Tale of Two Bishops

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                                 (Archbishop Predergast leading his flock.)

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Archbishop Terrence Prendergast has reaffirmed his support for the National March For Life, despite the probable use of graphic images by some attendees. This comes on the heels of a statement by Archbishop Richard Smith announcing the Alberta bishops boycott of the provincial March For Life, as a protest against the use of graphic images of abortion.

Who is being a true shepherd? Can both be right?

I think if we read the balanced approach of Archbishop Prendergast we recognize that he not only supports lay people and the fight against abortion but also freedom of expression and an openminded approach to advocacy for the unborn. Contrasted with Archbishop Smith's ultimately damaging approach, Ottawa would seem to have a more trusting and trust worthy shepherd.

The Alberta bishops are particularly unhelpful and disappointing. The prolife youth in Alberta have recently been in legal difficulties at the Univ. of Calgary for using graphic images in their advocacy. The Alberta bishops are behaving as if they are too delicate to be able to understand an approach they find personally upsetting. They admit that the organizers of the Alberta MFL have not refused to guarantee no graphic images will be used, but simply cannot guarantee it. Still they boycott. They make a pretense of having serious philosophical problems with the display of graphic images, such that they cannot bear to be associated with them - that it would be WRONG to do so. This is confusing, since they say they are not interfering with the attendance of the March by their flock . Is it wrong or not?

Compared to Archbishop Prendergast's approach, the Alberta bishops look suspiciously like they are being only politically correct. Not wanting to judge the bishops, I admit there's a possibility they are merely being naive. Perhaps they are not aware that their boycott gives power to advocates FOR abortion and will be used against the ecumenical lay efforts of their community. (Can they be so naive?)

Who knows why dioceses of Canada that need particular help with faithfulness, have bishops who bring mixed messages at best.

Let us hope and pray that Canada receives the help of more and more bishops like Archbishop Terrence Prendergast (Ottawa) and Archbishop Thomas Collins (Toronto) - because Canada could surely use an upgrade in Catholic teaching and practice.

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Contrast : Obama vs Boehner - Death vs Life

On the 38th anniversary of the infamous Roe vs Wade decision, President Obama reaffirms his support for abortion, the largest killer of African Americans :

Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protects women's health and reproductive freedom, and affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.
I am committed to protecting this constitutional right. I also remain committed to policies, initiatives, and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption
And on this anniversary, I hope that we will recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.

(via The Clarion Ledger )

Meanwhile, House Speaker John Boehner affirms life :

The cause of life endures today in large part due to the vigilance of all those Americans who, led by Nellie Gray, travel to Washington each year at this time to march and pray for the protection of the unborn. These efforts--aimed at restoring the damage of the Roe decision--must continue. Americans love life as much as we love freedom. These two founding principles are intertwined and form the basis of our national character. Without respect for life, freedom is in jeopardy.

Could there be more of a contrast?

Tomorrow those working together to bring forth life,sustain life,and protect life, will March For Life in Washington, as they have been doing annually since 1974.

If you can't be there to lend your physical support, pray for the end to abortion. Find an hour a week in front of the Blessed Sacrament and deluge Heaven with your petitions. Share your devotion to God's creative power with your family, friends, and neighbours. Support the next '40 Days For Life' in your area. Sponsor a prolife group. Subscribe to Life Media . Help a pregnant teen. Love.

March For Life and Blogs4Life : Success

The Blogs For Life Conference was Great! And so was the March for Life, with 300,000 + participants of all ages and creeds. Inspite of the 'regular' media ignoring this annual event, or , in the case of Newsweek, going out of their way to 'misreport' it, the 'in person' support for the culture of life grows year to year. Hurrah!



Speakers included Jill Stanek, Kristen Day (Democrats for Life), Joseph Farah (WorldNetDaily), Carol Clews (Center for Pregnancy Concerns), Kristin Hansen (CareNet), Marjorie Dannenfelser (Susan B. Anthony List), Charmaine Yoest (Americans United for Life), David Prentice (StemCellResearchFacts.org), Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), Tony Perkins (FRC) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).

An emerging online technologies panel featured Molotov Mitchell(Illuminati Pictures), Peter Shinn (ProLifeUnity.com) and Krystle Weeks(FRC).

