nccatholicsforlife

Now What Will Happen to Baby Joseph?

2011-03-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Listen here to "What Will Happen to Baby Joseph?": An interview of Dr. Martin McCaffrey, a neonatalogist at the University of North Carolina/ Chapel Hill, where he discusses the 'covert' mission to rescue 'Baby Joseph" from a hospital in Ontario, Canada.

At the Consent and Capacity Board hearing in London Ontario, a board created to keep cases out of the superior court in Ontario. The board had three members (an attorney, a community member, and a psychiatrist) and after hearing the lawyers speak they concluded that the family was not acting in the best interest of their 14 month old son Joseph and removed parental rights to decisions for their child and placed it in the hands of the Doctors caring for him in the hospital. During the hearing the most concerning statement was made by the attorney who was appointed by the hospital to represent Baby Joseph and she stated,

" The parents have their own views, opinions, values, and beliefs... To prolong Joseph's life serves them in their needs... (Joseph) he did not have values and beliefs and he could not think... Joseph deserved to have his parents make decisions that put his best interest ahead of their own... that they (the parents) could not base a decision for him (Joseph) on their own needs."

Baby Joseph has been transferred to a Catholic Hospital in St. Louis...

2011-03-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Coverage by foxnews.com

Baby Joseph's Rescue

STATEN ISLAND, March 14, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Under cover of darkness, Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, arrived in Ontario, Canada, Sunday night to rescue Baby Joseph Maraachli from the London Health Sciences Centre. For two weeks, doctors at the hospital in London, Ontario, have been delaying the baby's transfer to a hospital where efforts to save his life will not be officially labeled "futile."

"I knew, after this dragged on day after day, that I needed to be here myself to get Baby Joseph to safety," said Father Pavone. "He needs to be in a hospital that cherishes life over the bottom line. After around-the-clock negotiations, this really became a race against time." Father Pavone was accompanied by Priests for Life staff, who were there to assure the transfer proceeded smoothly.

Baby Joseph and his father, Moe Maraachli, were flown with Father Pavone to SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo., on a specially equipped air ambulance provided by Michigan-based Kalitta Charters, and sponsored and paid for by the New York City-based Priests for Life.

"If there is a chance this boy can live, we have to explore every option," said Father Pavone, who was to arrive back home in New York earlier today after weekend speaking engagements in Cleveland. Instead, he flew to Detroit and then on to Canada, vowing not to leave the country until he had Baby Joseph and his father with him.

"Priests for Life staff toiled through the night for many nights, working in concert with dozens of people to make this possible," Father Pavone said of the nighttime rescue mission. "Now that we have won the battle against the medical bureaucracy in Canada, the real work of saving Baby Joseph can begin."

Father Pavone said Baby Joseph's transfer was accomplished through the efforts of a number of people, including his parents; family spokesman Sam Sansalone; family attorney Claudio Martini; Bobby Schindler of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Dr. Martin McCaffrey, a neonatologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Medical School; the Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, D.C., and attorney CeCe Heil from the American Center for Law and Justice, also in D.C. Father Frank also thanked the many other Canadian pro-life groups and individuals who have been consistent and heroic in their advocacy for Baby Joseph and for all the vulnerable.

"We are united across national boundaries to continue to work together for a Culture of Life," Father Pavone said.

Here is the response of the Hospital...

The medical judgments about Baby Joseph made by LHSC physicians remain unchallenged by any credible medical or legal source. Those judgments remain supported by 9 pediatric specialists in Ontario as well as pediatric specialists in the U.S. and Europe, Ontario's Consent and Capacity Board, and the Superior Court of Ontario, as being in the best interests of Baby Joseph...
LHSC's plan of care did not involve performing a tracheostomy, which is not a palliative procedure. It is an invasive procedure in which a device is installed in a hole cut in the throat. It is frequently indicated for patients who require a long-term breathing machine. This is not, unfortunately, the case with Baby Joseph, because he has a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is fatal.

Pray for Baby Joseph and for his family that the Doctors do not decide when he must die!

2011-03-01T12:24:00.000-08:00

Baby Joseph shown here is in danger from none other than the Neonatologists that are caring for him in a hospital in London, Ontario Canada:

Please pray that the family will be allowed to have a tracheotomy placed so that they may take their son home or another facility will take this baby Joseph to another Medical Facility where they will allow him to be cared for and the parents wishes will be respected as the best judgement for the well being of their child...

See more articles about this case here.

Over 9,000 people have rallied behind the parents through the Facebook page “Save baby Joseph”.

The parents have had to hire an attorney and need help. To make a donation to cover the legal costs please click here.

Pence Amendment Vote

2011-02-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

Please contact your representatives as soon as possible to support H.R. 1 Pence Amendment. This amendment to the Appropriations Bill seeks to de-fund Planned Parenthood. The House is debating this bill currently. Vote is expected very soon, so please consider this an urgent request.

Read the full text of the Pence Amendment here.

Contact your representatives through the NRLC by
clicking here. Enter your zip code.

See Philip Johnson Note here.

Call your Congressman today! See USCCB Bulletin Insert for Sunday...

2010-03-19T06:09:00.001-07:00

To find out more check out these websites:

USCCB BUllETIN Insert for March 11th 2010

Lifesite news article:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/mar/10031505.html

ABC News Gives Rare Attention to High Rate of Abortions on Black Women

2010-02-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

On Monday’s World News on ABC, correspondent Steve Osunsami filed a report that gave rare attention to the high abortion rate among the black population, as he focused on billboards in Atlanta.

They are put up by black members of the pro-life movement as they try to draw attention to the issue.

See more information here

Maafa 21 Film showing at UNC Wed

2010-02-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Maafa 21 is a movie about the black genocide in America.

Here's the link if you want more information. UNC is having a showing of this movie followed by a question and answer with Dr. Johnny Hunter (he was a speaker at the Life Conference) It starts at 6:30 and will go til about 10 this Wednesday, February 24.

No Abortion Coverage with Taxes

2010-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

The vote was tied 3 to 3 (with Webb not voting due to illness)- so for now - elective abortions are NO LONGER covered under Wake County Employee's Health Care plans.

Many thanks to all who spoke before the commissioners today, called, or emailed on this important issue. It is settled for now, but we will have to stay on top of this one in Wake County and others as well.

The room was packed out with Planned Parenthood lobbyists, ACLU attorneys, and NARAL supporters. Thankfully, a good constituency of pro-lifers showed up as well and it was fairly evenly tied in the comments.

You can view the full meeting on video by going here (you can easily fast forward to the abortion discussion once you have downloaded the video, which takes a few minutes).

Also, here are a few links of coverage:

In the News and Observer
http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/news|Sports|Lifestyles/story/48193/county-decision-sparks-abortion-debate
Local ABC station
Local WRAL TV Station (this one is a few days old)

Bishops alert about Textbook change...

2010-02-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Please visit the site below and sign the petition.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh have issued a joint alert due to their concern about some proposed wording for a public school textbook on civic and economics.

The proposed text asserts that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized abortion and struck down state and federal laws that regulated and limited access to abortion, is an example of how the Supreme Court has upheld rights against oppressive
government.

The implication of this proposed text is that opposition to Roe v. Wade is wrong.

http://www.catholicvoicenc.org/

Wake County to vote on Abortion Funding for County Employees

2010-02-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

If you cannot attend Today's Wake County Commissioner Meeting please make a phone call and / or send an email by 12 noon Monday to the following Commissioners and tell them you do NOT want your tax dollars to fund elective abortions for Wake County employees under their insurance plan. This is something we can all do, that can make a real difference.

Lindy Brown’s County phone is 919-856-5576. Her email address is lindy.brown@wakegov.com

Betty Lou Ward’s County phone is 919-856-5566 and her email address is bward@wakegov.com

Harold Webb’s County phone is 919-856-5573 and his email is Harold.Webb@wakegov.com

Stan Norwalk’s County phone is 919-856-5574. His email address is stan.norwalk@wakegov.com

Again:

Tomorrow's meeting will be at 2 pm (get there a few minutes early) in the Wake County Courthouse, 335 S. Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27602 - 7th Floor, Room 700, with a public comment period for citizens to address the Board from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Thanks,
--
Dorothy Yeung,Triangle Right to Life Chair
919-257-9916

Watch the March for Life live on your I Phone or I Touch!

2010-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

Touch here!!!!!

Watch March Live on EWTN

2010-01-22T03:14:00.000-08:00

See here

Virtual March for life!

2010-01-22T03:07:00.000-08:00

Volition a very powerful film...

2010-01-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

You can watch this movie on your computer and then buy it to share with others... here is the link to watch Volition.

Here is an interesting article on the Movie...

Holy Innocents Feast Day...

2009-12-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family and today we celebrate the Holy Innocents, those who were martyred because of an Infant King. Children do change lives and indeed even History... Because of a very special child, the Word made Flesh, a King was roused to order the deaths of many innocent children under the age of two...

Matthew 2:1-18 tells this story: Herod was “greatly troubled” when astrologers from the east came asking the whereabouts of “the newborn king of the Jews,” whose star they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he could also “do him homage.” They found Jesus, offered him their gifts and, warned by an angel, avoided Herod on their way home. Jesus escaped to Egypt.

Herod became furious and “ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under.” The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the mothers and fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah,/sobbing and loud lamentation;/Rachel weeping for her children...” (Matthew 2:18). Rachel was the wife of Jacob/Israel. She is pictured as weeping at the place where the Israelites were herded together by the conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.

Fear resulted in death and it still causes death of innocents today...

Too many are remain in fear an just need Hope a special hope that only a Newborn King can give!

On Christmas of 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. preached...

2009-12-23T06:46:00.001-08:00

the following words: "The next thing we must be concerned about if we are to have peace on earth and good will toward men is the nonviolent affirmation of the sacredness of all human life. Every man is somebody because he is a child of God…Man is more than …whirling electrons or a wisp of smoke …. Man is a child of God, made in His image, and therefore must be respected as such….And when we truly believe in the sacredness of human personality, we won't exploit people, we won't trample over people with the iron feet of oppression, we won't kill anybody."
Listen to the full speech here...

Summarization of Language in the Bill that is incompatible with Catholic Teaching

2009-12-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

Information found on Blogs Compiled to summarize the Death language in the new Senate Bill...

I. Abortion

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care bill includes pro-abortion language that mirrors the Capps Amendment from the original House health care bill. The bill:

Allows the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to require coverage of any and all abortions through the community health insurance (public) option (as long as an accounting mechanism ensures that federal funds do not directly pay for abortions) (Section 1303(a)(1)(C));
Allows states to require the coverage of all abortions in a community health insurance option in the state (as long as an accounting mechanism ensures that federal funds do not directly pay for abortions) (Section 1303(a)(1)(C)(2));
Requires that a plan that covers abortion be available in every insurance market (Section 1303(a)(1)(D)(i)(I), (ii)(II));
Creates new federal subsidies for private insurance plans that include abortion coverage (Section 1303(a)(2)).
As with the Capps amendment, the Senate bill purports to segregate federal funds from the portion of the premiums that individuals pay towards their health insurance. Only the portion that individuals directly pay may go towards abortion. However, this does not change the fact that the bill allows the federal government to subsidize private insurance plans that include abortion coverage and that the public option will ultimately cover elective abortions.

The Senate bill also states that funds provided for school-based clinics cannot be used for abortions (Sec. 399Z-1(f)(1)(b)) and that school-based clinics are defined as not providing abortions (Sec. 399Z-1(a)(3)(C)). However, these provisions do not prohibit abortion referrals.

On December 3, 2009, the Senate passed the Mikulski amendment. The Mikulski amendment, in pertinent part, requires group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance to provide coverage for and not impose cost sharing requirements on “preventive care” for women “as provided for in comprehensive guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).”

While this amendment does not explicitly require abortion coverage, it also fails to explicitly exclude it. The HRSA could categorize abortion as “preventive care,” and would therefore recommend coverage for abortion by all private plans. The recommendation would force private plans to offer abortion coverage, furthering the abortion lobby’s agenda of mainstreaming abortion as health care.

On December 8, 2009, the Senate voted to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey amendment that would have stricken the Capps language from the Senate bill and added language mirroring the Stupak-Pitts amendment in the House. For more information on the Nelson-Hatch-Casey amendment, please see the Summary of the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment.

II. Conscience

The Senate bill provides:

“No individual health care provider or health care facility may be discriminated against because of a willingness or an unwillingness, if doing so is contrary to the religious or moral beliefs of the provider or facility, to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.” (Section 1303(a)(3)).

While H.R. 3962 includes conscience protection that mirrors existing law, i.e., the clear protections for those who oppose abortion provided through the Hyde/Weldon conscience amendment (which must be added to an appropriations bill annually), the Senate language is insufficient. Under section 1303(a)(3), insurance plans cannot refuse to contract with abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, on the basis that they provide abortions.

The Senate bill also provides that there will be no preemption of federal laws on conscience, willingness or refusal to provide abortions, or discrimination on the basis of willingness or refusal to provide abortions (Section 1303(b)(2)). However, it fails to explicitly protect state laws on the right of conscience.

III. Rationing of Care

The Senate health care reform bill contains several provisions that relate directly to comparative effectiveness research (CER).

Provisions in Bill

Section 6301 of the Reid bill establishes the “Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute” (the Institute) to evaluate the risks and benefits of two or more medical treatments, services or items. The Institute will be a private, nonprofit corporation (unlike under the House bill in which the CER entity is housed in the Department of Health and Human Services). The Reid bill authorizes and appropriates funds to a Trust Fund for the Institute. The Institute has the authority to contract out for research, but the Reid bill specifies that contract priority should be awarded to the federal government.

