|
“It Was A
Good Deal” |
|
|
Recently
a woman, whom I have been helping, was present in my office with her
autistic son. I noticed that her son kept looking at my nose.
There is no guile in autistic children. They will tell you exactly what
they are thinking. Pointing to my nose, the boy said to his
mother: “He has a short nose.” Well, as
many of you know, in the
past year and a half, I have had more than one serious operation due to
the effects of facial skin cancer. During this time, I am grateful for
the prayers of so many good people and the excellent
dedicated
doctors that God sent me. For example, Dr. Dominick Gollio of
SUNY Downstate Hospital, in October 2007, skillfully removed the cancer
from around my left eye and by reconstructive surgery so repaired the
area, that it is noticeable only to a trained eye. Dr.
Desiree
Ratner, an expert in Mohs Surgery, and the Head of the Dermatology
Department of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, in October 2008, did a
masterful job in removing hopefully all the cancer from my nose
area. But after the removal of the cancer from my
nose and
the surrounding area, it was still necessary to take quite a large skin
graft from my leg to replace the cancerous skin. And so, God
again provided me with an exceptionally intelligent, skilled physician,
Dr. Mark Smith, the Chief of Plastic Surgery at Beth Israel Medical
Center. Dr. Smith also did an excellent job of
reconstructing the nose with the skin graft,in October 2008. Finally
Dr. Smith did further surgery on my ears and neck on January 22nd 2009.
|
|
|
Still
One Major Difficulty |
|
| There
was still one major difficulty. ue to thirty-two
prior
radiation treatments, to treat a past cancerous condition in
the
nasal area, Doctor Smith was afraid the skin graft would not take
because of the negative effect of the radiation on the remaining cells.
To revitalize the cells to help the skin graft to take, Dr. Smith
recommended that I undergo forty hours of
hyperbaric oxygen
therapy in Maimonides Hospital. I followed his advice. The
treatment not only helped the skin graft to take but when I recently
had to renew my driver’s license, I discovered that I no
longer needed
eyeglasses, since my vision is now 20/20 in both eyes. And so
I
said to the young lad: “ Your description of my nose is one
of the best
I’ve heard but I have to tell you it was
a good deal,
since, I got one short nose for two good eyes.” |
|
|
The
Secret of Success |
|
| The
challenging written words in March 1995, of the late Pope John Paul II
in section 100 of his Encyclical the Gospel of Life still inspires and
guides the Helpers’ Apostolate. The Pope
said: “Jesus
himself has shown us by His own example that prayer and
fasting
are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of
evil. As he taught His disciples, some demons cannot be
driven
out except in this way. Let us therefore discover anew the
humility and the courage to pray and fast so that the power from on
high will break down the walls of lies and deceit; the walls which
conceal from the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters
the
evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life.”
Moreover at the
end of His life, by His own example, Our Lord revealed the total secret
of how the Helpers Apostolate can successfully overcome the Culture of
Death, and establish a Culture of Life, indeed it is Prayer, Fasting
but also Suffering. |
|
|
Much
Ado about Nothing |
|
|
Here
in New York City, the City Council passed Amendment 826 to
the
NYC 1994 Access to the Abortion Clinic Law 33A. It was later
signed by Mayor Bloomberg and went into effect on July 19th 2009. It
unfairly raised the penalty for breaking the Access Law from a
violation to a misdemeanor. The Amendment does not add any new
restriction on what the Helpers now do or where Helpers can stand
outside of an abortion clinic. Considering that no Helper has been
found guilty of breaking the 1994 Access Law, since it was passed, it
would seem increasing the penalty, as the bard Shakespeare said is much
ado about nothing except maybe a legal attempt to put a chilling effect
on pro-life citizens from exercising their First Amendment rights to
offer help to pregnant mothers approaching the abortion clinics. In
this new challenge to exercising our Constitutional rights, the Helpers
were once again blessed to have the guidance and wise counsel
of
Kathleen O’Connell Esq., an expert in Constitutional Law. The
Helpers
are also grateful to the 8 NYC Council Members, the Honorables Tony
Avella, Simcha Felder, Vincent Ignizio, Kenneth Mitchell, Eric
Ulrich, James Vacca, Peter Vallone Jr., and James Oddo for
voting
against the unfair Amendment 826. Furthermore, the Helpers
appreciated the letter of public support of the Helpers Apostolate
by the courageous pro-life Senator, Reverend Ruben Diaz, of
the
32nd Senatorial District.
