| The Heart of the Helpers
Spirituality |
When
the Hour had come for Jesus to complete the work given him by His
Father, by enduring the agony of Gethsemane and the shedding
of
His Blood at Golgotha, He unveiled in his final words to his disciples,
the ultimate reason why these things were going to happen to him and to
them. He said: ”If they have persecuted me, they
will also
persecute you…because they do not know the one who sent
me…Whoever hates me also hates my Father… When
the
Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, He will testify to
me and you will also testify. The hour is coming when everyone who
kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this
because they have not known either the Father or Me.” (cf.
Jn:15ff)
|
|
A Way Is Opened By
Jesus
|
In
the mysterious design of God, the same reason they killed Jesus is also
the very reason why Jesus showed them Mercy. Jesus said, "Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do." And then via
the
very act of Jesus pouring out His Blood and dying for them, a way is
opened by Jesus to enable those putting him to death to arrive at a
belief in the love of the Father and the Son for them. It is important
for us to remember not only that Christ before entering into Glory had
to suffer and die, but also it required the suffering and crucifixion
of Jesus before the conversions could begin and others could share in
the Glory of the Risen Christ.
|
|
| Without
the Cross, No Conversions |
The
Risen Christ continues now the work of His Father, through
us,
the members of his Body, the Church. Namely, the passion of Christ
continues in us as we make up in our bodies what St. Paul said is still
lacking in the sufferings of Christ. There is no short cut. Too often,
we want people to believe without ourselves first being witnesses of
Christ, namely, martyrs, living the Passion. No number of gimmicks or
Madison Avenue advertisements can replace this supernatural
work. Without the Cross, no conversions! The Mass must be
lived by
the followers of Christ, so that those in the world will believe in the
love of the Father and the Son for them.
|
|
| For the
Helpers There Are No Longer Two Sides |
Those
in the World today need to meet Christ, since He is the Answer. And
where and how will they meet Christ? Well first, we ourselves must give
Christ permission to live within us, so that in and through us, Christ
is brought to a world that neither knows the love of the Father or the
Son. Especially, the world needs to meet Christ; in
Christians
living the Mass and praying outside of
the abortion
mills, our modern day Golgothas. At the abortion sites, those who call
themselves Christians must remove from their presence anything
that would prevent the world from seeing the Face and Love of Christ in
those present there. For the Helpers then, it is no longer us
versus them, but rather we are simply ambassadors of Christ, who are
called to faithfully make present Christ’s love. For us,
there are
no longer two sides, pro-life versus anti-life, but rather we are
simply Christians who are the Salt of the Earth, the Light of the
World, who are standing, praying at Calvary for the salvation of the
souls of the abortionist, the staff, and the mothers and fathers
involved in the abortion, namely all those who desperately need in
their own lives to experience the love of the Father and the Son for
them.
|
|
| The Unborn
Babies Should Not Die Alone |
Finally,
the unborn babies should not die abandoned and alone. Jesus Himself did
not die abandoned and alone. When Jesus in his final hours looked down
from the Cross, He was surrounded by the prayers, compassion and love
of Mary, His Mother; of John, his beloved Priest; of Mary Magdalene,
and the other women who shared in the Passion of Jesus. The unborn
babies, even if they should have but a brief time here on earth, should
not die alone and abandoned. There should be people outside
the gates of these killing centers pleading for their earthly lives and
sharing their passion: people present with prayer, compassion and love
for the unborn in their final hours. I believe that when those
same people die, and we all will, those same unborn babies will be at
the Gates of Heaven pleading with Jesus to allow their friends who
loved them on earth to enter into Eternal Life. And I am confident
Jesus will lovingly listen to the pleas of His Precious Infants.
|
|
| The
Powerful Impact of Peaceful Prayer Vigils |
Christopher
Blunt, the founder of Overbrook Research, has indicated that public
opinion in the U.S. in the past 15 years has made a dramatic change
towards the pro-life position. In 1992 only 26 % admitted being
strongly pro-life while 43% were strongly pro
choice. In
2006 the turnaround among U.S. voters is nearly complete with only 30%
identifying themselves as pro-choice while 41% are strongly pro-life.
