VOL.47, NO.2· Friday, January 17,2003
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
March is centerpiece of two days of Pro-Life events in Washington By
DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR AND eNS NEWS REPORTS
WASHINGTON When thousands gather at the Washington Monument at noon January 22 for the 30th annual March for Life, many of them, including hundreds of young adults from the Fall River diocese, might feel they've already ,experienced a full day of Pro-Life . activities. , Although the annual rally on the i National Mall, followed by a . march along Constitution Avenue to the Capitol and the Supreme Court is the focus of the day's events, it is far from the only one commemorating the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe V. Wade and Doe V. Bolton decisions legalizing abortion. And many Catholics, young and old, will also join in the National Prayer Vigil for Life, which begins Tuesday, January 21, with an 8 p.m. Mass in the upper church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. "While it's unfortunate that we even have to be there another year,
what is exciting is that the largest contingent of young people we've ever had. from the Fall River diocese will be taking part," said Marian Desrosiers, assistant director of the Pro-Life Apostolate for the Fall River diocese. "We have 224 young people and 70 adults - including five members of the clergy' - making the trip aboard five buses," Desrosiers reported. The theme for the march is "Affirm the sanctity of each hu-' , man life by word and deed." The youth element includes 28 students from Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, 24 from Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton, 57 from Bishop Comiolly High School in Fall ,River; and 102 from Bishop Stang.High School in North Dartmouth; eight from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in. Seekonk, and five from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in New Bedford. This is the lOth year the diocese has mustered young people and adults to join the throng in the nation's capital to be one voice Tum to page 13 - March
, WHEN SCORES of young people from across the Fall River diocese descend upon our nation's capital next week for the annual March for Life, it will m~rk the 10th year of this diocese's involvement, as-~ illustrated by these file photos of past events. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decisioi1legalizing abortion in this country. (Anchor file photos)
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.....·ofllie FATHER GEORGE E. Harrison, left, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk, blesses a group of pilgrims as they prepare for an 11-day trip to the diocesan mission in Guaimaca, Honduras. From left: Anthony Potenza, Pam ,Poten;za, Louis Emond (kneeling), Gail Nunes, Margaret Quinn, Donna Castle, Alice Souza, Lucy Soares, Tim Ramey, Julie Ramey, and Sean Lynch. Also going but not pictured are Tony Andrade and Marijanna Lokitis. The suitcases are filled with basic necessities such as peanut butter, napkins, prescription samples, etc. Father Harrison sent the pilgrims off at Mass last Sunday with the theme from Isaiah, "I will go Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart." The group is comprised of parishioners from Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Mary's in Seekonk; St. Peter's, Dighton; Immaculate Conception, Taunton; and St. James, New Bedford. (Photo by Marty Doyle)
2003
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