Here is a positive update to the Notre Dame Scandel:
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=2396
I was reading another article that was applauding Notre Dame's efforts to look past 'political disagreements' and honor the President for, well, something.
At first it just enraged me. The author, a 'Catholic', says:
"Our voices must be raised to say that we are thrilled such a distinguished Catholic university is considered such a part of the life of the nation that our President will be coming to address its graduates. We are thrilled that he will be sharing the stage with one of our Church’s and nation’s finest scholars and diplomats. And, we should be thrilled that the right wing commentariat has again adopted its smug "I thank Thee, Lord, that I am not like other men" stance. "
But really an article like this has only encouraged me further to be a defender of life. There will be many who say that those who are against the President speaking at Notre Dame is silly, excessive and even prejudice.
Come on.
Lets get to the bottom of this. THE PRESIDENT IS AN ACTIVE SUPPORTER AND CATALYST FOR CHANGE REGARDING THE PRO-CHOICE MOVEMENT. HE HAS APPOINTED MORE PRO-CHOICE MEMBERS TO OFFICE THAN EVER BEFORE. HE HAS SPOKEN CLEARLY ABOUT HIS BELIEFS AND INTENTIONS FOR AMERICA. HE BELIEVES ABORTION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL WOMEN IN ALL COUNTRIES. HE IS SUPPORTIVE OF STEM CELL RESEARCH.
And now one of the most well known Catholic universities in the country want to honor him. You better believe we are going to be upset. We are defenders of life! We are the unborns only voice! And it is sad that Notre Dame has decided to look past all that the President stands for regarding major moral issues and honor him anyway. Not okay. Not acceptable.
It is important for us to be prepared to share why it is unacceptable for Notre Dame to be so supportive of the President to our family and friends who don't understand. We know it truly is a matter of life and death.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Prayers for the president
Foremost we need to pray......
Then educate ourselves.....
Sometimes I have conversations with men and women who say, "President Obama really hasn't done anything to hurt the pro-life movement". I don't always know what to say. I know that he is Pro-choice and intent on making abortions, contraceptives and stem cell research available for all. Let there be no question, President Obama supports the culture of death. So in light of these 'conversations' I found some sobering information.
Lifenews.com listed a fascinating article here about what the President has really done. I will give you some highlights:
January 22, 2009 - Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.
January 23, 2009 - Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.
February 27, 2009 - Starts the process of overturning pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.
March 5, 2009 - The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.
March 9, 2009 - President Barack Obama signed an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.
Then educate ourselves.....
Sometimes I have conversations with men and women who say, "President Obama really hasn't done anything to hurt the pro-life movement". I don't always know what to say. I know that he is Pro-choice and intent on making abortions, contraceptives and stem cell research available for all. Let there be no question, President Obama supports the culture of death. So in light of these 'conversations' I found some sobering information.
Lifenews.com listed a fascinating article here about what the President has really done. I will give you some highlights:
January 22, 2009 - Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.
January 23, 2009 - Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.
February 27, 2009 - Starts the process of overturning pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions.
March 5, 2009 - The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, made the invitation list as did other pro-abortion groups.
March 9, 2009 - President Barack Obama signed an executive order forcing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Notre Dame Scandal
If you haven't heard, Notre Dame has decided to have President Obama speak at their commencement ceremony this school year. This poses a multitude of problems when we look at a major Catholic university honoring a man who directly opposes so many of our Catholic beliefs.
I am amazed by the number of men and women who are signing this petition. It is pretty strange to think that such a predominantly Catholic college would seek and support someone who is trying to make abortions easier to obtain. It is contradiction at its finest.
You can read the article put out by Notre Dame here.
Holy Baby Giveaway Winners!
Hello all!
The winners of the Holy Baby DVD's are:
#4 Rarely Sarah
#5 Kate W.
# 9 Jennifer H.
Congratulations!!
IF YOU DIDN'T WIN DON"T WORRY! THERE WILL BE A FEW MORE CHANCES TO WIN!
