13th annual March for Life slated Jan. 22

The purpose of the March for Life is for participants to walk and stand up for unborn children who cannot speak for themselves. The local march will be held ahead of the 48th annual March for Life event, which will be held Jan. 29 in Washington, D.C.

Rev. Stephen Stanbery, of St. Peter Catholic Church in Archbold, will offer prayer at the start of the march. A police escort will lead participants from the Defiance County Courthouse to the Monument of the Unborn on the property of St. John Catholic Church, located at 510 Jackson Ave.

Jamie Blank will host the march, and lead a prayer for life at the monument. From there, the event will move to the basement of St. John’s.

Colleen Hammons will speak to start the program. Hammons will talk about modern-day miracles that are changing people’s attitude.

Mary Juarez, a mother, grandmother, author and founder of Never Let Go Ministries in Edgerton, will then speak about being adopted, and wanting to meet her birth mother.

Wayne Staszel, who works as a chimney sweep, will speak about his feelings of being the father of an aborted baby and how it has affected and haunted him over the years.

The Culture Project, a group of young people who seek to restore culture through the experience of virtue, will speak about the dignity of the human person, inviting our culture to become alive.

Ed Sitter, president of Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio (RTLACO), will follow with pro-life remarks with the crowd.

Jim Zipfel, who will share his musical talent for the 13th straight year, will sing, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

Rev. Stanbery will close the event with prayer.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. by Rev. Doug Taylor at St. John Catholic Church. Throughout the day there will be Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament at the church, ending with benediction with Deacon Mark Homier at 4:45 p.m.