In trying to explain this change, Christopher Blunt says the
partial birth abortion debate probably had some influence, but
shifting the emphasis away from confrontational politics and blockades
of abortion clinics to the peaceful prayer vigils and peaceful sidewalk
counseling outside the abortion mills has clearly changed the minds of
the voters about who are the abortion extremists.
|
|
THE UNBORN
BABIES AND MOTHERS NEED
YOUR PRAYERFUL PRESENCE AT THE
UPCOMING
HELPERS PRAYER VIGILS
|
| DATE |
LOCATION |
CELEBRANT |
| Sat
Sept 15, 2007 |
Saint
Joan of Arc
82-00 35th Avenue Jackson Heights NY
11372
718-429-2333 |
Bishop
DiMarzio |
| Sat
Oct 20, 2007 |
St.
Patrick’s
39-38 29th St. Long Island City, NY 11101
718-729-6060
|
Bishop
Caggiano |
| Sat
Nov 17, 2007 |
Queen
of Martyrs
110-06 Queens Blvd Queens, NY 11375
718-268-6251 |
Bishop
Daily |
| Sat
Dec 15, 2007 |
St.
Michael’s
42nd St and 4th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11232
718-768-6065 |
Bishop
DiMarzio |
| Sat
Jan 19, 2008 |
St
Gerard Magella
188-16 91st Ave Hollis, Queens, NY 11423
718-468-6565 |
Bishop
N/S |
| Sat
Feb 16, 2008 |
St
Peter-St Paul
234 Congress St, Brooklyn NY 11201
718-624-3425 |
Bishop
N/S |
| Sat
Mar 15, 2008 |
Blessed
Sacrament
34-43 93rd St Jackson Hts, Queens, NY 11372
718-639-3888 |
Bishop
N/S |
| Sat
Apr 12, 2008 |
Saint
Catherine of Genoa
520 Linden Blvd Brooklyn, NY 11203
718-282-7162 |
Bishop
N/S |
|
Recent
Helpers Prayer Vigils in New York Area
|
|
We
are grateful to God for the many blessings God continues to bestow on
the Helpers Apostolate. On Saturday, January 19th, Wolfgang
Hering, the President of the Helpers in Germany with some
other
dedicated pro lifers from Europe joined Bishop Ignatius
Catanello
and the other Helpers as the Bishop offered the Vigil Mass at St.
Gerard Majella Church in Hollis Queens. The pastor, Father Edward Doran
and the people of the parish as usual not only
prayerfully
participated in the Vigil but following the Vigil provided a beautiful
breakfast for all the participants.
On
Saturday February 12th Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio after being the main
celebrant at the Vigil Mass at St. Peter and Paul Church on
Court
and Congress Streets led the Rosary procession to
Planned
Parenthood and Women’s Medical abortion
‘clinics’ located at 42 Court Street.
During the
Vigil, five women choose life for their unborn children.
Father
Robert Powers the new Administrator welcomed all.
On
Saturday March 24th Bishop Thomas Daily, after the Vigil Mass
at
Blessed Sacrament Church in Jackson Heights Queens, led the Helpers to
A1 Abortion clinic located on the second floor on the corner of
Roosevelt Ave, and 95th Street where the Helpers under the leadership
of Jorge Bernal faithfully pray every Saturday of the year.
This
prayer group God has used to close three clinics on Roosevelt Ave and
we expect God will use them again. The spiritual enthusiasm
and
dedication of the Pastor Raymond Kutner and his fellow priests at
Blessed Sacrament in working with the people in the parish is
inspiring. Almost five thousand Mexican immigrants
attend
the Sunday Masses.
On
April 21st. after the Vigil Mass in St. Catherine of Genoa, Bishop
Thomas Daily led the Helpers in prayer outside Building E at Kings
County Hospital in Brooklyn, where five days a week they do late term
saline abortions. On June 13th the Helpers in Rockland County under the
leadership of Peggy Beirne held a Helpers Vigil in Monroe New
York, starting from Sacred Heart Church in Monroe, New York.
They
will have another Vigil from their on July 11th.
Father
Juniper continues to organize the Helpers Vigil in Manhattan and the
Bronx.
