I'm afraid I disturbed the peace when I read this one by Simcha Fisher:
"...I like being a Catholic; I do. I like people assuming we must be Catholic.
But what gets a little old is . . . you know, looking so Catholic all the time. I know there will come a time in my life when rust, ink stains, and spit-up are no longer the sacramentals of my vocation, but that's how it is for now. I can't help checking out other big families, to see how well they pull off Appearing Normal.
So we hurtle through the dentist's door, a mere seven minutes late, get the little patient checked in, and then we settle down. It's a tiny room and is already chock full -- and very noisy. I look around for the Catholic mom, and -- uh-oh, there she is, looking mean..."
.......................................................
Made my day!
9/27/08
Results - NYC
Already the '40 Days For Life Campaign' is reaping rewards and consequences in NYC:
"This fall’s 40 Days for Life campaign in New York City has already documented 7 children saved from abortion due to the peaceful vigils…
…And the abortion industry is furious.
On the first day of 40 Days for Life, the pro-abortion Speaker of the New York City Council held a news conference outside city hall with executives from Planned Parenthood, NARAL, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and one of the city’s largest abortion chains (which is currently the focus of a 40 Days for Life vigil.)
The purpose of the press event — to attempt to silence pro-life prayer and free speech outside abortion facilities by proposing a restrictive 15-foot “buffer zone” around all abortion centers in New York City.
The proposed bill would also allow abortion workers to file harassment charges against pro-lifers as well as “ease the burden of proof” currently necessary to prosecute on harassment charges, according to the press release issued by the New York City Council..."
FREEDOM VS ABORTION BUSINESS - Which will NYC Council choose?
Palin-Envy
George Jonas:
"..Forget barricade-feminists for the moment. It’s easy to figure out what ails the jihadist branch of the sisterhood, but this is something additional. The spectacular phenomenon of Sarah-resentment — Sarah-envy, really — reflects a deep and genuine hurt that McCain’s choice for vice-president has inflicted on many otherwise perfectly sensible women. He pushed their class-alarm button. He nullified the intellectual and social efforts they’ve been making all their lives to prepare themselves as members of the upper crust. These women may be a minority nation- or continent-wide, but a decisive majority in the intellectual-professional-literary circles where I spend most of my waking and all of my sleeping hours.
They feel insulted by what they call “white-” or “trailer-trash” (thanks, CBC columnist Heather Mallick) being promoted over them.
The word “insult” recurs, and not only on my phone messages. As noted by The Weekly Standard’s Noemie Emery, “insulting” is the word of choice for The New Republic’s Michelle Cottle, the Newsweek/Washington Post blog’s Sally Quinn, as well as for The Baltimore Sun’s Susan Reimer and The Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus. Why “insulting”? Here’s one obvious reason. The sickening speed with which the moose-hunting ex-mayor of Wasilla passed everyone in the queue for Queen Bee made a mockery of any woman who wore out her contact lenses reading books that essentially bored her; or who gave up a sweet guy who wasn’t going places for a nerd or a windbag who was; or who planned her parenthood because a person couldn’t have it all; or one who had it all and could no longer fit into her Dolce & Gabbana..."
.................................................................................
I think its jealousy AND ideology. The women who have been fighting to make womyn the heartless rulers of the universe, and have given up all their natural inclinations and comforts to do so, are the same ones who feel the injustice of someone as happy and well-adjusted as Sarah Palin reaching a level of success and acceptance they cannot even aspire to. Its sad , really. Their choices are to blame themselves for being sucked into a malignant lie; or blame themselves for not achieving more, having all the advantages of being the perfect prototype of a successful modern 'woman'.
Their day is past, they're growing old, some of them have no families (left) and they have no God to rely on. Sad.
Day 4
Intention:
We ask God that we may understand the concept of justice, as a gift he gives and as a responsibility that shapes our work.
Scripture:
Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
-- Amos 5:24
Reflection:
Justice, a key theme of the Scriptures, is something God does and that we too must do.
When God intervenes to save his people when they are helpless and in slavery in Egypt, he "does justice." He manifested his justice in the plagues that were sent upon Egypt, whereby Pharaoh was convinced that he must let the people go. Justice is manifested as, in awe and wonder, God's people see the Red Sea open before them, allow them to pass without even getting their feet wet, and then close again to drown their powerful enemies.
God is a God of Justice; he rescues us when we cannot save ourselves. His justice, above all, is seen in Jesus Christ, who, when we could not save ourselves, rescued us from the kingdom of sin, Satan, death, and hell. The mighty work of Christ on the cross and in the resurrection is the perfect manifestation of God as the God of justice.
We, then, are to be the people of justice; we are to "do justice" by intervening to save the helpless in the name and by the power of the God who saves us who are helpless ourselves. That's why we have a pro-life movement; that's why we have a 40 Days for Life Campaign; that's why saving the unborn is our business.
Prayer:
God of Justice, you heard the cry of your people when they were being oppressed in Egypt, and you proved yourself to be the God of justice, who rescues the helpless. You likewise rescued us from the kingdom of darkness, and brought us into the Kingdom of your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who saves us from the power of Satan, sin, death, and hell. Make us people of justice, ready to intervene to save the helpless. Indeed, as your prophets have announced, let justice roll on like a mighty river, to save all who are in need, especially the unborn. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
40 Days For Life
9/26/08
UN Called On Carpet For Pushing Ideology
LifeSiteNews:
"...A resolution was introduced in the United States House of Representatives this week condemning two United Nations committees. The non-binding resolution was introduced by Republican Thad McCotter (R-MI) and specifically condemns actions taken by the Human Rights Committee (HRC) and the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The resolution singles out these two committees for reinterpreting hard-law treaties to include a right to abortion and trying to force sovereign states who have ratified the treaties into accepting these new interpretations..."
