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Rick Santorum Delivers Frightening Alarm: Catholics Enabling Secular Progressives In D.C.

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Church News, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Jul 28 2010
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I recently received a letter from former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Written on behalf of the Cardinal Newman Society, his letter serves as an update — and a frightening alarm — on the assault by the governing Washington, D.C., secularists on Catholic teaching. More appalling is their willing accomplices — so-called Catholics, Catholics In Name Only (CINOs) — who scandalously give these progressives cover not only to devalue and debase the teachings of the Faith, but also redefine traditional American family values as well.

The letter below is a very important read. It was shortened for length, but you will get the picture. More like a horror film. Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to engage civicly and do our part to restore the proper promulgation of the Faith in the public square and work to keep our institutions intact.  

As someone who treasures our Catholic Faith, I write with great concern.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo recently said that Catholics who lobbied for the health care reform law — ignoring the Bishops’ warnings about abortion funding and weak conscience protections — had caused “confusion and a wound to Catholic unity.”

And to make matters worse, among those working against the Church on pro-life health care were educators at our Catholic colleges.

And then there is this: President Obama’s latest addition to the powerful Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a same-sex marriage advocate whose concept of “sexual liberty” would trump our religious liberty.

And what were the credentials by which she was selected for this honor? Since 1991, she has been a celebrated professor at Georgetown Law Center — at a Jesuit Catholic university.

When Catholic colleges help advance the secular assault on morality and religious liberty, faithful Catholics need to stand up in defense of the Faith!

We cannot ignore the fact that certain Catholic colleges are employing and honoring dissenters who actively undermine the Church on abortion, marriage, healthcare and conscience protections. …

Chai Feldblum, the recent Georgetown law professor who is now at the EEOC, helped author the “Employment Non-Discrimination Act ” (ENDA) which is before Congress. This bill could cripple Catholic schools, hospitals and other charities by forcing them to provide benefits to same-sex couples.

Feldblum joins the EEOC just as it considers an appeal by Belmont Abbey College, a faithful Catholic college in North Carolina which has been charged with discrimination for refusing to cover birth control pills in its employee health plan.

If the appeal is rejected, Belmont Abbey and other faithful Catholic colleges could be forced to close their doors rather than compromise their Catholic identity! …

But the irony here is that the celebrated professor of a Catholic university is now a threat to faithful Catholic colleges! …

Consider the damage that liberal Catholics caused during the last days of the healthcare debate, when they undermined the Bishops’ demands for pro-life and conscience provisions.

For instance, an influential group of 25 leading “theologians” — 11 of them citing Catholic college credentials — lobbied Congress to reject concerns about the bill. That gave legislators cover to vote for the bill with a “clear conscience.”

And according to the Associated Press, the University of Notre Dame’s president emeritus Father Theodore Hesburgh helped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi convince a pro-life congressman to switch his vote in support of the health care bill.

Soon after the health care law was signed, Georgetown welcomed “special guest” Nancy Pelosi to a university celebration despite her firm opposition to any pro-life compromise in the law. …

Several leading Catholic colleges and universities have long been a source of disunity in the Church by employing dissident theologians, honoring pro-abortion politicians and hosting performances of the obscene play, The Vagina Monologues. …

The federal takeover of student loans — so that money is loaned directly from the U.S. government — is raising new concerns about protecting Catholic colleges from government intrusion. …

And the EEOC is expected to rule on Belmont Abbey College, potentially setting up a court battle that could have devastating consequences for the religious freedom of Catholics! …

If we want to restore a Culture of Life to America . . . if we want to protect the institution of marriage . . . if we want to hand on the Faith to future generations . . . then we must ensure faithful Catholic education, and we must oppose dissent and disunity.

We have all had enough of scandal. …

And may God bless you for all that will be accomplished with your support!

Rick Santorum

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Tagged as: abortion, Associated Press, Belmont Abbey College, birth control pills, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Cardinal Newman Society, Catholic Charities, Catholic colleges, Catholic education, Catholic Faith, Catholic hospitals, Catholic identity, Catholic schools, Catholics In Name Only, Chai Feldblum, CINOs, Congress, conscience protections, Culture of Life, EEOC, employee health plan, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ENDA, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, faithful Catholics, family values, Father Theodore Hesburgh, federal takeover of student loans, Georgetown Law Center, healthcare, institution of marriage, Jesuit, liberal Catholics, marriage, Nancy Pelosi, Notre Dame, President Obama, pro-abortion, pro-life, religious liberty, Rick Santorum, same-sex couples, same-sex marriage, scandal, Secular Progressives, The Vagina Monologues

Health Care Law Allowing Taxpayer Funded Abortions After All? We Told You So!

