10th Annual International Gift of Life Walk Brings Pro-Life Witness to ‘Canyon of Heroes’

By Bill Miller and Jessica Easthope

Lunchtime pedestrians and tourists took double-takes on March 25 as the normal bustle of the Financial District gave way to drums, bagpipes, and megaphones carrying slogans of the pro-life movement.

The 10th annual International Gift of Life Walk in New York City stepped off from Foley Square and quickly moved onto Broadway. The street is also known as the “Canyon of Heroes” for its legacy of hosting ticker-tape parades celebrating heroic accomplishments, like sporting championships or military victories.

Prominent in the procession were the drummers, pipers, and other musicians of the Holy Choir of Angels Band from St. Louis de Montfort Academy in Herndon, Pennsylvania. Other pro-life supporters followed the marching band whose members wore red berets or red sashes.

Paul Victory, 17, played the trombone in the procession. He said it was important to march to advocate for life.

“Murder is wrong,” Victory said. “Even someone who has just reached the age of reason can know that murder is a sin, even if it’s complicated.”

St. Louis de Montfort Academy is operated by the Catholic advocacy group, Tradition, Family and Property. TFP Director John Horvat II told The Tablet that angry pro-abortion voices had opposed previous marches.

At this event, the opposition was scant, with one scowling man silently standing at a street corner, his middle finger raised as marchers passed. Two other men at different spots also cursed the participants.

The Gift of Life Walk is sponsored by Personhood Education of New York. Its president and founder, Dawn Eskew, noted the event is always held on March 25 to commemorate the International Day of the Unborn Child, as designated by St. Pope John Paul II. The day was also The Feast of the Annunciation.

She said New York City is the venue because it is widely known as the “abortion capital of the world.”

She praised the academy’s commitment to participating in the event, and credited other allies, including pro-life activist Bernadette Patel of Bay Ridge, and Auxiliary Bishop Peter Byrne of the Archdiocese of New York

Before stepping off, the prelate offered words of encouragement to marchers.

“We need people who are pro-life to show up,” Eskew said. “We have a plan for next year to get more people here.”

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 3/26/26

Catholic women are spearheading a growing national movement to pray publicly and advocate for migrants.

Young Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn gathered at Blessed Sacrament Church in Cypress Hills for a Mass for Peace amid conflict in the world.

Dozens marched in Lower Manhattan for the Gift of Life Walk, praying for the unborn and advocating for the dignity of life.

The Diocese of Brooklyn’s Lenten Pilgrimage continued in Brooklyn as pilgrims inspired the next generation of students to follow their faith.

16-School Tournament Ends With Sacred Heart Championship Win

By Katie Vasquez

Two boroughs faced off on the hardwood at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy as Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Bayside took on St. Patrick Catholic Academy in Bay Ridge for the championship on March 26.

Both teams battled through a competitive field of Catholic schools from Brooklyn and Queens to reach the final, capping off a tournament designed to mirror the excitement of March Madness.

“It’s exciting,” said Estella Gomez, an eighth grader at Sacred Heart. “It’s something that we didn’t expect would happen this year, so it’s definitely something that we’re really excited about to participate in.”

The tournament featured 16 schools and was structured differently this year, with games spread out instead of being played in a single day.

“We decided this year to spread it out to kind of mirror an NCAA,” said coordinator Nicole Ramkissoon. “And we invited all the schools from Brooklyn and Queens. So we had a great turnout of 16 schools come out this year.”

Even teams that were eliminated stayed to support the finalists, cheering from the sidelines.

“I might be a little salty because the team that we lost to is playing against today,” said eighth grader Wilkin DeLeon. “But now we just hope to see a good game and cheer for whoever wins.”

The championship matchup carried added weight as a battle between Brooklyn and Queens, with both teams emphasizing teamwork and execution.

“Play as a team, big shots, play hard defense, do what we can,” said Sacred Heart’s Lochlen Griffith.

“We have to use our teamwork to our advantage and try to pass as much as we can to make open shots,” said St. Patrick’s Greta Woods.

In the end, Sacred Heart emerged victorious, defeating St. Patrick 56-48 to claim the title.

“I feel very accomplished,” Griffith said. “And I feel very hyped.”

“We’re proud of ourselves, proud of the work we put in and proud of where we got,” Gomez added.

Despite the final score, organizers and players emphasized the broader impact of the tournament.

“I think it builds a lot of community. It builds sportsmanship, discipline, and it just brings everybody together — a lot of unity,” Ramkissoon said.

“I think it’s an honor. I like playing with my team,” said St. Patrick’s Connor Anderson.

