Mass and march for life to draw thousands

Arkansas’ new governor will address March for Life Sunday at State Capitol

Published: January 15, 2015

The 42nd anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision will be remembered with the annual Mass for Life and March for Life Sunday, Jan. 18.

The Mass begins at noon in the Statehouse Convention Center ballroom. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will be the celebrant. Anyone who has lost a child for any reason is invited to sign the Book of Innocents and present a red rose during Mass.

Adoration begins at 11 a.m. followed by a rosary at 11:15 a.m.

The respect life vigil will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Pulaski County parishes have been assigned times to visit the cathedral to pray, but Catholics can attend anytime that is convenient.

6:30–8:30 p.m., Christ the King
8:30–10:30 p.m., St. John Latin Mass Community
10:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m., Immaculate Conception, St. Anne and St. Bartholomew
12:30–2:30 a.m., St. Edward and Immaculate Heart of Mary
2:30–4 a.m., Cathedral of St. Andrew and St. Theresa
4–6 a.m., Our Lady of the Holy Souls and St. Francis of Assisi
6–8 a.m., Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Augustine, St. Patrick and St. Mary

Following the Mass for Life, the 37th annual March for Life will begin at 2 p.m. The staging area for the march will be on West Capitol between Battery and Wolfe streets, behind the State Capitol. Marchers will split into two groups to circle around the capitol before joining back together on the Capitol steps.

The keynote speaker will be Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who was elected in November. Others participating in the program will be Father T. J. Hart, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marche), and Rev. Scott Stewart, pastor of Agape Church in Little Rock. Charisse Dean of Little Rock will perform.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, Second District U.S. Rep. French Hill and Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin will attend, according to Arkansas Right to Life, which coordinates the march.

“The 2014 general elections were very good for unborn children in our state and nation,” executive director Rose Mimms said. “In Arkansas we have a 100 percent pro-life congressional representation in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, the State Capitol and have a pro-life majority in the Arkansas General Assembly. An unprecedented number of pro-life candidates have been elected to office that will result in significant pro-life legislation to restrict abortion, save unborn children and protect women in Arkansas until the time when we can overturn Roe v. Wade.”

Arkansas Right to Life’s top priority in 2015 is to ban webcam abortions in the state. Legislation was scheduled to be filed this week, Mimms said.