Photobucket src="http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr342/thriftyandchicmom/tcm_siggy-1-2.gif" border=0>
The winners of the Holy Baby DVD's are:
#4 Rarely Sarah
#5 Kate W.
# 9 Jennifer H.
Congratulations!!
IF YOU DIDN'T WIN DON"T WORRY! THERE WILL BE A FEW MORE CHANCES TO WIN!
Photobucket src="http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr342/thriftyandchicmom/tcm_siggy-1-2.gif" border=0>
Friday, March 20, 2009
"He said what?"
I found a great article supporting Pope Benedict's recent statement regarding condoms. Sometimes when I hear about the Church stepping out and making bold statements that are totally counter-cultural I forget that I have to be a part of the revolution. Even within my family and friends I need to be on top of my game so I can 'defend' such statements.
So in light of the Modern Catholic Mom theme I am trying to figure out how to get involved as a mom!
Here are my thoughts:
1. Pray pray pray for the Pope and his Cardinals so they can remain faithful to the Tradition of the Church and always speak truth.
2. Educate ourselves so that we can respond to questions or misconceptions our family and friends may have. If you haven't read Pope John Paul II encyclical 'Humanae Vitae' it is an excellent source of knowledge regarding human sexuality and the Catholic Church's stance on such topics.
As most of us know the media is having a field day with the following:
The AIDS epidemic “cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems.”
With some media sources calling this one step away from a death sentence it is refreshing to read an article from the National Review Online that entertains the reasons 'why' the church would make this statement.
Here are the highlights:
"The pope, of course, is not actually “ignorant.” The Vatican knows well what it is doing, and the church is not deaf to the suffering of those Africans living with AIDS. Indeed, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Internationalis (the U.S. and worldwide Catholic relief agencies respectively) are leaders in distributing antiretroviral drugs, and in so doing have saved thousands of lives."
It begins with the premise that while the AIDS epidemic is the result of a virus, it is as much a social as a viral illness. It is not something one catches merely inhalation or shaking hands or other passive contact. The transmission of HIV in the vast majority of cases can be traced to an elective and deliberate act of sexual intercourse.
The goal should be to promote widespread delays in becoming sexually active among young people and, when they grow up, encourage them to form committed relationships.
The Catholic position seems naïve to the average Westerner who, thinking of himself and his own society’s inability to regulate its collective sexuality, applies this lesson on the impossibility of self-restraint to the whole globe. (I have to comment on this because it just fires me up! Those who promote the use of contraception do so because they do not feel that our society is capable of any self restraint! Rather than try and teach abstinence they would rather throw condoms at our teens and tell them well since you are going to be reckless anyway mind as well use condoms! No! They can be taught self restraint which goes hand in hand with self respect.... which is the best gift we can teach our children. Ok- hopping off the soap box!)
In fact, such Westerners, before they criticize Benedict for being unrealistic, may first want to calibrate their own sense of reality to African standards. Because where abstinence and monogamy have been most vigorously promoted, the HIV-infection rate has declined the most dramatically. Particularly, this is true of Uganda, where evangelical Christian influences have imbued the country’s AIDS policy with a moralizing outlook and an emphasis squarely on behavior change. The message was: You have the power to change your behavior and, if you do not, you may very well die.
It proved to be startlingly effective. In spite of the expectations of public-health wonks, Uganda saw a “60% reduction in casual sex . . . equivalent to a vaccine of 80% effectiveness,” according to a review of the policy published in the journal Science. In the wake of the policy’s implementation, Uganda became one of the first African countries to post a decline in the HIV-infection rate. (Yay! Yay! Yay!)
In its obsession with condoms, the Western public-health community has been every bit as dogmatic as the pope. And it has been even more blinkered to the realities of Africa, which is arguably in the grips of a huge religious and moral revival that has a huge potential to be wielded in the fight against AIDS. Church attendance is soaring, and Africans are willing to make sacrifices, of both their money and their pleasure, for moral causes. In this respect, it is not Benedict and the Catholic Church who are out of touch. It is the West and its condom myopia.
