Saturday, September 12, 2009:
The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, San Francisco, CA.
Learn practical techniques for a parish-wide assistance ministry for pregnant women, helping them eliminate the very thought of the word “crisis” when becoming the mother of an unplanned child.
Cathy McConn, Founder of the Gabriel Project in Houston, will train us in every aspect of this important ministry and instruct us on how to best implement it in our parishes based on her vast experience.
Gabriel Project parishes embrace each pregnant woman who comes to them as their daughter, sister, friend. Using signs, pamphlets, bumper stickers and a toll free hotline, we make it known that help is available. When a woman calls for help, the phone-line volunteer contacts the Gabriel Project Coordinator, who is a parishioner of the Church closest to where she lives. A trained mentor, one of the parish’s Gabriel Angels, is assigned responsibility for ongoing contact with the mother throughout her pregnancy and somewhat beyond. The parish community assists with unconditional love. Through them, mothers receive the spiritual, material and emotional support needed during pregnancy.
Click here for full Conference details.
A personal note:
Dear Friends,
I am what is commonly referred to as a “sidewalk counselor”. I’m not a big fan of that term, but it was devised for good reason and has since become identified with a specific ministry among the prolife community.
Sidewalk counseling is reaching out to mothers and fathers, who are contemplating or planning abortion, to offer them information and assistance. It is conducted on public sidewalks outside abortion facilities on days that abortions are being committed and/or days when pre-abortion evaluations or pregnancy tests are provided.
I haven’t come up with a better term, but I think of the work more as “outreach” and would like to encourage you to engage in a complementary type of work from the comfort of your particular Church in your community.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if each of us could help reduce the number of mothers who make their way to abortion facilities to “solve” their problem? Well we can, not only individually, but also as a community of Christians – as a parish. And it isn’t at all difficult to do. All it takes is love and you have that.
If you live in or nearby the San Francisco Bay Area, please plan to attend the San Francisco Archdiocesan Respect Life Conference on September 12 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption to learn how you and your parish, by participating in the Gabriel Project, can help eliminate the very thought of a child being unwanted. Show your community that your parish cares and that there is no reason for any mom within it to contemplate abortion.
Cathy McConn, Founder of the Gabriel Project in Houston, will train us in every aspect of this important ministry and instruct us on how to best implement it in our parishes based on her vast experience.
More, including a printable flyer, here.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fredi D’Alessio
The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, San Francisco, CA.
Learn practical techniques for a parish-wide assistance ministry for pregnant women, helping them eliminate the very thought of the word “crisis” when becoming the mother of an unplanned child.
Cathy McConn, Founder of the Gabriel Project in Houston, will train us in every aspect of this important ministry and instruct us on how to best implement it in our parishes based on her vast experience.
Gabriel Project parishes embrace each pregnant woman who comes to them as their daughter, sister, friend. Using signs, pamphlets, bumper stickers and a toll free hotline, we make it known that help is available. When a woman calls for help, the phone-line volunteer contacts the Gabriel Project Coordinator, who is a parishioner of the Church closest to where she lives. A trained mentor, one of the parish’s Gabriel Angels, is assigned responsibility for ongoing contact with the mother throughout her pregnancy and somewhat beyond. The parish community assists with unconditional love. Through them, mothers receive the spiritual, material and emotional support needed during pregnancy.
Click here for full Conference details.
A personal note:
Dear Friends,
I am what is commonly referred to as a “sidewalk counselor”. I’m not a big fan of that term, but it was devised for good reason and has since become identified with a specific ministry among the prolife community.
Sidewalk counseling is reaching out to mothers and fathers, who are contemplating or planning abortion, to offer them information and assistance. It is conducted on public sidewalks outside abortion facilities on days that abortions are being committed and/or days when pre-abortion evaluations or pregnancy tests are provided.
I haven’t come up with a better term, but I think of the work more as “outreach” and would like to encourage you to engage in a complementary type of work from the comfort of your particular Church in your community.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if each of us could help reduce the number of mothers who make their way to abortion facilities to “solve” their problem? Well we can, not only individually, but also as a community of Christians – as a parish. And it isn’t at all difficult to do. All it takes is love and you have that.
If you live in or nearby the San Francisco Bay Area, please plan to attend the San Francisco Archdiocesan Respect Life Conference on September 12 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption to learn how you and your parish, by participating in the Gabriel Project, can help eliminate the very thought of a child being unwanted. Show your community that your parish cares and that there is no reason for any mom within it to contemplate abortion.
Cathy McConn, Founder of the Gabriel Project in Houston, will train us in every aspect of this important ministry and instruct us on how to best implement it in our parishes based on her vast experience.
More, including a printable flyer, here.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fredi D’Alessio
