50,000 march for life in Poland as its parliament considers legalizing abortion

ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 15, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

On Sunday, April 14, 50,000 people flooded the streets of Warsaw, Poland, for the National March for Life to defend the unborn at a time when the country’s parliament is considering bills to legalize abortion. 

Under the motto “Long live Poland,” the event was organized by the Fundacja św. Benedykta (St. Benedict Foundation) and was sponsored by the Polish Bishops’ Conference, among other organizations.

The spokeswoman for the march, Lidia Sankowska-Grabczuk, announced the estimated number of march participants. In addition, the bishops of Poland asked all parishes to pray for the unborn at all Sunday Masses.

At the march, signs could be read with messages such as “To kill or not to kill, that is the choice,” “I choose life,” “Together for life,” and “Love them both.”

An emotional moment for the participants was when the heartbeat of an unborn child was played over the loudspeakers. The march was broadcast by Radio María in Poland, EWTN Polska (Poland), TV Mn, and W Realu 24, among others.

Father Piotr W. Wisniowski, the spiritual director of EWTN Polska, noted that the National March for Life took place “exactly on the 1,058th anniversary of momentous event of the baptism of Poland (April 14, 966) and on the National Day of the Christianization of Poland, established by the Polish Parliament five years ago.” 

Before the march began, the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda, stressed that “life is a gift from God and as such it is an inalienable right of every human being, which is why it must be protected and supported at every stage of its development.”

“Respect for life, which belongs to the most important values, is one of the fundamental duties of every human being,” he said.

The prelate highlighted that the National March for Life is “a manifestation of respect for the life that has been conceived, of acceptance of this life in love and of an expression of gratitude to the parents who undertake difficulties of raising children, giving them the opportunity to grow and develop.”

The abortion debate in Poland

Two days prior to the march, on April 12, CNN reported that lawmakers in the Polish Parliament voted on four proposals, one of which would return the abortion law to what it was before 2020, which allowed abortion if “the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest, if the mother’s life was at risk, or in the case of fetal abnormalities.” In 2020, a law was passed that prohibits abortion almost completely in the country.

The proposals approved for debate also include one from Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s party, which would allow abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, if passed, it would face the possible veto by the country’s Catholic president, Andrzej Duda.

The former president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki, recently pointed out that Article 38 of the Polish Constitution “guarantees the legal protection of the life of every human being,” which was confirmed by the Constitutional Court in its May 28, 1997, ruling.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.