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Prayers At Clinics Save Babies From Abortion

By Dick Retta

This article first appeared in the Archdiocese of Washington’s May 19 Catholic Standard.

Between January 2001 and the present, many women and their preborn babies have been saved from abortion at area abortion facilities.  

During that time, over 300 women indicated to pro-life sidewalk counselors that they had changed their minds about having an abortion.  This was the result of efforts by the counselors, through prayer and counseling, coupled with others praying the rosary.

One of the most recent saves was a set of twins, spared after the mother-to-be had a change of heart after speaking at length with a counselor.

On March 9 eight women who had entered one of the local abortion facilities for an abortion later came out and told a counselor that they had changed their minds about having an abortion.  Eight babies were saved from abortion at one facility on one day.  Praise be to Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

A recent joy resulting from a save was the birth of a baby boy named Daniel, on March 25, Good Friday.  Before that a baby boy, David, was born on, of all days, January 22, the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Someone was there praying the rosary in all instances of abortion-minded expectant mothers having a change of heart.  Sometimes there would be over 30 pro-lifers praying the rosary.

We can always count on Our Lady being present to help, as counselors become instruments of the Holy Spirit.  Also, counselors can count on the presence of angels and saints, including their guardian angels and patron saints.  After all, the entrance to any abortion facility is a battleground between good and evil.

Whenever a counselor is speaking one-on-one with an abortion-minded woman, trying to change her heart from aborting the precious, God-created life in her womb, it is a battle between good and evil.  The doors of an abortion facility are the jaws of hell.  Inside is the devil’s workshop, given the horror taking place at the hands of abortionists and their assistants.

The saves that take place in front of abortion mills occur in various ways.  Often it’s the result of a counselor being able to spend enough time talking to the abortion-minded woman, explaining the danger to her life or health, post-abortion mental anguish, religious considerations, including her salvation being put in jeopardy as well as that of those who help her, the possibilities of never having a baby in the future, available assistance for those who decide to keep their babies, and adoption alternatives.

These concerns are also contained in a handout flyer.  Some women change their minds after lengthy direct counseling.  Others might just take the flyer and read it in the waiting room of the abortion facility and then change their minds.

Others sometimes change their minds because they saw people outside the abortion facility praying and caring what happens to them.  Others come out and say they changed their minds but can’t say why:  “I just couldn’t go through with it,” they say.  I believe that many of these women were inspired through Our Lady as a gift to those praying the rosary and counseling outside the mill.  

This is the scene, many times, in all kinds of cold or rainy weather.  Counselors often have to deal with pro-abortion “escorts” who try to block them from offering assistance and information to the women going in for an abortion.

Our Lady knows the tools of the “adversary,” who tries to discourage us in any way he can.  The battle between good and evil continues unabated 7/24/365.

Because of the obvious importance of prayer in saving the lives of innocent babies, a Capital Area Pro-life Coalition has been formed with the goal of attracting more pro-lifers from area churches to join in praying the rosary.

In this way we hope to not only save the lives of babies, but also to close the killing factories.  Three such places have been closed in recent times.

You are encouraged to accompany Our Lady in praying the rosary at one of the area abortion facilities.  For more information contact Dick Retta at 301-424-4225 (dickretta@comcast.net).