CHARLOTTE — As Planned Parenthood prepares to open Charlotte’s newest abortion facility this summer, prolife groups are responding by organizing prayer rallies and sidewalk vigils in front of the facility, and by generating awareness of abortion among local Catholics.
Among these groups, one has a unique focus in mobilizing Catholics from an often overlooked demographic: Catholic teenagers. This group is called E.P.I.C. and stands for “Each Person Is Cherished.”
Founded in 2014 by St. Patrick Cathedral parishioner and pro-life teen activist Molly Rusciolelli – now professed with the Franciscan Daughters of Mary in Kentucky – the group is open to Catholic teens from ages 13 to 19 and its members participate in a variety of prolife activities.
E.P.I.C. coordinates a monthly prayer vigil at the Latrobe abortion facility, organizes pro-life conferences, and hosts social and educational events. This past spring it organized a pro-life movie night during which teens viewed and discussed “Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer,” a documentary about convicted abortionist Kermit Gosnell. They also hosted a speaker from the national group Students for Life to empower the teens to engage in pro-life conversations with their peers.
Prayer and fasting is also a key component to E.P.I.C.’s activities as it also runs a prayer and sacrifice sign-up page where members are asked to offer prayers and small penances each month. Recognizing that many teenagers are dependent on their parents for transportation, this offers an option to help end abortion without leaving home. The group also has an e-mail list to keep members updated on upcoming activities.
With Charlotte’s fourth abortion facility set to open, E.P.I.C. is renewing its efforts to engage Catholic teens and invite them to participate in pro-life advocacy.
Mary Ohlhaut, a 17-year-old St. Ann parishioner and cousin to Rusciolelli, now leads the group, supported and mentored by her parents Dan and Beth Ohlhaut.
“Abortion is a defining moral issue among my generation, and teens have shown their enormous interest in ending abortion by participating at the March for Life in D.C. each January,” said Ohlhaut. “We want to let them know there is an outlet at home where they can continue that momentum and enthusiasm for prolife work for the rest of the year – that place is E.P.I.C.”
To engage more Catholic teens in the pro-life cause, E.P.I.C. is seeking to form a leadership team of teens and parents to expand its reach and activities. The team would focus on social media, e-mail communications, publicity, event organizing, hosting an annual conference, coordinating prayer efforts and fundraising.
The goal is to have one to two teens per task along with a parent or other adult to support them. No prior experience is required and the roles would only take a few hours a month. With a team in place, Ohlhaut believes E.P.I.C. can hold more pro-life events and activities – thereby enabling teens to help end abortion in Charlotte.
“My generation of pro-life teens, which has grown up in the climate ofeasy access to abortion, wants to make it illegal and unthinkable. We want to help mothers and their babies. “We want to make reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the outrages committed against Our Lord and Our Lady in the abortion facilities in our city. And we want to inspire one another to not grow tired of fighting this spiritual battle,” Ohlhaut said.
“E.P.I.C. is the place where we can do this, while growing in leadership and team-working skills that will prepare us for a lifetime of involvement on this issue of great national and moral importance.”
— Mike FitzGerald, Coorespondent
Get involved
To kick off the new school year, E.P.I.C. is holding a back-to-school event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. The recently released movie “Unplanned” will be shown and discussed.
RSVPs are strongly encouraged.
To join E.P.I.C. or to learn more about the group, contact Mary Ohlhaut at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..