Staffers at Lighthouse Women’s Center, a licensed medical facility at 3894 Olive St. regularly get to be part of events bordering on the miraculous.
Located in the shadow of Planned Parenthood of Rocky Mountains, the second largest abortion clinic in the country, by offering pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, medical care and counseling, Lighthouse provides an alternative to women considering abortion. Now just over a year into their ministry, they are broadening their scope in hopes of more effectively serving women and their families.
“We’ve realized to care for these women properly we have to switch the focus,” explained Lynn Grandon, executive director, and program director for Respect Life Resources of Catholic Charities of the Denver Archdiocese. “We have to care not only for the baby, but for the mother, and perhaps a father, and sometimes siblings. They all need care in significant ways.”
To address these needs, Lighthouse is expanding beyond medical services to include all women’s services offered by Charities such as: long-term case management, emergency housing, help in domestic violence situations, adoption services, foster care, child care, food assistance and additional counseling services.
“We ask: ‘What do you need?’” Grandon said. “Then if we help them, they don’t have to take the route of abortion.
“It’s a more comprehensive approach to end abortion.”
The third annual Beacon of Hope benefitting Lighthouse, and now also benefitting women’s services of Charities, is set for March 8 at Wings Over the Rockies at the site of the former Lowry Air Force Base.
It will begin at 4 p.m. with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Samuel Aquila at Church of the Risen Christ, then moves to the Wings Over the Rockies for an open bar, silent auction, dinner and a keynote address by abortion survivor and inspiration for the major motion picture “October Baby,” Gianna Jessen. (For more on Jessen, see story in Feb. 12 Denver Catholic Register.)
“What we really have to do is broaden the Denver Catholic community’s awareness of how to effectively end abortion,” Grandon said.
“(Lighthouse) has been pioneering effort and I believe we’ve done things God’s way,” she continued. “It’s bearing great fruit already. We have to continue to trust in God and he will continue to bless it.”
Tickets for the gala are $125 each and can be purchased at www.ccdenver.org/galatickets. Wings Over the Rockies is located at 7711 E. Academy Blvd.
A Beacon of Hope Gala for Lighthouse and Women’s Services
When: March 8
Mass: 4 p.m. with Archbishop Aquila at Risen Christ Church, 3060 S. Monaco Parkway
Dinner and gala: 5:30 p.m. at Wings Over the Rockies, 7711 E. Academy Blvd.
Speaker: Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor, inspiration for “October Baby”
Tickets: $125
Register: www.ccdenver.org/galatickets
More information: Call 720-377-1383