On
Saturday June 16th while Bishop Thomas Daily was leading the
Helpers Rosary procession, from St. John Vianney
Church to
Liberty Abortion mill in Flushing, at the same time Detective Steve
McDonald led the Helpers who came for the Vigil scheduled originally at
Our Lady of the Cenacle Church in Richmond Hill, in 20 decades
of
the Rosary. Thus the mistake in communication turned into an extra
blessing for the unborn babies and their mothers.
|
|
| Recent
Pro-life Mission Endeavors |
DENVER,
COLORADO: Thanks to the efforts of David Nix, a seminarian at St. John
Vianney Theological Regional Seminary, I received an invitation from
Father Kent Drotar, the Vice Rector, to come on Friday
Feb.2nd 2007 and share with the major seminarians
how the
Helpers Apostolate works. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. of the
Archdiocese of Denver lives in a small house on the Seminary grounds.
At 4:15 p.m. that afternoon I gave a general presentation to about
fifty Seminarians. At 7:15 p.m. I gave another presentation to pro-life
lay people who live in Denver who had come to the seminary that evening
to learn about the Helpers. The next morning the lay people from Denver
together with the seminarians and Father Michael Glenn, the Rector,
took part in the 8:00 a.m. Vigil Mass offered in the Seminary Chapel.
The Mass was followed by a Rosary procession to a local abortion mill
where we sang hymns and prayed the rosary. After
brunch at
the seminary, a two- hour workshop on follow- up prayerful presence,
exhibits for life and sidewalk counseling was held. Later that evening
I had a pleasant dinner with some seminarians and Father Hellstrom, the
Spiritual Director of the Seminary, who was very supportive of the
seminarians involvement in the Helpers.
CHICAGO,
ILLINOIS: Encouraged by Julie McCreevy , the Direcor of the
Chicago Helpers, Margie Manezko Breen, the Program Manager of the
Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago invited me
to
be the Keynote Speaker on Saturday March 3rd at the Annual
Pro-Life Conference that was held this year in the Auditorium of Gordon
Technical High School in Chicago. On Friday evening Mitch Striedl of
the Respect Life Office picked me up at the O’Hare Airport
and
brought me to the Residence at Holy Name Cathedral. Later that evening
I had a good meal and conversation with Julie McCreevy at the Holy Name
Residence. Mary Louise Kurey, the former Miss Wisconsin, now the
Director of the Respect Life Office did an excellent job
preparing, organizing and being the MC at the Life Conference. My
presentation at 9:30 a.m. was enthusiastically
received not
only by the pro-lifers in Chicago but also by the
members
and Leadership of the International Organization, Couples For
Christ,. whose membership is at least a million and a half. Hundreds of
the members from around the country and other parts of the world
attended this Conference, including Frank Padilla the International
Director from Manila in the Philippines, who spoke on the
role of
Ecclesial Communities in Spreading the Culture of Life. Many of the
members decided they would use the Helpers Approach to spread the
Culture of Life, such as Michelle Reyes in Los Angels who a few weeks
later took part with me in the Prayer Vigil in San Diego, California
with the hope of re-energizing the Vigils in Los Angels. Hopefully
Sonny Aguiling will re-energize the Helpers in the Archdiocese of
Newark, New Jersey. I met many other real zealous Christians like Peter
Breen who does a great job in funding and helping to run the
Woman’s Choices Services and Alan A. Eberhardt ,LTC USAR,
Arlington Heights, Illinois, a past President of the Reserve Officers
Association who constantly spreads information to help establish a
Culture of Life. In the afternoon, Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. the
Archbishop of Chicago did an informative hour Q & A Session
with
the people. After the Cardinal spoke, needing to catch a
flight,
I left the Conference and had a very pleasant trip to
O’Hare Airport since my driver was my ever faithful nephew
Phil
Moore who lives in Chicago with his wife and family.
BLOOMSBURG,
NEW JERSEY: On Sunday March 18th at the invitation of Joan Fasanello, I
was the guest speaker at a Fund Raiser Dinner held in the
River
View Banquet Hall in Bloomsburg, New Jersey for the Life Center in
Philipsburg, Pennsylvania which Joan was instrumental in
establishing.. At the end of the talk there was a standing
ovation. I hope while they were standing that they reached into their
pockets or pocketbooks and gave generously to the Center. As
any
sidewalk counselor knows the Life Centers are so essential to have as a
backup help for many pregnant women in difficult circumstances who want
to keep their baby.
DETROIT,
MICHIGAN: On Friday evening March 30th I spoke to a wonderful,
dedicated group of Helpers in Detroit, Michigan. On Saturday morning
together with Dan Goodnow, the President of the Michigan Helpers, we
drove to Ave Maria Law School in Ann Arbor where pro-life students from
twenty-one colleges in Michigan had gathered to take part in the
Students for Life Conference of America that was organized by
Joanie Barrett and held at the Ave Maria Law School. At the end of the
Workshop the students from all the colleges signed up for further
information.
