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Happening ... in the Local Church
Gabriel Project ministry “a real blessing” for pro-life award recipient from Carmel.
By Caroline B. Mooney
The
Catholic Moment
CARMEL — Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parishioner Marian Copley was honored earlier this month for her work in starting a chapter of the Gabriel Project at her parish.
“In
2005, I had just joined the pro-life committee at my parish,” she said. “I
felt drawn to it after the death of my infant son, Daniel. When I found out
about the Gabriel Project, I felt I had really found my niche. I wanted to
work with mothers. It’s been a real blessing. Daniel really inspired me to
get into this work, and keeps inspiring me in this ministry and in my daily
life.”
Copley received a ProVida Award for her work as co-chair of the Gabriel Project at the fifth annual Catholic Pro-Life Dinner March 7 in Indianapolis, presented by the Catholic Life Network.
The network is made up of The Gabriel Project of Indiana; Catholics United for the Faith, Abba, Father Chapter; and the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Office for Pro-Life Ministry.
Gabriel Project volunteers provide maternal assistance to women facing crisis pregnancies. Pregnant women are matched with “angels” who provide transportation, food, clothing and baby items, as well as emotional and spiritual support. The “angels” use funds and baby items provided by parish donations.
The Gabriel Project is a national program that began in the Local Church in 1993. With the support of pastor Father Richard Doerr, Copley became coordinator of a chapter of the Gabriel Project at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in 2005.
Sandy Martindale, inventory coordinator of the Gabriel Project, said she has seen “how very dedicated and compassionate Marian is. She is always worried about what is best for moms and babies regardless of the work involved. Anytime there’s a need, she will do it herself.
“Marian
prays with the mothers and if they ask for needs we don’t carry, she will
find someone to fulfill that need,” Martindale said. “She goes beyond the
bounds of the project. I am always impressed with that. She is so humble. I
don’t think she told anyone she was receiving this award.”
“I love serving and supporting mothers throughout their pregnancy and seeing the joy on their faces when they hold their infants in their arms,” Copley said. “My favorite part of this ministry is being introduced to the precious newborns and being able to share in the joy of celebrating a new life. As we all experience in our relationships with others, God puts people in our paths for a special reason. I learn something important from each mother served through the ministry that helps me in my own spiritual journey. I often feel that we receive more than we give.
“I am inspired by the passage in Scripture of our Lord greeting the woman at the well and strive in my pro-life work to spread the truth of Christ’s teachings with gentleness and compassion,” she said. “In memory and honor of my son, I feel it is my mission to help others understand that life is a precious gift from God. Through my own experience watching my son suffer and die, I also have a very deep love and devotion for our Blessed Mother and I lean on her constantly for guidance in my daily life.”
Copley said the Gabriel Project is unique because, while the primary mission is serving mothers in crisis pregnancies, the group really tries to help as many mothers as possible, especially ones struggling with the decision to keep their baby.
“Moms need to know they have people who want to help them,” Copley said. “It’s wonderful to work with a woman throughout her pregnancy and then see her holding a child after he’s born. One mother had all boys and was trying to decide whether or not to keep her baby when she found out through an ultrasound that she was having a girl. That little girl who she might not have had changed the woman’s whole demeanor. It still brings tears to my eyes.”
Jennifer Dierckman, database manager for the Gabriel Project, said Copley “truly has so much compassion for women. She doesn’t worry about just the basic needs, but emotional needs, too. That’s why she is so wonderful at what she does. She is so kind and caring.
“If
you don’t do it from your heart, you are just doing it,” Dierckman said.
“This is the perfect ministry for Marian. Her first passion is prayer and
the Church; that’s probably why she does such a good job. She is strong in
her faith, and treats all moms as individuals and like a friend. It’s been a
wonderful experience working with her.”
For more information on the Gabriel Project, see the Web site at www.glgabrielproject.org.