The Institute presents serious concerns that the federal government could misuse results of CER to deny or ration care.

The Reid bill specifies that research conducted by the Institute should be designed to take into account “the potential for differences in the effectiveness of health care treatments, services, and items as used with various subpopulations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, women, age, and groups of individuals with different comorbidities, genetic and molecular sub-types, or quality of life preferences and include members of such subpopulations as subjects in the research.”

In 8(A)(iv) of the section governing the CER Institute, the bill specifies that “The Institute shall ensure that the research findings not be construed as mandates for practice guidelines, coverage recommendations, payment, or policy recommendations.” However, rather than a prohibition against misuse of CER data, this provision merely instructs the Institute to ensure that its findings will not be construed in a certain manner.

Later in the section in part (j), the bill states that “Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Institute to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer.” However, again, this prohibition simply prohibits the Institute from using CER data in a certain manner and does not actually prevent the misuse of CER data by other agents of the federal government.

Once again, in the CER section, the bill states that all “materials, forums and media used to disseminate” CER findings should “not be construed as mandates, guidelines, or recommendations for payment, coverage, or treatment.” This statement however does not prohibit the use of CER findings in determining payment or coverage decisions.

In addition to the above, (insufficient) limitations, the bill adds a separate section called “Limitations on Certain Uses of Comparative Effectiveness Research.” Under this section, the Secretary of HHS may not deny coverage solely on the basis of comparative clinical effectiveness research. However, this would not prohibit a federal government agency from using the results of CER in conjunction with other factors, such as cost effectiveness, to deny and ration care.

The section further prohibits the Secretary from using the “evidence or findings from CER in determining coverage, reimbursement, or incentive programs in a manner that treats extending the life of an elderly, disabled, or terminally ill individual as of lower value than extending the life of an individual who is younger, nondisabled, or not terminally ill. It is important to note that this does not prohibit denial of care or use of CER to make reimbursement decisions as long as the decisions apply equally to all individuals.

On the other hand, the subsequent paragraph specifically allows the Secretary to use CER evidence and findings to help extend an individual’s life, when issues such as the individual’s age, disability, or terminal illness are present. In addition, the Secretary may not use the findings to “preclude”, or “discourage” an individual’s choice of health care treatment.

Finally, the bill specifies that the Institute “shall not develop or employ a dollars-per-quality adjusted life year (or similar measure that discounts the value of a life because of an individual’s disability) as a threshold to establish what type of health care is cost effective or recommended. The Secretary shall not utilize such an adjusted life year (or such a similar measure) as a threshold to determine coverage, reimbursement, or incentive programs.”

Taken as a whole, there is a concern that CER findings could be used to deny or ration health care, and will continue to closely monitor the issue.

CER Amendments

On Dec 1, 2009, Senator Mikulski (D-MD) offered an amendment which would expand the authority of the federal government to further impose health decisions on patients and doctors. The Mikulski amendment adds a broad category of care – women’s health – over which a government-run entity (this time the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)) could exercise authority. Under the Mikulski amendment, HRSA would have the authority to establish mandatory preventive care services for women which would become requirements for all private health plans. While having preventive health care for women is a great end, having a government bureaucracy rather than a patient’s own physician determine the path to preventive care is the wrong means. On December 3, 2009, the amendment was added to the Senate bill by a vote of 61-39.

As an answer to the Mikulski amendment, Senator Murkowski (R-AK) offered her own amendment on Dec. 2, 2009. The Murkowski amendment would also ensure that women receive preventive health services, but authorizes physicians, rather than the government or an insurance company to determine which preventive services are appropriate. Further, the Murkowski amendment also addresses the larger concern of misuse of comparative effectiveness data. The amendment explicitly prohibits the government from using data obtained from the conduct of comparative effectiveness research to deny coverage of an item or service under either private or government-run insurance. On December 3, 2009, the Murkowski amendment was defeated by a vote of 41-59.

IV. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

The Senate bill includes a prohibition on discrimination against health care providers who do not want to participate in assisted suicide. The bill provides that the federal government, any state or local government, any health care provider that receives federal dollars under this act, or any health plan created under this act:

“may not subject an individual or institutional health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the entity does not provide any health care item or service furnished for the purpose of causing, or for the purpose of assisting in causing, the death of any individual, such as by assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing.”

This is a positive provision. However, its effect should not be overstated. The provision prohibits discrimination against health care providers on the basis that they refuse to conduct an activity that is illegal in all but two states. In the vast majority of states it should be clear that such discrimination is prohibited, because the underlying activity is prohibited.

Conscience protections for health care providers in states that have legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia are necessary, but they only partially address the end-of-life concerns in health care reform legislation. Even where states have legalized assisted suicide or euthanasia, the practices are not health care and their funding and promotion should be explicitly prohibited in any federal health care legislation. The Senate bill lacks that clear prohibition.

Section 1323 (F) raises another concern. The provision prohibits a community health insurance option from “limiting access to end of life care.” Protecting access to true care for those at the end-of-life is commendable. However, the section does not define “end of life care.” Without a prohibition on federal funding of assisted suicide and a clear definition of assisted suicide and euthanasia, this provision may be interpreted to require insurance to provide “access” to these practices in states that legally consider them “end of life care.”

“End of life care” must be defined to exclude assisted suicide and euthanasia. Furthermore, assisted suicide should be clearly defined to avoid the same loophole that exists in the bill passed by the House (in Washington and Oregon a prohibition on funding or promoting “assisted suicide” is ineffective because both states’ laws define what they have legalized to be something other than assisted suicide). The Senate bill needs to explicitly prohibit the promotion of, and use of federal dollars for, the practice of intentionally causing or assisting in causing death.

‘ABORTION COMPROMISE’ DOES NOT ADDRESS CORE PROBLEM IN SENATE HEALTH BILL, SAYS CARDINAL DINARDO, BISHOPS’ PRO-LIFE CHAIR

2009-12-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

‘Compromise’ would make citizens pay for others’ abortions
Senate should mirror House of Representative’s Hyde amendment language
Bill doesn’t meet goals of affordability, fairness to legal immigrants, protection of life

CARDINAL DINARDO

Read more Here!

“We continue to oppose and urge others to oppose the Senate bill unless and until this fundamental failure is remedied. And whatever the immediate outcome in the Senate, we will continue to work for health care reform which truly protects the life, dignity, conscience and health of all. As the bishops have said many times, ‘providing affordable and accessible health care that clearly reflects these fundamental principles is a public good, moral imperative and urgent national priority.’ In particular we will work vigorously to ensure that the substance of the House’s provision on abortion funding is included in final legislation. A special debt of gratitude is owed to House and Senate members, especially Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who have placed their votes and reputation on the line to stand up for unborn children. Making this legislation consistent with longstanding federal law on abortion will not threaten needed authentic reform, but will help ensure its passage."

CARDINAL DINARDO

Read the Letter from Cardinal Dinardo to the Senate here...

2009-12-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh, and Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte, addressed the following letter to Catholics in North Carolina:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
On December 7, U.S. Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA), submitted an amendment to the Senate version of H.R. 3590, the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” This amendment, similar to the “Stupak Amendment” that received bipartisan support in the U.S. House and was approved, ensures that no citizen who opposes abortion will be forced to pay for other people’s abortions in federally subsidized plans. This reflects longstanding present law that prohibits federal abortion funding. It does not prevent individuals from purchasing abortion coverage using private plans.
The U.S. Senate is scheduled to debate and vote on this issue as early as this week. We urge you to contact Senator Richard Burr and Senator Kay Hagan using the link provided here and ask them to vote in favor of the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment.
We are most grateful for your assistance on this matter of grave importance.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge
Bishop of Raleigh
Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Bishop of Charlotte

Couple to Couple League Makes it easier to sign up for NFP classes!

2009-11-30T11:51:00.000-08:00

The Couple to Couple League has now made finding and registering for a Natural Family Planning class even easier. Couples simply go to www.ccli.org and search for upcoming classes in their area. They will find a list of class dates along with the teachers' name, class location and time. Then, they simply register and pay online. What a blessing for both teachers and students!

SPUC victory in Northern Ireland abortion case

2009-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

See Here for more details in the Irish Times:

History Below...

Legal abortion rate in Northern Ireland

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

Almost two babies a week are aborted legally in Northern Ireland, it has been revealed.

The number of operations for pregnant mothers risking their life or mental well-being increased over the last five years, figures released in the Assembly said.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children is seeking a High Court declaration that the Government guidance does not properly set out the law.

“Abortion is an act which is meant to destroy the life of a child,” development officer Liam Gibson said.

“It is a fatal form of child abuse and clearly we are not helping women.”

Audrey Simpson, director of the Family Planning Association in Northern Ireland, said it was insulting to women to accuse them of child abuse.

There were 92 abortions in 2007/2008 in Northern Ireland.

Read more: Here!

Today SPUC wins judgement to keep Abortion illegal in Northern Ireland!!!

Belfast, 30 November 2009 - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has commented on today's judgment by the Belfast high court on the application for a judicial review of government abortion guidance, sought by SPUC.

Lord Justice Girvan ruled in favour of SPUC's challenge on two grounds. SPUC argued that because abortion remains illegal in Northern Ireland, it was wrong to expect medical providers to give non-directive counselling to women who might be considering abortion. SPUC also argued that the government's guidance was wrong regarding non-participation in abortion (conscientious objection). The judge ruled in favour of SPUC on these points. The judge awarded costs against the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Liam Gibson of SPUC Northern Ireland commented: "We are very pleased that the court has highlighted some of the problems with the health department's abortion guidance. We hope that the department will now take seriously many of the concerns which were largely disregarded when the guidelines were being drafted.

"Abortion is not health care. In Northern Ireland it is a criminal offence. It is simply extraordinary that a government department should have issued guidance on criminal legislation and not have once mentioned the victim of the crime. In illegal abortion the primary victim is the unborn child and any new guidance that the department brings forward needs to take fully into account the duty of care and the legal protection owed to the child before birth.

"Abortion doesn't only kill children it also hurts women. There is a huge amount of evidence that abortion can damage the physical and mental health of women. If the department is serious about providing aftercare for women hurt by abortion then health officials cannot continue to ignore the evidence of post-abortion trauma. More needs to be done to warn women of the consequences of abortion but there has to be more help for women facing a crisis pregnancy as well.

"The law in Northern Ireland protects both women and children and new guidance must reflect that", concluded Mr Gibson.

Letter from Cardinal Ratzinger to Cardinal McCarrick and Bishop Gregory about Catholic Politicians and Communion...

2009-11-29T22:31:00.000-08:00

From a confidential letter sent by Cardinal Ratzinger to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Bishop Wilton Gregory during the first half of June stating

"no eucharistic communion for the politicians who systematically campaign for abortion."

Catholic politician who would vote for

"permissive abortion and euthanasia laws"

after being duly instructed and warned,

"must"

be denied Communion.
[full text]
Publisher & Date:
L'espresso, June 2004

From the Catechism:

2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

A Healthcare Problem Washington May Have Missed

2009-11-29T22:18:00.000-08:00

Article from First Things Magazine
Nov 6, 2009
Bishop James D. Conley

With more than 620 Catholic hospitals serving the public around the United States, hundreds of Catholic medical clinics and shelters, and even a few Catholic-affiliated medical schools, Catholics have a keen interest in healthcare reform. That interest isn’t new. It’s rooted in experience, including the experience of trying to help people with little or no health insurance at all. For decades, the U.S. bishops have pushed for an overhaul of our nation’s healthcare industry and the way it delivers its services. Why? Because the Church sees access to basic health care as a right and a social responsibility, not a privilege.

But Catholic support for the general principle of reform does not bind anyone to endorse a specific piece of legislation. God gave us brains for a reason, to think; and we need to use them, because the practical and moral problems we face on the way to good healthcare reform are as formidable as the goal is admirable. This is why the U.S. bishops’ conference has tried so diligently for the past three months to work with Congress and the White House in seeking sound compromise legislation. As of November 5, all those efforts have failed.

The bishops have a few simple but important priorities.

First, everyone should have access to basic health care, including immigrants. The Church would hope to see that access broadened as widely as possible. But at a minimum, it should include those immigrants who live and work in the United States legally. Second, reform should respect the dignity of every person, from conception to natural death. This means that the elderly and persons with disabilities must be treated with special care and sensitivity. It also means that abortion and abortion funding should be excluded from any reform plan, no matter how adroitly the abortion funding is masked. Whatever one thinks about its legality, abortion has nothing to do with advancing human “health,” and a large number of Americans regard it as a gravely wrong act of violence, not only against unborn children but also against women.

Third, real healthcare reform needs to include explicit, ironclad conscience protections for medical professionals and institutions so that they cannot be forced to violate their moral convictions. Fourth—and this is so obvious it sometimes goes unstated—any reform must be economically realistic and financially sustainable. We can’t help anyone, including ourselves, if we’re insolvent. If we commit ourselves to health services, then we need to have the will and the ability to really pay for them. That’s a moral issue, not simply a practical one.

Note that these priorities do not attack the constitutional status of abortion. That’s a different battle. Nor do they take anything away from people who regard themselves as pro-choice. But they do protect the rights of the many, many citizens who see abortion as tragic and evil, and refuse to be implicated in supporting it.

Given the broad Catholic support for some kind of comprehensive healthcare reform, the historic links of the Democratic Party to the Catholic community, and the party’s total control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, the reform legislation actually moving through Congress as I write these comments on November 5 is not only inadequate and baffling, but insulting and dangerous.

