Ciao, Arrivederci, Mille Grazie Caro Papa!!!!!

Here is the text of Papa Benedetto's address at his final audience on Wednesday 27 February 2013. I am intentionally publishing this exactly at the time he ceases to be Pope & becomes Papa emeritus. As I type this it is hard for me to think that this is really happening. But it is.

Papa Benedetto is the 6th Pope in my lifetime. Nothing against any of his predecessors. But he was the 1st Pope I ever addresses as Papa, not the English Pope. Maybe that was because there was a special connection with him there wasn't with the others. In part it was because he & I are cat persons, but it was much more. I knew that he would strongly defend the teachings of the Catholic Church & do what he could, under the guidance & power of the Holy Spirit, to ensure that the Catholic Church would be kept on course. I knew he would clearly teach the truths that God had revealed to the Catholic Church. But it was more than that. There was just this something that can't be put into words.

I trust him enough to know that he is doing what he feels is the best thing for the Catholic Church. I also know that God isn't through working through him.  There is still his last encyclical on faith to come out. Not sure when or how it will be released. But when it does, it won't be as an official encyclical. That doesn't matter. It will still contain much to read & digest spiritually.

Most importantly, he will be spending time in prayer & intercession for the Church. & that will be the most important thing he does.

So before you get to the text of his farewell address, how strange that sounds, I just want to add "Mille grazie, caro Papa! This son of yours is ever grateful to God for all you have done to help me along my journey of faith! May your " 

"  Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood!

Distinguished Authorities!Dear brothers and sisters!

Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate.

Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text that we have heard, I feel in my heart the paramount duty to thank God, who guides the Church and makes her grow: who sows His Word and thus nourishes the faith in His people. At this moment my spirit reaches out to embrace the whole Church throughout the world, and I thank God for the “news” that in these years of Petrine ministry I have been able to receive regarding the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity that circulates in the body of the Church – charity that makes the Church to live in love – and of the hope that opens for us the way towards the fullness of life, and directs us towards the heavenly homeland.

I feel I [ought to] carry everyone in prayer, in a present that is God’s, where I recall every meeting, every voyage, every pastoral visit. I gather everyone and every thing in prayerful recollection, in order to entrust them to the Lord: in order that we might have full knowledge of His will, with every wisdom and spiritual understanding, and in order that we might comport ourselves in a manner that is worthy of Him, of His, bearing fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9-10).

At this time, I have within myself a great trust [in God], because I know – all of us know – that the Gospel’s word of truth is the strength of the Church: it is her life. The Gospel purifies and renews: it bears fruit wherever the community of believers hears and welcomes the grace of God in truth and lives in charity. This is my faith, this is my joy.

When, almost eight years ago, on April 19^th, [2005], I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry, I held steadfast in this certainty, which has always accompanied me. In that moment, as I have already stated several times, the words that resounded in my heart were: “Lord, what do you ask of me? It a great weight that You place on my shoulders, but, if You ask me, at your word I will throw out the nets, sure that you will guide me” – and the Lord really has guided me. He has been close to me: daily could I feel His presence. [These years] have been a stretch of the Church’s pilgrim way, which has seen moments joy and light, but also difficult moments. I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of ​​Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us, as in the whole history of the Church it has ever been - and the Lord seemed to sleep. Nevertheless, I always knew that the Lord is in the barque, that the barque of the Church is not mine, not ours, but His - and He shall not let her sink. It is He, who steers her: to be sure, he does so also through men of His choosing, for He desired that it be so. This was and is a certainty that nothing can tarnish. It is for this reason, that today my heart is filled with gratitude to God, for never did He leave me or the Church without His consolation, His light, His love.

We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life. I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being Christian. In a beautiful prayer to be recited daily in the morning says, “I adore you, my God, I love you with all my heart. I thank You for having created me, for having made me a Christian.” Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith: it is the most precious good, that no one can take from us! Let us thank God for this every day, with prayer and with a coherent Christian life. God loves us, but He also expects that we love Him!

At this time, however, it is not only God, whom I desire to thank. A Pope is not alone in guiding St. Peter’s barque, even if it is his first responsibility – and I have not ever felt myself alone in bearing either the joys or the weight of the Petrine ministry. The Lord has placed next to me many people, who, with generosity and love for God and the Church, have helped me and been close to me. First of all you, dear Brother Cardinals: your wisdom, your counsels, your friendship, were all precious to me. My collaborators, starting with my Secretary of State, who accompanied me faithfully over the years, the Secretariat of State and the whole Roman Curia, as well as all those who, in various areas, give their service to the Holy See: the many faces which never emerge, but remain in the background, in silence, in their daily commitment, with a spirit of faith and humility. They have been for me a sure and reliable support. A special thought [goes] to the Church of Rome, my diocese! I can not forget the Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, the consecrated persons and the entire People of God: in pastoral visits, in public encounters, at Audiences, in traveling, I have always received great care and deep affection; I also loved each and every one, without exception, with that pastoral charity which is the heart of every shepherd, especially the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of the Apostle Peter. Every day I carried each of you in my prayers, with the father's heart.

I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, which makes present the great family of nations. Here I also think of all those who work for good communication, whom I thank for their important service.

At this point I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many people throughout the whole world, who, in recent weeks have sent me moving tokens of concern, friendship and prayer. Yes, the Pope is never alone: now I experience this [truth] again in a way so great as to touch my very heart. The Pope belongs to everyone, and so many people feel very close to him. It’s true that I receive letters from the world's greatest figures - from the Heads of State, religious leaders, representatives of the world of culture and so on. I also receive many letters from ordinary people who write to me simply from their heart and let me feel their affection, which is born of our being together in Christ Jesus, in the Church. These people do not write me as one might write, for example, to a prince or a great figure one does not know. They write as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, with the sense of very affectionate family ties. Here, one can touch what the Church is – not an organization, not an association for religious or humanitarian purposes, but a living body, a community of brothers and sisters in the Body of Jesus Christ, who unites us all. To experience the Church in this way and almost be able to touch with one’s hands the power of His truth and His love, is a source of joy, in a time in which many speak of its decline.

