More than twenty-five years ago Eileen Egan wrote a book about Mother Teresa of Calcutta entitled ‘Such a Vision of the Street.’ The words of the title are taken from the English poet T.S. Eliot. The more complete quote is “Such a vision of the street as the street hardly understands.” Eileen Egan was making the point that many people see the Sisters of Mother Teresa’s Religious Order as good humanitarian or social workers reaching out to the unwanted and the outcaste of society. Mother Teresa, however, with the eyes of faith saw her Sisters as Jesus doing acts of kindness to Jesus hidden in the distressing disguise of the poor, the unwanted and the outcast. A totally different vision of the same experience.

    Today many a passerby, including some pro-life people, might view the Helpers outside of abortion clinics as simply pro-life protestors of legalized abortion, demonstrators or some people praying primarily to save the innocent, unwanted unborn infants whose lives on that very day are at risk of a violent death from the abortionist and the pro-choice, pro-abortion supporters. To view the Helpers simply as people on the pro-life side vs. the pro-abortion side, in a struggle primarily to save the unborn babies, would be hardly to understand the Helpers on the street. Only with the eyes of faith in the light of Golgotha or Calvary, can the scene on the street be properly understood.

     The great mystery of Christianity is that the risen Christ intends to continue to do the work of His Father through you and me. He asks permission to live within us and through us to extend His mercy to those enslaved in the culture of death. The challenge of the Helpers is to be Sidewalk Contemplatives at Calvary. We must remove from our presence anything that would prevent those going to or working in the abortion ‘clinics’ from experiencing in us the unconditional merciful love of God for them. God gives us the power to love even our enemy. It is called the virtue of charity. Thus for the Helpers there is no longer two sides, pro-life vs. pro-abortion. There is only one side. We are commissioned by God to be faithful ambassadors of the merciful love of Christ to all those present at today’s Golgotha or Calvary. Even more important than being at the ‘clinic’ is how and why we are present there. At the foot of the Cross of Christ, Mary and John, Mary Magdalen and the other ladies were not talking and chatting or shouting and condemning but rather in prayer, fasting, love and compassion. Jesus did not die alone but was surrounded by prayer, compassion and love. So also the unborn in their final painful hours on earth should be surrounded with prayer, compassion and love. Moreover when the women come to the abortion mill and see people really praying, they are more likely to think of the presence of God and the Cross at Calvary. We must be convinced that God uses this type of Prayerful Presence to change hearts which then makes the sidewalk counselors attempt to speak to the women so much easier.

    With the encouragement of Father Mosey, the Rector of Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut, Tim O’Hagan, the President of the Holy Apostles Life League had contacted me more than once to come to speak to the seminarians. I finally got to Holy Apostles for a presentation at 3:00 p.m.on Friday January 29^th 2010. The Rector and 80 Seminarians stayed for the whole two hour presentation. They all expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm in learning about the roots of the Culture of Death and the Helpers Spirituality and approach in establishing a Culture of Life.. As you know, I don’t ask for an honorarium but inform my audience that the price comes later when they implement what they have heard. And so, on Saturday Morning after Mass all the Seminarians< whose schedule permitted, went with me to the City of Hartford, to pray outside an abortion mill. It was bitter cold yet no one left but continued to pray the rosary and sing hymns outside the mill. Just as we were about to leave, a beautiful young woman came out of the clinic and told the seminarians that while she was inside, she heard them praying and singing on the outside and because of that she was going to keep her unborn child. Praise God! Theresa Konkowski, who started and runs the St.Gerard’s Life Center in Hartford, took good care of her.

    On Friday Feb. 26^th 2010 at 1:30 p.m. I arrived in Phoenix, Arizona Airport and was driven from there by Bob Tobin to St. Peter and Paul’s Rectory in Tucson . At 4:30 p.m. we joined the Helpers and those involved in the “40 Days of Prayer and Fasting Group” on Beverly between Grant and Pim. Then Bob Tobin drove me to the Fish Fry at St. Joseph’s Church where I had more time to instruct, encourage and inflame people like John Pfeiffer, Bob Hamilton, Dave and Linda Lee, and so many others whom Ann Downey had gathered together. The next morning after the 8:30 Pro-Life Mass at St. Peter and Paul’s, which Father Rickey concelebrated, we prayed and counseled outside an abortion mill on Grant and Wyatt.. Then on the sidewalk I conducted a mini workshop on the guidelines for a Prayerful presence and where to put an exhibit for life and the art of sidewalk counseling. I am sure God is still using that wonderful group of people. I then returned to the rectory where Margaret and Jesus Simental from Phoenix drove me back from a late Saturday afternoon presentation arranged by Sheila Riely.

