Obama's Science Czar: Traditional family is obsolete, punish large families

President Obama's Science Czar, John Holdren, took a controversial and amoral approach to the science of population by recommending mass compulsory sterilization and even forced abortion (and/or forced marriages) under certain circumstances. His 1977 tome, Ecoscience, which he co-authored with Paul and Anne Ehrlich, also displays a revealing disregard for the institution of the traditional human family.

Read entire article here.

From the Washington Examiner.

Abortion Isn't Just about "Personal Choice"....

ht to somehavehats.

"In other news:

In an astonishing admission, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she was under the impression that legalizing abortion with the 1973 Roe. v. Wade case would eliminate undesirable members of the populace, or as she put it "populations that we don't want to have too many of."

Her remarks, set to be published in the New York Times Magazine this Sunday but viewable online now, came in an in-depth interview with Emily Bazelon titled, "The Place of Women on the Court."

Anybody want to imagine what would happen if a Republican judge said that? Would I be going out on a limb to call that a racist statement? I feel pretty confident that I could make a good case for hate speech.

To Her Honor: You'd better hope that Obamacare doesn't kick in before you die, because you are old and have terminal cancer, which makes you an undesirable when they start rationing health care."

Uh, yah ....

St. Maria Goretti, pray for us!

CNA STAFF, Jul 5, 2009 / 05:03 am (CNA).- Monday marks the feast day of St. Maria Goretti, a young virgin and martyr whose life is an example of purity and mercy for all Christians.

Maria Goretti is best known for her commitment to purity and the courageous defense of her faith at the young age of eleven that made her willing to undergo death rather than participate in a sin against God. She is also remarkable for the forgiveness she willingly granted her attacker as she lay on her deathbed.

Maria was born in Corinaldo, Italy on October 16, 1890. Her father, a farmer, died of malaria when she was young, and her mother had to work to support their six children.

Maria took care of the younger children while her mother worked, and she prayed the Rosary every night for the repose of her father’s soul. She grew in grace and maturity, and her cheerful obedience and piety were noticed by those around her.

On July 5, 1902, a neighboring farm hand, Alessandro Serenelli, tried to rape Maria. On several prior occasions, Alessandro had harassed Maria with impure advances, all of which she has vehemently rejected. This time, he locked her in a room and tried to force himself upon her. She fought against him, shouting, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!" and warning him that this was the path towards hell. When Maria declared that she would rather die than submit to this sin, Alessandro angrily grabbed her and stabbed her 14 times with a knife.

Maria was found bleeding to death and rushed to the hospital. As she lay dying, she forgave Alessandro for the crime he had committed against her, saying, "Yes, for the love of Jesus I forgive him...and I want him to be with me in Paradise."

Although the doctors tried to save her, she died two agonizing days later, only eleven years old.

Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant until one night, eight years into his prison term, when Maria appeared to him, dressed in white, gathering lilies in a garden. She smiled, turned towards Alessandro, and offered him the flowers. Each lily he took transformed into a white flame. Then Maria disappeared.

From that moment, Alessandro converted and found peace. He repented of his crime and changed his life. He was released from prison three years early and begged forgiveness from Maria’s mother, which she duly granted.

Alessandro moved to a Capuchin monastery, working in the garden as a tertiary for the remainder of his life. He was one of the witnesses who testified to Maria's holiness during her cause of beatification, citing the crime and the vision in prison.

Many miracles were attributed to Maria Goretti after her death. In 1950, she was canonized by Pope Pius XII, becoming the youngest Roman Catholic saint officially recognized by name. Her feast day is celebrated by the Church on July 6, and she is the patron saint of purity, rape victims, young women, and youth in general.

On her feast day in 2003, Pope John Paul II spoke about St. Maria Goretti at his Sunday Angelus, noting that her life provides an exemplary witness of what it means to be "pure of heart."

"What does this fragile but christianly mature girl say to today's young people, through her life and above all through her heroic death?" asked the Pope.

"Marietta, as she was lovingly called, reminds the youth of the third millennium that true happiness demands courage and a spirit of sacrifice, refusing every compromise with evil and having the disposition to pay personally, even with death, faithful to God and his commandments."

"How timely this message is," the Holy Father continued. "Today, pleasure, selfishness and directly immoral actions are often exalted in the name of the false ideals of liberty and happiness. It is essential to reaffirm clearly that purity of heart and of body go together, because chastity ‘is the custodian’ of authentic love."

Gov't Subsidy Devalues Marriage

"There are plenty of good reasons for promoting traditional marriage as the preferred family unit-at least, for those legitimately concerned with the social, cultural, and economic welfare of our society. ... The bottom line is that traditional marriage provides essential benefits that no other domestic arrangement can match, not only for the adults involved, but for the most vulnerable among us-our children."

Read the full article here.

Oppose ESCR!

From the website of the Archdiocese of San Antonio:

Following President Obama’s March 9 executive order, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has proposed guidelines for federally funded embryonic stem cell research. The guidelines would – for the first time – use taxpayer funds to encourage the killing of embryonic human beings for their stem cells.
Patients suffering from devastating illnesses deserve our compassion and our committed response – but not at the cost of innocent life.



USCCB: Cardinal Rigali on NIH Guidelines.

