St. Michael

Dear Friends,
Catholic pro-lifers naturally turn to Saint Michael, the prince of the heavenly host, in our struggle against the principalities and powers of the culture of death. Pope Leo XIII composed a magnificent prayer to Saint Michael and ordered it to be recited after the celebration of the Mass. Pope Pius XI asked the faithful to pray it for the restoration of religious freedom in Russia, and it was popularly tied to the Fatima prayer intention of the conversion of Russia whose "errors" were spreading throughout the world. Since the Soviet Union was the first country to legalize abortion, we can rightly see in the modern abortion industry an extension of the "errors" of atheistic communism.

Although no longer obligatory, since 1965, an increasing number of parishes and individuals are going back to praying to Saint Michael after Mass. Pope John Paul II himself urged the faithful in 1994 "...to recite it to obtain help in the battle against the forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world.

" Human Life International is convinced that invoking Saint Michael's protection is necessary in the Church's victory over the satanic attacks against innocent human life that characterize our modern world. Please join us in reciting the Saint Michael Prayer with the intention of respect for human life from conception to natural death and the conversion of abortionists. We are distributing free prayer cards which can be ordered in English, Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese.

We also ask you to sign our petition to re-establish the universal practice of saying the Saint Michael Prayer after Mass. It would be most appropriate for the Holy Father to ask Catholics everywhere to unite in a powerful prayer to cast out the greatest evil of our times, the slaughter of almost two billion innocent children whose blood cries out to heaven. Saint Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, Pray for us!
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer

President, Human Life International

Please go to http://www.hli.org/st_michael_prayer.html/

Pro-Abortion Slogans

Sometimes it is good to know how to go against the average pro-abortion slogans. Like many groups they use the same slogans over and don’t really think about these or know how to respond when you come up with a reasonable response. Here are two to think about.

"You can't legislate morality!" Or: Keep your laws off my body.Summary of the Pro-Life Response.
(1) PARALLELISM: "Of course you can legislate morality! Why don't you name one law that does not legislate morality in some way?"
(2) PARALLELISM: "Do you believe that taxpayers should pay for abortions for poor women? You do? Why your morality on me by trying to force me to pay for abortions?"
(3) PARALLELISM: "Now wait a minute. Isn't it "legislating morality" to say that the law of the land is that human life begins at birth? Does this not impose a particular religious standard on when human life begins?"

"Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless."— Martin Luther King.
Ignoring Realities. Any person who uses this slogan is extremely naive about the realities of living in a society.
Of course people can legislate morality! We do it all the time! Legislating morality is the primary intent of every one of our hundreds of thousands of existing or proposed laws. The extensive legislating of morality is absolutely essential to the survival of any society.
The Purposes of This Slogan. What a person who uses the "legislating morality" slogan is really saying is this: "I don't want anyone or anything to interfere with the practice of my immorality!"
One purpose of this slogan — which is used by virtually all anti-life groups — is to try to cast abortion, euthanasia, pornography and other issues as Church/State conflicts. The slogan asserts that anyone who tries to outlaw some immoral act is doing so out of a purely religious motivation. Thus, such persons are trying to establish a religious belief as the law of the land, and such activity is (of course) blatantly unconstitutional.
The Christian Basis for Legislating Morality. In the United States, there are more than 250,000 laws and ordinances in force, representing more than 10,000 different local, city, county, state, and Federal jurisdictions. Every one of these quarter-million laws makes a moral judgement that certain behavior is not to be tolerated — from murder, espionage, and forcible rape to double-parking and running stop signs.
Most of our country's important laws are based on or derived from the Ten Commandments and Judeo-Christian tradition, and many of these directly legislate morality for the good of the individual and society.
As the United States Supreme Court majority declared in its McGowan v. Maryland decision, "Nearly every criminal law on the books can be traced to some religious principle."
A few examples;
• Thou Shalt Not Kill: Laws against murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, attempted suicide, mutilation of both living and dead persons, possession of unregistered firearms, drunkenness, drunken driving, reckless endangerment, kidnapping, and the sale and use of illegal or dangerous drugs.
• Thou Shalt Not Steal: Laws against robbery, fraud, shoplifting, stealing, larceny, theft, insider trading and embezzlement.
• Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness: Laws against libel, slander, and perjury (lying under oath).
Justice Potter Stewart's common-sense approach in McRae v. Matthews summed up the situation: "That the Judeo-Christian religions oppose stealing does not mean that a State or the Federal Government may not, consistent with the Establishment Clause, enact laws that prohibit larceny."
It is very interesting to watch the reaction of a pro-abortionist who has been challenged to name a single law that does not legislate morality to some extent!

