Florida Catholic | New “Birth” For 35 Year

New “birth” for 35 year–old pregnancy center

As two pregnancy centers celebrate 35 years in service, a third one opens for business.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 04.25.08

BOYNTON BEACH | Mary Rodriguez of St. Mark Parish was all smiles while hosting an anniversary celebration for two crisis pregnancy centers this month.

“We are celebrating 35 years of service,” Rodriguez, a registered nurse and facilities administrator, told the Florida Catholic about the milestone of Birthline in Delray Beach and Lifeline in West Palm Beach.

“We have a third office that has opened, too, in Boynton Beach at 3452 West Boynton Blvd.,” she said. Birthline of Boynton Beach, the new Catholic Charities’ crisis pregnancy center, is now open and seeking clients, volunteers and support.

“I think it is much-needed,” said Stanley Chai, a local physician and parishioner of St. Mark, who is an advisory board member. “It is a big growing area. I think we need to spread our message.”

The new center, which has been in the process of opening since January, is made possible through the contributions of Dr. Ka Hock Go, one of the nonprofit organization’s advisory board members, and his wife, Dr. Jeanne Go.

The Gos, local physicians and parishioners of Ascension Parish in Boca Raton, were in Rome at the time of this writing, attending a Vatican Divine Mercy conference. They dug into their own pockets, renovated an area of their medical complex and are providing the space free of charge to the charities program.

“They are generous,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is spreading the word to the community and parishioners in the diocese about the center, designed to help women and babies by providing pregnancy testing, counseling, education, adoption information, material assistance and referrals.

“We have sent notices out and asked parishes to run announcements in the bulletins, but it is going to take a while for people to know about our new facility. We need a sign,” she said.

The center includes a shared kitchen and bathroom, a counseling room, a waiting room and, at this point, an empty ultrasound room.

“Our next goal is to get an ultrasound machine,” said Rodriguez. “They run about $50,000. We just outfitted Lifeline with a machine. We were able to raise money for (that).”

Lifeline on 54th Street in West Palm Beach and the trained staff there began offering scans in February.

“It is working great,” said Tammy Young, ultrasound technician. “It is saving a lot of babies. It has made a big impact. When women see the baby inside them, they don’t want an abortion. The first day we began offering the sonograms, we began saving babies.”

Birthline on South Federal Highway in Delray Beach began sonogram services a little more than a year ago. An average of 32 women received services in the first 11 months. The number of clients is increasing at a rapid pace now that word has spread.

“In addition to saving lives, the young women who view their own child become the best pro-life advocates for their friends, and they add their voice to ours in the community,” said Rodriguez. She points out that the equipment is an educational tool, opening the door into the mother’s womb and giving her an opportunity to meet her unborn.

Nearly $5,000 was raised during an April 6 anniversary luncheon-fundraiser at Quail Ridge Country Club. About 120 people attended. Father Thomas Skindeleski of St. Vincent Ferrer was guest speaker. Other priests there included Father Richard Florek of St. Mark and Father Charles Hawkins of Ascension. Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito dropped by between Masses and commitments, accompanied by Father Brian King, episcopal secretary.

“The proceeds and donations raised will go to the ultrasound fund for the Boynton Beach office,” said Rodriguez.

Dr. William Adkins, who serves on the board of Catholic Charities, attended the anniversary gathering of people of all faiths and is happy about the progress the ministry is making in the Diocese of Palm Beach.

“I have a deep and intense feeling about this program,” he told the Florida Catholic. “I am thrilled about the new facility. It means we are expanding. We need to keep expanding. We are having an increased number of clients. Our message is getting out.”

He praised Rodriguez for the efficiency of the three centers, each of which serves more than 300 women each month.

“I think this is one of the foremost problems in America today — this abortion problem. But I think gradually our message is getting across. I think America has been on a slippery slope accepting the abortion bit for so many years, and I think that it is turning around,” Adkins said.

Recently nine volunteers from St. Thomas More, St. Mark, Sacred Heart and Emmanuel parishes responded to the call to serve at the Boynton facility. The volunteers went through about six hours of training and practical experience working side-by-side with experienced volunteers.

“Actually, what I need is to be open more hours at the Boynton office,” said Rodriguez, who points out that volunteers are needed to make that possible.

At this point, the new office is open Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Friday afternoons from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Richard Caime, chairman of the advisory board and a member of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens, became involved with the ministry in July 2005.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to serve,” he said. “I always wanted to have time to do charitable work.”

Caime said he attempts to spread the good word about Birthline/Lifeline centers. He presented a talk focused on the ministry April 14 at St. Thomas More Parish in Boynton Beach.

“I try to make people aware of the things that are happening in the world. We lose 4,000 aborted fetuses a day,” he said. “We are killing and aborting our own citizens. Why are we killing our own citizens?”

Rodriguez is optimistic about the way her ministry work is progressing.

“My vision is that we will keep adding centers so that we will have presences in every community,” she said. “People will know that we are life centers.”

Catholic Charities executive director Tom Bila is pleased with the opening of the new Boynton Beach facility and the administrator.

“Mary Rodriguez has done a wonderful job pursuing funding for assistance in opening up another facility in Boynton Beach,” he said. “If I know Mary, she will be opening up another one soon in another location.”

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New “birth” for 35 year–old pregnancy center

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