to go to a Thanksgiving meal.

This year, Sister Judy – a longtime friend of Sister Adrian and the newly appointed President and CEO of Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center – will help carry the tradition forward as the program celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“I feel like I am walking in the shoes of Sister Adrian Barrett,” Sister Judy said during an Oct. 8 press conference at Cooper’s Seafood House in Scranton. “There were 34 people at that first event. Today, this season, we will feed 4,000 people in her name and in the name of all those people who have walked with Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley over these years.”

This year’s milestone comes at a time when the need, and the cost of meeting it, continues to grow.

Linda Robeson, Director of the Family to Family Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, said the organization hopes to provide Thanksgiving food baskets to approximately 3,500 local families this year. But the rising cost of food has made that goal more difficult.

“Turkeys, this year, unfortunately have gone up over $1 a pound,” Robeson said.

Family to Family, which is marking its 40th year, has provided food to more than 1.5 million people over the course of its history. The Thanksgiving program alone has cost approximately $120,000 in recent years.

“We want to give a nice size turkey,” Robeson explained. “We want them to have leftovers. It’s a hard market, believe it or not, to find the right size price range when you’re buying turkeys a year in advance.”

The Thanksgiving Community Program will begin with an interfaith prayer service on Friday, Nov. 13 at Temple Hesed, 1 Knox Road, Scranton. The Thanksgiving Community Dinner will follow on Nov. 24 at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Avenue, Scranton, with drive-through and walk-up meals available from 2:30-5:30 p.m., or until supplies last.

On Nov. 25, Family to Family will distribute Thanksgiving food baskets at the Scranton Cultural Center from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or until supplies last.

For Sister Judy, the effort is ultimately about much more than food.

“This is what we’re supposed to do,” she said. “It is not an obligation. It is a centering of the true meaning of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.”

And she emphasized, it cannot happen without the community.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of people who will stand with us this holiday season to help our neighbors in need,” Sister Judy said. “We could not do this without the community.”

HOW TO HELP
50th THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY PROGRAM

Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Thanksgiving Community Dinner
To donate or volunteer, visit fotpcmc.org or call (570) 342-1342

Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Family to Family Food Basket Distribution

To donate, send a check to:
Family to Family
PO Box 13
Scranton, PA 18501

 

 

ARCHBALD – In a community that is at the center of the growing debate over artificial intelligence and data centers in northeastern Pennsylvania, the local Catholic parish recently turned to Pope Leo XIV for guidance.

Christ the King Parish in Archbald hosted a panel discussion Sept. 23 examining the impact of artificial intelligence on faith, health and the local community, using Pope Leo’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, as its guide.

Released in May, Pope Leo’s encyclical calls the Church and the broader world to approach rapidly developing technology through the lens of human dignity, conscience, freedom and the common good.

Father Ryan Glenn, Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Archbald, said the conversation was timely because of the ongoing discussions surrounding proposed data centers in his community.

“There is a lot of debate, a lot of dialogue, a lot of discord over that in our borough where our parish is located,” Father Glenn said. “I thought it was really important for the parish, on behalf of the Church, to provide a forum where we could think, discuss and really hear from the mind and the heart of the Church.”

The panel brought together Father Glenn, Megan Ossont, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and assistant professor of nursing at The University of Scranton, and Megan Heeder, assistant professor of theology at the University.

The discussion explored both the opportunities and concerns surrounding AI, but repeatedly returned to a central question raised by Pope Leo.

That question is: Does technological progress ultimately make human life more human?

Heeder said that question from Magnifica Humanitas has become an important starting point for discernment because society does not yet have all the answers about where artificial intelligence will lead.

“We don’t really have a blueprint for best and worst decisions, particularly because in local communities the realities can be so different,” Heeder said.

For Ossont, the implications are especially significant in health care, where AI is increasingly being considered as a tool for diagnosis, decision-making and patient care.

“It can be a helpful tool, but it does not replace human critical thinking for diagnostics or the human experience of care,” Ossont said.

She believes that discernment will be critical for the next generation of health care professionals.

“If we can have the next generation of healthcare providers discern the appropriate use of AI, it can really help start to slow down that trend of replacing human providers with AI,” Ossont added.

Heeder noted that the Church’s concern extends beyond individual applications of technology.

“You lose the human connection behind all of this,” she said. “Providing care to someone is so much more than simply providing a diagnosis.”

That emphasis echoes Pope Leo’s broader message that AI must remain at the service of the human person rather than reducing people to data, productivity or performance.

Father Glenn said another major concern with the use of AI is that it isolates people.

“We believe that a (church) community is a response to that isolation and to that individualism,” he said, pointing to worship, the Eucharist, the sacraments, fellowship and opportunities for education and formation.

The Sept. 23 panel discussion was funded through a Social Justice Grant from the Diocese of Scranton’s Catholic Ministries Appeal. The conversation will continue with an encore presentation at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at The University of Scranton, offering another opportunity for people (especially college students) to consider Pope Leo’s challenge in an increasingly technological age.

As Heeder left the first session, she said the gathering offered a hopeful sign.

“To be able to discuss this together in a place where questions about AI and data centers are so pressing for the daily lives of so many people, it’s just a really beautiful sign of hope,” Heeder said. “And a sign of the Church’s continued ability to speak to the realities that we’re facing now.”

LAFLIN – A beloved annual tradition of prayer continued this year in a new location as faithful from across the Diocese of Scranton gathered for the annual Rosary Novena at the Oblates of Saint Joseph Chapel.

Held Oct. 3-11, the nine-day Novena brought the faithful together each evening for the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament and a spiritual reflection from a priest or deacon.

