Category Archives: New Castle Chapter

Newsletter, April 30, 2017

On Friday, January 27th, 2017,  42 people (16 men, 25 women and 1 boy) boarded  our bus  to attend the 44th Annual March for Life!  Our group included five students from Westminster College and ten from Grove City College.  (The students were such a blessing to this 78 yr. old attending my 34th March for Life.)   The youngest was Gunnar, age 10.  Autumn, his Mom,  has traveled with us for many years.

Our group was filmed by EWTN near the end of the March.   We were very visible with our signs with two red hearts and the words, “Abortion, one heart  stops…. another heart breaks”. 

I had a personal banner which read “Defend God’s Gift of Life… from Conception to Natural Death” .  This was carried by me and others; but mostly by Amy and Alex, Grove City College students. The rally prior to the March for Life began at Noon.  Hundreds of thousands came from all over the nation. We gathered at the base of the Washington Monument  to hear speakers Vice President Mike Pence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan,  and Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood Director, to name a few.  The actual march began around 1:00 PM.  Marchers left from the base of the Washington Monument, and marched up Constitution Avenue to the steps of the Supreme Court.

Check out this You Tube Video  to see our group at the MARCH FOR LIFE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IvY5qVgq8w&feature=youtu.be
It’s the Entire EWTN  Coverage – over 7 HOURS!.   To see just us: Drag the red line all the way to 5:52:52  then Go to Settings and choose o.25 speed.  Look on the far left of the screen for the Black & White POSTER with the face of a baby and words “Face It Abortion Kills”. This is the first sign of our group and is followed  by our PCUC New Castle group, holding white signs with two red hearts and the words “Abortion, one heart stops…. another heart breaks”.    The March for Life is inspiring, awesome, prayerful  and invigorating, especially  for those of us who have spent many years speaking out in defense of God’s gift of Life.

Unlike EWTN, most of the media ignores this huge event which attracts hundreds of thousands every year.   The majority who attend are high school and college students.

Abortion is America’s genocide.   Planned Parenthood and groups like them are killing over 3,000 tiny little American baby boys and girls every day.    Over 1.3 million every year – over 60 MILLION since 1973.

Please Pray and do something each day to help stop the killing of the innocent.

To view more PCUC, New Castle Chapter photos, including a few of the crowd at the March for Life Click Here.

Light A Candle for Life in the Darkness of Abortion

Our 31st annual “Light A Candle for Life” Prayer Vigil seemed  better this year.  Why?  In part, because it was held on Friday, January 20th, the day of the Inauguration of President Donald J. Trump.  It was now official! We had a Pro-Life President!! 

It was also better because
God blessed us with rain stopped at 3pm, the sun came out and nearly 75 people came to Kennedy Square to kneel, pray and light 1,000 luminaria in memory of the 60 million American babies lost to abortion and in concern and sympathy for their Mom’s.

Prayer is a big part of any effort!

“In the past 44 years, we have prayed,
believed and hoped that the evil of abortion would end.   Most of us believed that it would only end with the Supreme Court overturning the 1973  Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton.   Today, with the Inauguration of Pres. Donald J. Trump, who said he will nominate pro-life justices to the Court, we may see the beginning of the end.”  (A few of my words at Kennedy Square.)

American Heritage Girls & Leader, Kathy Donegan

Thanks Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
Please pray for President Trump.  He isn’t perfect; but he is working night and day to protect and defend life and our nation.

Below are links to the video and New Castle News articles by Editor, Dan Irwin of the New Castle News. Dan also posted a video of our event.   See link.  If you can’t click on it, just copy and paste it. Special Thanks to Dan!

http://videos.ncnewsonline.com/ncnewsonline/cltb7y?v=autoplay_postroll&e=e0018&opn=right_rail_embed

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/pro-life-vigil-returning-to-downtown/image_821a37d2-1ce0-5b64-bbe4-e3f82b121eb5.html

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/pro-life-supporters-invoke-trump-s-name-at-service/article_485bb7a4-df79-11e6-8cf8-a77721df2e8b.html

Father John Schmidt & Ellwood City Group

In case you missed it, here is the WKBN coverage of our Friday, Jan. 20th “Light A Candle for Life”.
The first link is the actual tv coverage.  The second is the written coverage by Brian Ivey of WKBN.
http://wkbn.com/2017/01/20/new-castle-pro-life-group-holds-vigil-to-pray-for-unborn/.

