If anything was different about this year’s March for Life, it may have been the resolve of the participants, according to one long-time marcher.

"With the provisions the government is trying to force on everyone — for insurance to cover abortion, sterilization, contraception — I think it’s become a lot more real to everyone," said Ray Yarnell, a parishioner of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish, Indiana. "We’ve got to go ahead and be successful in overturning those provisions.

"I don’t think it’s been as clear before, and that’s really going to help galvanize a lot of support to really work within the political spectrum."

The 39th annual March for Life drew hundreds of thousands of pro-life supporters to Washington Jan. 23 to mark the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion. Thousands of marchers — many of them youth, but also families, clergy, seminarians and college students — came from the Diocese of Greensburg.

Yarnell, who has been attending for 12 years, said he is always amazed by the youth contingent.

"It’s awesome to see so many young people vibrant and ready to stand up for life," he said.

Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt concelebrated the pro-life youth Mass and rally the morning of the march in the D.C. Armory. The event has become so popular that it is now held in two venues, the other being Washington’s Verizon Center. He also made time to visit with diocesan participants.

"It was nice to get to talk with Bishop Brandt and thank him for his very visible presence at the March for Life," Yarnell said. "That’s so important to see our pastors out there visibly supporting it."

The night before the march, Bishop Brandt concelebrated Mass at the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, was the principal celebrant and homilist.

In his homily, Cardinal DiNardo spoke about the Jan. 20 announcement from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that most religious organizations would have to cover contraceptives and sterilization in employee health plans.

"Never before in our U.S. history has the federal government forced citizens to directly purchase what violates our beliefs," he said.

Republican House Speaker John Boehner, a Catholic, and other members of Congress said they were proud they had passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and the Protect Life Act and voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood.

Keeping the momentum strong after the march is important to supporters like Yarnell.

"We’ve constantly been dedicated to life, but now it’s a lot easier to move ahead and see how our need to continuously lobby and stand up for life in all of its stages is critically important," he said.

Lauren Hennessey, a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Greensburg, and a senior at Greater Latrobe High School, went to her second march this year with a different perspective. The night before, she attended a diocesan rally at her parish, where she heard Katrina Coleman, youth and young adult minister there, speak.

"She explained that we need to change the entire culture of death and the attitudes toward death in our culture through prayer," Hennessey said. "I think it’s important to show our support for the pro-life movement and stand up for those who can’t speak for themselves. It’s really encouraging to see that there are so many people praying for the same thing we are."

Yarnell likens the fight against abortion to the battle to end slavery.

"That wasn’t a quick and easy battle. Slavery still hasn’t ended," he said. "It will take a lot more time than we would like. But it will end."