The theme of this year’s Rosary Novena was “To Jesus through Mary.”

For many years, the annual Novena was held at Saint Lucy Parish in Scranton before moving to Divine Mercy Parish in Scranton recently. This year marked the first time the Novena has been held at the Oblates of Saint Joseph Chapel along Route 315 in Laflin.

For those who have made the Rosary a regular part of their lives, gathering with others to pray each October has become special.

“It’s good to know that I’m not alone and that there are people doing the same thing and praying along with me,” Frank Barbrie of Communion of Saints Parish in Pittston said. “It’s special. You get a good feel of the Holy Spirit.”

Stephen Englot of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Swoyersville said he and his family have prayed the Rosary at home for many years, but there is something different about joining others in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

“Sometimes when you say prayers at home you wonder, are we the last ones doing this?” he said. “You look around here and see the intense concentration and piety and it just restores our faith that God is working through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.”

Joan Marzen of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Dupont was particularly encouraged to see many young people participating this year.

“It was absolutely beautiful and inspiring. We need all the prayer that we can in this world,” she said.

For Marzen, the Rosary is a reminder that hope remains even amid a troubled world.

“It shows that there is hope,” she added. “There is hope for us in this world. Never give up.”

For Englot, the experience of praying together offered a glimpse of something even greater.

“The feeling is almost supernatural,” he said. “You’re just in union with the Spirit. Peace and community. It’s almost like a taste of what heaven will be like when we’re praying face to face with our Lord.”

HARRISBURG – Bus after bus rolled into Harrisburg on Sept. 21, 2026, bringing young adults, families and pro-life advocates to the State Capitol to take part in the sixth annual Pennsylvania March for Life.

Media members estimated about 6,000 people participated in this year’s event, making it the largest crowd yet. The Pennsylvania Family Institute said approximately 70 buses were scheduled to bring participants from every corner of the commonwealth, which was also a record.

Mike Kilmer was on one of two buses that came from Bradford County. He has attended all the previous Pennsylvania marches and said the growth has been unmistakable.

“It has been growing,” Kilmer said. “We feel that abortion is the greatest abomination that has ever happened in our country … it is a felony if you destroy an eagle’s egg, but you can kill a human being in the womb at any time, in eleven states, up until birth. That’s not even logical.”

Kilmer said the shift of the pro-life movement’s focus toward state capitols following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has made gatherings such as the Pennsylvania March increasingly significant.

Numerous buses from the eleven counties of the Diocese of Scranton were among those counted in attendance figures.

A Diocesan-sponsored bus made stops in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, while additional buses carried participants from the Northern Tier, the Poconos and Hazleton. Others made the trip on their own, making for a strong local presence in Harrisburg.

For many, the most striking part of the day was not simply the size of the crowd, but the number of young people participating.

“This is my first time and I’m really glad I came. I thought it was really beautiful,” Katelyn Torres, a young parishioner of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, said. “I never realized how big ‘pro-life’ really was until I came here.”

As she left the March for Life, Torres said she has hope for her generation.

“I’m going to invite my friends and tell my friends about what I saw today,” she added. “I think a lot of people (my age) should get to experience this.”

Lexi Villarreal, who lives in Scranton and also attends Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish, said she was surprised by the number of participants.

“I expected a lot less,” she said.

Instead, she found herself surrounded by a crowd so large that participants were “bumping into each other” as the march got underway.

“That really amazed me, how many people there was,” Villarreal said.

Colleen Eisley, a Jersey Shore native and senior theology and marketing major at Saint Francis University, attended a previous March for Life and returned to Harrisburg this year with fellow students.

“It’s just a beautiful way to be involved in our state and local community and stand for life,” Eisley said. “We’re standing for life on campus and in our community. I think that it’s our responsibility to stand up for life, to stand up for the babies and their moms.”

Other young participants came to Harrisburg looking to learn as well as provide witness.

For Kimberly Munoz-Jimenez, a senior from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, the experience was an opportunity to become more informed.

“I wanted to experience it to see what it was like,” she said. “Also, to bring awareness and get myself informed, so I can help others as well.”

Katelyn Moses, a King’s College sophomore, said she was excited when her school decided to participate.

“It is something that is difficult to be bold in, and I’ve decided with change in my life, I changed to a theology major, so I really want to make that boldness a big part of my life. So, I want to stand up and stand with life,” Moses said.

The call to “be bold” and carry the experience of the March for Life beyond Harrisburg was a central theme of a morning rally before the march itself.

Michael Geer, President of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, reminded participants that witnessing for life requires more than showing up for one day.

“It requires ongoing persistent action: praying, voting, engaging,” Geer explained.

Pro-life leader Jeannie Lichter similarly told the crowd, “It matters so much what you do when you leave here!”

She challenged participants to speak about the dignity of human life, advocate for pro-life laws and policies and – perhaps most importantly – “walk with moms” by supporting women and families facing difficult pregnancies.

Pennsylvania law currently permits abortion through the 23rd week of pregnancy, with additional restrictions after 24 weeks except when two physicians certify that the pregnant woman’s life or health is seriously endangered.

Dr. Monique Ruberu, an OB/GYN and Board Member of 40 Days for Life, insisted there is never any medically necessary abortion.

“There are amazing physicians who are trained specifically to take care of moms with medical complications, maternal fetal medicine specialists, who walk with these moms. Their job is to take care of the mom and the baby. Because there are two patients in every pregnancy,” Dr. Ruberu said. “Don’t stand for the nonsense when people say it’s a ‘medically necessary procedure.’ It is not!”