In recent months, I felt that my strength had decreased, and I asked God with insistence in prayer to enlighten me with His light to make me take the right decision – not for my sake, but for the good of the Church. I have taken this step in full awareness of its severity and also its novelty, but with a deep peace of mind. Loving the Church also means having the courage to make difficult, trying choices, having ever before oneself the good of the Church and not one’s own.

Here allow me to return once again to April 19, 2005. The gravity of the decision was precisely in the fact that from that moment on I was committed always and forever by the Lord. Always – he, who assumes the Petrine ministry no longer has any privacy. He belongs always and totally to everyone, to the whole Church. His life is, so to speak, totally deprived of the private sphere. I have felt, and I feel even in this very moment, that one receives one’s life precisely when he offers it as a gift. I said before that many people who love the Lord also love the Successor of Saint Peter and are fond of him, that the Pope has truly brothers and sisters, sons and daughters all over the world, and that he feels safe in the embrace of their communion, because he no longer belongs to himself, but he belongs to all and all are truly his own.

The “always” is also a “forever” - there is no returning to private life. My decision to forgo the exercise of active ministry, does not revoke this. I do not return to private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences and so on. I do not abandon the cross, but remain in a new way near to the Crucified Lord. I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter’s bounds. St. Benedict, whose name I bear as Pope, shall be a great example in this for me. He showed us the way to a life which, active or passive, belongs wholly to the work of God.

I thank each and every one of you for the respect and understanding with which you have welcomed this important decision. I continue to accompany the Church on her way through prayer and reflection, with the dedication to the Lord and to His Bride, which I have hitherto tried to live daily and that I would live forever. I ask you to remember me before God, and above all to pray for the Cardinals, who are called to so important a task, and for the new Successor of Peter, that the Lord might accompany him with the light and the power of His Spirit.

Let us invoke the maternal intercession of Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, that she might accompany each of us and the whole ecclesial community: to her we entrust ourselves, with deep trust.

Dear friends! God guides His Church, maintains her always, and especially in difficult times. Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the only true vision of the way of the Church and the world. In our heart, in the heart of each of you, let there be always the joyous certainty that the Lord is near, that He does not abandon us, that He is near to us and that He surrounds us with His love. Thank you!"

Papa Benedetto Did It God's Way

In honor of the service Papa Benedetto has given to the Church from his days as a priest to his time as Supreme Pontiff, here is a song I have written about him. It is sung to the tune of My Way. I call it (He Did It) God's Way.

We see, the end is here

And he has faced the final curtain

My friend, I make it clear

I state my case, yes I am certain

He lived a life that's full

He traveled each and ev'ry highway

But more, more than this, he did it God's way.

Regrets, he may have a few

But if so, too few to mention

He did what God had him do and saw it through without exemption

God's plan for each charted course, each careful step along the byway

No more, no more than this, he did it God's way.

Then there were times, I'm sure you knew

His foes opposed what he would do

But through it all, where they spread doubt

He knew the truth and spoke it out

He faced them all and he stood tall and did it God's way.

He loved, he laughed and cried

And all the while, God's way was choosing

And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing

To see he did all that

and may I add, not in a shy way,

Oh, no, oh, no, not him, 

he did it God's way!

For what is a Pope, what has he got?

If not God's help, then he had naught

To say the things he truly feels are the words of one who kneels

The record shows he took the blows and did it God's way!!!!!

Yes, he did it God's way.

Ciao Papa! Mille Grazie!!!!!

_________________

If someone wants to record this please contact me. All I ask is the writers credit & my share of the royalties. After all, I do have bills to pay.

Abortion Nun, Sr. Donna, Now Spreading Her Heresies on National (Sort Of) News

Once again the infamous Sr. Donna Quinn who is a Sinsinawa Dominican is in the news. As I have reported in the past, she has been an escort at an abortion clinic as well as publicly promoting gay marriage. But usually the attention has been limited to local or regional coverage. This time she got a national, sort or, platform to promote her attempts to undermine the Catholic Church's teachings. I say sort of because she appeared this morning on CNN Newsroom. Their average daytime viewership is only 424,000 in the

latest ratings. That is less than the population of Wyoming.

In her appearance she demanded that a woman be on the ballot as well as women being allowed to vote.

Here is a direct quote: "We women are calling this papal election invalid. It has to be declared fraudulent because it has no women included in the process. By that I mean there are no women on the ballot in the conclave, there are no women voters, there are no women in the whole process, so we're very distressed."

She went on make it sound like every young woman who is Catholic agrees with her stand.  "You know, young women today, they don't respect the church. They don't go to church. They are bright, articulate, intelligent women. They know they are made in the image and likeness of God, and they hold CEO positions, elected office positions, but they are saying no to gender abuse."

Probably the most hilarious part of Sr. Donna's rantings was the claim that in 2005 women had gathered in front of all the cathedrals in the United States to send up pink smoke to symbolize their disapproval of Papa Benedetto's election. Funny, but I don't remember that happening. 

Amazingly, the host, Carol Costello called her on one of her claims, that she was speaking for all Catholic women, especially all nuns. "Let me just interrupt you for a second. You have a very liberal view there and I'm sure many nuns feel the way do, you but not all of them."

But rather than explaining why they didn't feel the same way or having someone on the show to defend the Church's teachings & why Sr. Donna was wrong, Costello went to their Vatican analyst, John Allen. He simply said that change wasn't going to happen. In addition he made it sound like the Church was the one who had the problem with women because of their stands, not that these women had a problem because they were rebelling against Divine truth as revealed in the magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church.
You can be sure this was intentional on the part of CNN as they agree with Sr. Donna's stand.
Despite the claims by John Allen, women are welcome & do have a place in the Catholic Church, the one God intended for them. These women who are rebelling are revealing who they are truly following, Satan, the father of lies. He rebelled against God's plan & tried to set himself up as God. That is exactly what these women & those at CNN & elsewhere who support their dissent are doing, following Satan's example. It didn't work for Satan & it won't work for them.

PS: I sent a letter in to the TH about this. It will be interesting to see if the publish it & if they do, if they will do the same dirty trick they did last time, publishing a story then making it look like my letter was a reaction to that story rather than the catalyst that forced them to report the latest scandal at Sinsinawa.

