A crew of former Canadians will help lead a Sisters of Life festival at George Mason University in Virginia this week, including an Orillia native who will co-emcee the event.

“I am excited to share the truth about God's love and the sacredness of every human life! In many ways, Canadians and Americans both live in a culture of death,” Sister Charity, SV, told The Catholic Register.

Sr. Charity was raised in Orillia but now lives at Sacred Heart Convent in New York City. She will keep things on schedule at the Jan. 23-24 Life Fest along with sister host Sr. Cora Caeli.

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“Life Fest is an opportunity to encourage one another in building a culture of life in which every person is cherished and protected as sacred, capable of knowing and loving God,” Sr. Charity said.

Since 2009, thousands have attended Life is Very Good events in the Diocese of Arlington to pray for the success of the National March for Life in Washington, D.C.

The event has prepared youth and young adults to proclaim the Gospel of Life in the streets of D.C.

In 2022, the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus began offering an event in Washington with a similar vision. This year, the three hosts combined their efforts and offered Life Fest 2025.

A night of praise and a morning rally are on the schedule, which will include Holy Mass, musical performances, and dynamic speakers to whom participants can tune in online.

Talks will be given by Fr. Gregory Pine, Fr. Scott Traynor, and the Sisters of Life.

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Matt Maher, of the Christian band We Are Messengers, will perform to an expected crowd of 16,000, according to the Sisters of Life. 

In 2024, 6000 people attended the event.

The focus is to draw people of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds to encounter the truth of the goodness of each human person and the love of Jesus Christ.

“The hope of Life Fest, first and foremost, is that every young person who walks through these doors receives in a whole new way the gift of the goodness of their own life,” said Sr. Mary Grace.

She made her vows in 2018 and spent three years on a mission in Toronto where she served vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children, and invited those wounded by abortion to heal through the mercy of Jesus. She currently serves at The Evangelization Mission and co-hosts a pro-life podcast called Let Love.

“Life Fest, more than a political campaign, more than a party, is about receiving the gift of human life beginning with our own. Life is good, sacred, and worth saving every single year,” said Sr. Mary Grace.

The event is also a response to an increasingly fragmented understanding of the human person among teenagers, and an effort to address the vital need to support pregnant women, their children, and those who have suffered after an abortion.

“Every woman who is pregnant needs to know that she is not alone. Every woman who has experienced one or more abortions needs to know that Jesus sees her, loves her, and longs to forgive and heal her,” said Sr. Marie Veritas, who was born and raised in Alberta.

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The attendees at Life Fest will have the opportunity to venerate relics of Pope St. John Paul II; Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is slated for canonization in 2025; the recently beatified Ulma family; Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus; among others. There will also be opportunities for confession and eucharistic adoration.

The missions of The Sisters of Life include fostering a culture of life through evangelization, retreat works, spiritual accompaniment of college students, and upholding the beauty of marriage and family life.