Skip to content

God can't be stopped by snow: Stranded March for Life participants celebrate Mass outside on snow alter

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes
'We have now been stuck over 15 hours in the snow because of this so called #jonasblizzard but that isn't ruining our spirits!'

Busloads of March for Life participants were stranded on a turnpike during a blizzard - but the storm wasn't enough to stop them from joining together to celebrate a frosty Mass.

Highlights

By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
1/25/2016 (8 years ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Mass, March for Life, snow, altar

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - LifeSiteNews spoke to several of the stranded groups, all of whom had a positive attitude about the experience.

Iowans for LIFE Associate Directory, Mary Granzow, took to her Facebook account to write: "We have now been stuck over 15 hours in the snow because of this so called #jonasblizzard [sic] but that isn't ruining our spirits! We are still on a pilgrimage for life including Mass outside in the snow, snowball fights, and making sure those driving by know that every life matters!"

A total of 44 buses holding March for Life participants were stuck in the snow, with a message released Sunday morning at 3:33 a.m. by Mandie DeVfies to identify which buses were caught:

"The Cheboygan bus just got freed! There are still four miles of buses waiting, though. They were first stopped around 10:30 on Friday night. There are over 2200 Marchers stuck on just our little section of the turnpike. I counted 24 buses among the dozens and dozens of semis who are still stuck. I walked about a half mile up the turnpike and talked to every charter bus on the road. 

"I wrote down who the buses were and how many other buses from their group were also stuck. These are the buses I found out about from my half mile walk: 

  • Cascade Iowa two buses
  • One bus from Dyersville
  • Two from Dubuque
  • Three buses from Minnesota
  • One from South Dakota
  • One from North Dakota
  • One from Indiana
  • 5 from north western [sic] Pennsylvania
  • One from Cleveland
  • Another one from Toledo
  • 5 from the St [sic] Louis area
  • 5/7 stuck from Omaha.
  • 6 more from Lincoln
  • Two more from Iowans for Life.

"People on our bus also have information from friends from these other stuck buses:

  • One more from Michigan- Cheboygan Right to Life.
  • Seven Steubenville buses.

44 buses in total."

Though it was cold and the vehicles were forced to grind to a halt, the believers were met with a unique opportunity.

The Missionary Benedict Sisters from Norfolk, Nebraska posted, "Word spread around, and on one bus, the priest had around 300 hosts, and offered to celebrate the mass. Well word travelled around fast and soon we had like 6 priests and 500 people there. God is good!!!"

Father Patrick Behm and other priests delivered the Mass.

As there was no outdoor altar to use, people came together to make an altar out of snow.

Holy Spirit Church posted a video to their Facebook page to show the Mass and the large number of attendees. The video's caption reads "Mass outside. In the blizzard once in a lifetime experience."

Light Your Free Payer Candle for a departed loved one

What is Palm Sunday?

Live on March 20, 2024 @ 10am PDT

Comments include "Yes only God is good , [sic] His goodness always shines on us if we allow it" and "In the midst of the storm Jesus comes to be with them,the [sic] most beautiful work of the Holy Spirit."

---


'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'


Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.