|
|
|
2009
HELPERS PRAYER VIGILS IN
BROOKLYN, QUEENS and MANHATTAN
|
| DATE |
LOCATION |
CELEBRANT |
| Sat
Jan 17, 2009 |
St
James Cathedral - Basilica
250 Cathedral Place Brooklynl NY
11201
718-855-6390 |
Bishop
Daily |
| Sat
Feb 21, 2009 |
St
Charles Borromeo
21 Sidney Place Brooklyn 11201
718-625-1177 |
Bishop
Cisneros |
| Sat
Mar 28, 2009 |
Blessed
Sacrament
34-43 93rd Street Jackson Heights 11372
718-639-3888 |
Bishop
Daily |
| Sat
Apr 18, 2009 |
St
Paul - St Agnes
Congress and Court Streets Brooklyn 11201
718-624-3425 |
Bishop
Daily |
| Sat
May 16, 2009 |
Queen
of Martyrs
110-06 Queens Blvd. 11375
718-268-6251
|
Bishop
Daily |
Sat
Jun 20, 2009
|
St John Vianney
140-10 34th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
718-762-7920 |
Bishop
DiMarzio |
Sat Aug 29, 2009
|
Our
Lady of the Cenacle
136-06 87th Av Richmond Hill NY 11418
718-291-2540 |
Bishop
Daily |
Sat Sept 19, 2009
|
Saint
Joan of Arc
82-00 35th Avenue Jackson Hts., NY 11372
718-429-2333 |
Bishop
DiMarzio |
Sat Oct 17, 2009
|
St Michael's
352 42nd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232
718-768-6065 |
Bishop
Sansaricq |
Sat Oct 31, 2009
|
Our
Savior Church
Park Avenue and 38th Street, NY, NY
|
|
Sat Nov 21, 2009
|
Saint
Patrick's
39-38 29th Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-729-6060 |
Bishop |
Sat Dec 12, 2009
|
St
Catherine of Genoa
520 Linden Blvd Brooklyn, NY 11203
|
Bishop
DiMarzio
|
| Mon
Dec 28, 2009 |
Church
of the Holy Innocents
37th Street and Broadway NY, NY |
|
|
In Spite of the Extrme Cold
Everyone Stayed
|
On
Sat. Jan.17th 2009 Msgr. John Stynkowski, the Rector of St.
James
Cathedral Basilica, welcomed Bishop Daily and all the Helpers at the
Vigil Mass. A few years ago the Helpers stopped the Vigil Masses at St.
James Cathedral after the closing of Brooklyn Women’s Care
abortion
mill at Willoughby St. and Flatbush Ave.. Unfortunately
another
abortion mill, Professional Medical Services on 81 Willoughby Street in
downtown Brooklyn is now open and being heavily advertised in the
classified ads in Verizon Yellow Pages. And so on that bitter
cold January morning, Bishop Daily together with Detective Steven
McDonald led the Helpers in twenty decades of the rosary outside of
this place of death, praying for the unborn children and their mothers.
In spite of the extreme cold, everyone stayed for the whole Vigil.
|
|
| After a Beautiful
Reflective Homily |
|
"On
Saturday February 21st Bishop Octavio Cisneros, after a
beautiful
reflective homily at the 7:30 A.M. Vigil Mass, led the Helpers Rosary
Procession from St. Charles Borromeo Church on Sydney St. in
the Brooklyn Heights area, to pray outside the 4th
Floor
abortion mill, Brooklyn Gyn Place, at 142 Joralemon St. After the
twenty decades of the Rosary led by Detective McDonald and the Bishop
were completed, all returned to St. Charles where Bishop
Cisneros
closed the Vigil with Benediction. Although over the years, in the
Brooklyn Heights area, three abortion mills at which the Helpers have
prayed, are now closed, there is still work to be done, since in that
area there are four abortion mills still open.