With the exception of a few leaders, like Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak, Congress has ignored or rejected every attempt at resolving the serious concerns voiced by the bishops—or alternately, has pushed solutions like the Capps Amendment that do not solve the problems, and even create new ones. The White House has done nothing to intervene. “Common ground” thinking in Washington apparently has more reality as public relations than as public policy. And as a result, all of the main healthcare reform proposals in Congress, including the huge, 2,000-page merged House bill, are fatally flawed. Unless they are immediately and adequately amended, they need to be opposed and defeated.

For all of Congress’ public talk about “consensus building” and “consensus health care,” Washington has proved once again that hearing loss can be job-related. Most American Catholics, from people in the pews to pastors and bishops, want healthcare reform to work. But too many people in Washington don’t know how to listen, or don’t want to listen, or just don’t care.

James D. Conley, S.T.L., is the auxiliary bishop of Denver.

Prayer and Fasting needed now!

2009-11-21T14:08:00.000-08:00

Novena Prayer Vigil for “One Nation under God”
at Our Lady of Lourdes
Adoration Chapel
2718 Overbrook Dr
Raleigh, NC
Sat Nov 21st- Sun Nov 29th 6-7 pm every evening
except Thanksgiving day
Meet for 8:00am Mass
At Sacred Heart Cathedral
(Will stay after mass in Cathedral or
Go to OLL Adoration Chapel TBD)

Regarding the Senate Bill:

The USCCB “Bishops are first moral teachers and we have insisted from the beginning that health care reform must protect the life, dignity, and health of all… We cannot support a bill that conflicts with our deeply held moral commitment to the protection of all life, from conception to natural death. The Catholic Bishops have long supported health care coverage for all and do not want to have to oppose legislation… but we will have no choice but to do so if our essential moral criteria are not met.”

(From the USCCB Nationwide Bulletin Insert Pulpit Announcements & Prayer Petition Found here.)
This is what Pope John Paul II said in his Papal Encyclical Evangelium vitae:

Jesus Himself Has Shown Us By His Own Example That Prayer And Fasting Are The First And Most Effective Weapons Against The Forces Of Evil (Cf. Mt 4:1-11). As He Taught His Disciples, Some Demons Cannot Be Driven Out Except In This Way (Cf. Mk 9:29). Let Us Therefore Discover Anew The Humility And The Courage To Pray And Fast So That Power From On High Will Break Down The Walls Of Lies And Deceit: The Walls Which Conceal From The Sight Of So Many Of Our Brothers And Sisters The Evil Of Practices And Laws Which Are Hostile To Life. May This Same Power Turn Their Hearts To Resolutions And Goals Inspired By The Civilization Of Life And Love. (Pope John Paul II Evangelium vitae, 100)

Bishops' Conference Officials Voice Disappointment In Senate Finance Committee Health Care Vote

2009-11-20T21:29:00.000-08:00

USCCB News Release

09-204
October 14, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bishops' Conference Officials Voice Disappointment In Senate Finance Committee Health Care Vote

Spokespersons for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voiced disappointment in the Senate Finance Committee vote to approve its health care reform bill without first fixing problematic provisions.

On October 8, the bishops chairing the USCCB committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Pro-Life Activities, and Migration wrote to Congress that the bishops would have no choice but to oppose a final health care bill that fails to address key concerns and noted:

Policies against abortion funding and in support of conscience rights must be in the bill.
Health care should be affordable and available to the poor and vulnerable.
The needs of legal immigrants and their families should be met.
Kathy Saile, Director of the USCCB Office of Domestic Social Development, said: “We remain hopeful that problematic provisions in the bills, particularly the Senate Finance Committee bill, can be worked out. But time is running short and if the provisions are not fixed, the bishops have been clear that they will have no choice but to oppose a final bill. The stated purpose of pursuing health care reform was to provide those without health care coverage access to quality and affordable health care. There is real doubt that this bill will achieve that goal.”

Richard Doerflinger, Associate Director of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said, “No current health care bill approved by committee is consistent with longstanding and widely supported federal policies on abortion and conscience rights. Contrary to recent misleading comments from some sources, this and other health care reform bills appropriate their own funds outside the scope of the annual Labor/HHS appropriations bills, and so are not covered by the Hyde amendment that prevents those bills from funding abortion coverage. This legislation needs its own provision against such funding."

Kevin Appleby, USCCB Director of Migration and Refugee Policy, said, "If the goal of health-care reform is to reduce significantly the number of uninsured, the Senate bill falls well short. As passed out of the Finance Committee, millions of legal immigrants and their families would be left outside the system, dependent on emergency rooms for their primary care."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has advocated for health care reform for decades. The bishops wrote in their October 8 letter that “Catholic moral tradition teaches that health care is a basic human right, essential to protecting human life and dignity. Much-needed reform of our health care system must be pursued in ways that serve the life and dignity of all, never in ways that undermine or violate these fundamental values. We will work tirelessly to remedy these central problems and help pass real reform that clearly protects the life, dignity and health of all.”

The full text of the letter can be found online at: www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-10-08-healthcare-letter-congress.pdf
---

Keywords: health care reform, abortion, Hyde Amendment, conscience protection, conscience rights, Richard Doerflinger, Kathy Saile, Kevin Appleby, domestic social justice, immigration, legal immigrants, affordability, Senate Finance Committee, USCCB, U.S. bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Bishops approve revised directives on withdrawal of food, water

2009-11-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

Bishops approve revised directives on withdrawal of food, water

By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
Catholic News Service

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- The U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a revision to the directives that guide Catholic health care facilities, clarifying that patients with chronic conditions who are not imminently dying should receive food and water by "medically assisted" means if they cannot take them normally.

"In principle, there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water, including medically assisted nutrition and hydration for those who cannot take food orally," says the revised text of the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services" prepared by the U.S. bishops' Committee on Doctrine.

"This obligation extends to patients in chronic and presumably irreversible conditions (e.g., the 'persistent vegetative state') who can reasonably be expected to live indefinitely if given such care," the new text adds.

The vote was 219-4 in favor of the revision Nov. 17, the second day of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops fall general assembly in Baltimore.

Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., chairman of the bishops' Committee on Doctrine, said the changes would help bishops to be "teachers of the faith," medical practitioners to "follow the appropriate medical protocols" and "our people when they face these difficult decisions" for themselves or their loved ones.

Deleted from the directives was a reference to "the necessary distinctions between questions already resolved by the magisterium and those requiring further reflection, as, for example, the morality of withdrawing medically assisted hydration and nutrition from a person who is in the condition that is recognized by physicians as the 'persistent vegetative state.'"

The only substantive debate on the revised directives was about whether to use the term "permanent vegetative state" or "persistent vegetative state" in the document.

The committee initially accepted a recommendation from Archbishop Jerome G. Hanus of Dubuque, Iowa, to change the word from "persistent" to "permanent," but later reversed itself. When the archbishop brought the matter to the floor of the bishops' meeting, asking for a return to "permanent vegetative state," the proposal lost by a vote of 34-186, with one abstention.

In presenting the revised text Nov. 16, Bishop Lori said the directives, last revised in 2001, "were written long before" Pope John Paul II's March 2004 address to an international conference on "Life-Sustaining Treatments and the Vegetative State" and the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's August 2007 reply to questions raised by the USCCB on artificial nutrition and hydration.

The current directives based their teaching on documents by "some state Catholic conferences, individual bishops and the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities," the bishop noted.

Bishop Lori said the changes were needed "particularly since the recent clarifications by the Holy See have rendered untenable certain positions that have been defended by some Catholic theologian and ethicists."

Some Catholic ethicists had argued that, because doctors consider a persistent vegetative state irreversible, artificial nutrition and hydration can be withdrawn from those patients.

Much of the ethical discussion of the nutrition and hydration question in recent years has focused on the case of Terri Schindler Schiavo, a brain-damaged Florida woman whose husband successfully fought for the right to discontinue her feeding tube. Schiavo died March 31, 2005, 13 days after doctors withdrew nutrition and hydration.

"While medically assisted nutrition and hydration are not morally obligatory in certain cases, these forms of basic care should in principle be provided to all patients who need them, including patients diagnosed as being in a 'persistent vegetative state,' because even the most severely debilitated and helpless patient retains the full dignity of a human person and must receive ordinary and proportionate care," the revised directives read.

"Medically assisted nutrition and hydration become morally optional when they cannot reasonably be expected to prolong life or when they would be 'excessively burdensome for the patient or (would) cause significant physical discomfort, for example resulting from complications in the use of the means employed,'" they add. "For instance, as a patient draws close to inevitable death from an underlying progressive and fatal condition, certain measures to provide nutrition and hydration may become excessively burdensome and therefore not obligatory in light of their very limited ability to prolong life or provide comfort."

The new text also deletes a reference to hydration and nutrition not being morally obligatory "when they cannot be assimilated by a person's body," replacing it with the "significant physical discomfort" language.

The revision was drawn up in collaboration with the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities and in consultation with the Task Force on Health Care Issues, Catholic Health Association, Catholic Medical Association, National Catholic Bioethics Center and National Catholic Partnership on Disability, Bishop Lori said.

Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who is CHA president and CEO, said in a Nov. 18 statement that the revised directive on medically assisted nutrition and hydration "does not offer new teaching but rather reflects existing church teaching which Catholic health care facilities have already incorporated into their practice."

"While upholding the general obligation to provide nutrition and hydration to patients, the revised directive also makes critical distinctions regarding their use," she added. "It does not state that all patients must always be provided with medically administered nutrition and hydration."

Act Now!! Important vote tonight!!

2009-11-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released his 2,074 page version of the Senate health care reform bill -- at an estimated price of $890 BILLION.

MSNBC reported Thursday morning that the Senate bill "would allow the new government insurance plan to cover abortions and would let companies that receive federal funds offer insurance plans that include abortion coverage."

Tonight Saturday evening November 21st at 8:00 pm in a special session of the senate there will be a vote on "Cloture" – which would cut off debate on the 2,074 page Health Care Bill and force the bill to the Senate floor.
The Health Care Reform debate is too important to be shut down at this time.

Call your Senators tonight! This is THE VOTE, as 60 votes can invoke "Cloture" on the health care reform bill. If that passes, only a simple majority will be needed to ram through the entire health care bill -- even if it still includes government funded abortion. The status quo since 1973 is that the government does not pay for abortions due to the Hyde Amendment.

Now it's time to act! Contact your two U.S. Senators
TODAY and tell them:

"Unless any health care bill includes the Stupak-
Pitts language -- at a BARE MINIMUM -- a vote for
Cloture is a vote for government funded abortion!"

Here is the contact information for the NC U.S. Senators:

Contact Senator Kay Hagan
Phone: 919-856-4630 or 877-852-9462
Fax: 919-856-4053

Contact Senator Richard Burr
Phone: 202-224-3154
Fax: 202-228-2981

Stupak Amendment Factsheet

2009-11-16T14:36:00.000-08:00

USCCB PDF explaining the Stupak amendment...

Live streaming of the Bishops Conference Watch Below...

2009-11-16T11:25:00.001-08:00

Maafa21 Dr. Johnny Hunter speaks about this new movie!

2009-11-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

What does Dread Scott and Roe V Wade have in common? Learn more Click here and watch the following clip. Consider bringing this movie to your home or group...
Genocide. In the 21st century. In America.
Maafa, Swahili for 'great disaster' or 'tragedy', refers to the time when a people in the US lived by blood, sweat, flesh, and torment, forced into slavery by the elite of the nation. Maafa refers to a time when people were valued as property and treated as subhuman. Maafa 21 tells of the time in which this subhuman treatment continued: the 21st century. It tells how when slavery ended, elites in the US decided that black people had no place in America. It tells how they tried to eliminate a people.

See what Dr. Hunter has to say about this...

Unborn Child Was Fort Hood Shooting's 14th Victim, Obama Should Prosecute

2009-11-16T10:36:00.000-08:00

Pastors Group Wants 14th Murder Charge Against Accused Fort Hood Gunman
An organization that represents local pastor councils through Texas wants a 14th murder charge filed against accused Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan in the death of the unborn infant of Pvt. Francheska Velez, who was killed in the Nov. 5 rampage.
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HOUSTON (November 14, 2009)—The interracial interdenominational Texas Pastor Council is calling on military prosecutors to file a 14th premeditated murder charge against accused Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan for the death of the unborn infant of Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, who was pregnant when she died in the Nov. 5 rampage.

Hasan was charged Thursday with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Center. Velez, who was assigned to Fort Hood’s 15th Combat Support Battalion, had just returned from her deployment in Iraq and was preparing to return home to Chicago because of her pregnancy.

“We now know that murder victim Pvt. Francheska Velez was pregnant and in the eyes of God, our nation and the laws of Texas her child was also a murder victim so should be treated as such,” the group said in a statement issued Friday.

"We join the call by others to elevate the count of murder victims to 14 as required under the Texas Unborn Victims of Violence Act adopted by the state legislature and signed into law in 2003,” the group said. “Every one of those murdered or injured by this terrorist deserves full justice, including Pvt. Velez's child who will never run, play or be held by his or her mother,” the group said. 14th Victim of the Ft. Hood Shooting unborn child....read here

Change of Heart Video of Planned Parenthood director turned Pro Life

2009-11-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

Watch Video Here and learn about what Planned Parenthood does on the inside...

Cardinal George Lauds House Action to Ban Federal Funds for Abortion; Promises Vigilance as Senate Pursues Health Care Reform, Wary for Poor & elderly

2009-11-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

Cardinal George USCCB News Release HERE...

Bishop Tobin to Kennedy: “Your position is unacceptable to the Church…”

2009-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

From the Rhode Island Catholic In response to Rep Kennedy's statement on Health Care and the USCCB... see here the remarks of Rep Kennedy

Dear Congressman Kennedy:

“The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.” (Congressman Patrick Kennedy)

Since our recent correspondence has been rather public, I hope you don’t mind if I share a few reflections about your practice of the faith in this public forum. I usually wouldn’t do that – that is speak about someone’s faith in a public setting – but in our well-documented exchange of letters about health care and abortion, it has emerged as an issue. I also share these words publicly with the thought that they might be instructive to other Catholics, including those in prominent positions of leadership.

