Contact: Darlene Wagner, 860-456-3165, avemariainc@sbcglobal.net

NORWICH, Conn., Sept. 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ave Maria Home Banquet Saturday September, 25 at the Holiday Inn at 10 Laura Blvd. Norwich, Conn. between 6 and 10 pm.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, President, of the board of Good Counsel Homes of New York, will be the featured speaker at the Banquet. Good Counsel Homes has a successful track record of helping homeless pregnant women.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel C.F.R, best-selling author and beloved spiritual teacher, writer, and Psychologist is popular around the world for his bold and powerful witness to the Gospel. For many years, Fr. Groeschel has tirelessly worked with the poor and needy, spoken to tens of thousands of Catholics, and written numerous articles and books. He is a powerful witness with a life time of serving the homeless and homeless pregnant women.

Darlene Wagner, chairman of the Board of Directors of Ave Maria Home said, "We are committed to meeting the needs of pregnant homeless women who at times are pressured into an abortion because of their desperate situation. We need to establish a culture of Life over a culture of death and reverse the destruction that is exacerbated by abortion because of the desperation of living on the streets."

Although the Pro Life community does support programs that care for pregnant women, they are not set up to help pregnant women who are homeless in Connecticut. There are hundreds of maternity homes in the country, Connecticut has only two and this will be the third in our state. Eastern Connecticut is a large area and many homeless pregnant women live under bridges with the rest of the homeless population at large.

Ave Maria Inc. is working to open a maternity home in Eastern Connecticut and is a 503 (c) (3) charitable organization. They have a lease pending on a home in Wauregan, CT and are presently awaiting its approval. They continue to reach out for a suitable location that is affordable or given without cost.

This Banquet is part of an effort to raise awareness of the serious problem of homelessness among pregnant women in Eastern Connecticut and our concern for them. You may contact them or send a donation to the Ave Maria Home Development Office, Box 166,122 Valley St. Willimantic, CT or call 860-456-3165. Tickets are also available.