Summoned by Our Lady to Rally for Life ?

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way." Charles Dickens wrote this in the Tale of Two Cities back in 1859.

He might as well describe Notre Dame, Indiana this summer as people from all walks life will unite in solidarity with the poorest in American society - the children who do not even have their mother’s love and have been deprived of their chance and right to live. They are being executed in cruel and barbaric ways - vacuumed to pieces, chemically burned, et. al. And that has been audaciously promoted by the president by removing the right of conscience for Christian health care workers, reversing the Hyde amendment and thus using Medicaid dollars to pay for abortion and
covering abortion in the new health care plan.

What started as an imprudent invitation for a commencement speech in the Catholic university of Notre Dame is turning into an unprecedented expression of rage and anguish for the murdered babies and the healers who are being forced to murder. More than another march for life, this will become the historic stance to define the vigorous and unyielding opposition to the culture of death in America and the world.

Notre Dame, Our Lady, will become the rallying figure for all who defend life. Then again, who is to say that she has not been the one summoning her children.

When it comes to the right to live versus the choice to murder, there is no middle ground. The inalienable right to live cannot be summarily dismissed. It is absolute regardless of the belief system. If one sincerely seeks the truth, then the right to life is self evident because, it is granted by the Creator to His creature. And no other creature can deprive another of it. That is why, abortion is an affront and offense to the Creator first and foremost. This makes the battle lines clearer as between those who submit to God and those who refuse to serve Him.

Contact HHS to not force doctors/nurses to abort. 4/9 deadline.

The US Bishops Conference is asking us to protect the right of doctors & nurses to follow their consciences in not performing abortions. The government is going to rescind these if no one stops them. So, please go to the Health & Human Services website and register your objection.

The Obama administration is testing just how far it can go. It backed off before when opposed, so it can back down again if the outrage cannot be ignored. Otherwise, it will proceed and our bishops will close our hospitals instead of forcing our healers to murder and turning our facilities into slaughter houses. Please click on this link & fill up the form. http://actions.nchla.org/Core.aspx?Screen=compose2&SessionID=$AID=970:SITEID=-1:VV_CULTURE=en-us:APP=GAC:ISSUEID=16808$

About the campaign: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting public comment on a proposal to rescind an important federal regulation issued in December. The regulation implements and enforces three federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care providers, especially those at risk of being discriminated against because of their moral or religious objection to abortion. ( Source: http://www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection/ )

Women who had abortions expose it's evil and lies

During a march for life, I came across a group of women holding up black signs that read “I regret my abortion.” They looked at us gratefully, as though to say, “Thanks for caring.” I saw the sadness in their eyes and in my heart I grieved for their loss and pain. This morning, it dawned to me that there can be no better advocate to stop abortions than those who have been victimized by it.

Here are the links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4zRz4IJK3A

http://www.youtube.com/silentnomorecampaign

at http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/

Despite this, feminists still push for abortion. Jane Brennan explains, “Feminists groups do not want to see the truth of how abortion hurts women. ...To acknowledge the women who’ve suffered from abortion, feminists would have to admit that abortion isn’t good for women. Where would that leave them? Planned Parenthood would have to shut down. Groups like NOW and NARAL would no longer have a purpose and would cease to exist. Laws would have to be changed. Politicians would have to be reeducated. The feminists groups would lose all their control and political power and that scares them. It is that fear that keeps them entrenched in their mistaken beliefs. It is that fear that drives them to crush anyone who tries to persuade them differently. "

Read more at: http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=32600&page=2

I understand the need to be part of a cause, of something larger than oneself. But why choose the side that hurts women and kills children when one can save the unborn and their mothers?

Kinkade, Obama and God the Holy Spirit

Obama’s administration rushed into redirecting funds from pro-lifers to abortion providers in Mexico and is reversing the conscience protection for doctors and nurses who refuse to perform abortions. Watch this in 2 minutes and you’ll see who he is.  Here's the link:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0XIRZSTt8&feature=player_embedded   or just click below.

Regardless, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Note that we’re not painting a candle but lighting one. That requires real fire - the one that is fervently burning with the love of God and is illuminated with Himself because He is the Truth.

Kinkade, the painter of light does a breath taking job in making candles glow in a painting.  However the painted light is cold and dark. Touch it and you feel nothing; bring it to a dark room, and it turns dark too – just like the proponents of the culture of death. The defenders of the unborn and their Creator have the fire from God’s Holy Spirit who is God’s Love Personified.  That is the fire that will expose the posers & outlast the fake lights. 