She Must Be Doing Holy Work

To be named the “Worst Person in the World” is quite a feat. After all, the world is a very big place — and I’m not just saying this as a proud, current inhabitant — I know this to be true from years of science and astronomy classes. Add to this fact, then, that there are a great many people in the world — almost 7 billion — then the realization of being named “Worst Person in the World” is just staggering.

Jill Stanek — a white, pro-life woman — has been called just that by Keith Olbermann, who is a political commentator on MSNBC. Jill is just one in a string of many white, pro-life women who are coming under attack in ways that are both alarming and increasing in frequency. Read the full article ...

Pro-lifer Almost Run Down by SUV

CHICO, CA, June 26, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - James Canfield, a regular pro-life protester of a Planned Parenthood and Women's Health Center in Chico, California, was almost run down during a protest last Wednesday, according to the Chico Enterprise Record. His alleged attacker, Matthew Haver, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Witnesses reported that a man driving an SUV attempted to strike Canfield, who dove out of the way and was not seriously injured. The license plate of the SUV was taken down and was traced back to Haver, who was then arrested.

According to Chico Police Lt. John Carrillo, Canfield was protesting outside of a Planned Parenthood facility with a large, graphic sign of an aborted baby. Haver drove by with a child with him, who asked what was on the sign. Haver then apparently became enraged at the sight of the sign, and attempted to run down Canfield.

Haver was not held in Chico, however, since he apparently experienced a "medical emergency." Carrillo refused to elaborate on the emergency, but did note that Haver was not harmed by any one else, while refusing to comment whether any injuries were self-inflicted.

Haver was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was issued a citation ordering him to appear in Butte County Superior Court at a later date.

Source: http://www.chicoer.com/ci_12694922

NOVENA TO THE UNITED HEARTS FOR HOLINESS OF PRIESTS

Novena of St. John Vianney for Priests

Each day the following prayer should be recited:

Prayer for each day

"I beseech You--Blessed United Hearts of the Most Holy Trinity, together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary--help me in all of my weaknesses and imperfections. Remind me always that my vocation is a gift from you. Assist me in being an image of Divine Love to all those I minister to. Give to me the gift of touching even the most hardened souls. Amen."

Day 1
"Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the infinite power and grace of the United Hearts, I ask for the grace of desiring to be holy. Strengthen this desire in every present moment so that I can inspire deep personal holiness in those I minister to. Increase my love for you, dear United Hearts. Amen."

Day 2
"Most Holy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, help me to inspire those entrusted to my care with this desire towards personal holiness. Give me Holy Boldness to fill the hearts of my flock with this desire. Help me to inspire them by my own example. Amen."

Day 3
"Most Worthy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, never allow me to forget, that as a priest, it is my duty to make the sacraments available to my flock, for it is the sacraments [especially the Eucharist and Confession] that protect and encourage personal holiness, and which strengthen whole parishes. Knowing this, I must encourage frequent confession, as well as Eucharistic Adoration. I must never limit their availability out of selfish use of my own time. Help me, dear United Hearts, to place others' spiritual welfare ahead of my own ease. Amen."

Day 4
"Most Holy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as a priest, help me to help my flock to grow in virtue, for the virtues are the building blocks of personal holiness. Help me, dear United Hearts, to educate my flock as to the importance of Holy Love in the present moment, for all virtue is based on Holy Love. Amen."

Day 5
"Praise be to Jesus. Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the United Hearts of the Holy Trinity, priests must pray to please God and live in harmony with the Will of God. This is the dictate of Holy Love--Holy Humility. These two virtues are companions; one cannot exist in the soul without the other. The depth of either is dependent upon the depth of the other. Each day priests are tested in these two virtues."

"Let this be the priests' prayer:"

Day 5
"Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,* Most Holy United Hearts, let me not fail in any test of Holy Love or Holy Humility. I must realize that the test is the opportunity God gives me to practice every virtue. I pray to accept the graces I am given to succeed in every test. I pray to be able to teach others to do so. Amen."

Day 6
"Most Holy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, today I pray that any disordered desire to be popular with people be taken from my heart. I will not place love of money ahead of shepherding my flock. I will trust in God's Divine Provision. I pray for courage and Holy Boldness to speak out against all sin, even the sins that have been carried by Satan into the political arena, such as abortion, same sex marriage, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. Lord, give to me a righteous tongue. Amen."

Day 7
"Most Worthy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as a priest, help me always to realize the value of self-effacement and poverty of spirit. Help me never to place myself first--my own needs or my own feelings. My personal holiness depends upon my efforts to place God and others first. Assist me, dear United Hearts, in detaching from the false gods of reputation, material gain and intellectual pride, for these are all doorways that liberalism uses to destroy vocations. I petition you, United Hearts, protect me from these traps. Amen."

Day 8
"Most Holy United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, help me always to speak and to teach through the Spirit of Truth. In this age of compromise, I need your assistance in combating all heresy against the Tradition of Faith. Help me to stand firm in all that the Catechism teaches, and never to alter my views to please others. Amen."

Day 9
"All Worthy, All Loving United Hearts, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I, your faithful priest, beg your assistance in preparing my flock for the triumphant return of Jesus. I understand that Jesus' Victory will be a Victory of Holy and Divine Love. Assist me in any effort of propagating these messages of Holy and Divine Love, for I see they are scripturally sound and based on truth. I must encourage others to live in Holy Love, for this is the Gateway to the New Jerusalem, and the path of salvation. Safeguard my heart against discouragement. Fill me with Holy Boldness. Amen."