Source: So Long, Pope Benedict: CNN Hosts Radical Nun Calling Papal Election 'Invalid'

Adopt A Cardinal for the Conclave

As we enter the last 3 days of Papa Benedetto's papacy, there has been much attention paid in the media to the selection of his successor. Naturally, the Main Stream Media has been dragging out all the supporters of the false "Spirit of Vatican II" they can to push for the for the election of someone who will promote their agenda to destroy the Catholic Church by allowing women's ordination, approving homosexual marriage, artificial birth control etc. 

Despite all their attempts there are 2 things we can be sure of. One is that whoever is elected as the next Pope will continue to defend authentic Catholic teaching against the attacks from without & within. That will include cleaning up the messes that are there as a part of doing so.
The 2nd thing is that every faithful Catholic has a duty to pray for the Cardinals as they prepare for the Conclave, as well as their being open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they vote.
I am sure that many of us already are. But I would like to offer you an opportunity to take it to a higher level & begin praying for a specific Cardinal who will be participating.
Well a website has been set up to allow you to do just that. Adopt a Cardinal gives you the opportunity to be assigned a Cardinal that you will intercede for in the days before, during & 3 days after the coming Conclave.  Each person who agrees will be able to chose what way he or she  will pray or fast.
When you accept, the computer will randomly (with a little help of the Holy Spirit) assign you a Cardinal. You will be given his name, where he is from, his function (In charge of a diocese, in charge of a Congregation in the Vatican, etc) & his age.
This is a way for each of us to fulfill a part of our responsibility as members of the Body of Christ. So follow the link above & adopt a Cardinal.

Source: Adopt a Cardinal

Fly Me To the Moon

And let me swing among the stars,

Let me see what Spring is like on Jupiter . . . .

I am sure many people recognize those lines from the song best known for the version by Frank Sinatra. Well, welcome to life imitating art.

This picture was made as a composite of pictures taken last week right before the eclipse of Jupiter by the Moon. You can see Jupiter at the lower right. If you enlarge the picture you will be able to see some of the moons of Jupiter. Supposedly you are supposed to be able to see 3 of the moons, Io, Calisto & Europa (l-r). But I have only been able to find 2 of them.

This picture was taken by Greg Gibbs & is shared here under fair use for news reporting.

(Added 26 February 2013 @ 12:34 pm) After contacting the photographer, I got the location of the 3rd moon. Now I am asking myself how I missed it in the 1st place.

& I Thought I Made Bad Puns

Re; the 2013 Oscar Awards Tonite

With the exception of of the 5 awards Skyfall is up for*,  "Frankly my dear, I don't give a reservoir." (As Rhett (Sonny) said to Scarlett (Cher), "You didn't expect to swear, did you?")

_______________________

* The 5 awards that it is up for & deserves to win are Cinematography (Roger Deakins), Original Score (Thomas Newman), Original Song (Adelle & Paul Epworth), Sound editing (Per Hallberg & Karen Baker Landers), Sound Mixing (Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell & Stuart Wilson).

What Obama Really Said in His Farewell to Papa Benedetto.

Obama released a statement about Papa Benedetto's leaving the papacy. Of course, what is says. & what it really means are 2 different things. In it, he focuses more on himself than the Pope. He hopes that his followers will use it to show how he isn't attacking the Catholic Church rather than the exercise in his ego it really is. But when you read between the lines, he is continuing his all out attack on the Catholic Church & its attempts to show him for the antichrist that he is. 

Here is the statement:

"On behalf of Americans everywhere, Michelle and I wish to extend our appreciation and prayers to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Michelle and I warmly remember our meeting with the Holy Father in 2009, and I have appreciated our work together over these last four years.   The Church plays a critical role in the United States and the world, and I wish the best to those who will soon gather to choose His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s successor"

Here is what he really said: "On behalf of myself, I am happy for another chance to glorify myself while making it look like I actually give a damn about the leaving of an old man who has done all he can by proclaiming what the Catholic Church actually teaches  not what those dissident heretics who call themselves authentic Catholics have twisted it to mean so I could push through my "culture of death agenda. They are the ones I appreciate, not Pope Benedict. 

I look back at the 2009 meeting as what it was meant to be, a photo op to make me look good. Why do you think I intentionally made sure that there wasn't enough time for more than a few courtesies before I had to leave. I knew the Pope would make it clear in a public speech that what I was doing was evil & that he would do all he could to show that it was. So, even though I had to sit through 30 minutes of pretending I cares a hoot about what he said, I know that it was the price I had to pay for appearances sake.

As for working together, well, if you mean doing all I could to shut you up, marginalizing the influence of the Catholic Church (except that of the dissidents), forcing the Catholic Church to stop helping those caught in white slavery, forcing the Church out of providing adoptions & forcing the Catholic Church to pay for artificial birth control & abortion & the Bishops you appointed working against all that, then I guess we did work together. But you didn't exactly do it the way I wanted. I expected you to shut up, roll over & play dead instead of trying to stop my attempts to destroy the Constitution & set up a dictatorship.* How dare you NOT appoint more Bishops like Mahony who have worked to destroy the Church. If I could I would give him a pardon today. But I have to wait until the end of my term to reward him for what he did to help me promote my agenda.

Instead of the "critical role" that the Church played, I wanted it to wholeheartedly embrace all I did. BUT NO!!! The USCCB had to accurately point out that what I was doing was an all out assault on the Catholic Church's 1st amendment rights s well as that of each individual member of the Church who is faithful to the authentic magisterial teachings. When did they finally find the courage they have hid all these years?

We won't go into detail about the rest of the world. But again, I wish you would shut up on the abortion issue. You have made my attempts to spread the "culture of death" harder to implement.

If I had my way, I would force those gathering in Rome to elect someone who will give all those Catholics in Name Only that helped me undermine the Catholic Church's attempts here & abroad what they want.

But since they won't, I promise I will do my "best" to continue my escalation of the persecution of the Catholic Church. I will do my "best" to silence them, marginalize them & even throw them in jail if I need to."

_____________

* For more on how Obama has done anything but work together with the Pope, you can go to this post @ Fr. Z's blog.

Looking For God In All the Right Places

Today marks the end of the 1st whole week in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. For the Eastern Catholic Churches we are in day 2 of the 2nd week. Hopefully you have already begun your Lenten practices.

