Published on March 20, 2026 10:02 am
Last Updated on March 20, 2026 10:06 am
The Illinois Mass for Life Thursday in Springfield unfolded in a way no one expected — not in a cathedral, church, or event center, but on ice at the Nelson Center Ice Hockey Rink. In a space usually filled with the crack of sticks and the roar of competition, nearly 2,000 people packed the arena to capacity — transforming it into a place of reverence, prayer, and witness for life.
The visual contrast was striking. Where hockey players usually check opponents into boards and serve time in penalty boxes, there stood the altar where goals are scored. The rink that typically echoes with the scrape of skates instead resounded with prayer, responses of the faithful, and sacred music (Allen Organs of St. Louis provided the organ). Bleachers became “pews.” The focus inside the arena was not on winning or losing a game, but on Heaven coming down to earth in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It was a vivid reminder that wherever the Eucharist is celebrated, Christ is present — whether beneath vaulted church ceilings or arena rafters.
The vast majority in the crowd were young people — students from Catholic grade schools, high schools, college Newman Centers from across Illinois, and homeschooled children.
“I think it’s so beautiful because I have been to this ice rink a lot throughout my life, and we know Jesus can be everywhere, but being in a place like this and to incorporate the Lord into it, no matter where we are and no matter the circumstances, is so important and so beautiful,” said Ella Timmermann, a senior at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield.
“I think it’s really powerful that we are all here and have such a great community,” said Max Gillenwater, a junior at St. Anthony High School in Effingham. “It’s a little different (being at an ice rink). It’s definitely really cool.”
“I love being a part of the pro-life movement, and it’s exciting to know that so many of my friends are here with me today, and we are all here for the same thing,” said Nora Beeler, a homeschooled student in Raymond.
(BISHOP PAPROCKI RAISES THE CHALICE)
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois served as the celebrant, with the diocese acting as host for the Mass. At the beginning of Mass, Bishop Paprocki joked that he was familiar with the ice rink, standing in the spot where he can be found on many weekends playing goalie (he is known as the “holy goalie”). The homily was delivered by Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria. Dozens of priests from throughout the state concelebrated the liturgy. Religious sisters were also present, including several from the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George in Alton.
The scene captured the uniqueness of the day — youthful energy united with reverence and a secular space transformed into sacred ground. It was a powerful witness that the Gospel of Life belongs everywhere.
Following what some called the “Mass on ice,” the crowd grew to approximately 2,500 people for the Illinois Pro-Life Rally and March — again composed largely of young people. What followed here was anything but subdued.
At the 1 p.m. rally at the Abraham Lincoln statue on Second Street on the grounds of the Illinois State Capitol, Bishop Paprocki led the crowd in an opening prayer and remarks.
“I called attention to Abraham Lincoln who brought an end to slavery,” Bishop Paprocki said. “170 years ago, people thought slavery would not end, but it did, thanks be to God, and so the message here is we can also bring to end abortion. Unfortunately, the legislature here passed physician-assisted suicide, and we have to pray and give witness that assisted suicide will also come to an end.”
Kramer Soderberg, the head basketball coach at Millikin University, was also one of several speakers who spoke at the rally.
“The beauty about sports is it’s not just about one person doing a job,” Soderberg said. “It’s not just the head coach’s job. It’s just the player’s job. It’s everyone’s job. It’s the entire team’s job. You see here, we have a great team. The pro-life community is a great team, and everybody has to do their job no matter how big a role you have, how much influence you have, or how little, everybody’s role and job is important in this movement.”
The atmosphere was joyful and unmistakably hopeful. Students cheered, sang, danced, smiled, and prayed together — a sea of life-affirming enthusiasm in the heart of the state’s political center.
At 2 p.m., the march began around the Capitol. The Crusaders for Life from St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago and St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield helped lead the procession with chants, songs, and coordinated movements that energized the crowd. Those gathered were not marching for themselves, but for the unborn and for all vulnerable people. Their faces reflected joy, and their voices carried conviction. Their message was not anger but love. Signs expressed hope, compassion, and the belief that every human life has dignity.
“I am pro-life, and I think babies deserve to live, and there is no reason to have an abortion,” said Kali Scharth, an eight-grader at St. Francis Holy Ghost Catholic School in Jerseyville.
“There are young people who don’t have the opportunity to speak for themselves, and we have to help them,” said Ellie Reuschel, an eighth-grader at St. Francis Solanus Parish in Quincy. “It’s really cool because there are a lot of people around here who are really supportive and everyone here is really kind.”
This is the fourth year the rally and march took place in Springfield, drawing participants from across the state who seek to be a visible witness to life through prayer and public presence.
“I think it’s really cool, and it’s nice to have all these people that think the same thing — that abortion should not be legal,” said Joseph Bonansinga, an eighth-grader at Blessed Sacrament School in Springfield. “It inspires me to talk out and spread the cause.”
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the debate over abortion policy has shifted primarily to the states. In Illinois, that debate carries particular weight.
Illinois has enacted some of the most expansive abortion laws in the nation. The state’s Reproductive Health Act removed language recognizing fetal personhood. Lawmakers repealed the parental notification requirement for minors seeking abortion, despite polling that has shown strong public support for such notification. Private insurance plans and Medicaid cover abortion costs. Public universities with student health centers must provide access to medication abortion or referrals. Abortion is permitted for any reason until approximately 24–26 weeks of pregnancy, and after that point too if a physician approves of the abortion under broader health considerations. Additionally, a physician-assisted suicide law is scheduled to take effect in September, allowing individuals with certain qualifying medical conditions to kill themselves with a lethal drug.
Yet for all the political context under the shadow of the Capitol dome, what defined this day was not legislative language but lived conviction — especially among the young. An ice rink became a sanctuary. Thousands of students filled the capital city with prayer and song. The proclamation of life was contagious.
