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Youths' joy is 'greatest evidence' Jesus rose from dead, priest says
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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A Washington pastor told 17,000 exuberant teenagers and young adults gathered at a pro-life rally and Mass in the Verizon Center Jan. 23 that he wondered if they knew "what an encouragement you are. I am so glad for your joy ... your joy is the greatest evidence Jesus rose from the dead," said Msgr. Charles Pope, pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Parish, said in his homily. The Mass and rally that morning, he said, were "about praising God and thanking him for the gift of life." Msgr. Pope noted that crowds at the Verizon Center normally cheer for hockey and basketball games and rock concerts, and he challenged them to offer a louder cheer for God. The spirited crowd responded with a loud sustained roar. The annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life there and a second rally and Mass for another 10,000 young people at the D.C. Armory were sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and each year precede the March for Life. All of the pro-life events mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. At Verizon, the crowd offered a huge ovation for Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States, who smiled and thanked them for witnessing to God's gift of life. "I share your enthusiasm and your spirit," he said. "You are alive with hope and love, and you are alive with the life of Christ. Stay always that way!" Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, main celebrant at the Verizon Center Mass, smiled as he processed into the arena, preceded by about a dozen other bishops, nearly 180 priests and 30 deacons. "I welcome you as we renew our commitment to the value and dignity of all human life," the cardinal said. Acknowledging the large crowd, he said, "There would be even more if it weren't for the fact we had great storm warnings, and schools and bus lines were closed. ... I think the Lord did that to say to us, 'For decades you've been persevering -- continue to persevere.'"
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