Adapted from OSV

Offer a Spiritual Bouquet for Our Priests

In honor of the "Year for Priests," Priests for Life is providing everyone the opportunity to offer a spiritual bouquet.

"...Priests are, by definition, heralds of the Gospel of Life. By saying mass, the priest brings us the victory of life over death. He carries out his ministry in the person of Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life. The priest teaches the way of life that gives priority to the poor and vulnerable – and none are more vulnerable than the unborn. The priest is called to mobilize and lead the faithful to work to build the Culture of Life. In the sacrament of Penance, the priest heals the wounds of the culture of death.

Priests need our prayers and encouragement each day. Now you can assure them that they have yours ..."

The Numbers Don't Lie

This is produced by bound4life, a non-denominational pro-life Christian group. They seem to do a great job appealing to youth.

BBQ and a Baby

Help Baby Logan James Marvin, born February 6, 2009. In his four months of life, Logan has had three surgeries to correct heart problems and other complications. He needs another surgery later this year, and this Fire-Station Bar-B-Que will help raise funds for his medical care.

Bring yourself and a bunch of friends, neighbors, and out-of-town guests.

Saturday, June 27

11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Hunt Fire House

Bar-B-Que Brisket, Chicken & Sausage

Live Music

Live auction starts at 1:00 PM

A "Culture of Living Chastisement"

Spiritdaily.com points out that we are currently in a "culture of living chastisement" as evidenced by the advancement of the culture of death.

However, the article states "the pro-life movement must continue and would do well to make sure its power is entirely the fuel of love." It's a quick read with some good points.

Abortionist George Tiller Shot and Killed

"If anyone has an urge to kill someone at an abortion clinic, they should shoot me. ... It's madness. It discredits the right-to-life movement. Murder is murder. It's madness. You cannot prevent killing by killing." - John Cardinal O'Connor

The Pill May Cause Lupus in Some Women

From the edmontonjournal.com: Certain women may be prone to develop lupus when they start taking combined oral contraceptives, according to investigators at McGill University in Montreal.

Lupus, or more precisely systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissue. The condition can vary widely in severity, manifesting as a skin rash and arthritis or leading to damage to the kidneys, heart, lungs and brain to varying degrees ... read on ...

Truly Disturbing

Billionaire club in bid to curb overpopulation

What'll they think of next?

It's Time to Step Up to the Plate

How many mixed metaphors can you find in this blog post?

Jennifer Hartline writing for Catholic Online hits the nail on the head:

It’s pathetic that so many who say they belong to Christ are so easily beguiled and deceived.The sacrifice of the Cross must not mean very much to many of us because we’re willing to sell it real cheap in exchange for the good opinion of those who would silence Christ. Precious Blood was spilled for our sins. Today our leaders and our culture want to wash away Its saving stain, and the majority of Catholics are quietly watching them mop… even handing them a bucket.

It’s not enough to be culturally Catholic, a holiday Catholic, or Catholic by ancestry. It is certainly not good enough to profess a Catholic faith in church, and then deny it by our life’s choices.

Read the article in its entirety and then get off the fence.

"Abstinence Only" Ed May Result in Fewer Abortions

Here's a fascinating find from Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex.

The Father of Lies Has Been Working Overtime

The Catholic News Agency reports that the Editor-in-chief Gian Maria Vian of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano says that Barack Obama “is not a pro-abortion president.”

The Family Research Council has put together compelling information to the contrary both in print and video.

Also the FRC is asking everyone to ACT NOW and contact the National Institutes of Health to express opposition to the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research BEFORE May 26th.

But back to L'Osservatore Romano. George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow at Washington's Ethics and Public Policy Center explains in an article on National Review Online that the Vatican newspaper does not speak for the pope. In addition he states, "to assume that the pope and his most senior advisers have drunk the Obama Kool-Aid and wish the American bishops would chill out is, however, another story altogether, and not a very credible one ...."

Pledge of Re-commitment to the Pro-life Cause

I thank God today for the gift of my life,
and for the lives of my brothers and sisters.

I know I am responsible for the unborn who cannot speak for themselves.

I know that the most serious tragedy of our day is the tragedy of abortion.

Today I commit myself,
never to be silent,
never to be passive,
never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement
and never to stop defending life
until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
and our nation once again becomes
a nation with liberty and justice,
not just for some, but for all. Amen!

- Priests for Life

Archbishop Chaput Comments on Obama Speech

The following is the text of Archbishop Charles Chaput’s statement on Notre Dame’s honor for President Obama:

Most graduation speeches are a mix of piety and optimism designed to ease students smoothly into real life. The best have humor. Some genuinely inspire. But only a rare few manage to be pious, optimistic, evasive, sad and damaging all at the same time. Father John Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, is a man of substantial intellect and ability. This makes his introductory comments to President Obama’s Notre Dame commencement speech on May 17 all the more embarrassing.

Let’s remember that the debate over President Obama’s appearance at Notre Dame was never about whether he is a good or bad man. The president is clearly a sincere and able man. By his own words, religion has had a major influence in his life. We owe him the respect Scripture calls us to show all public officials. We have a duty to pray for his wisdom and for the success of his service to the common good -- insofar as it is guided by right moral reasoning.

