Busloads of Catholics from throughout the diocese plan to head to Washington, D.C., this month to take part in the annual National Prayer Vigil and March for Life.

Liz Ankney and Chris Bercaw of Paulding St. Joseph are taking two buses to the march and vigil Jan. 21-22. Mrs. Ankney, who has organized bus tours to the pro-life vigil and march for 13 years, says she has noticed more young people at the rally in the last couple of years.

“It was just a thrill to see all of the youth there,” she says, describing last year’s event. “It gives you a sense of peace. There’s thousands and thousands of people there.”

Buses will leave Paulding at 7 a.m. Jan. 20 and return around 3 a.m. Jan. 23, according to Mrs. Ankney. The cost is $148 a person for the bus trip and two nights in a motel if four people share a room.

Mrs. Ankney says her group goes down early to have time Monday to tour the capital.

“Then we go to the basilica the night before the march,” she says. “We’re up again going to the youth rally and Mass the next morning. Then we march from the mall to the Supreme Court building.”

Mrs. Ankney says she has taken one bus for many years and decided to add a second this year when the first bus filled quickly.

“My second bus, I gave it to my Blessed Lady and she’s filling it up,” says Mrs. Ankney, who has relatives from as far away as Peoria, Ill., traveling to Ohio to join the trip.  

Some of the young people Mrs. Ankney has enjoyed seeing over the past few years are students from Lima Central Catholic High School. About 55 students and chaperones from Lima are going to the prayer vigil and march this year.

Father Michael Geiger, chaplain and director of pastoral care at Central Catholic, and Angie Soules, Lima Life Teen coordinator, are organizing this trip.

“Every year it grows,” Fr. Geiger says. “Our primary focus is to be witnesses for life and to show the power of our faith.”

The Lima group is to begin the trip Jan. 20 and leave for home right after the march. They also plan to attend the Monday evening Mass at the basilica and the youth rally and Mass on Tuesday morning.

“It’s a really cool thing,” Fr. Geiger says. “The morning of the march, about 9 in the morning, you see 25,000 other young Catholics who are on fire with their faith.”

Fr. Geiger says the event features Christian and Catholic bands and speakers, hundreds of priests, about 50 bishops and thousands of young believers.

“From right there, they lead the youth to the march,” he says.

A group from Sandusky is also heading to Washington, but they have a little different itinerary planned. Organizer John Collart says the Sandusky Tri-Parish High School Youth is sending one bus and may add a second if needed.

That group, and the Tiffin youth group, God Squad, leave Sunday night, do sightseeing on Monday and then celebrate at a Christian concert. The groups spend the nights at a local high school or parish with other students from around the country. They head for home after the youth rally and march Tuesday.

Toledo groups are also planning trips, including Toledo Central Catholic High School,  Toledo St. John’s Jesuit High School and the diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry.

For information on joining a group going to the Prayer Vigil and March for Life, contact the interim coordinator of the diocesan Respect Life Ministry office, Pat Halicek, 419-244-6711, or consult the listed coordinators.

Lima Central Catholic High School
Father Michael Geiger or Angie Soules, 419-228-7635

Paulding St. Joseph
Liz Ankney, 419-399-2674
Christopher Bercaw, 419-769-2679

Sandusky Tri-Parish Youth
John Collart, 419-625-0407

Tiffin God Squad
Father Timothy Ferris, 419-447-2087, ext. 25

Toledo Central Catholic
Rachel Hunyor, 419-255-2280, ext. 111

Toledo St. John’s Jesuit High School
Phil Skeldon, 419-865-5743

Office of Youth, Young Adult and
Campus Ministry
Deacon Jerry Ziemkiewicz, 419-244-6711, ext. 334