JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 8, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ — This Saturday, January 13, at 10 AM, pro-life Floridians from across the state will gather at James Weldon Johnson Park in Jacksonville for the 2024 March for Life & Special Liturgy for the Preborn.
Speakers include national pro-life leader Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, Florida State Representative Dean Black, and Sarah Neely of Operation Rescue. Fr. Scott Looker will lead the special Liturgy for the Preborn.
The March kicks off with a one-hour rally set to be a time of encouraging words from national and local leaders, as well as a special moment of corporate prayer for the preborn, for their mothers and fathers, and for the end of abortion in the state of Florida. A prayerful walk that will pass by the nearby county and federal courthouses will follow.
Fr. Scott Looker, rector at Church of the Messiah in Jacksonville and one of the main organizers for the event comments, “Florida is a true battleground state and stands at a crucial crossroads for children in the womb, especially as we await two huge decisions from our state Supreme Court — one that could uphold a previously passed six-week ban and one that could stop a dangerous effort to enshrine even late-term abortion in our constitution. Now is the time to stand together, to pray together, and to make every effort we can to peacefully, prayerfully and legally uphold the sanctity of life.”
It was recently announced that pro-abortion groups collected the required amount of signatures to move forward with an “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion,” which they aim to see on the November ballot. However, first the Supreme Court will hear a challenge from the Florida attorney general that could prevent the amendment from going any further.
Sarah Neely, Project Coordinator for Operation Rescue, says, “With Roe gone, abortion extremists around the country are pushing for constitutional amendments that will enshrine abortion in state constitutions and upend life-affirming laws that currently protect children in the womb at the state level. These amendments are shrouded in euphemisms and dangerously vague language meant to persuade voters to believe they are voting for so-called reproductive freedom when, in reality, they are often voting for unfettered abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. This proposed Florida amendment is no different.”
The Florida State Supreme Court will hear arguments for the amendment on February 7. Floridians are also waiting for the Court’s decision on a 15-week ban, which they heard arguments for back in September. If the Court upholds this ban, it will automatically uphold a 6-week ban that was passed in the interim.
The 2024 March For Life is co-sponsored by Church of the Messiah, Charismatic Episcopal Church for Life, Jacksonville for Life, Operation Rescue and Pro-Life University of North Florida.