Intensifying Pro-life in Parish Programs
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Do you know that many years ago, there was an Episcopal Commission on Pro-life separate from the Commission on Family and Life? That was about three decades ago and the only bishop I recall who Chaired it was Bishop Qurexeta of Jolo. I don’t know why that commission on pro-life was stopped. All I can remember is that when the Chair of ECFL, Bishop Jesus Varela, was about to retire, his commission was changed to Episcopal Commission on Family AND Life, with Archbishop Paciano Aniceto and the Chair at present. In meantime, a new commission was formed – the Episcopal Commission on Bioethics, right now being headed by Bishop Joey Oliveros of Malolos.
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Although Pro-life Philippines is an inter-faith, non-government organization, I am often invited to help in the training of diocesan and parish family and life workers. We are recognized as a resource organization for books, video tapes, training manuals and brochures on issues involving respect and care for life from conception to natural death. We are at the forefront in the lobby to stop the legalization of abortion, contraception, euthanasia, divorce and homosexual unions. Lately, we have had to confront the aggressive implementation of the so-called “safe sex” programs in schools that teach the youth to use contraceptives and different ways of engaging in sexual pleasure to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases – a deliberate lie.
Our staff and volunteers are engaged in various pro-life programs under these Biblical names:
Project Gabriel - those who “announce the good news of love, life, marriage, family, sexuality and fertility. These are through forums, conferences, training seminars, the radio, television, the internet and even the cell phones.
Project Michael – those who “defend us in battle” against satan and his devils who are promoting destruction of Life and Family through senate and house bills, local government ordinances and policies, private organizations and international funding agencies for abortion, contraception and euthanasia.
Project Veronica – in the spirit of St. Veronica, who wiped the bleeding face of Jesus on the road to Calvary, are the counselors who see the face of Jesus in the wounded and distressed girls, women and men seeking guidance and referrals through our telephone hotlines or in our crisis centers. They also go to the maternity wards in hospitals to bring God’s forgiveness and healing to those who have just aborted or lost their babies in miscarriages or still birth.
Project Rachel members are the women who have experienced abortion, contraception or sterilization. They have reconciled themselves to their babies and to God, and are now ready to volunteer for pro-life activities. They are excellent counselors to pregnant women contemplating abortion. They accompany women who have just aborted to the Tomb for Aborted Babies in La Loma and encourage them to go to confession and have Mass offered for their baby. Many of them bravely speak out in conferences and radio programs to express their regret that they were not properly advised at the time they were in crisis, having made the wrong decision to abort, and having to go through many years of depression, guilt, anger, and other dysfunctions. They meet regularly, praying especially the Rosary for Life to stop all abortion.
Project Raphael – on the other hand, are the men involved in the abortion, contraception, sterilization (of themselves or of their wife), domestic violence or sexual abuse. Angel Raphael, who cured the blind Tobias, is their patron. These men have come to realize that in an abortion, they surrender their role as provider and protector of the most vulnerable person that God has given them – their own son or daughter. Many of them, like the Rachels, also undergo post abortion trauma – turning to more violence, anger, distrust of women or to homosexuality in order to avoid responsibility for their sexual exploits. But unlike Project Rachel, this Project Raphael does not have many members yet. Most men are in denial of the severe effects of abortion in their life. And so we challenge them with these words – “A father is a father, whether the baby is dead or alive.” It is hard to imagine how many men are harboring so much negative spirit because healing has not begun in their life – men who are the source of so much violence and destruction in our society now.
Project Elizabeth – with Mary who visited her cousin Elizabeth, both of them pregnant, these volunteers teach sexuality and fertility in the context of Christian values and not for population control. These dedicated women, and some men, go to the rural and urban poor areas with their visual aids, charts, pencil and paper to encourage our couples to live the natural family planning way and avoid artificial contraception or ligation.
Project Jacob – is for responsible fatherhood. We pray for more men to rise up to their promises made on their wedding day and be shining examples of manhood to the young boys surrounded by many temptations towards pornography, sexual addictions, drug and alcohol abuse, laziness and irresponsibility.
And finally, Project Joshua – the Prayer Warriors. Joshua is Hebrew for Jesus, Savior. All who have attended our Pro-life seminars know by now who “Baby Joshua” is. This is the name we have given to the model of a three month-old fetus we use to demonstrate that the unborn baby is not just a mass of blood and tissue but fully formed at that stage. We then invite everybody to pray for a baby in danger of abortion. I am sure we have saved thousands of babies and mothers from abortion because of our “Spiritual Prayer of Adoption for the Unborn”.
There is room for everyone in the pro-life movement. All can participate in their own way – speaker, counselor, researcher, writer, organizer of seminars, service crew during seminars, donor or benefactor, subscriber to the pro-life magazine, or prayer warrior – YOU are needed. Please get involved and stop this senseless killing of our babies, destruction of the moral values of our youth, and the breaking up of our families.
To join or to invite Pro-life to your parish, diocese or school, contact our office at (632)911-2911 or my cellphone 0920-945-5494 Sr. Pilar
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