For the moment I’d like to set aside the discussion of health care reform, as important and relevant as it is, and focus on one statement contained in your letter of October 29, 2009, in which you write, “The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.” That sentence certainly caught my attention and deserves a public response, lest it go unchallenged and lead others to believe it’s true. And it raises an important question: What does it mean to be a Catholic?

“The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.” Well, in fact, Congressman, in a way it does. Although I wouldn’t choose those particular words, when someone rejects the teachings of the Church, especially on a grave matter, a life-and-death issue like abortion, it certainly does diminish their ecclesial communion, their unity with the Church. This principle is based on the Sacred Scripture and Tradition of the Church and is made more explicit in recent documents.

For example, the “Code of Canon Law” says, “Lay persons are bound by an obligation and possess the right to acquire a knowledge of Christian doctrine adapted to their capacity and condition so that they can live in accord with that doctrine.” (Canon 229, #1)

The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” says this: “Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles, ‘He who hears you, hears me,’ [Inspired Word of God.] the faithful receive with docility the teaching and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.” (#87)

Or consider this statement of the Church: “It would be a mistake to confuse the proper autonomy exercised by Catholics in political life with the claim of a principle that prescinds from the moral and social teaching of the Church.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2002)

There’s lots of canonical and theological verbiage there, Congressman, but what it means is that if you don’t accept the teachings of the Church your communion with the Church is flawed, or in your own words, makes you “less of a Catholic.”

But let’s get down to a more practical question; let’s approach it this way: What does it mean, really, to be a Catholic? After all, being a Catholic has to mean something, right?

Well, in simple terms – and here I refer only to those more visible, structural elements of Church membership – being a Catholic means that you’re part of a faith community that possesses a clearly defined authority and doctrine, obligations and expectations. It means that you believe and accept the teachings of the Church, especially on essential matters of faith and morals; that you belong to a local Catholic community, a parish; that you attend Mass on Sundays and receive the sacraments regularly; that you support the Church, personally, publicly, spiritually and financially.

Congressman, I’m not sure whether or not you fulfill the basic requirements of being a Catholic, so let me ask: Do you accept the teachings of the Church on essential matters of faith and morals, including our stance on abortion? Do you belong to a local Catholic community, a parish? Do you attend Mass on Sundays and receive the sacraments regularly? Do you support the Church, personally, publicly, spiritually and financially? In your letter you say that you “embrace your faith.” Terrific. But if you don’t fulfill the basic requirements of membership, what is it exactly that makes you a Catholic? Your baptism as an infant? Your family ties? Your cultural heritage?

Your letter also says that your faith “acknowledges the existence of an imperfect humanity.” Absolutely true. But in confronting your rejection of the Church’s teaching, we’re not dealing just with “an imperfect humanity” – as we do when we wrestle with sins such as anger, pride, greed, impurity or dishonesty. We all struggle with those things, and often fail.

Your rejection of the Church’s teaching on abortion falls into a different category – it’s a deliberate and obstinate act of the will; a conscious decision that you’ve re-affirmed on many occasions. Sorry, you can’t chalk it up to an “imperfect humanity.” Your position is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your communion with the Church.

Congressman Kennedy, I write these words not to embarrass you or to judge the state of your conscience or soul. That’s ultimately between you and God. But your description of your relationship with the Church is now a matter of public record, and it needs to be challenged. I invite you, as your bishop and brother in Christ, to enter into a sincere process of discernment, conversion and repentance. It’s not too late for you to repair your relationship with the Church, redeem your public image, and emerge as an authentic “profile in courage,” especially by defending the sanctity of human life for all people, including unborn children. And if I can ever be of assistance as you travel the road of faith, I would be honored and happy to do so.

Sincerely yours,

Thomas J. Tobin

Bishop of Providence

Happy feast of Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

2009-11-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

TODAY'S SAINT

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Feast: November 9
Information:
Feast Day:
November 9
Mass of Possession of the Chair: St. John Lateran Basilica
Pope Benedict XVI
This is the oldest, and ranks first among the four great "patriarchal" basilicas of Rome. The site was, in ancient times, occupied by the palace of the family of the Laterani. A member of this family, P. Sextius Lateranus, was the first plebian to attain the rank of consul. In the time of Nero, another member of the family, Plautius Lateranus, at the time consul designatus was accused of conspiracy against the emperor, and his goods were confiscated. Juvenal mentions the palace, and speaks of it as being of some magnificence, "regiæ ædes Lateranorum". Some few remains of the original buildings may still be traced in the city walls outside the Gate of St. John, and a large hall decorated with paintings was uncovered in the eighteenth century within the basilica itself, behind the Lancellotti Chapel. A few traces of older buildings also came to light during the excavations made in 1880, when the work of extending the apse was in progress, but nothing was then discovered of real value or importance. The palace came eventually into the hands of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, through his wife Fausta, and it is from her that it derived the name by which it was then sometimes called, "Domus Faustæ". Constantine must have given it to the Church in the time of Miltiades, not later than about 311, for we find a council against the Donatists meeting within its walls as early as 313. From that time onwards it was always the centre of Christian life within the city; the residence of the popes and the cathedral of Rome. The latter distinction it still holds, though it has long lost the former. Hence the proud title which may be read upon its walls, that it is "Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater, et caput".
It seems probable, in spite of the tradition that Constantine helped in the work of building with his own hands, that there was not a new basilica erected at the Lateran, but that the work carried out at this period was limited to the adaptation, which perhaps involved the enlargement, of the already existing basilica or great hall of the palace. The words of St. Jerome "basilica quondam Laterani" (Ep. lxxiii, P.L., XXII, col. 692) seem to point in this direction, and it is also probable on other grounds. This original church was probably not of very large dimensions, but we have no reliable information on the subject. It was dedicated to the Saviour, "Basilica Salvatoris", the dedication to St. John being of later date, and due to a Benedictine monastery of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist which adjoined the basilica and where members were charged at one period with the duty of maintaining the services in the church. This later dedication to St. John has now in popular usage altogether superseded the original one. A great many donations from the popes and other benefactors to the basilica are recorded in the "Liber Pontificalis", and its splendour at an early period was such that it became known as the "Basilica Aurea", or Golden Church. This splendour drew upon it the attack of the Vandals, who stripped it of all its treasures. St. Leo the Great restored it about 460, and it was again restored by Hadrian I, but in 896 it was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake ("ab altari usque ad portas cecidit"). The damage was so extensive that it was difficult to trace in every case the lines of the old building, but these were in the main respected and the new building was of the same dimensions as the old. This secondchurch lasted for four hundred years and was then burnt down. It was rebuilt by Clement V and John XXII, only to be burnt down once more in 1360, but again rebuilt by Urban V.
Through these various vicissitudes the basilica retained its ancient form, being divided by rows of columns into aisles, and having in front an atrium surrounded by colonnades with a fountain in the middle. The façade had three windows, and was embellished with a mosaic representing Christ as the Saviour of the world. The porticoes of the atrium were decorated with frescoes, probably not dating further back than the twelfth century, which commemorated the Roman fleet under Vespasian, the taking of Jerusalem, the Baptism of the Emperor Constantine and his "Donation" to the Church. Inside the basilica the columns no doubt ran, as in all other basilicas of the same date, the whole length of the church from east to west, but at one of the rebuildings, probably that which was carried out by Clement V, the feature of a transverse nave was introduced, imitated no doubt from the one which had been, long before this, added at S. Paolo fuori le Mura. It was probably at this time also that the church was enlarged. When the popes returned to Rome from their long absence at Avignon they found the city deserted and the churches almost in ruins. Great works were begun at the Lateran by Martin V and his successors. The palace, however, was never again used by them as a residence, the Vatican, which stands in a much drier and healthier position, being chosen in its place. It was not until the latter part of the seventeenth century that thechurch took its present appearance, in the tasteless restoration carried out by Innocent X, with Borromini for his architect. The ancient columns were now enclosed in huge pilasters, with gigantic statues in front. In consequence of this the church has entirely lost the appearance of an ancient basilica, and is completely altered in character.
Some portions of the older buildings still survive. Among these we may notice the pavement of medieval Cosmatesque work, and the statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, now in the cloisters. The graceful baldacchino over the high altar, which looks so utterly out of place in its present surroundings, dates from 1369. The stercoraria, or throne of red marble on which the popes sat, is now in the Vatican Museum. It owes its unsavoury name to the anthem sung at the ceremony of the papal enthronization, "De stercore erigeus pauperem". From the fifth century there were seven oratories surrounding the basilica. These before long were thrown into the actual church. The devotion of visiting these oratories, which held its ground all through the medieval period, gave rise to the similar devotion of the seven altars, still common in many churches of Rome and elsewhere. Between the basilica and the city wall there was in former times the great monastery, in which dwelt the community of monks whose duty it was to provide the services in the basilica. The only part of it which still survives is the cloister, surrounded by graceful columns of inlaid marble. They are of a style intermediate between the Romanesque proper and the Gothic, and are the work of Vassellectus and the Cosmati. The date of these beautiful cloisters is the early part of the thirteenth century.

(SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/D/dedicationofstjohnlateranbasilicainrome.asp

American College of Surgeons Opposed to Health care bill...

2009-11-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Surgical Groups Say Senate Health Legislation Will Threaten Patient Access and Harm Quality
On November 4, 2009, 20 surgical organizations, led by the American College of Surgeons, sent a letter to the U.S. Senate stating they are prepared to oppose the Senate’s health care reform bill because it will threaten patient access and harm quality. The surgeons stated although they strongly support health care reform that will expand access to quality surgical and medical care to as many Americans as possible, they cannot support the legislation as it currently stands because it fails to address some of the fundamental problems that plague the health care system. The surgical groups said they plan to oppose the Senate health care reform bill if a number of provisions that were included in the Senate Finance bill are retained.
Read the letter to the Senate
Read the College's letter to the House of Representatives (20K PDF)

House passes Healthcare Bill with Stupak amendment

2009-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

House passes Healthcare Bill with Stupak amendment see news reports here...

Wall Street Journal

PLANNED PARENTHOOD CONDEMNS PASSAGE OF STUPAK/PITTS AMENDMENT

FOXNews.com - November 06, 2009
AMA's Endorsement of House Health Care Bill Sparks Internal Uprising
Some AMA members are outraged that the group's trustees made the endorsement without the formal approval of the organization's House of Delegates.

USCCB Letter to legislators 11/6

2009-11-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

USCCB News Release

09-228
November 6, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bishops To House: Keep Abortion Funding Out Of Health Care Reform, Make Health Care Available To Vulnerable

Washington—The U.S. bishops sent an urgent message to the U.S. House of Representatives November 6, as House members steeped themselves in debate over procedures related to abortion and the health care reform bill.

Moments before meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the bill, the bishops called for “a fair process” that would permit discussion of “an amendment to keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections.” Some in the House seek a “closed rule,” a procedure banning amendments from the bill.

The letter was signed by Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, Chairman of the bishops’ Domestic Justice Committee, Cardinal Justin Rigali, chair of the Committee on pro-life Activities; and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chair of the Committee on Migration.

The letter follows.

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), we write to strongly urge you to vote for essential changes and a fair process in the House of Representatives to ensure that needed health care reform legislation truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all. Unfortunately, the legislation moving to the House floor falls fundamentally short of this essential goal. We urge members of the House to:

support an amendment to keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections and to oppose a closed rule that would prevent the House from voting on this crucial matter;
oppose measures that would leave immigrants, especially legal immigrants, worse off as a result of health reform;
support access for immigrants to the health-insurance exchange, regardless of legal status, and support removal of the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing Medicaid and other federal health-care programs; and
support strong provisions that would make health care more affordable and accessible, especially for the poor and vulnerable, by expanding Medicaid to adults who are living at 150 percent or lower of the Federal Poverty Level and offering adequate affordability credits for households up to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
The Catholic Bishops of the United States have long supported adequate and affordable health care for all. We believe universal coverage should be truly universal, not denying health care to those in need because of their condition, age, where they come from or when they arrive here.

Protecting Human Life and Conscience
We are concerned because the current legislation before the House of Representatives fails to keep in place the longstanding federal policy against the use of federal funds for elective abortion or for plans that include elective abortion – a policy upheld by the Hyde Amendment, Children’s Health Insurance Program, Federal Employee Health Benefits Program and other federal health initiatives. Without such protection we will have to oppose the current legislation until this fundamental flaw is remedied.

For this reason, we ask you to vote for an amendment that will keep in place the longstanding and widely supported federal policy against government funding for elective abortions or for plans which include elective abortions. To accomplish this we also urge you to support efforts to guarantee that the House will have a clear and fair opportunity to vote on this essential matter. Please vote against a “closed rule” if necessary so the amendment can be considered.
Currently, H.R. 3962 allows the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to mandate that any “public option” will include unlimited abortions. The Congressional Research Service has confirmed that all money paid out by this plan for medical procedures will be federal outlays. Federal subsidies will also be used to pay the overall costs of establishing and maintaining private health plans that cover elective abortions. Millions of purchasers will be forced to use their premium dollars for abortion coverage they do not want, through a new mandatory fee. The creation of this “abortion surcharge,” a mandatory payment requiring pro-life purchasers of many plans to pay directly and explicitly for abortion coverage, is unprecedented in federal law. Such a proposal runs counter to the principles of the longstanding “Hyde amendment.” Affirming the Hyde Amendment continues the government’s long standing policy without affecting coverage of abortion in non-subsidized health plans, and without barring anyone from purchasing a supplemental abortion policy that is funded solely by the private funds of those who choose it.

