Guest blogger Sean Miller

It’s not how successful we are in our careers, the amount of cash we accumulate in our bank accounts, or how popular we are. What matters is how much we love and are loved, says guest blogger Sean Miller. And that’s the theme of that beloved Christmas classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

It’s A Wonderful Life

The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” is shown on TV every year, right around Christmas time.

The main character, George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, is down on his luck, filled with despair, and on the verge of committing suicide. Bitterly, he tells his “guardian angel” he wishes he’d never been born.

The angel decides to grant him his wish. And he shows George what the world would have been like without him, if he never existed.

And through the alternate world the angel presents, George comes to realize how much he has impacted others by the love he has shown them – and how the lives of his loved ones, friends, and entire community would have been so sadly diminished if he hadn’t been there. Continue reading →

Lillian Dobson, Msgr. James Cox, former Vicar of Rockland County, Karin Lancellotti, Executive Director of Birthright of Rockland County, Eileen Francis, Secretary of Birthright, and Cathy Baker at the 40th anniversary gala luncheon.

Lillian Dobson and Cathy Baker, the founders of Birthright of Rockland County, were honored at a gala luncheon celebrating the crisis pregnancy center’s 40th anniversary at the Clubhouse at Patriot Hills in Stony Point on Saturday.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, was the guest speaker. Other guests included over 200 friends, benefactors, clergy, and volunteers – past and present — of the organization in Rockland as well as representatives of Birthright chapters throughout the state of New York. Continue reading →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyWADizqtHk

You’ve got to listen to this — a prolife ballad from beginning to end. A baby about to be born is scared and wonders if it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just stay with God. But God tells him there’s “somebody down there waiting for you.”  And watch the audience reactions!

Guest blogger Sean Miller

For the past two decades, blogger Sean Miller has counseled at a number of abortion mills in New Jersey. In this post, he shares what he has learned about sidewalk counseling, “the delicate balancing act between urgency and gentleness.”

“Sidewalk Counseling”

Sidewalk counseling outside an abortion clinic – human lives are at stake, and you’re on the front lines. You may be the last lifeline of hope for a pregnant woman as she approaches the building to abort her child. She and those with her tend to be in a fragile state, wrestling with conflicting emotions. Things can happen quickly.

Knowing what to say and how to say it is of utmost importance. It can make the difference between a person accepting your help or walking away.

If you’re considering becoming a part of this important work, I’d like to share with you a few of the important things I’ve learned. I’ve been counseling for 20 years now. And just like anything else, the more experience one has … well, it never gets easy, but it does get less difficult.

The Approach

How should you approach a couple who are seeking an abortion?

First, It’s important to understand where they’re coming from. Their emotions are in turmoil, overwhelming and volatile.

Internally, they’ve been going through a battle between what they’re tempted to do and what they should do. And now that they’ve decided to come to the abortion facility, many of them feel the question of whether or not to go through with the abortion has been resolved.

At this point, they just want to get this experience over with quickly so that they can get on with their lives and forget about the entire ordeal.

But, to their surprise, they see individuals on the sidewalk who appear to be standing in their way. A bunch of “religious zealots,” they think, who only want to harass them and make them feel guilty and add to the heavy burden that rests on their shoulders.

So how should we, the sidewalk counselors, respond?  Continue reading →

Guest blogger Sean Miller

The potential for violence has created a deep tension in the very fabric in our society. How can we restore hope and trust? The answer, says blogger Sean Miller, lies in a “Culture of Life.”

“A Culture of Life”

It’s hard to believe that 15 years ago the tragedy at Columbine took place. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers went into their school intending to cause absolute chaos by killing innocent students and staff. Twelve students and one teacher lost their lives.

America has changed drastically since that  event. Violence seems to have increased in frequency and intensity. Now, it’s not uncommon to see school shootings. We’ve seen horrific attacks in movie theaters, malls, and even on busy street corners. Violence is the new norm on the American landscape. Recently, a young teenage boy took the life of a classmate because she did not say “yes” to his prom invitation.

How can we trust each other when the climate of today’s society is so filled with rage and unpredictability?

In order to restore trust and hope, a renewed reverence for the sanctity of life must find a place again in our minds and hearts – a “Culture of Life.”  Continue reading →