So in light of the Modern Catholic Mom theme I am trying to figure out how to get involved as a mom!
Here are my thoughts:
1. Pray pray pray for the Pope and his Cardinals so they can remain faithful to the Tradition of the Church and always speak truth.
2. Educate ourselves so that we can respond to questions or misconceptions our family and friends may have. If you haven't read Pope John Paul II encyclical 'Humanae Vitae' it is an excellent source of knowledge regarding human sexuality and the Catholic Church's stance on such topics.
As most of us know the media is having a field day with the following:
The AIDS epidemic “cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems.”
With some media sources calling this one step away from a death sentence it is refreshing to read an article from the National Review Online that entertains the reasons 'why' the church would make this statement.
Here are the highlights:
"The pope, of course, is not actually “ignorant.” The Vatican knows well what it is doing, and the church is not deaf to the suffering of those Africans living with AIDS. Indeed, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Internationalis (the U.S. and worldwide Catholic relief agencies respectively) are leaders in distributing antiretroviral drugs, and in so doing have saved thousands of lives."
It begins with the premise that while the AIDS epidemic is the result of a virus, it is as much a social as a viral illness. It is not something one catches merely inhalation or shaking hands or other passive contact. The transmission of HIV in the vast majority of cases can be traced to an elective and deliberate act of sexual intercourse.
The goal should be to promote widespread delays in becoming sexually active among young people and, when they grow up, encourage them to form committed relationships.
The Catholic position seems naïve to the average Westerner who, thinking of himself and his own society’s inability to regulate its collective sexuality, applies this lesson on the impossibility of self-restraint to the whole globe. (I have to comment on this because it just fires me up! Those who promote the use of contraception do so because they do not feel that our society is capable of any self restraint! Rather than try and teach abstinence they would rather throw condoms at our teens and tell them well since you are going to be reckless anyway mind as well use condoms! No! They can be taught self restraint which goes hand in hand with self respect.... which is the best gift we can teach our children. Ok- hopping off the soap box!)
In fact, such Westerners, before they criticize Benedict for being unrealistic, may first want to calibrate their own sense of reality to African standards. Because where abstinence and monogamy have been most vigorously promoted, the HIV-infection rate has declined the most dramatically. Particularly, this is true of Uganda, where evangelical Christian influences have imbued the country’s AIDS policy with a moralizing outlook and an emphasis squarely on behavior change. The message was: You have the power to change your behavior and, if you do not, you may very well die.
It proved to be startlingly effective. In spite of the expectations of public-health wonks, Uganda saw a “60% reduction in casual sex . . . equivalent to a vaccine of 80% effectiveness,” according to a review of the policy published in the journal Science. In the wake of the policy’s implementation, Uganda became one of the first African countries to post a decline in the HIV-infection rate. (Yay! Yay! Yay!)
In its obsession with condoms, the Western public-health community has been every bit as dogmatic as the pope. And it has been even more blinkered to the realities of Africa, which is arguably in the grips of a huge religious and moral revival that has a huge potential to be wielded in the fight against AIDS. Church attendance is soaring, and Africans are willing to make sacrifices, of both their money and their pleasure, for moral causes. In this respect, it is not Benedict and the Catholic Church who are out of touch. It is the West and its condom myopia.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Luminous Mysteries
While driving through Georgia last night I listened to a CD created by ‘Children of Mary’ that prayed and explained the Luminous mysteries. (All while listening to my almost three year old yelling ‘Mom, turn this lady off!’).
Although I have had the opportunity to listen to the Luminous mysteries I have not really ‘listened’ to them. They are so beautiful! Honestly when I first heard that there was a new set of mysteries I couldn’t imagine what they would add to the already beautiful Sorrowful, Joyful and Glorious mysteries. Good thing I am not in charge of anything important because these mysteries are awesome. This CD explained each of the mysteries in detail and gave me the opportunity to truly meditate on how lovely these mysteries truly are.
Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism of Jesus:
The first mystery is the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan River. Christ, who was born without sin, asks us to be born again of water in the Spirit so we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Thanks to the decision making of Adam and Eve we are all born into sin. It is inevitable. We are stained. But Christ gives us a spiritual and physical sign of renewal through Baptism. What a celebration it is to enter the Church anew. I can remember my best friend’s husband being baptized as an adult. We marveled at the thought of being an adult, having a totally sinful soul and then having the opportunity to have it COMPLETELY washed away. Gone! It would be a moment in our adult lives that we were completely pure and sinless.
St. Teresa once said, ‘The soul in a state of grace is so beautiful that if we could see it we would think we were seeing God himself.’ That definitely says it all.
Changing of water into wine at the wedding Feast of Cana:
We all know the story of the Wedding Feast of Cana. There is a wedding, the wine runs dry and Mary petitions her Son to solve the problem. In our lives Mary petitions on our behalf, Jesus loves Mary so much that we know he is pleased when we love her too. As Christ dies upon the Cross he tells his beloved apostle John to behold His mother. Even during the last moments of His human life he is conscious of his Mother and wanting her to be cared for. We believe that Christ asks us to behold His mother and allow her to petition Him on our behalf. Of the beauty of asking a Jewish mom to intercede on our behalf!
Christ’s presence at this wedding further sanctifies the union of marriage and the union that Christ has with His bride, the Church. And of course we are the Church. We make a union, a covenant that we will be faithful to God and His teachings. And we break that union often through sin yet God remains faithful. We can use this mystery to pray for our families, our marriages, our faithfulness in marriage, and openness of life in marriage.
Teaching of the Kingdom and a call to repentance:
Obtaining the kingdom comes through repentance. When we were baptized we were filled with God’s grace but when we sin we lose that beautiful grace. When we have committed mortal sin there is really nothing that we can do to make it through those pearly gates to Heaven. Truly, if we are with mortal sin we have no hope of resting with God in eternity. What?! At what point do I forget this? Why do I think that maybe there will be exceptions to this rule and I can fudge it a little? Fortunately the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available for cleansing of the soul. Confession requires faith and humility in order to be restored to life. Once we have confessed and repented we actually can leave the confessional with more grace in our lives than we had before we sinned!
Transfiguration:
Jesus revealed the veil of his divinity during the Transfiguration. The Bible tells us that Jesus’ apostles were filled with fear and awe during this time. We see the Transfigured Christ in the Exposition of the Holy Sacrament. Jesus reveals himself through the humble appearance of bread and wine. How amazingly humble is that!?
When we receive Christ in the Holy Eucharist it is a time of an indescribable union with God. He comes to us whether we truly that it is Him we are receiving or whether our sins have been confessed. The good news is Jesus loves us all no matter if we are a sinner or a saint. It is important to receive Christ with a pure heart as Light and darkness cannot mix.
Let us remember that to be a member of the Catholic Church we must make a covenant to live life according to Scripture and Tradition. We must accept the responsibilities asked of us. We must be a faithful member of the church even following the teachings that we have a hard time with.
Institution of the Holy Eucharist:
The first Mass occurred on the night before Christ died. The Holy Mass is the highest form of praise. There is nothing that we can do that surpasses the praise that the Mass exudes. The Mass is infinite, never ending. It is the act of Jesus both sacrifice and meal. Christ is the lamb that was sacrificed and prefigured in the Old Testament. ‘This is my body. This is my blood. Take it and eat it. It will become for you the bread of life.’
If only we could begin to really understand what is happening during Mass. We are given the opportunity to receive Christ both body and blood! If we really were able to understand the Church would be filled everyday! Everyone would want to attend Mass! Only in eternity will we really know the true beauty of the Mass.
During Mass even if the music is dull and the preaching not extraordinary help us to remember that it is You that we seek in the Eucharist!
Let us pray that the Luminous mysteries be a beautiful opportunity to come to know our beloved!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse
I had the opportunity to review ‘The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse’ by Art and Laraine Bennett from the Catholic Company.