We also have the duty to oppose him when he’s wrong on foundational issues like abortion, embryonic stem cell research and similar matters. And we also have the duty to avoid prostituting our Catholic identity by appeals to phony dialogue that mask an abdication of our moral witness. Notre Dame did not merely invite the president to speak at its commencement. It also conferred an unnecessary and unearned honorary law degree on a man committed to upholding one of the worst Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history: Roe v. Wade.

In doing so, Notre Dame ignored the U.S. bishops’ guidance in their 2004 statement, Catholics in Political Life. It ignored the concerns of Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Notre Dame’s 2009 Laetare Medal honoree – who, unlike the president, certainly did deserve her award, but finally declined it in frustration with the university’s action. It ignored appeals from the university’s local bishop, the president of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ conference, more than 70 other bishops, many thousands of Notre Dame alumni and hundreds of thousands of other American Catholics. Even here in Colorado, I’ve heard from too many to count.

There was no excuse – none, except intellectual vanity – for the university to persist in its course. And Father Jenkins compounded a bad original decision with evasive and disingenuous explanations to subsequently justify it.

These are hard words, but they’re deserved precisely because of Father Jenkins’ own remarks on May 17: Until now, American Catholics have indeed had “a special expectation, a special hope for what Notre Dame can accomplish in the world.” For many faithful Catholics – and not just a “small but vocal group” described with such inexcusable disdain and ignorance in journals like Time magazine -- that changed Sunday.

The May 17 events do have some fitting irony, though. Almost exactly 25 years ago, Notre Dame provided the forum for Gov. Mario Cuomo to outline the “Catholic” case for “pro-choice” public service. At the time, Cuomo’s speech was hailed in the media as a masterpiece of American Catholic legal and moral reasoning. In retrospect, it’s clearly adroit. It’s also, just as clearly, an illogical and intellectually shabby exercise in the manufacture of excuses. Father Jenkins’ explanations, and President Obama’s honorary degree, are a fitting national bookend to a quarter century of softening Catholic witness in Catholic higher education. Together, they’ve given the next generation of Catholic leadership all the excuses they need to baptize their personal conveniences and ignore what it really demands to be “Catholic” in the public square.

Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George has suggested that Notre Dame “didn’t understand” what it means to be Catholic before these events began. He's correct, and Notre Dame is hardly alone in its institutional confusion. That's the heart of the matter. Notre Dame’s leadership has done a real disservice to the Church, and now seeks to ride out the criticism by treating it as an expression of fringe anger. But the damage remains, and Notre Dame’s critics are right. The most vital thing faithful Catholics can do now is to insist – by their words, actions and financial support – that institutions claiming to be “Catholic” actually live the faith with courage and consistency. If that happens, Notre Dame’s failure may yet do some unintended good.

Ya Gotta Be You

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope. ... Jeremiah 29:11

... Just think there will only be one of you in this world throughout time ...

PS - Kids: the graffiti was just for the video.. do not try at home ;^)

Calvinist Preacher John Piper

Our humble effort was a success!

Thanks to everyone who came out!

"Christ is Risen! By his Resurrection, He has destroyed the power of death, and therefore the power of abortion. The outcome of the battle for Life has already been decided: Life is victorious! Let us pray that all prolifers will spread this victory to every segment of our society." (First Glorious Mystery of the Rosary - Meditation from priestsforlife.org)

“God’s ways are not our ways. God’s ways are as far above our ways as the heavens are above the earth.” -- Fr. John Corapi

Any similarities?

"Jesusita Fire" in Santa Barbara & an unborn child

God Bless Fr. Corapi

Don't Forget...Rosary Procession for Life is this Saturday!

Meet us at the Notre Dame bell tower at 8:30 PM this Saturday, May 16. We will process from there to the Courthouse and back, praying all the while for the conversion of our President regarding life issues as well as for the unborn and vulnerable in our world. Hope to see you then!

Powerful Spot from Grassroots Films

Jesus, unborn in the womb of Mary

Pray for us, all the unborn and their parents.

Image: innerwindows.net

Candlelight Rosary Procession - May 16

Everyone is invited to participate in a candle-light Rosary for Life Procession starting at 8:30 pm.
We will assemble on the sidewalk in front of the Notre Dame bell tower and process over to the Kerr County Courthouse and then return.

Bring family, friends and prayerful hearts. Also, don't forget to bring your rosaries, crucifixes and/or candles.

Support the Choose Life License Plate Bill

The Choose Life license plate (SB 1098/HB 109) would promote adoption as a compassionate alternative to abortion by raising funds for:

* pregnancy resource centers

* Gabriel Projects

* maternity homes

* adoption agencies and

* other pro-life organizations that work with women experiencing crisis pregnancies

At present, the Senate approved SB 1098 on Friday, May 1, with a 20-9 vote. The House version, HB 109, is being bottled up in the House Transportation Committee after a very successful hearing on April 2. The chairman of that committee, Rep. Joe Pickett (D-El Paso), continues to refuse to allow a vote on the bill.

Check out and see the other legislative issues that the Texas Alliance for Life is supporting.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive

Notre Dame Pro-Life recently collected food items for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry... we donated 66 items. Thanks everyone! PS TJ says they really need sliced bread and toilet paper!

From a blogger named Maureen at Aliens in this World:

If you're against capital punishment, you must be more against capital punishment against babies, which is carried out without trial or jury or appeal or court-appointed lawyer.

