ROCKFORD—Rockford is again a destination for ending life with the opening of the Rockford Family Planning Center Jan. 6.

 

The Rockford Register Star reported that the office at 611 Auburn St. is operated by obstetrician, gynecologist and abortion provider Dr. Dennis Christensen of Wisconsin and managed by Meg Larkin of Rockford with the help of a registered nurse.

 

The facility offers pregnancy dating and confirmation, pregnancy counseling, first-trimester abortion medication, referrals for a second trimester surgical abortion and referrals for prenatal care if desired, according to its website at rfd-familyplanning.com

 

Christensen at one time operated the abortuary known as the Northern Illinois Women's Center on Broadway several years before it closed in 2012. 

 

Christensen came out of semi-retirement after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, eliminating what had for decades been a constitutional right to an abortion in the United States. He bought the Auburn Street building for $75,000 and a former animal hospital at 4236 Maray Drive for $350,000 in June, according to Winnebago County records.

 

Plans are for the Maray Drive location to be operated by volunteers and activists as part of the Rockford Family Planning Foundation. A building permit was issued to the second location on Jan. 5. Surgical abortions will be performed at that location, formally operated as an emergency animal hospital.

 

What can be done

 

According to Director Therese Stahl of the Life and Family Evanglization Office, contacting your local representatives and consistently voicing your opposition to abortion in Illinois, prayer and witness are the most effective tools against in the fight for life. Stahl said her office has received commitments from six Rockford Deanery parishes to pray onsite at one or both Rockford facilities twice per month. 

 

“We are adding those commitments to a Rockford community calendar of onsite prayer organized by a local prolife group, the Rockford Family Initiative. The community calendar will be used by Catholics, non-Catholic churches, and those with no religious affiliation who want to pray. This will be a great resource for the local pro-life community,” Stahl said.

 

The next event to show support for the right to life is a pro-life rally, sponsored by the Rockford Family Initiative outside 611 Auburn, Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 

 

For more on what you can do to support life, contact the Life and Family Evangelization Office at life@rockforddiocese.org

 

To connect to crisis pregnancy resources on the Rockford Diocese visit https://rockforddiocese.org/life/walking-with-moms/