Archive for the Pro Life Category
ARTICLE 11
"I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY"
988 The Christian Creed - the profession of our faith in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and in God's creative, saving, and sanctifying action - culminates in the proclamation of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and in life everlasting.
989 We firmly believe, and hence we hope that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives for ever, so after death the righteous will live for ever with the risen Christ and he will raise them up on the last day.534 Our resurrection, like his own, will be the work of the Most Holy Trinity:If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you.535
990 The term "flesh" refers to man in his state of weakness and mortality.536 The "resurrection of the flesh" (the literal formulation of the Apostles' Creed) means not only that the immortal soul will live on after death, but that even our "mortal body" will come to life again.537
991 Belief in the resurrection of the dead has been an essential element of the Christian faith from its beginnings. "The confidence of Christians is the resurrection of the dead; believing this we live."538How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. . . . But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.539
I. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AND OURS
The progressive revelation of the Resurrection
992 God revealed the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively. Hope in the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body. The creator of heaven and earth is also the one who faithfully maintains his covenant with Abraham and his posterity. It was in this double perspective that faith in the resurrection came to be expressed. In their trials, the Maccabean martyrs confessed:The King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.540 One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him.541
993 The Pharisees and many of the Lord's contemporaries hoped for the resurrection. Jesus teaches it firmly. To the Sadducees who deny it he answers, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?"542 Faith in the resurrection rests on faith in God who "is not God of the dead, but of the living."543
994 But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life."544 It is Jesus himself who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have eaten his body and drunk his blood.545 Already now in this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the dead to life,546 announcing thereby his own Resurrection, though it was to be of another order. He speaks of this unique event as the "sign of Jonah,"547 the sign of the temple: he announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day.548
995 To be a witness to Christ is to be a "witness to his Resurrection," to "[have eaten and drunk] with him after he rose from the dead."549 Encounters with the risen Christ characterize the Christian hope of resurrection. We shall rise like Christ, with him, and through him.
996 From the beginning, Christian faith in the resurrection has met with incomprehension and opposition.550 "On no point does the Christian faith encounter more opposition than on the resurrection of the body."551 It is very commonly accepted that the life of the human person continues in a spiritual fashion after death. But how can we believe that this body, so clearly mortal, could rise to everlasting life?
How do the dead rise?
997 What is "rising"? In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus' Resurrection.
998 Who will rise? All the dead will rise, "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment."552
999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself";553 but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, "all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear," but Christ "will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body," into a "spiritual body":554But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel. . . . What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. . . . The dead will be raised imperishable. . . . For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.555
1000 This "how" exceeds our imagination and understanding; it is accessible only to faith. Yet our participation in the Eucharist already gives us a foretaste of Christ's transfiguration of our bodies:Just as bread that comes from the earth, after God's blessing has been invoked upon it, is no longer ordinary bread, but Eucharist, formed of two things, the one earthly and the other heavenly: so too our bodies, which partake of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, but possess the hope of resurrection.556
1001 When? Definitively "at the last day," "at the end of the world."557 Indeed, the resurrection of the dead is closely associated with Christ's Parousia:For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.558
Risen with Christ
1002 Christ will raise us up "on the last day"; but it is also true that, in a certain way, we have already risen with Christ. For, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, Christian life is already now on earth a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ:And you were buried with him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead . . . . If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.559
1003 United with Christ by Baptism, believers already truly participate in the heavenly life of the risen Christ, but this life remains "hidden with Christ in God."560 The Father has already "raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."561 Nourished with his body in the Eucharist, we already belong to the Body of Christ. When we rise on the last day we "also will appear with him in glory."562