This is not 'new'. Its been an ongoing manipulative campaign by the more powerful, over the less powerful, to accomplish their 'not really hidden' agenda to make all nations homosexual and abortion 'friendly' . The Culture of Death reigns Supreme at the UN. (Maybe Europeans are sooo insecure they have to make sure nobody else is having children either...)
"...A resolution was introduced in the United States House of Representatives this week condemning two United Nations committees. The non-binding resolution was introduced by Republican Thad McCotter (R-MI) and specifically condemns actions taken by the Human Rights Committee (HRC) and the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The resolution singles out these two committees for reinterpreting hard-law treaties to include a right to abortion and trying to force sovereign states who have ratified the treaties into accepting these new interpretations..."
This is not 'new'. Its been an ongoing manipulative campaign by the more powerful, over the less powerful, to accomplish their 'not really hidden' agenda to make all nations homosexual and abortion 'friendly' . The Culture of Death reigns Supreme at the UN. (Maybe Europeans are sooo insecure they have to make sure nobody else is having children either...)
Day 3
Intention:
We pray for God's gift of strength as we strive to protect human life during these 40 Days for Life.
Scripture:
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
-- Matthew 6:25-26
Reflection:
Billions of dollars are spent each year on diet plans. But Jesus tells us to stop worrying so much about our bodies, and instead to trust in God's care for our physical needs.
What would happen if the people who had started on a low-carb diet this year had instead gone on a diet of heavenly food? For non-believers that diet would include trusting in Christ for their salvation, and for believers it would include a renewed prayer life, a new Bible study, or even a spiritual fast. This diet doesn't include giving up on certain kinds of foods. What this diet includes is giving up on anxiety by resting in the loving arms of Christ, trusting that He will provide.
Such a spiritual diet also frees us from our worries, and allows us to freely praise Him and serve others. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
This promised provision teaches us the inestimable worth of our lives. He will not allow us to go without. This intimate knowledge and care for human life on the part of our gracious God is what motivates us to seek for the preservation of human life in all its stages.
Prayer:
Loving heavenly Father, help us to see the worth of all human beings by the way in which you provide for us. We would ask that you provide also the faith, grace and courage to enable us to protect that which is so precious to you. Through Christ our Lord, amen.
Dennis DiMauro
Lutherans for Life
40 Days For Life
9/25/08
Public Service Announcement (Canada)
Campaign Life Coalition has their election website up and running.(h/t Western Standard)
Check out 'Party Leader Report Card'. (sometimes I wish I were American...)
Check out 'Party Leader Report Card'. (sometimes I wish I were American...)
Obama? Vapid?
Christopher Hitchens(Calgary Herald):
"To analyze this is to be obliged to balance some of the qualities of Obama's own personality with some of his party's characteristics. Here's a swift test. Be honest. What sentence can you quote from his convention speech in Denver? I thought so. All right, what about his big rally speech in Berlin? Just as I guessed.
Surely, you can manage to cite a line or two from his imperishable address on race (compared by some liberal academics to the Gettysburg address itself) in Philadelphia? No, not the line about his white grandmother. Some other line. Oh, dear. Now do you see what I mean?
Why is Obama so vapid, hesitant and gutless? Why does he risk going into political history as a dusky Dukakis? Well, after the self-imposed Jeremiah Wright nightmare, he can't afford any more militancy or militant-sounding stuff, even if it might be justified.
"To analyze this is to be obliged to balance some of the qualities of Obama's own personality with some of his party's characteristics. Here's a swift test. Be honest. What sentence can you quote from his convention speech in Denver? I thought so. All right, what about his big rally speech in Berlin? Just as I guessed.
Surely, you can manage to cite a line or two from his imperishable address on race (compared by some liberal academics to the Gettysburg address itself) in Philadelphia? No, not the line about his white grandmother. Some other line. Oh, dear. Now do you see what I mean?
Why is Obama so vapid, hesitant and gutless? Why does he risk going into political history as a dusky Dukakis? Well, after the self-imposed Jeremiah Wright nightmare, he can't afford any more militancy or militant-sounding stuff, even if it might be justified.
Repressive Measures of Abortion Enthusiasts
I can't help but see a trend in the medical arena, towards death.
Doctors assoc. are fighting for the right to determine the 'rubric of human value', and exclusive rights to decide who is worthy of medical care. Legislators are determined that some doctors will NOT have the right to choose NOT to participate. Women are being refused the right to make informed decisions , soon perhaps they will no longer have the right to choose NOT to kill their own child. Doctors may determine before birth, that their child is not worthy. It does not seem that unlikely or far away.
Its a definite trend. Its the kind of trend that throughout history has led to the downfall of enormously successful societies.
Erin Manning:
"..Do you get this, my fellow Catholic Americans? Do you hear what they're saying, my fellow pro-life Christian Americans? Are you listening, my fellow pro-life Americans who are Jewish or Muslim or from other faiths that strongly oppose the murder of the unborn? Our deeply held, centuries-old, fervent and rooted religious beliefs are being labeled "personal agendas" by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. And we're being put on notice that it is unconscionable for us to expect that these beliefs will be respected and that we, especially any of us who happen to work in a medical field, have the right to refuse to participate in the murder of the unborn.
When an unjust law is passed, soon that unjust law is the only law. All other laws, all other rights, all other freedoms shrivel into nothingness; the unjust law is a Medusa's head that turns reasonable objection and the expect for that objection to be accommodated into stone.
Our right to choose not to kill unborn humans is being taken away from us. Our right to expect that among our medical professionals there are some who will not condone or participate in the killing of unborn humans is being taken away from us. Our right, if we have any connection to the medical profession--and so many Catholics and Christians and other pro-life Americans do--to refuse entirely to facilitate the murder of innocent unborn humans is being taken away from us. Soon, it will be impossible to be a doctor or a nurse or a pharmacist in the United States of America unless you are a bloodthirsty abortion enthusiast. And it is being done in the name of "Choice."