In addition, Katie Walker of the American Life League hosted a panel of ALL's Pro-Life Blog Contest Winners

"Thine Eyes"

Trailer with music documenting the 2009 Right to Life March in Washington, D.C.



(h/t argent on the tiber)

President of Change

Can Obama change the future of 1400 pre-born African Americans a day? Or will Barack Obama be known as the President of the 'black genocide'?

LifeSiteNews:

The most well received speech at the March for Life this year was that of an African American pastor from Frederick Maryland. Pastor Luke Robinson began noting that the election of the first African American President of the United States was a fulfillment of “part” of the “Dream” of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr.

Speaking of the inauguration of the “first black President” of the United States, Pastor Robinson explained: “So many African Americans and other folks cried and shouted because the inauguration was part of the deferred dream come true.” But, he added, “we come here to deal with some unfinished business as it relates to the ‘dream’.”

Then, using Barack Obama’s own rhetoric, Pastor Robinson used the phrase “We need change now more than ever” which would accentuate the rest of his talk.

“We are calling on the President of Change, President Barack Obama,” he said, “to be an agent of change as it relates to the lives of over one million children who will be slaughtered in this, his first year as President, by a horrible practice called abortion and ‘a woman’s right to choose’.”

The most striking portion of Robinson’s speech came as he begged Obama not to preside over the genocide of African Americans. “We need change Mr. President because every day about 4000 babies die by abortion. Every day Mr. President, people with your ethnic background any my ethnic background die in astounding numbers. Abortion is the number one killer of African Americans in this country.”

“We make up about 12% of the population and about 34% of all abortions are black babies. In the last 36 years over 17 million African American babies have died by abortion alone. We need to change this picture. We need to stop this slaughter of the innocent preborn.

“Please Mr. President, be that agent of change that can commute the sentence of over 1400 African American children and over 3000 children from other ethnic groups sentenced to die every day in this country by abortion.”

“We need change and we need it now.”

“I pray with so many others,” he said, “that your administration will preside over the end to abortion and to the black genocide in America.”

“At the conclusion of your term in office, may it never be said that you presided over the largest slaughter of innocent children in the history of the country and that African Americans became an ever increasing minority under your hand.”

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50 MILLION AMERICANS GONE MISSING - CNN Didn't Notice

If you were expecting some coverage of the March For Life, you were disappointed. Only the internet is alive. Apparantly the so-called mainstream media doesn't think that hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers gathering in Washington the week of the Inauguration of the MOST PRO DEATH PRESIDENT EVER is news worthy...or they just didn't notice. Probably the latter. They were probably boning up on how to ask the new President questions. (I wish they had learned this earlier, but..)

A nice selection of March For Life photos has been posted at The Corner by Mark Hemingway.

You Tube has 27 videos from the March For Life (so far).

Check EWTN for replays of their live coverage.

Welcome to the 'New World'.

Worth Fighting For

“For you [God] formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet, there were none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!”
(Ps. 139 vs. 13-16)

"Dear [President] Obama, You Are Invited..."

March For Life:

The White House

Washington, DC January 15, 2009

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

I am pleased to extend this invitation from the March for Life Fund Board of Directors and from thousands of prolife Americans as we look forward to the memorable occasion of your inauguration. We request that you come to speak to us at the 36th annual March for Life Rally on Thursday, Noon, January 22, 2009 at the Mall and 4th Street NW...

...Mr. Obama, we hear about genocide in far-off lands, and America is asked to help stop that evil. Certainly America wants to help stop all genocide evil – foreign and domestic. Since the illicit Roe v. Wade, America suffers genocide of an estimated 50,000,000 preborn boys and girls. And, since the March for Life Rally last year, an estimated 1,300,000 preborn humans have been intentionally killed out-of-sight – without coverage by media or a celebrity. An abortion killing site is within walking distance of the White House. As President of all the people, please join us prolifers as we March for Life for love of God, of our born and preborn Neighbors, including abortionists, and of our Country.

Sincerely in Life,

Miss Nellie J. Gray, President

8 Christmas Columns

From eight great writers at LifeSiteNews!



Also, a run-down of the pro-life events surrounding next months 'March For Life' in Washington.