Pro-life Mass, walk in Lincoln draw crowds

Worshipers filled St. Mary Church in Lincoln to capacity for the Bishops’ Pro-Life Mass, held Jan. 31 in conjunction with the Nebraska Walk for Life that followed.

An estimated 550 people worshiped at the 9 a.m. Mass, which was celebrated by Archbishop Michael G. McGovern for the first time. Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of the Diocese of Grand Island concelebrated, along with a number of other priests. Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln was unable to be at the Mass.

Thousands took part in the 10 a.m. Walk for Life. Both events are held annually to commemorate the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which has since been overturned.

Folding chairs were set up along the side aisles at St. Mary to help accommodate the crowd, and people found room in the back of the church, too.

At the conclusion of Mass, Tom Venzor – executive director of the Nebraska Catholic Conference, which organized the Mass – spoke briefly to those in attendance. He urged them to advocate for Legislative Bill 669, a state measure aimed at protecting women from human trafficking and domestic violence. Days later the bill failed to advance after a filibuster.

Tom Venzor speaks to worshipers at the Bishops’ Pro-Life Mass in Lincoln on Jan. 31.

After Mass, pro-life advocates walked across the street to the north steps of the State Capitol for the Walk for Life, sponsored by Nebraska Right to Life. Participants bundled up for the cold morning, with temperatures in the single digits.

The walk began with a rally in front of the Capitol. The rally included prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, national anthem and brief talks by dignitaries, including Gov. Jim Pillen, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, and other lawmakers, state officials and political candidates.

The rally concluded with a moment of silence as pink and blue balloons were released in memory of the many thousands of babies who have died from abortions in Nebraska.

Participants then walked around the outside of the Capitol and to the nearby Cornhusker Marriott Hotel. There they listened to keynote speaker Nick Freitas, a Virginia legislator, social media influencer and former Green Beret.

First-time attendee uses her sign-making skills

The Pro-Life Mass and Walk for Life drew people from a range of ages and backgrounds and from all three Nebraska dioceses.

Among them was Emerson Osborn, a senior at Platteview High School, who participated with several other parishioners from St. Joseph Parish in Springfield.

Participating in the walk was a first for Osborn, who said she was there to support the pro-life cause. “I think all life should be valued,” she said.

Osborn made signs for her group, which included several other youths from her parish.

For her sign, she created an image of the late painter and television personality Bob Ross. The sign flipped a famous saying of Ross into a pro-life message: “There are no mistakes, just happy little ‘accidents.’”

Emerson Osborn, pictured front row, right, is shown at the Jan. 31 Nebraska Walk for Life in Lincoln with other members of St. Joseph Parish in Springfield.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen address the crowd at the Nebraska Walk for Life.

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood speaks at the pro-life rally.