Thus far, H.R. 3962 does not meet President Obama’s commitment of barring use of federal dollars for abortion and maintaining current conscience laws. While Section 259 of the bill maintains essential nondiscrimination protections for providers who decline involvement in abortion, the legislation also requires each region of the insurance exchange to include at least one health plan with unlimited abortion, contrary to the policy of all other federal health programs; and conscience protection on issues beyond abortion have yet to be included in this bill.

Immigrants in Health Care Coverage
We support the inclusion of all immigrants, regardless of status, in the health-care exchange. Regardless of status, immigrants living in our country need to have access to health care just as any other human being. Finding ways to provide them with health care is preferable to compelling them to have access only to emergency room care which is an unfair burden on hospitals in urban and other high immigrant areas of our country.

We also support the removal on the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing federal health benefit programs, such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. Legal immigrants, who work and pay taxes, should have access to such programs, if needed. Removing the ban would help ensure that legal immigrants, who were widely praised in past immigration debates for their many contributions and for playing by the rules, will still have access to health-care.

Accessible and Affordable Health Care
Because we support and advocate in favor of affordable and accessible health care for all, especially the poor and marginalized, we want legislation that expands Medicaid eligibility for adults living at 150 percent or lower of the federal poverty level. This will help lower-income families purchase insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Exchange. Provisions in Title I (Immediate Reforms) should be helpful in providing relief to the uninsured and underinsured. The House legislation provides reforms that will strengthen families and protect low-income and vulnerable people by eliminating denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions including pregnancy; eliminating life time caps; offering long-term disability services; and extending dependant coverage to uninsured young adults.

These are not marginal issues or special interest concerns. They are at the heart of the health care debate. Our concerns outlined in this letter reflects our longstanding commitment to health care and our centuries old experience as providers of health care to all, especially the poor and the vulnerable. In that spirit we reiterate our Catholic tradition that teaches that health care is a basic human right, essential to protecting human life and dignity.

For many months, our Bishops’ conference has been working with members of Congress, the Administration and others to fashion health care reform legislation that truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all. Our message has been clear and consistent throughout. We urge the House of Representatives to permit a vote and to adopt essential changes so that, as long time advocates of health care for all, we are not compelled to oppose this flawed legislation. We hope and pray that the Congress and the country will come together around genuine reform.

House Passes Stupak Amendment to Remove Abortion Funding From Health Care

2009-11-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Breaking News from Lifenews.com hereHouse Passes Stupak Amendment to Remove Abortion Funding From Health Care

Health Care Reform and a Dispute About Dying By Richard M. Doerflinger

2009-11-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

Congress’s effort to enact health care reform legislation has sparked a vigorous debate. From a Catholic viewpoint the underlying issue is clear: Tens of millions of Americans lack basic health coverage; many more risk losing what they have as costs rise. And this is a matter of justice. As Pope John XXIII said almost half a century ago: “Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care…” (Pacem in Terris, no. 11). A society that does not ensure basic life-affirming health care for those in need is failing in a basic responsibility...
One worry here is that government or doctors may have agendas in tension with patients’ goals and interests. When a federal official first proposed that the government encourage seniors to sign living wills, in 1977, this was part of a memo on how to cut the government’s health costs – earning a rebuke from Catholic bishops and others.

Another problem is the assumption that documents like the living will are a positive good no matter what they say. The evidence suggests they are imperfect instruments that do not always serve patients’ interests (see the report Taking Care by the President’s Council on Bioethics, www.bioethics.gov/reports/taking_care/chapter2.html). The consultations will also promote whatever advance directive serves as a model in the patient’s home state – and some states’ documents do not make careful distinctions between ordinary and extraordinary means. Patients may not realize that signing some forms could prompt the denial of even ordinary care like nutrition and hydration during a chronic, non-terminal illness. (Section 1233 lists “artificially administered nutrition and hydration” among the topics for discussion)...

See more here...

Call today!

2009-11-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today's the day to call. Tomorrow's the vote. We can do this. Call your congressperson at both his or her district and DC office. Use the online congressional directory to find your rep and phone numbers or call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121.

See Fr. Tom Euteneuer Homily on EWTN

2009-11-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Friday, November 6, 2009
Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart Homilist Fr. Tom Euteneuer
Watch here and listen here

Listen to higher quality MP3 audio of your favorite EWTN programs!Add EWTN programs to your iPod / MP3 Player, click here.

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:
Romans 15:14-21
Psalm 98:1-4
Luke 16:1-8

If I love Jesus, I ought to resemble Him; If I love Jesus, I ought to love what He loves, what He does, what He prefers to all else: humility. How may we acquire this virtue? Neither logic or reflection will help us any; thinking nice thoughts about it or taking heroic resolutions would lead us to believe we had already acquired it, and we would content oueselves with that. We must examine our actions to see if we not sought our own interest in them. Let us repeat often, " Jesus, so humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine."

-- St. Peter Eymard

Raymond Arroyo Speaking on Healthcare tonight at 8 pm

2009-11-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

World Over tonight: How will the House Health Care bill effect you? And do they have the votes for passage? EWTN 8PM Tonight. Don't miss.Join the conversation!

Bioethics Defense Fund overview of ABORTION and END OF LIFE issues in the leading Obama-backed healthcare bill

2009-11-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

The BDF main website has a detailed overview of ABORTION and END OF LIFE issues in the leading Obama-backed healthcare bills that enables you to READ THE BILLS FOR YOURSELF.

St. Martin De Porres a saint for our times Patron of Social Justice and Patron for Ethical Medical Research?...

2009-11-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

St Martin de Porres - Patron of Social Justice
By Angela M. Orsini

On May 6, 1962, three hundred and twenty-three years after Martin's death, Pope John XXIII canonized St. Martin de Porres in Rome. We may wonder why there is such a delay, but God works in His own way, not ours. Perhaps it was because the Second Vatican Council was underway, which would result in vast changes enabling a heightened understanding and appreciation for the spiritual life in the Catholic Church. Perhaps it was because the Civil Rights movement was making strides in the United States to bring about an awareness of the equality and contribution of Black Americans. Perhaps this why St. Martin de Porres was canonized, to serve as a Christian model to show that an illegitimate mulatto, relegated to a lowly position in the 16th and 17th century Peruvian society, transcended the prejudice and labored in the fields of the Lord and changed the world around him.

Also St. Martin De Porres did not want a cure for his life threatening illness and he stated that he did not want a "creature to die so he may live"...

Maybe we can petition St. Martin on behalf of the many children killed whose stem cells are being used for research... Only adult stem cells have found cures thus far. I imagine that St. Martin would be appalled of this practice of using stem cells for research today!

Join the Lifeguards and students from STMA for a procession tonight at 6pm around Drake Circle

2009-10-31T06:33:00.000-07:00

Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ said

"Unless we recover the zeal and the spirit of the first century Christians- unless we are willing to do what they did and to pay the price that they paid, the future of our country, the days of America are numbered..."

The Lifeguards and STMA students will be processing in prayer around the block of Drake Circle. Bring your Candle or special Pumpkin Light(see Below) and wear white to be a light on this night of darkness. For Directions see map...

The lights we will hold will give the message of the procession...

This is like a carved pumpkin we did using the following pattern below...

You can use this pattern if you wish or share it with others to make a beautiful message and you can name your pumpkin and then spiritually adopt the baby for the next 9 months using Bishop Sheen's Prayer...
Jesus Mary and Joseph I love you very much and I ask you to spare the life of the innocent child whom I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of an abortion!

Video of Bishop Murphy representing the US Bishops Conference

2009-10-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

Take Action NOW and join the USCCB Bishops find out more here!

"Genuine health care reform that protects the life and dignity of all is a moral imperative and a vital national obligation" - Bishop William F. Murphy

Bulletin Inserts for 10/23/09
Contact your congressman now with the above as a guide.
Sign up for action alerts here...
USCCB Position on Health Care Reform

In our Catholic tradition, health care is a basic human right. Access to health care should not depend on where a person works, how much a family earns, or where a person lives. Instead, every person, created in the image and likeness of God, has a right to life and to those things necessary to sustain life, including affordable, quality health care. This teaching is rooted in the biblical call to heal the sick and to serve "the least of these," our concern for human life and dignity, and the principle of the common good. Unfortunately, tens of millions of Americans do not have health insurance. According to the Catholic bishops of the United States, the current health care system is in need of fundamental reform. To learn about Catholic teaching on health care in more detail, read the full statement by the United States Catholic Bishops, A Framework for Comprehensive Health Care Reform, at usccb.org/sdwp/national/comphealth.shtml.

NORTH AMERICAN CONGRESS ON MERCY November 14-15, 2009

2009-10-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

http://mercycongress.org/
Mercy: Our Hope
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Washington, D.C.
Click here for more details...

Upcoming life events around North Carolina:

2009-10-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

Upcoming life events around North Carolina:
http://nccatholicsforlife.com/upcoming.html

* Fall Raleigh 40 Days For Life CampaignSeptember 23rd - November 1 2009 email:apex4life@gmail.com if you plan to attend and sign up for an hour on the website. You will need to make up a user name and password. This will give you access for the calendar.

* Mass for LifeSt. Joseph's at 2817 Poole Road Raleigh, NC 27610 directions Every Sat, 8am: Mass followed by Holy Hour on first SaturdaysHere

* October 20th TuesdayProlife Solidarity Day of Silence On October 20th, people from all over this nation will give up their voices for a day in solidarity for these children. Red arm bands and duct tape will identify them as taking part in the Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity. They will carry fliers explaining why they are silent and educate others about the plight of the innocent children we are losing every day.Cary High school was on this years map. Sign your school up next year. There is even a place for individuals and Homeschools!

* October 27th TUESDAY You are cordially invited to attend the talk "Looking at Science with the Mirror of History: From Eugenics to the Human Genome" on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 3 p.m. in 2722 Bostian Hall. Paul Lombardo, Professor of Law at Georgia State University, will discuss the eugenics movement that occurred in the United States during much of the 20th century. Professor Lombardo, who has spent more than 25 years writing and lecturing about eugenics, will discuss the relevance of eugenics history to the ethics of research as well as how we should think about the current role of scientists in light of this disturbing history. This event is sponsored by The Graduate School with funding from The National Institutes of Health-Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Program. We hope that you will consider attending this talk and also encouraging your students to attend (or even bringing your class). Please contact any of the program organizers listed below if we can provide more information for you. Attached are two copies of the flyer for this program; one is in color and one is in gray scale. Sincerely, Dr. Erin Banks, IMSD Program Coordinator, erin_banks@ncsu.edu Dr. Melissa Bostrom, Director of Graduate Academic and Professional Development, melissa_bostrom@ncsu.edu Dr. Rhonda Sutton, Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, rhonda_sutton@ncsu.edu

* October 31st SATURDAY Be a light on this dark night! Come to Drake Circle at 6 pm with a candle to walk and pray around the block. Let us be a light in the world of darkness. Call Sarah and Sabrena 523-1945 for more information!

* November 7th Special Mass and Lifeguard ProcessionCome for Mass at St. Joseph's Raleigh 8 am! Doughnuts and Milk will follow. Msgr. is having a special celebration for all the youth and Lifeguards! Lets make a big showing and then afterwards we will meet at Merton and Haworth! The Procession will start at 10:00 am Led by Fr. Ned, Vocation Director, Diocese of Raleigh, NC(OLPH) Finally we will meet for Pizza at OLOL! Call for more information 523-1945 Join us for this monthly procession of prayer in thanksgiving for the Gift of Life! Feel renewed in your resolve to defend all life From Conception to Natural Death! Lets build a Culture of Life through Prayer! email lifeguardsnc@gmail.com or look atmap

Archbishop Chaput: "God Will Demand an Accounting" for Our Moral Indifference

2009-10-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Archbishop Chaput: "God Will Demand an Accounting" for Our Moral Indifference

Abp Dolan to Rep Kennedy: "The Catholic community in the U.S. hardly needs to be lectured to about just healthcare."

2009-10-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Archdiocese of New York - Blog - The Gospel In The Digital Age - Bishop Tobin and Representative Kennedy

Statement of Bishop Tobin in Response to Congressman Kennedy’s Attack on Catholic Church

2009-10-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Rhode Island Catholic

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

2009-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Click here for more information...Raleigh is an effort to bring comfort, healing and unity
to parents in the Triangle who have suffered a pregnancy or infant
loss. Thursday Raleigh allows parents to openly remember their
loss and to have their loss recognized.

Thursday, October 15, 2009
North Carolina State Capital, South Lawn,
Morgan and Fayetteville Street
(Parking available at the corner of
Wilmington and Jones Street)
Area street parking also available
Registration/ Check-in begins at 6:30 pm
Ceremony begins at 7:00 pm

*THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT*

Health care insurance amendment rejected.

2009-09-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

Read here at Life Site News and

Health care insurance amendment rejected

BY TODD SPANGLER
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate Finance Committee this afternoon rejected the first of a couple of health care overhaul amendments which would create a so-called public option – a government-run plan to provide an insurance plan to compete with private insurers and keep costs down.

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Even though some polls have shown strong support for the public option, critics have argued that it will hurt private insurers and is a step toward socialized medicine. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, offered the amendment, which was defeated with 15 committee members voting against it, including five Democrats, chairman Max Baucus of Montana among them.

A second, more modest proposal for a public option was also defeated – 13-10.

Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, was among the eight members – all Democrats – voting in favor of the public option both times. In remarks to the committee, she praised it as a way to force insurers to keep premiums – and profits – low and make insurance more affordable.