1004 In expectation of that day, the believer's body and soul already participate in the dignity of belonging to Christ. This dignity entails the demand that he should treat with respect his own body, but also the body of every other person, especially the suffering:The body [is meant] for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? . . . . You are not your own; . . . . So glorify God in your body.563
II. DYING IN CHRIST JESUS
1005 To rise with Christ, we must die with Christ: we must "be away from the body and at home with the Lord."564 In that "departure" which is death the soul is separated from the body.565 It will be reunited with the body on the day of resurrection of the dead.566
Death
1006 "It is in regard to death that man's condition is most shrouded in doubt."567 In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is in fact "the wages of sin."568 For those who die in Christ's grace it is a participation in the death of the Lord, so that they can also share his Resurrection.569
1007 Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, . . . before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.570
1008 Death is a consequence of sin. The Church's Magisterium, as authentic interpreter of the affirmations of Scripture and Tradition, teaches that death entered the world on account of man's sin.571 Even though man's nature is mortal God had destined him not to die. Death was therefore contrary to the plans of God the Creator and entered the world as a consequence of sin.572 "Bodily death, from which man would have been immune had he not sinned" is thus "the last enemy" of man left to be conquered.573
1009 Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father's will.574 The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing.575
The meaning of Christian death
1010 Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."576 "The saying is sure: if we have died with him, we will also live with him.577 What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already "died with Christ" sacramentally, in order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ's grace, physical death completes this "dying with Christ" and so completes our incorporation into him in his redeeming act:It is better for me to die in (eis) Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. Him it is I seek - who died for us. Him it is I desire - who rose for us. I am on the point of giving birth. . . . Let me receive pure light; when I shall have arrived there, then shall I be a man.578
1011 In death, God calls man to himself. Therefore the Christian can experience a desire for death like St. Paul's: "My desire is to depart and be with Christ. "579 He can transform his own death into an act of obedience and love towards the Father, after the example of Christ:580My earthly desire has been crucified; . . . there is living water in me, water that murmurs and says within me: Come to the Father.581 I want to see God and, in order to see him, I must die.582I am not dying; I am entering life.583
1012 The Christian vision of death receives privileged expression in the liturgy of the Church:584Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.585
1013 Death is the end of man's earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny. When "the single course of our earthly life" is completed,586 we shall not return to other earthly lives: "It is appointed for men to die once."587 There is no "reincarnation" after death.
1014 The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: "From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord";588 to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us "at the hour of our death" in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death.Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience. . . . Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren't fit to face death today, it's very unlikely you will be tomorrow. . . .589 Praised are you, my Lord, for our sister bodily Death, from whom no living man can escape. Woe on those who will die in mortal sin! Blessed are they who will be found in your most holy will, for the second death will not harm them.590
IN BRIEF
1015 "The flesh is the hinge of salvation" (Tertullian, De res. 8, 2:PL 2, 852). We believe in God who is creator of the flesh; we believe in the Word made flesh in order to redeem the flesh; we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, the fulfillment of both the creation and the redemption of the flesh.
1016 By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives for ever, so all of us will rise at the last day.
1017 "We believe in the true resurrection of this flesh that we now possess" (Council of Lyons II: DS 854). We sow a corruptible body in the tomb, but he raises up an incorruptible body, a "spiritual body" (cf. 1 Cor 15:42-44).
1018 As a consequence of original sin, man must suffer "bodily death, from which man would have been immune had he not sinned" (GS § 18).
1019 Jesus, the Son of God, freely suffered death for us in complete and free submission to the will of God, his Father. By his death he has conquered death, and so opened the possibility of salvation to all men.
534 Cf. Jn 6:39-40.
535 Rom 8:11; cf. 1 Thess 4:14; 1 Cor 6:14; 2 Cor 4:14; Phil 3:10-11.
536 Cf. Gen 6:3; Ps 56:5; Isa 40:6.
537 Rom 8:11.
538 Tertullian, De res. 1,1:PL 2,841.
539 1 Cor 15:12-14.
540 2 Macc 7:9.
541 2 Macc 7:14; cf. 7:29; Dan 12:1-13.
542 Mk 12:24; cf. Jn 11:24; Acts 23:6.
543 Mk 12:27.
544 Jn 11:25.
545 Cf. Jn 5:24-25; 6:40,54.
546 Cf. Mk 5:21-42; Lk 7:11-17; Jn 11.
547 Mt 12:39.
548 Cf. Mk 10:34; Jn 2:19-22.
549 Acts 1:22; 10:41; cf. 4:33.
550 Cf. Acts 17:32; 1 Cor 15:12-13.
551 St. Augustine, En. in Ps. 88,5:PL 37,1134.
552 Jn 5:29; cf. Dan 12:2.
553 Lk 24:39.
554 Lateran Council IV (1215): DS 801; Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:44.
555 1 Cor 15:35-37,42,52,53.
556 St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4,18,4-5:PG 7/1,1028-1029.
557 Jn 6: 39-40,44,54; 11:24; LG 48 § 3.
558 1 Thess 4:16.
