By Marco Ceccarelli
There is a great story to be told about the vintage house at 195 Lord Street, Perth. The one with the great “Pregnancy Assistance” sign in the front yard that catches the eye of hundreds of motorists every day.
Perhaps it is the homely atmosphere it offers – the kind that provides a non-clinical and welcoming environment for anyone wanting to walk through its doors – or it could simply be its convenient location, placed right in front of a bus stop and in full view of a very busy city street.
Whatever the reasons for its success, and indeed there are many, Pregnancy Assistance has over the past 20 years, been a beacon of light for women seeking free and confidential emotional support, material help, pregnancy testing, alternatives to abortion, post-abortion counselling, and accommodation referral.
Conceived by now Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey in 1995 and established a year later, Pregnancy Assistance was initially chaired by Brian Peachy from 1996 to 2011 – a role to be subsequently taken by Kieran Ryan, Russell Sumich, Tom Gourlay and since 2014, Eric Jas. Past coordinators have been Anne Marie Langdon (1996-2006), Lydia Stanley (2006-2011) and since 2012, Lara Wynyard.
Over the years, the organisation has been sustained by hundreds of dedicated and unpaid counsellors and other volunteers who have generously given their time and skills to what has been an honourable cause.
From those who offered information or simply listened, those who took charge of donated clothing, toys and baby furniture, to those who staffed the rooms of Pregnancy Assistance’s houses, every bit of help has gone a long way in making Pregnancy Assistance the organisation it is today.
Janice* sought post-abortion counselling from Pregnancy Assistance in 2012/13. She spoke to The Record Magazine about the life-changing effect of her decision to stop by the “Pregnancy Assistance” sign she would drive past regularly.
“I would have persistent moments of sadness which interrupted my daily routines and I didn’t recognise what I was going through, until I understood that abortion grief existed and that Pregnancy Assistance offered such support,” she said.
“Also, since the services are free I was able to continue receiving their support without the financial burden to worry about on top of my grief.
“I felt they walked through the grieving process with me and this means a lot since I was so broken to begin with. Having Pregnancy Assistance’s continued support I felt I could finally take that path of healing knowing they would always be there for me if I had moments of falling. I’ve had many falls but the support has made me stronger,” she said.
During a recent Gala Dinner celebrating Pregnancy Assistance’s 20-year-anniversary, Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey sent a video message supporting the work of the organisation and emphasising its need and relevance in today’s society.
“I want to endorse the beautiful work that is being done by Pregnancy Assistance. In these days where our culture has virtually accepted abortion on demand, we need places like these, where women can come and be freed from all those pressures out there that might lead her to make a decision that she would have to live with for the rest of her life, that will burden her and give her pain.
“This is a place of freedom. Where people can find wonderful counsellors, full of love, full of understanding of the position that people are in when they come here, especially the women, and offer them all the information, give them all the freedom to talk, to examine all the issues involved in this big decision they have to make. The results are amazing. The results are beautiful,” Emeritus Archbishop Hickey said.
New chair of Pregnancy Assistance, Eric Jas, has spoken of establishing a new, solid structure and vision for the organisation that will assist in creating a clear direction. “We feel that Pregnancy Assistance is led by the Holy Spirit in this regard. We follow His direction and adjust our sails accordingly,” he said.
“And just like any sailing adventure, it is always an entire crew that needs to do the work. We have a great board of directors, and a number of key volunteers play a significant role in giving direction to this unique ministry.”
From pages 20 and 21 from Issue 5: ‘Christmas 2016 – Looking forward to the Birth of Christ & Reflecting back on the Year 2016?’ of The Record Magazine