By Jim Graves
Los Angeles, Calif., Jan 17, 2025 / 10:40 am
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ annual OneLife LA event is set to take place this weekend, despite the recent wildfires that have ravaged the city. This year, however, the event will feature a modified program and focus in light of the current circumstances.
In previous years, the event involved a walk through downtown Los Angeles, culminating at L.A. Historic Park. However, due to the unhealthy air quality and the strain on local law enforcement resources, organizers have decided to move the event entirely inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Michael Donaldson, senior director of the Office of Life, Justice, and Peace for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and organizer of OneLife LA, expressed, “The 2025 OneLife LA is not only an opportunity to focus on ‘womb to tomb’ life issues but is our chance to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have suffered so much from the fires that have devastated Los Angeles. It is our chance to show not only that human life is sacred but to honor fire victims and let them know we care.”
With uncertainty about how the fires will impact attendance, organizers are hopeful for a strong turnout. The cathedral can accommodate over 4,000 people, and the 2024 event attracted 6,000 participants.
Beginning at 1 p.m., participants are invited to gather at the cathedral. Partner groups like 40 Days for Life and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will be present outside the cathedral to welcome visitors and provide information.
The speaker and performance program will kick off at 2 p.m., featuring testimonials from fire victims and reflections on the most vulnerable individuals affected by the fires. The event will conclude at 5 p.m., bringing the community together in solidarity and support.
Join us for an unforgettable event this weekend at OneLifeLA, where Archbishop José Gómez will be leading an annual Requiem Mass for the Unborn at 5 p.m. The theme of the day will be “Let Us Stand Up Together in Hope.”
Among the featured speakers at this event are Jennifer and George Magallon of Altadena, whose home was tragically destroyed in the Eaton fire. George, a contractor and apartment owner, and Jennifer lived in their dream home on a large lot in a community near the Angeles National Forest. It was a place where they often welcomed family and friends.
Despite Santa Ana winds blowing up to 100 mph on the evening of Jan. 7, the Magallons gathered what they could and fled as the Eaton fire began. George and his neighbors tried to protect their homes with water, but the water pressure eventually slowed to a trickle, leaving everything vulnerable to the flames.
In the early morning hours of Jan. 8, an “orange rain” of burning embers fell on the neighborhood, and everything was lost. The once-prosperous neighborhood now resembled the surface of the moon when the Magallons returned.
Join us at OneLifeLA this weekend to hear the inspiring story of Jennifer and George Magallon, who faced devastation with courage and hope. Let us stand up together in hope as we remember the unborn and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
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