Obama administration forces healers to murder

Doctors and nurses can no longer refuse to perform abortions after conscience protection is removed by section 35 of Illinois FOCA.  In this video, Cardinal Francis George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urges you to oppose this.  Here’s the link for the video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NoCRwMqVzQ&eurl=http://stopillinoisfoca.com/category/church/&feature=player_embedded 

Rewards for protecting the unborn & preventing an offense to God

This post might make me look like a nut; but, if it will inspire at least 1 person to venture out and protect the unborn, to keep God from being offended, then it will all be worth it.

 In earlier posts, I’ve written about our campaign to save the unborn and all the trouble that brought.  Now I want to share what I thought are consolations that came my way because of that.  The way I see it is that, if you put yourself on the line for God, then God will reward you – even in the here and now.

 First of all, I woke up one day with the certainty that I shall meet the Blessed Mother that very day.  I did not feel scared or apprehensive.  I anticipated the event with peace.  I was off that day, so I went to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.  I went to the bookstore and got at statue of our Lady of the Americas.  Then, I went up to the main Church where I started going through the side chapels.  Then a lady stepped out of the Guadalupe chapel.  She was white, in her 30s, white T-shirt, blue jeans, badly polished toes, flat hair and average beauty.  She smelled like urine.  “What’s in the bag?” she asked.  I was kind of nervous, awed, and wondering as I replied, “It’s a statute of our Lady.”  She asked to see it and I handed it to her.  “It’s beautiful.” She says.  I asked her name and she answered, “Sophia.”  I forgot what else we talked about if any, but after parting from her I kept thinking and I saw her walking away.  It might be lame but I got a couple of bucks from my wallet and walked to her.  I looked at her and handed her the money as I asked, “Will you pray for me?”  She took my gift and said, “Yes.”  Then she walked to the center of the Church and I went my way wondering if it was indeed our Lady.  Later I'd find out that our Lady of Guadalupe in the Patroness of the Pro-life Movement.

 The second consolation happened as I was driving into the company garage, a vintage car (circa ~ 1950s) in mint condition, chrome and all, drove out. The driver honked his horn that sounded like church organ music so I turned to him. He smiled ear to ear with his jolly and full-bearded Santa Claus face. I've been working there for over 6 years and have never seen him or his car.  So, I think it might have been an angel.  Years later, I was browsing one of those coffee table books when I saw that very face and the title of the picture was Angel Gabriel.

 The third was meeting Bo Sanchez shown in the picture.  In his Wiki page, one would place him in the same league as late Blessed Teresa.  That says it all.

 Bottom line, it is not about me.  It is about protecting the unborn and how God rewards those who do it.  

Abortion is more about God

Jesus take the wheel, I don't feel like driving anymore. I am tired and I don't think it will make a difference. Even bishops keep silent as lawmakers make it easy for infants to get killed. I feel helpless and I look stupid as I send emails.

And so I stopped and prayed. I pictured Jesus, blindfolded, crowned with thorns, bloodied and bruised holding a reed while the soldiers punch His face and yell, "Guess?"

All this pro-life activities is not just about saving a child or even the mother; it is about stopping nother blow in the face of the Creator. Each time a person is aborted, God is offended. Like someone picks an infant by the foot and tells God, "Let me show you what I will do with your creation" then kills the child and throws it in the dumpster. 

Standing up for life is stopping people from offending God first and foremost. It's like yelling to guard who's going to punch the Lord "Stop!" It may not work, but the Lord will hear my protest. 

The Lord shepherds His flock in the digital information age

A bill has been introduced in Connecticut that will transfer the decision-making power in financial matters from the clergy to the laity. Although the bill has been pulled out of the process, it raises the question, about the morality of making your bishop “an offer he can't refuse”? My opinion is it depends on the offer. If I threatened the Pope that I'd start my national church unless he recognizes my divorce; then, that is immoral. But if I warned the archbishop of Washington, D.C. that I would report him to Rome if he does not publicly forbid pro-abortion politicians from receiving communion, then, that is moral. Just think about it. The politician goes around telling everyone, “I support abortion and yet I can receive Holy Communion anytime" So, the good archbishop must control that scandal and confusion. So, it goes beyond moral; it is a moral imperative. After the epidemic of priestly pedophilia and embezzlements and episcopal cover-ups, the sheep have been awakened to their co-responsibilities in ecclesiastical affairs. It is exhausting because the clergy was suppose to lead, teach, counsel, guide and sanctify the faithful. Now, they can still sanctify because of “ex opere operato” meaning grace still flows through them regardless of their moral condition. But the rest is dubious as their moral capital is spent.
So, to whom shall we go? First to Lord in meditation, study and service.
Then to the internet. I see and hear my pastor, the bishop of Rome, in Youtube. That is where, I get all the teachings and guidance in its unadulterated form.