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Church News, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Jul 22 2010
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Here’s a letter from CatholicVote President Brian Burch concerning serious revelations about the new health care law and its permissiveness on abortion — despite what most everyone who read the billsaid. Brian spells out a crucial episode being played out in Pennsylvania right now that could determine whether, despite President Obama’s cynical executive order to the contrary, federal funding of abortions now will be the law of the land>

Dear CatholicVote Friend,

Can you answer this question?

Does President Obama’s new healthcare law fund abortions or not?

Last week the Obama administration announced they would be pouring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars (our money!) into high-risk insurance pools in Pennsylvania and New Mexico where taxpayer funded abortions would be covered.

And then they got caught.

The National Right to Life Committee exposed the plan, prompting pro-life groups and legislative leaders to demand answers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded by promising not to use the funds for abortion. This time.

Sign our petition to the Catholic Health Association to help us make sure this doesn’t happen again!

Cardinal DiNardo speaking on behalf of the Catholic Bishops responded saying: “We welcome this new policy [preventing abortion coverage] . . . while continuing to be gravely concerned that it was not issued until after some states had announced that pro-abortion health plans were approved and had begun to enroll patients.”

The Cardinal emphasized that the episode makes clear that a new law (not an Executive Order) is needed to strictly prohibit all funding for abortion.

Let’s face it, the nearly 2000-page health care law is so complicated it is virtually impossible to keep up with the new authorities and regulatory agencies that could be manipulated to funnel your money to abortion providers.

So something must be done.

Taxpayer dollars must NEVER be used to fund the destruction of innocent human life.

Some groups claiming to be faithful to the Church continue to claim that the new health care bill does not fund abortion. But last week’s episode proves there are loopholes, and we can’t rely on promises from the Obama administration to keep our money out of the hands of abortion doctors.

Our petition to the Catholic Health Association calling on them to get behind the Protect Life Act continues to add new signatures every day.

Join over 56,000 people that have already signed our petition!

If the Catholic Health Association claims to be Catholic, then they must be held accountable.

Help us turn up the heat. Sign our petition today. …

- Your Friends at CatholicVote.org

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Tagged as: abortion, Brian Burch, Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Bishops, CatholicVote.org, Department of Health and Human Services, Executive Order, Health Care law, lic Health Association, National Right To Life Committee, Pennsylvania, President Obama, pro-life, Protect Life Act, tax dollars fund abortion

Pray To End Abortion, Part Four: “At Least I Didn’t Kill Anyone”

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Issues by Brother Stephen
Jun 30 2010
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Here’s part four of Father Frank Pavone’s series on praying to end abortion. For part three, click here, where you can also find the links to the first two parts. Each is less than two minutes and is well worth your time since when we pray to end abortion, we honor God by praying His will be fulfilled in saving the very lives He creates. 

On another note, please help the cause by sending this link to friends and posting it to as many social networking sites as possible. Prayer is our ultimate tool in ending the abomination of abortion. It truly is astounding: those who believe abortion is a “right” and that “government should stay out of it” feel a sense of outrage when pro-life people pray. If all they care about is keeping government out of the issue, why should they care about people praying? (Many are atheists, so they really shouldn’t care, should they? So their anger at Christian prayer tells me something.)

But take a look at the thread at one of Father Pavone’s videos on YouTube (here). It’s full of vile messages. It’s reflective of those who confront the prayerful outside abortion centers, with in-your-face obscenities.

What’s worse are the politicians who claim they despise abortion, but that the government can’t get involved. Yet these politicians never contribute to or help pregnancy resource centers or join pro-life rallies or do anything non-governmental to discourage abortion.

It all points to what we’re up against: hypocrites and radicals, many of whom are very powerful. Which brings us back to prayer. To learn more about the power of prayer, join Father Pavone at Pro Life Prayers.com or at Priests for Life, where he is the national director.

