OTTAWA, Tue Apr 26, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a little over two weeks thousands of pro-lifers will gather in Ottawa for the annual National March for Life – the largest annual gathering on Parliament Hill and the largest pro-life march in Canada.
The theme of this year’s march is “Abortion Kills a Human Being.” Events will begin on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. The march itself will begin noon on Thursday, May 12, followed by the Youth Conference on Friday May 13.
Wednesday’s events include prayer services and Masses at various churches in the area, as well as the Candlelight Vigil held at 9:00 pm. at the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument, Elgin and Lisgar Streets.
Events on Thursday, May 12, begin with a prayer service hosted by the Jubilee Canadian Reformed Church at Merivale United Church, 1876 Merivale Road; a pro-life Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, Sussex Drive; and a pro-life Mass at St. Patrick’s Basilica, 220 Kent Street, all at 10:00 am.
Eparch Chmilar will concelebrate with Archbishop Prendergast at Notre Dame Cathedral. Archbishop Collins will preside at St. Patrick’s Basilica.
Speeches will be given by pro-life Members of Parliament, religious leaders including several Catholic bishops, and Campaign Life Coalition National President Jim Hughes on Parliament Hill between noon and 1:30 pm.
Following the march through downtown Ottawa, the Silent No More Awareness Campaign will offer testimonies from post-abortive women on Parliament Hill. At 4:00 pm. the closing prayer service will be given by the Eastern Catholic Chaplaincy of Ottawa, on Parliament Hill.
Doors open for the Rose Dinner (adult event) and the Youth Banquet/Dinner (for youth and chaperones) at 6:00 pm. on Thursday, May 12.
The location for both events is Hampton Inn, 200 Coventry Road, Ottawa, with tickets costing $75.00 for adults (including chaperones and teachers at the Youth Dinner), and $40.00 for students (high school and full time university).
The Rose Dinner this year features David Bereit, the national campaign director of 40 Days for Life, which he helped found in Bryan/College Station, Texas in 2004. Since 40 Days For Life began, this campaign of continuous prayer and fasting has resulted in over 4,000 babies having been saved from abortion, several abortion facilities having been shut down, a few dozen abortion workers quitting their jobs and thousands of women having been spared the devastating consequences of abortion.
He has appeared in support of the pro-life movement on a variety of major television networks, countless radio programs, and has been featured in more than 100 U.S. newspapers – including USA Today, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times.
Bereit will also speak on Parliament Hill just before the march.
The Youth Banquet/Dinner will feature Mario St. Francis, a former model and actor turned radical Catholic missionary and speaker.
Mario was featured in fashion shows, magazines, music videos and even a soap opera in South America. He was named one of America’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors by Cosmopolitan Magazine, and competed for title of “Mr. Colombia” in order to go on for the title of “Mr. World.”
However, at 24 Mario had a life-changing conversion that brought him back to the faith of his youth. Mario has given talks in over 85 cities, in 13 countries, on 4 continents.
The Youth Conference, Friday May 13, from 8:30 am. to 2:30 pm., is an intensive workshop for young people, designed to arm youth with expert knowledge and the necessary communications strategies to go back into their communities, tackling the culture of death head on, and transforming it into a culture of life.
The location for the Youth Conference is the Hampton Inn, 200 Coventry Road, and tickets (which are limited) are $45 per student and $40 for teachers/chaperones.
Tickets for the Rose Dinner and the Youth Banquet/Dinner on May 12, and the Youth Conference, May 13, may be obtained by contacting Campaign Life Coalition Ottawa at 613-729-0379 or email [email protected].
Tickets for the dinners and conference sell out quickly so organizers say to order soon.
For more information visit the National March for Life website.