The March for Life 2025

The 2025 March for Life took place in Westminster on Saturday 6 September. Laurette Burton from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Southwold was in attendance and reports. 

The 2025 March for Life took place in Westminster on Saturday 6 September. The first UK March for Life was held in Birmingham in 2013, moving to London in 2018. Since then, the number of participants has grown considerably, with more than 10,000 people taking part this year.

The day began with Mass at 10.30am in a near-capacity Westminster Cathedral. The Chief Celebrant was the Rt Rev Bosco MacDonald of Clifton Diocese, who was joined in concelebration by six other bishops and sixteen priests, all of whom later took part in the March. At the end of Mass, Bishop Bosco read a message of support from the Holy Father, who offered an Apostolic Blessing to all present:

“Pope Leo prays that, through your common witness to the God-given dignity of every person, without exception, and to the tender Christ-like accompaniment of the seriously ill, all in society will be encouraged to defend rather than undermine a civilisation founded on authentic love and genuine compassion.”

Preparations for the annual March are made months in advance, but this year the organisers faced unexpected disruption. The banned group, Palestine Action, announced their intention to protest in Parliament Square, forcing last-minute changes. Their presence in Westminster from around 1pm delayed the start of the March and meant the usual route through Whitehall and Trafalgar Square had to be abandoned. Instead, marchers followed a shorter route along quieter roads, with less opportunity for the message to reach passers-by.

Traditionally, the final rally with music, speakers, and prayer has been held in Parliament Square. This year, however, the location had to be moved. Instead, speeches and testimonies were broadcast from a large screen on an adjacent street. In the end, this alternative setting gave the March greater visibility to people passing by.

Participants travelled from across the country. Families with young children marched alongside groups of students, parish communities, clergy, and many elderly supporters. All were united in their commitment to defending life and ending abortion in the UK. The March was, as always, a good-natured, peaceful, and powerful witness: some prayed the Rosary, others sang hymns, and many simply walked together in solidarity. 

The afternoon’s speakers included Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, Carla Lockhart MP (Chair of the Pro-Life Parliamentary Group), and midwife Sarah Spencer, who described the discrimination she faces at work when expressing her opposition to abortion. A moving personal testimony was given by Josiah Presley from Korea, who survived an abortion attempt by his mother. Adopted by an American family, Josiah struggled with the truth of his past when he learned of it at the age of 13, but later dedicated his life to advocating for the unborn.

Every day in the British Isles, over 2,000 unborn children lose their lives through abortion – more than 250,000 every year. Let us consider, as a Diocese, how we can respond to this. 

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