According to Father Pavone:

We pray to end abortion because we are praying for a stop to the killing of human beings. When the rich young man came up to Jesus and asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus said, “You have to keep the commandments.” The first commandment He mentioned was, “You Shall Not Kill.”

There is hardly anything you can do that’s worse to a person than to end that person’s life. And we know what it means in the very depths of our being and in our culture to save a life. We pray all the time for people to recover from serious illness, for people to be protected from serious danger; we are praying for the preservation of their lives. Saving a life is considered one of the greatest things that anybody can do and, when we want to illustrate that we are not guilty of anything serious, we often say, “Well, at least I didn’t kill anyone.” The motivation to pray to end abortion is rooted in the deepest parts of our human nature, and therefore this has a priority over other intentions of prayer.

Our culture values life. That’s why we call those who rescue others “heroes” and pray for people who are sick. It’s also why we need to pray for the end of abortion — to save human life, because human life is the same whether it’s born or unborn, and it’s God’s will that it live to natural death.

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Tagged as: abortion, atheists, Father Frank Pavone, Jesus, prayer, Priests for Life, Pro Life Prayers.com, pro-life, YouTube

Father Pavone Begins Video Series On Praying To End Abortion

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Issues by Brother Stephen
Jun 16 2010
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Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, has begun what he hopes will become the nation’s largest prayer group — and he’s doing it online through a series of videos on how to pray for the end of abortion. These brief YouTube videos will empower all of us to pray more effectively for an end to the slaughter of children.

In the first in the series, posted below, Father Pavone explains . . .

why we pray to God when God clearly already knows what He wants to do. In the Lord’s Prayer, He commands us to pray, “Thy Will Be Done.” Yet as God carries out His will, He wants us to be involved in what He is doing. His will is that our prayers and actions do make a difference in the building up of His Kingdom. Therefore, we who are pro-life are to pray fervently every day for an end to abortion.

Let us know what you think of this message. We will post as many in the series as we can.

God wants us to pester Him even has He alone accomplishes His will.

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Tagged as: abortion, Father Frank Pavone, Lord's Prayer, National Director of Priests for Life, pro-life, YouTube

Earth Day = Pro Life?

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Media, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Church News, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Apr 12 2010
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Normally, a headline like that would signal a sarcastic post, instigated from some wacky, ill-thought, usually liberal fad or, worse, actual policy. But . . . not this time. As they used to say (and probably still do, somewhere): Now that I’ve got your attention!

In this case, it’s CatholicVote.org turning the liberal paganism of Earth worship around on its illogical head to make some actual sense of the Earth Day, whose advocates are vigorous population control freaks. It is buying up billboard and bus signage space around the country to promulgate the pro-life message by using the secular line of thinking. Pretty brilliant to use their words to promote the most precious aspect of God’s creation on Earth:

Human Life!

It is more than disturbing that “environmentalists” choose to protect and prioritize anything living except the unborn. You cannot celebrate the Earth and not celebrate the Creator — and that which He created in His Likeness. As CatholicVote’s Brian Burch said in a statement: 

Our goal is to use Earth Day to get Americans to think more deeply about what it means to truly respect the Earth and creation. Prevailing environmental attitudes too often view humans as the enemy of nature. We believe the human person is God’s greatest creation, and the Earth’s greatest resource. Building up a culture of life is the single most important way to build a culture that respects the environment.

If we truly care about building a world that respects the environment, we must begin by building a moral culture — one that understands pollution not just in materialistic terms, but in spiritual terms too. In fact, moral pollution does more to harm the environment than inefficient cars or greenhouse gases.

If we are wasteful and reckless with the environment, maybe it is because we are wasteful and reckless with each other — including the unborn.

Here’s what Pope Benedict wrote in a recent encyclical:

If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology.

It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves.

CatholicVote.org has bought space for these ads in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle for starters. You can read more the Earth Day Pro-Life campaign from Joshua Mercer at the CatholicVoteAction blog, here. 

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According To CatholicVote’s Burch: “Let’s remember: Transforming pagan feasts into Christian celebrations is what our faith has been doing for 2,000 years.”