Second Slogan "Don't foist your morality off on me!"
Summary of the Pro-Life Response.
(1) CLARIFICATION: "Of course I'm trying to foist my morality off on you! Isn't that the purpose of all public debate — to convince others of the validity of one's views?"
(2) PARALLELISM: "Aren't you trying to do the same thing, right here, right now, by defending the 'pro-choice' position?"
(3) CLARIFICATION: "What do you mean by that? Don't you really object to my mere presence here, defending the pro-life position?"
Background. Pro-lifers should not be offended by this slogan. Of course we're trying to "foist our morality" off on other people! Is this not the purpose of all activism, debate and public discourse — to convince others of the morality and correctness of one's views? If a pro-lifer is trying to foist his morality off on others, his pro-abortion debating opponent is equally guilty of trying to foist his [im]morality off on the pro-lifer!
This slogan is a scaled-down variant of ("You can't legislate morality!"). The difference is that the pro-abortionist is addressing an individual pro-lifer personally here, instead of criticizing pro-lifers or Christians in general.
Analysis of the Slogan. Of course, a pro-abortionist who uses this slogan is not really objecting to pro-lifers trying to "foist their morality" off on him, because that would imply some sort of coercion on the part of pro-lifers or cooperation on the part of the pro-abort, neither of which is likely to happen. What the pro-abortionist is really saying is that he objects to the pro-lifer's mere presence and his audacity in taking a stand for life. Nothing would please pro-abortionists more than to have the pro-life viewpoint outlawed entirely. When a pro-abortionist uses this slogan, he is basically telling pro-lifers to "shut up!" As William Barclay has said, "There is nothing that the world would like so much as a silent Church."
If a pro-abortionist uses this "last resort" slogan, the pro-lifer can be assured that he is winning the debate. He can answer it by using the process of clarification: "What do you mean by that?"

From Contraceptions to Abortifacients

This excerpt from the Facts of Life by Brian Clowes helps us to see where the battle on Contraception is going. It is important to realize some of these difference so when we are talking to people we might be able to give them a better answer then it is all the same.

The Future of Pro-Life Activism. The current paramount objective of "reproductive" research is to find the ideal abortifacient — one that will kill the preborn child every time without side effects to the woman. This emphasis on abortifacients, rather than contraceptives, has come about because abortifacients in general eliminate or greatly reduce user error, whereas contraceptives, which always remain under the control of the user, have much higher failure rates than abortifacients and are therefore less effective. In other words, abortifacients are much more efficient at ending pregnancies than contraceptives are at preventing them. The average user effectiveness rates of oral contraceptives, IUDs, Norplant and Depo-Provera are about 94 percent, and the average user effectiveness rates of the male and female condoms, cervical caps, diaphragms and sponge are only about 83 percent. This means that as women change their preferences from surgical abortion to chemical abortion, the future of pro-life activism lies not as much outside the abortion mills as it does inside and outside the major pharmaceutical corporations. Of course, no matter how effective abortifacients are at killing preborn children, just as they did with contraception, pro-abortionists will demand surgical abortion as a "backup." After all, abortifacients have been freely available since the mid-1960s, but have not significantly affected the abortion rate. This means that we will always have abortion mills — at least, until the law or public outrage shuts all of them down.

This is what they want us to believe about the Planned Parenthood ideas.

