Immaculate Heart of Mary eighth graders write pro-life essays

Seventy eighth-grade religion students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Baynesville, submitted essays for the annual Parish Pro-Life Essay contest.

The competition was won by Andrea Doten, who claimed the $75 first-place award. Caroline E. Oakey was second and won $50. Monica Benson claimed third and won $25.

Luke Bengel and Ryan Howard were named honorable mention winners and received $15.

The thoroughly sourced essays displayed passionate defenses of life in the Catholic school tradition.

All winners were given certificates and awards May 27 by Father Michael W. Carrion, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Baltimore County Del. William Frank, a defender of the unborn in the general assembly.

Members of the parish’s Respect Life Committee read and judged the papers and came away impressed by the students’ knowledge of the Catholic Church’s teachings against abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, and cloning thanks to teacher Christine Blake.