However if you are still looking for something, may I suggest you find the nearest Eucharistic Adoration Chapel & spend at least an hour a week there. During that time you will be able to talk to God, spend time adoring Him, let Him speak to you & definitely grow in your faith. I won't go into all the details about what you can do. The Real Presence has an excellent site here that will provide you with everything you need.

As for those who may have stumbled across this post because you are trying to find God, I can think of no better place to go then where God is waiting for you to find Him.

Yes, that is right, God is there, even though it appears that all you are seeing is a piece of bread behind a window in a gold holder (monstrance).

As Catholics we take Jesus at His word when He said over the bread at the Last Supper "This is My Body." We do so because in John 6 He said that we must eat of the flesh of the Son of Man. The technical term is transubstantiation. What it means is that the substance of the bread is changed while the accidentals, color, taste, look remain the same. It is no longer bread, but the body, blood, soul & divinity of Christ hidden under the appearance of bread. & where Jesus is, the Father & Holy Spirit are, so God is physically present wherever the Eucharist is. You can get a much better & more in depth explanation here.

Note, this is not to downplay visiting Christ in the tabernacle. That is important as well. Additionally, while many parishes do not have perpetual adoration, they do regularly offer exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

In the DBQ area we are blessed with 2 Perpetual Adoration Chapels. 

One is in DBQ @ 1860 St. Ambrose St. This chapel is operated by Power of Prayer, Inc. with the aprobation of the Archbishop of DBQ. 

In addition, there is a 2nd chapel  in the building where Mass is offered every Wednesday at 2:15 pm & is followed by Divine Mercy Devotions.

The other one is the St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer Adoration Chapel at 190 Montgomery St. in E DBQ.

You can find a list of perpetual adoration chapels as well as many places that offer Eucharistic Adoration here.  If you cannot find one near you, call your diocesan chancery to see if they know of one nearby. If not, & you can still visit Jesus in the tabernacle. Better yet, why not get together with other like minded members of your parish to get your pastor to at least offer a regular time each month or week for Eucharistic Adoration. & if he says no, don't be afraid to ask him why. If he tries to blow it off as pre-Vatican II then point out that not only did Vatican II approve of & encourage it, Pope Paul, Pope John Paul II & Papa Benedetto did as well. Also, Canon law recommends & encourages it as well. Do so in a gentle, non-confrontational manner.  If he still refuses, then submit yourself to his authority, but pray for his heart to be changed.

So, if you are looking for something extra to do this Lent, something that should become a permanent part of your life, or just looking for God, the nearest adoration chapel is the ideal place to start. 

I guarentee you that God is there, waiting patiently for you to come & see Him.

______________________

Note: The Eastern Catholic Churches do not have a tradition of Eucharistic Adoration. But they do have a tabernacle where the Eucharist is reserved. During the weekdays of Lent they have a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts that includes a Communion service where the Eucharist from the Sunday Divine Liturgy is distributed.

2013 Virtual St. Joseph's Altar Now Open

 

Many years ago, as I was researching into devotions to San Giuseppe I came across information about an annual devotion known as the St. Joseph's Altar. I found out it was a Sicilian tradition. Being of Italiano descent, Calabrese, & growing up in an area where there were no Sicilianos, mostly Calabresi & Abruzzesi it was understandable that I had never heard of the devotion.

The devotion began in the Middle Ages as a way of giving thanks to San Giuseppe for his bringing about the end of a drought. They gathered together to celebrate & share the food they had with the poor.

The altar is set up in 3 tiers, in honor of the Holy Trinity. On the top tier is a statue of San Giuseppe surrounded by flowers, greenery & often fruit. The offerings brought range from citrus fruit (common in Sicilia) to fish but no meat since it is Lent. Pastries & other baked goods, often in symbolic shapes are also common. Additionally there are breadcrumbs to represent the sawdust from San Giuseppe's carpenter shop. Fava beans are also present because they helped prevent famine during the drought. In addition to the food offerings, people bring petitions for their needs. They also bring the names of their deceased relatives & friends, asking San Giuseppe's intercession for those who may still be in Purgatory. San Giuseppe is the patron saint of a happy death so it is only natural that God would work powerfully through him to aide those undergoing purification so they can enter into the fullness of the Beatific Vision.

You can read more about the tradition here or here. 

Still, like many of Italiano descent, I gladly welcomed it as a part of my heritage & decided to promote the devotion.

1 of those ways has been to promote the Virtual St. Joseph Altar that I also discovered as a part of my research. This altar was 1st started by Evann Duplantier in February 1999. This year is the15th Altar to be set up.

There are 3 parts to the Virtual Altar. You can chose from a variety of items to make a virtual offering. Newly added to the list of items is the artichoke. There are also 2 pages to make your prayer requests, 1 for your personal requests, another for the deceased.
When you are there, don't forget to pick up your virtual goodie bag.
Additionally, please offer up a prayer for the prayer requests made by teh visitors as well as the deceased listed. & beyond that, please spread devotion to San Giuseppe. As the foster father of Jesus, he has a special place in Jesus' heart. He is also the patron of the Universal Church. He is right there, next to Mary making intercession for all of those who are a part of the Church. In spreading devotion to him, we are  ultimately honoring Jesus & giving God the glory for what He has done through Joseph.

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE!!!!!

Meet 1 of Those People Obama Said Doesn't Deserve to Live if He Survived An Abortion

It is common knowledge that Obama is so sold out  to the abortion industry that he opposed any efforts to protect children born as the result of a botched abortion. So sold out that  he voted against bills in the Illinois legislature that would protect abortion survivors when they came up. He claims it was because of a fear it would affect the "right" to an abortion. So, in his mind, it seems he sees the right to an abortion supercedes the right to a person to be allowed to live should he or she not be killed as a result of the abortion. Instead he clearly supports letting that child die since, as he heartlessly sees it, that person was going to die anyway

Many people have come forward who survived abortions to show the truth, that he was willing to let abortion survivors die & if he had his way they would have been one of those he saw as worthless.

Of course, they have come under attack for doing so by those who support Obama & the abortion industry. Why? Well to pro-abortion side won't admit it, but these people are living reminders that an abortion kills a living human being, not a blob of tissue.