“It was a very fun experience,” added Josiah Campbell. “A lot of positivity. The competition was very fierce. I really enjoyed it.”

Dorothea Project Encourages Speaking Up for Immigrants

By Katie Vasquez

BRONX, N.Y. — Offering prayer through the streets of the Bronx, a group of Fordham Preparatory School students and community members gathered March 24 to show solidarity with immigrants.

The group said the walk was about advocacy and compassion for those whose voices often go unheard.

“To speak for those who can’t speak themselves and to be an advocate for them,” said junior Teddy Monaco.

“Just being able to kind of spread that not only awareness but like that kindness,” added freshman Sebastian Salcedo.

Led by teacher Carolyn Wright, participants walked from campus to Little Italy in the Bronx. Wright said her involvement in immigration advocacy was sparked by a trip to Arizona with the Kino Border Initiative four years ago.

“That changed me,” Wright said. “I wasn’t able to come back and do nothing. So I felt a call to speak up and use my voice and my faith to help others.”

Wright recently joined the Dorothea Project, a movement founded in May 2025 by Ohio mother Katie Holler. The initiative draws inspiration from Dorothy Day and Sister Thea Bowman, combining their names to reflect its mission.

“They are great intercessors for who we are and what we are trying to do in being with the marginalized,” Holler said.

Holler said she was moved to act after witnessing the treatment of immigrant mothers and children.

“I knew that as a Catholic, this was contrary to my faith,” she said. “And this didn’t align with how Christ taught us to treat one another.”

The Dorothea Project has since grown into a network of Catholic women across the country advocating for justice and supporting one another in their shared concerns.

“Seeing other Catholic women having the same fears and concerns that I do — so many of us come into the Dorothea Project and say, ‘I thought I was the only one,’ ” Holler said.

Wright emphasized that while prayer is essential, public action is also necessary.

“Prayer is wonderful and needed,” she said. “But we also need to be out there in public, witness and show people face to face that we are willing to stand up for their home.”

Members of the movement have written letters to bishops and organized public demonstrations in cities nationwide. They are now working to expand chapters in parishes and communities to broaden participation.

TONIGHT AT 7: New Yorkers Walk for the Gift of Life

By Jessica Easthope

Pro-life advocates gathered in Lower Manhattan to pray for the unborn and affirm that every child in the womb is a person worthy of protection during the annual Gift of Life Walk.

In New York, which is sometimes called the abortion capital of the country, those present at the demonstration gave a voice to the voiceless.

TONIGHT AT 7: Catholic Women’s Movement Aims To Assist Migrants

By Katie Vasquez

Catholic women are joining together in prayer in cities across the United States to spread awareness of the plight of migrants – including in New York City.

The movement reflects the values of Dorothy Day, leader of the Catholic Worker Movement, and Sister Thea Bowman, Catholic educator and evangelist.

Pope Leo XIV Meets Exorcists as Reports of Occult Cases Rise

By Currents News

Pope Leo XIV met privately with the International Association of Exorcists at the Vatican, as concerns grow over an increase in cases linked to occultism, esotericism, and satanism.

The group urged the Holy Father to ensure every diocese has trained exorcist priests and stronger formation programs in place.

Stephen Rossetti, chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., shares insights on the reported rise in cases — and explains how practicing the faith and avoiding harmful spiritual practices can help protect against evil.

Youth Lead Lenten Pilgrimage Stop as Bishop Brennan Celebrates Feast of the Annunciation in Queens

By Currents News

Young voices took center stage during the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Lenten Pilgrimage as the children’s choir of St. Helen Church in Howard Beach led pilgrims in song for the Feast of the Annunciation.

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated Mass and reminded the faithful that God provides the grace needed to follow His call.

The night before in Jamaica, Bishop Brennan delivered a bilingual homily at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, closing out a day of confessions, rosary, and Eucharistic adoration during the ongoing Lenten journey.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation Director on Upcoming Beatification, Why St. Louis

By Currents News

The beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has finally been set — marking a major step toward sainthood more than 20 years after his cause began.

Msgr. Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, shares what this moment means, the miracle behind the cause, and why thousands are expected to attend the historic celebration in St. Louis.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 3/25/26

The Vatican has set a beatification date for Archbishop Fulton Sheen after years of delays in his path to sainthood.

Students at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy in Queens explored Eucharistic miracles through a special exhibit inspired by St. Carlo Acutis.

Iraqi Christians are scaling back Holy Week and Easter celebrations due to security concerns tied to ongoing conflict.

Pope Leo XIV reunited with former classmates from his South Chicago school on the Steps of St. Peter’s Basilica.