TAMPA,
FLORIDA: On Friday April 13th Sabrina Burton, the Director of Life
Ministry for the Diocese of St. Petersburg met me at the Tampa Airport
and on the way to the home of a wonderful pro-life couple, Shawn and
Patty Carson, where I was invited to stay, Sabrina graciously brought
this long -time Yankee fan, past famous Legend Field. Shawn Carson
being the Life Ministry Leader in the Parish assisted me not
only
the evening before at the Presentation on the Helpers Apostolate but at
the Vigil Mass in the morning. After the morning Mass we
drove to
a Wal-Mart parking lot and then we prayed the Rosary and sang
hymns as we processed to the abortion clinic on Fletcher Avenue. After
Benediction back at the Church, we held, following brunch, a two- hour
workshop before heading off to the Airport. With the assistance of
Patty and Shawn Carson and others, Sabrina Burton did an excellent job.
JOLIET,
ILLINOIS: I thought the air flight on Thursday April 26th
from
New York City to Chicago Midway Airport, where I was scheduled to land
at 2 P.M., for a program that was to begin at 7 pm, would be brief and
uneventful. Not so! The plane was unable to land at Midway due to a
mini hurricane in Chicago and the control tower redirected us into
Indiana where a tornado was threatening the area. We landed at
Indianapolis Airport where we received more fuel and waited for hours
before taking off again. Realizing God was reminding me once again,
that He is in charge, I knew it was going to be a
fruitful
trip. I arrived at Holy Trinity Church in Westmont, Illinois shortly
before 7:00 P.M. where Father William De Salvo the Pastor, graciously
welcomed me. As usual, Frances Fortier, the Director of the Joliet
Diocesan Life Office and the other Helpers organized a smoothly run
program starting with the Adoration and Presentation the night before ;
to the morning Vigil Mass with the Adults and young students from Holy
Trinity School; to the rosary and hymns outside of Access Health
abortion clinic; to finally the workshop in the Knights of Columbus
Hall. I met many old and new friends like John and Jann Bray, Ann
Brochmann, Jassmine Ren. My good nephew Phil Moore from
Chicago
arrived at 3:00 p.m. and drove me from Westmont to Mundelein
International Theological Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, where Dave
Gross the Co-President of the Gospel of Life Club met us. Unfortunately
we were too late for dinner since the Refectory had closed but early
enough for the presentation to the major seminarians scheduled from
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Later that evening, we found a drive through Burger
King where we were able to get something before Phil Moore drove back
to Chicago and I returned to the Seminary. After a 7;00 A.M. Mass in
the Theology House Chapel I led a Helprs Payer Vigil with a group of
Mundelein Seminarians to American Women’s Medical Center in
Chicago. What was important was that the Seminarians were
from
different Dioceses, like Scott Wallisch and Jared Rottingham from the
Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas; Michael Bobdan of Notre
Dame, Indianna; Stephen Thompson and David Hammond from
Mundelein; Chris Luther from Archdiocese of Chicago; Joseph Liu, from
Detroit and David Gross from Grand Rapids, Michigan. After
lunch
at the Seminary and a brief follow-up session, David drove me to the
Midway Airport in Chicago.
SAN
DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: On Friday May 4th Joseph Horejs, a well organized
Christian gentleman of the Office of Social Ministry of the
Diocese of San Diego, California met me at the San Diego Airport and
drove me to wonderful accommodations at the St.
