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Pro-life Pharmacy in Virginia Now Open

By Kathleen Gilbert

CHANTILLY, Virginia, October 22, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Divine Mercy Care (DMC) Pharmacy opened yesterday in Chantilly VA. The unique pharmacy is a Catholic-run business that gives customers a chance to fill their prescriptions without facing the stacks of condoms, contraceptives, and pornographic magazines that fill typical drugstores.

"Divine Mercy Center has three primary tenets: they practice excellent medicine, follow the moral teachings of the Church, and see the poor," said Robert Laird, DMC's executive director.  "We believe that integrating our faith into our work is good for people."

Divine Mercy Care, a non-profit financial organization, opened their pharmacy as the second of two operating entities, the first being the Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, where six pro-life obstetrician-gynecologists practice. 

Laird told LifeSiteNews (LSN) that the pharmacy is bound to do well, as Catholics and other pro-lifers in the Chantilly area are eager to take advantage of the opportunity to support a pharmacy that shares their values. Laird emphasized that meeting this demand is good for the community and the economy.

"All the opponents attacking us are saying we're restricting choice," said Laird.  "We're actually increasing choice by increasing options for women who do not want birth control in the pharmacy. 

"Let's just let the market decide what's good and worthy of our support, and not a particular social agenda," he said.

In order to maintain their commitment to Catholic principles, the pharmacy will not direct customers to other locations where they can find birth control.  "If anybody wants birth control, we're in a plaza where there are two other pharmacies," said Laird. 

Laird told LSN that NARAL of Virginia has urged its members to boycott the new pharmacy, but northern Virginia pro-lifers are already making a beeline to support it.  Laird said that TV and radio interviewers found that many customers of the new pharmacy came simply "because I'm pro-life."

Laird says that, while he expects many customers from nearby Catholic parishes, the Evangelical community has also given "a tremendous response" to DMC's services.  "We're providing a service where the professionals and the public alike don't have to compromise their consciences," he said.

According to Pharmacists for Life International, DMC joins six other U.S. pharmacies that do not dispense or give referrals for any abortifacient drugs or devices.

To visit the Pharmacy's website: http://www.dmcpharm.com/

Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy
13945 Metrotech Dr
Chantilly, VA 20151
703-961-9055

 

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