Knights of Columbus: Defending Life from Conception until Natural Death throughout the Decades 1979 In 1979, the Fourth Degree adopted the pro-life cause, noting the patriotic call to protect and defend innocent life. The Order also funded the U.S. bishops’ brief before the Supreme Court on whether employers have to pay for employees’ abortions as part of medical coverage. FULL SIZE 1980 Washington-area bishops joined the marchers. Shown here are, left to right, Bishop Eugene Marino, Washington Auxiliary; Bishop Thomas Welsh of Arlington, Va.; New York State Treasurer John Kelly; Bishop Thomas Lyons, Washington Auxiliary; Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant; and New Jersey State Deputy Hugh DeFazio. FULL SIZE 1982 Before the start of the ninth annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., Knights of Columbus led the recitation of the rosary. Shown praying are Past State Deputy James Burke of New Jersey; State Deputies Harold Granger of New York and Martin Ryan of District of Columbia; Supreme Physician John H. Griffin; Bishops Joseph McNicholas of Springfield, Ill.; and Thomas Welsh of Arlington, Va. FULL SIZE 1983 Shown at the 1983 March for Life in Washington, D.C., are J. Kemp Cook, past state deputy of the District of Columbia; Martin Ryan, past state deputy; Bishop Thomas Welsh of Arlington, Va.; Eve Neary, wife of Virginia state deputy; Jane and Michael Peak, supreme warden; Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Lyons of Washington; and Harold Granger, past state deputy of New York. FULL SIZE 1985 Supreme Knight Dechant and wife in the 1985 March for Life, Washington, D.C. This same year, the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors approved a $100,000 grant for American United for Life’s friend-of-the- court brief before the U.S. Supreme Court. FULL SIZE 1986 Robert Vogel, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 4238 in Deerfield, III., led his council's Walk for Life with his daughters Meggan and Moira. The walk, sponsored by the Illinois State Council, was conducted in 50 communities. Vogel was a board member of The Michael Fund, an international pro-life research foundation that benefited from proceeds of the walk. FULL SIZE 1988 Bowling pins were used to make a 350-foot rosary for use in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. This close-up shows a few of the seven-inch “beads,” painted bright red as a reminder of the millions of babies killed by abortion since 1973. Sixty-two high school students carried the giant rosary at the 1988 March. It was made by then-District Deputy Michael A. Nesi of Fairfield, Ohio. FULL SIZE 1989 Knights, Squires and family members are regular participants at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. In 1989, Canadian bishops received the Order’s help with defense against assisted suicide in the case of Canada v. Borowski. FULL SIZE 1990 Dennis McCarthy, a trustee for The Catholic University of America Council 9542 in Washington D.C., helped the District of Columbia State Council distribute some of the 5,000 posters the Supreme Council office shipped to the rally site. FULL SIZE 1993 Advocate Nellie Grey shown addressing march participants. In 1993, Knights helped U.S. bishops with the anti- "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA) postcard campaign; additional efforts against FOCA include telegram and letter- writing campaigns. Knights began erecting memorials to unborn children at the urging of Cardinal John O’Connor of New York. FULL SIZE 1995 Pro-Life Athlete Chris Godfrey and Chris Smith spoke with a few of the 45,000 participants at the 1995 March for Life. Later in the year, “Proclaim the Gospel of Life” was the Supreme Convention theme, and the Brooklyn Diocese gave the Pro-Vita Award to the Order for right-to-life efforts. FULL SIZE 2003 Many young people carried K of C "Defend Life" signs at the 2003 March for Life. During this year, the Order launched the Culture of Life Legislative Initiative to optimize the effectiveness of councils in building the culture of life through faithful citizenship and civic activity. FULL SIZE 2003 (con't) A national prayer vigil is annually held at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. FULL SIZE 2004 Georgetown University Knights have long been supporters of the march. Since 1999, in addition to marching, they have organized the annual Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life. This event helps ensure that the next generation of pro-life leaders are educated and formed through panel discussions and lectures. FULL SIZE 2005 Valladolid Council 70 from Lynn, Mass., march among the crowds filling the streets for the 2005 march. FULL SIZE 2006 In the early days of the March for Life, and up until security requirements on Capitol Hill stopped the effort, young marchers would personally deliver red roses to legislators in their Hill offices. The roses symbolized the lives of the unborn and were also meant to encourage Members to support policies that protected and built a culture of life. FULL SIZE 2007 Supreme Knight Anderson addressed more than 600 high school and college students at the Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life, hosted by Georgetown University Knights. The event is the largest collegiate pro-life conference in the nation. FULL SIZE 2008 Although the dates sometimes differ, marches are not confined to Washington, D.C. Here, Knights at the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco were also marching for the unborn. Like those back east, they accentuated their outfits with red, which March for Life President Jeanne Mancini has noted as a color of mourning. FULL SIZE 2009 In 2009, as in others years, the Supreme Council provided March for Life signs to thousands of marchers in D.C. and elsewhere. Past slogans used include "We Choose Life," "Defend Life" and "Love Life/Choose Life." FULL SIZE 2010 Supreme Chaplain William E. Lori, then bishop of Bridgeport, joined the members of the Polish Seminarians for Life during his visit to the march. FULL SIZE 2011 Supreme Chaplain Lori; Helen Alvaré, then representing the U.S. Bishop’s Pro-Life Secretariat; Father Joseph Koterski, S.J.;Mother Mary Agnes Donovan, S.V.; and then- Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of Baltimore participated in a 2011 Cardinal O'Conner Conference panel. FULL SIZE 2012 Walking under the Order's banner, college Knights from throughout the country participated in the 2012 march. It can take more than two hours for the marchers to pass by the Supreme Court, with crowds stretched from curb to curb across traffic lanes. FULL SIZE 2013 2013 marked the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion. That year, the 57th presidential inauguration caused the National Park Service to schedule the march for Jan. 25. FULL SIZE 2014 It's not only area Knights that attend the March for Life in D.C. Here, St. Catherine of Siena Council 13116 of Kissimmee, Fla., showed their support for the unborn alongside their brother Knights and family members. FULL SIZE 2015 Addressing hundreds of thousands of attendees at the 2015 march, Supreme Knight Anderson declared, "“Why is public opinion turning toward life? Because you stand up for life! Because no amount of propaganda can cover up the pain of women who regret their abortion. And because when women know the truth they choose life!” FULL SIZE 2016 Members of George Washington University Council 13242 proudly display their K of C signs before the Supreme Court building at the conclusion of the 2016 March for Life. FULL SIZE 2017 The Walk for Life pro-life marches, spearheaded by the K of C in the Philippines, began in Luzon in 2009 and have since spread to Visayas and Mindanao. The 2017 marches in Quezon City, Antpolo City, Iloilo City, Davao city and Bacolod City drew an average of 5,000 participants each. FULL SIZE 2018 THEME "LOVE SAVES LIVES" STANDING OUT IN THE CROWD The K of C is printing 20,000 signs to help amplify the voice of marchers throughout the country. GUESTS The march is not a party issue! Speakers include House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Dan Lipinski (D-MI). FOLLOW THE MARCH ONLINE KofC.org and EWTN.com Social Media Hashtags: #KofC 2018 #MarchforLife #WhyWeMarch March for Life.