     Although we arrived a little late everyone waited. It was well received. After I left my belongings in my room at the Mount Claret Retreat Center, we went to Scottsdale where I gave the final blessing at the annual Arizona State Right to Life Banquet. At the Banquet I met an old friend Dr. Carolyn Gerstner who succeeded the late, great Dr. Mildred Jefferson as President of the National Right to Life even before Dr. Wilke whom I met again this February at the Legatus International Summit Conference in Naples, Florida. Dr. Gerstner was the guest of Honor at the Banquet. In Nov. 1978 I had joined Dr. Gerstner in the First Hundred Mile Walk for Life through Death Valley, California. The theme for the Walk was: “Which way America, into or out of the Valley of Death.” After I told the audience that the Episcopalian Dr Carolyn knew more about Catholic Social teaching than most Catholics, I was pleasantly surprised to be told that four months ago, Dr. Carolyn Gerstner entered the Catholic Church. A beautiful young married couple later that evening drove me back to the Claret Center

     After Sunday Mass at St. Frances Xavier Church most people took part in the rosary procession from the Church to Planned Parenthood. The Planned Parenthood in Phoenix schedules more abortions on Sunday than any other day. Does that tell you what spirit moves them. The last four times I prayed outside of the abortion mills in Phoenix, praise God, shortly thereafter they closed. Planned Parenthood was using a building I had already prayed outside of, since it was the same building the infamous abortionist Dr. Finkel has used. Not too long ago, the abortionist Finkel was sentenced to thirty-two years in prison after having been found guilty of molesting at least thirty-two of the women who went there for an abortion. Shortly after returning to New York I was told Planned Parenthood left the building where we prayed, so my record is still in tact.. After the Vigil and a break for breakfast, I conducted a Helpers Workshop at Life Choices Women’s Clinic which is run by Sheila Riely. It was standing room only. After the workshop, I left on the 4:20 p.m flight from Phoenix to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    Father Stephen Imbarrato the pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Bernalillo, met me at the airport in Albuquerque and brought me to a building across the street from Planned Parenthood where he runs his Project Defending Life which includes the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants and other life ministries. There I met old and new friends like Laura Bowman, the Gabriel Coordinator, Yolanda Castro, the Helpers Coordinator and sidewalk Counselors like Sally Hernandez, Marie Sanchez, Philip Leahy, Norma Wuench and prayers like Pricilla Hughes, Ferrell and Pattie O’Rourke. I first met Fr. Stephen years ago when I spoke at Holy Apostles Seminary. I spoke that evening to dedicated pro-lifers explaining the Helpers ministry. Later that night I stayed at Our Lady of Sorrows Rectory and rose early the next morning to offer a Vigil Mass in the building across from Planned Parenthood. After Mass we had a Eucharistic procession outside of Planned Parenthood and then returned to the building for Benediction. After a bite to eat we had an extended workshop with the people. After the workshop it was time to take the 7:00 p.m. flight to El Paso, Texas.

    Pepi Gandara and his son met me at the Airport and drove me to his beautiful home on the mountain overlooking El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico where Jose wife’s Ana and the rest of his Family with many Pro-Lifers were present, when I arrived. The next morning I said Mass at the Cathedral Church and then led the group in prayer outside a large abortion mill. Later we returned to Pepi’s home where people came to be trained in the art of sidewalk counseling. Pat Arrazola of El Paso, later wrote to me indicating on the following ten days many babies were saved using the Helpers approach. That evening I gave a lecture at Holy Family Church. The next morning after offering Mass we went to the Airport for my flight back to New York. On Saturday April 24^th I spoke at the Family Life Conference in Westchester where I met once again many long time Helpers who have done such great work in Rockland and Westchester Counties, in New York State.