|
|
| A Helpers’ Refresher
Training Program |
|
Here
at Precious Blood Monastery from 2-6 p.m. on Sunday
afternoon,
March 8th about 70 metropolitan Helpers, who weekly, some
even
daily, pray and do sidewalk counseling outside of the abortion mills
here in New York City, participated in a refresher training program,
which included time for Eucharistic adoration and Benediction in
Chapel, before an hour of socializing at a shared meal. I stressed that
the most important thing to happen outside of an abortion clinic is for
people to be there in prayer. When a pregnant woman in difficulty
approaches the abortion clinic and she sees people praying outside the
mill, whether as part of the large prayer Vigil or
in a
follow up prayerful presence or as individual counselors praying, the
pregnant woman immediately, consciously or subconsciously thinks of
God. God is made present through your prayerful presence. And
the
existence of her hidden unborn baby, the potential victim, whose
existence our society forgets or denies, is also made present through
your prayerful presence. Moreover your prayers are obtaining from God
for the frightened mothers the trust and courage to choose life for
their unborn children. To be effective the prayers and the counselors
also need each other and should act as one. We all agreed
that it
is difficult to maintain silence and prayer over a long period of time.
Yet every woman is equally important whether she comes early or
late. She must not be deprived of your prayerful presence. If
a
Helper volunteer or volunteers need to talk or relax, we
agreed
the person or persons should take a brief walk away from the
group, rather than turning the prayerful presence into a coffee break
All agreed this is difficult but they would try.
Everyone
seemed grateful and reenergized by the afternoon experience.
I am
grateful and stand in awe, at all these good people who year after year
without any fanfare, sacrifice their time, energy, indeed a good
portion of their lives for God’s precious infants and their
mothers. In traveling across the Country and around the
World,
constantly I am humbled as I witness such similar extraordinary
dedication by so many ordinary people involved in the Helpers
Apostolate. |
|
| Are
There Reasons for Hope? |
|
After
a five-year hiatus, on Sunday March 15th at Holy Family School Hall at
the request of Florence Maloney, I returned to deliver the first talk
for this Year’s Catholic Speakers Series. The Topic
was:
Are There Reasons for Hope in this Epic Struggle for Life? I
stressed that works written in the Epic Genre, which for me includes
the Bible, provides the reader with wisdom and insight to see
one’s own daily struggles in life, including our
apparent
defeats, in the light of the eternal plan of God being worked
out. Namely, we are called to be faithful, especially for the
sake of others, during the hour of darkness, knowing
that
in this epic struggle a new day will dawn, because the work
of
reestablishing a Culture of Life is ultimately in the hands of a
loving, merciful, all powerful God. The talk was well received. Thanks
to the great work of Wenqi and her husband, Craig, you can listen to
this talk and many other talks and videos on the helperslibrary.info
|
|
| No One’s Prayer in
Manchester Was More Pleasing to God Than… |
Theo
Purington from Manchester, New Hampshire visited me briefly here at the
Monastery and felt it was so beneficial for himself that he
insisted I go to Manchester and share with the people there
the
Helpers approach. And so on Friday March 20th I took the
shuttle
from New York to Boston, where Theo met me at the airport, and drove me
to Manchester where that evening, after a prayer service which included
the Rosary and Benediction, I spoke to those present about
the
spirituality and modus operandi of the Helpers. Some of
the people had been involved in the Forty Days for
Life and
were now open to the Helpers 365 days approach. During the
recitation of the Rosary in Church that evening I heard a young
boy’s
voice enunciate loud and clear every Hail Mary. I wondered who he
was. The next morning after the Vigil Mass while we were
praying
the Rosary across from the Planned Parenthood abortion mill suddenly I
heard a young boy’s voice on my left that I immediately
recognized as
the boy praying the night before at the Holy Hour. Near the end of the
Vigil, as is the Helpers’ custom all over the world, I asked
the people
to kneel down in silence while facing Planned Parenthood asking God for
mercy, mercy, mercy. The young boy knelt down next to me with bowed
head and prayerful hands but he was facing the wrong way. Then I
noticed lying before him was his walking stick and
piously
kneeling behind him was his good mother. His mom later told me he was
born blind and could not speak and obviously a prime target for
abortion. His mom said her son’s first words were
his prayers and
hymns of praise. She now is finding out that he is musically gifted,
since he can play on the piano any melody he hears, even recalling the
same melody days and weeks later. I am sure no one’s prayer
that
morning in Manchester was more pleasing to God than that little blind
boy with his walking stick.. I understand that Mike who
carried
the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the procession and his
friend Christine have now taking over the stewardship the
Manchester’s
Helpers. Finally before heading back to Boston, I visited the Sister
Adorers of the Precious Blood Monastery in Manchester and asked for
their prayerful support of the Helpers’ Apostolate. Theo
later wrote
that the lives of all those who attended the Helpers Weekend in
Manchester were truly touched by the experience. In Vermont, the
neighboring State to New Hampshire, Laela Warnecke has started the
Helpers. Susan Clifton in another area of New Hampshire has
invited me to come. We have been in contact and sent
materials to
both of them.
