This coming Friday, January 21, we will again be participating as a parish in the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. This peaceful and prayerful public protest for the protection of all life, especially the life of children in the womb. The March for Life began in response to the 1973 Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the United States. For those who have been, it is a unique gathering of parishes of all faiths throughout the country, of people at prayer, and of a celebration of human life. You march with the elderly, parents, students, and children joining to stand up for all human life. As a priest, one of the highlights for me is seeing Catholics from all over the Diocese of Arlington as well as the United States: priests who studied with me in the seminary and parishioners I met at my previous assignments. While it is a protest for a gravely serious cause, it is also a time of celebration and prayer. I encourage all to attend who can.

St. Andrew's has reserved 2 buses for this year's March for Life. We will leave the parish parking lot at 11:00 AM and return around 5:30 PM. Fr. Smith and I will each be going as well. Many thanks to Mike Spicer, the head of our St. Andrew Pro-Life Committee, for organizing the buses and the trip. Please reserve your space on the bus by sending an email with the number of seats you need to standrewprolife@gmail.com or call Mike Spicer at (703) 627-1993. There is no cost to ride the bus, but you must have a reserved seat. The bus company is requiring that all passengers wear makes because of the recent increase in COVID cases. At this time, there is no requirement to wear masks once you are outside at the March.

In preparation for the March, we will have a Holy Hour for Life on Thursday, January 20, at 7:00 PM. Whether or not you can make it to the March for Life on Friday, please join us in prayer on the eve of the March to pray for an end to abortion and the respect for and protection of human life from conception until natural death throughout our country.

Tomorrow they are predicting severe weather in this area. We seem to be on the edge of the very severe weather, for at this time the prediction is heavy snow Sunday afternoon turning into rain overnight and then turning back to snow. That rain may save us from being covered over in snow, thanks be to God. Monday is the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a hero of nonviolent protests for civil rights. Our offices will be closed on Monday and there will be no Adoration. The Church will be open from 8:00 AM until 9:00 PM with Masses at 9:00 AM and 12:00 noon.

Fr. Smith is not here this weekend. He went to a seminarian classmate's priesthood ordination in Bangledesh last Monday and will be back this Wednesday. Thank you to Fr. Nicholas for taking extra Masses in his absence and for Msgr. Cregan who will hear Confessions and celebrate the vigil Mass for us today. Please join me in praying for Fr. Smith's safe return on Wednesday!

Finally, the Ravens lost their last game of the year. That means they lost their last six games to finish their season as 8-9 and out of the playoffs. They had a lot of injuries, the most damaging being to their quarterback Lamar Jackson. When he started, they were 7-5. When he was injured, they were 1-4. There's always next year. One of the advantages of having your favorite team out of the playoffs is that you can root for whomever you want or no one at all. If I miss a game, I won't be upset.

As always, be assured of my prayers and gratitude, and I thank you for your prayers as well. And go Orioles, provided there is a season to be played this year.