To view additional photos Click Here.

Defend God’s Gift Poster 2016  < Click to view Poster

The Advisory Board and Officers of PCUC, New Castle Chapter are busy planning our DEFEND GOD’S GIFT OF LIFE BANQUET to be held on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at The New Englander Banquet Center, 3009 Wilmington Road, New Castle, PA.    The Banquet begins at 5:30pm with a plated dinner, followed at 6:30pm with nationally known pro-life speakers, Rev. Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and Attorney Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel.    See biographies below.

Tickets:  Adults – $20.00

Clergy – Complimentary

Students, Clergy Spouse or Clergy Staff –  $15.00

MATHEW D. STAVER, ESQ.

Mat Staver is the Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and also serves as Vice President of Liberty University, Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law, and Chairman of Liberty Counsel Action. He has the highest AV rating given to attorneys by Martindale-Hubbell and is board certified in Appellate Practice.

Mat holds Bachelor, Master, and Juris Doctorate degrees and an honorary Doctorate of Laws and a Doctorate of Divinity. He has argued two landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court as lead counsel and written numerous briefs before the High Court.  Mat has argued in numerous state and federal courts across the country and has over 210 published legal opinions.

He has authored hundreds of popular articles, five scholarly law review publications, numerous brochures and booklets, and 11 books, most of which focus on constitutional law, including his two most recent books, Eternal Vigilance: Knowing and Protecting Your Religious Freedom, which is the most comprehensive book ever written on religious liberty, and Same-Sex Marriage: Putting Every Household at Risk.

Mat produces and hosts Faith & Freedom, a 15-minute daily radio program, and Freedom’s Call, a 90-second daily radio program, focusing on topics of cultural and political interest from a Christian worldview. He serves on the Board of Reference of The Christian Film & Television Commission. As a former pastor and one of the nation’s preeminent constitutional attorneys, he frequently appears as a guest on national network and cable TV and radio programs and also appears in several thousand print articles each year.

REV. FATHER FRANK PAVONE
National Director, Priests for Life and Missionaries of the Gospel of Life
President, National Pro-life Religious Council
Pastoral Director, Rachel’s Vineyard

FR. FRANK PAVONE is one of the most prominent pro-life leaders in the world. Originally from New York, he was ordained in 1988 by Cardinal John O’Connor, and since 1993 has served full-time in pro-life leadership with his bishop’s permission. He is the National Director of Priests for Life, the largest pro-life ministry in the Catholic Church. He is also the President of the National Pro-life Religious Council, and the National Pastoral Director of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign and of Rachel’s Vineyard, the world’s largest ministry of healing after abortion. He travels throughout the country, to an average of four states every week, preaching and teaching against abortion. He produces programs regularly for religious and secular radio and television networks. He was asked by Mother Teresa to speak in India on the life issues, and has addressed the pro-life caucus of the United States House of Representatives. The Vatican appointed him to the Pontifical Academy for Life and to the Pontifical Council for the Family, which coordinates the pro-life activities of the Catholic Church. He was present at the bedside of Terri Schiavo as she was dying and was an outspoken advocate for her life. He was invited by members of the Class of 2009 at Notre Dame to lead an alternate commencement ceremony for those students who refused to attend the ceremony in which President Obama was honored. Fr. Frank was invited by members of Congress to preach at the prayer service they had in the Capitol just prior to the vote on health care reform. He received the “Proudly Pro-life Award” by the National Right to Life Committee, and numerous other pro-life awards and honorary doctorates. He is the author of four books, Ending Abortion, Not Just Fighting It; Pro-life Reflections for Every Day; Abolishing Abortion, and Proclaiming the Message of Life. Norma McCorvey, the “Jane Roe” of the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade abortion decision, called Fr. Frank “the catalyst that brought me into the Catholic Church.”

To view pictures of the event, Click Here.

Apostle David Young speaking at “Light A Candle for Life”, 1/20/15; Family Worship Center, New Castle

Finally!  An Update of  PCUC, New Castle Chapter events and activities! ( 5 months overdue! – I’m sure not too many of you really checked in as often as I do, so you probably didn’t even know!)

