by Therese Stahl Director of the Life and Family Evangelization Office
[email protected]
In Isaiah 49:15, God says, “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I
will never forget you.” Though God’s love never abates, the flame of human love may never spark or can sputter and go out. Mothers and fathers forget their children and neglect the unborn, sometimes even denying the baby in the womb the right to live.
The only surgical abortion facility in the Diocese of Rockford is located on Maray Drive in the city of Rockford. Its existence demands what Christ calls all Christians to do: defend human life. The faithful in our diocese must not wait for someone else to defend the lives of unborn endangered by the facility on Maray. We must not wait for someone else to defend the lives of the mothers and fathers who in choosing to abort their babies will irrevocably scar their own lives and the lives of others. If we are going to reach parents in crisis and in need of hearing the Gospel of Life, then we must meet them where they are, with love and without judgment.
A woman seeking an abortion is in crisis. Vitae Foundation research shows that these women considering abortion are fearful of how a baby will impact their own lives. Many of them are ashamed of their actions and the consequences. Many cannot see practically how they can raise a child. The emotions of a mom considering aborting her child are rooted in fears of being judged and of losing her self-identity.
The research suggests pro-life advocates, during an initial conversation outside an abortion facility, “should focus on addressing the needs of the woman rather than the child.” Once these material needs are met or once the mother sees the hope that they can be met, then the conversation can turn to the sacredness of the human life she carries and the love that God has for her, her partner, and her baby.
For the last five months, the Life and Family Evangelization Office of the Diocese of Rockford has coordinated advocacy outside the Maray Drive facility using an approach grounded in this research. The site last year became an approved Sidewalk Advocates for Life (SAFL) site. SAFL helps us meet the fears in the minds of mothers in crisis head on, training advocates to speak charitably and respectfully to women entering the abortion facility, offer them resources, and recommend free pregnancy services in the community. The SAFL approach is a Christocentric, peaceful, prayerful, law-abiding sidewalk advocacy method. It is an approach that we hope the mother does not perceive as judgment. We formed SAFL-Rockford, partnering with the Rockford Family Initiative and the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford.
Moving forward, we need advocates who are willing to undergo training to talk to women entering the abortion facility. We also need pray-ers, people who pray and who do not speak to the folks entering or exiting the facility. The prayer partners stand separate from the advocates to keep the conversations between advocate and client confidential. Prayer partners pray silently for the advocate, the facility’s clients, and even for those who work in the facility, performing abortions or dispensing abortion pills.
Both advocate and prayer partners typically commit to serving one hour outside the facility. Whether this hour is weekly or monthly depends on their own schedules.
How can you defend life? Be messengers of hope! To learn more about being a trained sidewalk advocate or committing as a prayer partner, contact us at [email protected]. Christ needs you to bring His love to those in crisis.
Note: The LiFE Office will host a SAFL sidewalk advocacy training session Nov. 15, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Diocesan Administration Center, 555 Colman Center Dr. To register, visit https://www.rockforddiocese.org/life/sidewalk-advocates-for-life/ and click on the November 15 link (right above the Sidewalk Advocates video).
