BISMARCK, North Dakota (LifeSiteNews) — Blessed by an uncharacteristically warm October day, North Dakotans gathered for their annual state March for Life on October 11, 2024, in Bismarck, North Dakota.
For many of the Catholic attendees, including students from Catholic high schools across North Dakota, students from the University of Mary, and others from the community, the day began at the packed Cathedral of the Holy Spirit for Mass celebrated by Bishop David Kagan of the Diocese of Bismarck. Describing the violence of abortion in the United States, he reminded the congregation in his homily:
“The Lord Who created us willed us into existence for no other reason than that He loves us. We are truly made in His image and likeness. There are those in society and culture who don’t believe this at all. There are those who believe literally that they are gods unto themselves. It’s all about them. It’s not about the good of anyone else … Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we face a new and equally pernicious movement … What do we do? Well we continue to do what we were doing – we pray … and we also act on what we pray for. And that’s what we do today.”
Following Mass, those at the cathedral marched just over a mile to the North Dakota State Capitol, where they joined people from Lutherans for Life and others already there for a brief rally emceed by University of Mary chaplain Father Dominic Bouck. Fr. Bouck opened the rally commenting on the tension between political power and the power of God, saying, “One day [the legislators] are going to have to come face to face with the Divine Legislator, and His law is eternal, and He’s declared that every life is worth infinite love, infinite respect, and infinite dignity.”
Participants heard from Life Runners founder Dr. Patrick Castle and were led in prayer by Bishop Kagan as well as Keith Ritchie of Cornerstone Community Church of Bismarck. Attendees also participated in 60 seconds of silence, one second for every one million of the more than 60 million unborn children murdered in the womb since Roe v. Wade.
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban went into affect, forcing the state’s single abortion facility in Fargo to move to neighboring Moorehead, Minnesota. However, District Judge Bruce Romanick recently ruled that the law is “unconstitutional.” The ban is currently on hold as the court decision is appealed by the state.
The North Dakota March for Life is an annual event now held in October each year. It is sponsored by the ND Pro-Life Committee, the Catholic Diocese of Bismarck, and the University of Mary.