Do you have too many irons in the fire!  I DO! In fact, there’s another iron on the ironing board behind me as I type this update.

When I last updated (Feb. 8th) about our January 20th “Light A Candle for Life” Prayer Vigil, I added photos and text about our lighting of candles and ceremony at Kennedy Square.   Then I promised ” Photos of the Prayer Service at the Fellowship Hall will be added soon.”  So look for these photos now!  Also for a You Tube audio of Rev. David Young’s talk, with lots of PCUC and other photos. Continue reading →

Life is Beautiful!… and it was especially beautiful at 6pm on Tuesday, January 20th at Kennedy Square (“the diamond”) in New Castle, PA as we began our 29th “Light A Candle for Life” Prayer Vigil!

God Blessed us with beautiful weather and a group of more than 75 people of all ages.  They came to Pray and Light 1,000 luminaria candles in memory of the 58 MILLION unborn American baby boys and girls who have been aborted since January 22, 1973.  

The local American Heritage Girls (conservative alternative to the Girl Scouts) led the Pledge of Allegiance and Rev. Father Michael Ackerman, Parochial Vicar, St. Vitus Parish led us in prayer. 

We prayed for the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and everyone in America who mourns the loss of these beautiful babies.   Life would be so much more beautiful if they were among us.

Reatha Gibbs, Prevailing  Word World Outreach Center and members of the St. Vitus Choir led the singing of “God Bless America”.

Then everyone began lighting their candles. If you are in one of these photos, please let us know so we can add your name.  Thanks!

Terrell Waller opens a luminaria bag while Liberty Broschart helps Alexis Wiggans unpack her luminary kit.

Following the lighting of the candles, we walked across the street and into the Family Worship Center Fellowship Hall for the 7pm Prayer Service and hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and other treats. The theme was “Black Lives Matter ~ Every Life Matters” and our keynote speaker was Rev. David Young, Pastor, Prevailing Word World Outreach Center. 
Click for program details. Program 2015

Photos by Dan Irwin, New Castle News.    Special thanks to Dan and the News staff for their excellent coverage of this event.  On behalf of the babies we are very grateful.

    Photos of the Prayer Service at the Fellowship Hall will be added soon.   God Bless Everyone who was a part of this public Witness for God’s Precious Gift of Life.  Let us all resolve to do something at least once a week to show our Respect for God’s Precious Gift of Life…from conception to natural death.

WATCH THE MARCH FOR LIFE RALLY!  (see link below)

See the Rally and the entire “March” on EWTN:
EWTN “March for Life”  6 1/2 hours tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 25, beginning at 9:30AM. The “March” is also covered by C-Span 1 (Channel 3, Comcast) – or perhaps on C-Span 2 or 3 (Comcast Channels 184 & 185)

PHOTOS, PCUC, New Castle Chapter at the “March for Life”         

PHOTOS 1) and 2) The 33 wonderful folks, ages 10-81yrs. who traveled by bus to the “March for Life” in Washington, D.C. on Thurs., Jan. 22, 2015.  Hoping you can Click on the photos to make them larger.

 PHOTO 3) A small group of us were standing just off the Rally site and the lady standing beside me began talking to our group.   I recognized her as Olivia Gans Turner, a National Right to Life speaker who I have seen at many NRLC Conventions.   She heads American Victims of Abortion, having had an abortion in 1981.   Read more about her here: http://www.prolifeperspective.com/?page_id=83     Left to Right:  Joanne Mellot, PCUC Treas., Terry Blesch, Tom Navarra, Diane Coandle, Diane Marcella, Martha Martin, Olivia Gans, Pastor Mickey Cypher, Susan Mellott, Dusty Costa, Father John Schmidt and Donald Greco.

PHOTO 4)  We were in line at the Russell Bldg. hoping to see our Senator Pat Toomey and Congressmen Keith Rothfus and Mike Kelly. Coming out of the Bldg. was Cong. Rothfus.  He recognized me and we stopped him for a quick photo.   Keith is a staunch advocate for God’s unborn children.  Standing left of him is Autumn Sand (the coat of her 10yr. old son Gavin – sorry he was cut out of the photo!) Behind me is Rodney Fennick and to the right beside meare Sara Christy and Terry Blesch (PCUC 1st Vice-Chair).

