Published: May 8, 2014  5:31 pm

What an incredibly powerful day at the National March For Life. We had  a massive crowd of 23,000 pro-lifers from all over Canada, gathered on the Prime Minister's doorstep and marching through the streets of Ottawa. The weather was beautiful sunshine and spirits were lifted as pro-lifers sent the message to all members in the House of Commons that the abortion debate is not closed.  

The crowd was treated to a wonderful suprise when Catholic Cardinal Lacroix read a message of encouragement he brought from the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to all participants at the Canadian March For Life.  “Today I have something very special for you," Lacroix announced. "When Pope Francis was made aware of our march here in Ottawa he decided to send us a message.” Lacroix then read this message from Pope Francis:

“His Holiness Pope Francis is pleased to greet everyone taking part in the 17th National March for Life in Ottawa, and he assures them of his spiritual closeness as they give witness to the God-given dignity, beauty and value of human life,” said the message signed by the Holy See’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. “He prays that this event foster greater respect for the inviolable right to life of each person from conception to natural death and support the efforts of all who labour to ensure that this fundamental human right receives adequate legal protection.
“To the organizers and participants, and in particular to those who aid women in crisis pregnancies and their children, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the risen Lord".

Photos: On Parliament Hill

Below are photos from the National March For Life on Parliament Hill, just before pro-lifers marched throught the streets of Ottawa. If you cannot see the photo album below, please click this link:

There were many speakers, including pro-life MPs, Senators, pro-life leaders from Canada and the USA, and Catholic bishops.  At one point while Cardinal Lacroix was reading out greetings sent to marchers by Pope Francis, two pro-abortion activists broke through the barricades, rushed to the podium where Cardinal Lacroix was, and rudely tried to drown out the Cardinal's speech. See the photo below. If the photo is not displaying, click here.

Police eventually carried the crude, pro-abortion extremists away. See photo below of topless protester being carried away by police. If picture not displaying, click here.

It was done in sight of several very young children who were on the steps with their families. In fact, MP Jeff Watson (Essex) and his wife had to shield the eyes of their young children once they realized what was happening.  MP Watson's wife recounted afterwards to NMFL organizers that one of her daughters was shaken up by the disturbance and cried.

This just demontrates once again that "pro-choice" activists lack intellectual moxy. All they do is try to intimidate and silence the people with whom they disagree.  They cannot debate issues since they lack convincing arguments, so they resort to these tactics of intimidation and being shocking. However, this was only a brief interruption, the speeches carried on without hardly a delay, and a wonderfully uplifting time was had by all.

Photos: Marching through the Streets of Ottawa

Below is a photo album of the march which began at 1:30pm on Parliament Hill, wound its way through the busy downtown streets of Ottawa, and concluded back on Parliament Hill around 2:15pm.  If you cannot see the photo album below, click here.