It couldn't possibly be more ironic than that, because what we're talking about is removing the right to choose. Doctors won't have the right to choose whether or not they want to kill unborn humans. Nurses won't have the right to choose whether or not they want to help in the killing of unborn humans. Other hospital workers also lose their right to choose whether or not to be associated with the abortion butchers who like to be called "Doctor" as they perform their works of unadulterated evil. Pharmacists lose the right to choose to ask someone else to fill an abortifacient "morning after" prescription. Everyone loses the right to choose life under the kind of scenario the attorneys general of a coven of states would like to see passed.
And under Barack Obama, under the Freedom of Choice Act, this scenario is exactly what we get.
Pray for America. Pray that the right to choose LIFE will remain available to all who oppose the culture of death, especially our medical professionals."
500 Kick-Off '40 Days For Life' in Ottawa
from Marcel Arsenault, Halifax:
(LifeSiteNews)
"..The 40 Days for Life campaign in Ottawa has received the support of Ottawa Archbishop Terrance Prendergast. Anyone in other cities can join in the Ottawa-based campaign by committing to prayer and fasting for the next 40 days (September 24th to November 2).
It is hoped that the 40 Days for Life effort will also inspire people to renew their enthusiasm to stand up for life at next year's March for Life on May 14, 2009 in Ottawa. The theme for next year's March is Exodus 2009 and marks the 40th year since the law was changed in Canada to permit abortion. Exodus will include a pilgrimage to Ottawa leading up to the March for Life and prominent guests in recognition of the significance of the 40 years of abortion in Canada.
Last night's Ottawa rally was attended by numerous priests and religious as well as lay people who were inspired to come to start the prayer campaign. For the next 40 days there will be a constant prayer presence outside of the Morgentaler Ottawa abortuary. There is hope that the prayer will be able to be maintained every hour of every day outside of the abortuary. The signup sheet is filling rapidly, with many people calling the Campaign Life Coalition office in Ottawa (613-729-0379) to ask when they can go and what hours need to be filled..."
40 Days For Life
(LifeSiteNews)
"..The 40 Days for Life campaign in Ottawa has received the support of Ottawa Archbishop Terrance Prendergast. Anyone in other cities can join in the Ottawa-based campaign by committing to prayer and fasting for the next 40 days (September 24th to November 2).
It is hoped that the 40 Days for Life effort will also inspire people to renew their enthusiasm to stand up for life at next year's March for Life on May 14, 2009 in Ottawa. The theme for next year's March is Exodus 2009 and marks the 40th year since the law was changed in Canada to permit abortion. Exodus will include a pilgrimage to Ottawa leading up to the March for Life and prominent guests in recognition of the significance of the 40 years of abortion in Canada.
Last night's Ottawa rally was attended by numerous priests and religious as well as lay people who were inspired to come to start the prayer campaign. For the next 40 days there will be a constant prayer presence outside of the Morgentaler Ottawa abortuary. There is hope that the prayer will be able to be maintained every hour of every day outside of the abortuary. The signup sheet is filling rapidly, with many people calling the Campaign Life Coalition office in Ottawa (613-729-0379) to ask when they can go and what hours need to be filled..."
40 Days For Life
Something Worthwhile From The Senate
(ProEcclessia):
"The Senate approved a measure that requires doctors to give expectant mothers more comprehensive information if they receive a positive test for Down syndrome.
The bill is the product of an unusual partnership between Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, an anti-abortion Republican, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, an abortion-rights advocate from Massachusetts.
About 90% of women who learn they are carrying a fetus with the genetic disorder have an abortion."
OUR HERO
*satire alert
Scott Ott:
(2008-09-25) — Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, who suspended his presidential campaign yesterday to address the global financial crisis, arrived at the Capitol this morning, locked the doors to the Senate and asked running mate Sarah Palin to post troops from the Alaska Army National Guard to bar senators from entering the chamber.
The Republican nominee said, “The current crisis demands all the courage lawmakers can muster to avoid the unintended, but surely disastrous consequences, of government intervention with taxpayer money.”
“Now that I have solved the crisis,” said Sen. McCain, “I’m willing to either debate Sen. Obama Friday night, or to just sit down for a cup of coffee with him so I can tell him what it’s like to be a U.S. Senator, what the inside of the Senate chambers look like, and other things about which he might be curious.”
Scott Ott:
(2008-09-25) — Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, who suspended his presidential campaign yesterday to address the global financial crisis, arrived at the Capitol this morning, locked the doors to the Senate and asked running mate Sarah Palin to post troops from the Alaska Army National Guard to bar senators from entering the chamber.
The Republican nominee said, “The current crisis demands all the courage lawmakers can muster to avoid the unintended, but surely disastrous consequences, of government intervention with taxpayer money.”
“Now that I have solved the crisis,” said Sen. McCain, “I’m willing to either debate Sen. Obama Friday night, or to just sit down for a cup of coffee with him so I can tell him what it’s like to be a U.S. Senator, what the inside of the Senate chambers look like, and other things about which he might be curious.”
Interesting Developments in Christian Unity
(U.K. Mail): "The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was yesterday branded a ‘papal puppet’ after he became the first leader of the Church of England to accept visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes as historical fact.
He asserted that 18 visions of Our Lady allegedly experienced by Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 were true.
His words shocked millions of Protestants worldwide because they not only signified a break with Protestant teaching on the Virgin Mary but also Dr Williams’s personal acceptance of the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is explicitly linked to the apparitions.
The archbishop made his remarks during a three-day visit to the shrine in the French Pyrenees - the first ever by a leader of the Church of England.
In a homily he preached at an international Mass there, Dr Williams spoke about the apparitions without any qualifications.
‘When Mary came to Bernadette, she came at first as an anonymous figure, a beautiful lady, a mysterious “thing”, not yet identified as the Lord’s spotless mother,” Dr Williams said.
