The following comes from an Oct. 2 story by Valerie Schmalz in Catholic San Francisco.
Four years ago, the archdiocese of San Francisco started something different –The Gabriel Project, an independent program for local parishes to help pregnant women.
The Gabriel Project is unique because it gives members of the parish an opportunity to help a pregnant mom and baby as a community through prayer, emotionally and financially – building a culture of life by living it, said Fredi D’Alessio, program coordinator for the archdiocese….
“It’s a parish-based ministry for pregnant mothers in need, regardless of age or phase of development in the pregnancy, whether they are rich or poor, married or not,” with or without faith, said D’Alessio….
Each member parish posts a sign with The Gabriel Project telephone number and the call comes to D’Alessio who connects the woman to a parish volunteer who follows up the first call with a visit by two “angels” or Gabriel Project volunteers to see what the woman needs.
“Then, they hold their hands throughout the pregnancy and beyond, sometimes way beyond,” D’Alessio said.
“We’re doing quite a bit. We are helping a lot of people. Our angels are doing an outstanding job with the calls we are getting,” D’Alessio said.
While the ministry is parish based, volunteers whose parish does not belong to The Gabriel Project also help. They are called “auxiliary angels,” or “angels without borders,” D’Alessio said….
The parishes who have joined The Gabriel Project are: Our Lady of Loretto and St. Anthony of Padua, Novato; St. Raphael, San Rafael; St. Hilary, Tiburon; St. Ignatius, St. Agnes, Church of the Epiphany and Sts. Peter and Paul, San Francisco; St. Augustine, South San Francisco; St. Andrew, Daly City; St. Dunstan, Millbrae; St. Matthew, San Mateo; Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame; Church of the Nativity, Menlo Park; St. Francis of Assisi, East Palo Alto.
To read entire story, click here.
Our parish in Tiburon adopted this program and I can still remember the joy and graciousness of the young woman who was helped by our volunteers. They even had a baby shower for her here at the church, and the mother was so grateful, so pleasant, so happy to have received support in her time of need. If I remember correctly, the lady did not live here, but our Gabriel Angels reached out to her simply because they heard she had a need — and they wanted to help!!!! :)
“The Gabriel Project is the only Catholic pregnancy outreach and the only one sponsored by the archdiocese.”
How sad.
Dave:
Surely “not sad” if it’s a comprehensive program and well-supported by money and volunteers.
Such outreach shows that we, as Church, as indeed pro-life, and not merely “pro-birth.”
Someone accused me of being merely “pro-birth” because of my Catholic Faith, and I informed them of the many ways in which the Roman Catholic Church not only fights the evil of abortion, but also spreads the good of compassion in very loving and concrete ways.
This GABRIEL INITIATIVE is a lovely example of precisely that.
Yes, and think back to all the centuries that unwanted children were taken in by the Catholic Church and cared for in orphanages, placed with good families, and supported quietly by Catholic individuals in the community. Strangely, though, the only few adults I’ve known who were raised in orphanages by nuns are Protestants now and bitterly against the Catholic Church. Go figure. While the recipients of charity may not always be angels or even grateful, they are children of God all the same, and those who have devoted their lives to caring for the needy, poor, elderly and abandoned have lived lives worthy of emulation by us all to whatever extent we can also give care to others in need.
If we read the papers, we are aware of the mis-treatment of orphans by Priests and Nuns/Sisters. In Ireland it was beyond description, although many are now being brought to trial. I was adopted out of Catholic Charities at a very young age, so I don’t remember any mis-treatment, but those who were in there until they were teens often have stories to tell. All through school, I never remember mean priests or sisters. Oh, there was the occasional one who smacked you across the head or the knuckles just make sure you were obeying and doing your work, but they always told us they did it out of love and I think they meant it.
This is great news, it belongs in every parish!!
My husband and I joined the Gabriel Project 5 years ago so we could be part of the solution in helping those in need and to prevent Abortion. Little did we know that just by saying “yes” to Our Dear Lord, He would place a young women who was 7 months pregnant in our lives, who would give birth to a beautiful baby girl, who would become our goddaughter! They are apart of our family now and we feel so blessed! It’s like winning the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! We continue to help women in crisis and our ministry has expanded to helping post abortive women find hope and healing through Project Rachel. Working in the Lord’s vineyard has been so rewarding–we have peace and happiness that we never had before. God is Good!
There has been a very active Gabriel Project in the Oakland Diocese for years. I know that it was very active in the east Contra Costa area, with emergency phone lines and all kinds of help for pregnant women. The branch is Concord was very well run by very dedicated families.
Outstanding program….when does it go national? Even the press would like this one!
Dear ‘good cause’,
Thank you for asking. The Gabriel Project is a national program.
In November of 2001, the USCCB document, A People of Life and a People for Life: An Invitation, lists The Gabriel Project among a number of suggested programs: “Begin a parish-based ministry to pregnant women and their children. The Gabriel Project, developed in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, is excellent and is spreading across the nation.
In August of 2009, Most Reverend George Niederauer, highly commended The Gabriel Project in a letter to all Pastors and Parochial Vicars of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and asked them to seriously consider this ministry in their parishes. The Archbishop stated that the USCCB’s Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities notes that one of the objectives of a parish pro-life committee should be to “develop or adopt a parish-based ministry to pregnant women and their children.” The Gabriel Project answers this call and embodies the practical support that the bishops promise pregnant women, said Archbishop Niederauer.
For a list of dioceses that have a Gabriel Project see: “thegabrielproject dot wordpress dot com” (replace dot with a period).
God bless,
Fredi D’Alessio
Program Coordinator for The Gabriel Project of the Archdiocese of San Francisco