Francis
Residency Center. Joseph Horejs the Assistant to Kent Peters
the
Director of the Office of Social Ministry was urged to invite
me
by Sue Lopez who had already started a Helpers group in San
Diego. Together they did an excellent job of bringing
together a
large group of people including Michelle Reyes, a Leader of Couples for
Christ in Los Angles who wants to be involved in
the Los
Angels area. The attendance at the Adoration and the Presentation at
the Diocesan Pastoral Chapel Center on Friday evening and at the Vigil
Mass celebrated at the Parish of Our Lady of the
Rosary and
the Procession following the Mass to the abortion mill at
2850
Sixth Ave was very good. After the afternoon Helpers
workshop,
Joseph Horejs, Sue Lopez , Luis and Tricia Mendoza and myself
had
a very pleasant dinner and conversation with Dr. Delgado and
the
Directors and Staff of the Culture of Life Family Services. I met a
number of other good people like Rosemary Benefield
who is
involved in the Post abortion Healing Program called
Rachel’s Hope; Chris Morales who helps with the
Goretti
Group that stresses “Purity at all Cost” and Raquel
Lopez
who is a director in the young adult ministry for the Diocese
of
San Diego and wants to be involved in establishing the Helpers in
Mexico. After the Sunday Mass at the Italian National Parish of Or Lady
of the Rosary, at which I spoke to the parents and their children who
were involved in a May Crowning Ceremony, I had the pleasure of
sharing breakfast at the home of Sue Lopez , and her Husband,
Roger and their wonderful children, Marie, Laura, Johnny and David, who
were my fine altar boys at all the liturgical events. After a very
blessed weekend for life, Roger drove me to the Airport.
LOUISVILLE,
KENTUCKY: On Friday May 11th I was met at the Louisville
Airport
by Kathy Kusch,and Abrea Mitchell, members of the
Young
Adults of Generation JPII who did an excellent job hosting
and
running the Weekend For Life in Louisville, Kentucky. I had the
opportunity of visiting the famous Churchill Downs Race Track, where
the previous weekend the Queen of England attended the running of the
Kentucky Derby. I had originally requested the previous weekend for my
Life Visit but fortunately the young people convinced me I would not
win with that competition. The Adoration and Presentation on Friday
evening and the 8:00 A.M. Vigil Mass, Benediction, Brunch and afternoon
workshop on Saturday May 12th were all at Our Mother of Sorrows Church
on Harrison Ave. in Louisville. After the Mass we drove to a
parking Lot on S.5th St. and W. Liberty St. and with a very
accommodating Police Escort, we walked in Prayerful Procession to the
abortion mill, EMW Women’s Surgical Center where practically
during the whole time that we prayed a disturbed woman shouted at us
but the people like true Christians kept praying. Eventually
the
woman became quiet and left. I reminded the people that Our Lord said
“Blessed are you when they say all kinds of evil
things
against you for my sake.” Patricia Horton has already greatly
increased the amount of Spiritual Prayer Supporters. Indeed,
on
Saturday July 7th the Helpers in
Louisville already
held another large Prayer Vigil, using the walkie-talkies generously
donated to them by big John Paduano, a Helper here in
Brooklyn
who himself counsels on the sidewalk at least four times a
week
outside of Planned Parenthood. Theo Stearns, T.O.P.
who
runs the Catholics United for Life in New Hope, Kentucky and who
attended the Helpers’ Vigil and Workshop, called me recently
to
let me know the good news that Bishop Joseph Kurtz of Knoxville
Tennessee who wanted me to come to Knoxville to set up the Helpers, was
the newly appointed Archbishop of Louisville. The people are blessed to
have a strong, active pro-life Bishop to lead them
|
|
|
Around the United States
|
|
Massachusetts:
On Saturday June 16th under the leadership of Charles Coudert of
Sherborn, the people marked the completion of five
years of
Prayer Vigil outside of Framingham Union Hospital of Sherborn to end
the Hospital abortions. God Bless them for their
perseverance.
Since 1990 the Boston Helpers have been organizing their monthly Large
Prayer Vigils.
Illinois:
Sister Jo and Don,plus Karen Guth who has been faithfully counseling
for years outside the abortion mill in the area of Peoria are about to
receive help. Christine Dennis has informed me they are about to open a
Pregnancy Center next to the mill. Keep them in your prayers.
Texas:
Bob and Sharon Christiansen continue to organize the Helpers Vigils in
Austin. For example on Saturday June 16th after a 7:00 A.M. Mass in St.
Theresa’s Church, some were left in the Church to do
adoration as
the larger group went to Planned Parenthood where they prayed the
Rosary before returning to the Church for Benediction. In Houston the
monthly Vigils continue under the leadership of Vicki and Dr. Colbert..
In Bryan, the sidewalk counseling and praying
continues
under the leadership of Laura Spanel -Weber and in Dallas with the
leadership of Carol Seward, Maria Graham, Fonda Lash and others.