PHOTOS 5) Left: Father John, Martha Martin and Pastor Mickey help hold  up the front wall of the Russell Senate Office Bldg. after walking 12 very long blocks from 12th street on Madison Dr. and finally onto Constitution Avenue. & PHOTO 6) Donald Greco and Cassandra Patterson, members of the Westminster College Coalition for the Protection of the Unborn holding down the steps of the Russell Bldg. 

To the 32 people who traveled on our bus to the January 22, 2015 “March for Life” :  THANKS for joining us on our pilgrimage to the 42nd Anneual “March for Life”!   I hope you had a wonderful educational experience!
Normally I ask for comments on the way home; but, as with most of you, I was too weary AND the majority of you were asleep. It was wonderful to have a few “old timers” who have attended the “March” for many years!  We’ve become friends.  And I  thoroughly enjoyed meeting each and every one of you who were making your first trip!

THANK YOU for being so patient and understanding with the few temporary inconveniences.    I was very concerned about the issue at the Cracker Barrel, since I had picked that restaurant for “personal, selfish reasons”; but was so pleased that it was resolved fairly quickly with all of us being seated within minutes – instead of an hour!   As my brother said, it was good that we hadn’t arrived earlier, since the place was totally packed.   I really enjoyed having dinner with my sister, brother and sister-in-law.
Hoping the elementary (Gavin), high school (Marlee & Natalie Bell and Josh Patterson) and college students (Cassandra Patterson & Donald Greco) were able to get up in time for school yesterday morning AND that all of those who needed to get to work were able to function at their jobs!

May God Bless all of you for your concern about His teeny tiny precious unborn children, their moms, dads, grandparents and our society, all of which are impacted by an abortion decision.
SPECIAL THANKS to the 3 Pastors who traveled with us:  Pastor David Bell, First United Brethren; Pastor Mickey Cypher, Victory Christian Center, New Wilmington and Rev. Father John Schmidt, St. Elias the Prophet Orthodox Church, Ellwood City.

Please educate everyone you meet and pray constantly for an end to the evil of abortion.
Diane Marcella
Life …God’s most Precious Gift!
People Concerned for the Unborn Child, New Castle Chapter

PRO-LIFE ON C-SPAN TODAY ~ IOWA FREEDOM SUMMIT:
IT’S on C-Span now (4pm Saturday, Jan. 24), until 7PM. AND AT 8PM tonight on C-Span (channel 3, Comcast), a repeat of the Iowa Freedom Summit.
SPEAKERS:  JONI ERNST, U.S. Senate, from IOWA; DR. BEN CARSON, DONALD TRUMP AND OTHERS, some of whom will be running for President.  I saw it earlier and Dr. Carson is OUTSTANDING and Donald Trump is very OPINIONATED.  

Begin forwarded message:
From: “Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, March for Life” <info@marchforlife.org>
Date: January 23, 2015 4:01:38 PM EST
To: Diane <dm4life@comcast.net>
Subject: Thank you for marching for life!
Dear Diane,

Thank you for marching for life!
We are grateful and humbled by your commitment to speaking out for the beautiful cause of life.  Thank you for speaking out at the March for Life, and for sharing your pictures and messages on social media.  You can see pictures HERE and a gallery of your #WhyWeMarch messages HERE.
If you weren’t able to watch the rally, you can watch the full video on YouTube HERE.
As you know, our 2015 theme is “Every Life is a Gift.”  That means your life is a gift to this world and you can make a difference in your community for our culture of life! Now that we’ve finished marching, we want to encourage you to “give the gift of life” by participating in one pro-life activity every month of the year.  Take our Give Life Challenge, and together we can impact our country for life so that one day, we no longer have to march.

Sincerely,
Jeanne Monahan-Mancini
Make sure you receive email from MARCH FOR LIFE. Click here to sign up
Copyright © 2015 March for Life, All rights reserved.You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.

Our mailing address is:
March for Life
1317 8th Street NW
Washington, D.C., DC 20001

March 31, 2014 – Banner & Luminaria @ Kennedy Square.

