“Mothers Turned Away from Abortion”
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February 28, 2021The last few months at Catholics for Life have been blessed with much to do, to say the least! Since my first newsletter focused on the story and mission behind Catholics for Life, I want this letter to focus on all that happened the first two months of our new apostolate. Looking back, I cannot believe how much God has already extolled our ministry!
Since our first outreach on January 5th, our 16 volunteers have led over two dozen outreaches sidewalk counseling at Planned Parenthood! I asked Christians that were already regularly outside of Planned Parenthood to rework their schedule a little. Our volunteers, like my committed sister, nephews, parents (see below photo), and others, filled in any gaps. Now, every Tuesday and Friday, Planned Parenthood has people praying and counseling outside from the minute they open until the minute they close. Praise God! Now we just need to fill the other three days and start filling the days at Your Choice Healthcare, the abortion pill mill. If you are interested in taking a shift, please contact me!
Next, our trainings are inspiring and equipping even more people to work to rescue the 12 babies who die daily in central Ohio. I have already led 4 trainings for over 50 participants: two for individuals and families over Zoom calls organized by my older sister Maria, another virtual training for parishioners at St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church, and one in person training at our home. If you think your family, parish, church club, etc. would like a pro-life presentation on apologetics, sidewalk counseling, or evangelization, please let me know! Many people were inspired to get trained after hearing about the pro-abortion protestors storming the Right to Life Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral. (See my wife and sister speaking to some pro-abortion protestors at the Roe Remembrance Rally after the Right to Life Mass in the picture below.)
The in-person training is a new initiative we are calling Torchbearers. The mission is to form Catholics, especially young people, into pro-life missionaries who bear the Torch of Divine Love into our culture of death by relying on Mary's intercession, as Our Lady of America has asked us to do. We had several family members and young people gather for prayer and training in pro-life apologetics, sidewalk counseling, ministering to post-abortive parents, and sharing the gospel. Afterward, we all attended Mass with the option for Reconciliation. Incorporating the sacraments in our efforts must be priority! After receiving Our Lord, we led street outreach at the Ohio Statehouse followed by prayer and counseling at Planned Parenthood. While at the abortion facility (see first photo) a woman driving by spoke to us and changed her mind on abortion! Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for all we ministered to will close out the Torchbearer days in the future as well. I hope to hold these on a monthly basis in the future. Let me know if you or others you know may be interested in attending.
What was incredibly exciting though, is that three days after the Torchbearers training, two teenage girls went to counsel at Planned Parenthood in the afternoon when no one else was there. My sister Rachael and her friend Avery Rice spoke to a young mother named Kalita and convinced her to leave Planned Parenthood and go get an ultrasound at the Women’s Care Center! Kalita has a new job and already has a three-year-old so she was planning to abort her baby, but she left the counseling session at the Women’s Care Center with tears in her eyes. She was so torn about the abortion. She did miss her appointment at the Planned Parenthood though. We were then able to pray with her and watch her demeanor completely change as we did! Pray that she reaches out to us if she needs help and that she keeps her baby! The very next week, I also helped parents and a daughter leave Planned Parenthood. That same day, my mother spoke to a couple who left the abortion facility and also went to the resource center for an ultrasound. They left waving and honking so excited about their baby! To God be the glory!
I am overwhelmed by the goodness of God both to use a sinner like me for the glory of His Kingdom and to bless our apostolate in so many ways in just the first few weeks! Thank you so much for supporting our ministry and standing with us in our work to rescue children and save souls! I have some exciting news about interviews and partnerships to share with you next month! May God bless you and please contact me with any ideas, questions, or ways you may like to get involved!
All for Jesus, all through Mary and Joseph,
Gabriel, Anna, Gabriel II, Leo, and Henry Vance
We would greatly appreciate your financial partnership in our mission to help provide for both our family’s income and our ministry’s expenses. Give online now!
Mail checks made out to “LifeMinistriesUS” with “Catholics For Life” in the memo to:
P.O. Box 6533, Albuquerque, NM 87197