I say this as a preface to a news story I came across the other day about another survivor of a botched abortion. The story wasn't intended to simply show how a teen who was physically challenged overcame those challenges to come within 1 point of reaching the Indiana semistate competition for wrestling.

The only thing is, they had to explain why he was physically challenged in the 1st place. He was an abortion survivor.

Meet Nik Hoot:

He is a sophomore at Woodlan HS in Woodburn, Indiana. But his story begins in 1996 in Siberia. He was born there as a result of what the medical report calls an "Interrupted gestation 24 weeks." in short, he survived an abortion. But, as you can see from the picture, he lost parts of both his legs. Additionally, his fingers are not fully formed.

Enter Marvin & April Hoot who were looking to adopt because their 4 children were moving out & empty nest syndrome was setting in. so the Hoots decided to adopt because they felt their work wasn't done. One of the 5 children they adopted was Nik.

Nik got interesting in wrestling as a sport as a result of being beaten at home by his younger brother Ged who was involved in club wrestling at Bishop Luers. Nik couldn't let his younger brother get the best of him. So he got involved in the sport. With the help of Woodlan coach, Tony Girod, a strategy was worked out. His freshman year he went to regionals at 106 pounds. This year, he nearly made it to semistate. I am not sure, but I think that is the equivalent of Substate in Iowa. 

He does have a set of prosthetic legs. & a pair of wresting shoes as well. He only uses them in the warmups.

Nik knows that there are some things he probably will never be able to do, like "run as fast as most people." But that doesn't bother him. 

Instead, if this picture I came across is any indication he is a typical teenager that does typical teenage things.

 As you will find out from this WANE-TV15 video, his athletic prowess extends to other sports as well. The video also shows that Nik clearly knows abortion is wrong & isn't afraid to say so. His family also know that every child deserves the right to live as well as a loving family.
I know that he didn't seek this attention from the Pro-life community. All he is doing is living his life. I am not lifting him up as a role model. I leave that to his parents.  All I will say is that he is a reminder that this is why abortion is wrong. It denies those people who, as a result of an abortion, the right to live.
Even if he never intended to, by his success, he is also forcing the media to pay attention to his whole story. & that includes what abortion really does, kills, or in this case, causes physical harm to a human being. I hope that he is able to continue his pursuit of excellence in wrestling up to & including the Olympics. (I won't go into their threat to drop the sport for the 2020 Olympics other than to say that if they do, it will be the final nail in the coffin destroying the modern Olympics movement.)
You can see 2 of his matches in videos he has posted on YouTube here & here.

Sources:  Teen Who Survived Botched Abortion Now a Successful Wrestler
Teen lost parts of both legs after failed abortion: pursues wrestling dream anyway

Is The Daily Beast Serious About Using This Picture to Depict the Dissident Nuns They Are Extolling?

The Daily Beast has an article about how ever Catholic Nun in the USA wants the next Pope to be "sister friendly" & give them a "fair shake" instead of clamping down on them like the evil Pope Benedict did. Here is the picture they used to depict the nuns they were referring to:

Are they serious?????

1st of all, the article makes it sound like every sister wants what the Leadership Council of Women Religious (LCWR) wants. They do admit the LCWR represents 80% of American women religious. But, as I said, they make it sound like the LCWR represents the mindset of the other 20% as well.

What the article fails to mention is that the LCWR doesn't even speak for every sister in the orders that belong, let alone all American women religious. 

But what really gets me is how they have to use a picture of women religious in their habits to depict those they claim are being persecuted. Maybe it is because they know that if they show the LCWR gang as they really are, people will think they are just a bunch of grannies, not real nuns. 

Also, notice that the picture was taken in front of the Vatican. Odds on are this group of Franciscans is from an order that is faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, not a group promoting heresy & dissent like the LCWR does.

Another fraud in the article is the claim that women are leaving the Church. Maybe those who share the dissent & heresies condemned by the Catholic Church. But not the young women that the article claims are leaving. What the article fails to mention is that those orders that compromise the 20% usually wear habits, have plenty of vocations, almost all young women, & thus are growing in numbers. Meanwhile the LCWR convents are dying from a lack of vocations for the very reasons they claim they are being persecuted for.

Finally the article ends with a statement from one of those dissident nuns, a Sr. Florence Deacon. In it she asks the Cardinals in the conclave to capture the "spirit" that was at Vatican II. She had gone into greater detail earlier in the article about what she thinks this spirit is. It is clear that she doesn't mean the real "Spirit of Vatican II". If she did, then the next Pope will continue to work to clean up the problems in the LCWR instead of embracing the false "Spirit of Vatican II" that they embrace. What he will do is continue the exorcism of that false spirit. That Pope will look at what the documents actually said, not how she misinterprets them. When he does do what he can to give the proper interpretation, they will long for the days of Papa Benedetto, calling them the good old days.

Source: Daily Beast Suggests Feminist Nuns Speak for All Catholic Sisters In Praying for More Liberal Pope

If the Early Church at Corinth Needed This Message From the Pope, How Much More So, Do We?

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope

Repent

Let us fix our attention on the blood of Christ and recognise how precious it is to God his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

  If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to him. When Noah preached God’s message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved. Jonah told the Ninevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented, their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God’s people.

  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the ministers of God’s grace have spoken of repentance; indeed, the Master of the whole universe himself spoke of repentance with an oath: As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the death of the sinner but his repentance. He added this evidence of his goodness: House of Israel, repent of your wickedness. Tell the sons of my people: If their sins should reach from earth to heaven, if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say, “Father,” and I will listen to you as a holy people.

  In other words, God wanted all his beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and he confirmed this desire by his own almighty will. That is why we should obey his sovereign and glorious will and prayerfully entreat his mercy and kindness. We should be suppliant before him and turn to his compassion, rejecting empty works and quarrelling and jealousy which only lead to death.

  Brothers, we should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger. Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit says: The wise man must not glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches. Rather, let him who glories glory in the Lord by seeking him and doing what is right and just. Recall especially what the Lord Jesus said when he taught gentleness and forbearance. Be merciful, he said, so that you may have mercy shown to you. Forgive, so that you may be forgiven. As you treat others, so you will be treated. As you give, so you will receive. As you judge, so you will be judged. As you are kind to others, so you will be treated kindly. The measure of your giving will be the measure of your receiving.

  Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to his sacred words. As Scripture asks: Whom shall I look upon with favour except the humble, peaceful man who trembles at my words?

  Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning. Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to his splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all his blessings.

The Divine Mercy Challenge for Lent

The parish I attend for Sunday Mass, St. Mary's in E DBQ, along with Nativity BVM are participating in a special Divine Mercy Challenge this Lent.

This challenge asks 3 things of those who participate:

1. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day.

2. Make a good humble Confession during the 40 days of Lent.

3. Attend at least one additional Mass each week

The challenge begins today & extends until Divine Mercy Sunday (7 April 2013)

Often we think of what to give up for Lent. & that is a good thing to do. But Lent is also a time for setting aside extra time for prayer & penance as well. This challenge is an excellent way to do so.

For more info on the Divine Mercy you can go to the Marians of the Immaculate Conception website.

The Things That I Would Love to See at the Top of the Next Pope's Agenda

All kinds of guesses are beginning to pop up about who will be the next pope. I have several, including as I said yesterday, Cardinal Burke, that I would like to see elected. But who ever the Holy Spirit guides them to elect is what matters, not whom I want. So whether he is on the short list of papabile, the long list, or the list of those eligible but highly unlikely (which includes me), I will welcome him & pray for him.

But there are a few things I would love to see him announce at the outset of his papacy. I admit they are mostly focused on the Church here in the USA, but some do have international application as well.

1. The immediate excommunication of any politician who supports abortion until they renounce their stand & work to protect the unborn.

2. Ditto for those who support gay marriage.

3. Any organization that supports these things, ObamaCare &/or women's ordination must cease to call themselves Catholic & disband. This would include NETWORK, the National Catholic Reporter, Dignity, the Catholic Health Association & the Leadership Council of Women Religious, as well as many others. Any religious who were involved in these groups must immediately hie themselves to the nearest monastery where they will spend the rest of their lives in prayerful penance for their sins.  Those monasteries must be cloistered for the women. Use of the TLM is optional.

4. Speaking of monasteries, order Cardinal Mahony to a monastery that requires a vow of silence. He will be banned from writing anything, publicly or privately abut the Catholic Church & its teachings. Instead he will atone for his sins, including condoning the heterodox & heretical stands either he wrote or allowed groups to promote in the LA diocese. Issuing a public apology to Mother Angelica for his attack on her would be nice as well.

5. Announce he is calling a consistory to make Bishop Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph & Bishop Morlino of Madison cardinals because of their battle to end heresy & restore orthodoxy to their dioceses.

Finally, announce that he is a huge fan of my blog & will grant a partial indulgence, earned once daily, for those who read this blog. 

This list isn't inclusive. But it would give the right message at the start as to what direction he is taking the Catholic Church, that he is sailing the barque of Peter towards the 2 pillars in St. John Bosco's dream.

Now Wouldn't His Being Elected Pope PO All Those on the Left

As all the talk has begun about a successor to Papa Benedetto, much of it has made me laugh. Some names that have come up, like Cardinal Arinze, I am fine with. But Cardinal Arinze is 80 & it is likely that someone in his 60s to early 70s will be the next pope. There has even been some talk about an American Pope. It is highly unlikely, but I won't say impossible, that an American, North or South will be elected. What is sure is that whoever it is, the person will be solidly orthodox & committed to ensuring the Catholic Church continues on the path of cleaning out the dissent & heresy while upholding orthodox Catholic doctrine.

I then began thinking who would I vote for should I be a Cardinal at the Conclave. Technically, there are only 3 requirements that need to be met in order to be elected Pope. You must be male, you must be a Catholic from any of the 22 Eastern or Western Churches that make up the Catholic Church & you must be single. That last one isn't absolute, but since the Pope is usually elected from the College of Cardinals, he is single.

I can hear someone say wait a minute, doesn't he have to be ordained before his election. No, there is a procedure in place for that so that he is ordained deacon, priest & then bishop.

So, technically I am eligible to be the next pope. Although we all know how likely that would be.

But, the most likely person to be elected is 1 of the 118 Cardinals eligible to vote. & someone who is probably in  his 60s.

While I am sure there are many worthy successors to Papa Benedetto, 1 man sprang to mind as the ideal successor. He is 64. He is very solid  & orthodox in his faith. He has a deep devotion to Mary, especially as Our Lady of Guadalupe.  IMHO, his only weakness is that he is originally from Wisconsin. But Richland Center isn't that far removed from the closest bit of Heaven on Earth, Iowa. So, I will cut him a little slack there.
If you haven't figured out by now who I am talking about here he is:

Yes, Raymond Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the equivalent of the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. 
Last year he made it clear that cooperating with the HHS Mandate was  a sin. He has also made it clear he is opposed to giving Communion to pro-abortion politicians. Those 2 facts alone tell me that he would keep the Church going on the smae path. It also tells me that the liberal left Catholics in Name Only would get the message that what they are proposing is NOT what God wants. I doubt that many of them would listen any more than they already have as they are so caught up in their delusions that they will win out in the end that they are in a major state of denial already.
As I said earlier, it is highly unlikely he will be elected Pope. But in 2005, much as I wanted him, I thought it highly unlikely that Cardinal Ratzinger would be elected either. & we all know how wrong I was then. Whoever is elected will have my prayers & support. Whoever it is, you can be sure that he will quickly come under attack by the left, especially the media, for not doing what they want.

Papa Benedetto Announces Resignation

Waking up this morning & turning on EWTN radio to listen to it as I started my day I didn't hear what I usually hear, a rerun of Mother Angelica live. Instead I hear Fr. Mitch Pacwa reading the following from Papa Benedetto:

"Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI"

Needless to say, I was surprized & a little shocked to hear that Papa Benedetto is resigning. But, I also realize that he is doing this because he feels it is what is best for the Catholic Church. He isn't doing it rashly, but after a period of prayer & discernment. If he felt that God was calling him to go on, he wouldn't have resigned. 

