The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate serve poor and abandoned people in the United States and 70 countries around the world.

Oblates Offer Multiple Services at Pregnancy Center in Brownsville

Brownsville, TX

Posted on June 28, 2023

By Fr. Nicholas Harding, OMI

Cathedral, Brownsville TX

This sign on the front of our old school, promotes the many services offered to pregnant moms. The lady on the right is the director, Claudia Krauss. They offer services to our refugees too.

In the year 2018, Fr Mike Amesse, OMI, with the permission of the Bishop accepted VIFAC  (Vida Familia ) as a pro-life ministry for the parish and surrounding area.  It is located on the grounds of the old Immaculate school.  Signs on our building (see above, English sign is included below) indicate the various services offered. 

Fr. Harding (upper right) delivers a spiritual talk to the moms

Most of the mothers are low-income.  The talks are by a Catholic psychologist. Discussion topics include: dealing with post-partum depression, tips for good communication in matrimony, reducing hazards for toddlers,  good nutrition, positive child education, dealing with domestic violence and substance abuse,  natural family planning etc.  Fr Nicholas Harding, OMI, assists once or twice a week for spiritual counseling.

The bishops of the United States continue to declare the threat of abortion as the “preeminent priority” because “the right to life is the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights..”  The bishops say abortion is an especially evil act since it “directly attacks innocent life within the sanctuary of the family” and “because of the large numbers of lives destroyed”   

Instead of just being against abortion, the Church seeks to support pregnant mothers so that they will want their pregnancy and unborn child.  Additionally, there is counseling for adoption instead of abortion. VIFAC, with the help of donations from the community, provides diapers, baby food, feeding gear, baby clothes, car seats, strollers etc etc things an Oblate priest normally never has to worry about.

” Some photos from the Pregnancy Center Ministry we have (VIFAC= Vida y Familia) here at the Cathedral.”

Teaching women what physical changes to expect when pregnant
Future moms show the results of a craft project

Fr Edgar Garcia, OMI, (Center with glasses) gave the mothers a talk on the universal call to holiness in ordinary life, doing little things out of love and for the glory of God, even things like feeding a baby, changing diapers, housecleaning. 
A group photo of moms and future moms who have participated in the group with Bishop Daniel Flores (Center) of Brownsville
Though the focus of the center is pregnant mothers, there’s a support group for new mothers after the birth of their children. We clearly see the joy in the faces of these new mothers and their children.

This sign on our parish building explains the services to pregnant moms

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

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