Some Positive Pro-Life News for Canada

With much of the recent focus on Catholic sisters being how they are undermining Catholic Church teaching in the "life issues" area, it is refreshing to be able to point out a group of Sisters who are supporting Catholic Church teaching & doing what they can to defend life. I am happy to see that they are now expanding their work to Canada.

Sisters of Life to Open Toronto Visitation Mission for Pregnant Women

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
TORONTO, June 7, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Sisters of Life will be hosting an open house at their new Visitation Mission to Pregnant Women on June 12. There will be a Mass and a special blessing of the center by Archbishop Collins at 1 o'clock, followed by a social gathering and tour of the newly renovated facility at St. Catherine of Siena parish, 1099 Danforth Ave.
The Sisters of Life is a contemplative/active religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor, focused on assisting pregnant women in crisis and promoting the culture of life.
Like all religious communities, the Sisters take the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They also are consecrated under a special, fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.
The Sisters welcome pregnant guests to live with them in the "Holy Respite" of one of their convents, assist pregnant women in need of practical assistance through their "Visitation Missions," and invite those who have suffered abortion to find hope and healing through day and weekend "Entering Canaan" retreats.
The Sisters also direct and staff the New York Archdiocesan Family Life / Respect Life Office and the Dr. Joseph Stanton Human Life Issues Library.
The Toronto Visitation Mission is the order's first foundation outside the U.S.
Sister Mary Elizabeth, one of the five Sisters of Life at St. Catherine of Siena, told LifeSiteNews that the purpose of the Visitation Mission is not only to help pregnant women in distress, but to involve the surrounding community in this work of providing spiritual, emotional and practical support.
"We invite members of the community to join us in this work, to become co-workers for life, and just giving what you can to help pregnant women," Sister Mary Elizabeth said.
"There are different categories of volunteers," Sister Mary Elizabeth explained. "Some, who are called handmaids, actually will pair up with the woman who is pregnant and offer care and love, because a lot of times we find that women have no one who actually care for them, to be with them and give them material and spiritual support."
Sister Mary Elizabeth also said that the Sisters of Life have sought the support of men in this work through their group called St. Joseph's Workers.
"These men have so much to give, whether it's moving furniture, driving errands, or offering support and encouragement to the young men connected to the women we are helping," she said.
"Another initiative we have are the prayer groups that have formed in the various parishes we have visited and given presentations, that give us and the moms spiritual support."
Sister Mary Elizabeth remarked that she has found Toronto to be very welcoming to the Sisters of Life and their mission.
"We have over 1,000 co-workers in the Toronto area already, and we've been so blessed by the welcome we've been given by both the archdiocese and our neighbors."
The Sisters of Life website states that their "missions are carried out with the heart of the Church and with the hope of revealing to those we serve the inherent goodness and beauty of their own lives, so that each person may see and experience the truth that they are an unrepeatable creation of the Master."
To contact the Sisters in Toronto, call 1-877-543-3380 or (416) 463-2722, or visit their website here.