‘And Bernadette – uneducated, uninstructed in doctrine – leapt with joy, recognising that here was life, here was healing,’ he said.
‘Only bit by bit does Bernadette find the words to let the world know; only bit by bit, we might say, does she discover how to listen to the Lady and echo what she has to tell us.’
He also praised the lives of the saints, another devotion seen as distinctively Roman Catholic.
‘It may be when we encounter a person in whom we sense that the words we rather half-heartedly use about God are a living and actual reality,’ he said.
‘That’s why the lives of the saints, ancient and modern, matter so much.’..."
(h/t americanpapist)
..............................................................................
Now, its no surprise to me that he has an interest in the Virgin Mary, or the Saints. My 'St. Augustine's Prayer Book', an Anglican prayer book in the Catholic tradition, includes saints, Mary and a rather good preparation for confession. Its not a new publication. The Anglican church encompasses a very broad swathe of beliefs - some more protestant than others.
It is encouraging that the ArchBishop is not cowed by current 'politically correct' clerics and media, and is following his own path to truth. In this I think he has been fairly consistent. I have often been confused as to the intent of things he says, yet again very moved by some of his writing. This is not exactly a left (or right) turn for him. Interesting , all the same.
Prayer For A President and Vice President
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, we beseech you
Send to us a President and Vice President after Your own Heart.
A President and Vice President to lead the United States
In the pathways of Faith, Hope and Love.
Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
Grant the American People the wisdom
To elect the President and Vice President of Your own choosing.
Jesus our Good Shepherd, we trust in You.
Mary, our Mother, pray for us. Amen.
(Catholic Parents Online)
Day 2
Intention:
Pray for those who work in the abortion industry, and for those who have repented of committing abortions and have resolved to defend life.
Scripture:
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
-- Luke 23:46-47
Reflection:
"Those of us who have participated in the killing of unborn children are the Centurions of today. We have dropped our swords against the unborn child. Now we must recognize the depth of our guilt and deal with the ramifications... To revitalize our humanity we need to forgive and be forgiven, to reconcile and be healed."
These words come from a brochure of the Society of Centurions, an organization for former abortion providers. These words convey in a beautiful and moving way what is happening across the nation as hundreds of abortionists and their staff members experience repentance, conversion, and healing.
How does this conversion begin? Dr. Philip Ney writes, "The factors that changed their opinion on performing abortions, in the following order of frequency, were: evidence of the infant's humanity, a spiritual experience, personal distress, evidence of the mother's distress, scientific articles, being accepted as a person, a personal relationship with a pro-lifer, pro-life pickets." (The Centurion's Pathway, p. 77).
The journey is not easy. But the Jesus who heals us calls us to face the truth of what we've done, make restitution where possible, and engage in the hard work of mending relationships. Let's pray for the Centurions; may their numbers increase!
Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for those who have repented of committing abortions and have resolved to defend life. We too repent and resolve. We repent of every instance in which fear has made us silent when we should have spoken. We repent of the ongoing bloodshed in our land, and for thinking that we can deprive the unborn of protection but keep it for ourselves. We resolve that we will advance the cause of righteous candidates for public office, and that we will be more afraid of offending you by our silence than of offending others by our speech. We resolve that we will proclaim your name to the nations, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
40 Days For Life
REAL MAN - Actor Eduardo Verastequi
(LifeNews):
Eduardo Verástegui, the former Mexican singer and actor who starred in the hit move "Bella," has recorded a new video asking Hispanic voters in the United States to reject Barack Obama because of his pro-abortion views. Verástegui challenges Latino voters to make abortion issues the centerpiece of their voting decisions.
In the new video, conducted in Spanish, Verástegui, says Obama is out of step with the overwhelming majority of Hispanics who are pro-life.
“We need to put an end to abortion and political candidates play a very important role in this matter,” he says.
Verástegui tells viewers that Obama supports abortions throughout pregnancy, including late-term abortions, and has opposed a ban on partial-birth abortions.
Moreover, the actor says Obama “wants to finance abortions with the tax dollars you and I pay.”
The Bella star also talks about the votes Obama cast during his tenure in the Illinois legislature that would deprive newborn infants of medical care if they survive botched abortions.
He says Obama “voted on several occasions against a law to protect babies who survived an abortion and were born alive."
Verástegui describes the bill Obama said he would make his first signature as president, the Freedom of Choice Act, that makes legal all abortions throughout pregnancy and overturns every abortion limit in all 50 states.
“Obama is committed to removing all the pro-life laws that in many states currently offer protection to unborn babies and their mothers. Mr. Obama does not agree that the parents of a 13 year-old girl who is pregnant should be notified before she has an abortion,” he explains.
“Obama is more interested in maintaining the legality of abortion that in the well-being of the babies, children and families of this country. Let us unite and do something to defend life at every stage, from conception to natural death,” he adds.
During the video, Verástegui punctuates his comments with images of unborn children and pictures of babies who died in abortions.
He also condemns how abortion advocates frequently place their abortion businesses in Hispanic communities.
“Abortion is not only a lucrative industry; it is also used by people who are racist as a means to eliminate our people, since they consider us to be a threat to democracy in this country,” Verástegui says.
He complains that abortion is legal “because there are not enough men and women who raise their voice against abortion.”
Full Version of Video
Edited Version(without graphic images)
9/24/08
Catholic Liberal Arts
Friends With Christ :
"..There is a huge tradition of Liberal Arts in a Catholic context going back to the first Christian century and it is something which has continued in many European countries to this day, and it is being rediscovered now in the States and in Australia. The Liberal Arts comprise the a study of Literature, History, Theology, Philosophy and Science.
There is a profound Catholic focus is the studies which seek a synthesis through, and an emphasis on, the interconnectedness of ideas and perspectives from the different subjects, and by allowing one subject to be built upon another. Subjects are approached from both local and global perspectives and the complementarity of Faith and Reason is drawn upon throughout.
