Denver Catholic

PHOTO PROVIDED RESPECT LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I FEBRUARY 12, 2014 BY JULIE FILBY Staffers at Lighthouse Wom- en's Center, a licensed medical facility at 3894 Olive St. regularly get to be part of events border- ing on the miraculous. Located in the shadow of Planned Parenthood of Rocky Mountains, the second largest abortion clinic in the country, by offering pregnancy tests, ul- trasounds, medical care and counseling, Lighthouse pro- vides an alternative to women considering abortion. Now just over a year into their minis- try, they are broadening their scope in hopes of more effec- tively serving women and their families. "We've realized to care for these women properly we have to switch the focus," explained Lynn Grandon, executive di- rector, and program director for Respect Life Resources of Catholic Charities of the Den- ver Archdiocese. "We have to care not only for the baby, but for the mother, and perhaps a father, and sometimes siblings. They all need care in signifi cant ways." To address these needs, Light- house is expanding beyond medical services to include all women's services offered by Charities such as: long-term case management, emergen- cy housing, help in domestic violence situations, adoption Be part of the miracle to end abortion BY JULIE FILBY We always hear Jesus came to earth on Christmas day. "But he came nine months be- fore that," explained Lynn Gran- don, program director of Respect Life Resources. The feast of the Annunciation, March 25, celebrates the Archan- gel Gabriel's appearance to the Virgin Mary to announce that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God, and Mary's fi at— her willingness to accept God's plan. "We need to give March 25 the recognition its due," she said. "It reminds us of the value of life; that our own lives began at the distinct moment of conception. "That's when we came to earth," she continued. "That's when 'you' became 'you.'" Recognizing the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, Respect Life Re- sources of Catholic Charities has announced the 2014 Arch- diocesan Pro-Life Essay and Art- work Contest. All middle school and high school students in the archdiocese are eligible to enter in either, or both, of two catego- ries: (1) an original essay on an issue of his or her choosing that articulates a pro-life view, or (2) an original drawing or painting that represents the Annuncia- tion—the day Jesus really came to earth. Essay entries are to be 800- 1,100 words in length, be ac- curately researched and use up-to-date information. They will be judged on persuasive- ness, accuracy and creativity. Artwork entries representing the Annunciation can use any medi- um, including pencil, ink, water- color or oil. It is recommended that artwork not exceed 11 by 17 inches. Prizes will be awarded for fi rst, second and third place, in each category, in each age group: mid- dle school (grades sixth through eighth) and high school (grades nine through 12). First place win- ners will receive a Kindle Fire. Winners will be announced at the end of a special Mass cel- ebrated by Msgr. Thomas Fr- yar, vicar general, at 12:30 p.m. March 23, honoring the feast of the Annunciation, at the Cathe- dral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at 1530 Logan St. All students entering the contest are encouraged to attend. First- place essay winners will read their pieces to the congregation and the prize-winning artwork will be on display. "It will be very moving," Gran- don said. Entries—from students, grades six through 12, within the archdiocesan boundaries, in- cluding Catholic, public, private and home-educated—are due March 15. For more informa- tion or an application, visit www. archden.org/respectlife/contest, email AMeyer@ccdenver.org or call 303-742-0828. Abortion survivor to speak at Lighthouse gala BY JULIE FILBY Gianna Jessen's biological mother was seven and a half months pregnant when she decided to go to Planned Par- enthood, the largest abortion provider in the country. There the 17-year-old was counseled to have a late-term saline abor- tion. The procedure involved injecting saline solution into her amniotic fl uid sac, which Jessen would then gulp down burning her inside and out. Within 24 hours, her mother was to deliver a dead baby. "To everyone's great shock and surprise I didn't arrive dead, but alive, on April 6, 1977, in a Los Angeles County abortion clinic," she told an audience in Australia in 2008. "The abortionist was not on duty yet," she continued. "So he wasn't given the opportunity to continue with his plan for my life—which was death." It was 6 a.m. when she was born and a nurse