Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton chats with Pregnancy Assistance Board Chairman Eric Jas. Photo: Mat de Sousa.
By Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton
Sitting with a person who is weighing up options after they have discovered that they are pregnant can be harrowing. It is never easy as there are no arguments that you can offer that clinch the decision to keep the child.
I visited our Pregnancy Assistance offices recently to celebrate Mass with the agency workers and volunteers, and to spend some time with them over lunch. The agency is located in Lord Street, Perth, a major road leading into the city. It is ideally located because it is very visible and thousands of cars and buses pass by each day.
It was at lunch that we were able to talk about the difficult and heart-rending ministry of listening and offering support for the women and men who approach the agency, desperate to find the solution to the situation of an unforeseen or unwanted pregnancy.
Everyone acknowledged the importance of having the tiny chapel and the reserved Blessed Sacrament in the offices. It is a real sanctuary of prayer for our personnel. Their prayer is strengthening for the interviews that about to happen, and intercessory or thanksgiving in nature after the sessions with the clients.
The approach that is taken in the counselling is non-judgemental. The person is treated with the utmost respect, and the counselling is about helping the person to be aware of all the issues that need to be taken into consideration when coming to their decision.
There is always the offer made for ongoing support because the Pregnancy Assistance is designed for this purpose.
I have tremendous respect for the women who give so generously to the work of Pregnancy Assistance. They are prepared to journey with their clients and provide the face of compassion and care for everyone they encounter at the agency.
On many occasions, I have repeated the words of Archbishop Goody on the offering of support for women who decide to carry their unborn child to full term. He said in the 1970s that he pledged the resources of the Archdiocese to the assistance of any woman who made this choice. Pregnancy Assistance stands in that tradition of care and compassion.
Nowadays, a lot more is known about the trauma that a woman very often experiences following an abortion. It becomes a shadow in her life that seems to never be resolved, and it is devastating.
The support that we need to give must include the provision of the means to be reconciled with a past decision to have an abortion. Unfortunately, most involved in providing abortion fail to acknowledge the impact and trauma of the procedure, and generally are dismissive of these consequences.
Unfortunately, most involved in providing abortion fail to acknowledge the impact and trauma of the procedure, and generally are dismissive of these consequences.
The ministry of Pregnancy Assistance is vital and seeks to increase the knowledge about pregnancy for both the mother and father. Knowledge is always necessary for the best decisions to be made.
There are some women who ask me how they can become involved in this work. Pregnancy Assistance would love to hear from anyone who feels a call to support its mission. The life of every child is precious.
For more information, visit: www.pregnancyassist.com.au
From pages 6 and 7 of Issue 14: ‘Culture of Life: Love does not come at the price of another person or their dignity’ of The Record Magazine