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Tagged as: Brian Burch, CatholicVote.org, CatholicVoteAction.org, Christian celebrations, conscience of society, Earth Day, ecology, human embryos, Joshua Mercer, pagan feasts, paganism, Pope Benedict, pro-life, the environment

Sad But True: “Catholic” Groups Pushing Passage Of Health Care Bill That Funds Abortion

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Church News, Issues, Liturgical Seasons, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Mar 18 2010
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It is very sad. Unfortunately, it is very true. Groups of people who claim to represent Catholic teaching on abortion are misrepresenting that absolute teaching on Capitol Hill and working over several key lawmakers to vote for the government-run health care bill, a bill which will fund abortions with tax dollars, mandate coverage of abortion by insurance companies (the ones still around after the government puts most out of business) and, eventually, eliminate all pretense of conscious protections for medical professionals who do not believe in abortion. Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV.com has spoken out about this recently and often, and we posted one of his expositions on this not long ago (click here). 

Now Brian Burch from CatholicVoteAction.org has released this letter which outlines some very disturbing activities by these groups. It is up to counter them. Contact your bishops and encourage them to do all they can to motivate the flock to contact their Congressmen to vote no on the health care bill. Make sure they are doing all they can to influence your state’s legislators. Ask them what they are doing to clamp down on these dissident and dishonest “Catholic” groups. Tell them the USCCB must ensure there is no funding — directly or indirectly — of these groups as it has in the recent past and currently.

Get involved and make your voice known. Get your parish involved. Educate your friends on the issue. Contact your own U.S. Representative now and encourage him or her to vote no on this abortion-laden legislation. Also, please read Mr. Burch’s letter. It is very informative and, at the end, he explains further what action you can take to make a difference. In this season of Lent, when Christ died for our sins, we can do no less for the unborn who are innocently dying every day.

Dear CatholicVote Member,

If you are tempted to think Catholics in America don’t matter, I have some news for you.

The past 48 hours of the health care debate has been a pitched battle between Catholic groups fighting over the votes of Catholic representatives.

If this pro-abortion legislation is ultimately passed, some so-called “Catholic” groups will be responsible. They have done major damage to the pro-life cause and provided cover for Democrats to abandon their pro-life record.

First, it was the Catholic Health Association writing a letter to pro-life Democrats encouraging them to vote ‘yes’ on the Senate pro-abortion healthcare bill. Then yesterday, it was a letter from NETWORK — an advocacy group of Catholic sisters who called for passage of the pro-abortion bill and promised they would be “working on all levels to promote [its] passage.”

Sadly, these groups got to Rep. Dale Kildee. You and I passionately pleaded with him to hold the line, running radio ads for days in his district. But he gave in to pressure yesterday saying he had consulted his priest and constituents and concluded “that no federal money can be used for abortion.”

This is bogus and he knows it. But the pressure was simply too great, and he gave in.

But we aren’t giving up. We have other votes including some “surprise” representatives we are working with that could replace the loss of Kildee and others.

What about the Bishops?

Whenever Catholic groups or politicians betray their faith and undermine our Church, people ask me why I don’t call out the Bishops more for not confronting people who spread dissent and attack our unity.

I agree that respectful criticism of our Bishops has a place, but in this fight, at this hour, I am convinced the Bishops need our help, not our condemnation.

CatholicVote is now working directly with Bishops across the country. They know about us and they are thrilled to have us working alongside them. I cannot emphasize enough how thankful they are for all that you’re doing.

I implored them to personally petition Members of Congress, and to speak out publicly against the distortions being spread by CHA and others. Every Bishop I have spoken with has agreed to do everything he can. And many are already doing so.

The USCCB is running editorials, and today is running ads in major newspapers urging the Congress to OPPOSE the pro-abortion bill.

We are also in direct contact with members of the Stupak Coalition and are assisting them with resources within the Church and in districts where undecided votes remain.

What you can do now

Finally, I have three last things you can do to fight against this horrendous bill.

I have two new Congressmen to call. These pro-life Democrats are sitting right on the fence. Call Rep. Jason Altmire at (724) 226-1304 and call Rep. John Boccieri at (330) 489-4414. With so many people calling Congress, you might have difficulty getting through to them. I didn’t say this was going to be easy.

Visit CatholicVoteAction.org for our primer: “Why the Senate bill must be opposed.”

Pray.