Nebraska:
Again this summer Gretchen Moylan continues to spread the Helpers
Apostolate with 16 major seminarians that have come, from the
Priestly Formation Institute, to pray outside the infamous Carhart
partial birth abortion mill in Omaha, Nebraska
|
|
| In Other States |
|
Requests
for VHS videos or DVD’s on the Helpers large Prayer Vigils or
the
Seminar on Sidewalk Counseling or Guideline Booklets on Sidewalk
Counseling, the Helpers Prayer Books, Spiritual Support cards etc
.never seems to stop. But thanks to the hidden, selfless volunteer
efforts of people like Dorothy Doyle, Mary Murray and Mike Reddy all
the requests are usually quickly fulfilled. For example, we have
recently sent materials to Janine Rezabek, Largo, Florida;
Wynette Sills and Jan England in Sacramento, California; Yolando
Castro, Rio Rancho, New Mexico; Nicole Cooper M.D.in Dallas,
Texas; Shawn Carson, Tampa, Florida; Paula Reichert-McKiban, Clayton,
Ohio; Arline Saiki, Edmeston, New York; Erick Bell, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
and Eva Radel in Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you
live near
any of these good people, join them in their pro-life work; if not,
pray for them.
|
|
|
Around the World
|
|
INDIA
: On Sunday June 3rd Father Joy Thottankara from
Kerala,
India, spent the afternoon here at the Monastery to learn about the
Helpers Apostolate. Father Joy has been freed up by his Bishop to do
pro-life work full time. Abortion is legal in India and is becoming
more and more a problem. He has named his Pro Life ministry, First
Tabernacle, since for Father Joy, the Womb of Mary carrying Jesus was
the First Tabernacle. So each mother’s womb is the first
tabernacle for her child. Father was happy to learn that much
of
his ministry’s spirituality is similar to the Spirituality of
the
Helpers. We will try to stay in contact.
MEXICO:
Raquel Lopez from San Diego, California wants to help in any outreach
program of the Helpers in Mexico. Fonda Lash and Maria Graham of Texas
and Barbara Spencer of Lo Paz, Mexico would be important contact
persons since they too are interested in establishing the Helpers
Apostolate in Mexico.
UNITED
KINGDOM: Kevin Gilfoyle, Father Fidelis, Rose and Michael Doherty, 4
local priests and 150 other people held a prayer Vigil outside the
Center in Newcastle in North East England where research is being done
in the area of cloning, genetics and stem cell research. To
be
pro-life is to protect and recognize the existence of human life from
the moment of conception to natural death.
PUERTO
RICO: Deyanira Aponte was recently trained in the Helpers
method
and spirituality here at the Monastery and together with members of her
family and the local Vicar hopes to start the Helpers Apostolate in
Puerto Rico.
GUAM
Jon Calvo living in Hogatna, Guam is a young man who last
year
was trained in the Helpers approach here at the Brooklyn
Monastery. The Archdiocese in Guam wants Jon to start a Helpers group
in Guam, a territory recaptured by the United States in 1944,
lying at the southern end of the Northern Mariana Islands in the
Pacific. Guam’s population being mostly Roman Catholic should
be
helpful to him in this endeavor. Jon has already called and e-mailed me
for guidance and help. We will do so.
POLAND:
It does make a difference if abortion is outlawed or severely
restricted as it is in Poland.
Dr.
Andrzej A. Tomczak my pro-life friend in, Warszawa, Poland
has
informed me that according to the 2005 official Statistics there was a
total of 225 abortion in all of Poland; 54 due to threat to health and
life of mother, 3 because of Rape and 168 for serious and irreversible
defects of the unborn child. The Country still has a major
population problem since the outflow migration of the Country is much
greater than the inflow.
AFRICA:
The Helpers in Cote Divoire have been established now for seven
years
under the leadership of its President, Charles Zadi in this French
speaking West African Country. Congratulations are due but also a
strong word of caution about Togo and Ghana its neighboring Countries.
Togo recently became the second Country in Africa to legalize abortion.
Even before abortion was legalized in Togo, Leo Adjewoda Kodjo, the
President of Pro life Togo whom I met at the World Pro-Life Prayer
Conference in Fatima, Portugal, had already asked me to come to Togo to
assist them. The culture of death has already moved across the border
of Togo into Ghana with the opening of a Marie Stopes clinic. Marie
Stopes runs the abortion clinic in Cape Town South Africa, where the
Helpers under the leadership of Sally Hall pray and have Prayer Vigils.