“This is part of the way we make sure that the reforms in the bill work,” she said.

Baucus and some other moderate Democrats voted against the amendment, worried that a controversial move toward a government plan would hurt the overall reform bill’s chances of passage on the Senate floor. The House version includes the public option – and President Barack Obama has said he supports it, though the White House does not want inclusion of the public option to block the rest of the reform bill.

Said Baucus, “My first job is to get this bill across the finish line. … There’s a lot in this bill that will control costs.”

40 days begins at Drake Circle with Bishop Burbidge

2009-09-28T05:49:00.000-07:00

As the Morning Light broke there were the faithful gathered to pray. Invoking Our Lady to speak on our behalf and to petition our Lord to change hearts of those touched by abortion and for the innocent lives to be spared and the mothers to know the Love of God so that they may transmit this to their children.We also prayed for the workers of the clinic that they might be given the knowledge of the reality that occurs in this place.

Bishop Burbidge Letter inviting all to the First Responders Mass

2009-09-28T05:45:00.000-07:00

See Letter Here...

Bishop Aquila encourages Priests to spend 1 Hour in front of Abortion Mill

2009-09-28T05:43:00.000-07:00

September 23, 2009

Dear Fathers,

On this Feast of Pio of Pietrelcina, we begin the 40 Days for Life North Dakota campaign, a concerted effort of prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil with the goals of educating the public about the evil of abortion, saving lives and seeking the conversion of souls. For the third consecutive year, the Catholic faithful will join many others in prayerful witness to the dignity of all human life as we pray, 24 hours per day for 40 days, on the sidewalk outside North Dakota’s only abortion facility, the Red River Women’s Clinic at 512 1st Ave. N. in Fargo. Together we will implore our Lord to pour His mercy out upon our state to bring an end to the callous act of abortion through which more than 25 unborn babies are killed in their mothers’ wombs each week in Fargo by abortion-inducing drugs and surgical procedures.

As shepherds of the faithful, we are called to imitate the sacrifices of Padre Pio who died on this date 41 years ago. The Vatican Web site notes, “Like the Apostle Paul, Padre Pio da Pietrelcina placed at the centre of his life and apostolic work the Cross of his Lord as his strength, his wisdom and his glory. Inflamed by love of Jesus Christ, he became like him in the sacrifice of himself for the salvation of the world.”

Most especially in the “Year for Priests” we too are called to sacrifice – to carry the cross of Christ. With Christ we stand in prayerful witness, in the cold, the rain, the snow, enduring the glances of hatred and the words of disgust from those who do not understand. In faithful hope we pray that some will come to understand, that hearts will be transformed, unborn babies will be saved from death and parents will escape the agony of later realizing that their choice ended the life of their child.

I will pray on the sidewalk in front of the abortion facility on Friday, September 25, at 11 a.m. and again on Respect Life Sunday when I lead a Eucharistic procession to the abortion facility, carrying our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament to the site of death for so many of His children. I ask that each of you schedule at least one hour of prayer outside the abortion facility during these 40 days. I realize this will require great sacrifice for some of you in terms of miles traveled and time away from other pastoral duties. Yet I am confident that much fruit will come from your time spent in conversation with God at the site of this modern day, legally protected holocaust. Please also encourage your parishioners to take up the cross of Christ for the most vulnerable among us.

“For Padre Pio, faith was life: he willed everything and did everything in the light of faith. He was assiduously devoted to prayer. He passed the day and a large part of the night in conversation with God. He would say: ‘In books we seek God, in prayer we find him. Prayer is the key which opens God's heart’” (www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020616_padre-pio_en.html).

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila
Bishop of Fargo

People who learn while in a Coma

2009-09-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

See article Here! Very Important to keep praying for a culture of Life!

Debate on Humanae Vitae

2009-09-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you to a Irish Benedictine who sent me this Debate!
Here is the original Document of Humana Vitae which just celebrated its 40th anniversary.
American theologian Father Charles Curran and Irish theologian Father D. Vincent Twomey explore the significance of Humanae Vitae - the controversial Papal encylical banning artificial birth control. Fr. Vincent was a student of Ratzinger and did his doctorate under him. He taught moral theology at Maynooth - excellent lecturer! See his website Here...Listen to the interview here Fr. Vincent Twomey has a very strong statement at the end.

ABC NEWS Reporting on Babies in Utero!

2009-09-24T09:41:00.001-07:00

ABC NEWS Using Terms like Baby and Child instead of Fetus and blob of Tissue in an article about 1 and 2 week old babies in utero. See Video Here

Dominican Republic gives final yes to Protect Life in the Womb

2009-09-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is an update of a blogpost we had earlier this year...

"We are here to tell you, 'yes to life, no to death,' definitely," he said, and added that abortion is a "crime," that it "exploits women" and that it is "terrorism. ...We know that there are butcher doctors, there are legislators who like to trade in life, there are people who have authority who make a living from that," said Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez, adding that "we will be upfront, always upfront, clashing."

See the comments on the story here here...

Beautiful 20 min Movie of Hope by Eduardo Verastegui

2009-09-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

Butterfly Circus- A movie of Hope!

Eduardo Verastegui the actor of "Bella" entered this film into the contest at The Dorpost Film Project website in the category of Hope... Watch more of the Shorts entered here at this link.

Take a look at the VA Guide "Your Life, Your Choices"

2009-09-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

You can view or download the VA guide here ... This is an example of what the vetrans use now and what could be used ... the best answer you can give to any questions below is difficult but acceptable...? What if it was not only acceptable but not a problem at all...

Here is the Bio of the Author of this booklet Your Life Your Choices...
Robert A. Pearlman, MD, MPH: Chief, Ethics Evaluation

Robert Pearlman, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine (as well as Health Services, and Medical History and Ethics) at the University of Washington. He attended Boston University School of Medicine and completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Emory University and the University of Washington. He received post-residency training as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, a Fellow in the Ethics and the Professions Program at Harvard University, and a Faculty Scholar in the Project on Death in America. He joined the Center in the summer of 2000. His interests and expertise pertain to empirical research in clinical ethics (especially end-of-life care) and organizational ethics. His research has explored euthanasia, the role of quality of life in decision-making, the validity of life-sustaining treatment preferences, medical futility, advance care planning, physician-assisted suicide, and relief of patient suffering. He is the author of two books and over 100 publications in medical journals and book chapters. His most recent book, entitled Your Life, Your Choices, is an interactive workbook to help patients and family members with advance care planning. Your Life, Your Choices will be available to veterans through MyHealtheVet in 2007. He has mentored many junior faculty throughout the United States in the technique of combining empirical research methods and ethics.

ARTICLE-
The Death Book for Veterans-(Ex-soldiers don't need to be told they're a burden to society.)

Great article written by Jim Towey. Mr. Towey, president of Saint Vincent College, was director of the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives (2002-2006) and former attorney of Mother Theresa.

Persevere with joy, Cardinal Rigali says to diocesan pro-life leaders

2009-09-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Check out this article from the Catholic News Agency HERE...

New Prolife - Book To Be A Mother

2009-08-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Be A Mother: Adopting God’s Heart
The Aftermath of Abortion and the Power of Redemption

August 24, 2009, Raleigh, NC and Denver, CO – When a woman chooses abortion, the lingering psychological effects can be devastating. Deanna Jones, author of To Be a Mother, knows too well the grief and guilt that can haunt these women. As a teenager, an abortion seemed the only answer for Deanna, but the decision caused her great pain afterward. Finally, by opening her heart to Jesus Christ, she was able to transcend her grief and forgive herself. Her memoir, published by Outskirts Press, is a story of hope that will resonate with many women, and inspire all who read it.

Deanna Jones found herself pregnant at the age of 19. In an unstable relationship, and with a musical career starting to take off, she decided she was not ready for motherhood. “No way,” she said. “This is my life, my body.” And so she made an appointment at a local clinic. But she was not prepared for the overwhelming despair that would result. After the abortion she was left with a feeling of emptiness and loss. “Legalized abortion denied me a beautiful gift from God,” she says. “The desperation post-abortion far outweighed the desperation during my brief, unplanned pregnancy, and I was so off balance that I felt as if I would never be able to hold onto anything ever again. A part of me was missing and I would never get it back.”

There is a happy ending, however. To Be a Mother is not focused on Deanna’s loss, but rather, it is a story of redemption, resurrection, God’s grace, and His extravagant blessings. Deanna found that by facing her actions and calling out to the true Father, she would be transformed, forgiven, and enlivened. With the Lord by her side, she was able to move from a difficult childhood and a painful abortion decision to the miraculous redemption of Christ and the healing joy that came from the birth and adoption of her six children.

“The poignant and compassionate words of Deanna Jones articulate America’s latent sorrow in the aftermath of our abortion culture. Deanna’s sympathetic perception is borne from a personal
encounter with grief. Listen to her and be illuminated, healed, and refreshed.”

—Troy Newman
President, Operation Rescue

“To Be a Mother truly highlights the healing presence of Christ in Deanna’s life. She eloquently travels from her painful past to her redemption and new life in Christ. This book would be an inspiration to any woman, or man, who has suffered, as Deanna has, and is searching for healing.”
—Theresa Burke, PhD
Author of Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion
Founder, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries

“Finally, in To Be a Mother, Deanna beautifully redefines the term pro-life—pro-life and pro-adoption become one. An elegant portrayal of the choice to give redeeming love that makes receiving it in turn so much sweeter.”
—Carolyn Twietmeyer, Founder/Executive Director, Project HOPEFUL

This true story shows us firsthand that God is compassionate, illustrating the relentless nature of His pursuit to save and claim His children and allow them life everlasting. The Bible declares that the Lord will turn our mourning into gladness and our despair into praise (Is 61:3), and for Deanna Jones, this has become truth. Follow her inspirational story as she is lifted from a wounded child to a place of understanding and joy as a woman of God. To Be a Mother is a celebration of life, of motherhood, and the sanctity of life itself.

ISBN: 978-1-4327-3839-6 Format: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback

Genre: Christian Life / Women’s Issues
PURCHASE ONLINE AT AMAZON or http://www.tobeamother.com

About the Author: Deanna Jones was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and is currently a bandleader and singer for the New York based band The Deanna Jones Orchestra. She considers her greatest assets to be her six children—two by birth, and four by miraculous adoption. Her web site (www.tobeamother.com) is dedicated to the miracle of motherhood, and she and her husband, Mark, are active pro-life, adoption advocates. For more information or to contact the author, you may also visit www.outskirtspress.com/tobeamother.

Diocese of Charleston Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone has spoken on Health Care Bills

2009-08-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Bishop has released a statement to help clarify the Church's teaching on the Health Care Bill proposals. Read it here!

Let us try to engage more of our Catholic brothers and sisters to take our Catholic message to the public square with confidence and charity. We need to provide information about how to contact our area representatives and provide the times and dates of any town hall meeting. The health care bills that are being proposed do not protect the most vulnerable and do not respect the dignity of every human person. Let's speak out.
God's peace.

A Favored Life - September 19th, 2009 6:00pm - 8:30pm

2009-08-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Want to make sure you've heard about an amazing upcoming event at Good Hope Baptist Church in Cary....called "A Favored Life. " www.goodhopechurch.org/home/favored-life.aspx
The event will feature a play about adoption from the perspective of the birth mother including a gospel choir. There will also be representatives present from Birthchoice Crisis Pregnancy Center, Bethany Adoption Center, 40 Days for Life, and Triangle Right to Life.

September 19th, 2009
6:00pm - 8:30pm

Childcare provided for children through 5th grade.

A Favored Life

Praying for the soul of Ted Kennedy

2009-08-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Proponent of 18 year old vote:
Senator Kennedy was a long proponent of the 18 year old's right to vote. He demonstrated his support in his testimony in front of the Subcommittee for Lowering the Voting Age to 18. During his testimony he stated: "Long ago, according to historians, the age of maturity was fixed at 21, because that was the age at which a young man was thought to be capable of bearing armor. Strange as it may seem, the weight of armor in the 11th century governs the right to vote of Americans in the 20th century."[46] Senator Kennedy continued to support this initiative until it was realized with the signing of the Twenty-sixth Amendment on July 5, 1971.

Pre Roe Vs Wade made this beautiful remark:
"While the deep concern of a woman bearing an unwanted child merits consideration and sympathy, it is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized – the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old."[1] Ted Kennedy writes in a letter dated August 3, 1971

Bishop of Sioux City speaks succintly about the Health Care Reform...

2009-08-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

This note of the Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless of Bishop of Sioux City comes from his website....

HEALTH CARE REFORM

The current national debate about health care reform should concern all of us. There is much at stake in this political struggle, and also much confusion and inaccurate information being thrown around. My brother bishops have described some clear “goal-posts” to mark out what is acceptable reform, and what must be rejected. First and most important, the Church will not accept any legislation that mandates coverage, public or private, for abortion, euthanasia, or embryonic stem-cell research. We refuse to be made complicit in these evils, which frankly contradict what “health care” should mean. We refuse to allow our own parish, school, and diocesan health insurance plans to be forced to include these evils. As a corollary of this, we insist equally on adequate protection of individual rights of conscience for patients and health care providers not to be made complicit in these evils. A so-called reform that imposes these evils on us would be far worse than keeping the health care system we now have.

Second, the Catholic Church does not teach that “health care” as such, without distinction, is a natural right. The “natural right” of health care is the divine bounty of food, water, and air without which all of us quickly die. This bounty comes from God directly. None of us own it, and none of us can morally withhold it from others. The remainder of health care is a political, not a natural, right, because it comes from our human efforts, creativity, and compassion. As a political right, health care should be apportioned according to need, not ability to pay or to benefit from the care. We reject the rationing of care. Those who are sickest should get the most care, regardless of age, status, or wealth. But how to do this is not self-evident. The decisions that we must collectively make about how to administer health care therefore fall under “prudential judgment.”

