Theresa Krankowski, center, Carl A. Anderson, rear, Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, front left

by Theresa Krankowski, Ed.D.

Oh Baby!…….Our long awaited ultrasound equipment is here!  Committed to our mission:  …..Saving babies lives and souls …….we soon will be offering limited obstetrical ultrasound services, providing abortion-vulnerable mothers with an imminent opportunity to witness, acknowledge, and verify the gift of their child’s life and God’s calling as a mother!  Why is that important?  Because many women upon considering abortion, completely disconnect from their maternal instincts and what’s awesome about the ultrasound is the TRUTH.  And the truth is evident….the mother is able to see firsthand her unborn child—a separate person— unique, precious, and unrepeatable!   Tragically, at abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood and the Hartford Gyn, the truth is obscured and the women are never given an opportunity to view their child in the womb or receive an image of their baby.  Places of death….Planned Parenthood and the Hartford Gyn, utilize the ultrasound to “kill” the baby by identifying the gestational weeks of the unborn child in the womb; thereby determining the type of method they will utilize to kill the baby.   As a result of being strategically located across the street from the Hartford Gyn Abortion Facility ( 1 Main Street , Hartford , CT ), we hope to offer a compassionate outreach to abortion-minded mothers, allowing them a vital life-saving chance to protect their unborn child!  By offering limited obstetrical ultrasound services, the mothers will receive confirmation of their pregnancy, an estimate of the gestational age of their unborn child in the womb, and confirmation of cardiac activity (i.e., fetal heartbeat)!   We thank Jesus and the Blessed Mother for our limited obstetrical ultrasound services and team!  We invite you to join us in our mission, saving babies lives and through God’s grace, making a difference in the lives we save!

In honor of Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney. We anticipate the miraculous intercession of venerable Fr. McGivney, in our efforts to save babies lives and souls!  His mission to care for orphans and widows is relevant for our time due to the staggering numbers of fathers who abandon or are absent in lives of their babies and children.  In 2009, St. Gerard’s collaborated with the Knights of Columbus to launch a “Saving Sacred Lives Campaign” in order to acquire the necessary funding for the purchase of ultrasound equipment.   As a part of the Knights of Columbus “Culture of Life Fund”, the local Knights raised half of the funds and the Supreme Council matched the remaining amount needed to purchase the equipment and contribute to the overall costs of these services!  We thank God for Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, and all our brothers knights—we couldn’t of done it with you!

by Theresa Krankowski, Ed.D.

It was a sunny Saturday morning as we prayed and sidewalked counseled in front of the Hartford Gyn Abortion facility.  As we engaged in our peaceful and prayerful witness we knew with great certitude that God is one with us in this mission and if we are docile to guidance of the Holy Spirit He will literally direct our steps.  While praying, I noticed a woman standing outside a van so I decided to break from the prayer line and go to speak to her.   As I approached her to ask {St. Gerard’s} if we would be able to help in any way,  I looked inside the van and recognized one of the mothers in our program, Julie who we just had helped this past week holding a little baby boy.  Immediately, I said, “What are you doing here?”  She said, “My *sister-in-law (Shelley is not really her sister-in-law but rather her boyfriend’s sister) is inside the clinic about to have an abortion.”  I said, Oh no!  Please tell her we will help her why didn’t you tell her to come to us for help?  Julie replied, “Well she is going through a very difficult time she is behind on her rent and because she works so many hours she has a hard time finding a babysitter.”  I said, “All those problems are solvable and there is no problem so great that a baby deserves to die!”  You need to go in and get her out of there right now!”    Julie gave the baby Joey (which was Shelley’s son) to Shelley’s mother and went inside the abortion mill.  I also reassured Shelley’s mother that we would help her daughter and both grandchildren (the baby in the womb and her son) and that with God’s grace St. Gerard’s assists the entire family.

I asked Shelley mother’s if I would be able to hold little Joey while we prayed and waited. While standing there I felt conflicting emotions and overwhelming sadness that I was holding and cuddling baby Joey while his little brother or sister is on the verge of being killed not to mention the other babies that were being torn apart limb by limb—what a disconnected society!   However, at the same time I felt hopeful realizing that the Blessed Mother and Jesus were showering Shelley with an abundance of grace—the transforming power to bring about her conversion of heart to do the will of God and have her baby.   Since Shelley’s mother was Catholic, I asked if she would pray the Hail Mary with me for her daughter.  We were just finishing the prayer when I saw another woman walk out of the abortion facility so I ran to her just before she was about to cross the street and asked if we would be able to assist her.   She said, “No I’ll be all right.”  I said, “Well you can’t be all right if you came here.”  Why did you come?   She replied, Well, I was supposed to have an abortion today but I decided to reschedule it for Tuesday.”   I said, Oh, please do not do that our program St. Gerard’s would love to assist you and your baby.”  Why would you even consider doing this?  She said, I’m afraid that my mother is going to throw me out of the house if I don’t go through with it.”  We will help you get a place to live for you and your baby….. in doing so you would finally be on your own and would not have to worry about your mom’s lack of support or pressuring you to abort your baby!  Would you like to come to St. Gerard’s and she said, “Yes!”   I spoke to one of our other counselors, Betty  and told her to speak to the woman by the van whose daughter will be coming out of the abortion facility with her “sister-in-law” and to bring them over to St. Gerard’s right away!   She said, “Okay!”

When I brought Carla to St. Gerard’s she began to share some of her other fears about why she was considering abortion.  She said, “I am just afraid that if I have this baby everyone is going to judge me.”  I told her, “Carla, the only person that you have to worry about and that can judge you is Jesus Christ.  And believe me, Jesus wants you to have this baby because He is the one that gave your baby life—I know this for certain just like I know I have 2 feet!  She burst out laughing while we were in the room laughing one of the volunteers knocked on the door saying, Theresa, that young lady just left the abortion facility and is coming across the street with her mother and “sister-in-law”.  Praise you Jesus Christ!  I was felt such great joy and I could not stop praising God!

I introduced Carla to Shelley and within minutes, Carla was holding baby Joey!  At that moment, I interiorly reflected upon the profound privledge to be able to “witness the power of God’s grace in action” and “to build the culture of life we must witness the culture of life.” As St. Paul writes, “Where sin abounds grace abounds all the more.”  It is truly humbling to see first hand the transformative power of the Blessed Mother and Jesus changing the hearts of these mothers from death to life while the rosary and divine mercy chaplet are being recited with great fervor!

I am excited to share that Shelley is having a baby boy who is due on December 17, 2010.  St. Gerard’s is assisting her with her rent and other bills. We are also assisting Shelly with getting her child baptized. Carla has infomed me that her mother had a change of heart where she is now able to live with her!   In choosing life, these mothers chose love and did the will of God!