Sex Ed issues

There are many issues that as Priest we have to be aware of in the pro-life area one of them is how Sex Ed is being pushed by Planned Parenthood. There are many dangers with how they are doing this. So here is a good article to kind of bring us along in what is happening out there. by Katie Walker Released September 15, 2008WASHINGTON, D.C. (15 September 2008) – "Planned Parenthood's sex education programs for even the youngest kids are equivalent to sex abuse," said American Life League Vice President Jim Sedlak. The nation's largest abortion chain released a commercial September 12, claiming Illinois legislation that would have taught sex education to kindergartners was actually designed to protect kids from child predators. "Planned Parenthood is the real predator," Sedlak said. "Planned Parenthood has been promoting their agenda via sex ed programs from the very beginning. These programs have plagued our society for almost fifty years, and have fueled the hedonistic culture that is killing our kids." Planned Parenthood's former medical director, Dr. Mary S. Calderone, cofounded the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States in 1964. The organization is the dominant force designing sex education programs in the United States. Since 1964, sex education has permeated public school districts across the nation. Recently, legislation, like Illinois Senate Bill 99 in 2003, has targeted sex education at even the youngest school children, under the guise of teaching them to guard against sexual predators. The National Center for Health Statistics reported in July 2008 that teen pregnancy rates are going up for the first time since 1991. Many blame Planned Parenthood's campaign to get states to refuse abstinence funding. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, issued a statement in March 2008, admitting one in four teenage girls has an STD. Dr. Melvin Anchell, noted author of A Psychoanalytic Look at Today's Sex Education, said one reason for this shift is that that sex education disrupts natural, healthy mental and emotional growth. "If misguided adults, sex educators or child molesters cause the child to linger in these … sensual stages, an arrest in further sexual growth may occur." Sedlak agrees."Planned Parenthood's calculated targeting of young children jeopardizes kid's emotional and psychological health," he said "Despite the detrimental effects of sex education, the abortion business continues to shove these programs down the throats of our youngest and most innocent children. It's time we stand with parents to end Planned Parenthood's sex abuse."

40 days for life

There are different pro-life events going on through out the US one of the is the 40 days for life. Many of these programs can be good if for nothing else then awareness, and to help people get involved in the pro-life movement so it is good to see what these are before we dismiss them. Here is what the 40 days for life is about.

Abortion is a topic that most people shy away from because it is such a 'touchy' subject. But if we all were informed with the truth of abortion, and the harm it is doing to our society, then I believe more people would be passionately pro-life. Many people want a society of "choice" but what this "choice" is resulting in is everyday thousands of innocent babies are denied life. Thousands of women suffer in silence because others tell them its 'no big deal'. We need to stand up for what is right, and that is what 40 Days for Life is all about. 40 DAYS FOR LIFE IS A FOCUSED PRO-LIFE CAMPAIGN WHICH THROUGH PRAYER, FASTING, AND PEACEFUL VIGIL AIMS TO END ABORTION IN AMERICA. ♥ PRAYER:Praying for the unborn, for women who are hurting physically and emotionally, for abortionists and anyone involved in abortions is so necessary and powerful. During these 40 days please turn your prayers to the safety of the unborn and the conversion of hearts of those who support abortion.FASTING:Fasting is a powerful form of prayer and sacrifice. It can include anything such as giving up a certain food, abstaining from alcohol, spending less time watching TV, on the internet, or anything that distracts you from God. Fasting helps us to reach beyond our own limitations with God's help.CONSTANT VIGIL:An important part of 40 Days for Life includes constant vigil outside an abortion clinic or planned parenthood facility. This is a powerful witness to the clinic's patients, doctors, nurses, and to the community that we will not be silent about the harmful truth of abortion. I understand that this aspect of 40 Days for Life isn't for everyone. But I encourage you to at least participate with us in prayer and fasting, because God can work miracles through those devotions. The campaign is from September 24th through November 2nd.

Padre Pio

As priest and future priest it is always good to have an example of someone who is living around our times and was able to follow Christ so beautifully in his life. One of the aspects that we sometimes overlook was his obedience to Christ. There were times where people saw what the Church was doing to Padre Pio as a great injustice but when we see how he followed what they wanted done even if he didn’t like his obedience became an example to all. Padre Pio became Saint Padre Pio because of this. There will be many times where we might not understand why something is being asked of us but when we follow that example we too can show others how to live as examples of obedience in the world today.

