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March for Life 2010 Catholic Daughters from across the country converged on the nation’s capitol for the 37th annual March for Life which took place on January 22, 2010. They came by plane, bus, car and train to participate in what has become a very, very important event to the Catholic Daughters, whose members attended the first march 37 years ago following the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. National officers attending included National Regent Libby Ramirez, National Regent-Elect Joanne Tomassi, First Vice National Regent Anne B. Nelson, Second Vice National Regent Shirley Seyfried and National Secretary-Treasurer Theresa Kocer. National Executive Director Peggy O’Brien, normally present and handling all the arrangements, was homebound with an injured leg suffered in a fall coming out of church. Despite her injury, Peggy took care of things by telephone. Please keep Peggy in your prayers for a speedy recovery and return to health. Other leaders present included Past National Regent M. Joan McKenna, National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte, National Director Letty Calvetti, National Director Helene Shepard and National Nominating Committee Chairman Theresa Duran. Some members of the National Board arrived early for business meetings, including the annual National Legislative Committee Meeting, and other meetings were then held at intervals throughout. On the day before the march members attended a Leadership Mass as well as the annual “Vigil for Life” Mass, which was held at the majestic Cathedral of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. For National Regent-Elect Joanne Tomassi this was her sixth march. “Every year the experience is so moving and emotional,” Joanne said. “Hearing the witness of so many people who have experienced the evils of abortion first-hand helps give me the strength to continue to make this trip and do this march. I was very encouraged by the number of people. It gave me hope that the tide may soon be turning. ” It was the first March for National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte. “It was an incredible experience,” the ‘first-timer’ said. “The speakers were most inspiring. So many young people are well informed and eager to work for life issues. We must rededicate ourselves to informing our fellow Catholics and especially Catholic women as to the tragedy of abortion.” This was the sixth march for National Director Helene Shepard, who said “You could not help but feel happy and proud to be a Catholic and especially a Catholic Daughter walking and praying with so many other Catholics for the same goal - preserving the sanctity of life.” Others at the March included National Administrative Assistant Mary Impellizeri who made the trip by bus with fellow Catholic Daughters, parishioners and New Yorkers and a group of Juniors from Court St. Joan of Arc in Framingham, Massachusetts, accompanied by their Catholic Daughter advisors. A televised interview with EWTN was scheduled on the day of the march. As they waited for the interview Libby Ramirez, Joanne Tomassi and Margaret Sitte had the opportunity to visit with Virginia Second Vice State Regent Elizabeth Scheuren, her husband Fritz, and Helen Lynch, vice regent, Court Kavanaugh #54 in Alexandria, Virginia. The group also visited with New York State Regent Penny Martin, New York State Chaplain Rev. Scott Seymour and Tina Bigelow, recording secretary, St. Joan of Arc #867 in Willsboro, New York, as they waited for the interview. Thanks is also in order to these three, who went to the Cathedral of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception many hours before the Vigil Mass in order to reserve wonderful space in pews very close to the altar for National Board members. “It was wonderful to march once again,” said National Regent Libby Ramirez. “We were able to walk and speak as Catholic Daughters on behalf of those unable to do so. We hope that our efforts today will someday lead to a world in which the Right to Life will be a certainty and we won’t have to march for it.” PS -- Apologies to the many, many groups and individuals who made a great effort to attend the march that are not mentioned in this story. The march was very crowded and security was tight, so it was impossible to visit with everyone there. I’ll be writing a story for SHARE Magazine about the march. Send me your comments and pictures about your march for Life to: Tom Panas 
Marching in the direction of the United States Supreme Court building toward the end of the march’s route are, left to right, National Regent-Elect Joanne Tomassi, National Regent Libby Ramirez, National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte (partially hidden, marching behind Libby Ramirez), Virginia Second Vice State Regent Elizabeth Scheuren (background) and, to the right of Libby, Helen Lynch, vice regent, Court Kavanaugh #54 in Alexandria, Virginia. 
Standing at the end of the March in front of the CDA banner are, left to right, Past National Regent M. Joan McKenna, National Director Letty Calvetti, First Vice National Regent Anne B. Nelson, National Regent Libby Ramirez, New York Second Vice State Regent Mary Ziesig, National Regent-Elect Joanne Tomassi, National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte, Second Vice National Regent Shirley Seyfried, National Secretary-Treasurer Theresa Kocer and National Director Helene Shepard. 
EWTN interviews National Regent Libby Ramirez, right, during the March, while observing in the background are, left to right, Helen Lynch, vice regent Court Kavanaugh #54 in Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia Second Vice State Regent Elizabeth Scheuren, New York State Chaplain Rev. Scott Seymour and National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte. 
National Administrative Assistant Mary Impellizeri, left with Vera Mendoza, right, who now lives in Olney, Maryland but keeps her membership in Court Santa Maria #317 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 
A view of our nation’s capitol from the EWTN interview staging area. 
During the March for Life there was a lot of waiting as well as a lot of walking, as testified by National Director Helene Shepard, left, and Theresa Duran, chairman, national nominating committee, right. 
Standing in the pews in their purple jackets waiting for the Vigil Mass to begin at the Cathedral of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the evening before the March for Life are, left to right, National Regent Libby Ramirez, First Vice National Regent Anne B. Nelson, Second Vice National Regent Shirley Seyfried, National Regent-Elect Joanne Tomassi, National Secretary-Treasurer Theresa Kocer, National Legislative Chairman Margaret Sitte, National Director Helene Shepard and National Director Letty Calvetti. Photos may be downloaded by left clicking on the photo to enlarge it. Then, right clicking on the enlarged photo and selecting save image. |
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