|
|
| Generation Life Students
Grateful for the Gift |
|
On
Thursday March 26th Laura Bowman a Helper who counsels and runs a home
for pregnant moms in Albuquerque, New Mexico returned to the Monastery
to renew her energy and enthusiasm for life. Laura picked the right
weekend to come because on the next day, Friday March 27th a wonderful
group of young people from the Pennsylvania area called Generation for
Life arrived from the Pennsylvania area under the Leadership of
Christina and Christine Frederich. The young people and Laura
that weekend not only studied but also counseled and prayed outside a
busy abortion mill and participated in a large Helpers Prayer
Vigil on Saturday morning March 28th that was led by Bishop Daily from
Blessed Sacrament Church in Jackson Heights area of Queens. Laura
Bowman left a note thanking me for sharing my knowledge, skill and
experience with them. The note from Christine and Christina and all the
Generation Life students simply said the Weekend was a complete and
total blessing. Thank you for the gift.
|
|
|
Canada
Embraces the Helpers Apostolate
|
After
a group of Canadians under the leadership of Nicole Campbell and Jenna
Murphy from Toronto and Wanda Hartlin from Ottawa had completed a
Weekend Training program here at the Monastery, they insisted that I
come to Canada. And so at noon on Friday April 3RD I boarded an
American Airlines plane at JFK Airport for Toronto Canada. Nicole
Campbell met me at the Airport and after a brief stop to eat she
brought me to a Residence run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd which
included a large Chapel Hall Complex. That evening in the same Complex,
after opening prayers we spoke about the Helpers Spirituality and
invited the people to come to the Prayer Vigil the next morning,
starting with Mass at Good Shepherd followed by a peaceful procession
in song and prayer to Women’s Care abortion Clinic at 960 Lawrence Ave
West. The next morning all the seats were occupied for the Vigil Mass
and practically all prayed outside of the mill and came back for the
Workshop. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd volunteered to include the
Helpers Apostolate in their prayers. Nicole and Jenna did a
great job
in organizing the weekend. A young man, David Messina, who a few years
ago as student took part in a Helpers training program held here at the
Monastery, is now working at Aid to Women life Center in Toronto and
also does sidewalk counseling. He is trying to implement the Helpers
approach. Edgar Barreto recently came down from Canada to
perfect his
counseling skills. Brian Jenkins, a counselor here in New York is
returning to Canada to be with his 87 year-old mom and still
wishes to
be involved with the Helpers in Canada. Hopefully he can join David and
Edgar. And hopefully Adelaine Nohara a young college student from
Ontario will work with Wanda Hartlin who is translating the Helpers
material into French. Charbel Elchaar did a wonderful job of
video
taping everything. You can watch a short version of it on You Tube. I
am waiting to receive from him the full DVD of the weekend event.
|
|
| The Closure of the Sixth and Last
Abortion Site |
|
I
returned to the Monastery on Saturday night to prepare for
the
morning’s Palm Sunday Liturgy. On Good Friday we maintain the
Prayerful Presence outside the largest mills in the City from 12 Noon
to 12 Midnight. The Helpers in Rockland County however did their usual
24-hour Vigil. It was fitting that Peggy Beirne and Francis
Samoylo who were among those instrumental in starting the Helpers in
Rockland County be the organizers of the Mass of
Thanksgiving on April 25th for the closure of the sixth and last
surgical abortion site Rockland County. Of course
Francis
Samoylo was at the Mass but this time as the Main Celebrant being now
Father Francis Samoylo. Here in New York City we too have
reason
to be thankful since an abortionist in one of the largest abortion
mills has walked away and is now trying to put his life back together.
Keep him in your prayers for he too needs post abortion
healing.
