Catholic Charities of Northwest Ohio reports that more than 750 people, including 500 youth, will be participating in the annual March for Life on Friday (Jan. 25) in Washington, D.C. Most participants were leaving Thursday (Jan. 24) and returning Sunday (Jan. 26).

Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo diocese will participate in the march and attend a Youth Rally and Mass at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center along with 350 youth and chaperones from the Diocese of Toledo.

Participants will gather at the National Mall for a rally from noon to 1:30 p.m., followed by a march to the Supreme Court Building. Among those scheduled to speak at the rally are Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley; Sen. Paul Rand (R., Ky.), and Sen. John Boehner (R., Ohio) (by video).

The annual march is held to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. In a column posted on ToledoDiocese.org, Bishop Blair said the U.S. Catholic Church has called for nine days of prayer, penance and pilgrimage to mark the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Jan. 22, 1973 decision.

Catholic Charities provided the following list, arranged alphabetically by county, of local parishes and Catholic groups that are participating in the March for Life:

Allen County:

Delphos — St. John High School; 52 students and chaperones.

Lima — Lima Central Catholic High School; 23 students and chaperones will travel with a group from Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic High School.

Crawford County:

Bucyrus, Galion and New Washington — Twenty-eight youth and chaperones from Bucyrus Holy Trinity, Galion St. Joseph, New Washington St. Bernard and Attica Our Lady of Hope Catholic Churches will travel with a group from Mansfield St. Peter High School.

Erie County:

Port Clinton and Marblehead — Members of Port Clinton Immaculate Conception and Marblehead St. Joseph are leading a group of adults from their churches and surrounding counties; 45 people participating.

Sandusky and Huron — Fifty youth and chaperones will travel together from Sandusky St. Mary, Holy Angels, SS. Peter and Paul and Huron St. Peter Catholic Churches.

Fulton County:

Fayette — Youth from Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church will travel with a group organized by the Diocese of Toledo’s Youth Ministry Office.

Hancock County:

Findlay — Youth from St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church will travel with a group organized by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office.

Fostoria — St. Wendelin Catholic School; 62 students and chaperones.

Lucas County:

Oregon — Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School; 53 students and chaperones.

Toledo —

• Students of Central Catholic High School and Maumee St. Joseph will travel together.  The group of 50 youth and chaperones will depart from Central Catholic on Thursday, Jan. 24, after a 10:15 a.m. prayer service at the school. 
• Youth groups from St. Joan of Arc, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Patrick of Heatherdowns will travel together; 55 youth and chaperones.
• Students from St. John’s Jesuit High School, St. Ursula Academy and Notre Dame Academy will travel together; 45 youth and chaperones.
• Youth from Little Flower Catholic Church will travel with a group organized by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office.

Putnam County:

Members of Catholic churches in Putnam County are traveling together; 114 people are participating, including 60 youth.

Richland County:

Mansfield — St. Peter High School; 17 youth and chaperones.

Sandusky County:

Gibsonburg — St. Michael Catholic Church; 12 youth and chaperones.

Seneca County:

Fremont — St. Joseph Central Catholic High Catholic School; 14 students and chaperones will travel with Lima Central Catholic High School students.

Wood County:

Bowling Green — St. Thomas More University Parish is coordinating a trip for 110 people, including more than 55 Bowling Green State University students.