Photo of 2014 “Light A Candle for Life” Prayer Vigil held on March 31, due to the dangerously cold temperatures in January!  See More Photos: Click Events & Photo Albums.

ADD LOCAL PRO-LIFE EVENTS TO YOUR 2015 CALENDAR! (Suggested New Year’s Resolution: “I will stand up and speak out in defense of GOD’S PRECIOUS GIFT OF HUMAN LIFE ~ from Conception to Natural Death.”)

Please pray for a return to RESPECT FOR GOD’S GIFT OF LIFE. Put your pro-life convictions into action.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015; “Light A Candle for Life” Prayer Vigil; 6 PM KENNEDY SQUARE:KNEEL, PRAY AND LIGHT 1,000 luminaria candles in memory of the 58 MILLION BABIES LOST TO ABORTION SINCE 1973.; 7 PM FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER: PRAYER SERVICE. Prayers by a Priest and a Minister. Music includes a song “I’m Glad That God Made Me”, sung by a group of children. Inspirational Pro-Life Message: (Check back for speaker.) Enjoy hot chocolate or coffee and a sweet treat.

March for Life 2013: Group from Enon Valley Evang. Presby. Church: Maggie Hairhoger, Rachael Hodge, Chris Arisman, Belinda Stroebel, Janice Grim, Diane Harman & Karen Beatty. Also Bonnie Schaefer, Exec. Dir., Alpha Omega Center. NOTE: FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, we didn’t attend “the March” in 2014. The high temperature in Washington, D.C. was 12 degrees, too dangerously cold!!!

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! Check back for Details.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 – “March for Life” Washington, D.C.; We have a 56 passenger bus going to the March. Departure: 4:45a.m. from the parking lot at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1111 S. Cascade St., New Castle, PA. Return: Leave Washington at 5pm. Dinner 6-7pm in MD, north of Washington. (Place to be announced.) Arrive at St. Joseph’s parking lot between 12 midnight – 1a.m. (Friday) COST IS $30/ADULT & $20/STUDENT ($15/STUDENT FOR GROUP OF 5 OR MORE STUDENTS.) Bring snacks, beverages for breakfast and lunch. Money for dinner.
RESERVATIONS: CALL 724-658-8662 OR E-MAIL pcucnc@comcast.net JOIN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AS WE MARCH FOR LIFE AND MEET OUR U.S. SENATORS & CONGRESSMEN.

Photo of Jean and her daughter Pattie taken by Jean’s grandson, Randy Rogan II.

On Monday, November 19th, 2014, despite a blanket of snow and cold temperatures, ninety-eight pro-life people came to the New Englander Banquet Center to honor our Founder, Jean Rogan and to help celebrate her 40 years of defending God’s Gift of Life!  

Jean formed the New Castle Chapter of People Concerned for the Unborn Child in 1974, several months after attending the very first “March for Life” on January 22, 1974 in Washington, D.C. Jean had seen a message in the St. Joseph the Worker Parish bulletin that a group from Pittsburgh had buses going to Washington,D.C. to attend the “March for Life”. She asked her priest what it was about and he told her that since abortion had been made legal by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, the Pittsburgh group was going to Washington to speak out against the killing of the unborn. Jean couldn’t believe that America could permit this killing and felt called to be a part of the group, so she was in the crowd of over 20,000 from across the nation who gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and then went inside to speak with their legislators. The temperature in Washington that day was 70 degrees!

Among her many local pro-life activities and events with PCUC, New Castle Chapter, Jean organized a bus or buses to “the March” for thirty-five years, from 1975 through 2009. She took hundreds, possibly thousands of Lawrence County people to “the March”. Once you went on that bus with Jean, who talked (educated) all the way down and all the way back, you became committed to the mission of defending God’s Gift of Life! (I know, because that’s what happened to me in 1983! Jean has a gift for inspirational speaking.)

As Jean looked out at those gathered at The New Englander a few weeks ago, she said “I can’t believe how many people came out in such bad weather.” We who have been inspired and motivated by her for many years weren’t at all surprised! In fact, we know that if we had invited the public, not just family and PCUC contacts, the New Englander wouldn’t have been able to seat everyone!!