Locals take part in D.C. March for Life

New Castle News (PA)

Jan. 22--The candles are on hold, but a busload of local pro-life supporters still got a chance to shine a light on their beliefs this weekend.

The New Castle Chapter of People Concerned for the Unborn Child was supposed to hold its annual Light a Candle for Life luminary ceremony Sunday night on Kennedy Square. Although an after-service at Mary, Mother of Hope Church took place, rain in the forecast prompted organizers to push the candle ceremony back to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Nonetheless, the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., went on as planned Friday, and a number of New Castle folks were on hand for it. Among them was 21-year-old Ashley Presnar, a Shenango High graduate and Robert Morris University senior who will be headed back to D.C. this week to do a internship with Sen. Ted Cruz.

"It was very eye-opening to see how many people also shared the same beliefs that you do," said Presnar, who was attending for the first time. "We went to the rally and people were singing, there was Congress people up on stage, and we heard Trump speak, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, he spoke, too.

"It was so cool to see people like elected officials talking about what we believe in as Catholics."

Trump spoke to crowds from the Rose Garden at the White House, where he told participants, "We are with you all the way," adding that he is committed to building "a society where life is celebrated, protected and cherished."

In the one year since his inauguration, Trump has delivered on rules and policies he had promised in an effort to help curb abortion rights legalized 45 years ago. Chief among them is the confirmation of conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Trump's administration on Friday also announced more actions in line with long-standing demands from social and religious conservatives.

The Department of Health and Human Services spelled out plans to protect medical providers who refuse to perform procedures such as abortions because of moral or religious scruples. HHS also pulled back an Obama-era policy that posed a legal roadblock to conservative states trying to cut Medicaid funds for Planned Parenthood.

Dr. Sheila Burick of New Castle has made multiple trips to the March for Life, and was there again Friday.

"I'm just blessed every time that I get to go," she said. "It's something I feel compelled to go to. Too many years we've tried to illegalize abortion. It needs to end.

"It's powerful to once again see so many young people and to actually be united with so many groups from far away places that make the trip, and just see people of all nationalities. You hear different languages, different types of prayer and different messages being chanted."

After an initial rally on the National Mall, the March begins up Constitution Avenue toward the Capitol and the Supreme Court. The sight of these structures, Burick said, is as inspiring as the speeches, songs and prayers at the rally.

"When you get to the end and see the government buildings and know that some of the laws have changed for the better in the last year, it's reassuring that we will see an end to this some day."

The day's diversity is one of the things that strikes veteran marcher Lou Bosco.

"It seems like this issue transcends race and transcends gender," the New Castle native and Cranberry Township resident said. "I saw a lot of men and women there, families. There was just a sense of unity, which was really nice because often in the world today, there's not a lot of sense that people are unified on much.

'This was an issue that brought people of different backgrounds together. It was definitely a very good feeling."

And that feeling went unabated, Bosco said, when the president addressed the crowd.

"It's very different from the impression you get from the media," he said. "I was just looking around me. It's not the impression that you get from the media of the feeling that's out there for the president.

"The people there, whether they supported him or not, were very appreciative that he took the time to speak to them."

Bosco continued to be impressed as well by the numbers of younger participants.

"It's like half a million young people, being in a crowd like that, they're singing and chanting, and they're so respectful and peaceful," he said. "There's no fighting, there's no tension, you don't hear any animosity, any kind of putting down the other side.

"It's praying and singing; it's really just a very positive experience."

(The Associated Press contributed to this story)

d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com

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