St. Ursula Academy students attend March for Life in D.C.

Cincinnati, Ohio; January 26, 2007 

Twenty-three St. Ursula Academy students accompanied by four faculty and staff members, participated in the annual March for Life in Washington D.C. on Jan. 22 to commemorate the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion in America. “The purpose of the March for Life is to raise national awareness of the injustice of abortion and the harm it causes our country.  Also, the March is an opportunity for pro life citizens to meet with lawmakers and encourage them to support pro life legislation in our Congress,” says St. Ursula Academy learning disabilities teacher and chaperone Christine Schuermann, adding that the academy has sent students to the March nearly every year.

Mrs. Schuermann says that in addition to the March for Life, the SUA group attended the annual Youth Rally & Mass at the Verizon Center sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. She says that this year’s crowd was so large the Washington Archdiocese added two more Youth Rally & Mass events which were held simultaneously at Constitution Hall and at St. Matthew's Cathedral, where over 25,000 youth from all 50 states  participated in these liturgies.  “The Youth Rally & Mass at the Verizon Center was both beautiful and inspirational.  The Most Reverend Pietro Sambi, the Papal Nuncio for the United States and Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington D.C., along with four Cardinals, 29 Bishops and several hundred priests and deacons concelebrated a truly magnificent liturgy.  Just hearing 20,000 youth sing, pray and witness their faith was an incredible experience for all.  After the Mass a police escort was offered to the students to march down 7th Street to Constitution Avenue for the March for Life, truly an impressive sight for the noontime crowd in Washington.”

Freshman Hannah Mueller of Westwood says that she felt very good about the amount of people her age who were at the youth rally.  “Thirty thousand kids—that was really strong.” Classmate Michelle Weber of Westwood says “I thought it was a life-changing experience…I think everyone should go at least once during their high school career.”  Freshman Emma Salquist of Bridgetown says it was “an eye-opening experience—you felt you were a part of something really big.”

St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women.  In 2002 the academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910.