News

Image

FRONT ROYAL, VA, January 4, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – There are very few colleges in the United States that would even consider closing up shop on the day of the national March for Life, let alone provide transportation to their entire student body to attend the annual event in Washington D.C.

But Christendom College is doing more than considering it.

On January 24, the small Catholic liberal arts college, which is nestled in the midst of the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, on the very shore of the famous Shenandoah River, will charter busses enabling the entire student body to attend the March for Life.

“I think it’s great that Christendom recognizes the importance of the March by closing the entire campus,” says Sophomore Jessica Inzeo. “It ensures that every student has the opportunity to participate in this national event.”

Senior Margaret Antunes agrees.

“I don’t think any other school does this,” she says. “It is a great bonding experience for all the students as we gather under the Christendom banner in support of the pro-life message.”

Every year, Christendom cancels classes on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. In 2009, Christendom students led the March for Life, carrying the lead banner and flags.

The college has attended the March for Life as a community every year since the school was founded over 30 years ago.

Its students are also active in pro-life work year round, leading prayerful protests at a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Washington once a week, as well as taking part in sidewalk counseling and other pro-life activities.

Every semester the college’s “Shield of Roses” club organizes what they call a “Mega Shield,” where they encourage as much of the student body as possible to drive to the Washington Planned Parenthood facility for a morning of prayer and fasting to end abortion.

The most recent such event took place last November. Over 140 Christendom students participated, waking up at the crack of dawn and piling into vans to make the hour-long trip.

“I was really impressed to see so many of my fellow students get up early on a cold Saturday morning to pray in front of one of Washington’s abortion clinic,” said Senior John Killackey at the time. “It truly is a powerful witness to the culture of life on the front line of the battle against the culture of death.”