In honor of the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., Saint Francis Campus Ministry conducted a community walk on the campus mall Wednesday morning to show support for the pro-life movement.

Paul Girardi, Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Saint Francis University, said the on-campus march was a way for students to show their support of the pro-life movement.

“People think of abortion when they think pro-life,” said Girardi, “but it is so much more.”

Girardi said the purpose of the march was to increase awareness of the pro-life movement and of human life from birth to natural death.

“Our march on campus was like adding a very small verse to a song,” said Girardi. “It was part of a greater movement.”

Girardi said that time is very valuable to students, and the best solution was to have a march on campus to allow students the chance to show their pro-life support. The march began with a short-prayer service at the Immaculate Conception Chapel, and ended with mass to pray for the unborn. Students could march for the entire hour or they could take one lap around the mall.

”Our march was perfectly in life with the mission of this university,” said Girardi.

About 25-30 people participated in the march at Saint Francis, but according to Girardi the weather was a big factor.

Girardi said that the small march on campus had the same effect on students than if they would have marched in D.C with hundreds of thousands of people.

“Smaller marches can unite thoughts and prayers to those marching in D.C.,” said Girardi.

This campus event was a way for those who could not go to the march in D.C. to show their support for the movement said Girardi. Local community members joined the faculty and students from Saint Francis for the university’s march. Individuals from Saint Michaels and Nicktown walked to show their support. Girardi also said that the campus minister from Mount Aloysius and a few of the Mount’s students came to show their support.

“This year we planted the seed,” said Girardi, “and we are now waiting for the fruit to grow for next year.”

Girardi hopes to continue with the on-campus march annually, and he expects it to grow. He would love to see a couple hundred people come out for Saint Francis’ March for Life.

The March for Life in Washington, D.C., is held annually on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. This year’s march marked the 41^st anniversary of the decision.