Helpers of God's Precious Infants--Charlotte Chapter

Friday evening and Saturday I had a very handsome young man escort me to a training with the Helpers of God's Precious Infants, for which a Charlotte chapter is being formed. My companion was quiet and polite, and all the ladies gushed over him, so I felt like a pretty lucky gal that he was with me and not them!

(On the subject of nursing success, note the double-chin already formed and the triple-chin developing! This week we returned the rental pump and intake scale, so now Joseph and I are just like a regular ol' mother-baby dyad!)

But, seriously, folks, I was so inspired by attending this training session with a pro-life group that is new to our town but is decades old and well-established in at least 40 states and many other countries. The priest who founded it--Msgr. Philip Reilly-has "done it all" in the pro-life world, starting in the late 60s: lobbying the government, withholding his annual taxes, being arrested, doing "rescues" (a la Operation Rescue), the loud and combative techniques, and so on. But the method he settled on is so peaceful, so prayerful, so quiet. The technique he developed as "the Helpers" is based on our being present at the modern-day Golgatha the same way four women and St. John the Beloved were present with love and prayer for Jesus when he died. We are there to pray. The pray-ers just pray, although he warns us not to say "just" pray because he says prayer is the most important thing, more so than the sidewalk counseling. We are there to love. We are there to love the women on their way in and on their way out, never to abandon them . . . because God doesn't abandon them. We are there to witness for the babies, to love them and pray for them so they are not alone. Msgr. Reilly emphasizes repeatedly that it is more important for us to save souls than to save babies.

His group also does sidewalk counseling proper but it is a special method called "indirect counseling" that is so polite, tender, quiet (symbolically and literally), inoffensive, gentle . . . yet very effective. Quietness is emphasized. I found it interesting but ultimately not surprising that a Rosary is this priest's main physical "prop" to the exclusion of any kind of printed sign.

I am so excited and inspired by this new method I had the privilege of learning (in a conference room and at a clinic). It is deeply spiritual, involves Mass, Benediction, and the Rosary, and is intimately tied to the Cross. Anyone can obtain free materials at the local website or even watch a two-hour training there for free.

I find I can do very little or no pro-life work at the clinics when I am pregnant because my meager physical resources have to go toward taking care of my family, but during "off years," I feel so much better and like to get out there. Having a baby on my back is so much easier than having a baby in my belly. I feel invigorated by a great training session and my body feeling strong!

I hope some of my local friends will join me out there and I invite you to explore the Helpers' website.