Pro Life Committee

Who We Are:	The OLV Pro Life Group is dedicated to the respect and protection of Life in all its miraculous stages, from conception to natural death. We maintain a literature rack in the old Baptistry off the main vestibule of the church. Included are Pro Life bumper stickers, prayer cards, and pamphlets on subjects such as stem cell research; partial birth abortion; long-term effects of abortion; Project Rachel (healing for women who have had abortions); hope and healing; many topics for teens such as, What Do We Do if We Don't Have Sex?, Peer Pressure, How to Say No, Risks of Casual Sex, If Sex Feels so Good, Why Do I Feel So Bad?, and others. Some are available now, others have been ordered and will be available at our booth at the Parish carnival in July. All materials are free of charge, but donations of any amount are always welcome!
Contact:	Janice O'Brien, Chairman 732-727-1879
	Terry Walsh, Treasurer 732-727-6770
	Rosanda Grau, Secretary 732-651-8782
What We Do:	Monthly meetings from September to June. These are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the Lower Church. They will be announced in the monthly calendars printed in the Church Bulletin.  There wil be no meeting in January, July and August. Small presentations to new parents at the Baptisms in the parish. These include a rose (for choosing Life) and a pink or blue Rosary (for choosing the Catholic faith), as well as a copy of our message to the baby, which one of our members reads aloud at the Baptisms. The Knights of Columbus partners with us in this project by covering the cost of the fresh roses. With the Knights of Columbus, a bus trip to the March for Life in Washington DC every January. Valentine Rose fundraiser in February. The proceeds constitute our budget for the entire year. We most sincerely thank the members of our parish for their generosity, which allows us to continue our work for Life! Monthly checks sent to various crisis pregnancy centers and educational programs for youth. Amount depends on the budget for that year. Spiritual Adoption Program each year from September to May. This project involves NO COST to the parishoners. They simply choose to pray for one (or more) specific, though unknown, child who is in danger of abortion, that their mothers will choose Life, and they will see the light of day. Prayers are said for 9 months, and the person may choose in their heart a name for the baby. We will never know these children on this earth, but it is our belief that we will meet and embrace them one day in Heaven, and what a joyous day that will be! We have a strong response and participation from members of the parish in this effort, which is another reflection of the loving hearts of these wonderful people, and we are most grateful. Mother's Day baby shower. In honor of the babies for whom we have been praying in our Spiritual Adoption Program, we have a baby shower. A crib is placed at the Belssed Mother's altar, into which are placed gifts of diapers & wipes, bottles, new baby clothes and blankets, etc. These are then taken directly to the centers, which give them to the mothers who have chosen Life for their babies, to give them a start with the basics and maybe some "extras". Again, the generosity of our parishoners in this effort is awesome, and the mothers and babies benefit in a basic and tangible way. PLEASE SEE STORY BELOW. Attendance at the annual Diocesan Critical Life Issues Conference in Piscataway. Attendance at the annual Life Chain. This year it will return to Sayreville. Details will be in the Bulletin in September. This silent, peaceful demonstration of support for Life is held in early October, and is attended by members of many faiths.
WE WELCOME NEW MEMBERS AT ANY TIME!
A sobering demonstration of the need "right in our own backyard": In May, 2007 when we were delivering the Baby Shower items to one of the centers, Sister Susan beamed with surprise at all the beautiful things and, especially, the diapers. She told us that just the previous week a mother had come to the door asking for diapers. She told Sister she really needed the diapers because her baby had developed a rash. Sister responded that she was sure the mother took good care of her baby, and asked what the she thought could be the cause of the baby's rash. Then came this mother's story: she had run out of diapers and had no money with which to buy more. The baby had been wearing the same diaper for five days. Doing all she could, the mother would clean the baby as well as possible, go to local fast-food restaurants and buy a cup of coffee, then go to the restroom and get as much tissue as she could, and use it to line the baby's diaper. It happened that the center had no diapers left at the time, so Sister arranged by telephone for the woman to get diapers at a local drug store and charge it to the center. We were stunned. This poor mother was in such dire need of something so basic most of us just take it for granted. We told Sister that any time there was such a pressing need to call us immediately for help. Please pray for this mother and countless others like her who are struggling so, and for those who are dealing with the news of an unplanned pregnancy, feeling helpless, hopeless, and alone. And let us not forget to also pray for those who were led to believe abortion was their only option, that their healing in body, mind, and spirit might begin.                                    Please pray for all those who had abortions.