Pro-life meeting

"Planned Parenthood is the number one enemy of unborn babies, and of American families," declared Eric Scheidler, Communications Director of the Pro-Life Action League, at the conclusion of a closed-door summit of pro-life leaders on September 18 on how to confront Planned Parenthood. The summit was the first of its kind, drawing pro-life leaders from across the nation to share strategies for defending American families from Planned Parenthood. This meeting had many interesting aspects to it. One of the leaders Joe Scheidler commented about how great it was to see young people at the meeting. so now the question. How do we get all of the younger generation involved. Many of the teens I know their parents grew up in the lie of Contraception and the lie of abortion. So they will try to spread that lie to their children but now it is our turn to teach the younger generation about the truth. There are more and more of the younger generation being feed up by the results of this lie and searching for the truth now we need to start to help them understand how to live that truth. As future priest it will be part of what you are dealing with for if we don't get the message of not doing it out then we have to go through the healing processes with them. Either way we will be dealing with these issues how great it is to save someone before they are hurt by it.

Focus on Christ

From the Gospel of Luke 7:36-50 Do we keep Christ as our focus or do we look at Him as a tool? Today the Pharisee invited Christ over but did not even do the normal greetings. Like many people Christ was more of a name to use than anything else. But when the woman showed affection towards Christ he thought ill of her. But how did he know what type of woman she was? How did he know she was a sinner? And how did this sinful woman gain such free access? Many people say they are Christians but at prayer they ignore Christ and when they see people who are showing Christ love they go after them instead of following the example of the person. Our focus should always be on Christ and to be like the loving Christ with all of our soul. Never letting what other say change how we will love Him.

As priest it can be easy to lose focus on Christ and to focus on the world. This is when we will start to give in on issues such as contraception or abortion because some people don’t want to hear that but if we are like the woman then we will be able to stay focused on Christ and not to worry about what others might say. How important that can be for us. Holding firm to where we need to be focused will allow us to do what is right and to help others to see Christ.

Marie Stopes Internatioal

How many have ever heard of Marie Stopes International? This is one of the worlds largest abortion providers. They are based out of London. MSI’s own statistics show that it is far more concerned with population control and abortion than with maternal health. In 2006, MSI performed 50 times as many abortions as deliveries of children. It says that in that year, it “delivered health services to 4.6 million clients; protected more than 9.86 million couples from unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion; provided over 400,000 safe abortions; distributed more than 125 million condoms and 10 million pill cycles; safely delivered over 8,000 babies; launched three new country programmes.” The imbalance between 400,000 aborted babies and 8,000 delivered babies is clear. This is just a little bit of what we are up against. The problem is these places are being funded by governments and even the UN so it makes it tough to go up against them. That is why the voice of the Church is so important and that is why we cannot shy away from speaking out against places like this place that proudly make statesments like a top MSI official said openly during the Global Safe Abortion conference Paul Cornellisson, MSI’s Programme Director for South Africa, stated in a video posted on YouTube, “We do illegal abortions all over the world.”

On these two British stamps one of these two women fought for the right to live a life with rights and the other the right to kill those who we don't want to have rights.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

How many times have we seen a plain cross or place where there is no Cross? The Cross is one of the greatest signs of Victory and of love, and without the Cross in our lives we will never find either victory over sin and death or love. Today there are many people who want to do everything they can so that there is no cross in their lives. People have made full industries of not telling people the truth about the Cross but covering up the cross or making people take down the Cross. The abortion industry and contraception, are forms of this most people will eventually admit that they are killing babies but it is for comfort that they do this so that there is. The truth about the Cross is that Jesus Christ in dying on the Cross made the greatest act of love ever known in the world. But that act of love was not easy. There is no comfort on that Cross. The next time you pass by just a cross without Christ or hear of people wanting to take a cross down because it is a Christian sign, you will see people that want comfort, people like the nice things that are said in Christianity but not the full truth. They do not want to face that fact that if Jesus is going to suffer this much we will also have to suffer, but in our suffering we can unite that to Christ on the Cross and “Fill up what is lacking in the suffering of Christ. “ (Col 1:24) we can join in that great act of love and then we can see the true Triumph of the Cross. We then long to see that great sign of love, that great sign of victory, and that sign is Christ on the Cross. We know Christ hung upon the Cross for us, but after that He rose from the dead and is not in heaven and we too will follow Him if we accept our crosses in life.