Once again we find ordinary people called the Helpers doing ordinary
things with extraordinary effects.
|
|
| Wedded at the Hour of Divine
Mercy |
|
The
Saturday before Mercy Sunday, April 18th was a busy but blessed day. It
started early in the morning with a Helpers’Vigil Mass from St.
Paul-St. Agnes Church on Congress and Court Street. Bishop
Daily
and Detective Steven McDonald led us in prayer in front of the abortion
mills of Planned Parenthood and Emily’s. After twenty decades
of
the Rosary we returned to the Church for the closing Benediction. Then
John Foley and I got into my car and drove to Philadelphia to the
Church of St. Mary of the Assumption, where I was to officiate at the
marriage of two wonderful Helpers, both outstanding converts to
Catholicism, Wenqi Dwyer and Craig Glantz. They exchanged their vows at
3 o’clock, the hour of Divine Mercy, a beautiful divine
touch. On
their honeymoon to Italy they actually were greeted and spoke to Pope
Benedict XVI. From Friday the 24th until Tuesday the 28th I
retreated into silence and prayer. I welcomed the solitude
while
it lasted.
|
|
| Some Local Happenings |
On
Friday evening May 1st, I attended the Fund Raising Dinner of the
Sisters of Life at which they gave the Cardinal O’Connor award to Mr.
Carl Anderson the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus.
He
very generously gave a complimentary copy of his wonderful book A
Civilization of Love to all that attended the event. After receiving
the award, he gave an exceptional acceptance talk. At the Dinner, I
also briefly met Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Hopefully the Archbishop
will soon be leading a Helpers Prayer Vigil. When he does, Mr.Anderson
agreed to come and pray with him. Mother Agnes Donovan, S.V.,
as
usual did a magnificent job. On Saturday May
2nd my
long time friend , Barbara McGuigan of California interviewed
me
about the Helpers Apostolate for two hours on EWTV Radio. God
will bless Barbara for her many faithful years in educating and
witnessing God’s plan for human life.
|
|
| Some
National and International Happenings |
Sandee
and Shelby Fredrickson of the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants-Salinas
Chapter in California recently informed me that, thanks be to God,
after many years of Helpers praying outside of the 15 years
old
abortion mill, Choice Medical Group in Salinas, it suddenly closed and
is not relocating. They will now pray outside of Planned
Parenthood on N. Main Street. Caroline Savoie and Erin Dunne of CUA,
organized a Helpers Prayer Vigil in D.C., at which 75 CUA students
participated. After the young peoples’ Vigil, Phil, an escort
for
20 years outside the clinics, decided to leave and not come
back.
Michael Paris has requested Helpers materials for the Seminarians, at
St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland as Justin Nelson has for the
seminarians at the Archdiocese of Kansas Seminary. Bishop Frank
Drzmkowski OSB of Orange County California, has studied the Helpers
material and is now involved in the Prayerful Presence and Counseling
outside the abortion clinics. Father Kevin Yibis of Zarmaganda, India;
Sister Rose Peralta a Comboni Sister in Nairobi, Kenya and Steve Koroma
of Sierra Leone of West Africa have
requested and are
receiving Helpers materials. Maria del Rocio Galvez of the Comite
Nacional Pro-Vida in Mexico has requested material and my presence in
Mexico to share the Helpers approach. Deyanira Aponte of
Puerto
Rico has bravely started the Helpers in Puerto Rico and recently has
request some further information. Claire Fu, Wen-Ling, of the Faculty
of Theology of Fujen Catholic University in Taiwan constantly makes
known the Helpers approach in Taiwan. Claire Fu should contact Olivia
Harper who came as a student to the Monastery and is now a Servants of
the Lord and the Virgin of Matara. She is now being trained at the
Servants House of Formation in Taiwan. Olivia indicated that the
Servants of the Lord want to become actively involved in saving unborn
babies and helping their mothers in Taiwan.
|
|
| Religious
Media Covers Helpers Vigil |
|
On
Saturday May 16th after Bishop Daily and Detective McDonald led us
in Prayer from Queen of Martyrs Church to the Austin Street
Mill,
people from the New Diocesan TV station interviewed
me about
the Helpers. Also present at the Vigil was a young man who had driven
down that morning from Worcester, Massachusetts, Ben Wetmore.
