Anti-abortion group hosts January events

Staff report

NEW CASTLE, PA.

The New Castle Chapter of People Concerned for the Unborn Child is hosting a variety of events in January.

Upcoming events include a Light A Candle for Life prayer vigil at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at Kennedy Square in the city. The Rev. Chad Stoecker of First Assembly of God will lead a prayer, and Sammy Bessell, a fifth-grade student at St. Vitus, will sing “God Bless America.” The group will light 1,000 candles in memory of unborn children.

The event will continue with a prayer service and program at 7 p.m. in the Marian room at St. Mary Church, 124 N. Beaver St. Dr. Dan Callaghan will discuss “Defending God’s Gift of Life.” Prayers will be led by the Rev. Randy Crum of Wayside Emmanuel Church and the Rev. John Schmidt of St. Elias the Prophet Orthodox Church. St. Vitus students will perform.

Guests are asked to bring new or gently used and laundered baby items to be donated to a local Catholic Charities Pregnancy and Parenting ministry. Baby clothes in sizes newborn to 24 months, blankets, diapers for newborns to size 5, and formula are needed. Hot chocolate, coffee and cookies will be served.

PCUC has also reserved a bus to travel to the 42nd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22. Seats are available. Cost for travel will be $40 for adults and $30 for students. A price of $20 is offered for individual students in groups of four or more. Members of the clergy travel for free. To reserve a spot, call 724-658-8662, or email pcucnc@comcast.net.

The group will leave New Castle at 4:45 a.m., attend the march at noon to protest the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, and leave Washington at 5 p.m. There will be a stop for dinner, and the expected return time will be midnight or 1 a.m. Jan. 23.