This book highlights the four temperaments originally coined by Hippocrates some 2000 years ago. The four temperaments: choleric, melancholic, sanguine, and phlegmatic all provide insight into your spouse’s best and worst qualities!
“The ability to appreciate other people’s temperaments is especially important in marriage, because opposite temperaments seem to attract each other…” p. 13
“But what initially attracts can also soon become a source of irritation.” p. 13
WHAT UP!! DID THEY WRITE THIS BOOK FOR ME?
“Temperament affects not only our deepest emotional needs, but also our moods, the way we think and communicate, and even the way we pray. Since marriage is a sacrament, designed to lead spouses to Heaven, temperament’s influence on prayer and the spiritual life cannot be ignored.” p. 15
The choleric spouse is passionate, the melancholic spouse is reticent and doleful, the sanguine spouse is eager and optimistic, and the phlegmatic is calm. After careful analysis of my husband and I we have found that he is choleric and I am sanguine.
Case in point:
“The choleric in love may be suave, fascinating, talkative, attentive, and affectionate- whatever it takes- to win his heart’s desire.” TOTALLY ANTHONY! Ask any of my girlfriends….. Ant was on it! When we were dating he was the perfect boyfriend…..
“Once married, though, a choleric’s priorities may shift- since he will have achieved his goal- and he’ll turn the same energy toward earning a living, raising a family, or keeping up a house.” p. 22
HELLO?!! My husband started medical school a month after we got married and wow did everything change…. All his efforts have turned toward medicine and furthering his career as a physician. Granted the medical field will suck the life out of you anyway…. I digress….
“Choleric’s struggle with the emotional realm: because they are so goal oriented, so capable of fixing their minds and wills on a goal, turning out all distractions and ignoring their own feelings in order to attain it, they tend to put emotion on the back burner. This can make them seem cold, distant, or unaffectionate.” p. 22-23
This one really got to me…. Anthony chose the Emergency Department as his specialty for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is that he can see patients in a quick and efficient manner without having to really sit down and get personal. This was just something that he preferred versus a pediatrician or a family practitioner. I write this to show that Anthony is so choleric! And really for a long time I just thought he was insensitive!
The book explains each temperaments relationship to prayer, parenting and being able to love. As the wife of a choleric it provides me with insight to why my husband may react a certain way to things. And how true that things that were at one time endearing are now straight up annoying! Harsh? Naw, way true….
The latter chapters in the book go into detail about specific temperament relationships. So, there is an entire chapter devoted to Anthony the choleric and my sanguine temperament and how they work together…. Or how they do not work together.
I really enjoyed learning more about our personality traits and how they affect how Anthony and I operate relationally. It softened my heart to different things that I have found frustrating and allowed God to open my eyes to his 'personality'. Granted we are still a work in progress I know we will be referencing this book for many years to come.
You can buy it through the Catholic Company found here. God bless!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Dependency on God
As Lent continues on I am struck by how easily I can become complacent in my faith. There are times when I am so busy trying to tame this whirlwind called my life that I miss the point.... Truly breathing in Christ, letting Him fill my soul and letting go of the world.
I read a quote that is simple in its message yet speaks volumes to my heart at the same time.
It reads:
'Lent is a time given to us during the Liturgical year by the Church to help us learn a greater dependency on God'.
This is where I ask myself where my dependency on God really lies.....
Do I turn to him in times of sorrow? Probably
Do I turn to him in times of joy? Sometimes
Do I turn to him when I am so frustrated with my two year old I could cry? Rarely
I desire that greater dependency on God. Sometimes it's just easier to turn to whatever can be the quickest source of instant gratification... perhaps snacking or sitting in front on the computer. But truly my heart desires to know Him more and for that I must understand what our relationship is based on:
He is the creator and we are his created.