Papa Benedetto announced his resignation at a Consistory held at the Vatican today.
There is historic precedence for this. But it has been 600 years since the last resignation. Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415. He did so in order to end the Western Schism.
In this case, Papa Benedetto is doing so in order to ensure that the Barque of Peter has a capable leader at the helm. At the end of the month Papa Benedetto will retire, probably to a monastery, & spend the rest of his life in prayerful intercession for the Catholic Church. So his ministry will to the Church will continue is a different form. But it will continue.
Of course the guessing who will be elected in the Conclave next month has begun. I have no definite ideas myself. All I will do is pray for the Cardinals to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Another area of speculation is what will he be called. He is definitely going to be the Bishop emeritus of Rome. But will he also be Pope emeritus & go by Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI or revert to being called Cardinal Ratzinger. Regardless of the official title, most people will continue to refer to him as Pope Benedict. 
I will make 1 prediction. The liberal left will be rejoicing & predicting that the next Pope will be one that will implement their agenda to destroy the Church, just like they did before the elections of Popes John Paul I, John Paul II & Benedetto XVI. Once again they will be disappointed. The next Pope will not turn the Church around, but continue on the course set by the Holy Spirit. Yes, he will have a different style. But I am sure he will be faithful to what has gone before.
Meanwhile, Papa Benedetto will continue to guide the Church for the next 2-1/2 weeks. From what was said on the live show on EWTN that could include a new Encyclical as well as the post-Synodical exhortation from last year's synod on The New Evagelization. I wouldn't be surprized if this did happen as it would be nothing more than what you would expect from him. He will be a shepherd til the end.
Like I said, I was shocked & surprized by the news. It seems like yesterday that Papa Benedetto was elected. Much as I loved Pope John Paul II, I couldn't have been happier with the election of Cardinal Ratzinger as pope.  I knew at the time that he wouldn't be Pope as long as his predecessor. What I never expected was this. 
Yet, as I said, I know that he is doing what is best for the Catholic Church. Yes, I am saddened by the news. I also rejoice, for I see God's guiding hand in what is going on. 
I am sure I will have much more to reflect on as the day of his resignation draws near. But for now I will end with saying, tearfully, "Thank you dear Papa Benedetto for your faithful service to Jesus & to His Church. Know that is has helped me in my journey of faith to grow closer to Jesus & more faithfully follow Him in living out my faith. May God bless you as you prepare to step down. & may he continue to use you in your new role as intercessor for the Church. & when that day comes, may you hear from Jesus, 'Well done, good & faithful servant. Come, share your Master's joy.'"

The True Sprirtual Daughters of St. Scholastica.

Today is the feast of St Scholastica.

She was the twin sister of St. Benedict, who wrote the Rule that monks & nuns of the various Benedictine orders have followed since the 6th Century AD.

Scholastica was the abbess of the 1st monastery for women. She deeply loved the Lord, so much so, that she got God to overrule her brother when he wanted to go back to his monastery rather than stay & continue their holy conversation. Benedict said no, she prayed & God sent a thunderstorm so he couldn't leave.

Anyhow, as a public service, here are some examples of her true daughters & those who are anything but because of their dissent & promotion of heresy.

Authentic Daughter:

Rev Mother Delores Hart Prioress of Abbey of Regina Laudis, left a movie career to become a contemplative Benedictine. She is also the only nun who currently has voting rights for the Oscars.

Faux Benedictine:

Sr. Joan Chittister, promotes dissent from authentic Catholic teaching, women's ordination & wrote a commentary on the Rule of St Benedict that twists it to justify her heretical dissent.

Real Daughters:

Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles @ the Priory of Our Lady of Ephesus. They raise the funds to support their monastery through making vestments,altar linens for Mass, among other items. They have also made 3 recordings of the music sung at the Priory. But their main mission is to offer their in prayer & sacrifice for priests.

Frauds:

These 3 women are the total number of women who claim to be Benedictines at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison. The one on the left isn't even a Catholic. As you can see from the picture below, the gang ships in womynpriests because Bishop Morlino has banned all priests of the diocese from saying Mass there due to their manifest promotion of dissent like women's ordination & New Age heresy.

The "reflection" at their Ash Wednesday liturgy will be given by Simone Campbell SSS. Campbell is the executive director of NETWORK, a group that has been criticized by the Vatican. Campbell also led the Nuns on the Bus who supported pro-abortion Obama in the past election.
I could give you many other examples, but I think you are now fully equipped to tell the difference between a woman who is truly a Spiritual Daughter of St. Scholastica & who claim they are but reject everything she believed in & stood for.

Thought for the Day - 9 February 2012

Just When You Thought Things Couldn't Get Any More Sick & Twisted. . . .

I come across this at the Moonbattery website:

Hey guy, maybe the reason you feel unmanly is because what you are doing IS not only unmanly, it is sick & perverted as well.

What this guy is applauding is not real feminism, but the radical feminism that is a part of the demonic "culture of death".

As I have said before, a huge part of real feminism was to ensure that women were not treated a sex objects. What we have seen the "culture of death" do is use radical feminism into a forum promoting sin, perversion & the murder of unborn children. If that isn't proof of its demonic origins, than I don't know what is.

As a teen in the 70s I was fed the whole sexual revolution spiel. But, as I grew in my faith, I came to understand why God intended sex to be between a man & a woman. & then only in marriage.  I look back now & wonder at how I bought into those things. But at the time, there wasn't much being put out there about what the Catholic Church actually taught & I wasn't as strong in my faith as I am now.*

That is why I am willing to say that maybe this guy doesn't know any better. He was told that anything you do sexually is OK as long as you enjoy it. But those who propagandized him didn't succeed in totally destroying his conscience. Thus the "unmanly" feelings. Sadly, rather than recognize them for what they are, he is still buying into the lies that radical feminism promote. 

May God have mercy on him & open his eyes to the truth.

I would recommend that someone get him a copy of Blessed John Paul's Theology of the Body so he can understand why what he is doing is wrong. 

____________________

* From early on, I knew that abortion was wrong. The fact that I knew the Catholic Church was right when it came to that helped me to accept the rest as I learned what the Catholic Church actually taught on sexual morality as well.