If you're against war, you must be more against war conducted against babies by their parents and doctors, since unborn babies are the ultimate defenseless pacifists, only wanting to go about their own business of growing and living.

If you're against poverty, you must be more against babies being deprived of their only property, their own lives and bodies.

If you're for social justice, you must be more in favor of justice for babies as an integral part of religion and society.

There is no social ill, no injustice, no horror that is not intensified when it involves the unborn, for they have the least power and the most need. If we don't protect our young, we don't protect anyone.

"Eat More Chicken" - Dinner and Dance

PRO-LIFE FUNDRAISER DINNER AND DANCE--SATURDAY, APRIL 25 at 6 pm

Knights of Columbus Hall on Doris Drive in Kerrville, TX

Everyone is invited to welcome Notre Dame's newest ministry, Notre Dame Pro-Life, for a dinner and dance on Saturday, April 25 at 6 pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Doris Dr. A smoked chicken and sausage dinner will be prepared by the Knights of Columbus Bar-B-Q Team. Refreshments (Iced tea, coffee, water) and homemade desserts will be also served.

Beer and wine will also be available. There will be no cost for the dinner, but a suggested donation of $7.00 per plate is encouraged. Proceeds from the dinner and dance go to Notre Dame Pro-life.

Bring family and friends. Have some fun and help out a good cause to boot!

Graphic artwork of Rob Scotten.

Theology of the Body - A Primer

Courtesy of Fr. Brian Thomas Becket Mullady, O.P. in the March 2009 edition of NOR:

This article not only discusses marriage between man and woman, but also the intimate unity between Christ, the bridegroom and His bride, the Church.

"For marriage to be true and loving it must be ethical; it must take account of both unity and life as it was originally created by the Creator and is now redeemed by Christ."

Conscience and the Death Penalty

Recently, Gov. Bill Richardson abolished the death penalty in his state and asserted that it was the hardest decision of his life.

The USCCB has made efforts to end the death penalty.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

2266 The State's effort to contain the spread of behaviors injurious to human rights and the fundamental rules of civil coexistence corresponds to the requirement of watching over the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and duty to inflict penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime. The primary scope of the penalty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. When his punishment is voluntarily accepted by the offender, it takes on the value of expiation. Moreover, punishment, in addition to preserving public order and the safety of persons, has a medicinal scope: as far as possible it should contribute to the correction of the offender.

2267 The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor. "If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person. "Today, in fact, given the means at the State's disposal to effectively repress crime by rendering inoffensive the one who has committed it, without depriving him definitively of the possibility of redeeming himself, cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically non-existent.'

Gov. Perry Decrees April Abortion Recovery Awareness Month

Thank you, Governor Perry!

"Ending a pregnancy through abortion interrupts the natural birth process and creates significant trauma and stress for those involved in the pregnancy. An abortion is a tragic ending ..."

How true, especially for the infant. A great start to a great letter.

Gomez, Cantu Support Bishop D'Arcy

Archbishop Gomez and Bishop Cantu support Bishop D'Arcy's disapproval of President Obama speaking at Notre Dame University and receiving an honorary law degree. Here's a copy of the letter.

Come to our April Meeting!

Hello, Defenders of Life,

The next meeting of Notre Dame Pro-Life will be this Thursday, April 2 at 6:30 PM. Note the time change. We will be sharing a delicious meal, listening to a short talk by a local foster mom, and pushing on with our various plans.

Bring a food donation for Saint Vincent de Paul so we can support our brothers and sisters in Kerrville who may be struggling.

See the Notre Dame bulletin for details or email notredameprolife@gmail.com for location.

Thanks!

Pro-Lifer

Fantastic News from the Sidewalk in San Antonio

YAY!

An email received:

March 25

I am happy to report that today a young mom (and her mother) drove right up to us as we stood on the sidewalk. The young mom jumped out, walked over, and introduced us to her one month old baby boy, Elijah. The grandmother told us that her daughter had wanted to have an abortion last fall. Instead, she drove her to see the people at the last 40 Days for Life campaign praying outside Planned Parenthood. The mom wanted her to read the signs. The daughter did just that, and then changed her mind, and chose life!

Second, we received great news that another young woman whom we sent to the Pregnancy Care Center for a sonogram, has decided to keep her baby and not abort. Praise God!

Third, a young woman had been praying in church earlier today, when she got the "feeling" that she needed to go to pray at Planned Parenthood. We saw her car pull in, but she didn't get out for several minutes. Finally, she got out and told us that she had been praying for us. She hadn't known that we would be there, but as soon as she saw us, she knew that God had wanted her to pray for us. And, we do need those prayers!
Some days the blessings overwhelm.

Take care,
Tammy

Ethnic Cleansing at its Finest

And with our tax dollars, to boot.

Courtesy of LifeNews.com

"The Department of State will contribute $50 million to UNFPA in 2009, as provided in the Omnibus Appropriations Act," spokesman Robert Wood said in a press statement. "This decision highlights the Administration’s strong commitment to international family planning, women’s health, and global development."

A few, quick comments:

"International Family Planning" ... sounds like code language for ethnic cleansing
"Women's Health???" ... So, it's "unhealthy" to give birth to a baby?
"Global Development" ... Just how do abortions result in fresh, clean water or pest-resistant crops, for example?