The last one is the most important. You and I have made the phone calls, we’ve defended the Church on the Internet and over the airwaves, we’ve fought the good fight.

But political pundits have said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi will stop at nothing to get this pro-abortion bill through.

Ultimately, though, the fate of this bill rests in greater hands.

Let every member of CatholicVote join together in prayer over these next few fateful days.

Let us boldly ask Our Lord during this Lenten season for victory in this battle. As hard as we have worked, if this bill is defeated, we will rightly give God all of the praise.

Please, take a moment now to make a call to the switchboard upstairs. His line is never busy.

Sincerely,

Brian Burch

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Tagged as: abortion, Brian Burch, Capitol Hill, Catholic Health Association, Catholic teaching, CatholicVoteAction.org, Christ, conscious protections, government-run health care, insurance companies, Lent, medical professionals, Michael Voris, Nancy Pelosi, NETWORK, pro-abortion, pro-life, RealCatholicTV.com, Rep. Dale Kildee, Rep. Jason Altmire, Rep. John Boccieri, unborn, USCCB

What Was All The Fuss About?

Posted in Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Feb 08 2010
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When I saw the “Tim and Pam Tebow Pro-Life Ad” earlier today, I was astounded. What was all the fuss about from the pro-abortion groups? Unless, of course, they are against free speech. That may be because they certainly are against choice, at least when that choice is a woman carrying her baby to term and giving birth. But, decide for yourself. Here’s the ad by Focus On The Family:

The “controversial” Tim and Pam Tebow pro-life ad: Not much to it, but it does ask that you see the full story at Focus On The Family’s Web site.

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Tagged as: Focus on the Family, free speech, pro-abortion, pro-life, Tim and Pam Tebow Pro-Life Ad

Priests For Life Hosting Vote Pro-Life Teleconference January 25

Posted in Announcements, Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Jan 18 2010
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Father Frank Pavone (see Father Pavone’s Blog) and Priests for Life are hosting a Vote Pro-Life teleconference on Monday, January 25, 2010. The teleconference will focus on the 2010 elections and will have a panel of experts, including David Barton of Wallbuilders and Majorie Dannenfelser (see Weekly Standard interview on YouTube) of the Susan B. Anthony List (see The SOP.org).

The teleconference, which is designed to motivate, inspire and educate will be a great way to capitalize on the momentum of the March For Life later this week in Washington, D.C. (It’s not too late to attend. Ask your parish, diocese, a Knights of Columbus council, find here, or other Catholic or pro-life organization in your community if they are planning to charter a bus.) If you can’t attend the March For Life, the teleconference is a good way to learn how you can participate in the pro-life movement.

Sign up for the teleconference here, at Priest For Life. After you sign up, you will receive an e-mail with more details. You cannot receive the details on how to participate without an online RSVP. 

Father Pavone accurately notes that “A key part of putting our prayers into action is bringing them to the voting booth.” So, please, forward this link to friends you think are interested in getting more involved so they can learn about the teleconference. You can also join the Pro-Life Cause on Facebook by clicking here. Father Pavone asks that we “act for the unborn so that we may save Our Lord’s children.”

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Tagged as: David Barton, Facebook, Father Frank Pavone, Father Pavone's Blog, Knights of Columbus, Majorie Dannenfelser, March for Life, Priests for Life, pro-life, Susan B. Anthony List, The SOP.org, Wallbuilders, Washington D.C., Weekly Standard, YouTube

Top 10 Reasons 2009 Gives Us Hope

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Church News, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Dec 22 2009
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You might not think that 2009 was much of a year of hope — contrary to Orwellian rhetoric that emanates from our progressive secular rulers in Washington these days. But Brian Burch of CatholicVote.org lists 10 reasons why 2009, despite the government’s move toward rationed health care, taxpayer paid abortions and removal of conscience protections for medical professionals, among many other goals to debase the culture, gives us reason for real — not demogogic — hope. Here they are:

10. It’s Cool to be Pro-Life

Across the popular culture spectrum, the younger generation is, on average, more pro-life than their parents. Whether its reality-TV star Kourtney Kardashian telling People magazine about her decision to keep her child or the multiple opinion polls that show more and more Americans self-identifying as pro-life. Even the show Law & Order included a powerful courtroom scene that compelled a character to question her ‘dogmatic’ support for Roe v. Wade. Hope for the unborn is en vogue.

