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Nancy Vawter, executive director of the Columbia Pregnancy Center, stands in Annie’s Boutique Nov. 19, part of the center’s new space dedicated to her late mother, Anne O’Rourke. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

‘Village’ lifts Columbia Pregnancy Center

Paul McMullen January 7, 2021
By Paul McMullen
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Respect Life, Uncategorized

Amber Johnson and her 5-month old son Samuel, front, and Brianna Loranger and her 1-month old son Caleb, select baby clothes Nov. 19 in Annie’s Boutique at the Columbia Pregnancy Center. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

COLUMBIA – The coronavirus pandemic should have played havoc with the Columbia Pregnancy Center, but its benefactors had other ideas.

In August, the 501(c)3 mission in Howard County doubled in size by relocating to office space near the intersection of State Route 32 and Broken Land Parkway. The lease was signed March 30 – two weeks after Gov. Larry Hogan restricted gatherings and places of business in Maryland, and four days after the CPC’s annual banquet, which in a normal year provides half of its operating budget, was cancelled.

“We’ve been able to meet our funding needs, despite fundraising effectively being pretty much sabotaged,” said Nancy Vawter, executive director. “There was a tremendous amount of work in the move, none of which I could have imagined, but people are always generous with us.

“It actually seems as if there’s been an increase in the desire and passion to help.”

Among those assisting the CPC, which provides free, confidential assistance to expectant mothers as an alternative to abortion, were the Knights of Columbus from Council 10525 at St. Michael, Poplar Springs, in Mount Airy. Its ongoing support included donating a sonogram machine to the CPC in March 2018. 

The Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City and the Sodality of St. Augustine in Elkridge organized knitting and crocheting teams that provide prayer shawls for mothers and those expecting, and blankets, hats and booties for their babies, respectively. 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City are among the parishes that hold annual offertory collections for the CPC and donate clothing, wipes and related materials, gathered at “baby showers.” 

St. Louis Parish in Clarksville does the same, in addition to providing more than half of the CPC volunteers, who total approximately 60. Its contributions also include bringing on board Vawter, who spent 20 years as director of campus ministry at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel.

When three generations of her family settled on farmland in Dayton, Vawter became a parishioner of St. Louis.

“Every Sunday, I saw an advertisement for an executive director (of the CPC) in the bulletin,” said Vawter, who added, “I wasn’t looking for a job.”

Vawter, who has a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Maryland, became the CPC’s first full-time executive director in January 2017.

The CPC will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2021, in 3,500 square feet of space that includes “Annie’s Boutique.” The name honors Vawter’s late mother, who worked three jobs to raise three children on her own. 

“She led a selfless life, doing what others needed, and never worrying about herself,” Vawter said.

The new CPC includes a dedicated prayer room, what Vawter described as a “luxury for volunteers dealing with challenging situations.” From St. ­Louis Parish, they include Mike and Kim Damewood. Fellow parishioners Amy Campbell and Mary Dan serve as director of client services and client advocate, respectively. 

Vawter is hopeful that Monsignor Joseph L. Luca, pastor of St. Louis, will perform a blessing open to the public during the 40th anniversary year. 

The church is part of a pastorate that includes St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton, another benefactor. The cabinets that store clothing, meanwhile, were built by Presbyterian deacons. 

As Vawter said, “You can see, the village is supporting us.”

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

Also see

U.S. bishops’ pro-life chair calls plan to codify Roe in federal law ‘tragic’

Baltimore Archdiocese’s Life is Beautiful Mass honors Alvaré, Clarksville couple

Prayer, witness for life, even if virtual this year, seen as important as ever

Fauci says Biden expected to overturn ‘Mexico City policy’ in ‘coming days’

USCCB president prays God grants Biden ‘wisdom, courage’ to lead nation

Second Catholic president causes some to celebrate, gives others anxiety

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Paul McMullen

Paul McMullen

Paul McMullen has served as the managing editor of the Catholic Review since 2008.

The author of two books, Paul has been involved in local media since age 12, when he began delivering The News American to 80 homes in his neighborhood. He began his journalism career with the Capital-Gazette Newspapers in Anne Arundel County, and spent more than 25 years as a sports writer for The Sun in Baltimore. His favorite writing assignments have included the Summer Olympics in Australia and Greece, the Archdiocese of Baltimore's response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and “Feet for Francis,” a 2015 walking pilgrimage from the Baltimore Basilica to Philadelphia to see Pope Francis.

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