TruthBooth impartially displays human embryo development
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By David Kilby | Correspondent
When words are not enough, an innovative display called the TruthBooth demonstrates the beauty of the development of human life in the mother’s womb. St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, espoused this high-tech exhibit at its Respect Life Rally April 30.
The TruthBooth is a self-contained display showing 3D and 4D ultrasound images of the child in the womb on an enclosed 32” LCD TV monitor. It provides information about prenatal development and pregnancy in a visual form for people to process without cumbersome words or confrontation, explained Rachel Hendricks of the Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee, which loans the TruthBooth to schools, churches, doctor’s offices and community events.
The TruthBooth is simply pictures of the developing child, not a provocation for controversy, she said. The creators of this display, Mike and Maureen Nuzzi from Atco, intentionally left out any “pro-this” or “anti-that” messaging to encourage all people to approach the display.
Beginning in 2003, the Nuzzis started to develop the idea of an unmanned booth that showed high-tech images of a child developing in the womb. They wanted to place these images in places like shopping malls, where young people shop and socialize. The booth was purposefully intended to be unmanned so that no one would be intimidated to approach the booth to view the images and video.
Over the years there have been several design improvements. Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee owns the newest version designed in 2011.
Several members of the Committee first heard about the TruthBooth just prior to losing a beloved member of their Committee, Georgette Henry. She had served in pro-life ministry for decades, Hendricks said.
“Her family asked Georgette’s loved ones to consider making a donation to our Committee in lieu of flowers,” she added. “Once the donations started coming in, we realized that we would be able to purchase this TruthBooth for use in our area and beyond using these funds.”
About six months later, the Committee purchased and received the TruthBooth and formally dedicated it to Georgette’s memory at its annual Champion for Life Award Dinner held every year in late October.
The TruthBooth has been to the 2013 and 2014 March for Life in Washington, the East Coast Catholic Family Conference in 2012, the Voice for Truth Youth workshop in Hightstown in Spring 2013, the Witness for Life in Red Bank this year and last year, and at the “Culture of Life/Canonization Celebration” in St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, April 27, as well as various Catholic high schools around the Diocese.
“It is especially heartwarming to see children who are barely old enough to walk, toddle over to the TruthBooth pointing and shouting ‘Baby, baby!’” Hendricks said, “Or to see a dad take his nine-year-old son by the hand to walk him over to see what he looked like in mom’s tummy. The images truly speak for themselves.”
The Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee, the Diocese’s only regional Respect Life Committee, is comprised of members from six local parishes: St. Catharine - St. Margaret, Spring Lake; St. Denis, Manasquan; St. Elizabeth, Avon; St. Mark, Sea Girt; St. Rose, Belmar, and Holy Innocents, Neptune.
St. Catharine Parish’s pastor, Msgr. Thomas A. Luebking has allowed the committee to use St. Catharine Parish as a “home base,” said Hendricks, who is the “keeper” of the TruthBooth for the committee.
“He has always supported our committee with incredible enthusiasm and resources,” Hendricks said of Msgr. Luebking. Father Will Dunlap, the parish’s parochial vicar, is the committee’s pastoral advisor.
To ask about how to get the TruthBooth to your church, school, doctor’s office, or community event, email [email protected]. Openings are available in June and July. To learn more visit www.truthbooth.org.
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By David Kilby | Correspondent
When words are not enough, an innovative display called the TruthBooth demonstrates the beauty of the development of human life in the mother’s womb. St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, espoused this high-tech exhibit at its Respect Life Rally April 30.
The TruthBooth is a self-contained display showing 3D and 4D ultrasound images of the child in the womb on an enclosed 32” LCD TV monitor. It provides information about prenatal development and pregnancy in a visual form for people to process without cumbersome words or confrontation, explained Rachel Hendricks of the Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee, which loans the TruthBooth to schools, churches, doctor’s offices and community events.
The TruthBooth is simply pictures of the developing child, not a provocation for controversy, she said. The creators of this display, Mike and Maureen Nuzzi from Atco, intentionally left out any “pro-this” or “anti-that” messaging to encourage all people to approach the display.
Beginning in 2003, the Nuzzis started to develop the idea of an unmanned booth that showed high-tech images of a child developing in the womb. They wanted to place these images in places like shopping malls, where young people shop and socialize. The booth was purposefully intended to be unmanned so that no one would be intimidated to approach the booth to view the images and video.
Over the years there have been several design improvements. Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee owns the newest version designed in 2011.
Several members of the Committee first heard about the TruthBooth just prior to losing a beloved member of their Committee, Georgette Henry. She had served in pro-life ministry for decades, Hendricks said.
“Her family asked Georgette’s loved ones to consider making a donation to our Committee in lieu of flowers,” she added. “Once the donations started coming in, we realized that we would be able to purchase this TruthBooth for use in our area and beyond using these funds.”
About six months later, the Committee purchased and received the TruthBooth and formally dedicated it to Georgette’s memory at its annual Champion for Life Award Dinner held every year in late October.
The TruthBooth has been to the 2013 and 2014 March for Life in Washington, the East Coast Catholic Family Conference in 2012, the Voice for Truth Youth workshop in Hightstown in Spring 2013, the Witness for Life in Red Bank this year and last year, and at the “Culture of Life/Canonization Celebration” in St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, April 27, as well as various Catholic high schools around the Diocese.
“It is especially heartwarming to see children who are barely old enough to walk, toddle over to the TruthBooth pointing and shouting ‘Baby, baby!’” Hendricks said, “Or to see a dad take his nine-year-old son by the hand to walk him over to see what he looked like in mom’s tummy. The images truly speak for themselves.”
The Monmouth Coastal Respect Life Committee, the Diocese’s only regional Respect Life Committee, is comprised of members from six local parishes: St. Catharine - St. Margaret, Spring Lake; St. Denis, Manasquan; St. Elizabeth, Avon; St. Mark, Sea Girt; St. Rose, Belmar, and Holy Innocents, Neptune.
St. Catharine Parish’s pastor, Msgr. Thomas A. Luebking has allowed the committee to use St. Catharine Parish as a “home base,” said Hendricks, who is the “keeper” of the TruthBooth for the committee.
“He has always supported our committee with incredible enthusiasm and resources,” Hendricks said of Msgr. Luebking. Father Will Dunlap, the parish’s parochial vicar, is the committee’s pastoral advisor.
To ask about how to get the TruthBooth to your church, school, doctor’s office, or community event, email [email protected]. Openings are available in June and July. To learn more visit www.truthbooth.org.
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