How beautiful is this? We were formed to be dependent on Our Father in Heaven but because of original sin it becomes more difficult to see that relationship. Pride entered the world and told its lies.... Pride said that we could make better decisions then our Father, that we could become more wise than He. I know that my insistence on doing things my way comes directly from the first sin. I also know that Christ came as the new Adam to give us new life and through Him I can learn dependency. I know that Mary came as the new Eve to become the Christ-bearer and give us a chance to learn what dependency really means.
We are completely, 100% dependent on our loving Father who knew us before we were formed in the womb. It is through prayer that we can come to begin to understand what this truly means in our heart.
We pray that this Lent continues to be a time of renewal and that we will truly turn to him in all matters of our life. Lord let us become truly dependent and connect our free will with yours. We know that your way provides the best way possible for us to reach sanctity and we pray that we may unite our heart with yours.
Amen!
More Pro-life help needed
Here is another great way for stay at home moms and all others who have a busy schedule to help support the Pro Life movement. It only took a few minutes to do!
Prolife Warriors,
On March 6, President Obama's administration moved to completely rescind a rule that was designed at the end of the Bush administration to protect the consciences of physicians and health care workers. The ethics committee of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists had issued a paper in which they called on doctors who are opposed to abortion to refer women to abortion providers, claiming that conscience protections shouldn't prevent prolife physicians from referring women to abortion providers.
Federal law has prevented discrimination against health care personnel who refuse to perform or assist in abortions but the Bush administration policy required institutions which receive federal money to certify their compliance with the laws protecting the conscience rights of health care personnel and was intended to prevent federal funds from going to hospitals and other institutions who ignore those rights.
PROLIFE ACTION NEEDED NOW:
The Federal Register will allow 30 days for citizens to comment on the proposal before making a formal decision.
The deadline for comments is April 9.
You may submit electronic comments via email to proposedrescission@hhs.gov or by visiting www.Regulations.gov and typing "rescission proposal" in the center "search
documents" box.
You have to check the box titled "Select to find documents accepting comments or submissions." This search should have 5 results, the first or second one being the proposed rule change. It is titled:
"Rescission of the Regulation entitled "Ensuring That Department of Health and HumanServices Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies orPractices in Violation of Federal Law"
Click on "send a comment of submission". You may type in :
"I oppose the decision to rescind the conscience protections forhealthcare workers."
At the bottom of the page, click "next step", then submit your comment. Submit.
Please take a few minutes to express your support for conscience protection
for doctors and nurses who oppose abortion.
Prolife Warriors,
On March 6, President Obama's administration moved to completely rescind a rule that was designed at the end of the Bush administration to protect the consciences of physicians and health care workers. The ethics committee of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists had issued a paper in which they called on doctors who are opposed to abortion to refer women to abortion providers, claiming that conscience protections shouldn't prevent prolife physicians from referring women to abortion providers.
Federal law has prevented discrimination against health care personnel who refuse to perform or assist in abortions but the Bush administration policy required institutions which receive federal money to certify their compliance with the laws protecting the conscience rights of health care personnel and was intended to prevent federal funds from going to hospitals and other institutions who ignore those rights.
PROLIFE ACTION NEEDED NOW:
The Federal Register will allow 30 days for citizens to comment on the proposal before making a formal decision.
The deadline for comments is April 9.
You may submit electronic comments via email to proposedrescission@hhs.gov or by visiting www.Regulations.gov and typing "rescission proposal" in the center "search
documents" box.
You have to check the box titled "Select to find documents accepting comments or submissions." This search should have 5 results, the first or second one being the proposed rule change. It is titled:
"Rescission of the Regulation entitled "Ensuring That Department of Health and HumanServices Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies orPractices in Violation of Federal Law"
Click on "send a comment of submission". You may type in :
"I oppose the decision to rescind the conscience protections forhealthcare workers."
At the bottom of the page, click "next step", then submit your comment. Submit.
Please take a few minutes to express your support for conscience protection
for doctors and nurses who oppose abortion.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Beautiful picture
Blessed Virgin mary
Daughter of God the Father
Mother of Jesus Christ
Spouse of the Holy Spirit
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Lenten Craft Ideas
Attention moms:
I found a great Lent idea here at Kids by the Half Dozen!
