The Sisters of Life, Knights of Columbus and Diocese of Arlington Join Forces to Host a Two-Day Event to Promote the Sanctity of Life
Life Fest: Night of Praise and Morning Rally to be held prior to the 2025 National March for Life with musical performances by Matt Maher, We Are Messengers, SCYTHIAN and more
Life Fest: Night of Praise and Morning Rally to be held prior to the 2025 National March for Life with musical performances by Matt Maher, We Are Messengers, SCYTHIAN and more
In response to an increasingly fragmented understanding of the human person among teenagers, and in an effort to address the vital need to support pregnant women, their children and those who have suffered after abortion, the Sisters of Life, Knights of Columbus and Diocese of Arlington are uniting to host Life Fest, a dynamic two-day pro-life event that will take place Jan. 23 and 24, 2025, at EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University. Nearly 16,000 people are expected to attend.
In response to an increasingly fragmented understanding of the human person among teenagers, and in an effort to address the vital need to support pregnant women, their children and those who have suffered after abortion, the Sisters of Life, Knights of Columbus and Diocese of Arlington are uniting to host Life Fest, a dynamic two-day pro-life event that will take place Jan. 23 and 24, 2025, at EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University. Nearly 16,000 people are expected to attend.
Life Fest builds upon the success of the three groups’ support of the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. — specifically, the Diocese of Arlington’s Life is VERY Good event, which has been held annually for 12 years at EagleBank Arena, and Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus pro-life event titled Life Fest, which was first held in 2023.
This year, the two events have combined, offering an expanded version of Life Fest that will bring together the best of both events while maintaining all three hosts’ focus on drawing people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds to encounter the truth of the goodness of each human person and the love of Jesus Christ.
“We’re living in a time where the goodness of the human person is questioned,” said Sister Marie Veritas, of the Sisters of Life. “Every human heart needs to know: I am good; I am important; I am irreplaceable. Every woman who is pregnant needs to know that she is not alone. Every woman who has experienced one or more abortions needs to know that Jesus sees her, loves her and longs to forgive and heal her. Working with the Knights of Columbus, we’re excited to join forces this year with the Diocese of Arlington’s Life is VERY Good to offer an exciting, all-new Life Fest, where we can proclaim this truth all the more.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, who serves as the chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, is eager to welcome participants to EagleBank Arena.
“The Diocese of Arlington is excited to continue our long history of hosting groups from across the country and providing these participants with a peaceful time of prayer in preparation for the March for Life. We are especially excited that this year we will be working alongside the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus through this single ministry experience,” he said.
“We welcome them to our diocese and look forward to opening our homes and churches to these pilgrims and showing the country that the future is pro-life.”
Past attendees of both Life Fest and Life is VERY Good have reported that the events have changed their lives, their faith and their understanding of what it means to be pro-life.
“The Knights of Columbus is honored to partner with the Sisters of Life and the Diocese of Arlington for this new two-day Life Fest. This event will inspire a new generation and help them see that life at all stages is precious” said Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly. “Love is the answer; it transforms lives and changes hearts and minds, and that’s what Life Fest is all about. Together, we pray for a world in which abortion is unthinkable.”
Attendees of Life Fest will have the opportunity to venerate first-class relics of Pope St. John Paul II; Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is slated for canonization in 2025; the recently beatified Ulmafamily; Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus; among others. There will also be opportunities for confession and eucharistic adoration.
The Sisters, Knights and the Diocese of Arlington are eager to help witness to the power of unity in this year’s new event. “Together, we are stronger,” said Sister Marie Veritas. “Together, we can witness more powerfully to a broken world: Life is possible! Love is possible!”
Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025
7:00 - 9:45 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Life Fest Night of Prayer begins with a musical performance by We Are Messengers, followed by music and keynote from Matt Maher, and the testimony of a woman who experienced anunexpected pregnancy and healing from addiction. The program concludes with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament by Bishop Burbidge, a eucharistic procession and benediction.
Friday, Jan. 24, 2025
8:00 - 11:00 a.m. (doors open at 7:30 a.m.)
Life Fest Morning Rally and Mass begins with a musical performance by SCYTHIAN, followed by additional testimonies of hope and healing after abortion and an unexpected pregnancy as well as healing from addiction. There will be a keynote from Father Gregory Pine, O.P.,instructor of dogmatic and moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies and an Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins at 9:30 a.m. with Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore serving as the main celebrant and Father Scott Traynor as the homilist. Music will be led by the Sisters of Life, the Dominican Friars and Kenny Kohlhaas. Life Fest concludes by 11 a.m. with a distribution of Chick-fil-A lunches to go.
At both events, Life Fest attendees will hear from Sisters of Life emcees Sister Cora Caeli and Sister Charity. For more information about Life Fest, or to register, visit: lifefestrally.com
About Life is VERY Good and Life Fest
Each year since 2013, thousands of teenagers have packed EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax for Life is VERY Good. The event featured dynamic guests, including musician Matt Maher; Father Agustino Torres of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal; The Catholic Channel’s Katie McGrady; Real Life Catholic host Chris Stefanick; and the Diocese of Arlington’s Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. The event was created to help thousands of young people from across the country to prayerfully prepare for the annual March for Life.
Beginning in 2023, after the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned, the Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus have annually welcomed thousands of young men and women to a pre-march event: Life Fest. Held on the morning of the March for Life, Life Fest’s capacity crowds have heard from inspiring witnesses such as Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston; Monsignor James Shea of Bismarck, North Dakota; Sister Bethany Madonna of the Sisters of Life; and talented musicians such as Sarah Kroger and Damascus Worship.
About the Sisters of Life
The Sisters of Life is a Catholic religious community of women founded in New York in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor. Consecrated completely to Jesus, the Lord of Life, they commit themselves to the protection of human life and to the promotion of new life in Christ, acknowledging the sacredness of every person, and sharing the good news of God’s abundant mercy. In this way, they seek to help reveal to each person their own innate goodness, the particular love God has for them, and the call to a life of abundant truth, joy and hope. Immersed in Eucharistic prayer within a vibrant community life, their missions include caring for vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children, inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus, fostering a culture of life through evangelization, retreat works, spiritual accompaniment of college students, and upholding the beauty of marriage and family life. For more information, visit sistersoflife.org.
About the Knights of Columbus
In 1882, Blessed Michael McGivney, a young parish priest in New Haven, Connecticut, founded the Knights of Columbus to serve the needs of a largely immigrant Catholic community. What began as a small fraternal benefit society has since grown into the world’s premier lay Catholic men’s organization, with more than 2.1 million members in over 16,800 local councils. As members of one of the world’s leading international charitable organizations, Knights around the world donated more than 47 million service hours and over $190 million for worthy causes in their communities in 2023. The Knights of Columbus also offers a range of life insurance products to members and their families and was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Insurance Companies 2024 in the permanent life insurance category. Knights of Columbus Insurance currently has more than $123 billion* of life insurance in force. In addition, the organization offers investment services in accord with Catholic social teaching through its wholly owned subsidiary, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, which holds more than $28 billion** in assets under management. Based on the founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus is committed to strengthening Catholic families and parishes, and to practicing faith in action through service to all in need. To learn more or to join the Knights of Columbus, please visit kofc.org/join.
*As of September 30, 2024
**As of September 30, 2024