A Catholic Liberal Arts Degree can lead into Education, Writing, Government, Adminstration, Publishing, Communications, Media, Cultural and Faith-based work, Academia, Social Services, Tourism. It gives an education for life, and not simply for an occupation. It seeks to foster good and critical thinkers and to give a deep understanding of culture..."
.........................................................................
The Catholic liberal arts college two (so far) of our sons attended in Canada was Our Lady Seat of Wisdom in Barry's Bay Ontario. They are fairly new, begun by young Catholics on a mission to provide authentic Catholic education in an affordable setting. It's also a very picturesque setting. They continue to grow and adjust to their increasing numbers, and the Westin family is grateful for the sacrifices that the founders and early students have made for our benefit.
(Check out 'The Alexandrian', a Catholic culture magazine put out by a recent graduate of OLSWA, Catherine Nolan.)
"..There is a huge tradition of Liberal Arts in a Catholic context going back to the first Christian century and it is something which has continued in many European countries to this day, and it is being rediscovered now in the States and in Australia. The Liberal Arts comprise the a study of Literature, History, Theology, Philosophy and Science.
There is a profound Catholic focus is the studies which seek a synthesis through, and an emphasis on, the interconnectedness of ideas and perspectives from the different subjects, and by allowing one subject to be built upon another. Subjects are approached from both local and global perspectives and the complementarity of Faith and Reason is drawn upon throughout.
A Catholic Liberal Arts Degree can lead into Education, Writing, Government, Adminstration, Publishing, Communications, Media, Cultural and Faith-based work, Academia, Social Services, Tourism. It gives an education for life, and not simply for an occupation. It seeks to foster good and critical thinkers and to give a deep understanding of culture..."
.........................................................................
The Catholic liberal arts college two (so far) of our sons attended in Canada was Our Lady Seat of Wisdom in Barry's Bay Ontario. They are fairly new, begun by young Catholics on a mission to provide authentic Catholic education in an affordable setting. It's also a very picturesque setting. They continue to grow and adjust to their increasing numbers, and the Westin family is grateful for the sacrifices that the founders and early students have made for our benefit.
(Check out 'The Alexandrian', a Catholic culture magazine put out by a recent graduate of OLSWA, Catherine Nolan.)
Day 1
Intention:
That we may use these 40 Days for Life to plead for God's mercy and grace upon all those involved in the sin of abortion.
Scripture:
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly. Gather the people, notify the congregation. Assemble the elders; gather the children and the infants at the breast… Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, "Spare, O Lord, your people."
-- Joel 2:15-17
Reflection:
The toll of abortion cannot be measured. We hear estimates of almost 50 million innocent victims, but that's only one aspect of the harm that has unfolded in abortion's wake. There are also the mothers and fathers of these millions, as well as the grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins. Unborn lives destroyed. Lives of the living shattered.
It's overwhelming and depressing, but even in the midst of such unfathomable darkness, the church teaches us to have hope. Yes, it was indeed Calvary that followed Christ's 40 days in the desert, but without Calvary there would have been no Resurrection - His victory over death that opened the gates of heaven to those who believe in and follow Him.
The psalmist encourages us to go humbly before God as we seek His will: "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me… Give me back the joy of your salvation and a willing spirit sustain in me… O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise" (Psalm 51:12, 14, 17).
We are called to be God's messengers; or as the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). That is the true message to all we encounter at the abortion centers and in our communities who have been deceived by the Culture of Death. We don't bring condemnation; we bring God's good news.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask for the strength, courage, wisdom, determination and stamina to carry out this mission according to Your will. Guide us, we pray, as we go forth and proclaim Your truth, always doing so with a spirit of love and compassion, as was demonstrated to us by Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray, amen.
David Brandao
Communications Director, 40 Days for Life
A Choice For Obama IS A Choice For Death
and sometimes tea writes:
"..Abortion isn't "abortion;" it's choice. Pro-lifers aren't "pro-life," according to NARAL; they're antichoicers. Doctors and nurses who choose based on moral and ethical standards not to train for, provide, or refer for abortions aren't making a respectable ethical decision, in NARAL's world; they're simply interfering with women's choices. And on and on it goes...
...Every abortion is a choice for death. Every abortion is a choice on the part of a woman that her child must die, be ripped from her womb, perish without ever seeing the light of day. It is a profoundly evil choice that poisons all who are affected by it.
Sadly, many women make this choice in favor of evil and death without really knowing what they are doing. They buy into the lies of abortionists and abortion-enthusiasts like NARAL or Planned Parenthood who tell them than they are not really choosing to kill, that the life inside them isn't really a life, that the child they are destroying is not really a human worth protecting but a problem to be solved, even if the solution is the execution of the innocent for the "crime" of existence. Motivated by shame or panic or fear, they turn to abortion and are rushed through the process before they ever have the chance to change their minds; real choice, in terms of knowing all their options, being given information about the child's level of development, and having a chance for a waiting period that might make them change their minds is denied to many women--and will be denied to all women if Barack Obama has his way..."
"..Abortion isn't "abortion;" it's choice. Pro-lifers aren't "pro-life," according to NARAL; they're antichoicers. Doctors and nurses who choose based on moral and ethical standards not to train for, provide, or refer for abortions aren't making a respectable ethical decision, in NARAL's world; they're simply interfering with women's choices. And on and on it goes...
...Every abortion is a choice for death. Every abortion is a choice on the part of a woman that her child must die, be ripped from her womb, perish without ever seeing the light of day. It is a profoundly evil choice that poisons all who are affected by it.