I suspect that 1 of the main reasons that abortion is such a huge part of the "culture of death" is that it represents the ultimate rejection of the procreative purpose that God intended for sex. The above story shows the "culture of death"'s destruction of the other purpose, uniative. 

Ultimately the goal is not merely the breakdown of society. It is an attack on God by  aiming to destroy those who were made in His image. & not just physically. Those who promote or support the "culture of death" are putting their souls at risk for eternal damnation in hell. & that is the ultimate destruction any human can face.

What Price to Pay to Stop Abortion?

Last night DBQ Co Right to Life had their monthly meeting. The main part of the agenda dealt with those sharing their experiences at the annual March for Life in DC last month. During the discussion, the question of what price are we willing to pay came up. It came up in the context of how, back in the 80s, Pro-lifers followed the example of the civil rights movement & used civil disobedience to block access to abortion clinics so that they could prevent babies being aborted. Many people were willing to risk arrest & jail time. But in the 90s under Clinton, the Freedom of Access to Clinics Entrance law was passed that turned this into a federal crime with long prison time, rather that a fine & some jail time. 

So, unlike the civil rights movement, we lost the tool of civil disobedience that Martin Luther King & others used so effectively.

The question is, how do we get it back?
But before I get to that, I would like to share a bit about what the Catholic Church says on civil disobedience. To do so, I will be referencing paragraphs 400-1 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. The teaching of the Church talks about the "right to resistance". Par. 400 explains that this right is based on natural law. It then says there are many concrete ways of doing so. It doesn't list them, but clearly peaceful civil disobedience is 1 of those included. Then it goes on to explin why this is done. "Resistance to authority is meant to attest to the validity of a different way of looking at things, whether the intent is to achieve partial change, for example, modifying certain laws, or to fight for a radical change in the situation. "

Par 401 talks about exercising armed resistance an the means of last recourse. Since we have yet to exhaust all other peaceful means then it is clear that we cannot resort to violence. In fact the Church makes it clear that passive resistance is preferable.
So, blocking access to clinics to save lives is acceptable, just like the sitting at whites only booths/seats by blacks in the 60s was. & for the same purpose, to modify laws & bring about a radical change. In our case, saving the lives of the unborn.
So, that brings us back to the question, how do we regain the use of the tool of civil disobedience to help put an end to abortion?
The 1st thing I feel we need to look at is, how strongly do we feel about ending abortion? Do we feel that it is an evil that we must put an end to by doing all we can?
If so, then what can I do to bring about the end of abortion in the USA?
Obviously, you have got to start with prayer. I know, I talk a lot about the importance of prayer. & intercessory prayer is very important. But there are other types of prayer that we must be using as well. In this case, it is praying to seriously seek what God is asking you to do.
But there is also 1 question you need to answer before doing so, "Am I willing to pay the cost God may ask of me to do so?" Even if the cost would include going to prison?
Don't forget that those who felt slavery was wrong & helped slaves to escape faced a 6 month imprisonment & $1000 fine, (About $27,000 at the current value of a dollar). For most people it was a huge cost, yet they were willing to do it.
But how many of us are willing to even spend an hour a week praying in front of the nearby abortion mill? Or even once a month if it is a little further away?
I will admit that I struggle with am I doing enough myself? Especially when I think of someone like Sr. Blanche. This is a picture of her at the recent celebration of her 90th Birthday.

Sr. Blanche is 1 of 3 elderly sisters that shows up every weeks, all year round, to pray in front of the DBQ Planned Parenthood. They have done so since PP opened its clinic  4-1/2 years ago, long before they started doing abortions. We have been accused of forcing her to be there. But if you knew Sr. Blanche you would know she doesn't do anything she doesn't want to. & she wants to pay the cost to stop abortions in DBQ.
When the DBQ PP opened, I was able to go every Wednesday. But, for a variety of reasons, I have not been able to make a commitment to a weekly time for several years. I do occasionally substitute. & during the 40 Days campaign last Fall, I did take a lot of the hours when they were not normally opened because they were harder to fill.
Part of the reason I haven't made a definite commitment lately is that I am unemployed. But then I ask why I am not subbing more? Are the reasons serious? Or just an excuse to not pay the price?
Yes, I do other things, like this blog, being politically active & writing letters to the editor, that others can't or won't do. But does that justify me not spending more time praying besides when I drive by the place? Which, by the way, is a block & 1/2 away from where I live & on the route I normally have to take to get to most places I go to.
What I am saying is that I know how easy it is to get comfortable & not do more.
Yet, I can't. None of us can.
That having been said, I have to ask the question, is that the real reason we in the Pro-life movement have given up on trying to find ways of peaceful civil obedience so we can save the lives of more unborn babies?
When I 1st heard about Operation Rescue, who lead the way in the 80s, they explained why they were blocking the access to clinics with a quote from Scripture.  It was Proverbs 24: 10-12. "If you lose heart when things go wrong, your strength is not worth much. Save those being dragged towards death, but can you rescue those on their way to execution. If you say, 'But look, we did not know,' will the Weigher of the heart pay no attention? Will not the Guardian of your soul be aware and repay you as your deeds deserve?"
So, what are we willing to do? Are we willing to find a way to return to civil disobedience?
1 or 2 people blocking an abortion clinic won't be enough. What we need is more. We need large groups who will make it difficult to arrest everyone, let alone process them. That is, assuming this is what God is calling us to.
There is 1 thing I am sure of. Unless things change, this administration is going to start treating us like what they have labelled us as, domestic terrorists. That means that standing up for life will entail arrest, maybe even being indefinitely put in jail without anyone knowing where we are.
Add to that the administrations rules forcing people to pay for coverage of birth control & abortifacients like ella. & the failure to do so could cost people their businesses, their savings, & whatever else the administration may decide.
The early Christians refused to worship the emperor, & paid for it with their lives.
Those fighting slavery did so based on their faith. They were willing to pay the price.
The same with those who did what they could to save Jews from being slaughtered by Hitler. Some paid with their lives, others lost all their worldly goods. But they knew it was God was asking of them. They saw the price as worth it.
I hope that if that time arrives when I may have to sacrifice my freedom, & maybe my life, that I will be willing to pay the price.
But, in the meantime, I pray that God will give me the strength & willingness to do all I can now. May that be true of all of us who claim to be Pro-life.