TAC students have been attending and volunteering at the Walk since day one! Here their report from the college website, and some great pictures!
Last weekend, students from Thomas Aquinas College, California — some 140 in all —dispatched some 300 miles north for the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco.
After a long bus trip on Friday, students unloaded their things and took to the surrounding city to stretch their legs, enjoy some good food, and socialize. When the day saw its close, everyone bedded down for the night in preparation for the main event.
Saturday began early with quick breakfasts before the group loaded up on the buses for the Walk itself. The students enjoyed the pre-Walk rally with speakers from the pro-life movement, and then they were on their way through the city’s streets. The College’s students led the way, with several young women holding a banner at the front. “It was a special moment at the beginning,” said Anthony Santine (’25), “reminding me of why we do so much work to get out here.”
The Walk took the students 2.1 miles through San Francisco, signs, Rosaries, and literature in hand. Though protestors arrived with angry chants and yelling, the student contingent kept its composure. “It was a prayerful and contemplative walk,” said Chris Atwood (’24). “It was cool to see the witness of young people to the movement. Every year, it’s gotten better. The older I get, the more I appreciate it.”
The Walk complete, students dispersed in groups among San Francisco to enjoy the city’s offerings, including the famous Ghirardelli Square. The next morning, students went to Mass at the Shrine of St. Francis, where they provided a choir and altar servers. After giving thanks to God for their pilgrimage and its many blessings, they began the six-hour trek back to campus.