Australia's bishops have launched a "comprehensive strategy" to support women who find themselves facing an unexpected pregnancy. A powerful new DVD, featuring the personal stories of two young women faced with an unexpected pregnancy, has been launched as part of a comprehensive strategy to explore alternatives and pastoral responses to abortion, an ACBC media statement says.
The Walking with Love DVD comes with an accompanying study guide which aims to help people come to understand ways in which they can help to support women who find themselves facing an unexpected pregnancy.
A project of the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life, the DVD was launched by Bishop Peter Elliott in Melbourne on Friday night.
Bishop Elliott congratulated all who had been involved with the production of the DVD and particularly thanked the two women, Bek and Nicolette, whose stories are featured.
"It is appropriate that this DVD is being launched in Victoria, where we now have the most extreme pro-abortion laws in Australia," he said.
"As never before, the Church must be strongly pro-woman in Her ministry to those facing an unexpected pregnancy or whose lives have been affected by abortion."
The program aims to encourage the Catholic community and all people of goodwill to increase their support for vulnerable pregnant women, and to reach out to those women, their husbands, partners and families who have been touched by the abortion experience.
The DVD and Resource Kit can be ordered by visiting the Walking with Love website at www.walkingwithlove.org.au
Brisbane launches Pregnancy Crisis centre
In a related story, Brisbane Archbishop Bathersby is to launch a pregnancy crisis centre next weekend.Pregnancy Crisis Inc (PCI) has grown out of Brisbane couple Alan and Patti Camp's determination to tackle Australia's 90,000 plus annual abortion rate and to help the poor, The Catholic Leader reports.
Mrs Camp, who is president of the new organisation, said PCI, with its prayer support from archdiocesan prayer groups and Australian religious congregations, was believed to be the first prayer based group of its kind.
Women who had been considering abortion have already been assisted since PCI was formed in August and support group training was completed last week, Mrs Camp said.
The group intends to establish prayer and education groups within Catholic high schools throughout Australia to encourage respect for all human life especially the unborn.
Queensland Bioethics Centre director Ray Campbell congratulated Mrs and Mrs Camp for their commitment, noting that "well organised support for vulnerable pregnant women who want to continue with their pregnancy has been lacking in Brisbane."
Mrs Camp said PCI, which has a growing membership, aimed to provide a range of services to support women experiencing vulnerable pregnancies.
"Depending on individual needs this could range from regular visits for a coffee and a chat to arrangements for crisis accommodation," she said.
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(Source: CTHN)