Sadly, many women make this choice in favor of evil and death without really knowing what they are doing. They buy into the lies of abortionists and abortion-enthusiasts like NARAL or Planned Parenthood who tell them than they are not really choosing to kill, that the life inside them isn't really a life, that the child they are destroying is not really a human worth protecting but a problem to be solved, even if the solution is the execution of the innocent for the "crime" of existence. Motivated by shame or panic or fear, they turn to abortion and are rushed through the process before they ever have the chance to change their minds; real choice, in terms of knowing all their options, being given information about the child's level of development, and having a chance for a waiting period that might make them change their minds is denied to many women--and will be denied to all women if Barack Obama has his way..."
9/23/08
"Vote Pro-Life" Radio Ads
LifesiteNews:
A new "vote pro-life" ad sponsored by the Knights of Columbus is set to hit Canadian airwaves nationwide in time for the election season this October. The ad is similar to an American version released just today.
The radio spot features the sound of a 10-week-old unborn child's heartbeat. The voice of a woman muses, "Listening to this makes me wonder - why would anyone question that her life has begun?
"Vote your heart. Vote Pro Life."
"The fact that the child whose heartbeat we hear is alive is simply a matter of science," Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in announcing the beginning of the American ad campaign. "We believe that it is vital that America's pro-life community make it clear that they will reserve their votes for candidates of either party who are committed to protecting life from conception to natural death."
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.75 million members in North and Central America, Asia and Europe.
To listen to the new ad, visit http://www.kofc.org.
A new "vote pro-life" ad sponsored by the Knights of Columbus is set to hit Canadian airwaves nationwide in time for the election season this October. The ad is similar to an American version released just today.
The radio spot features the sound of a 10-week-old unborn child's heartbeat. The voice of a woman muses, "Listening to this makes me wonder - why would anyone question that her life has begun?
"Vote your heart. Vote Pro Life."
"The fact that the child whose heartbeat we hear is alive is simply a matter of science," Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in announcing the beginning of the American ad campaign. "We believe that it is vital that America's pro-life community make it clear that they will reserve their votes for candidates of either party who are committed to protecting life from conception to natural death."
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.75 million members in North and Central America, Asia and Europe.
To listen to the new ad, visit http://www.kofc.org.
Andrea Mrozek:
"... Paglia wrote that she is "a firm supporter of abortion rights," but then went on to say: "I have always frankly admitted that abortion is murder, the extermination of the powerless by the powerful … which results in the annihilation of concrete individuals and not just clumps of insensate tissue." Almost every pro-abortion activist lives in a zone where they conceal what abortion really is -- though they know that the procedure involves killing a person each and every time. The difference between them and Paglia is that they don't come out and say it..."
(h/t ProWoman ProLife)
"... Paglia wrote that she is "a firm supporter of abortion rights," but then went on to say: "I have always frankly admitted that abortion is murder, the extermination of the powerless by the powerful … which results in the annihilation of concrete individuals and not just clumps of insensate tissue." Almost every pro-abortion activist lives in a zone where they conceal what abortion really is -- though they know that the procedure involves killing a person each and every time. The difference between them and Paglia is that they don't come out and say it..."
(h/t ProWoman ProLife)
Troubles in India- Perspective for Canada
Catholic World News:
Bangalore, Sep. 22, 2008 - More than 3,000 stunned Catholics gathered in sorrow at St. James church at Marianapalaya, a Bangalore suburb, on Sunday after the church was found desecrated.
Eighteen locks of the church had been broken by the intruders who entered in the early morning hours, broke into the tabernacle, and scattered the Sacred Species around the sanctuary. The vandals also threw vestments and other articles around the sacristy.
"This is an attempt to terrify our people," Father Joseph Menezes, the vicar of the parish, which numbers about 5,000 Catholics, told CWN. "See what they have done. It has been done by people who know what hurts our people (Catholics) most," said Father Menezes pointing to the tabernacle.
As the news of the desecration spread, shocked Catholics assembled around the church, voicing their outrage at the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governing the Indian state. Hundreds of police officers around the church were kept busy controlling the protest, with dozens of reporters recording the events.
"We have seen on TV these days churches being attacked in Orissa and other areas. But I never expected this will happen in Bangalore," lamented Sunita Vinod, a Catholic parishioner. Meanehile elderly women were standing before the closed main door of the church, praying the Rosary in reparation for the descration.
Some furious Catholics even burnt the portraits of B. S. Yeddyurappa, chief minister of the Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital. Catholics charged that "inaction and encouragement" by the BJP government had led to the explosion of violence by Hindu mobs.
The desecration of the church came exactly a week after a dozen churches of different denominations were attacked in and around Mangalore, along the west coast of the state. Hindu fundamentalist groups even held a press conference to claim responsibility for that campaign of religious violence.
Shockingly, the BJP chief minister of Karnataka chose not to take action against the Hindu groups, and went so far as to rationalize the attacks as a response to the allegations that Christians were seeking to convert Hindus. Since the government issued that reaction, 15 more churches have been desecrated in different parts of the state.
Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore-- who returned from a trip to Israel on September 22-- severely berated the BJP leadership. After meeting with Yeddyurappa, the chief minister, the archbishop told reporters that he had told the BJP leader that Christians are "very hurt and upset with your government."
"Desecration of the tabernacle is descration of the Body of Christ," Archbishop Moras said. "We are prepared to give our lives against this."
..........................................................................
A significant portion of our parish of St.Ignatius, Grand Cayman, hail from Goa. It is frightening and sad to hear of these persecutions.
..........................................................................
It puts the Canadian HRC into perspective.International framework. You could almost align them with the BJP chieftain - setting up the environment for outright persecution. Of course in India, Christianity has never been the predominate culture.
By warped Canadian HRC standards, membership in a 'majority' culture is suspect and deserving of tax funded persecution by gov't agencies.
We are not facing violence, yet. Humiliation and financial ruin are a threatening first act.
Bangalore, Sep. 22, 2008 - More than 3,000 stunned Catholics gathered in sorrow at St. James church at Marianapalaya, a Bangalore suburb, on Sunday after the church was found desecrated.
