Under ominous clouds and high winds that threatened to blow away tents and banners, over 1000 pro-life Californians gathered at the State Capitol in Sacramento this Monday for the 5th Annual California March for Life. What followed was a vibrant public witness to the dignity of human life and a defiant act of hope in a state too often known for its hostility to the unborn.
California Family Council President Jonathan Keller joyfully welcomed the crowd, thanking God that the rain had briefly subsided. “We are so excited to be partnering again for the fifth year with our friends at the National March for Life,” he said. “You are all here today not just because of us, but because you care deeply about the sanctity of human life—God’s design for life in the womb, out of the womb, from conception to natural death.”
With an opening prayer by Dr. John Jackson, President of William Jessup University, the morning was set on a firm spiritual foundation. “We are not just pro-life—we are pro-women, we are pro-men, we are pro-babies, we are pro-family, we are pro-home, we are pro-church, we are pro-culture. And believe it or not, we are pro-government—we are for everything that is in alignment with Jesus Christ and His Word.”
Youthful Spirit, Historic Legacy
The crowd’s diversity was on full display—young families with children, elderly couples, students, and ministry leaders. A local Trail Life USA troop presented the colors, and students from California Baptist University led the crowd in singing the national anthem, bringing a heartfelt patriotism to the event.
Among the most compelling voices was Jackie Turner, a campus minister from Acres of Hope, who passionately called the crowd to put faith into action. “Faith without action” is dead, she warned, citing James 2. We are not just saying ‘be warm and well-fed—we’re doing something. We are the action.”
Turner described how their ministry provides shelter and hope to homeless mothers and their children. When a mom comes home with her baby, she comes home to a ‘Welcome Home’ sign. “She comes home to other mothers cheering for her. She gets a key to unlock her home. She opens the door, places her baby in the bassinet—and she is safe, loved, supported,” she shared, stirring both tears and applause.
A Tribute to Life-Saving Work
CFC Outreach Director Sophia Lorey highlighted the heroic service of California’s pregnancy resource centers. In 2022 alone, over 78,000 women, men, and youth were served across the state. From over 33,000 ultrasounds to 329,000 packs of diapers distributed, these centers are the quiet force for life-saving care.
““This is compassion in action. And with a 97.4% national client satisfaction rate, women aren’t just being served—they’re being seen, heard, and loved.”,” Lorey declared.
Keller echoed her gratitude, sharing his personal journey into the pro-life movement. He recounted a drive through Citrus Heights, a Sacramento suburb, with his family the day before. He told his kids, “I told my wife and kids, ‘This is where we held Life Chain signs in the ’90s—and that’s the high school where we handed out pro-life literature.’”
“And in 2001—24 years ago—I went to my very first National March for Life in Washington, D.C.,” Keller told the crowd. “All of these are on-ramps into the pro-life movement. And maybe today is yours.”
Voices of the National Movement
Hannah Gautsch, representing the National March for Life, spoke with conviction about her family’s legacy of adoption and her own path into advocacy. “We’re often accused in the pro-life movement of not caring about women or babies after they’re born—but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said. “We’ve created a network of nearly 3,000 pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes across the country—some of which are here with us today. Because both mothers and their babies deserve better than abortion.”
She urged attendees to contact their legislators about a bill, AB 40, that would force doctors to prioritize abortion over the health of both mom and baby, and concluded with a chant: “We are pro-life!”
The keynote speaker, Melissa Ohden, delivered a stirring and deeply personal address. A survivor of a failed saline abortion in 1977, Melissa has become one of the most powerful voices in the pro-life movement.
“I’m alive by the grace of God, yes—but also because of ordinary people who did extraordinary things for me,” Ohden said. “I am not alone. There are likely tens of thousands of abortion survivors.”
She introduced her organization’s new initiative, “My Body, My Voice”, reclaiming the language of autonomy. “They tried to take my body, but they didn’t take my voice,” she declared. “And they don’t get to take yours either.”
In a moment of unity, the crowd echoed her:
“My body—My voice!”
A Movement Grounded in Prayer
Closing the rally, John Gerardi of Right to Life of Central California offered a prayer alongside pastors from across the state. He reminded the crowd that many abortions occur under coercion and pleaded for hearts moved by compassion—just like the Good Samaritan.
“Broaden our horizons, Lord, to see You in those most in need,” Gerardi prayed. “Let our message—the Gospel of Life—shake this building behind us to its foundations.”
A March Toward Justice
With banners in hand and voices lifted in chants, attendees marched around the Capitol building—a living testimony to Psalm 139:13, “For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”
As the crowd dispersed and tents were packed away, one thing was certain: Life is not just a cause. It’s a calling. And in the heart of California’s capital, that calling was answered loudly and joyfully.
