The Lie of Choice

I know women who have had abortions.

Each one of them felt at the time  that there was no support from family, or the father of the child for them to do anything else.

They did not make the decision lightly.

They felt trapped.

They made the decision to abort because they had no other choice.


To a woman,  each and every one regrets what they did, and mourns the life of the child they killed.

Not one of the women I know was offered any kind of post-abortion counseling from the clinic which "provided" them with the service.

A few truths to ponder.

Pax

Living In The Light

Darkness hides things.  Illumination brings knowledge.  Knowledge is power and truth.

One of the tactics of the Pro-life movement that has been reviled by many is the use of images of both pre-born infants by way of ultrasound, and pictures of the tiny dead bodies of aborted babies.  

In many states Pro-life workers have tried desperately to make the viewing of an ultrasound of the "product of conception" a part of the pre-abortion appointment.  This is because we are sure that once a mother sees her child it will be less likely that she will "choose" to kill that child for any reason. 

The other side fights desperately to keep this image from having to be revealed to the mother.  Keeping the mother in the dark, and allowing her to continue to think of her baby as "products of conception"  is a way to depersonalize the baby.  That will make it easier for the mother to "choose" to take action against it without thinking about it as a person who will die by her actions.

The womb is supposed to be a safe place.  Safe passage for the developing baby, not a place where the child is in danger of being ripped to pieces because he or she is an inconvenience.  Many women (and some men) who experienced abortion feel crushing regret, and trauma from the experience.

If we keep showing the pictures of the pre-born, and help the parents to see their child as a child and not something less than human we can't but help to become a more compassionate society.

We need to let the light shine in (or in this case sound waves shine their light).  

Pax

Prophetic Letter

This letter was written by a parish priest in November of 2008.   Those who voted for social justice over life are beginning to reap what they sowed.  He is pretty spot on in his predictions of how things would unfold.

Pastor’s Corner 11-9-08







Brothers and Sisters,






For most people this week, the presidential election was first and foremost in mind. As the pastor of the souls of this parish, for whom I will have to give an account to the good God, it is important to put before you a few observations. Voting in a democracy is very serious business. It is a sacred duty and the exercise of power that can have far reaching consequences for our lives and the lives of others.






A majority of Americans, including those who identify themselves as Catholic (54% if the exit polls are correct), chose to elect our new President. The election of this candidate to the presidency will have far reaching consequences. Our Lord Jesus tells us to judge a tree by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, a bad tree bad fruit. I would urge us a rational persons to look beyond the smile and mesmerizing words and pay attention to the deeds – these will show what kind of president we will have.






In my view as a priest, scholar and professor, never before has the Culture of Death been given so much power in this country. Our new president is committed to promoting and protecting with law intrinsically evil acts, acts that are never justified and should never be done by a rational person. The fruit of this conviction is that he is committed to creating and ratifying unjust laws. The clearest deed that will reveal this truth is when he signs the ‘Freedom of Choice Act’ into law, which was one of his campaign promises. This legislation will virtually abolish ANY restrictions on abortion that exist now. This legislation will result in the killing of tens of thousands of innocent children. The killing of the innocent is a sin that cries out to Heaven for justice (Gen. 4:10). Those who voted for this president will now share in the indirect responsibility and guilt for these killings. Such is the serious nature of voting.






But I Voted For Social Justice Issues






Those who voted for him may respond that their vote was not based on his pro-abortion stance but other social issues. The response I gave in a previous homily is that clearly and logically this election did not involve a situation of ‘proportionate reason’ mentioned in the USCCB’s Faithful Citizenship. The issues of quality of life come into play only when candidates vying for office are equal on the issues dealing with life itself.






My Predictions






The ‘Freedom of Choice Act’, and other unjust legislation like it that will likely be proposed, also has the potential to force the Church out of health care. The Church, as the bearer of the Gospel of Life, will refuse to take part in committing intrinsically evil acts. The names like Providence, St. Vincent, Sacred Heart may remain on the outside of the hospitals, but their internal policies may no longer meaningfully reflect the teachings of Christ and His Church. Thus the legislation would spell disaster for the poor and will create a huge societal problem since the Church is one of the major providers of health care in the country, especially to the poor. Moreover, if the Church is not providing health care, then those with terminal illness and those who do not seem to have a sufficient ‘quality of life’ will lose their last protection from those who will want to kill them to save health care dollars – still more innocent lives lost.






Some may be reading this thinking that I’m being overly dramatic, that I’m over reacting. I would ask you to pay attention to the fruit; pay attention to actions and deeds and not the smile or soothing words. Beneath the smile and words is one who has already identified himself through his actions that he is against Christ and His Church on fundamental, non-negotiable issues.






