Friday, 19 January 2018, will be the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Pro-life speeches begin on the National Mall at 12 Street, NW, at 12 noon, followed by the peaceful walk up Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court. Last year Vice President Mike Pence addressed the March for Life in person -- the first time any of America's top two leaders has done so in person. It is expected there will again be very high-level officials speaking in person at the March for Life at noon. (Get there early.)
UPDATE; 17 Jan.: President Trump will address the March for Life via satellite. Speaker Paul Ryan will address the March for Life in person.
Many, many American Catholics who attend the traditional Latin Mass will be at the March for Life. To that end, Saint Mary, Mother of God church at 5th and H streets, NW, becomes the de facto hub for the day (and Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for a Missa Cantata). Several visiting priests each year offer traditional Latin Masses at the four altars in the church on the day of the March for Life.
There will be at least four traditional Latin Masses at Saint Mary's on Friday, 19 January:
One will be a Solemn High Mass offered by three canons from the Institute of Christ the King at 8:30 a.m. A schola from visiting Institute oratories will sing Gregorian chant. Before that, Low Masses by canons from the Institute who will serve as deacon and subdeacon will be said at 7 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. (Full disclosure: there will also be non-traditional activity in the archdiocesan church, which is not a personal parish, in the morning.)
A second Solemn High Mass on 19 January will be offered by Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth at 4 p.m. at Saint Mary's. This will be the 6th annual "Nellie Gray Mass" offered for the repose of the soul of the Saint Mary's TLM communicant who founded the March for Life. The propers (the rare, violet-vestment votive Mass for the Forgiveness of Sins), ordinary and hymns for the Nellie Gray Mass will all be sung by the parish schola of men.
If you plan to attend the 4 p.m. High Mass, march at the front and allow time to get to Saint Mary's early for a seat. The church holds about 400 and, with numerous Juventutem chapter members and other visitors, is always standing-room-only for this Mass.
One will be a Solemn High Mass offered by three canons from the Institute of Christ the King at 8:30 a.m. A schola from visiting Institute oratories will sing Gregorian chant. Before that, Low Masses by canons from the Institute who will serve as deacon and subdeacon will be said at 7 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. (Full disclosure: there will also be non-traditional activity in the archdiocesan church, which is not a personal parish, in the morning.)
A second Solemn High Mass on 19 January will be offered by Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth at 4 p.m. at Saint Mary's. This will be the 6th annual "Nellie Gray Mass" offered for the repose of the soul of the Saint Mary's TLM communicant who founded the March for Life. The propers (the rare, violet-vestment votive Mass for the Forgiveness of Sins), ordinary and hymns for the Nellie Gray Mass will all be sung by the parish schola of men.
If you plan to attend the 4 p.m. High Mass, march at the front and allow time to get to Saint Mary's early for a seat. The church holds about 400 and, with numerous Juventutem chapter members and other visitors, is always standing-room-only for this Mass.