Sally Hall recently informed me that about five hundred young people
took part in a Prayer Vigil in Johanesburg, South Africa. Sophia Ankrah
presently in London has already sent to Fr. Michael Mensah the
Chancellor/Secretary to the Archbishop Gabriel Palmer-Buckle of Accra,
the CD produced by the Helpers in South Africa. Let us pray
that
Sally
Hall and the others in Cape Town can be helpful to them in preventing
the legalization of abortion in Ghana.
|
|
|
Students from Across the USA
Come to Brooklyn
|
|
STUDENTS
FROM CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE: From Saturday March 4th to
Wednesday
March 7th students from Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia
enjoyed a pro-life retreat here at the Monastery thanks especially to
the efforts of Sharon Hickson, their Teacher at
Christendom
and her daughter, Elizabeth. Although the young students came
from
many different places such as Ellen from Pennsylvania;
Rachel,
New York; Mairin, Matthew and Mawa from Virginia; Nicole from
Alaska; Rebecca, California; Marykate, Texas; John from Maryland:
Jessica, Minnesota; and Bernadette even from Canada yet
they all shared a common Faith, goodness and
prayerfulness
that made it a joy for me to direct the pro-life retreat. From their
individual thank you notes to me, it would seem that the retreat was
also an enriching experience for each of them.
STUDENTS
FROM FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY: From Sunday March 11th to Wed March
14th, a new group of students came to the Monastery for an intensive
pro-life retreat, but this time they were from the Franciscan
University in Steubenville, Ohio. Mike Riordan from Nebraska,
the President of the Students for
Life, organized the
trip. Again, the students were from different
States: Daniel from
Illinois; Zachary and Rebecca, from Texas; Alison from Connecticut;
Clare from New
Hampshire; Christopher from Virginia; Sean from Pennsylvania; and
Daniel from Ohio.
In Des Moines, Iowa, Christina Valentine of Franciscan University is
setting up Helpers Prayer Vigils outside of Planned
Parenthood. Michelle Raczka, a graduate of Cornell
University, is helping to establish the Helpers approach
outside abortion clinics in Rochester, New
York.
STAFF
OF STUDENTS FOR LIFE OF AMERICA: From Wednesday May
16th
through Saturday May 20th , the Staff of the Students for Life of
America based in Arlington, Virginia came to the Monastery for an
intensive training program on the Helpers approach. Liz Forest, Ben
Wetmore, Michael Barrett, Kristan Hawkins of Virginia, and Erin Raiche
of Arizona were joined by Dejanira Aponte from Puerto Rico and
Elizabeth and Bernadette Bosse from Massachusetts. Not only did they
pray for hours outside the local abortion mill but took an active part
in the Large Helpers Prayer Vigil on Saturday May 19th at Queen of
Martyrs Church in Forest Hills, Queens. On Thursday evening May
24th in Manhattan, due to the efforts of John Lutri, a Helper
who
counsels with John Foley’s group outside of Choices mill in
LIC,
I spoke on the topic of Establishing a Culture of Life in the
midst of a Culture of Death, to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Young
Adult Group. Many present wanted to become actively involved.
STUDENTS
OF THE MISSIONARIES OF THE EUCHARIST: Under the leadership of
Patrick Yungwirth on Tuesday June 4th a group of
college
students, Vicki Solch, MaeveO’Doherty, Leslee Simms, Lacy
Howard,
Ren Franko, Eric Forrest,Martino Choi, David Sao,Joshua
Guenther,
members of the Missionaries of the Eucharist and Life came to the
Monastery for training. They left on Wednesday morning for Vermont
where from June 10th to August 12th they hope to complete a walk to
witness the sacredness of life from Lewiston, Maine to Washington D.C.
This group also hopes to join with the young people
who
will be traveling under the leadership of Father Lawrence of the
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal from Philadelphia to Washington DC
from August 3rd to 11th preaching the Gospel of
Life to all
whom they encounter. I am scheduled to speak to both of them
in
Philadelphia on the evening of Saturday Aug. 4th.
By the
way, congratulations and prayers to Patrick
Yungwirth who
this Summer will be entering the Dominicans.
|
|
|
Upcoming
Missionary Journeys for Life in August
|
|
As
I previously mentioned on Saturday evening August 4th 2007 at the
request of Father Lawrence Joseph, CFR, I will be speaking to
all
the young people who have come to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to
take part in a Pilgrimage for Life ending in Washington D.C.