Who thinks that they have the right?!!

Report: Obama aid to put pressure on Vatican over Abp. Burke
A scoop from Austin Ruse at the Catholic Thing:

"A reliable source tells me that someone representing the Obama administration is about to put pressure on the papal nuncio to the United States to get Archbishop Raymond Burke to be quiet. The Obama complaint is that Archbishop Burke, who is now head of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, has supported another bishop in his chastisement of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for her support of abortion.

The pressure won't work, of course. Burke is just too smart, and tough. But Obama and his representatives are coming dangerously close to interfering in internal Church matters. More than anything else, the free exercise clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution was intended precisely to protect religious bodies from meddling by the state, even covert meddling by the White House like this. Obama and his pet Catholics should back off – and fast."

This action was evidently planned even before Abp. Burke's Randall Terry interview about Communion.

Exactly how do they plan on accomplishing this?

UK population must fall to 30m, says Porritt

(One of the reasons) why Planned Parenthood is Evil

"Sadly, there are too many people who buy into the false notion that Planned Parenthood wants to help you. They care. Nothing could be further from the truth. What is even worse is that they receive taxpayer money and sometimes on the basis that they claim to teach chastity. They often insinuate themselves into schools by offering “educational materials” to unwitting teachers.
Do not be deceived. Sex education Planned Parenthood-style is all about desensitizing your child to sexual language in order to destroy the beauty of sex. " The full article is here.

Extinguishing Physician Conscience

"Imagine that it is 2016, and you are a 65 year old boomer. You have been admitted to your local community hospital with malaise, fatigue, vomiting and cloudy mental status. You have had blood pressure problems and diabetes for a few years, and have just been diagnosed with renal failure. As you drift in and out of consciousness, you are vaguely aware your old family practice physician, who had taken care of you for 20 years, is not around. A religious man, he quietly retired from medical practice in 2014, after the full force of the Obama administration‘s removal of conscience protection for physicians in February, 2009, came into effect.
You feel vaguely uncomfortable as you are placed in a darkened room in the Comfort Care wing of the hospital. In moments of lucidity, you wonder if you shouldn't have some oxygen, an IV or SOMETHING! But the appropriate therapy, kidney dialysis, is not on the approved list of treatments for patients over 65 ..."

Unfortunately, this scenario is not snatched from a work of fiction. This is a reality that is already starting to come in to focus.

Read Dr. Mary L. Davenport's article in its entirety here.

March Meeting!

Notre Dame Pro-Life will meet on Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 PM! We will share a meal and start to take action on some of our ideas! Hope to see you there! Write notredameprolife@gmail.com or see Notre Dame bulletin for contact information regarding super-secret location ;^) Thanks, "Pro-Lifer"

Spring 40 Days for Life

• Prayer and Fasting


• Peaceful Vigil


• Community Outreach

Learn more about these efforts in San Antonio.

The Spring 40 Days for Life runs from Ash Wednesday, February 25 to April 5.

Ever Wanted Curly Hair?

This will do it. Read about Obama's nominee for deputy attorney general, David Ogden.

The article states, "Ogden has a very long record of arguing against child pornography laws, for continued racial preferences and for a virtually unlimited abortion license. He made those arguments on behalf of clients like Playboy, Penthouse and the ACLU."

Pray. Pray. Pray.

Twelve-year Old You Tube Sensation

Still figuring out how to embed videos. Several times, as of late, I have heard people comment about having faith like a child. That has always meant, to me, having a happy heart. But it also has to do with seeing things simply as they truly are ... and not rationalizing the Truth away for one's convenience. Kudos to this young lady, her parents and her instructor!

Pope Warns of Eugenics Mentality

Stop. Read these words slowly and think about them.

"Man will always be greater than all that which makes up his body; in fact, he bears the power of thought, which is always directed toward the truth about himself and about the world." -- Benedict XVI

Full story here.

Not Too Much of a Surprise

Here's a report from Breitbart.com about the fact that fetal stem cells have triggered tumors in a boy. This is no surprise because fetal stems cells can differentiate greatly --- too greatly, in fact.

The promise of stem cell research really lies within adult stem cells. There's a lot of Catholic entities that have shared this good news. But here's a secular report from 2005 that shares similar information. In addition, adult stem cells, though versatile do not seem to be as "wild" as fetal stem cells.

Pope Instructs Pelosi

Benedict XVI was clear and courageous in his message to Speaker Pelosi. Catholic politicians MUST protect life at all stages of development.

Here's the full report from newsday.

Photo: Reuters

Catholic priest asserts abortion is not infallible

Fr. Paul Rennick, President of Catholic Assumption University of LifeSiteNews that abortion "is not an infallible teaching." He made this statement in defense of the decision to invite pro-abortion Catholic and journalist, Cokie Roberts to come and speak at the University. Ms. Roberts has also been quite vociferous in support of homosexuality and contraception.

Apparently, Fr. Rennick's theology does not come from Scripture, Tradition and the teachings of the Magisterium, but rather, popular opinion. He states in the article, "If you look at the Catholic [sic] population, you'll find a whole variety of positions on all of those topics. It seems to me that disagreement on a particular position doesn't disqualify one from being a Catholic. Unless, of course, that position is whether Jesus is the Christ." Read the article in its entirety here.