9. You – the Members of CatholicVote

Over 400,000 members of CatholicVote working to build up the Church and our world made 2009 truly memorable. Back in January the Super Bowl didn’t like the message, but millions of people watched a commercial by CatholicVote.org that reminded America of the dignity of every human life, including an unborn Barack Obama. The inauguration of a strident pro-abortion president was very disappointing, but the proud members of CatholicVote.org responded with the first in a series of ads in our “Life: Imagine the Potential” campaign that also included an ad during the American Idol finale, and a summer ad commemorating the historic achievement of Apollo 11. All of this work and more was made possible by you. Through hard work and prayer, you and I are building a movement. A movement we can be proud of.

8. Death of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus

The death of a man is a sign of hope? Only in the sense that Fr. Richard John Neuhaus once explained: “We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well.” In that sense, Fr. Neuhaus died well, evidenced by the lives he touched, the intellects he captivated, and the winsome pen that delighted and moved thousands of hearts and minds during his rich life. Fr. Neuhaus is no longer with us, but his ideas, and spirited engagement with the world — uniquely as a person of faith — most certainly are.

7. Priests, Religious, and More Priests

From Ireland to New Zealand to many dioceses across the United States, Catholic seminaries are recording record numbers of new seminarians after years of decline. Wherever you look, large numbers of young men and women are bravely choosing to serve Christ and his Church in a world that so urgently needs the witness of courageous, self-sacrificing men and women of God. Perhaps not coincidentally, Pope Benedict XVI designated the second of half of 2009 and first half of 2010 the ‘Year of the Priest.’

6. Maine Delivers for Marriage

During the spring and summer of 2009 a few states in New England, including Maine, legalized so-called same-sex ‘marriage.’ In November, the voters struck back at the ballot box and overruled their Legislature by returning marriage to the traditional definition of one man and one woman. This means that marriage has won 31 out of 31 times when put before the people for a vote! Maine’s triumph effectively put the brakes on efforts to legalize same-sex ‘marriages’ in New York and New Jersey.

5. Religious Leaders Unite to Sign Manhattan Declaration

Invoking the legacy of the late Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox leaders released a powerful 4,732 word document renewing their commitment to the defense of unborn human life, marriage as a sacred union of one man and one woman, and the rights of conscience and religious liberty no matter the cost. The leaders drew a line in the sand stating their willingness to defy any edict that violates these foundational principles. You too can join over 300,000 people who have already signed the Declaration here.

4. Bart Stupak and the Rise of Pro-life Democrats

The deeply disappointing capitulation by Senator Ben Nelson is still fresh on our minds. But it is worth noting as a sign of hope the strengthening voice of pro-life Democrats in the House. For years these pro-life Democrats would vote for life, but remained relatively quiet and rarely publicly challenged their party’s leadership. But with Democrats in control of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, pro-life Democrats couldn’t stay silent any longer. In the end it was the reckless power grab by the abortion lobby to hijack healthcare reform that spurred Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) into action. Stupak helped rally other pro-life Democrats to oppose any healthcare bill that included abortion funding, eventually forcing even Speaker Pelosi herself to buckle. As we write this, the final fate of the pro-abortion healthcare bill remains unknown. But the efforts by Stupak and other Democrats represent a sign of hope for a party that all too often is shamefully beholden to the powerful abortion lobby.

3. Smashing Success of the 40 Days for Life Campaigns

Community organizing at its finest. Volunteers who pray and witness outside abortion clinics across the country have always been the unsung heroes of pro-life activism. But the 40 Days for Life campaigns, begun in 2004, are exploding and have now included hundreds of thousands of participants in nearly 300 cities. Their efforts have shut down multiple clinics, saved countless lives, and have pro-abortion advocates grasping for a way to respond. There is none. Modeling prayer efforts on the biblically-based 40 days of prayer and fasting practiced by Our Lord himself is inspirational and paying dividends. Big time.