Eighteen locks of the church had been broken by the intruders who entered in the early morning hours, broke into the tabernacle, and scattered the Sacred Species around the sanctuary. The vandals also threw vestments and other articles around the sacristy.
"This is an attempt to terrify our people," Father Joseph Menezes, the vicar of the parish, which numbers about 5,000 Catholics, told CWN. "See what they have done. It has been done by people who know what hurts our people (Catholics) most," said Father Menezes pointing to the tabernacle.
As the news of the desecration spread, shocked Catholics assembled around the church, voicing their outrage at the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governing the Indian state. Hundreds of police officers around the church were kept busy controlling the protest, with dozens of reporters recording the events.
"We have seen on TV these days churches being attacked in Orissa and other areas. But I never expected this will happen in Bangalore," lamented Sunita Vinod, a Catholic parishioner. Meanehile elderly women were standing before the closed main door of the church, praying the Rosary in reparation for the descration.
Some furious Catholics even burnt the portraits of B. S. Yeddyurappa, chief minister of the Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital. Catholics charged that "inaction and encouragement" by the BJP government had led to the explosion of violence by Hindu mobs.
The desecration of the church came exactly a week after a dozen churches of different denominations were attacked in and around Mangalore, along the west coast of the state. Hindu fundamentalist groups even held a press conference to claim responsibility for that campaign of religious violence.
Shockingly, the BJP chief minister of Karnataka chose not to take action against the Hindu groups, and went so far as to rationalize the attacks as a response to the allegations that Christians were seeking to convert Hindus. Since the government issued that reaction, 15 more churches have been desecrated in different parts of the state.
Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore-- who returned from a trip to Israel on September 22-- severely berated the BJP leadership. After meeting with Yeddyurappa, the chief minister, the archbishop told reporters that he had told the BJP leader that Christians are "very hurt and upset with your government."
"Desecration of the tabernacle is descration of the Body of Christ," Archbishop Moras said. "We are prepared to give our lives against this."
..........................................................................
A significant portion of our parish of St.Ignatius, Grand Cayman, hail from Goa. It is frightening and sad to hear of these persecutions.
..........................................................................
It puts the Canadian HRC into perspective.International framework. You could almost align them with the BJP chieftain - setting up the environment for outright persecution. Of course in India, Christianity has never been the predominate culture.
By warped Canadian HRC standards, membership in a 'majority' culture is suspect and deserving of tax funded persecution by gov't agencies.
We are not facing violence, yet. Humiliation and financial ruin are a threatening first act.
'Loss of American Principles'
Star Parker:
"...What's bothering me today, and what I think should bother you, is not only don't we understand exactly what these guys are doing as they play with our economic engine, but few are asking what authority they have to be playing around in there in the first place.
Talking about Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, the Wall Street Journal reports "Today he finds himself in a position of power unmatched by his predecessors. He decides whether Wall Street firms live or die, picking winners and losers with the power of the federal purse."
Somehow the idea of our Treasury Secretary sitting like a Roman emperor, giving a thumbs up or down whether firm A or firm B will live or die, just doesn't wash with the basic principles of how I believe this country is supposed to work.
The "power of the federal purse" is a nice abstract way of saying there is open season on citizens and taxpayers. We are the federal purse.
Somehow we have gotten to the point where we citizens have been written out of the equation of our own country and Constitution. Paulson can decide to commit billions of our money -- you know, what we work for every day, save, and assume we own -- to play lifeguard and we don't even get a courtesy call asking if its okay.
So I ask, is this the disease pretending to be the cure?..."
"...What's bothering me today, and what I think should bother you, is not only don't we understand exactly what these guys are doing as they play with our economic engine, but few are asking what authority they have to be playing around in there in the first place.
Talking about Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, the Wall Street Journal reports "Today he finds himself in a position of power unmatched by his predecessors. He decides whether Wall Street firms live or die, picking winners and losers with the power of the federal purse."
Somehow the idea of our Treasury Secretary sitting like a Roman emperor, giving a thumbs up or down whether firm A or firm B will live or die, just doesn't wash with the basic principles of how I believe this country is supposed to work.
The "power of the federal purse" is a nice abstract way of saying there is open season on citizens and taxpayers. We are the federal purse.
Somehow we have gotten to the point where we citizens have been written out of the equation of our own country and Constitution. Paulson can decide to commit billions of our money -- you know, what we work for every day, save, and assume we own -- to play lifeguard and we don't even get a courtesy call asking if its okay.
So I ask, is this the disease pretending to be the cure?..."
Why Not Indeed, Bill?
Clinton had some interesting comments about Sarah Palin...
"Speaking to reporters before his Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the former president described Palin's appeal by adding, "People look at her, and they say, 'All those kids. Something that happens in everybody's family. I'm glad she loves her daughter and she's not ashamed of her. Glad that girl's going around with her boyfriend. Glad they're going to get married.'"
Clinton said voters would think, "I like that little Down syndrome kid. One of them lives down the street. They're wonderful children. They're wonderful people. And I like the idea that this guy does those long-distance races. Stayed in the race for 500 miles with a broken arm. My kind of guy."
Palin, the governor of Alaska, became an overnight star when Republican presidential candidate John McCain tapped her for his running mate. Her family, including her Down syndrome baby, Trig, her pregnant 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, and her husband, Todd, four-time winner of the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race, have garnered intense media interest.
"I get this," Clinton said. "My view is ... why say, ever, anything bad about a person? Why don't we like them and celebrate them and be happy for her elevation to the ticket? And just say that she was a good choice for him and we disagree with them?"
.....................................................................
Bill CLinton, the gift that keeps on giving.
(h/t and sometimes tea)
"Speaking to reporters before his Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the former president described Palin's appeal by adding, "People look at her, and they say, 'All those kids. Something that happens in everybody's family. I'm glad she loves her daughter and she's not ashamed of her. Glad that girl's going around with her boyfriend. Glad they're going to get married.'"
