By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado sprinkles holy water on the new ultrasound machine at the North Broward Pregnancy Help Center, March 3, 2021. The more advanced machine was donated by Mario Labella, CEO of Strena Medical Products in Doral, at the request of St. Katharine Drexel's Knights of Columbus council.
Photographer: Marlene Quaroni
Rosita Porras, ultrasound technician, poses with the new ultrasound machine donated by the Knights of Columbus of St. Katharine Drexel Church to the North Broward Pregnancy Help Center. Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado dedicated the new machine March 3, 2021, feast of St. Katharine Drexel.
MARGATE | The Knights of Columbus of St. Katharine Drexel Church donated a new ultrasound machine to the North Broward Pregnancy Help Center on March 3, 2021, the feast day of their patron saint.
“It will give women a clearer picture of the life they are carrying,” said Rosita Porras, the center’s ultrasound technician. “Seeing the baby almost always changes the mind of women contemplating abortion. Now, they will have an improved image to see and a better photo that I give them.”
Porras, who works part-time at the center and fulltime at a South Florida medical center, said that saving baby’s lives is her ministry.
The new ultrasound machine has better technology than the ultrasound machine that the St. Katharine Drexel Knights donated to the center in 2012, she said.
“It’s user-friendly and has better software and screen resolution to see the fetus better,” she said.
Mario Labella, CEO of Strena Medical Products in Doral, donated the $40,000 Medisono P12 Expert to the center. Although he is not a current member of the Knights of Columbus, he said he is planning on joining the organization.
“The St. Katharine Drexel Knights asked me if I could donate an ultrasound machine,” he said during the dedication ceremony for the new machine. “I was happy to donate the machine. This is part of my faith. It’s a most beautiful gift. Count on my company to help out in the future.”
The Knights of Columbus have been involved in getting ultrasound machines for respect life centers since 2009, the 36th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
“In 2019, the Knights had donated more than 1,000 ultrasound machines to pregnancy centers around the world, fulfilling a 10-year initiative to give millions of babies a chance at life,” said Luis Gomez, Grand Knight of St. Katharine Drexel Church’s Council 14212.
Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado, who is the pastor of St. Katharine Drexel Church in Weston, blessed the new ultrasound machine and thanked the St. Katharine Drexel Knights.
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Rosita Porras, ultrasound technician, Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado, and Mario Labella, CEO of Strena Medical, pose for a photo after the bishop dedicated the new ultrasound machine at the North Broward Pregnancy Help Center, March 3, 2021.
“God bless you and your work,” he said. “One of the things that the Church is fighting for is the right to life from conception to natural death. Pregnant women need to see and feel that this is a holy life that they are carrying. They will open their eyes and hearts when they see the baby.”
Today is a happy day, he added. It’s important that a pregnant woman realizes the sanctity of life.
Angela Curatalo, assistant director of Respect Life for the Archdiocese of Miami, also thanked the Knights.
“I have to say it took an army of people to get this done,” she said. “We would love to see more volunteers at our respect life centers to give us their time, talent and treasure. We couldn’t have done this without the Knights.”
WANT TO HELP?
- Volunteers are essential to the Archdiocese of Miami Respect Life Ministry, especially the operations of its five Pregnancy Help Centers. The office trains volunteers to serve in different capacities, according to their interests, talents and abilities.
- To learn more, call 954-981-2922 or submit a volunteer application by going to: respectlifemiami.org/volunteer.
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado, St. Katharine Drexel Church Knights of Columbus, and respect life staff and volunteers pose for a photo after the bishop dedicated the new ultrasound machine at the North Broward Pregnancy Help Center in Margate, March 3, 2021.