It's a Lenten chain! Thanks for the great idea!
And here are some great themed coloring pages for St. Patrick's day and Lent. They can be found at Christian Coloring.
I found a great Lent idea here at Kids by the Half Dozen!
It's a Lenten chain! Thanks for the great idea!
And here are some great themed coloring pages for St. Patrick's day and Lent. They can be found at Christian Coloring.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Sample letter
If you are not sure what to write or don't have the time to figure it all out.... (my husband is working nights again so I have ALL the time in the world!) please use all or part of my letter. I just copied and pasted it and sent it to all four people listed in the previous email.
March 13, 2009
Re: Budget cuts
Dear Bishop Frederick F. Campbell Vicar General,
I am writing in regard to the recent information that the Diocese of Columbus has plans to remove the Respect Life Department at the end of 2009. I am saddened and confused by this decision. Although I am mindful of the need for budget cuts due to recent economic problems I do not understand how our Catholic diocese can remove such an important department.
I know that the lives of countless unborn children and their mothers are dependent upon the efforts of the Respect Life Department. As a lay person I look to the Diocese of Columbus to guide my efforts to promote life in this culture of death. I am fearful that without a department specifically working toward ending abortion the effects could be very damaging. Furthermore I know that affirming human life is the cornerstone of the social agenda of Catholicism. I am proud to be a voice for those who cannot speak. By removing this department it would seem that the Respect Life movement is no longer as important. And of course we know that the Pro-Life movement is extremely important for all those unborn children and those affected by the horror of abortion.
I will personally commit to praying that the financial situation may allow the Respect Life Department to remain active. Our society needs the firm commitment of our Catholic Diocese to be the beacon of light leading the laity to respect life in all forms. Thank you for all your continued efforts in our diocese and May God continue to bless you.
Sincerely,
Tara De Lucia
March 13, 2009
Re: Budget cuts
Dear Bishop Frederick F. Campbell Vicar General,
I am writing in regard to the recent information that the Diocese of Columbus has plans to remove the Respect Life Department at the end of 2009. I am saddened and confused by this decision. Although I am mindful of the need for budget cuts due to recent economic problems I do not understand how our Catholic diocese can remove such an important department.
I know that the lives of countless unborn children and their mothers are dependent upon the efforts of the Respect Life Department. As a lay person I look to the Diocese of Columbus to guide my efforts to promote life in this culture of death. I am fearful that without a department specifically working toward ending abortion the effects could be very damaging. Furthermore I know that affirming human life is the cornerstone of the social agenda of Catholicism. I am proud to be a voice for those who cannot speak. By removing this department it would seem that the Respect Life movement is no longer as important. And of course we know that the Pro-Life movement is extremely important for all those unborn children and those affected by the horror of abortion.
I will personally commit to praying that the financial situation may allow the Respect Life Department to remain active. Our society needs the firm commitment of our Catholic Diocese to be the beacon of light leading the laity to respect life in all forms. Thank you for all your continued efforts in our diocese and May God continue to bless you.
Sincerely,
Tara De Lucia
Columbus cuts Respect Life Department
Here it is... Here is that chance to get active from our homes.
I know your first thought: This is terrible!
And then: I should write a letter!
And then: But I just don't have the time...
And then: Someone else will do it....
But will they? We are the pro-life movement. We are the ones who will make a difference. Please read the following letter and lets help end abortion through our grass root efforts!
********************************************************************************
Dear All Prolife Friends,
The Diocese of Columbus announced yesterday they are cutting out the Respect Life Department at the end of 2009 because of a $20,000 deficit. There is only one person running this department as is. After this department is axed there will only be three other remaining staff members slated (not Respect Life staff) to take over some of the duties of the Respect Life Director. However, the remaining staff are not very supportive of some Respect Life issues, mainly abortion.
First we need to pray and fast this decision will be reversed by the end of the year.
