Rick Santorum Full 2026 PA March for Life Speech

Rick Santorum Full 2026 PA March for Life Speech

Pennsylvania Family Council

Sep 22, 2026

Hear Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum's remarks at the 6th annual Pennsylvania March for Life!

Be Fearless. Be Courageous. Stand for Life.

Transcript lightly edited for clarity and readability. 

Thank you, Michael. Thank you so much, and thank you to the Pennsylvania Family Institute and the March for Life. It's an honor to be here, but [most of all], I want to thank you. 

Every time I get an opportunity to come and speak to the people of Pennsylvania, I just want to thank you. You may think, ‘Well, he’s thanking us for electing him to the Senate.’ Yes, but more importantly, thanking you for giving me the opportunity to experience something that changed my life. You notice when Mike talked, he said [I] was one of the great, fearless leaders in the United States Senate. 

But I served two terms in the House before I became a United States Senator, and Mike didn't mention my fearless leadership there for a reason, because it wasn't. I was like most folks who are pro-life, which is the easy road, which is to vote pro-life and keep your mouth shut. To vote pro-life and never ever author a bill, never champion a cause. 

What I found, out and most politicians know, is that if you just vote pro-life and don't really try to win, they're going to leave you alone. It's when you stick your head out of the foxhole that they come after you. And that's who I was until I came to the United States Senate thanks to you. 

And in the United States Senate, my life changed because of two things. Number one, someone had the courage to come up to me and invite me to a Bible study in the United States Senate. And my wife found a church, our church in Northern Virginia, when we moved our family there, with an amazing priest who rocked my world. 

And over a period of a year, that first year in 1995, I went from having Christ in my faith as part of my life to the center of my life, to my reason for being here. And it's amazing what happens when you put Christ in the middle of your life, when you seek His will, and when you get close enough to God, because I think God speaks in whispers. And when you're close enough to Him, you can actually hear what He's calling you to do. 

And at the very time that was going on, this bill called Partial Birth Abortion was up for an override vote in the United States Senate in 1996. And the man who was leading that charge backed away. He didn't want to do it anymore because he was getting too much heat, and he was up for election. 

And so the leader of the Republican Party went to our caucus and said, Are any of you willing to do it? And no one raised their hand. No one. And there I sat as one of those no ones. 

And I don't know what came over me, but the Lord lifted my hand up.  

And one of the things I found in my life is when the Lord presents an opportunity, don't think, just say yes.  

And so I embarked on something that I had never intended. In fact, I swore that I would never do [it]. Which is to speak out and be a leader on the issue of life. And the reason I share that with you is I was not someone who wanted to do that. I was not someone who was convicted to do it. I was not someone who was raised to do it. But someone who ran into it because I ran into the Lord. And my message today is actually a pretty simple one. 

I'm going to tell a couple of stories. But...I can list all the things and the work that I did on life. But the reality is God. Did I lose races because of my position? Did I get beat up by the media? Have I been vilified in every possible corner? Yes. Praise God.  

I love the Beatitudes because there's all sorts of charisms in the Beatitude. Peacemakers, and meek and humble of heart. 

But there are two Beatitudes. For people who stand up for righteousness’ sake and those who are willing to be persecuted for the Lord. Two. 

And when you stand for life, you check both of those boxes. So what I want to tell you is that yes, you will suffer a lot. But remember, the Lord said what? He didn't say pick up your box of chocolates. He didn't say pick up your Volvo. He said pick up your cross. And that's where He will bless you. 

And I want to share with you just a couple of stories of how the Lord has blessed me. And let me assure you that if you embrace the cross of life in a world that is not for life, in a world that says just think about you not others, He will bless you beyond measure. And I say that particularly to the legislators, to the clergy, who sometimes may get hesitant in both jobs to speak out and to be bold and to take the criticism and maybe the losses that come with it. I'll share one story that happened to me.

Watch the Full Video for Santorum's Entire Speech