2. The Conversion of Abby Johnson

The 40 Days for Life campaigns began in Bryan/College Station, TX. In November, the Executive Director of the local Planned Parenthood in this same city was overwhelmed by the evil of abortion and walked out. After watching an abortion on an ultrasound, and seeing the warmth and joy of pro-life activists holding vigils outside the abortion mill, she walked down the street and joined the 40 Days for Life effort. This episode confirms that the conscience of every person is always burning, and nobody is a lost cause. In military terms, the pro-abortion forces suffered a major defector, as Ms. Johnson also revealed what we already know to be true – abortion is heavily pushed for the money and profits, not because it helps women. This story confirms the power of prayer in our fight for justice, and represents one of the most inspirational pro-life stories of 2009.

1. Bishops With Backbone

Someone check what the Catholic Bishops are eating for breakfast — it’s more than Wheaties. Who could have predicted the vocal stand by almost 70 Catholic bishops, led by His Excellency John D’Arcy of South Bend, Indiana, in opposing the bestowal of honors by Notre Dame on our pro-abortion President. The courage displayed over the scandal at Notre Dame carried over into the fall when the USCCB became one of the biggest opponents of health care “reform” because of provisions that included public financing of abortion. Their outspoken opposition prompted more than a few public leaders to call on the Church to be silenced, stripped of its tax-exempt status, and worse. The year also saw more than a few bishops speaking out more forcefully on the fundamental issue of life and its treatment by Catholic politicians. The laity is cheering as more and more bishops are becoming brave to the bone.

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Tagged as: 40 Days for Life Campaigns, abortion, Bart Stupak, Ben Nelson, Bishop John D’Arcy, Brian Burch, Catholic politicians, CatholicVote.org, Conversion of Abby Johnson, Indiana, Maine marriage vote, Manhattan Declaration, Notre Dame, Planned Parenthood, priests, pro-life, Pro-life Democrats, Richard John Neuhaus, South Bend, Stupak Amendment, USCCB

Like Father Like Son? Senator Casey About To Let Us Know With Health Care/Abortion Vote

Posted in Catholicism In Culture, Catholicism In Media, Catholicism In Public Policy And Law, Issues, News And Current Events by Brother Stephen
Dec 18 2009
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Senator Robert Casey, Jr., (D-Pa.) (contact here) is a central figure in the ever important abortion debate within the larger debate on the U.S. Senate’s pending health care legislation. The Catholic son of the late Democrat, staunchly pro-life, Pennsylvania governor, campaigned as one who was as adamantly pro-life as his dad. That’s pretty hard to be, especially for a Democrat. His dad was censored from speaking at the 1992 Democrat National Convention for his pro-life views.

Now, he is one of the few Democrat senators who can possibly derail the government takeover of the American health care system, which is one-sixth of the economy, and preserve the ban on federal funds for abortions, reject mandates that insurance companies provide abortion coverage, and maintain conscience clause protections for medical professionals. The entire bill may come down to abortion and whether self-proclaimed “pro-life Democrats” live up to their word.

Unfortunately, Senator Casey thus far in his term has cozied up to the pro-abortion-on-demand leftists who monopolize his party’s leadership. In fact, Senator Casey has introduced “compromise” abortion language to Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health care monstrosity (see Kathryn Jean Lopez at the National Review’s Health Care Blog). The National Right To Life Committee responded quickly, dismissing it as language that does almost nothing to improve the overall bill’s policy on abortion (see letter here). Besides, how does one compromise on abortion? Are there “half-way abortions”?

Still, there is some expectation he can be a moderating voice on abortion within the Democrat Senate caucus. Now, many are asking him to show the courageous leadership his father displayed during his distinguished career. Helping to remind him, Catholic Vote Action has entered the debate and has bought television time in Pennsylvania to encourage citizens there to contact Senator Casey and encourage him to stay true to his proclaimed pro-life position, and vote against the health care legislation.

If you live in Pennsylvania, contact Senator Casey and ask him to stay true to principle, not to mention the Truth. Or, if you know people there, forward them this link and ask them to contact Senator Casey as well.

Pennsylvania Catholics have the responsibility to ask Senator Robert Casey, Jr., to not let them down.

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Tagged as: 1992 Democrat National Convention, abortion, Catholic Vote Action, conscience clause protections for medical professionals, Democrats, federal funds for abortions, Harry Reid, Health Care Blog, insurance abortion coverage, Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, National Right To Life Committee, Pennsylvania voters, pro-life, Senator Robert Casey
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