Also, we must write the Bishop, the Chancellor, all people in authority in our Diocese, and tell them we feel this is a very bad decision. The Catholic Church has always stood against the world for speaking out against the evils of abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, cloning, gene manipulation, invitro-fertilization, contraception, FOCA, etc. Most of the time our Church is the only voice that defends and encourages respect for life from conception until natural death. How is our Diocese going to continue this work without a Respect Life Department? How can we stay silent and stand back and do nothing about this poor misguided decision as we live in this present political climate, when human life in all its stages is threatened like never before?
We all have an obligation to do as much as we can to defend life! None of us has any excuse to sit back and say oh well, that's too bad, etc. This is a time when we need to live our faith. We need to take action and speak out against this decision.
We are living through a time when keeping and supporting a Respect Life Department should be a priority for our Diocese, not something that can be cut out of the budget! Our Church needs to be strong and stand tall during this age. We need leaders that will have the courage to be good shepherds. Our shepherds must be willing to teach, guide, and form us. Without a Respect Life Department how will our Diocese do this?
To begin, we would suggest we write letters to the following people:
Bishop Frederick F. Campbell Vicar General: Monsignor Stephan Moloney Chancellor: Fr. Shawn Corcoran Vice Chancellor: Deacon Thomas M. Berg, Jr.
Chancery Address: 198 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215614-224-2251
Chancery Office Email: chomailbox@colsdioc .org
We should send our letters e-mail and also via U.S. mail. We need to tell everyone you know to pray, fast, and at the very least, write letters and send emails to these people. Please, tell everyone you know and beg them to take action!
I know your first thought: This is terrible!
And then: I should write a letter!
And then: But I just don't have the time...
And then: Someone else will do it....
But will they? We are the pro-life movement. We are the ones who will make a difference. Please read the following letter and lets help end abortion through our grass root efforts!
********************************************************************************
Dear All Prolife Friends,
The Diocese of Columbus announced yesterday they are cutting out the Respect Life Department at the end of 2009 because of a $20,000 deficit. There is only one person running this department as is. After this department is axed there will only be three other remaining staff members slated (not Respect Life staff) to take over some of the duties of the Respect Life Director. However, the remaining staff are not very supportive of some Respect Life issues, mainly abortion.
First we need to pray and fast this decision will be reversed by the end of the year.
Also, we must write the Bishop, the Chancellor, all people in authority in our Diocese, and tell them we feel this is a very bad decision. The Catholic Church has always stood against the world for speaking out against the evils of abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, cloning, gene manipulation, invitro-fertilization, contraception, FOCA, etc. Most of the time our Church is the only voice that defends and encourages respect for life from conception until natural death. How is our Diocese going to continue this work without a Respect Life Department? How can we stay silent and stand back and do nothing about this poor misguided decision as we live in this present political climate, when human life in all its stages is threatened like never before?
We all have an obligation to do as much as we can to defend life! None of us has any excuse to sit back and say oh well, that's too bad, etc. This is a time when we need to live our faith. We need to take action and speak out against this decision.
We are living through a time when keeping and supporting a Respect Life Department should be a priority for our Diocese, not something that can be cut out of the budget! Our Church needs to be strong and stand tall during this age. We need leaders that will have the courage to be good shepherds. Our shepherds must be willing to teach, guide, and form us. Without a Respect Life Department how will our Diocese do this?
To begin, we would suggest we write letters to the following people:
Bishop Frederick F. Campbell Vicar General: Monsignor Stephan Moloney Chancellor: Fr. Shawn Corcoran Vice Chancellor: Deacon Thomas M. Berg, Jr.
Chancery Address: 198 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215614-224-2251
Chancery Office Email: chomailbox@colsdioc .org
We should send our letters e-mail and also via U.S. mail. We need to tell everyone you know to pray, fast, and at the very least, write letters and send emails to these people. Please, tell everyone you know and beg them to take action!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Giveaways can be found....
I love when there is a whole concise list of giveaways.... my favorite provider of that list can be found here.... Thrifty and Chic Mom; Living Life, Spending Less
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