Then, there are blogs and websites of faith communities world wide where the witness of faithful bishops, priests, religious and lay folks can edify me - just like this one "Catholic Dads". I can even have fellowship with fellow believers from coast to coast and to the ends of the world. The Lord has a way of shepherding His flock always. He went high-tech this time and that is way cool.

Bishop of DC needs to discipline pro-abortion lawmakers

To grow in the spiritual life, one needs direction. General spiritual guidance is provided in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Specific guidance needs to be arranged with a director preferably with a priest because of his training. The specific guidance is absolutely necessary when discerning a calling or making decisions like supporting a certain law. It is required for priests and religious.

When I was at the order and had to take classes in different schools, I changed directors every year. It is cheaper than making long distance calls and also the non-verbal communication is essential during the session.

That may sound like common sense, but not when one considers the position of the Archbishop of the nation’s capital. In a statement, he says that the spiritual direction for Catholic politicians who publicly support abortion, “can best be made by the bishop in the person's home diocese with whom he or she presumably is in conversation.” It is like the politician from CA who works in DC for a year is suppose to be guided by her bishop in CA even if she commits scandal in DC - like supporting abortion despite the explicit prohibition of the Pope himself.

The problem with the right to life issues is that only one party is considered and others are overlooked e.g. the mother but not the child and in this case the visiting politician but not the resident parishioners.

Correct me if I am wrong, but what some bishops don’t get or refuse to understand is the impact of the politician’s reception of the Eucharist to the faith community. The politician who defies the bishops’ and pope’s teaching, guidance and orders about defending life goes and receives the Communion as though she did nothing wrong or was unaware of any wrongdoing scandalizes the community.

There is a pastoral approach to help the politician by tolerating that until she sees the light. But what about the pastoral approach to the faithful who are confused and scandalized into wrongdoing. They would think, “The bishop allows her to receive communion even if she supports abortion, so abortion might not be that bad. Then, they go and procure it themselves or advise others of the moral relativity based on that praxis. And all this from the perception that the local bishop gave when he relegated the duty of spiritual guidance to another bishop and worse when he neglected his pastoral responsibility to control scandal in his local faith community.

I have emailed my bishop about this at chancery@adw.org and have not received any response. When I searched the web, I saw his position and I doubt whether I will ever get a response. But, I will give him a chance. If he does not follow the Pope’s orders, then I shall stop donating to my diocese. I shall encourage others to do the same. If this still does not work, the I shall appeal humbly to the Holy Father and suggest that my bishop be replaced by Cardinal Justin Rigali, Bishop Joseph Martino, Bishop William Murphy, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, Archbishop Charles Chaput or some other bishop or priest who is faithful to the Pope, the Church and ultimately the Lord in defending the life of the unborn.

We need apostles in the Church, not politicians – even if the Church is at the nation’s capital.

Saving the mother and her child from abortion

These are friends from a prayer group who tried to save the mothers and their children from abortion. On many Saturdays, we stood and prayed at the entrances of the abortion mill hoping to change the mother's choice. We know that the mother herself is a victim; probably abandoned by the boyfriend. We just want her to consider options before she makes matters worse. Women have been known to go nuts on the anniversary of their unborn child's demise. We showed a picture of a fetus at 8 weeks to inform the mother that it is a child and not a mass of undifferentiated cells. She's not popping a zit but killing her son or daughter. During those days:

Cars passed and honked in support; others yelled in disapproval.

A lady turned around, stopped at a convenience store & bought us bottled water. "It's the least I can do", she said.

A tough looking guy who looked at me menacingly as he stood close by. I glanced at my duffle bag when he did. He probably thought I had a weapon, so he left.

A fender bender happened in front of us and the drivers came out to get our names as witnesses.

An entire family came and yelled in our faces. When I shouted back, I got threatened with a lawsuit. Then, they went to the parking lot to copy our plates.

There was a kindly man who offered us $50 just to go home and make love to our spouses.

The scariest one was when a man gave us leaflets with the names of alleged abortionists. The leaflet had biblical quotes and a suggestion to have the list published in the newpaper. As soon as he left, I gathered the leaflets and instructed the group about not taking any action. That is one of the few times when I felt evil personified.

The Church needs courage not compromise, fortitude not political savvy.

