Mary's Choice to expand adoration hours for prolife prayers

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

Planned Parenthood in Sioux City may have recently closed, but the need for pro-life prayers and support continues.

Dawn Grimes, executive director of Mary’s Choice Pregnancy and Family Resource Center, pointed out that while the abortion facility located right next to their building has shuttered its doors the resource center continues to stay busy.

“It really hasn’t changed much for us inside, but our sidewalk counselors no longer have anyone to talk to going into Planned Parenthood,” she said, noting that a few pro-life advocates have continued their visible prayer efforts praying outside of Mary’s Choice. “They are still being that public witness because abortions are still happening even if this Planned Parenthood isn’t open.”

According to Dan Ellis, diocesan coordinator of pro-life ministries, with the closure of Planned Parenthood there will not be a 40 Days for Life campaign in Sioux City this fall because it was determined there was no need to pray in front of an empty building.

“However, there are still women who find themselves in situations where they are debating whether to keep their child or to pursue the option of abortion either surgically or through the abortion pill to end their pregnancy,” he said.

Knowing that prayers are still needed to pray for the unborn children and the women, he suggested to Grimes that Mary’s Choice expand eucharistic adoration from its exposition hours on Wednesdays. (Sign up here: https://calendly.com/maryschoiceappointments/adoration)

“We want to pray that God places on their hearts another alternative, which is to have the baby,” he said, adding that when they choose life, pro-life resource centers like Mary’s Choice can provide support and a variety of resources.

Grimes said since Mary’s Choice opened, their main goal has been to provide services and resources that help families say yes to life. The center provides diapers, clothing for babies and the whole family, car seats and more. They even have an ultrasound machine so parents on the fence about keeping their child can have a look at their baby.

“We have had a few that have changed their minds because they saw their baby,” she said. “We have had a few change their mind because they were worried about the financial end of things – how to get clothes, bottles and other things for their baby but they found out we were here.”

Because there is such a demand for services, Grimes mentioned that as of the start of the year new clients must be pregnant or have a baby under one year old. 

Along with material goods, services are steeped in prayer and a prolife culture.

In the small chapel at Mary’s Choice, Grimes said Mass is celebrated by Father Peter Ngyen of Mater Dei Parish in Sioux City twice a month on the second and fourth Mondays.

The chapel is equipped with an exposition tabernacle from Italy that contains a small circular door to open a window of sorts for viewing of the Blessed Sacrament that remains behind glass. Grimes first saw this type of tabernacle at the Broom Tree Retreat Center in Irene, South Dakota.

Exposition tabernacle at Mary's Choice chapel.

“This exposition tabernacle allows people to adore Jesus without putting an extra burden on priests or deacons (to expose the Blessed Sacrament),” she said. Also, it allows more flexibility in the times and hours for adoration because if there is not an adorer, the door to the window can simply be closed.

It is Grimes hope that they will have people come for adoration every day the facility is open, which presently is Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In the near future, Grimes mentioned they will have a sign up feature on the Mary’s Choice website -maryschoice.org. Once the signup feature is added, Mary’s Choice will advertise that on their Facebook page and website. Wednesday adoration hours are presently scheduled by Mary Stevens.

When Ellis had suggested expanding adoration hours, Grimes was all for it because “prayer works.” 

“Jesus was in our chapel (in the tabernacle) until early 2020 and then he left because we weren’t having Mass anymore,” she noted, adding that the Sioux City Planned Parenthood previously had closed in 2017. “After Jesus left, Planned Parenthood reopened by July 1 of 2020.”

Mass and adoration started up again last August – about the time Planned Parenthood opted to stop surgical abortions at its Sioux City location and now the location has closed once again.

“Prayer works,” she stressed again. “And I think we need a lot of prayer. Sometimes people forget that abortions are still happening even if Planned Parenthood is not there.”

Grimes echoed Ellis’ comments about the availability of the abortion pill, noting that on the Planned Parenthood website she saw that individuals can still get the organization, have a virtual doctor visit and get pills for a medication abortion mailed to them.

“Other than Planned Parenthood, if you look for mail-order abortion or abortion pills through mail you will find tons of sites,” she said. “You don’t have to prove you are pregnant or even prove you are female.”   Because many of these are produced overseas, there is an added layer of concern as to the content of ingredients.

Grimes mentioned that the abortion pills are technically for use up to 10 weeks and the earlier used supposedly the more effective.

“But people are using them later and later in pregnancy which is causing higher complications,” she explained. “They are highly dangerous if you have an ectopic pregnancy.”

As Mary’s Choice expands its adoration hours, prayer intentions could be offered for mothers, unborn babies as well as healing for those who have had abortions. Grimes said they have a variety of prayer materials in the chapel.

Recently other updates such as new paint have been made to the chapel at Mary’s Choice. A rededication of the chapel by Bishop John E. Keehner is planned for late August. Due to the small space, this will be an invitation only event.