The Coming Tribulation






For those followers of Christ who are serious about following Him understand that we may be entering a very difficult and trying period of history. The Church has had such times in the past and will again have them in the future. In the late 1990s, then Cardinal Ratzinger commented that he thought the Church was entering a period of trial, a time when the Church was to be more of a persecuted Church, a time when it would be most costly to follow Jesus, and thus a time when many of those who identify themselves as Catholic will fall away. Now he is Pope Benedict XVI, the successor of St. Peter and our chief Shepherd. It will become increasingly evident as the years pass whether he is a prophet. Personally, I believe him to be right. In my prayer over the past few years, I have sensed the same thing. It may take many years for it to come into full view, but with this ascendency of the Culture of Death we may see the beginnings of it in the next few years.






Be Prepared! Seek Mercy!










And so as the pastor of your souls and as your spiritual father, I urge you to prepare yourselves spiritually, through prayer, fasting, virtuous living and most of all faith, hope and love, for what is to come. Let us recommit ourselves in joy to protect and cherish the weak and vulnerable among us. If you are one who cast your vote for our new president, I urge you to seek the mercy of Jesus through the Sacrament of Confession that you may be absolved from the great evil this president says he will do. Jesus Christ has already definitively broken the power of evil and death. He will never abandon us or the world. He may be asking the members of His Body to have a deeper share with Him in the Cross, that the world might be saved.






Be A Saint!






We do not have to be afraid. We did not choose to live in these times, but He chose us to live in these times (In. 15:16) – that is a comforting truth. It is in times of trial that the members of Christ shine more brightly. St. Paul tells us as he told the Philippians, ‘Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14). Now is the time for saints! We stand with Our Lord Jesus and His angels and saints and will bring down the Culture of Death through the might of the divine love because with St. Paul we can say, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).






Sincerely in Christ,






Fr. John Cihak
http://www.courageouspriest.com/warning-did-you-vote-for-obama


 Just in the past week we have seen tax funds funnelled to Pennsylvania to fund abortions under the Obamacare Health Program. (something we were promised by the President was off the table).  We are seeing the beginnings of dismantling of the Catholic Health Care system due to the forcing of the abortion agenda on Catholic hospitals (either they will provide abortions or they will have to close) .  Fr. Cihak's predictions are coming true. 
 
Fast and pray.
 
Pax

Wow, What She Said!

This article is a very reasoned response to the movie The Pregnancy Pact that was on Lifetime last week. I watched the movie and was impressed with the message.

The article explains why we as Catholic parents hold our children to a higher standard of moral life than society expects for people of their same age level. But it also holds us accountable for the responsibility of a constant dialogue with our children, so that they understand why the moral choices that we are asking them to make are the right choices.

One of the most powerful statements in the article is this:

The idea that these messages should be impressed on our daughters in a unique way will raise some eyebrows. Shouldn't the message be stressed equally with boys and girls? Although boys are responsible for their sexual choices, the lion’s share of the consequences of misused sexuality usually falls squarely on young women. Therefore, the girl must set the pace of the relationship, knowing that their ability to bring life into the world carries a singular responsibility. Only she can choose - a choice that begins not with whether to become a parent, but whether to become sexually active.

read the rest of the article here.

These conversations aren't easy but they must become part of our daily life with our children, so that they can understand that we know how difficult it is, but we have faith that God will give them the strength to make the right choices.

We also have to let them know that no matter what, we will always love them and support them, because like God our love comes without conditions. Besides, if we are pro-life then we love the child regardless of the circumstances of conception.

I think I'm going to go talk to my daughters.

Pax

The Truth Shall Make You Free

Or in this case, the truth is scaring so called "women's rights groups." to the point that they are clamoring to get it off the air.

The truth in question is the story of the fifth pregnancy of Pam Tebow, which included a life threatening illness and drug therapy that was dangerous to the growing baby inside her. When her Dr.'s suggested that she would be better off to abort the child for her own good and the good of the possibly "damaged" child, she chose to allow the child to be born, trusting that whatever the outcome of the pregnancy, God was in control and she and her husband could handle whatever was to come. Of course, we all know the outcome was a healthy baby who grew up to be a strong Christian voice in a very secular world.

This is the story that is going to be told during a Superbowl commercial. Interesting that women's groups are calling this story one that "uses sports to divide."

Interesting (as this article states) that these same women's groups have been silent about the objectification of women that is rampant among many other Superbowl ads.

Go figure.

Pax

Now There is a Bumper Sticker that will Scare Hillary

Check Out this Post

I agree wholeheartedly. If they come out with this bumper sticker I would put one on my car. I don't even care that mrangelmeg drives my car when we take the whole gang to Church on Sundays. He is comfortable enough with his manhood to drive a car that proclaimed that sentiment.

Pax