The late Ferdinand Marcos was having lunch with the late Cardinal Sin. He started small talk to the Prelate by saying, "You should admire the Americans. Hours after the election, they already know who won." The Cardinal nonchalantly responded, "You need to admire your people more. Even before the election, they already know who won." Sin had kept normal relations with Marcos even if the latter's regime has been accused of murder, corruption and fraud. He did not withhold Holy Communion from Ferdinand probably because none of the accusations stuck. I do know that Sin ended his Masses saying, "We are not afraid to face the firing squad..." His courage was contagious. When the opposition barricaded themselves in a fort & were about to be massacred by government's troops, the cardinal called on the faithful to form a human shield and separate the combatants. More than a million stood in harms way - kneeling on the streets, praying the Rosary, holding the Bible and singing Christian hymns.

Courage is a basic habit of moral or decent men - just like justice, prudence & temperance. The word comes from"cor" or heart - the common metaphor for the source of love. Love makes one brave. Consider a mother charging into a burning building when she sees her child in there. Another word for it is fortitude, which comes from "fortis" meaning strength. To have fortitude is not to be a push over, is to be immovable or relentless.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a recession of love nowadays and because of that there is little courage. The unborn are now more than ever so easily murdered with all the legal protections and funded by the American taxpayers. Doctors are forced to murder at the risk of being sued. And since these babies cannot vote and are unwanted by their very own mothers, then they are summarily condemned by the choice of their mothers.

However, there is One who continues to love them and that is their Creator. And that is why God's people struggle to protect them. A few bishops discipline politicians who support abortion. But there are others who remain silent.

But I would not be surprised because there were US bishops who simply relocated pedophile priests who then continued to rape, sodomize or sexually molest children. So, if they did not care for the children then, why would they care for infants now? I hate to bring that up, but the lesson from that tragedy is that bishops and priests need to be watched, reported and corrected by the laity. If they do not fulfill their responsibilities, they need to be replaced just like any officer in an organization.

The laity are confirmed to be prophets, priests and kings. The bishops and priests minister to the layman through the sacraments, teaching and leadership. If the clergy fail to do their jobs, the laity need to do something for the sake of the Church - the Mystical Body of Christ otherwise, they’re just as culpable. They can submit petitions, emails or simply phone the clergy. Then they can stop donating to their diocese. If there is still no reform, then one can finally report them to the Vatican for possible replacement. One can get a young and holy priest who is not yet jaded and cynical, more importantly who is not yet compromised to the world and its powers.

Here’s the contact info:

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

00120 Vatican City Sate, Europe

E-mail: benedettoxvi@vatican.va

(For issue with bishops)

Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re

Prefect, Congregation for Bishops

Piazza Pio XII, 10

00193 Vatican City Sate, Europe

Phone: (011) 39-6-6988-4217

Jesus in the Holy Eucharist

When I heard of an alleged apparition of our Lady in Conyers, GA, I went there but saw nothing.

Come to think about it, there is something more than an apparition and that is the transubstantiation of ordinary bread into the living Lord.  At the last supper when Jesus said, “This is my body.”  He did not say, “This is like my body” or “This is a symbol of my body.”  So, while the look and feel, “accidents”, of the bread stays the same, the substance has changed from bread to the Lord.  Over the course of history, there have been numerous miracles to confirming this – like bleeding hosts.  Just scour the web and see.

How much more intimate can one get with the Lord than to absorb and assimilate Him bodily.  And in the process, one receives the life of God, grace, to get transformed into the Lord.  That part is not automatic; it requires our disposition and cooperation.    To this end, St. John Bosco encouraged his students to receive Communion frequently i.e. daily.  That practice has produced 29 canonized saints or candidates for canonization.

What if the Lord had limited the power of consecrating the Eucharist to St. Peter on Holy Thursday?  People will save the whole year just to afford the fare to go to Rome that day and receive Him.  But the Lord knew how much we needed him so he had given that power to priests, even sinful ones, so that he can nourish us spiritually.

The left-over are put in the tabernacle.  The lighted votive lamp indicates the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.  And that is why St. John Bosco encouraged his students to visit the Blessed Sacrament many times during the day – to meet the Lord.

 

The Church has built rules so that the Eucharist will be respected appropriately.  No one in grave sin is allowed to receive the Lord without prior reconciliation.  That is why some bishops have suggested to pro-abortion lawmakers to stay away until they repent and reverse their positions. 

 

This Lent, I’ve resolved to go to an extra Mass and receive the Lord.  Then I’ll take my son along.  The life of God, grace, given in this sacrament will help us both to follow the Lord faithfully and grow into his likeness.