Clinton said voters would think, "I like that little Down syndrome kid. One of them lives down the street. They're wonderful children. They're wonderful people. And I like the idea that this guy does those long-distance races. Stayed in the race for 500 miles with a broken arm. My kind of guy."
Palin, the governor of Alaska, became an overnight star when Republican presidential candidate John McCain tapped her for his running mate. Her family, including her Down syndrome baby, Trig, her pregnant 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, and her husband, Todd, four-time winner of the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race, have garnered intense media interest.
"I get this," Clinton said. "My view is ... why say, ever, anything bad about a person? Why don't we like them and celebrate them and be happy for her elevation to the ticket? And just say that she was a good choice for him and we disagree with them?"
.....................................................................
Bill CLinton, the gift that keeps on giving.
(h/t and sometimes tea)
DesChamps HRC Stooge Extrordinaire
Jonathan Kay at NP :
"Pierre Deschamps... the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (HRT) adjudicator, became the first jurist in recorded human history to convict someone of racial discrimination for praising visible minorities...Aside from being another advertisement for why we should be closing down Canada’s human-rights commissions, the episode nicely illustrates the absurd lengths to which our society’s elites will now go to demonize Whitey. Used to be that us white males had to actually say or do something racist to get put on the human-rights dock. That criterion has now been downgraded to 'preferred, but negotiable.'... "
(h/t Black Kettle)
Media Frenzy Over 'Born Alive'
All the News (and there's a lot!)over at Jill Stanek , the ORIGINAL Born Alive Warrior!
"40 Days For Life"
This year's '40 Days For Life' campaign starts Wednesday. If you don't live near one of the 170 cities taking part (Halifax and Ottawa in Canada) you can still participate.
Our little homeschool group (us) will be offering up our daily Mass and rosary for the efforts of the campaign, and for the protection of our two islands, Cayman and Prince Edward .
Sometimes, we 'pro-lifers', although we're very intelligent and can write moving articles and have all the right ideas and intentions, we realize anew how desperately we need help from the only One who really can.
9/22/08
"Magical Mystery Tour"
DEAL HUDSON at Inside Catholic:
"Barack Obama's campaign will try to reverse its recent loses among religiously-active voters with a Magical Mystery "Faith Tour." Our friend Doug Kmiec is the one of the featured speakers, along with former Congressman Tim Roemer (who hasn't been heard much lately).
The subtitle of the Faith Tour is "Voting ALL Our Values." Very clever. The real subtitle should be 'Ignoring the Foundation of ALL Values.' "
(h/t ProEcclessia)
"Barack Obama's campaign will try to reverse its recent loses among religiously-active voters with a Magical Mystery "Faith Tour." Our friend Doug Kmiec is the one of the featured speakers, along with former Congressman Tim Roemer (who hasn't been heard much lately).
The subtitle of the Faith Tour is "Voting ALL Our Values." Very clever. The real subtitle should be 'Ignoring the Foundation of ALL Values.' "
(h/t ProEcclessia)
9/21/08
"Elections, Voting , Morality " part 1
"In this election season, questions about voting and morality are naturally under discussion in the Catholic blogosphere and the larger Catholic world. At times, the range of possible answers being proposed and discussed has included some dubious opinions and claims.
There are good reasons not to be thrilled with either of the two major candidates, and it's not surprising that some thoughtful and serious Catholics and others may choose not to vote at all, or to vote for some quixotic third-party candidate as a form of protest against the major candidates.
More surprisingly, some serious Catholics have seemed at times to incline toward the view that, although one of the two major candidates is far less problematic than the other, even the less problematic candidate is still problematic enough to make supporting or voting for either of the two major candidates not only not obligatory, but actually objectively wrong. Rarefied theories regarding the purpose and moral significance of voting have been floated that seem hard to reconcile with Catholic teaching..."
(SDG at JIMMY AKIN )
There are good reasons not to be thrilled with either of the two major candidates, and it's not surprising that some thoughtful and serious Catholics and others may choose not to vote at all, or to vote for some quixotic third-party candidate as a form of protest against the major candidates.
More surprisingly, some serious Catholics have seemed at times to incline toward the view that, although one of the two major candidates is far less problematic than the other, even the less problematic candidate is still problematic enough to make supporting or voting for either of the two major candidates not only not obligatory, but actually objectively wrong. Rarefied theories regarding the purpose and moral significance of voting have been floated that seem hard to reconcile with Catholic teaching..."
(SDG at JIMMY AKIN )
"We The People"
ProLife Quotes:
"The contention between the culture of life and the culture of death is not a battle of our own choosing. We are not the ones who imposed upon the nation the lethal logic that human beings have no rights we are bound to respect if they are too small, too weak, too dependent, too burdensome. That lethal logic, backed by the force of law, was imposed by an arrogant elite that for almost forty years has been telling us to get over it, to get used to it.
But "We the People," who are the political sovereign in this constitutional democracy, have not gotten over it, we have not gotten used to it, and we will never, we will never ever, agree that the culture of death is the unchangeable law of the land."
~ Fr. John Neuhaus, "We Shall not Weary, We Shall not Rest" National Right to Life Convention, July 2008 ~
"The contention between the culture of life and the culture of death is not a battle of our own choosing. We are not the ones who imposed upon the nation the lethal logic that human beings have no rights we are bound to respect if they are too small, too weak, too dependent, too burdensome. That lethal logic, backed by the force of law, was imposed by an arrogant elite that for almost forty years has been telling us to get over it, to get used to it.
But "We the People," who are the political sovereign in this constitutional democracy, have not gotten over it, we have not gotten used to it, and we will never, we will never ever, agree that the culture of death is the unchangeable law of the land."
~ Fr. John Neuhaus, "We Shall not Weary, We Shall not Rest" National Right to Life Convention, July 2008 ~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)