Chris Slattery, Pro-Life Hero, Passes Away at 68
Over 46,000 babies saved through his efforts.
Chris’s final public statement, encouraging the pro-life community to continue saving babies
On Wednesday morning at 4:15, November 22, 2023 at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, Chris Slattery, 40 year-long pro-life pioneer, died at 68. Chris began blazing the trail to save lives in the American abortion capital, New York City, in 1979, shortly after the legalization of abortion. Using his advertising expertise acquired at Boston College, Chris founded the pregnancy center network, Expectant Mother Care, later known as EMC Frontline with 14 locations throughout the five-borough area. In a recent interview, he was asked about his pregnancy center expansion efforts. Answering with his classic candid honesty Chris said, “It was a management logistical nightmare…. It was a bold act of daring. I always thought that if I had millions I could have done more.”
Chris died surrounded by his wife and children, supported by numerous priests and bishops. What was the belief driving his undying passion to spare both women and babies from abortion in his words? “The most precious beings in the world are human beings, made in [God’s] likeness and image, with an eternal soul.”
Chris’ pioneering spirit gave rise to the use of ultrasound scans in 1986, 20 years before most pregnancy centers ever considered using the technology. He even took imagining to the streets with mobile medical vans, now so popular nationwide. Ultrasound imagining provides a woman considering abortion with true informed consent, both confirming a woman’s pregnancy while humanizing the child to help her fully understand the detrimental and dangerous impact of abortion for both her and her preborn baby. Chris is quick to point out, “It’s not just about saving the babies. It’s saving the mother’s soul, helping her to fulfill her mission in life.”
In his later years, Chris became enemy number one for the abortion empire headquartered in Manhattan as well as pro-abortion politicians seeking to protect their pet industry—politicians like New York State Attorneys General, New York State Governors, and New York City Council whose goal was to shut down Chris’ lifesaving efforts.
During his prolonged battle with two different cancers, Chris cast his leadership mantle on Rev. Jim Harden, CEO of another embattled New York-based pro-life medical network, CompassCare. Rev. Harden said, “It is never popular to take a public stand against systemic injustice. Chris Slattery’s no-nonsense style offended the sensibilities of many people both inside the pro-life industry while frightening pro-abortion activists masquerading as medical providers or politicians. I imagine Biblical prophets like Jeremiah experienced similar rejection. I loved this about Chris. He was willing to offend in order to mend the gangrenous human wound of abortion. The truth is, either we believe all people are made in God’s image and are therefore equally valuable without qualification or equality is just a farcical tune to which fools dance.”
In his last public interview in early November, Chris was asked by his replacement, Rev. Harden, what advice he would give the pro-life community, “Figure out how to save babies.” Referring to New York, he continued, “We have to compete with this. You can’t throw up our hands and say, ‘What a shame.’ No! What an opportunity to respond with intelligence, and savvy, and well-placed financial donations.”
When asked about how many children he thought were alive today because of his pro-life efforts he estimated tens of thousands saying, “I have a unique talent of saving children from being killed.” The current estimate is far over 43,000. In honor and memory of this hero, Rev. Harden calls on NY Gov. Kathy Hochul to lower all flags throughout the State to half-staff.
A $500,000 dollar-for-dollar matching fund is being provided to build on the pro-life work begun by Chris Slattery in NYC. Go to https://www.compasscarecommunity.com/nyc/ to invest in saving women and preborn boys and girls from abortion in memory of the lifesaving work of Chris Slattery.
About CompassCare
CompassCare has been serving Rochester since 1980. In 2001, CompassCare became the first pregnancy center in NY to launch a repeatable medical model of service and a new philosophy of ministry nationwide, creating the first Linear Service Model in the pregnancy center movement. CompassCare continues to thrive locally with operations in Rochester, Buffalo, and Albany with a commitment to continuous improvement. Since the abortion high-water mark in 2008, Monroe County abortions have dropped by 41%.
Since 2004 CompassCare has been training pregnancy centers in NY and around the nation. The training system has been largely influence-based, requiring a high-level of active investment over a long period of time to achieve measurable organizational transformation. Over 650 pregnancy centers have used CompassCare’s materials and strategies to dramatically increase mission effectiveness, often seeing increases of 400% or more in at-risk patients served and lives saved.
Together CompassCare and EMC envision increasing pro-life services infrastructure to be able to serve 10% of all women in NYC in the market for abortion by 2026. This will require a consolidation of the efforts of CompassCare and EMC to maximize the benefits of economies of scale and more quickly implement CompassCare’s proven service process. This will result in: 1) Reaching more women considering abortion and 2) Helping more of those women have their babies.
Double your life-saving impact in NYC.
All donations through 12/31/2023 will be matched, up to $650,000.
Endorsements of Rev. Harden and CompassCare