559 Col 2:12; 3:1.
560 Col 3:3; cf. Phil 3:20.
561 Eph 2:6.
562 Col 3:4.
563 1 Cor 6:13-15,19-20.
564 2 Cor 5:8.
565 Cf. Phil 1:23.
566 Cf. Paul VI, CPG § 28.
567 GS 18.
568 Rom 6:23; cf. Gen 2:17.
569 Cf. Rom 6:3-9; Phil 3:10-11.
570 Eccl 12:1,7.
571 Cf. Gen 2:17; 3:3; 3:19; Wis 1:13; Rom 5:12; 6:23; DS 1511.
572 Cf. Wis 2:23-24.
573 GS 18 § 2; cf. 1 Cor 15:26.
574 Cf. Mk 14:33-34; Heb 5:7-8.
575 Cf. Rom 5:19-21.
576 Phil 1:21.
577 2 Tim 2:11.
578 St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Rom.,6,1-2:Apostolic Fathers,II/2,217-220.
579 Phil 1:23.
580 Cf. Lk 23:46.
581 St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Rom.,6,1-2:Apostolic Fathers,II/2,223-224.
582 St. Teresa of Avila, Life, chap. 1.
583 St. Therese of Lisieux, The Last Conversations.
584 Cf. 1 Thess 4:13-14.
585 Roman Missal, Preface of Christian Death I.
586 LG 48 § 3.
587 Heb 9:27.
588 Roman Missal, Litany of the Saints.
589 The Imitation of Christ,1,23,1.
590 St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures.
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Apr
29
2008
Posted by: andymcnutt in Awesome Priests and Bishops, Pro Life, tags: abortion is sin, be reconciled to God, blessed virgin mary, contraception is a grave sin, contraception is sin, father thomas euteneuer, God will forgive you, return to God, strong priests
Everyone shoudl check out this video of Fr. Euteneuer publicly confronting Sean Hannity on his open support of contraception.
Note how Hannity immediately attempts to steer the argument AWAY from the issue at hand via an ad hominem attack. He might as well have said, "well, you're argument is false because I'm calling you a stupidhead." It would have held just as much weight. The argument against contraception DOES NOT HOLD WATER. People choose to sin through contraception because something is more important than self control, more important than total self-giving love, and more important than openness to God and complete trust in Him. What's more important? Self, that's who.
Thank God for priests who are not afraid to call sin what it is. God, raise up more men like Father Euteneuer who will stand firm on principles of right and wrong, who will not back down in the face of public ridicule, and who will do so with charity. I've met good priests like this. They are out there. Let's ask God for more, and let's ask God to strengthen those men who just need the push to regain that fire and passion for truth. God, revive your people. Continue to renew your Church. Grant that we will be bold for the faith.
Blessed Mary, Ever Virgin, pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
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Mar
28
2008
Posted by: andymcnutt in Pro Life, conversion stories, tags: abortion is wrong, catholic convert, catholic music, catholic musicians, catholic sheet music, choose life, church sheet music, contemporary christian music, give me a chance lyrics, karl kohlhase, pro life song, pro life video
Karl Kohlhase is more than just one of my favorite Contemporary Christian music artists, he’s also one of my best friends. We are both Catholic converts, meeting online through the Coming Home Network. We even worked together for about 4 years before Karl moved closer to his hometown.
He created this song, Give Me a Chance, on his first album. He told me this week about the video he had made for the song so I’m sharing it with you. It’s one of my favorites. You can watch the video in the player embedded in this post or at Karl’s site. Karl’s music is his ministry and he gives it away for the glory and honor of God. Please drop by his site and download free Catholic music and learn more about his music ministry.
http://www.k4communications.com
One last thing. The file below is a Flash video. You’ll need the free Adobe Flash Player for your web browser. Secondly, since it’s flash, the video will loop. When you’re ready to close the file, click “hide player” just below the video window.
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Mar
27
2008
Posted by: andymcnutt in Pro Life, tags: catholic bloggers, catholic blogs, catholic republicans, catholic vote, catholic voters, catholic voters guide, catholic voting guide, john mcain, mccain conservative, reagan catholic liaison
Washington DC, March 27 (CNA).-Supporters of all major party candidates for the United States presidency are angling to discover how to best appeal to Catholic voters, who could be a key swing vote in the November presidential election. According to Robert Reilly, a successful McCain campaign must win over Catholics to win the White House.