Third, in that category of prudential judgment, the Catholic Church does not teach that government should directly provide health care. Unlike a prudential concern like national defense, for which government monopolization is objectively good – it both limits violence overall and prevents the obvious abuses to which private armies are susceptible – health care should not be subject to federal monopolization. Preserving patient choice (through a flourishing private sector) is the only way to prevent a health care monopoly from denying care arbitrarily, as we learned from HMOs in the recent past. While a government monopoly would not be motivated by profit, it would be motivated by such bureaucratic standards as quotas and defined “best procedures,” which are equally beyond the influence of most citizens. The proper role of the government is to regulate the private sector, in order to foster healthy competition and to curtail abuses. Therefore any legislation that undermines the viability of the private sector is suspect. Private, religious hospitals and nursing homes, in particular, should be protected, because these are the ones most vigorously offering actual health care to the poorest of the poor.

The best way in practice to approach this balance of public and private roles is to spread the risks and costs of health care over the largest number of people. This is the principle underlying Medicaid and Medicare taxes, for example. But this principle assumes that the pool of taxable workers is sufficiently large, compared to those who draw the benefits, to be reasonably inexpensive and just. This assumption is at root a pro-life assumption! Indeed, we were a culture of life when such programs began. Only if we again foster a culture of life can we perpetuate the economic justice of taxing workers to pay health care for the poor. Without a growing population of youth, our growing population of retirees is outstripping our distribution systems. In a culture of death such as we have now, taxation to redistribute costs of medical care becomes both unjust and unsustainable.

Fourth, preventative care is a moral obligation of the individual to God and to his or her family and loved ones, not a right to be demanded from society. The gift of life comes only from God; to spurn that gift by seriously mistreating our own health is morally wrong. The most effective preventative care for most people is essentially free – good diet, moderate exercise, and sufficient sleep. But pre-natal and neo-natal care are examples of preventative care requiring medical expertise, and therefore cost; and this sort of care should be made available to all as far as possible.

Within these limits, the Church has been advocating for decades that health care be made more accessible to all, especially to the poor. Will the current health care reform proposals achieve these goals?

The current House reform bill, HR 3200, does not meet the first or the fourth standard. As Cardinal Justin Rigali has written for the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-life Activities, this bill circumvents the Hyde amendment (which prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions) by drawing funding from new sources not covered by the Hyde amendment, and by creatively manipulating how federal funds covered by the Hyde amendment are accounted. It also provides a “public insurance option” without adequate limits, so that smaller employers especially will have a financial incentive to push all their employees into this public insurance. This will effectively prevent those employees from choosing any private insurance plans. This will saddle the working classes with additional taxes for inefficient and immoral entitlements. The Senate bill, HELP, is better than the House bill, as I understand it. It subsidizes care for the poor, rather than tending to monopolize care. But, it designates the limit of four times federal poverty level for the public insurance option, which still includes more than half of all workers. This would impinge on the vitality of the private sector. It also does not meet the first standard of explicitly excluding mandatory abortion coverage.

I encourage all of you to make you voice heard to our representatives in Congress. Tell them what they need to hear from us: no health care reform is better than the wrong sort of health care reform. Insist that they not permit themselves to be railroaded into the current too-costly and pro-abortion health care proposals. Insist on their support for proposals that respect the life and dignity of every human person, especially the unborn. And above all, pray for them, and for our country. (Please see the website for the Iowa Catholic Conference at www.iowacatholicconference.org and www.usccb.org/healthcare for more information)

Cardinal Rigali on NIH guidelines

2009-07-30T19:42:00.001-07:00

Click here for more information!

Imagine Spot 3

2009-07-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Friday and Saturday events...

2009-07-16T09:14:00.001-07:00

Friday 6:30-9:00 pm and Saturday7:45-1:00 pm

will be an "Encountering Women on the sidewalks Workshop" led by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Br. Miguel Pro and Br. Tobias. $10 or donation for students.
St. Andrew's Apex, NC. Read more here!

Saturday 8:30 pm

Join the Lifeguards at St. Bernadette's in Fuquay Varina, NC for a Holy Hour for Life. Music and meditations by the Franciscan Friars of the renewal. Bring the whole family for all ages! Call 919-523-1945 or read more here!

Fr. Groeschel Day Retreat What makes for a truly happy and holy marriage- July 25th

2009-07-16T09:06:00.001-07:00

What makes for a truly happy and holy marriage

Fr. Groeschel Day Retreat - July 25th

Just a reminder that Ave Maria Singles, Road to Cana

and FultonSheen.com are sponsoring a

day retreat with Fr. Benedict Groeschel on July 25 at

the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in

Doylestown, PA (outside of Philadelphia). For a

full schedule of the day, go to:
http://www.avemariasingles.com/Trips-Retreats-Pilgrimages

-for-Catholic-Singles.cfm?tripID=32

Fr. Groeschel called me on the phone a month ago and

insisted that he do this retreat for me to make up for

having to cancel being at our June retreat. So I hope

you will all appreciate his efforts to make himself available

by attending this special opportunity.

Father will present 3 talks and give the homily at the Mass.

The talks relate to what makes for a truly happy and holy

marriage. The talks are not just for singles but apply to

everyone, so please let everyone know about this opportunity

to see and listen to Fr. Groeschel.

To get a printable flyer to put in your church vestibules or to

give to your pastor, click here or go to:
http://www.avemariasingles.com/pdfs/FrGroeschelRetreatFlyer.pdf
The retreat ends at 4 p.m. Bring your own lunch, or the shrine will

provide lunch you can purchase.

There is no set charge for this event. We are only taking donations

at the door. No need to register. Just show up. This is an AMS fund-raiser,

so we are hoping people will be generous at the door. Again, bring your

friends and relatives, or your church groups. All are welcome.

Please spread the word about this day retreat. I would be grateful. And

hopefully I will see you there.

Anthony Buono

Know a Catholic Single? Send them this discount code!

Tell them to use the discount code: 4hope at top of the second
page during the sign up at Ave Maria Singles and receive
$50 off the membership fee!

Adult Stem Cells save lives and so can you...

2009-07-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Adult stem cells are a “natural” solution. They naturally exist in our bodies, and they provide a natural repair mechanism for many tissues of our bodies. They belong in the microenvironment of an adult body, while embryonic stem cells belong in the microenvironment of the early embryo, not in an adult body, where they tend to cause tumors and immune system reactions.

Most importantly, adult stem cells have already been successfully used in human therapies for many years. As of this moment, NO therapies in humans have ever been successfully carried out using embryonic stem cells. New therapies using adult type stem cells, on the other hand, are being developed all the time. Here are but a few of the many examples of success stories using adult stem cells.

Read more on this website...

Here is a story of a young Latino Woman who weeks before her wedding found out she had acute Leukemia...

A bone marrow transplant is one of the best ways to fight acute leukemia, say experts. Bone marrow is the spongy substance found inside large bones. It produces stem cells that turn into new red and white blood cells, and platelets. Allogeneic means the transplanted bone marrow comes from a matched donor -- preferably a family member. In Bertholin's case, no one in her family was a perfect match. Her next step was to join a national bone marrow registry called Be The Match Registry.
But she faced an obstacle: Bertholin is Latina. According to Dr. Jeffrey Chell, the chief executive officer of the National Marrow Donor Program which runs Be The Match, only 9 percent of people on the registry are Hispanic. "That's not enough," says Chell. Read more Here

Promote Adult Stem Cell research and dispel the false hopes of Embryo Stem Cell research in your parish. Set up a Bone Marrow Registry at your parish to find out more Click Here!

See what the USCCB says about Stem Cell Research here.

Read the Guidelines for Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Comments of Bishops Conference to the National Institutes of Health, Msgr. David Malloy, May 22, 2009 and Cardinal Rigali's Letter here.

Read about the Scientist who started the first Embryonic Stem Cell research and how he is promoting Adult Stem Cell Research...

Prayer for the Protection of Embryonic Children

Lord God, you lovingly knit us in our mothers’ womb. Grant that each human embryo will be respected as a human being, and not dismissed as a product to be manipulated or destroyed.

Grant us the courage and conviction to be your voice for our sisters and brothers at the very earliest stages of their development, and for all defenseless unborn children.

Jesus, Divine Healer, foster in those conducting medical research a commitment to finding cures in ways that respect these little ones and all your vulnerable children.

Holy Spirit, grant us the wisdom to develop morally sound treatments for conditions now thought to be incurable. Help us persevere in defending human life while alleviating suffering.

Show mercy to all who have cooperated in killing our tiniest brothers and sisters. Bring them and all who support destructive embryo research to true conversion. Grant them the ability to see the immeasurable dignity of all human beings even in the first days of life.

Father, we ask this in Jesus’ name, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

NFP Awareness week Pray for Purity and Chastity

2009-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

NFP Awareness Week is coming up July 19-25. Attached is the Joachim & Anne novena for rebirth of chasity and purity. Please join us in praying this novena which starts on Saturday.

~AH

Click here for Joachim and Anne Novena in English
Click here for Joachim and Anne Novena in Spanish

Words of encouragement!

2009-07-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

And before the Sun had fallen far from the noon out of the East there came a great Eagle flying, and he bore tidings beyond hope from the Lords of the West, crying,

Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,
for the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,
and the Dark Tower is thrown down.

Sing and rejoice, ye people of the Tower of Guard,
for your watch hath not been in vain,
and the Black Gate is broken,
and your King hath passed through,
and he is victorious.

Sing and be glad, all ye children of the West,
for your King shall come again,
and he shall dwell among you
all the days of your life.

And the Tree that was withered shall be renewed,
and he shall plant it in the high places,
and the City shall be blessed.

Sing all ye people!

The Return of the King, pp. 254-255 J.R.R.Tolkien

Heat and culture of death getting you down?

2009-07-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

If so, come to Umstead Park in Raleigh !! We will enjoy frozen treats, continue to connect with other area pro-lifers, share our pro-life ideas, and just have fun while we're at it. For maps and directions, go here. We will be at Reedy Creek Shelter #2. (Please bring a few dollars to cover the cost of the shelter.) Children are welcome!! RSVP as soon as possible. Can't wait to see you there!!Dorothy, Triangle Right to Life Chair (919) 257-9916

Pope receives the message today "build a Civilization of Love" from unlikely messenger.

2009-07-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Encyclical

CARITAS IN VERITATE

Just days after releasing the newest Encyclical the Holy Father receives a message today

"let us go forward together, to build up a real civilization of love."

from Pope Paul VI. These words were said in the Homily at the Canonization of the first American Citizen Cardinal John Neumann. He was an immigrant and became a naturalized citizen. He joined the order of the Redemptorists and then became the "Little Bishop" of Philadelphia. Now this message is being literally carried from the body of St. John Neumann to our Holy Father by the most unlikely Messenger. Truly a message to the world and especially the United States.
President Obama brings this timely message of St. John Neumann's Life and the words of Pope Paul VI today via the gift of a Stole that is a Third Class relic of St. John Neumann.

Our ceremony today is indeed the celebration of holiness. At the same time, it is a prophetic anticipation-for the Church, for the United States, for the world-of a renewal in love: love for God, love for neighbor.

And in this vital charity, beloved sons and daughters, let us go forward together, to build up a real civilization of love. Saint John Neumann, by the living power of your example and by the intercession of your prayers, help us today and for ever.

from the Homily of Pope Paul VI on the Occasion of the Canonization of Cardinal John Neumann June 19, 1977.

God does work in the most mysterious of ways and he uses everything and everyone and especially through His beloved Saints to bring His message of Love! SYG

Young Woman Has Abortion After Getting Advice From Popular Discussion Blog

2009-07-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a story that provides evidence of the power of the Internet and the need for pro-life advocates to play a part in abortion discussions on it, a young women has had an abortion after getting the advice of participants on a popular discussion blog, called Motherlode. Last week, a 22-year old woman name Emmie, who found herself pregnant, wrote to the blog seeking advice. In the email Motherlode writer Lisa Belkin posted, Emmie said she is about to begin graduate studies at a prestigious university and that she has recently moved away from her longtime friends and family and would have to face the prospects of a pregnancy alone. “I know I’ll have very little help, and especially since you write so often about mothers that need help every so often, that worries me,” Emmie wrote Belkin. “The father is no longer in the picture and, even if he was, he’s not the kind of person you’d want your baby near (a poor decision on my part, I know). I’m torn between my responsibilities as a mother, to protect and nurture my child, and my responsibilities to my future, to succeed academically and professionally.” Belkin asked her readers to be “kind and wise” in their response to Emmie and later learned she received nearly 700 emails with a range of reaction for or against an abortion. Emmie says she was not open to adoption and met with an adoption counselor and decided she couldn’t bear an adoption. So she decided to have an abortion and wrote to the blog about her decision, which she said made her happy. “Once I came to the decision to terminate the pregnancy, so much of the guilt and sadness I’d been feeling melted away.” Emmie’s decision stands as an example of the power of the Internet.

Assisted suicide amendment defeat welcomed!

2009-07-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

The House of Lords this evening rejected Lord Falconer’s pro-assisted suicide amendment to the government's Coroners and Justice bill. The vote was 194 to 141, a majority of 53.

Paul Tully, SPUC general secretary, has this evening told the media that:

“This was a significant victory for the right to life. Time and again Parliament has blocked attempts to undermine the protective ban on assisted suicide. It’s time for the Voluntary Euthanasia Society – now repackaged as Dignity in Dying – to drop its parliamentary campaign, a campaign which is offensive to very many people who live with, or care for those with, disability or terminal illness.”