From
Aug 10th to the 13th I will be given a number of talks in a Pro-Life
Conference taking place at the Greek-Catholic Episcopal Residence in
Lugo, Romania. On August 14th or 15th hopefully I will be speaking to
some of the 5000 young people the Bishops of Austria have invited to
Mariazell, Austria for Youth Day. The Czech Bishops' Conference has
organized a nationwide meeting of about 5000 young people at a
Pilgrimage Place in South Bohemia. I have been invited to speak to
those young people about Life on Friday August 17th On Friday
evening, Aug 24th I will be leading a Helpers Rosary
Procession
following the 7:00 P.M. Vigil Mass at St. Mathew’s Church in
Wilmington. Deleware. On Saturday morning August 25th I will
be
the main celebrant at the 7:15 A.M. Helpers Vigil Mass at Our Lady of
the Cenacle Church, Richmond Hill, Queens, New York. The requests for
me to come to Phoenix, Arizona by Sheila Riley, to
Tucson
by Dr. Ada Ryan and to Corpus Christi, Texas by Roseann Norma, I will
hopefully fulfill in the fall.
|
|
| My
Talks at the World
Prayer Conference for Life at Fatima |
|
My
gracious friends from the Helpers of God's Precious Infants, Vienna
Austria, were kind enough to record several of the
talks I
delivered at the World Prayer Conference for Life, at Fatima, Portugal,
last October. I've posted three of them here for your
edification.
Just click on any talk below:
Thursday, October 5, 2006
"Humanae
Vitae, Donum
Vitae"
Thursday, October 5, 2006
"Evangelium
Vitae"
Friday,
October 6,
2006
"Golgotha
Today - Standing with
Mary
and John at the Foot of the Cross"
If
you have a dialup connection and are having difficulty listening to the
talk, or if you would simply like to save the talk to your
hard disk, right click on the talk. In the
drop down menu click "Save Target As...". You will then be prompted to
choose a download directory. Once the file is saved, simply
double-click
on the file name
to open it in your default media player.
Printable
Version of Talks: Click on title to view or print complete
text. (.pdf format)
Thursday, October 5, 2006
"Humanae
Vitae, Donum
Vitae"
Friday,
October 6,
2006
"Golgotha
Today - Standing with
Mary
and John at the Foot of the Cross"
|
|
| Vatican
Desires Precious Blood Witness to Continue in Brooklyn |
|
Recently
the Vatican indicated that it was important that the Charism
of Mother Catherine
Aurelie, the Foundress of the Pontifical Congregation of the
Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, should continue at
this
Brooklyn Monastery, which was started here by Mother Catherine , over a
hundred years ago as the first Precious Blood Monastery in the United
States. And so they asked the Sisters Adorers Federation to send
younger Sisters here, who will run the Monastery, while making serious
efforts to recruit new Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood for the
Brooklyn Monastery.
For me this decision of the Vatican is especially providential for the
pro-life cause for so much innocent unborn blood has been unjustly shed
in this City since abortion was made legal in 1970. It is fitting and
right that there be people in this City who would be constantly making
reparation for the 3.7 million unborn babies lives that have already
been unjustly taken in this City.
Besides, the late Pope John Paul II stressed in section #25 of
Evangelium Vitae that it is from the Blood of Christ that all draw the
strength to commit themselves to promoting life. For the Blood of
Christ is the most powerful source of hope that in God’s
plan,
life will be victorious. The shedding of the infinite Blood of Jesus,
not only makes just reparation to God for sinners and teaches us how
priceless each person is in God’s eyes but also fills sinners
with hope in God’s Mercy for us and reminds us that the
original
vocation to love is fulfilled when we use our freedom to give ourselves
totally to the other.
If you know anyone who would like to make their contribution to the
cause of Life as a Contemplative Sister Adorer of the Precious Blood,
encourage them to contact me here at the Monastery. Here in Brooklyn we
recently lost two outstanding pro-lifers: Bob Whelan, a humble, holy,
generous, multi talented, layman and Sister Mary John, a hidden, holy,
dedicated contemplative, of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood.
Keep them in your prayers. We need people to replace not only
the
saintly Bob Whelans in the World but also the Sister Mary
Johns in the Monastery.
|
|
Until We Meet in Prayer at Calvary,
Msgr. Philip J. Reilly
 |
|
©
Helpers of God's Precious Infants All Rights Reserved
|
|
