Our discipline
Guidelines
Prayer centered
Our approach is centered on prayer and the conversion of mothers, fathers and abortionists. We go with the mindset of Christ Jesus, with love and with hope to save lives and souls. The Prayers who come to the abortion mill carry on a most important spiritual battle as they stand outside the mill. They pray in a spirit of reparation for their own sins, the sin of abortion, and particularly for the deaths that will occur that day. They pray for the women going into the abortion mill, for the abortionists and their staff, for the neighboring community, for the legislators, for the religious leaders of the nation, and for all who, through indifference, do nothing to try to stop abortion.
We go to the abortion sites in pure prayer and, by way of "sidewalk counseling"; we offer practical help to the distressed mothers coming there for abortions.
By reaching out with love, prayer and practical assistance, we hope to help parents accept and protect the life they have conceived so that their child may be born and loved and that they will not be harmed by the numerous dangers of abortion and be deprived of a lifetime of love from their child. We love the unborn children who are brought there that day. These children have been rejected by their parents and are doomed to die. Through our love, prayers and the efforts of the counselors, we hope many mothers will be converted and choose birth for their children. But for those children who will die, we offer the only human love they may ever encounter in their short lives. We recognize them as our brothers and sisters, welcoming them into the human family. We embrace them spiritually. We stand with them when they die. Our loving presence for the children at the hour of their death comforts the Heart of God because they belong to Him.
We pray to obtain God's mercy for the conversion of the abortionists and their staff who do the killing. Our message to the abortionists and all who help them to kill God's children is that, though we love them, we will never accept what they do. Our presence disturbs the consciences of the abortion mill's staff. It should not be pleasant to get up in the morning with the intent to destroy children. They should have to confront God each time they start their day. We hope for ourselves to become closer to God through experiencing the mystery of his Cross. We deny ourselves comfort and go to experience what Calvary is like. We more clearly realize Christ Jesus' personal love for each one of us, and know the joy of having responded to his call. We offer prayer and penances, and abandon all to God. We see that it is God's power and love which overcomes the evil of abortion and softens the hearts of those who participate. It is the road of relying purely on the power of God’s grace to convert hearts. It is the road of allowing oneself to be a channel of his Grace by one’s presence and witness.
Peaceful witness
A strict discipline of prayer is maintained.
Our witness outside the abortuaries tells their neighbors and all who pass by, that we refuse to accept abortion as a legitimate profession. In order for our witness to be successful, it cannot in any way, shape or form be a demonstration, confrontation or protest; nor perceived as such by anyone in sight. It should inspire others to join us in objecting to the killing in their neighborhood.
We believe it is essential that our witness be peaceful, prayer filled, and constant. No anger, confrontation, scorn, abuse or picketing – because scorn and ridicule close off a channel of grace to the very people who need it the most; the mother seeking the abortion and the abortionist who performs it.
No one is permitted to stand on any portion of the abortion facility's property or block its entrance or the path of anyone, including passersby, on the sidewalk. Driveways must also remain clear.
It is essential that the women arriving for an abortion see a praying people. Therefore, all participants must resist temptations to talk unnecessarily with one another, respond to remarks or ridicule from bystanders, passersby, or the abortion center's staff, engage in conversation or debate with anyone, and be distracted by surrounding activity.
Counselling
The only ones who should speak are the designated counselors. They must be allowed to counsel without interruption. No one should yell out or otherwise interfere with their attempts to effectively communicate with whom they are speaking. Every second is critical and what may sound clear to you will only be a confused noise to the women if several people are attempting to speak out.
The counselors will approach the parents as they make their way to the abortion center. They will offer them information about where to go for free counseling and practical assistance, as well as fetal development, adoption, abortion procedures, risks and side effects, and post-abortion counseling and healing. It is surprising that the mother often has not been given much factual information about what happens in an abortion or about the alternatives to abortion. She probably has never been to a pregnancy help center where she would have learned about her child's biological development in her womb, and been helped to understand the details applicable to the various abortion procedures. The Counselor will also talk to the father of the baby. If the mother decides to go in to see the abortionist anyway, she will be reminded that we will pray for her and be outside waiting if she, like others before her, changes her mind while she is inside and comes back out again. If she proceeds with the killing of her child, we pray for her conversion and healing.
If a prayer group does accompany the counselors, they must be positioned some distance away from the counselors and the facility's entrance and be together in one place as a unit where they will not be a distraction or threat to the anyone's privacy when they are speaking with a counselor. They must be positioned at the side of the walkway to allow pedestrians to freely pass by. They must conduct themselves in a reverent prayerful manner praying in a low tone or silently. They must not call out to anyone nor hold signs or pictures with the possible exception of a single image of Our Lady of Guadalupe among the group.
Sidewalk counsellors may only use literature and signs approved by the Board of the Corporation.