England voting on assisted suicide today in Parliment

2009-07-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Today England give example to the Popes teaching in Caritas in Veritate...

"The Church forcefully maintains this link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that “a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized." Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate)

URGENT Contact Lords immediately, assisted suicide debate today

This afternoon or this evening, Lord Falconer's very damaging amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill is expected to come up for debate (see SPUC's previous campaign alert for in-detail information about the amendment). Please contact peers NOW and ask them to oppose Lord Falconer's proposal.

Some excellent resources, which can be forwarded as weblinks to Lords, are:

* Lord McColl's article in The Telegraph
* Baroness Jane Campbell in The Guardian
* Dominic Lawson in The Independent

The blog of John Smeaton, SPUC director has many posts about assisted suicide and the Falconer amendment. Lords are listed in alphabetical order on SPUC's website campaign page (scroll to the bottom of the page).

ENCYCLICAL LETTER CARITAS IN VERITATE OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI

2009-07-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Pope has released his encyclical CARITAS IN VERITATE!

Praise God!

"The Church forcefully maintains this link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that “a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized." Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate)

“one of the most striking aspects of development in the present day is the important question of respect for life, which cannot in any way be detached from questions concerning the development of peoples.”Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate)

Benedict XVI also denounces non-governmental organizations such as Planned Parenthood for working

“actively to spread abortion, at times promoting the practice of sterilization in poor countries, in some cases not even informing the women concerned.”Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate)

Looking at a society that accepts legalized abortion as a social commitment to the common good the Pope says,

“the acceptance of life strengthens moral fibre and makes people capable of mutual help. By cultivating openness to life, wealthy peoples can better understand the needs of poor ones, they can avoid employing huge economic and intellectual resources to satisfy the selfish desires of their own citizens, and instead, they can promote virtuous action within the perspective of production that is morally sound and marked by solidarity, respecting the fundamental right to life of every people and every individual.” Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate)

The best spiritual director is the one whom created our soul at the time of Conception...

2009-07-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

When we contemplate the women, who are finding themselves at a moment of great despair and lack the Hope and Love only found in our Lord, we have to depend on our own quiet voice that converses with the Lover that will lead us in our actions to help guide these women to their own conversations with the Lover of their souls...

It is Our Lord whom our minds turn to when we are in need of direction and it is He who whispers to our soul. If we listen and do not allow ourselves to be distracted then we will feel that beautiful love that is only felt when we enter into the most intimate of communication with our Creator. SYG

In order to be a help to others and to carry out my daily activities according to my state in life I used to think I had to find a Spiritual Director. Now I know that the Spiritual Director that I seek can only be found in the quiet depths of my soul.

Here is a beautiful book that can help you understand the quiet whispers of the greatest lover of your soul. Open this book Abandonment To Divine Providence
By Father de Caussade and you will be amazed at the beautiful conversations you are already having with the Lover of your soul!

Then and only then will you be able to spread that love to others in even the smallest of actions or the most unusual of places.

The Star Spangled Banner

2009-07-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

From Movietone News: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Version I) (1942)

Also here is a great read America the Beautiful By Katherine Lee Bates on Google Books

And if you like to sing rather than read then here is a great Songbook - Songs Sung Red, White, and Blue By Ace Collins on Google Books as well...

Cardinal Newman a step forward...We need a saint right now for the "mobilization of Consciences"...

2009-07-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

"It is the job that is never started that takes the longest to finish"~J.R.R.Tolkein

See the latest news of Cardinal Newman's Beatification approval..Truly a Saint for our times!

'It's Amazing to See': Life-Size Models for Expectant Moms - ABC News

2009-07-02T11:46:00.001-07:00

'It's Amazing to See': Life-Size Models for Expectant Moms - ABC News

Shared via AddThis

Do not be afraid ... You are not alone

2009-06-30T01:17:00.000-07:00

Have courage to defend your faith!

2009-06-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is from the article found on

Life site News

regarding Paul's letter to the Ephesians:

See full Text in Italian Here and Copy and paste to translate into English here...

Closing the Year of St. Paul yesterday evening, Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the writings of the famed convert to Christianity. With reference to Paul's letter to the Ephesians (4:14), the Pope explained what Paul meant by his statement that Christians should not remain "children at the mercy of the waves, transported here and there by every wind of doctrine."

"Paul wants the Christian faith have a 'responsible', an 'adult faith," said the Holy Father. "The word 'adult faith' has in recent decades become a popular slogan. It is often used to refer to the attitude of those who no longer adhere to the Church and her pastors, but choose for themselves what they want to believe and not believe - a kind of do-it-yourself faith."

Benedict XVI continued: "Speaking against the Magisterium of the Church is presented as courageous. In reality, however, it does not take courage for this, since you can always be sure of audience applause."

"Rather it takes courage to adhere to the faith of the Church, even if it contradicts the 'scheme' of the contemporary world," said the Pope. "It is this non-conformism of the faith that Paul calls an 'adult faith.'"

The Holy Father gave two examples of an 'adult faith'. First, "to commit to the inviolability of human life from the very beginning, thus radically opposing the principle of violence, in defense of the most defenseless humans." And second, "to recognize marriage between a man and a woman for life as a law of the Creator, restored again by Christ."

For Paul, said Benedict XVI, "following the prevailing winds and currents of the day is childish."

A Must see movie!

2009-06-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

Oppening this weekend...The Stoning of Soraya M.

Money from Canadian Bishops Conference Funding groups in Peru that support the leagalization of abortion and Promote contraception? Upside down?

2009-06-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

Bishops from Peru are asking Canadian Bishops why their norther brothers would fund groups that acted directly contrary to the Church in Peru, this video helps to understand this issue very clearly!

In 2009, investigative reporters from LifeSiteNews.com discovered a widespread scandal with the funding practices of the Canadian Catholic Organization For Development and Peace (CCODP). This official agency of the Canadian Catholic Bishops has been funding pro-abortion groups. Watch this video to see the undeniable evidence of pro-abortion and other advocacy contrary to Catholic teachings on life and family.

Google Book to help you in everyday problems... Just ask St. Francis De Sales!

2009-06-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

See book here...
Or Click here to read online...

We need to let our conscience be our guide... a well formed one

2009-06-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Just thinking on the chaos ensuing in our country...We all need a Jiminy Cricket to sing a little ditty to us...because you see that even Pinocchio had to have help building a well formed conscience.

Some quotes about conscience-

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

Thomas Jefferson

One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.

Albert Einstein

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.

Mohandas Gandhi

II. THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE (The Catholic Catechism)

1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.

Conscience is a law of the mind; yet [Christians] would not grant that it is nothing more; I mean that it was not a dictate, nor conveyed the notion of responsibility, of duty, of a threat and a promise. . . . [Conscience] is a messenger of him, who, both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by his representatives. Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ.

John Henry Cardinal Newman, "Letter to the Duke of Norfolk," V, in Certain Difficulties felt by Anglicans in Catholic Teaching II (London: Longmans Green, 1885), 248.

Here is an excellent article on Examining your conscience!

Websters Dictionary Definition-

Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin conscientia, from conscient-, consciens, present participle of conscire to be conscious, be conscious of guilt, from com- + scire to know — more at science
Date:
13th century

1 a: the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good b: a faculty, power, or principle enjoining good acts c: the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego2archaic : consciousness3: conformity to the dictates of conscience : conscientiousness4: sensitive regard for fairness or justice : scruple
— con·science·less Listen to the pronunciation of conscienceless \-ləs\ adjective
— in all conscience or in conscience
: in all fairness

conscience in Afrikaans is gewete
conscience in Dutch is geweten
conscience in Finnish is omatunto
conscience in German is Gewissen
conscience in Hungarian is lelkiismeret
conscience in Italian is coscienza
conscience in Latin is conscientia
conscience in Norwegian is samvittighet
conscience in Spanish is conciencia, conciencia
conscience in Swedish is samvete

There is No Stopping Abortion Without the Eucharist

2009-06-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

Introduction: There is no stopping abortion without the Eucharist. Abortion is murder. It is on a scale today greater than all previous combined abortion murders in human history. Public demonstrations and statements of all kinds and sizes are all very important. They offer the opportunity for the pro-life Catholic to publicly identify before the world where he or she stands. We must put first things first to know and understand that behind every abortion is the devil, a murderer from the beginning. Our own human resources are entirely inadequate. Divine grace is absolutely necessary to stop abortion. All graces come through Jesus Christ in His human nature. The primary source of these graces is Holy Mass, Holy Communion and Holy Adoration of our Lord in His Real Presence. Eternal Life’s spiritual director keeps us committed to the truth. Let’s hear it from Fr. Hardon.

Read on here http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Abortion_Euthanasia/Abortion_Euthanasia_003.htm

Far away...

2009-06-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is a video for many who feel they need some hope, through the darkness there is always hope...

Where-ever I go
Far away and anywhere
Time after time, you always shine
Through dark of night, calling after me

And where-ever I climb
Far away and anywhere
You raise me high, beyond the sky
Through stormy night, lifting me above

Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu Venite Spirtus

Far away, beyond the sky

Whenever I cry
Far away and anywhere
You hear me call when shadows fall
A light of hope, showing me the way

And Whenever I cry
Far away and anywhere
You raise me high, beyond the sky
Through stormy night, lifting me up high

Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu Venite Spirtus

Far away, beyond the sky

Prayer of St. John Vianney

2009-06-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

As the Year of the Priest starts it is begun in Rome with the Celebration of Vespers found here...
http://www.universalis.com/vespers.htm

EWTN, Global Catholic Network Click to access LIVE video stream from EWTN. Fri 6/19/09 11:30 AM ET / 8:30 AM PT

VESPERS FOR THE INAUGURATION OF THE YEAR FOR PRIESTS - LIVE (2hr)
The Pope celebrates the beginning of the Year for priests by welcoming the relics of the 'Cure of Ars' followed by Vespers to inaugurate the special year for priests. The year will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Vianney, Cure of Ars. Live from St. Peter's Basilica.
Fri 6/19/09 11:30 AM ET / 8:30 AM PT

St. John Vianney

I love You, O my God,
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.

I love You, O my infinitely lovable God,
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.

I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally...

My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.

Procession on June 6th 10 am with Fr. Jason from Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church

2009-05-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Join us for the Procession with Fr. Jason leading the Rosary with Fr. Pavone's reflections. See video of past procession below...

Imagine Spot 2

2009-05-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Praise God it will be shown tonight at the end of American Idol!!! and tomorrow night as well on American Idol! IMAGINE SPOT

The Grassroots Films-produced "IMAGINE SPOT 2" will be airing tonight on FOX during the season finale of AMERICAN IDOL! The television spot, produced for client, CatholicVote.Org is set to air in certain select markets including Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Nevada & Maryland.

Be sure to tune in - and let us know what you think: visit us online at http://grassrootsfilms.blogspot.com/ and leave your comments! You can also see the TV spot on YouTube here.

During this season of Ordinations of Deacons and Priests... Thank you!

2009-05-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

May is a popular month for the ordinations of Priests and Deacons and simerilarly it is it a popular month for Marriages. As we enter the season of Easter the Church dedicates the month of May to Our Lady Queen of Heaven and Earth. The earth shows its love for Our Lady and beauty in her honor. May is dotted with Flowers covering the earth the trees regaining their leaves and the grass green and lush plants and bushes adorning themselves for the benefit of adoring Our Lady and to celebrate the Risen Christ. Rejoicing with Our Lady we sing "Rejoice Queen of Heaven Alleluia for he who though has made worthy to bear Alleluia Alleluia has risen as He said. Pray for us to God Alleluia Rejoice and be glad oh Virgin Mary for the Lord has truly risen indeed. O God, who by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, you have granted to give joy to the whole world: grant, we beseach you, that through the prayers and intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. "

Marriages join in this time of year to honor Our Lady's Love for Our Lord and for Our Lords Love for his people and for thanksgiving of the Graces accorded to Our Lady to allow her to cooperate with the Divine Will. Bishops travel throughout their diocese Confirming young men and women in the faith and through the sacrament let loose the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Many show their Love of the Faith through participating in the sacraments that lead them to full communion with the Church and we celebrate many anniversaries within this month. Wedding anniversaries, baptism anniversaries, confirmation and first communion anniversaries, Deaconate anniversaries, and Ordinations to the Priesthood and Bishop anniversaries. All of these days in May of rememberances have a common thread and that is of the Great gift of faith hope and love in Our Lord! What a beautiful month for Our Church and for Our Lady Queen of heaven and earth. I thank all of those whom have cooperated with the grace given to them to proclaim their love for Our Lady and for Our Lord God throught their YES to their vocational call! May we all join in the Church Triumphant in praising God and using our eyes to see heavenly graces and gifts drifting across the plains, meadows, deserts, and cities. May we pray for our friends that are celebrating their Wedding Priestly and Deaconate anniversaries. Let us never forget the great joy and excitement we have felt during these times of Grace. As a 8 year old marks the one year anniversary of her first communion with so much enthusiasm may we never loose that desire for Our Lord in the Eucharist and may we never forget to thank the Lord for sending us Holy Priests and Holy Bishops.

Happy Anniversary to you celebrating these days of Anniversary of Matrimony and Holy Orders to Bishop, Priests, Brothers, Sisters, Husbands, Wives, Children and all whom are touched by those in our heavenly family through the Grace of God !!! May Our Lady surround you with her Mantle as you defend and protect the Church and May the Lord protect you and keep you may He make His face to shine upon you and bring you Peace!

Pro-Life Irish Shut Down Euthanasia Lecture in Cork

2009-05-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

Read about this here...