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Health & Fitness

Mount Carmel Students Caravan for Life

A group of pro-life Mount Carmel students traveled across the country to Washington, DC last week to participate in the annual March for Life Rally.

A group of pro-life Mount Carmel students traveled across the country to Washington, DC last week to participate in the annual March for Life Rally.

Mount Carmel students joined more than 500,000 other people in sections of the National Mall on January 25 to protest the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion.

Theology faculty member and service program coordinator Mr. Kevin Hansen, and parent volunteer Gina Mirabelli, led the group of students to Washington. Mount Carmel students who participated in the March for Life are: Dan Breakey, of Chicago (Beverly); Kevin Breakey, of Chicago (Beverly); Marcus Campbell, of Olympia Fields; Patrick Fishcer, of Chicago (Beverly); Darren Hall, of Steger, Nick Holloway, of Blue Island; Andrew Jacobs, of LaGrange; Brendan Jacobs, of LaGrange; Thomas Jones, of Joliet; Jon Koranda, of Homewood; Adam Lewandowski, of Whiting, IN; Gabriel Lupa, of Chicago (Beverly); Michael Lupa, of Chicago (Beverly); Jacob Marzo, of LaGrange Park; Zac Mirabelli, of Hegwisch; Dan O'Keefe, of Downers Grove; Ryan Ruff, of Chicago (Beverly); Dan Sanchez, of Dyer, IN; Matthew Schau, of Highland, IN; and Vince Zarate, of Tinley Park. On their way to the rally, the Mount Carmel students also stopped at Whitefriars Hall, a Carmelite house of formation.

March for Life participants ranged from individuals to large groups of churches and non-profits.  “I wanted to attend because I wanted to represent all the teens in Chicago, and at Mount Carmel who share my prolife beliefs and want to end abortion,” said junior Dan O’Keefe.  

For all the Mount Carmel students who attended, the March for Life wasn’t just an opportunity to rally for their beliefs, it was an opportunity to learn and grow.  “Attending the rally was very powerful and strengthened my pro-life views,” noted junior Andrew Jacobs.

“The experience was absolutely life-changing,” said junior Marcus Campbell.  “I learned so much about the value of life, for unborn children and for all people.  It really brought me closer to God.” 

For O’Keefe, who returned to the rally for a second time after an inaugural trip in 2012, the experience was an educational one that gave him more information on a topic he already strongly believed in. “Now,” he said, “ I feel that I have the knowledge to become more of an activist among my peers on these issues.”

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