Pro-Life conversion

>>>With God all things (anything) is possible!!

Former Abortionist Speaks At Students For Life Event
By Regina Conley

Aaron Smith/ Tower Staff

For many people, the illegalization of abortion means saving unborn babies; however, local obstetrician/gynecologist Ph.D. John Bruchalski says it as much about women in crisis.

Bruchalski spoke at the Students for Life sponsored event on Monday called "A Man on a Mission." He spoke of his former life as an OB/GYN who performed many abortions, sterilized patients and prescribed various forms of contraception, and his subsequent conversion.

"As a gynecologist, I contracepted everyone, I wanted to do this full blown," said Bruchalski. "I was sterilizing 20 women a week."

But after an experience visiting the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and the Medjugorje site in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he decided to refocus his medical career.

"My life came tumbling down," said Bruchalski. "I told my employer I could not make embryos anymore, I couldn't sterilize."

Following his conversion Bruchalski founded the Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, VA in 1994 which provides affordable alternative healthcare for women, especially those with crisis pregnancies.

Also a part of Tepeyac Family Center is his organization called Divine Mercy Care which provides spiritual and corporal works of mercy in the DC metro area. It was declared the first Catholic health care facility in the Diocese of Arlington.

Bruchalski works extensively with the national pro-life movement and offers women alternatives to abortion. Alternatives include assistance in the adoption sector, support services for financially burdened mothers, and the offering of other solutions that discourage mothers from choosing an abortion.

"There is no choice for women who abort," said Bruchalski. "Ask any woman and she will tell you she had no choice. We can offer choices."

The event which took place in Hannan Hall had more than 50 students in attendance. Deirdre Lawler, president of Students for Life, said that the event exceeded her expectations.

"It is so powerful for us to hear from a witness who truly knows both sides of this issue," she said. "It was fascinating to hear him speak about his time spent as an abortionist… versus his work in pro-life healthcare."

Bruchalski thinks that the primary way to reach the pro-choice supporters is to show them the crisis that today's contraceptive mentality causes for women.

"You think if you showed them the humanity of a fetus, it would work, but it doesn't," he said. "Every sexually active woman knows the panic she feels every month when she's late on her period, whether she is using contraceptives or not and that is what we are trying to help: women in crisis."

According to Bruchalski, President Barack Obama spoke recently about the importance of ensuring that our daughters and sons have the same equal opportunities in the future and the importance of acting on belief. However, the availability of abortion, sterilization and contraception make this equality impossible, he said.

He also spoke about the recent arrest of abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who was charged with the murder of several newborns and one pregnant woman in West Philadelphia last month.

"What is disgusting is not what he was doing, but that the Health department had checked his facility since 1994 and they turned the other way," said Bruchalski.

In response to a question about the effectiveness of Natural Family Planning, Bruchalski said that 98% of women, according to the World Health Organization, could identify their fertile phase within three months, which is the key to NFP.

"NFP is about women knowing the language of their bodies," said Bruchalski. "But the world is going green and women are pumping hormones into their bodies. This is not healthy."

Another student asked if there was ever a case, such as where the mother's life was in danger, where abortion was the right course of action.

"You never pick one life against the other," said Bruchalski. "You always try to save both."

Senior philosophy major Lauren Joyce said she was struck by his remark, "We treat disease not desire."

"Women don't get into crisis pregnancies because of their fertility," she said. "Crisis pregnancies are the inevitable result of a culture that denies the obvious - sex can create babies. We need to take ownership of our bodies and our actions and realize that if we're not ready for a baby, then we're not ready for sex."