Robert R. Reilly, who was President Ronald Reagan's liaison to Catholics between 1983 and 1985, wrote in an article published on Wednesday that Senator John McCain could not win the presidential election without the Catholic vote, which makes up about 25 percent of the electorate. "The worst thing he could assume is that [the Catholic vote] is going to fall into his lap because Catholics will have nowhere else to go," he said.
Reilly argued that McCain could emulate Ronald Reagan's successful appeal to the Catholic vote during his 1984 presidential campaign. Reagan's campaign ran advertisements in Catholic newspapers featuring a photo of Reagan and Pope John Paul II smiling together. The photo, Reilly claimed, was effective because Reagan shared positions "completely congruent with those of the Catholic Church" on issues like the family, the sanctity of human life, pornography, and school prayer.
Senator McCain, Reilly said, "cannot simply claim that point of view; he needs to promote it." Reilly noted that Reagan held a White House screening of Bernard Nathanson's film of an abortion, titled "The Silent Scream." Reagan also published a noteworthy essay, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation," in the Human Life Review. The essay helped convince Catholic pro-lifers of Reagan's sincerity, Reilly said.
Reilly suggested McCain ask his Democratic opponent to watch "The Silent Scream" or an equivalent film with him. He said McCain should write a pro-life essay similar to Reagan's for publication in a prominent Catholic-friendly journal.
Senator McCain could also make the upcoming U.S. visit of Pope Benedict XVI an opportunity to display his understanding of the Pope's thought on the family, the sanctity of human life, and the nature of radical Islam.
McCain needed to take risks to show his conviction in order to appeal to Catholics, Reilly claimed.
"If he throws as much conviction and energy into these issues as he did into his backing of the surge, Catholics and others will flock to his banner — and he can win. If he tries to coast on the moral issues, he will not," said Reilly.
The Democrats, too, are debating how to capture the Catholic vote in the presidential primary contest between Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Clinton campaign has argued that its strength among Catholics in the Democratic presidential primaries could mean their candidate would be stronger than Senator Barack Obama against Republican candidate Senator John McCain.
Clinton won 63 percent of the Democratic Catholic vote in Ohio and 65 percent in Texas. Even in states where she lost to Obama, Clinton in some cases still won the Catholic vote in those states.
Catholics are also poised to play a large role in the Democratic primaries since a recent survey of 19 states that have held presidential primaries this year shows 63 percent of Catholics identified themselves as Democrats, while 37 percent identified themselves as Republican. In 2005, Edison/Mitofsky polls claimed that only 42 percent of Catholics identified themselves as Democrats.
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My 2 Cents: I know for a fact that if McCain wanted to write a strong pro life article, CatholicDestination.com would publish it for him. PLEASE spread the word.
Mr. McCain, CatholicDestination.com is not a tax free non-profit. They are not limited by the threat of losing their tax free status because they are not tax free. This is a great freedom and platform if you choose to use it.
Mr. McCain, if you are truly conservative, and truly pro-life, let's make it undeniably clear. Don't alienate conservative voters and assume they will vote a party line. They will vote elsewhere (or not vote at all) if they are not convinced you are the candidate whose ideals match their own.
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So who do you vote for this year? I read an article about Pennsylvania "Catholic voters" that may vote for Clinton in the Democratic primaries. You need to read this article provided to CatholicDestination.com by Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.
Ten Easy Steps to Voting With a Clear Conscience
It still baffles me that Catholics would vote for abortion "rights". Actually it baffles me that ANYONE would vote for this. The right to choose to kill your baby? Are you serious?
This reminds me of what I told my Catholic Social Teaching class last night. We cannot address properly the moral problems of our age by merely treating symptoms. We must go to the source - page one, if you will - and re-inform the consciences of entire generations of people. Morality has never been the product of popular opinion, a book club, or even a democracy. Morality has its root in the Divine Creator. God is the source and standard of morality and He is unchanging. Not only that, but God is alone worthy of our worship. We must obey Him before all others. People must unlearn all the garbage they have accumulated and internalize this truth. Then they must internalize the Dignity of the Human Person and the love of neighbor as one's self. If we can love God as we ought and love our neighbors as God loves us and as we love ourselves, we can overcome sins like abortion and contraception. From the basic principles of human existence as beings created in the image and likeness of God stem all our other beliefs, including the proper view of human sexuality.