9-11 pro-life message

This was a post done on facebook by a 16 year old female. When I read a post like this I remember why it is that I stressed the pro-life aspect when I am talking to our youth. I have known Sara for a few years and have talked about many Pro-life issues.

Seven years ago, our country united because of the death of hundreds of our citizens. Many throughout America were hurt and outraged that life could end so suddenly, so quickly, so unexpectedly. At this time, we reflected upon our own lives and strove to better ourselves. We were nicer to our neighbor, we were proud of the country we lived in, we treated other people with respect, because we realized how much respect people really deserve. However, as time progressed, the impact of 9-11 faded away. The American flags disappeared from the porches of every home, people became grouchy, and most importantly...we began to take life for granted again. Why, I ask, can the deaths of a few hundred Americans change America for the better so deeply (however short a time), but the deaths of THOUSANDS of Americans that occur DAILY just continue to divide America? Why do some believe life is something they have the "right" to control and end upon desire, whereas others fight for the GIFT of life and understand that only God can choose when we live and die?40 Days for Life is beginning in less than two weeks (on September 24). It will continue until November 2. During this time, I implore you to pray and fast for those who are losing their lives in this perilous war for life. If you are able, please pray at your local abortion mill. To learn more about 40 Days for Life, please go to: http://www.40daysforlife.comWe are making progress, we are scoring points. According to the blog on 40 Days for Life, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Mississippi have only ONE remaining abortion mill. Kentucky and Nebraska only have TWO. Last year, during 40 Days for Life, many abortion mills lost a lot of business and some even shut down. We can win the war for life...we just need to win a few more battles...score a few more points...God Bless, Sara

Cardinal Von Galen

Interesting letter from Cardinal Clemens Von Galen to Nazi’s these are just some interesting parts of this letter.