Ben
is one of a number of graduate students belonging to
the
American Students for Life whose goal is to establish Pro Life Clubs in
every College and University across the Country. They have
already achieved this goal on 600 College Campuses in this
Country. Ben came back to the Monastery and taped and videoed
me
until evening. He insisted that I have a knowledge and experience in
this struggle for life that few have. Having been actively involved in
the life struggle since 1967, I do take for granted many things which
for many people is past unknown history.
|
|
| Response
to Notre Dame Commencement Talk |
|
On
Saturday May 23rd I was the Main Celebrant at the Helpers Mass at Holy
Family Church in Manhattan. We later prayed outside of Parkmed abortion
mill on 42nd St. and 2nd. Ave. Father Juniper CFR organized the
Vigil. I used the occasion at the homily to strongly respond
to
President Obama’s comments on abortion, made in the
Commencement
Talk, delivered the previous Sunday at Notre Dame
University. You can listen to the talk on,
helperslibrary.info My talk is entitled a Fifty Years
Perspective
on the Pro Life Struggle.
|
|
| Tenth Anniversay of Michigan
Helpers |
|
Dan
Goodnow, the President of the Helpers of Michigan invited me to lead
the Helpers Vigil on their tenth Anniversary. It was a joy to
accept. Thus on Friday June 12th I found myself on a
Northwest
Flight to Detroit, Michigan. Under the leadership of Dan, the
Helpers group in Detroit are second to none. They not only average
about a thousand confirmed saves each year but practically all the
bishops and many of the priests have led their Prayer Vigils. In
September one of the auxiliary bishops is leading the Helpers Vigil and
in November the New Archbishop of Detroit, Allen Vigneron will lead the
Michigan Helpers Vigil.
|
|
| Father
Ho and Myself Lead the Prayers at Liberty |
|
OnSaturday
June 20th Bishop Daily replaced Bishop DiMarzio, who was scheduled as
the main celebrant at the Helpers Vigil Mass at St. John Vianney Church
in Flushing, Queens. Bishop DiMarzio had to undergo sudden
serious bypass heart surgery. At the end of the Mass Bishop Daily, due
to another commitment, had to leave. Father Antonius Ho, of
the
Congregation of St. John the Baptist, the Administrator of St. John
Vianney and myself, led the people in prayer outside of
Liberty
abortion mill. Some other Religious Brothers and Sisters, from the same
Order, which I believe is from Main Land China, also prayed with
us. Between the Helpers coming from the other
parishes, and
the parishioners from St. John Vianney, the Church was full. The Vigil
was a prayerful success.
|
|
| Missionaries
of the Eucharist |
|
On
Friday and Saturday June 26th and 27th here at the
Monastery, we were
once again blessed by the annual visit of the Missionaries of
the
Eucharist. These young people begin each day by receiving the
Eucharist and then in their blue Missionary shirts, like Mary going to
assist Elizabeth, they too put aside their personal comfort and summer
leisure, to bring Jesus to the World. Thus each Summer, young
adults
from the Missionaries spend more than a month, walking hundreds of
miles from Maine to D.C., spreading, from the sidewalks, devotion to
the Eucharist, reverence for life and human sexuality and trust in
God’s Mercy. Besides being outstanding young lay men and women, ten of
the young people who came here in the past two years alone, are now
seminarians studying for the priesthood or have entered the Religious
life. The quality of the young people was once
again exceptional, who
spend their time at the Monastery, before beginning their walk this
year from Maine to New York City. All were college or
postgraduate
students from States outside of New York, like Texas and
Louisiana,
Maryland and Rhode Island, Illinois, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The
reaction of people all along their journey was nothing but positive,
like Nate Harrison, a Physics Major and recent graduate of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and Dan O”Connor who
is in
his final semester at R.P.I., both of whom were so impressed by the
group’s behavior and approach, that they came down to the Monastery of
the Precious Blood to learn more about the Helpers approach. |
|
| Did Bias Against Pro-lifers and
the Church Motivate the Behavior |
This
years journey ended in New York City on Friday Aug.7th. The young
Missionaries decided that they would conclude their journey by praying
across the street from Planned Parenthood in Manhattan, while
a
few of them counseled on the sidewalk, on the same side as
Planned Parenthood. Before they did so, their leaders, David Sao and
Scott Wilkins, a PhD candidate in English Literature, called
me Friday morning to ask if they would be allowed to pray and
council outside the clinic, with the passage of the new amendment to
the 1994 Clinic Access Law. I said, “Yes, you may. If anyone
tells
you otherwise, the person does not know the law.” The first officers at
the site that morning were polite and respectful. Unfortunately, there
then arrived, with other police cars, a misinformed police officer, who
was a public relations disaster for the New York City Police
Department, whose members, based upon my extensive experience traveling
throughout the US and the world, exemplify conduct as peace
officers that is professional, neutral, polite and quite
frankly, second to none. The officer did not know the
law and
restricted the Missionaries Constitutional rights by removing the
Missionary’s counselors from the sidewalk outside of Planned
Parenthood, taking out handcuffs and threatening them with arrest.
