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Schools

JCA Marches For Life In January

Joliet Catholic Academy led with 34 attendees, the highest number of students among high schools in the Joliet Diocese.

Theology teacher Jeremy Hylka, the moderator for Joliet Catholic Academy’s Respect Life club, described the national event and the number of students attending from JCA as “a huge statement."

Thirty-four JCA students and six chaperones — the highest total of any Catholic high school in the Joliet Diocese — will take part in the “March For Life 2012” pilgrimage from Jan. 20-24 in Washington, D.C.

“It’s a huge statement,” Hylka said, “because it shows how Catholic we truly are at Joliet Catholic Academy. We are not just saying that we are Catholic at JCA, our students and teachers are living it.”

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Hylka, Joe Burke, Cory McDermott, Jane Nolan and Rob Passehl teach theology at JCA, the lone high school in the Joliet Diocese where religion is a four-year required course. A college preparatory high school in its 142nd year, JCA is co-sponsored by the order of Carmelites and the Joliet Franciscan sisters.

“We are inspired by the Carmelite and Franciscan ministry every day,” Hylka said. “And this is one way our kids show how they are living the Catholic mission and preaching the gospel of protecting life.”

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Students attending are Sarah Adler (Joliet), Alexis Bauer (Joliet), Zak Bell (Joliet), Kellie Cunnea (), Maggie DiPietro (Bolingbrook), Nathan Dollinger (Joliet), Sydney Earl (Yorkville), Lauren Elliott (Joliet), Nicole Formhals (Joliet), Molly Gahan (Joliet), Chris Jelinek (Joliet), Rachel Jelinek (Joliet), Michael Kaminski (Joliet), Erin Kennedy (Custer Park), Caroline Knorr (Joliet) and Dana Koerner (Joliet).

Also: Nicholas Lennon (Shorewood), Paige Liston (Darien), Taylor Lofdahl (Joliet), Annah Marquardt (Joliet), Katie Nicholson (Joliet), Carly Nowaczyk (Downers Grove), Dana Nowaczyk (Downers Grove), Marin Pasieka (Joliet), Andrew Pultorak (Joliet), Nate Pultorak (Joliet), Colleen Quinn (Shorewood), Rachelle Sartori (Joliet), Katie Schmig (Joliet), Katelyn Seeman (Joliet), Molly Vodacek (Crest Hill), Damian Wahl (Joliet) and Jordyn Zembruski (Shorewood).

The chaperones for the trip are Hylka and math teacher Jeannie Bell and parents Chris Earl, Valerie Jelinek, Marie Knorr and Mary Jane Wahl. It is the fifth straight year JCA has spearheaded this trip.

“We’re joining almost half-a-million people of all races, creeds and backgrounds,” Hylka said. “It’s a march in the nation’s capital where we are voicing our opinion, obviously, for the pro-life cause.”

The trip includes touring the historic sites of the capital on Saturday and attending a special Sunday mass at the famous Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The march is on Monday, Jan. 23, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.

“Bishops and Cardinals from across the country will lead this mass inside the Basilica in front of over 10,000 Catholics on the day before the march,” Hylka said. “We call it the ‘Mass For Life.’ It’s a great mass, a great weekend, a great experience for everyone involved, and we’re all looking forward to it.”

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