Bishop Iffert shares a message of reconciliation and the gift of life at the 2026 Kentucky March for Life

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Rain clouds departed, and the sun shone down on the 2026 Kentucky March for Life, March 11, where the theme was Every Life is a Gift. Students from Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills; Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills; Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport; St. Henry District High School, Erlanger; Holy Cross District High School, Covington; Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria; St. Patrick High School, Maysville; and eighth-grade students from St. Joseph School, Cold Spring, traveled to the Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort, to march in support of life.

Joining the students at this year’s Kentucky March for Life was Bishop John Iffert, who celebrated morning Mass at Good Shepherd Parish, Frankfort, and spoke on the steps of the Capitol. There, he shared with students, marchers and demonstrators alike a message of reconciliation for women who have suffered abortions and the love of God for all life.

Asking the audience to imagine a time where a meaningful gift was imparted to them, Bishop Iffert said, “always, an important part of that is, you know, that the person who gives you that gift loves you, wants to be close to you, wants a relationship with you. That’s exactly the same for every human being.”

The gift of life is, in all ways, filled with the intrinsic dignity and value instilled by God. “From conception to natural death, the unborn, disabled, the weak, the poor, the imprisoned, the aging,” said Bishop Iffert.

Sharing a personal experience, Bishop Iffert recalled a time before seminary when he had a “breakthrough” on the pro-life movement. “There were two stories that kept appearing in the Chicago Tribune,” he said. One, was of a baby born prematurely, highlighting the work of the doctors and care staff and the “tremendous scientific and medical efforts that were being made to preserve this child,” said Bishop Iffert. The other story was one of a father who was suing for rights, hoping to prevent the mother of his child from receiving an abortion.

“It occurred to me,” said Bishop Iffert, “the only difference between these two lives is that one was wanted and one was not.”

“What determines the value of a human life, what concern determines who is human and who is not, cannot be as subjective as whether that life is desired or not. It must be something more integral. What it is, is God’s creative image; that God calls this being into existence and gives that life to us as a gift,” said Bishop Iffert. And, in the same way that the unborn are filled with dignity and value, so are the women who have suffered abortions.

In response to demonstrators whose loud advocacy of Kentucky House Bill 714 supported the prosecution of women who have abortions, Bishop Iffert said, “The Catholic Bishops of the United States have affirmed again and again and again that the woman who has an abortion is a victim of that abortion, is harmed by that abortion.”

“Our approach to women who have had an abortion has been to accompany them, to walk alongside them, both women who have taken this action and who are in danger of taking this action. It is an approach that is rooted in the healing ministry of Jesus, to forgive and to help the individual person come to accept the redemptive love of Christ, and that is what we commit ourselves to.”

A robust applause and cheers rang out from Diocesan students in support of Bishop’s message, a witness to the faith of Diocesan students knowing that reconciliation is the message of Christ.

Speaking once more to the crowd, Bishop Iffert said, “…we will serve the Lord through reconciliation, not anger, and I call on you to do that same.”