Last week I received a phone call in my office from Sandra, a wife and mother, who said she heard our segment on the harms of contraception on our pro-life, pro-family segment Just for her on Spanish-language Guadalupe Radio.
Sandra shared that when she learned from us that the IUD was not in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church, she went to her doctor to have the device removed. Instead of helping her, however, he scolded her.
“I still have the IUD and I don’t know what to do” Sandra shared. When I assured her that her physician should have helped her and that there are pro-life physicians who would be more sympathetic and could remove it, she said “Really?!” She sounded thrilled! I provided her with the phone number of several physicians. “You might have to drive a bit to get to them but it’s worth it,” I advised her. She assured me it was not a problem at all; that she would go. I was touched by how happy and relieved she sounded. She then said, “Thank you for sharing this information with us. Please continue to instruct us!”
I’ve been the pregnancy center director at Los Angeles Pregnancy Services, in LA’s abortion ground zero for almost nine years and I have found that the pregnancy center is a great place to share the good news about Natural Family Planning. Daily, we meet married couples who are grappling with a life and death decision but who deep down want to honor God with their families and their decisions. Whether it’s in the pregnancy counseling, the church outreach, presentations, or media interviews, we have many opportunities to share God’s plan for fertility – the real solution to the abortion crisis!
I have the privilege of seeing the joy in moms who choose life when they bring their babies back to meet us. Usually these are babies that they thought would be a curse or a burden. Someone had once told them that a baby would be too much trouble and that they should just get an abortion. Sometimes it’s their doctor. But now their hearts are overflowing with joy and gratitude for their child.
But there is not only aggressive targeting for abortion, but also for contraception and sterilization! So we work with local Natural Family Planning instructors to teach our clients a better way, for the health of their bodies and their souls.
The same glow that I see in a mom who chose life after having considered abortion, I see in the woman who discovers the blessing Natural Family Planning.
I am excited to have the opportunity to present at the Spanish sessions of the CANFP conference in August. I will share creative ideas for working with pregnancy centers, in ways that will be mutually beneficial.
I am confident that many more lives and souls will be saved if we learn to work together.