This is urgent. As you may know I’m the spiritual director at Waterleaf Women’s Center. Our state government is seeking to ELIMINATE pregnancy resource centers that don’t perform abortions! I ask you to PLEASE fill out a witness slip at the link below so that our local government can know that we want women to have access to the free, compassionate, and caring assistance they need so that they can be free to choose life rather than feeling like abortion is the only option.

Here are further details on the bill:

We need your help! The Illinois House and Senate have introduced identical unconstitutional bills HB2463 and SB1909 designed to force us to cooperate in some way with abortions or referrals for abortions. Here is a summary…

The bill targets the services provided by pregnancy help centers and sidewalk counselors by making them civilly liable for engaging in “deceptive acts or practice” for any concealment, suppression, or omission of a “material fact.” (material fact is not defined)

Doing so imposes government-compelled speech and suppresses conscience rights and religious freedom, all of which are in violation of the Constitution.

The Illinois Attorney General would have the authority to initiate a complaint against a pregnancy help center if it is “in the public interest.” In other words, an investigation does not necessarily need to be based on any specific complaint.

The Attorney General would also be able to request a court order to “impound” all the records of the center while the investigation continues. An investigation could go on endlessly, forcing the center to eventually close.

If a center is found to be in violation of the Act, penalties include injunctions and civil penalties up to $50,000. Additionally, the Act creates a private right of action, in which any “aggrieved party” can sue a center for a violation of the Act. (“aggrieved party” does not need to have been a client or patient of the center)

Furthermore, the plaintiff in this private lawsuit can recover their attorney fees, but the bill does not provide for pregnancy help centers to recover such fees when a lawsuit is brought in bad faith.

Waterleaf is committed to providing loving and transparent care to our patients. Our process is scripted and is designed to inform our patients of the reality of every option while the ultrasound connects her to the life growing inside her. Through this honest, caring approach, we pray a woman listens to her inner voice and makes a life-affirming decision.

PLEASE JOIN US IN THE FIGHT! We need each one of you to complete a witness slip before the hearing on Tuesday, March 7 at 4:00pm. Here is the link…
Fill out the witness slip
Below is guidance on how to fill it in. Please forward this message to family and friends!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Thank you so much,
Fr. James Guarascio
Parochial Vicar
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church
701 S. Eola Road Aurora, IL 60504
(630) 851-3444 x226 | https://olmercy.com/