    On Friday May 28^th early in the morning, here at the Monastery, I offered Mass with the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of my ordination. On Saturday May 29^th the anniversary of my First Mass, I offered a Mass of Thanksgiving at 2 P.M. ( at 2 p.m. to let the Helpers on Saturday Morning counsel and pray outside the abortion clinics here in NYC.) I was joined by my Family, Friends and Helpers from near and far, like Dave Forester from Melbourne Australia. The people stayed for the Mass, even after I started my homily by saying that I had a daunting task in front of me of trying to sum up fifty years of Priesthood in a five hour homily. I am grateful to my fellow Priests, Sisters and Laypeople who made the Mass a prayerful joyful occasion. I am particularly grateful to Tony Felicissimo a Helper for over twenty years, who came down from Yonkers to play the organ and lead the singing. Special thanks and recognition must be given to Kevin and Susan Moore, for arranging a reception that evening for my family and some long time friends, in a small restaurant in the town of Maspeth near St. Stanislaus Church where I was baptized and offered my First Mass, fifty yeas earlier. You can watch part of the Mass and listen to the Homily on www.helperslibrary.info thanks to John Foley and Craig and Wenqi Glantz.

   A group of Canadians led by Doris Gagnon from Ottawa and Nicole Campbell from Toronto arrived for further training on the third weekend of January and they took part in the Helpers Prayer Vigil at St. John Vianney Church where Father Ho, the administrator and the other parish priests and parishioners welcomed us and together with the other Helpers prayed outside of Liberty abortion clinic in Flushing. On Saturday Feb. 13^th from 10 AM to 4 PM here at the Monastery we ran a Helpers Seminar organized by the Helpers Secretary Dorothy Doyle for our own local Counselors and Prayer Warriors. All who attended the seminar thought it was very helpful. The following weekend Feb. 19^th to 21^st a group of Students organized by Nia Hunt from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio took part in a Helpers Retreat training program here in the Monastery and also took part in the Helpers Prayer Vigil at St. Charles Borromeo that was led by Bishop Cisneros.

     Thanks to the efforts of Megan Mastroianni, the Generation for Life Young Adults took part in the weekend Helpers Retreat of March 19^th to 21^{st .} Thanks again to Nia Hunt another large group of students from Franciscan University took part in a Helpers Retreat on the weekend of April 16^th –18^th. The students took part in the Helpers Mass at St. James Cathedral and prayed with Bishop Sansaricq outside a local abortion mill. Bishop Thomas Daily led the Helpers Prayer Vigils at Queen of Martyrs on May 15^th and at Sts. Paul and Agnes on June 12th at which Deacon Ron and his wife Dianne Allen from California participated. Deacon Ron and his wife run the very popular Padre Pio Web Site. In June Father Marcellino de Porres from India, Shawn Walsh a social worker from China and the Missionaries of the Eucharist also visited the Monastery. It’s an honor to keep meeting all these wonderful people. In July, Christine Flaherty, from New Jersey brought a group of volunteers to be trained. In august Bishop Daily led the Helpers in prayer from Our Lady of the Cenacle to the building in Jamaica Hospital where the abortions are performed. Deirdre Lawlor , the President of the Pro-Life Club in Catholic University of America in D.C., with the help of Erin Dunne, brought a wonderful group of students from CUA to take part in the Helpers Retreat and to attend the Vigil at St. Joan of Arc Church and then prayed outside of two abortion mills in Jackson Heights, Queens.

    Father Kevin Sweeney, the Pastor did a wonderful job in encouraging hundreds of their parishioners to take part in the large Vigil from St. Michaels Church Oct. 16^th . Caroline Savoise and thirty other students from Franciscan University came to the Monastery from Saturday Oct. 30^th to Tuesday Nov 2^nd. In November besides the regular scheduled Vigil from St. Patrick Church in LIC to Choices on Nov. 20^th, Father Sweeny organized a special Prayer Vigil from St. Michael’s to Ambulatory ‘clinic’ on Saturday morning Nov. 27^th 2010 because Pope Benedict XVI on that day did a Prayer Vigil for Nascent Life. The Pope asked all the Ordinaries in the World to do a Prayer Vigil in their own Dioceses on that same day for Nascent Life. Bishop DiMarzio of Brooklyn later that day had a Prayer Vigil for Nascent life at St. James Basilica Cathedral. In December on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe after offering the Vigil Mass in St. Catherine of Genoa Church, Bishop DiMarzio led the Helpers in prayer outside of Building E where the late term abortions are done at King’s County Hospital. On Saturday Jan. 15^th 2011 the Priest and people from St. John Vianney parish filled the Church for the Vigil Mass and went in prayer to Liberty abortion clinic in Flushing. On Saturday Feb. 19^th Bishop Daily led the Helpers in prayer from St. James Basilica Cathedral to the abortion clinic at 81 Willoughby Street where Bishop Daily and Detective Steven McDonald led the people in reciting the rosary.