called an ambulance. Weighing in at 2 pounds with medical complica- tions and a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, doctors offered little hope for her survival. "I should be blind, I should be burned, I should be dead," said Jessen, now 36. But God had other plans. Not only did she survive, she's thrived. Through her advoca- cy, writings and mu- sic, Jessen shares her story worldwide and serves as a champion for the unborn. Her life was the inspi- ration behind the 2011 major motion picture "October Baby." Jessen will be in Denver next month as keynote speaker at A Beacon of Hope Gala for Light- house and Women's Services of Catholic Charities of the Archdi- ocese of Denver. The gala is set for 5:30 p.m. March 8 at Wings Over the Rockies. Jessen spoke with the Denver Catholic Regis- ter by phone Feb. 5 from Rome, Italy, where she is residing for the winter. She talked about faith, forgiveness and why she believes her life was spared. "The abortionist had to sign my birth certifi cate," she said. "It's absolutely amazing to me." In a society where she says Christians can portray Jesus as effeminate—never as a war- rior or winning a battle—she sees him differently. "Jesus got in this guy's face and is like: 'You tried to take her away and you will ac- knowledge her—sign here!'" She doesn't believe divine messages to him stopped there. "I believe that the Lord is prob- ably still communicating with him," she suggested. "(Saying) 'You will hear this woman speak over and over and over—and not for the shame of the matter. You will hear her talk about your need for Christ,' because ultimately that is what the man needs." Jessen wants people to un- derstand that she has forgiven her biological parents, and even offered that forgiveness in per- son about eight years ago when her biological mother showed up unexpectedly at one of her events. "She was very angry," she said relaying the traumatic ex- change. "Saying I was an em- barrassment… spewing venom. "I said, 'I'm a Christian ma'am, and I forgive you for what you've done." Her words fell on deaf ears. Jessen has never considered that woman her mother. Placed in foster care at infancy, she was ultimately loved and accepted by a woman she affectionately refers to as "my Penny." "If not for Penny I would be laying in bed," said Jessen, who was told she would never hold her head up, never sit up, never walk. "Penny taught me how to walk. Twice. Once when I was 3 ½ and again when I was 10." Penny's daughter Dianna DePaul later adopted her. She credits both women for foster- ing her faith and is grieving the loss of one of her beloved moth- ers, as Penny died last Novem- ber at age 91. "She was Jesus to me," she said of the woman who took many "rejected kids" into her home. "She was a beautiful ex- ample and I really trust that she wants me to continue to live beautifully." Her beautiful life started with a tremendous will to live, a God-given will that she contin- ues to embrace. "My goal is to live the impos- sible," she said. "To show people that you don't have to settle for average when there's Jesus." She reminds audiences that everyone is loved and not for- gotten by God, including unborn children and their mothers. "Adamantly pro-choice peo- ple have often had involvement with abortion somehow and just cannot deal with having ended the life of a child, or sev- eral children," she said. "They can't deal with that level of shame and guilt." Women's centers such as Lighthouse provide an alterna- tive to abortion by offering ul- trasounds, medical care, coun- seling and the full continuum of services available through Charities. "Those women need to feel loved and supported uncondi- tionally," she said. "These cen- ters provide immediate hope at the crisis point." For more on A Beacon of Hope Gala, see the accompany- ing story. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. fi lby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegisterJulie Life that was never meant to be inspires others Give Jesus' real birthday its due GIANNA JESSEN PRO-LIFE ESSAY AND ARTWORK CONTEST Who: All students grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 Categories: Original pro-life essay or artwork depicting the Annunciation Deadline: March 15 Submit entries: Respect Life Re- sources, Catholic Charities, 4045 Pecos St., Denver, CO 80211 Online: www.archden.org/ respectlife/contest for contest rules and application Questions: email AMeyer@ccdenver.org or call 303-742-0828 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER FILE PHOTO BY JAMES BACA See Lighthouse, Page 11 "THE ANNUNCIATION" by one of last year's winners.

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