Fr. John Hardon (God rest his soul) gives a succinct explanation as to not only why contraception is fatal to the faith, but also why it is an infallible teaching.

Red Envelope Campaign

From an email forwarded to several in the group ... not a bad idea

Dear Friends and Intercessors:

This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception.

I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal.

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFE tape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.Here is what I would like you to do:Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores.

On the front, address it to

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message.

This envelope represents one child who died in abortion.

It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world.

Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this email to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a a chance to live. Maybe it will change the heart of the president.

Warmly,

Christ John Otto

Archbishop Gomez Asks for Your Involvement

Please go to the Archdiocese of San Antonio web site and read the 30 Jan 2009 letter from Archbishop Gomez & Auxiliary Bishop Cantu.

There are suggestions there for how to get involved at the parish level. A post-card
campaign .. and more. There is a tab "FOCA" on the front page of the Archdiocese
web site with colorful links. If unable to read from your computer then go to the links below.

Unable to connect to the Internet but want to do something today?
Contact Washington DC Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
-- Ask for the offices of your House Representative & Two Senators. You can leave a simple message.
My name is ____________, you are my Senator (Representative), I oppose (H.R. 1964 and/or S.1173) "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA) and support your efforts to reject FOCA. They may ask for your name & address .. it's ok ... no one will order an audit. They just want to be sure to put you in touch with your correct elected official. You have the right to speak up ... you have the duty to speak up.

SA Pro-life News

1) "40 Days for Life" is about to activate again. See web site for further information at San Antonio Coalition for Life -- Your prayers and presence are needed once again on Friday, February 13th, as the Planned Parenthood located at 104 Babcock Rd. opens it's doors to offer abortions. The misguided women and men of San Antonio need your help in praying for their unborn children. If you are able to come and give a physical presence to your prayer, on the sidewalk in front of the Planned Parenthood, simply contact Amy Voorhees and she will add you to the schedule. She is working to cover all the hours between 7am-3pm. Contact: Amy Voorhees, Director, at San Antonio Coalition for Life,

2) Saturday Morning Rosary - Shield of Roses Rosary (prayers for the unborn) every Saturday 10am - 11am, St. Margaret Mary's 1314 Fair Ave., San Antonio, TX Contact: Mary Spaeth (210) 534-7855 ... for more information on pro-life activities contact: Archdiocse Office of Social Services, Rick Doucette at (210) 734-2620 Ext 1220 or their Respect Life webpage.

Yes, he fights evil. No, he doesn't wear a cape.

Read about the link between the devil and the abortion industry and the efforts of one priest, Fr. Thomas Euteneur in action here.

Now that's a woman!

A great article about how an Italian saint has inspired some U.S. physicians.

St. Gianna Molla, pray for us!

Double Standard?

Rejection of pro-life Super Bowl ad criticized by creators

So Much for Pro-Choice

Two Children should be limit, says green guru

Mark Your Calendars...

The next meeting of the Notre Dame Pro-Life group is Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 7:00 . We will be brainstorming and planning upcoming projects! Email us at notredameprolife[at]gmail[dot]com for more info and meeting location.

2009 Texas Rally for Life

It was sure cold, but it was wonderful to see everyone out, especially the teens and kids!

Crazy Thinking

Nancy Pelosi asserts that children are a "financial drain."

Ms. Pelosi, aren't you even the least bit embarrassed?

Read more here from the Catholic League.

Sigh

A post from Red Cardigan on our new President's plans regarding abortion etc.

Prayer for Life

O God, our Creator,

all life is in your hands from conception until death.

Help us to cherish our children and to

reverence the awesome privilege of our share

in creation.

May all people live and die

in dignity and love.

Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn,

the handicapped and the aged.

Enlighten and be merciful toward those who fail to love,

and give them peace.

Let freedom be tempered by responsiblity, integrity and morality.

Picture by: Mark Sanislo

How Families Can Win Back the World

Preacher Gives Families Strategy to Win Back World
Says Key Is Not Trying to Change Laws
MEXICO CITY, JAN. 14, 2009 (Zenit.org)

Christians should not focus all their energies on combating a secular concept of marriage. Rather they should rediscover its beauty for themselves and propose this ideal to the world, says the preacher of the Pontifical Household.

Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa affirmed this today at the 6th World Meeting of Families, inaugurated today in Mexico City by Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

Christians "need to rediscover the biblical ideal of marriage and family" so they can promote this ideal to the world, the preacher exhorted in his address titled "Family Relationships and Values in the Bible."

The Christian idea of matrimony and family does not just need "defending," he affirmed. The most important thing is the "task of Christians rediscovering it and living it in plenitude, such that they again propose it to the world with their actions, more than with their words."

The address was divided into three sections. First, the preacher considered God's original project for marriage and family, and how this was lived out in the history of the Chosen People. Then, he spoke of the renewal wrought by Christ, and how this was lived by the first communities of Christians. Finally, Father Cantalamessa had a look at what Revelation has to offer to the problems faced by marriages and the family today.

The preacher explained that for centuries, the spousal meaning of marriage, strongly present in the Bible, has been left to one side, in favor of a more institutional understanding.
Read more by clicking here ...

From New Oxford Review, New Oxford Notes section

New Oxford Review

Where Do We Go From Here?

