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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Helpers to hold rosary vigil outside Hodari's clinic

by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 29, 2008

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Dan Goodnow of Helpers of God's Precious Infants stands outside the Eastland Women's Clinic in Eastland, where he does sidewalk counseling.

Detroit — Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Flores will join Helpers of God's Precious Infants for a Saturday, Sept. 13, Prayer Vigil for Life outside the Lathrup Village abortion clinic run by abortionist Dr. Alberto Hodari.

Hodari has been one of America's most high-profile abortionists ever since pro-life student activists posted a video of a talk he gave at the Wayne State University medical School in 2007 on the Internet site www.youtube.com.

In the video, Hodari suggests doctors have a right to lie to patients, dismisses ethical concerns about abortion, and tells the students he no longer bothers to wear surgical gloves during abortions or scrub between procedures.

He achieved even greater notoriety after aborted babies were found in his trash in February.

The local Helpers of God's Precious Infants usually draws several hundred participants to its vigils outside abortion clinics in Eastpointe and northeast Detroit. Sidewalk counseling is also a part of the vigils, and then some of the group's members provide counseling outside the clinics on a daily basis.

The vigil outside Hodari's clinic "will be a huge witness to the whole community," said Dan Goodnow, founder and president of the local Helpers group and a member of St. Paul on the Lake Parish in Grosse Pointe Farms.'

"We are really in warfare with the 'culture of death.' It's a battle between good and evil, and we are trying to bring God's love to the community at large," he said.

Besides urging women approaching or leaving a clinic to reconsider having an abortion, sidewalk counselors also offer to put them in contact with crisis pregnancy centers where they can obtain various forms of assistance.

Goodnow said it is very seldom that the initial approach by a sidewalk counselor will deter a woman from even entering an abortion clinic, but some will come back out after sitting for a while in the waiting room: "We've had turnarounds on the table in the back, at the last second before the abortion."

Over the years, he said, their turnaround rate has hovered around one in five women, sometimes approaching one in four. Lately, however, he said it has been more like one in six.

Mary Beckhold, who works with Goodnow, said one of the most gratifying things is when a woman will return to the abortion clinic site – not to go into the clinic, but to show the sidewalk counselors the baby she had after their intervention.

"It's great when they come back with the babies," said Beckhold, a member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (Grotto) Parish in northeast Detroit.

• Hodari clinic charged for improper disposal of medical records
• More 'Dumpster' babies buried after Livonia clinic find
• Pro-life activists await word on possible charges against Southfield abortionist
• Aborted babies found in trash will find peace with God, Bp. Quinn says