Brother Martin Crusaders and faculty traveled with hundreds of students from across the Archdiocese to participate in the 2026 March for Life Pilgrimage in Washington, D.C. This event, which has taken place since 1974, is one of the largest human rights demonstrations in the world. It is a celebration of the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. 

In addition to marching to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the rights of the unborn, they toured the U.S. Capitol building, where they were greeted by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The group also visited the National Holocaust Museum and gathered daily for Mass and ministry nights.

Four of our Crusaders shared their experiences on the pilgrimage:

“At night, we had a ministry night where confession was hosted by the priests and the Archbishop. There was also a band called the Vigil Project, who did an excellent job of entertaining us but also keeping us in a state of holiness throughout the whole trip. During one of the ministry nights, we had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the ballroom, which we made our spot of prayer for the days we were there. I was expecting this to be just like any other prayer service, but it was so much more. After a while had passed, you could see a huge group of students all kneeling on the floor by the altar, trying to get as close as possible to Jesus. It was truly one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed in my faith life.“ — Ian Schlorff ‘26

“The community has so many people filled with so much love and joy, you can’t help but feel it. It’s about showing how we love all people and how we’re all unique and special in the eyes of God. Being able to go on this trip with such nourishment for my spirit, I got to see the love of everyone. I got to feel the love of the Lord, especially during the ministry nights. The praise and worship made me feel like I was a part of something so special; I never wanted to leave. There’s a bit of a sacrifice along with it, but the sacrifice is irrelevant because of the community and the people you meet, and then the entire experience is truly irreplicable and beautiful.” — Jacob Gustin ‘26

“There were multiple opportunities for Mass and confession, as well as adoration and multiple ministry nights. While it was amazing to be able to march through the capital with many like-minded people, I think the other opportunities we had outside the March were where I, among others, grew in my faith the most. It was an amazing opportunity to make many new friends and grow in my faith, and I would recommend it to anyone who is at all interested.” — Connor Farrae ‘27

“First, I learned about the importance of the faith-based communities that we participate in. This was shown to us in many ways, but it was best illustrated through the experience of vulnerable sharing and group adoration. We shared on the bus rides and during our group meetings what we had learned and other things for the group to consider. We also experienced the community through our time in adoration, Mass, and the signing of hymns that took place in a hotel ballroom over 1,000 miles from our homes. Here, a congregation of teenagers was given the opportunity to grow in faith with one another through prayer and sharing. Second, I learned about the calling and responsibility that every person on that trip had to share what they had learned and put their new findings into practice. We heard from Archbishop Gregory Aymond in his homily and Father Jeff Merritt in his talk about how we were given a gift through the March. We were given this gift of a deeper understanding of the value of life, but this gift would be given for nothing if we did not return to our schools and daily lives and share this gift with everyone around us.” — Wyatt Hutchins ‘26

Please continue to pray for unborn babies, mothers, families, and all those afflicted by abortion.