January 2009

When the U.S. bishops convened their annual meeting in November 2008, one of the top agenda items was abortion in light of the recent election. Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a brief, mostly to-the-point statement on behalf of his brother bishops in anticipation of the pro-abortion presidency of Barack Obama.

It appears that the bishops learned their lesson from last year"s "Faithful Citizenship" debacle -- for the most part. Not a few bishops would still prefer to soft sell the Church's teaching against abortion: Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, South Dakota, for example, warned that "a prophecy of denunciation quickly wears thin," and that it is preferable to be seen as "caring pastors." Archbishop Elden Curtiss of Omaha likewise counseled against "being deliberately divisive now, or creating divisions by our actions." But where abortion is concerned, the battle lines have already been drawn.

Going against these equivocations, Cardinal George states plainly that "the fundamental good is life itself," that "abortion is a medical procedure that kills," and that Roe v. Wade was "bad law" that is in danger of being "enshrined in bad legislation" in the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). No hemming and hawing about weighing other, lesser concerns. Still, he couldn"t resist throwing a shout-out to those other, lesser concerns, saying of his brother bishops, "We want to continue our work for economic justice," and the "reform [of] laws around immigration," and "better education and adequate health care," blah, blah, blah. C"mon, Your Eminence, stick to the topic!

Cardinal George warns against interpreting the election as a "referendum on abortion." What, then, are we to make of the election of Obama, whom Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has labeled "the most committed 'abortion-rights" presidential candidate of either majority party since the Roe v. Wade abortion decision in 1973"? Obama is a co-sponsor of FOCA, which would codify Roe v. Wade as federal law, eliminate all state restrictions on abortion, and mandate taxpayer funding of abortion. Obama pledged in a 2007 address to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund that "the first thing I will do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." As is well known, Obama"s vice president is Joe Biden, a pro-abortion (Catholic) senator from Delaware.

Cardinal George expresses concern that, under FOCA, "parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed." But the people of California voted down just such a parental-consent law in this election -- the second consecutive time the people rejected such a proposition. Cardinal George also warns that FOCA would overturn laws that ban partial-birth abortion and protect infants born alive after botched abortions. Yet the people voted into office a president who supports partial-birth abortion and opposed the Born Alive Infants Protection Act.

Cardinal George is also worried that FOCA "would deprive the American people in all fifty states the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry." Yet in this election, the American people rejected all modest to severe restraints on abortion. Aside from the failure of the California parental-notification proposition, a potentially paradigm-shifting constitutional amendment in Colorado that would have defined "personhood" as beginning at conception went down to electoral defeat, as did a South Dakota proposition that would have eliminated abortions in that state save for cases that present a "risk" to the mother"s health prior to 20 weeks gestation. Sure, many pre-election polls indicated that the majority of Americans favored restrictions on abortion. But the American people have spoken, and judging by the cold facts, it appears that the American people don"t want even modest restrictions on abortion.

With the humiliating failures of the prolife cause at the state and national levels (we haven"t even touched on congressional losses of prolife votes or Obama's pro-abort cabinet appointments), it"s difficult to see how this election could not be considered a referendum on abortion.

James Cardinal Stafford, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, called Obama"s abortion agenda "apocalyptic," warning that, with Obama"s election, we as a nation have entered into a long night in our own Garden of Gethsemane. Referencing Pope Paul VI"s prophetic 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, Cardinal Stafford said, "If 1968 was the year of America"s 'suicide attempt," 2008 is the year of Amer­ica"s exhaustion."

Yet Cardinal George concerns himself with "modest restraints" on abortion. Is that good enough? By piddling around with "incrementalism" and talk of "reducing" abortions, have we lost sight of our goal of abolishing abortion in America?

Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, called Obama"s election "one of the most devastating blows to American civilization that we have ever undergone" -- and he insists he does not "speak in hyperbole." Fr. Eute­neuer says that, as a result of this election, we have lost the blessing promised in Psalm 41:1-4: "Happy those concerned for the lowly and poor; when misfortune strikes, the Lord delivers them. The Lord keeps and preserves them, makes them happy in the land, and does not betray them to their enemies. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed, allays the malady when they are ill." Will God continue to bless America as we continually reject Him in our rejection of the least of our brethren?

Fr. Euteneuer rightly calls for repentance: "Alas, we all need to get on our knees and repent from the very depths of our hearts for the plague that we have just invited onto our beloved nation." We faithful prolifers will do just that, as we should -- but how many of our countrymen who voted against life will join us? Indeed, how often has our prolife example been followed by those who are obstinate in their support of the murder of the unborn? Why has our prolife witness failed on the big stage?

The fundamental question we pose is this: Have we exhausted the electoral option in our fight against the scourge of abortion in the U.S.? Where does the prolife cause go from here?

Spiritual Dry Spells

Wow, here is a post from one of my favorite blogs about some possible sources of spiritual dry spells.

Conversion Diary: More thoughts on spiritual dry spells

Obedience

Here is an essay on obedience I thought was insightful... The two lines that jumped out at me were, "Obedience is learned through trust in those we obey" and "obedience is an exercise of faith." What gentle words, "trust" and "faith," yet the concept of obedience is mocked by so many. I wonder why? I think faithful obedience based on trust (not fear) helps us to attain that childlike attitude Jesus said in Luke 18:17 that we must have to enter His Kingdom.

Welcome, Friends!

To the Notre Dame Pro-Life Blog!