These young men and women, peacefully praying and wearing
their blue identifying shirts with the words Missionaries of
the
Eucharist, were treated like common criminals and made to line up to
pray in a single line along the wall, across the street from Planned
Parenthood. Upon learning from David and Scott what happened to the
young people that morning, I apologized to them and assured them, that
I would request that those in authority insure that the officer in
question would never again act that way toward any citizen of this City
or any visitor to New York City from outside the state. One has to
wonder in this case, beyond ignorance, what role bias against
pro-lifers and the Church might have played in motivating
such
unprofessional behavior.
|
|
| Some Upcoming Pro-life Trips and
Invitations in America |
|
On
On Friday Sept. 11th and Saturday the12th, at the request of
Michelle Carper, the Program Coordinator of the Dept. of Life Issues
and Laura Fersti of Department For Evanglization and Family
Life
of the Archdiocese of Washington, I will be leading a
Helpers Prayer Vigil and conducting Workshop on Sidewalk
Counseling in D.C. On the evening of Friday Sept. 25th and the morning
of Sat. Sept. 26th , I will be conducting a similar program for the
Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which Bob O’Neill is organizing.
However, I will be back at the Monastery late Saturday afternoon to
celebrate Sister Mary Berchmans 100th Birthday. Sister is one of the
great hidden spiritual prayer supporters of the Helpers. Sister Lucy
Marie, the Respect Life Coordinator for the Archdiocese of
New
York has requested a training workshop for the young adults in
Manhattan. Hopefully that will be on Saturday Sept.
19th
from 1–4 p.m. I am still deciding on requests from Theresa Krankowski
and Gin Ryan in Hartford, Ct; Yolanda Castro in Albuquerque, New
Mexico; Steve Graff, of Toledo, Ohio; Elizabeth Pierini
Sacramento, California; Matt Ulrich, Seattle, Washington, Timothy
O’Hagan, Holy Apostles Seminary; etc. All of these people are doing
such wonderful work for life, I would love to assist all of
them.
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| Upcoming European Mission Trip
for Life |
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Hopefully
on Friday evening Nov. 27th 2009 I will leave for
Munich,
for the Tenth Anniversary of the Helpers in Germany. Under the
leadership of Wolfgang Hering, the President of the German
Helpers, the Helpers now give witness for life in more than twenty
Cities in Germany.. On Monday Nov. 30th I will meet the
Bishop
and priests in the City of Prague in Czech Republic. On Tuesday Dec.1st
I hope to meet once again with Eva Cerovska,
Dasa Csomo, Elena
Lehocka and the other wonderful Helpers in Bratislava, Slovakia. On
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning I am planning to be with Mag.
Dietmar Fischer and the Helpers in Vienna, Austria. And
finally
on Friday evening and Saturday morning I hope to be in London with
Father Emmanuel CFR, Mike and Rose O’Doherty and many other
dedicated Helpers in the UK.
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| Helpers Twentieth Year Anniversay
Celebration Sat. Oct. 17th 11-3 PM |
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Although
on Wed. Oct. 7th 2009, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Helpers
of God’s Precious Infants will be Twenty-years old, we will have the
official celebration on Saturday Oct. 17th at St. Michael’s Parish. The
day will begin with Bishop Sansaricq offering the Helpers monthly Vigil
Mass at 7:30 A.M. at St. Michael’s Church After the Mass a celebration
will be held in St. Michael’s Parish Hall at 43rd St. and 4th Ave.