    The delegates from 45 separate nations from all the inhabited continents gathered at the Fraterna Domus in Rome in October 2010 for the World Pro-Life Congress. The Congress was mainly organized by Dietmar Fischer of Vienna Austria and was cosponsored by the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants. There seemed to be unanimous agreement that the Congress was an uplifting enriching experience. The official Church in Rome, at the highest levels, could not have been more supportive and cooperative. At the Wednesday Audience, to which all the delegates were invited, Pope Benedict XVI gave first recognition to the delegates from the World Pro-Life Congress. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, at the opening Mass on Tuesday evening encouraged all the delegates by telling them that it is God who has chosen you as friends and collaborators and has giving you the strength, intelligence and perseverance to go against the dominant culture, the political power, the rampant corruption. His Secretary, Bishop Jean Laffitte offered the closing Mass on Sunday. On Wednesday and Thursday Bishop Klaus Kung and Bishop Adreas Laun offered the early evening Masses and gave the Homilies. On Friday, after the talk in Augustinanum by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski on the salvific value of suffering, we went to St. Peters.

     The Vicar of Vatican City, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who runs the ceremonies in San Pietro offered Mass for the group in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Altar of the Chair using the Basilica choir for the Mass. Before Mass in an extremely rare honor, the Cardinal Comastri with the Basilica guards blocking the crowds, led the procession of all the delegates down the center aisle of St. Peter’s, to the crypt area. There we stopped and prayed at the tomb of Pope John Paul II and only inches away from the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles, St. Peter. At the Mass, Cardinal Comastri’s homily, delivered in Italian, bordered on poetic, as he spoke about the reverence giving to the unborn child through the ages. It was a grace filled moment and everyone knew it.

      Cardinal Raymond Burke, Prefect of the highest tribunal in the Church led the Liturgy on Saturday at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and later in the Augustinianum Hall in Rome Cardinal Burke gave a definitive talk on what is the teaching of the Church in Cannon Law in the area of life and what is the minimum legal requirements to remain in good standing with the church and the proper pastoral approach before those Catholics who publicly deny the teachings of the Church by word, action or vote are permitted to receive the Eucharist. Many have requested a copy of the Presentations I delivered at the Life Congresses in Rome, Italy; Fatima, Portugal; Aparecida, Brazil etc. For anyone who wishes to read them, thanks to the meticulous work of Dorothy Doyle and Mary Murray all the talks are now available in one attractive booklet.

    Lincoln, Nebraska Jan. 28-30^th 2011 My Homily at the Statewide Pro-Life Mass was well received and the Helpers Workshop after the March was standing room only; It was a successful day due to the efforts of Greg Schleppenbach. I went to the Naples and Ft. Lauderdale-Miami area in Florida Feb. 4^th –5^th 2011. Due the work of Jim and Saundra Walsh and Father Eric of All Saints Church in Sunrise, the Vigil Mass and workshop were successful. On March 4-6th I will be in San Diego, California conducting a Helpers Vigil and Workshop; on Sunday March 6^th speaking at the California State wide Divine Mercy Congress; March 7^th –15^th conducting Seminars, Helpers’ Vigils and Workshops in South Korea. On Friday April 8^th –9^th a Helpers Vigil and Workshop in Chicago, Illinois; May 12^th –17^th Helpers Workshop and Vigils in Albania; On Sat. May 21^st and Sunday the 22^nd Helpers Presentations in Kokomo, Indiana; Friday June 10^th –11^th in New Haven, Connecticut; Friday Aug 12^th and 13^th Little Rock, Arkansas.

     In June, Paul Hanrahan and his lovely wife are bringing here at least twenty-five University Students from across Australia to a Helpers’ retreat training program. Some Major Seminarians from St. John’s Seminary in Boston just finished a four day Helpers Retreat here at the Monastery. Cardinal Justine Rigali in Philadelphia ; Cardinal Misner in Cologne, Germany, recently led Helpers Vigils, as did Bishop Soto in Sacramento California and Archbishop Vigneron in Detroit Michigan. Father Emmanuel Ray Ikpa , the Chancelor in the Archdiocese of Jos, recently led a Helpers Prayer Vigil in Jos, Nigera. Archbishop Gomez has graciously agreed to lead a Helpers Prayer Vigil in Los Angeles, California. Matt Ulrich, the President of the Helpers in Seattle Washington informed me that the large Planned Parenthood where the Helpers started their first prayerful presence is now closed. Please keep in your prayers especially all the Helpers who died this past year and those who are sick I am grateful to all those who this past year financially enabled us to help the pregnant moms and their children.