MEET RAYMOND

                                                            

CATHOLIC ACTION AND PRO-LIFE WORK

 

His involvement in the pro-Life and pro-Family Cause started in his country of birth, Brazil, through the initiatives promoted by the great Catholic leader  Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira. Later on, in Canada and the United States, he volunteered his time and dedication to local movements that were involved in the defence of Life and Family in the late 70's.

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In South Africa

But it was in South Africa when he first took more concrete steps to defend the unborn: between 1981 and 1983, in Johannesburg, together with Dr Claude Newbury, a hero of the Pro-Life work, he regularly visited Catholic and non-Catholic churches to promote the Cause of life on behalf of Human Life International.  He was also an active member of the Knights of da Gama.

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In New Zealand

In Auckland, he carried the pro-life message to the radio airwaves: in his broadcast ‘Crossroads Challenge' he took up Mother Teresa of Calcutta's motto – ‘Adoption, not Abortion!'

Later on, in Wellington, he and his wife Theresa started the ‘New Zealand Family Action' against the propagation of pornography, since it fuels an instinct that will, in the end, seek in abortion a false solution for an unwanted pregnancy.

In the political debate he made verbal and written representations to parliamentary select committees in defense of the family on various bills being debated in Parliament. He was also a member of the national board of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens.

In the South Island of New Zealand, as president of the most active branch of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (Christchurch), he led a committee that organized demonstrations and prayer vigils in front of the local abortion clinic, wrote letters to politicians and published ads in newspapers.

For nearly three years he gave public talks at the local Bishop's Cathedral House, and at the Conference room of the Catholic Education Office.

In Christchurch he started another weekly broadcast, ‘Mission: Possible!' and for over two years he organized programs to promote the Encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae and to fight the abortion and euthanasia bills. He often broadcast the statements of his bishop on a variety of issues, especially the defense of human life.

He also published the monthly bulletin, ‘Timely', which centered on advertising Pro-life activities, both from his radio broadcast and from his Bishop.

He initiated a pro-life prayer movement, the Legion of St Michael, which aimed to spread the prayer to St Michael the Archangel, invoking the help of the Angelic Hosts against the satanic influences in the Culture of Death.

He was also an active member of the Knights of the Southern Cross (New Zealand) in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

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IN AUSTRALIA

He and his family moved to Perth in December 1996 and shortly thereafter the Archbishop invited him to produce a weekly radio broadcast for the Archdiocese, 'Sounds Catholic'. Unashamedly Pro-Life, during 18 months, he regularly reported on pro-family activities in general and anti-abortion ones in particular.

In 1998, he and his wife Theresa organized a strong Pro-life march around Victoria Square, about 700 people participating. It ended with a Holy Hour, celebrated by Archbishop Hickey himself, whose homily was precisely on the WA new abortion laws - laws which His grace encouraged the faithful to throw out.

In 2001-2002, once again he was on air: he started the first Catholic talk-back broadcast in WA, ‘The Layman's Hour'. But this time his wife Theresa was with him: On Sunday evenings they regularly gave free airtime to defenders of the Pro-Life Cause in our city, such as Pregnancy Assistance, Coalition for the Defense of Human Life (W.A.), Helpers of God's Precious Infants, Family Council of Western Australia, Crossroads Community, Post Abortion Grief Counseling Services, National Viewers and Listeners Association of Australia, National Civic Council of Australia, and the Knights of the Southern Cross.

He interviewed live on air pro-life fighters calling from the Australian Eastern states, USA, Italy, Germany and France. He regularly broadcast statements by Archbishop Hickey and has interviewed His Grace, live on air, especially on stem-cell research.

The Australian Bishops chose the last Sunday in May as ‘Day for Life', in response to Pope John Paul II's Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae. Raymond and Theresa organized the unique prayer vigil of ‘Children praying for Children' at St Mary's Cathedral, when born children pray for the unborn. It is now an Annual Event here at the Cathedral.

 

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