Sunset Park from 11 A.M to 3:00 P.M. All Helpers and Friends of the
Helpers are welcome. Just bring yourself and enjoy the food and
fellowship of other pro-lifers. The Helpers from the Archdiocese of Jos
in Nigeria will be joining us. October will be a busy month here in the
City. On Saturday Oct 3rd.I will be concelebrating the Helpers Vigil
Mass in the Bronx with Bishop Josu Iriondo, the Vicar for
Hispanic Affairs. On Sat. Oct. 31st I will be the Main
Celebrant
at the Vigil Mass at Our Saviour Church in Manhattan. At that Vigil
Mass the students from the Franciscan University in
Steubenville,
Ohio will be with us since they will be attending a Life
training
retreat at the Monastery.
May
I encourage all, to say each day, from Wed. Oct. 7th to Sat. Oct. 17th,
a special Rosary of Thanksgiving for the many blessings God has granted
to the Helpers and their Apostolate for the past twenty
years.
Thanksgiving must be given to God for the countless thousands of unborn
babies that have been born; for the mothers who have chosen
life;
for the abortionists and staff members who have left the
abortion
business because of the Helpers prayerful presence;, for the hundreds
of abortion clinics that have closed because of your public witness, at
these modern day Calvaries; for a new generation of young people, who
are overwhelmingly pro-life, and are actively, fearlessly involved in
the public square and outside of abortion chambers of death for their
youngest brothers and sisters. Thanks must be given for
the
peaceful prayerful movement from the streets, of God’s People
for
Life across America and indeed around the World. Yes, the plea of the
late great Pope John Paul II, in Section 100 of the Encyclical the
Gospel of life is becoming a reality. “A great prayer for
life is
urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world.
Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassionate
plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian
community, from every group and association, from every family and from
the heart of every believer.” Yes there is reason to hope and believe
that a new Culture of Life is being reestablished, and no politician,
no bias media or misled intellectuals or population control fanatics
can stop it, because the pleas of God’s People and the intercession of
the Mother of God to our Father and her Divine Son is being heard as
they are sending and will continue to send the Holy Spirit to renew the
face of the Earth. Paradoxically tremendous goodness and holiness is
rising up out of this culture of evil and death. We know in faith that
otherwise God would not permit such an evil.
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| These Difficult Economic
Times |
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God
bless all of you, who in spite of these difficult economic times, still
gave donations to the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants. I am sure you
realize most of the moms we try to help, in these same difficult
economic times, are either out of work or while looking for a job, have
no reserve monies to draw from. Since the demands this year were so
great we had to use 80 % of your donations directly to help the
pregnant moms and their children, for rent monies, food, etc.
Keep these moms and their children in your prayers.
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| Please Pray for the Sick and the
Deceased |
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Pray
for the Helpers who recently experienced sudden sickness,
like
our own Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who needed emergency heart surgery
and Mike Reddy, who normally at the large Prayer Vigils, holds the
walkie- talkie for the Bishops. Mike also needed unexpected
immediate surgery to save the vision in both of his eyes.
Both
are doing better now. Please keep John Paduano and all the sick in your
prayers. God is constantly enlarging the Helpers Prayer Choir in
Eternity, by adding to it, many of the Helpers’Prayer Warriors, like
Anna Dundon and Alice O’Brien, who for two decades have
prayed
outside of the abortion mills in Queens. Also keep in your
prayers, our deceased spiritual support prayers,
Dorothy
Flanagan, the mother of Sister Dorothy Rothar and the deceased mother
of Jean Bilgera. Jean counsels with Sister Dorothy during the week at
Choices. Here in Brooklyn, we lost Mary McAlpin, a
long
time spiritual support prayer and Theresa Gandolfo, who for the past
twenty years, almost on a daily basis, has prayed and at times
counseled outside the abortion mill, Ambulatory Surgery Center of
Brooklyn. Our loss is Heaven’s gain. Keep in your prayers the
souls of Angela’s late husband, Eugene McNair, whom God suddenly took
home. Working in Precious Blood Confraternity Book Store, Eugene was
for years a great assistance in sending out Helpers materials around
the world. Pray also for the recently deceased Mom, of Susan
Pergolizz. Susan, who runs the Confraternity Office, like Angela and
Eugene McNair, has been a blessing to the Helpers Apostolate.
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Until We Meet in Prayer at Calvary,
Msgr. Philip J. Reilly
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©
Helpers of God's Precious Infants All Rights Reserved
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