Archbishop Thomas Collins was "very receptive and very observant" during a visit to the Aid to Women crisis pregnancy agency, said Nicole Lau.
On Jan. 31, Toronto Catholic Archbishop Thomas Collins visited Aid to Women, a crisis pregnancy centre located next to the “Cabbagetown Women’s Clinic.” The purpose of his visit was two-fold: to learn about the life-affirming work of Aid to Women and to give his blessing to the organization and its staff, board and volunteers.
The archbishop asked questions of board members Anna Boyagoda, Michael Connell, Joanne Dieleman, Dan Di Rocco and Paul Tuns, as well as of ATW’s only employee, general manager and counsellor Nicole Lau. Collins spent nearly an hour learning about ATW’s history, its clients and the constraints on the organization imposed by a 1994 “temporary” court injunction prohibiting pro-life witnessing within 30 metres of some Toronto abortion sites. He wanted to know about the organization’s funding, its future vision and how it provides assistance to pregnant women with its meager resources.
Collins praised the work of assisting women facing crisis pregnancies and hoped that more church-goers would recognize its important work by volunteering their services and donating to its mission. He added he hopes more Catholics will become more active in their faith and that pro-life work is one way they can do that.
After a chicken shawarma lunch, during which the discussion continued, he toured the two-floor facility. Before he left, he gave his blessing to Aid to Women.
Dan Di Rocco, president and chairman of the board of directors of Aid to Women, told The Interim that the archbishop’s visit was a “beautiful gesture” in which the spiritual leader of Toronto’s Catholic community came and saw for himself where life-saving and life-affirming assistance is given to women facing crisis pregnancies. “It was very heart-warming,” Di Rocco said.
Lau told The Interim that Collins was “very receptive and very observant” during his visit, indicating his interest and support for Aid to Women. Lau appreciated the archbishop’s support: “Having his blessing and knowing that we are in his thoughts is very reassuring.” She added: “I am very pleased to know that he supports this particular pro-life ministry.”
Lau also said the archbishop’s support is an important signal to all Christians, but especially the Catholic community, to get involved in the pro-life cause.
Lau, a 20-year-old Canadian who grew up in Hong Kong and studied at the University of Toronto, came to Aid to Women in September, and immediately made an impact on its life-saving work.
During its heyday in the 1990s, Aid to Women would sometimes save several babies a week from abortion, but in recent years that number has significantly decreased. In October, Aid to Women saved five babies, a feat it repeated in December. Since then, there have been more saved babies, increasing the workload of the crisis pregnancy centre with the women and children it serves.
To volunteer with or donate to Aid to Women, please contact it at (416) 921-6016. Lau is currently working with church and campus pro-life groups to find 20 volunteer sidewalk counsellors to increase the effectiveness of Aid to Women by getting the message to more pregnant mothers that there is help and that abortion causes more problems than it solves.
- Interim editor Paul Tuns and Interim circulation manager Dan Di Rocco both serve on the board of directors of Aid to Women.