Fellow Christians! In the pastoral letter of the German bishops of June 26, 1941, which was read out in all the Catholic churches in Germany on July 6, 1941, it states among other things: It is true that there are definite commandments in Catholic moral doctrine which are no longer applicable if their fulfillment involves too many difficulties. However, there are sacred obligations of conscience from which no one has the power to release us and which we must fulfil even if it costs us our lives. Never under any circumstances may a human being kill an innocent person apart from war and legitimate self-defense. On July 6, I already had cause to add to the pastoral letter the following explanation: for some months we have been hearing reports that, on the orders of Berlin, patients from mental asylums who have been ill for a long time and may appear incurable, are being compulsorily removed. Then, after a short time, the relatives are regularly informed that the corpse has been burnt and the ashes can be delivered. There is a general suspicion verging on certainty, that these numerous unexpected deaths of mentally ill people do not occur of themselves but are deliberately brought about, that the doctrine is being followed, according to which one may destroy so-called 'worthless life,' that is, kill innocent people if one considers that their lives are of no further value for the nation and the state. I am reliably informed that lists are also being drawn up in the asylums of the province of Westphalia as well of those patients who are to be taken away as so-called 'unproductive national comrades' and shortly to be killed. The first transport left the Marienthal institution near Münster during this past week. (He goes on to say) I have received no news concerning intervention by the Prosecutor's Office or by the police...Thus we must assume that the poor helpless patients will soon be killed. For what reason? Not because they have committed a crime worthy of death. Not because they attacked their nurses or orderlies so that the latter had no other choice but to use legitimate force to defend their lives against their attackers. Those are cases where, in addition to the killing of an armed enemy in a just war, the use of force to the point of killing is allowed and is often required. No, it is not for such reasons that these unfortunate patients must die but rather because, in the opinion of some department, on the testimony of some commission, they have become 'worthless life' because according to this testimony they are 'unproductive national comrades.' The argument goes: they can no longer produce commodities, they are like an old machine that no longer works, they are like an old horse which has become incurably lame, they are like a cow which no longer gives milk. What does one do with such an old machine? It is thrown on the scrap heap. What does one do with a lame horse, with such an unproductive cow? No, I do not want to continue the comparison to the end--however fearful the justification for it and the symbolic force of it are. We are not dealing with machines, horses and cows whose only function is to serve mankind, to produce goods for man. One may smash them, one may slaughter them as soon as they no longer fulfil this function. No, we are dealing with human beings, our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters. With poor people, sick people, if you like unproductive people. But have they for that reason forfeited the right to life? Have you, have I the right to live only so long as we are productive, so long as we are recognized by others as productive? If you establish and apply the principle that you can kill 'unproductive' fellow human beings then woe betide us all when we become old and frail! If one is allowed to kill the unproductive people then woe betide the invalids who have used up, sacrificed and lost their health and strength in the productive process. If one is allowed forcibly to remove one's unproductive fellow human beings then woe betide loyal soldiers who return to the homeland seriously disabled, as cripples, as invalids. If it is once accepted that people have the right to kill 'unproductive' fellow humans--and even if initially it only affects the poor defenseless mentally ill--then as a matter of principle murder is permitted for all unproductive people, in other words for the incurably sick, the people who have become invalids through labor and war, for us all when we become old, frail and therefore unproductive. Then, it is only necessary for some secret edict to order that the method developed for the mentally ill should be extended to other 'unproductive' people, that it should be applied to those suffering from incurable lung disease, to the elderly who are frail or invalids, to the severely disabled soldiers. Then none of our lives will be safe any more. Some commission can put us on the list of the 'unproductive,' who in their opinion have become worthless life. And no police force will protect us and no court will investigate our murder and give the murderer the punishment he deserves. Who will be able to trust his doctor any more? He may report his patient as 'unproductive' and receive instructions to kill him. It is impossible to imagine the degree of moral depravity, of general mistrust that would then spread even through families if this dreadful doctrine is tolerated, accepted and followed. Woe to mankind, woe to our German nation if God's Holy Commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' which God proclaimed on Mount Sinai amidst thunder and lightning, which God our Creator inscribed in the conscience of mankind from the very beginning, is not only broken, but if this transgression is actually tolerated and permitted to go unpunished.
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/galen.htm

Verbal engineering

I have heard it said that all social engineering starts with verbal engineering. This is such a true statement when it comes to the Culture of death vs the Culture of life. Do we watch how the media uses that verbal engineering to change people to the ways of the culture of death. Why is one side call pro-choice and the other anti-abortion. Pro is a possitive word in people mind and also Choice is a possitive word. Where anti is a negative word and abortion brings up all sorts of evil the the persons minds. That is why it is better for us to stick with Pro-life and use Pro-abortion or pro-death. It can be easy to fall into those types of ways of speaking.



Here is an example of how language changes from Brian Clowes book The Facts of Life by Human Life International. In 1965 the terms change.
Changes in Terminology Relevant to the Beginning of Human Life are like this.

Fertilization before 1965 Sperm unites with egg after 1965 Sperm unites with egg (this one is the same.)

Conception before 1965 Sperm unites with egg after 1965 Implantation (7-10 days after fertilization) (notice the difference. This helps them in the areas to kill the live of those not yet implanted.)


Embryo before 1965 The human being from first cell division until 35-40 days after fertilization after 1965 The human being after implantation, until 35-40 days after fertilization (again the difference was to justify things)


"Pre-embryo" before 1965 Nonexistent term after 1965 The tissue (non-human being) after fertilization and before implantation (it is good to make up terms if you need to justify things.)

Seminarians for Life International

What information would you like to see just put a comment on. I am going to try to make this site one that will keep you up to date on all the major issues and help you to see what is coming down the line by learning lessons from others.