Jean Rogan
Jean Rogan’s first active opposition to the legalization of abortion came in late 1973 or early 1974 when she saw a message in the bulletin of St. Joseph the Worker Parish about a group from Pittsburgh going by bus to the “March for Life” in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, January 22nd. She asked her priest what it was about and he explained that the 1973 Supreme Court abortion decisions had made it legal for women to abort their children. Jean couldn’t believe that America would kill its own little unborn babies and felt compelled to reserve a seat on that bus. She learned that the purpose of the “March”was for people to take a stand against killing unborn babies and to appeal to their legislators to enact laws to stop the killing.
So Jean Rogan was one of over 20,000 people from across the nation who attended the very first “March for Life”! The event, which was held on the West Steps of the U.S. Capitol, was founded by Nellie Gray,[5], a former WW II Corporal in the Women’s Army Corp (WAC), a Catholic convert and a graduate of Georgetown University School of Law.
On the bus Jean met members of the newly formed People Concerned for the Unborn Child (PCUC) and was told that the group was forming Chapters in the counties surrounding Pittsburgh. Their focus was to educate the public and encourage others to speak out against abortion. Jean was so inspired that she became the founder of the New Castle Chapter and began speaking at churches, schools and civic groups. She carried with her a slide projector, which had been donated by the local Knights of Columbus and the groundbreaking educational slide show called “Abortion Questions & Answers” which had been developed by Dr. and Mrs. Jack Willke of Cincinnati, OH. Her awesome and very persuasive speaking skills and dedication in promoting the pro-life message attracted members to the Chapter and changed the hearts of minds of many in our community.
For nearly 40 years, Jean was instrumental in keeping pro-life issues before the public here in Lawrence County. In addition to continuing to speak to local groups, she organized pro-life educational events, set up a pro-life booth every year at the Lawrence County Farm Show and established a yearly Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser. In addition, she organized buses to every “March for Life” for 35 years, from the first one in 1974 until 2009, when health issues prevented her from making the long and very tiring bus trip.
Because of her unwavering pro-life knowledge and convictions, along with her persuasive speaking skills, Jean Rogan has inspired many to join her in protecting God’s Gift of Life. This is especially true for those who have succeeded her.