June 28, 2024

Dozens from diocese join at State House for ‘Celebration of Life Day’

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath

 

BOSTON – More than 40 people boarded a bus at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield to travel to Boston for the “Celebration of Life Day,” held at the State House, Tuesday, June 25. The event, held in the Hall of Flags, was organized by the Pregnancy Care Alliance, an affiliate of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, to highlight the good work of Pregnancy Resource Centers.

“It’s so empowering for our pro-life advocates to see the good that’s being done locally in our diocese but also throughout the state of Massachusetts,” said Father Daniel Pacholec, director of Pro-Life Activities for the Diocese of Springfield and pastor of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield.

Earlier this month Gov. Maura Healey launched a $1 million taxpayer funded campaign to discredit pregnancy resource centers, claiming they harm women. The media campaign was included in the Massachusetts legislature’s supplemental budget in 2023. Ads appear on social media platforms, radio, billboards, and buses. Their messages include “avoid anti-abortion centers.”

The “Celebration of Life Day” featured several women who were helped by pregnancy care centers (PRCs) and disputed the governor’s claims.

“I never felt pressured or pushed in one direction or another. I felt empowered to make the choice I knew I wanted to make, but was too afraid to,” said Krystle Arce. Arce went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to take the medical abortion pill. She said she quickly regretted her decision, and went to Abundant Hope Pregnancy Care Center in Attleboro, Mass., where she was given a prescription for the abortion reversal pill. She introduced the crowd to her 2-year-old son.

“Darlene (from Abundant Hope) showed me a wall with babies that had successfully gone through the abortion pill reversal,” Arce said, recounting the day she decided to take the abortion reversal pill. “I remember her saying to me if you choose to go through with the reversal, we can put your son’s picture on this wall. If you choose not to, we will still hold your hand every step of the way. They offered me therapy and support groups. I said, ‘No, Darlene, my picture is going on that wall,’” Krystle said as the crowd applauded.

The Pregnancy Care Alliance released an impact report which shows more than 4,000 clients were served by PRCs in 2023. These PRCs performed 1,371 ultrasounds and gave away food, clothing, and baby supplies to families totaling $512,400.

“Well, we wanted the public to see the valuable work that we do as pregnancy resource centers and celebrate all the lives that have been impacted by the incredible work they have done,” said Teresa Larkin, co-chair of the Pregnancy Care Alliance.

Thirteen centers across the state, including Clearway Clinics of Springfield and Worcester, Mass., are members of the alliance. Clearway Clinics in Springfield and Worcester are state-licensed medical clinics which have helped welcome 2,300 babies into the world since 2013.

“Well, our reason for existing is to help women,” said Jill Jorgensen the director of Clearway Clinics. “So when they get into a situation that they are not expecting, we are there to help them, come alongside them, be there to listen to their situation and be a comfort a place of refuge.”

“We offer services to them so they can come and see a nurse, have a doctor read their scans of an ultrasound, so they can know the choices that are before them,” she said.

The women who spoke at the event then led the way to the governor’s office delivering 4,000 petitions asking Healey to withdraw the media campaign discrediting PRCs.

“The reason I’m here today is to support the pregnancy resources centers, to support choosing life. This state says it’s all about inclusion, all about choice. They say that they care. However, they are doing everything in their power to remove choice. They are pro-abortion,” said Pastor James Gaddy of Sha’ar Hashamayim Messianic Congregation in Stoughton.

Massachusetts already has one of the most progressive abortion laws in the country allowing abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy. Lawmakers are considering a new bill which would further expand abortion. House Bill 1599 would allow a girl of any age to consent to an abortion and eliminate the need for a judge to sign off on an abortion done without parental consent. Current law requires parental consent if a girl is under 16.

The bill would also eliminate conscientious objections for doctors and nurses; eliminates safety regulations for late-term abortions and further targets pregnancy resource centers.

In addition, lawmakers are considering legislation which would legalize physician-assisted suicide (PAS), another pro-life issue of concern. House Bill 2246 and Senate Bill 1331, are both called “An Act relative to end of life options.”

“This Sunday’s reading, 30^th of June, everyone who thinks about physician-assisted suicide should read it,” said Father John Tuohey. Father Tuohey, now retired, spent close to 20 years in Oregon which was the first state to pass physician-assisted suicide. Father Tuohey was the Honzel Chair and senior director of the Providence Center for Health Care Ethics in Portland.

“Wisdom 1:13. God did not make death and does not rejoice in the destruction of the living, so how can it (PAS) be compassionate in any consistent ethic of life,” he said.

The Roman Catholic bishops of Massachusetts are asking people to call their representatives to oppose physician-assisted suicide.

More information can be found on Massachusetts Catholic Conference website, macatholic.org.

A video version of this story will be featured on the June 29 edition of “Real to Reel” which airs at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS.