FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              

Andrea Slivka
Public Relations Coordinator
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Toledo
419-244-6711, ext. 139
419-308-2272

aslivka@toledodiocese.org

Jan Kahle
Respect Life Coordinator
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Toledo
419-796-8005

jkahle@toledodiocese.org

Local Catholic Groups Travel to Washington, D.C. for Jan. 23 March for Life
           

   JAN. 20, 2012—Several groups and individuals from the Diocese of Toledo will travel to the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23.  A number of local youth will participate in pro-life youth rallies and Masses prior to the march.

    The annual event draws tens of thousands of youth and pro-life supporters to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  The march begins on the Washington Mall and concludes at the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    The following groups will participate in the march.  For group leaders’ contact information for media inquiries, please call Catholic Charities’ Public Relations Coordinator Andrea Slivka at 419-244-6711, ext. 139.

Allen County:
•    Bluffton — College students from Bluffton St. Mary will travel with a group organized by Putnam County Catholic churches.

•    Delphos — St. John High School; 56 students and chaperones are participating.

•    Lima — Lima Central Catholic High School; 52 students and chaperones are participating.

Erie County:
•    Port Clinton and Marblehead — Members of Port Clinton Immaculate Conception and Marblehead St. Joseph are traveling together by charter bus.

•    Sandusky — Members of Sandusky Life Teen, comprised of youth from St. Mary, Holy Angels and Saints Peter and Paul, are to travel with churches from Toledo.

Huron County:
•    Bellevue — Immaculate Conception’s youth group; 26 youth and chaperones are participating.

Lucas County:
•    Oregon — Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School; 51 students and chaperones are participating.

•    Toledo — Toledo Central Catholic High School; 19 students and chaperones are participating.

•    Toledo — Youth groups from Toledo St. Joan of Arc, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Patrick’s of Heatherdowns; Perrysburg St. Rose; Maumee St. Joseph and Sandusky St. Mary will travel together in three buses; 130 to 140 youth and chaperones are participating.

•    Toledo — The Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office of the Diocese of Toledo is leading a group with youth from Toledo Little Flower, Toledo Blessed Sacrament, Genoa Our Lady of Lourdes, Marblehead St. Joseph and Findlay St. Michael; 47 youth and chaperones are participating.

Paulding County:

•    Paulding — Divine Mercy Catholic Church; 40 people are participating.

Putnam County:

•    Members of Ottoville Immaculate Conception, Fort Jennings St. Joseph, Cloverdale St. Barbara, Glandorf St. John the Baptist, Ottawa Saints Peter and Paul, Miller City St. Nicholas and Kalida St. Michael, along college students from Bluffton St. Mary, will travel together; 40 people are participating.

Sandusky County:
•    Gibsonburg — St. Michael’s youth group; 12 youth and chaperones are participating.

Wood County:
•    Bowling Green — St. Thomas More University Parish; 56 university students and parishioners are participating.

In 2010, Catholic Charities served 31,000 people in the Diocese of Toledo by providing food, shelter, prescription and emergency rent assistance as well as adoption services, jail and prison ministries and services to the elderly.  The organization’s mission is to make real the love that God has for each individual person regardless of their faith or background by serving the poor, speaking for and assisting the neglected and forgotten, respecting and promoting life from beginning to end and nurturing and supporting individuals and families.
 
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