The answer is not condoms, it is not the pill, it is not abortion rights. Go to page one. What has God revealed about Himself and humankind? How do they relate one to another? How is humankind to relate to itself?
Looking for a good primer on the subject? The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has a Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Every Catholic should read it.
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My family and I watched the news feeds of tornado funnels that made their way through the midsouth last night. We had winds and sirens and everything but nobody near us had any damage. It looks like the tornadoes went on either side of our little town. Of course, my kids were freaking out when they heard the sirens go off. I guess I can’t blame them, especially when they see funnel clouds on television. We just told the kids this was a good time to pray, and to pray especially for the people who were near the tornadoes.
This morning I read that my alma mater had been hit hard by the storm. The men’s and women’s dorms at Union were nailed by the tornadoes, trapping several students in collapsing buildings. We have learned that all the students have been accounted for
and that of the 51 students trapped, all were free before midnight and no life-threatening injuries. It was sad to see my old dorm pretty much demolished, but I am super grateful that the kids there are alright.
If any of you or your family were in any of these storms, I hope you are all alright. I know that the Church in the storm damaged areas will reach out to those affected. Pray for the victims. Pray for the workers trying to help. Support anybody you can.
As for Super Tuesday, I saw that Mike Huckabee did well, although not as well as I’m sure he would have liked. With only 193 delegates compared to McCain’s 613, I am doubting that he will catch up. It is possible that his strong showing will make Huckabee an attractive running mate for likely winner John McCain. That looks like a balanced ticket that could make a good run against whoever the Democrats coronate as their candidate.
Let me remind you that it is sinful to vote for pro-abortion candidates when there are pro life candidates as a choice. We can never vote our approval of something as intrinsically evil as abortion. And don’t be fooled by the “I personally oppose” lie. If one votes for abortion “rights” one is pro abortion. Voting for a pro abortion candidates equals formal cooperation in evil.
CCC 2258-2262
CCC 2268-2279
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Hey, we got a new plugin for the community, courtesy of our good friend, Pistos. CRE is available through your plugins menu. I’m learning how to use it myself so we’ll see how it goes.
I’m seeing new “faces” on our catholic blogging community. The word is spreading!
While I’m thinking about it, please take some time to browse the content at CatholicDestination.com, particularly the Life Issues and Politics sections of “News & Culture”. With Super Tuesday coming up we all need to be as informed as possible.
We have a moral obligation to vote. It is one way we inform the conscience of the state. It is also an opportunity for us to stand up for the lives of the innocent and against abortion. Don’t vote for pro-abortion candidates! Do not support the abortion industry of this country. Put abortion mills out of business and save the lives of THOUSANDS of babies. Support adoption and counseling programs. Teach your children about chastity and the dignity of the human person.
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I watched live feed and replay feed from the March for Life 2008. It was so encouraging to see men and women from various ethnic, socio-political, and religious backgrounds, converging on one spot to stand for innocent life. It was encouraging to hear from President Bush as well. My favorite speaker, however, was Rabbi Yehuda Levin. Wow!
 Did anyone else hear his speech? I love this man!
I wrote Rabbi Levin this morning just to thank him for his continued stand for life and for the great energy he brought with him in his speech. I hope he will join CatholicDestination.com as a writer, especially for the pro-life section.
I notice from Google, that Rabbi Levin has come under fire for his stand for morality, which is apparently not a popular thing to stand for these days. Now, I’ve only been reading since this morning’s Google run, but I haven’t seen anything defaming in his speeches or writings that would earn him any negative billing. What I have seen is passion for life and passion for morality. We all need more of that, along with the courage to stand in the public square and defend our unpopular ideals.
Rabbi Levin, way to go! Thank you for sharing and for standing with us in the March for Life 2008 and for your efforts to bring people back to a moral and righteous life.
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I normally don’t forward emails and messages, but after reading this e-article from a friend at Catholic Online, I wanted to share it with you. The message, in its entirety, is provided below.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for reading these letters. This is the second in a series of twelve addressing the incredible crime happening daily against the innocent and defenseless child in the womb. I am a father, and a grandfather, and a Catholic Christian. I am asking, begging, if necessary, that you read and pray about the content of this letter.
