Last Saturday, September 6, the March for Life took place in the United Kingdom, marking the event with the highest attendance since it began a decade ago. According to National Catholic Register, more than 10,000 people gathered in London under the September sun to defend the dignity of human life in the face of a Parliament that is pushing increasingly pro-abortion and euthanasia-friendly laws.
Among the attendees were families, young people, religious individuals, priests, and even seven Catholic bishops, who were joined for the first time by Pope Leo XIV through a message encouraging those present to «respect the dignity of every person, from the unborn to the elderly».
The largest pro-life demonstration in the history of the United Kingdom
The march began near Westminster Cathedral and concluded near Parliament, with a festive atmosphere accompanied by bagpipers and banners with slogans like “Human rights begin at conception” and “Abortion stops a beating heart”.
The director of March for Life UK, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, declared to National Catholic Register: «It has been absolutely fantastic, the largest march to date, with impressive support in every way. We have not only seen more participation, but more young people, more religious leaders, and even people without faith. It is growing in every corner, it is truly incredible».
Bishop David Waller, ordinary of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, emphasized that «those who come to this march already live in the truth that human life is sacred. And if the unborn child is not considered sacred, everything else falls apart».
A Parliament openly anti-life
The mobilization took place in a political context marked by new legislative initiatives that threaten life. In June, the House of Commons approved an assisted suicide bill and an amendment that eliminates criminal liability for women who abort at any stage of gestation, even up to birth. Bill that was being voted on yesterday in the House of Lords.
Young Catholics at the forefront of the defense of life
Father Martin Boland, from the Diocese of Brentwood, highlighted the strong presence of young people at the march: «It encourages me to see that they are reflecting more deeply on these issues. I hope more priests invite their parishes to participate».
The gathering concluded with moving testimonies. One of them was that of Josiah Presley, from Oklahoma, who survived a surgical abortion and lives with a disability in his arm. «At 16, I found Christ and understood my worth and dignity. It is not enough to talk about the truth, one must act», he affirmed.
Testimonies from mothers in the face of the culture of death
In a panel titled “Human Rights in the Dark: What Women Aren’t Told”, a young woman named Natalia recounted how she was pushed to abort in 2020 after three visits to a clinic. She later found consolation in Rachel’s Vineyard ministry and is now a mother.
Another impactful testimony was that of Suzanne, an American whom doctors pressured to abort at 22 weeks after diagnosing anomalies in her daughter. She rejected the medical advice and gave birth to Rachel Mary at 26 weeks. Today, she is a healthy young woman who accompanied her mother at the march. «Abortion is not healthcare. No doctor should ever utter that word», Suzanne affirmed amid applause.
The Pope joins the March for Life
Pope Leo XIV, through the apostolic nuncio, sent his greetings to the demonstrators and reaffirmed that it is up to political leaders to «build harmonious and peaceful civil societies, investing in the family and respecting the dignity of every person». The Pontiff imparted his apostolic blessing and asked for abundant divine graces for the participants, reminding them that the defense of the most vulnerable—the unborn—is the foundation of a true culture of peace.