If we ever hope to have any significant statistical impact against the onslaught of Abortion, we must hear clearly, see clearly and think clearly.
I know that someone out there is going to either get their feelings hurt or misunderstand my statement, or get defensive. I am asked every week in the many conversations I have,
“Don’t you think that the efforts undertaken by the hundreds of agencies, ministries and individuals are having an impact?”
Of course they are having an impact. That is not the point. The point is that one million babies per year, over 80,000 per month, are being Aborted. Abortion kills babies. Everything we are currently doing is good, but not good enough!!!!!! This result is not acceptable to me, and I trust, it is not acceptable to you.
Now let me ask you a question and how would you answer?
If we do everything the same way, in the same intensity, with the same people, and the same resources, in the same locations, can we expect a different or more positive result???
I Propose that we will not get a different result, less abortions and more adoptions, unless we change some things. The first proposal I submit is that we need to change the way we hear, see and think.
Needed: Excellent Listeners With Clear Eyes and Capacity to ThinkWe need to Hear Clearly at a depth uncommon to normal conversation, in order to See Clearly what is occurring in order to Think Clearly to react.
In several places in the Gospels, Jesus is quoted as saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The Christ knew our tendency to listen at a surface level and miss the “pearls” of truth and understanding. We have to dig deep.
What kind of questions should we be asking? What will the answers tell us about our current efforts and activities to stop Abortion? As an example, wouldn’t it be pretty important to have the answers to the following questions answered with crystal clarity?
We must ask the following ten questions and truly listen to the answer so that we can actually see the truth and then prepare our response.
1. When the decision is made to Abort a child, who makes the decision? A Senator, a representative, a governor, a medical doctor, a Planned Parenthood counselor? Who makes the decision?
2. How does that person make the decision they make? Is it possible an expectant mother makes the decision to Abort just like you make decisions in your daily life?: She looks at her situation, she looks at her alternatives, she weighs her alternatives, and she makes a determination based on what she believes will provide her with the best outcome. She may consider outside information, but for the most part, our current delivery of outside information is too little, delivered way too late. Isn’t it obvious by the result we are not achieving?
3. Why does she make the decision to Abort? This is a very big decision, made with broad frequency across ethnic, religious and ideological lines.
4. What are the final “tipping point” issues, the factors that form the “Why”?
5. What can you assume by the fact that the decision is made?
6. Who helps her with this decision? Who has influence in this decision?
7. When is the decision to Abort made?
a. Is it made before the pregnancy occurs?
b. Has a young expectant mother, or a woman in middle years made a decision well in advance of the situation?
c. Did they make the decision watching a friend or family member struggle with an unexpected birth event?
d. Did they observe the religious community interact with expectant mothers?
e. Did they watch the person’s life become completely unraveled in terms of education, finances and family ridicule and shame?
f. Was the person influenced in middle school, years ahead of the event by a sex education curriculum philosophy that teaches this baby is not a human being.
8. Who does the expectant mother talk to first, after suspecting she is pregnant? Her peers? Her parents? The father? A counselor at school?
9. How far down the list of confidants is a representative of the Faith, or are they on the list at all?
10. What does she believe her options are when she learns that she is unexpectedly pregnant? Who shaped those perceptions?
It is an absolute error of the greatest magnitude to believe we understand clearly how to stop abortion, if we do not know why it occurs in the first place. Many anti-abortion efforts address a few of the questions. No Response addresses them all.
We cannot afford to be partially informed. The conclusions we draw, the actions we take, the money we donate and spend, all reflect what we believe we know.
I am inviting you to participate with me, a father, grandfather, and a Pro- active Catholic Christian, over the next ninety days as we together seek truth, inspiration, and direction.
I promise to share everything we are discovering, and I invite you to explore this “territory of darkness” seized by our opposition as a stronghold that kills so many tens of thousands of God’s precious gifts.
I know we, you and I, can have an immediate and measurable impact as we press forward into this territory currently dominated by a culture of death. It is not for the faint of heart or weak of will. Let us join hands and ranks and advance.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Michael Galloway
Today, please take extra time to pray for the unborn and those who would consider taking their innocent lives. Pray that their hearts would be softened and their eyes open to the horror of abortion so that they might not choose to have a doctor kill their child. Pray also for adoption agencies and Christian pregnancy help centers that they will be able to reach out successfully and compassionately to these women.
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