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Sunday 27 February 2011

Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus begins today

Today is the start of the novena to the Holy Face of Jesus, leading up to Ash Wednesday.
You can find the text for the novena at this site: www.holyface.eu/novena.html
From the site we learn also:
There has been devotion to the Holy Face ever since Our Lord walked the earth. His mother looking down into the manger and seeing the Face of a beautiful Boy, the eyes of St. Mary Magdalen as she looked up at Him with love after anointing His Feet with perfume, St. Veronica whose veil, along with the Holy Shroud, is the basis for our depictions of Christ in the icons upon which we've gazed for two millennia.


Saturday 19 February 2011

Victory for Life and Fiscal Sanity: U.S. House Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood


  • By Deacon Keith Fournier

  • 2/18/2011



  • Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)


  • WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - On Friday, February 18, 2011 the U.S. House of Representatives, by a margin of 240-185, voted to cut off federal funding to Planned Parenthood. The vote did not proceed along strict party lines. The vote did however reveal those members who have a conscience and care about what the American people truly want and those who do not.
    Those who voted to cut off tax dollars to this organization are to be commended. That included 11 Democrats. Those who voted against this legislation, including 7 Republicans, ought to be publicly exposed. The one who voted "present" may be the worst offender. We will find out the names of the members in each category and inform our readers. The champion of this legislation was Rep. Mike Pence, who said after the historic vote:
    "This afternoon's vote is a victory for taxpayers and a victory for life. By banning federal funding to Planned Parenthood, Congress has taken a stand for millions of Americans who believe their tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the largest abortion provider in America. I commend my colleagues in both parties for taking a stand for taxpayers and a stand for life. I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation and end federal funding of Planned Parenthood once and for all."
    We commend Congressman Pence and others, like Pro-Life Champion Congressman Chris Smith, whose courage and tenacity have led to this important vote. We urge our readers to pray fervently for those in the Senate who will soon be asked to consider this legislation. We also encourage everyone reading this article to continue to make their support of this legislation crystal clear to their own Senators. 
    In 2009 I examined Planned Parenthood's 2007-2008 Annual Report. As a 501 c3 organization (with an affiliated "Action fund" for its more overtly political efforts) they have to make the report available to the public. I well understand the role and function of such reports having led not for profits groups in the past. It keeps members, supporters and friends aware of the organizations use of their funds and gives the organization the opportunity to self promote.
    Planned Parenthood is built on a lie. They dress themselves up as a "Health Care Provider" while they include the taking of the lives of innocent children in the womb as a "service" under their offering of "reproductive services". They have insinuated themselves into the global delivery of "medical services" receiving massive government funding as this report clearly confirms. Included in these "medical services" is the killing of children in the womb.
    There is nothing "reproductive" about abortion, it always kills a human person. It is certainly not a service to the child, the mother, the father or society. Nor is it "health care". Funding it is morally repugnant. Extracting tax dollars from all of us to do so is immoral and maddening..
    Their 2007 - 2008 Report took their claims to a level of audacity which I had never seen. As a part of their outreach to "clergy" who condone their work, they honored a woman who referred to the killing of children in the womb through surgical strikes and chemical weapons as "Sacred Work" and "Prophetic Work".
    They gave her the "Davis Award", named after Reverend Tom Davis, a minister in the United Church of Christ and his wife. Davis wrote a book entitled "Abortion -- Is it Necessary?" in which he contended that the "sacred work of justice," requires that America provide abortions to women. He is the chair of the "Clergy Advisory Board" of Planned Parenthood.
    In the early paragraphs of their 2007- 2008 report they claimed "Planned Parenthood is the leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider, with 93 years under our belt. And in the near future, we will play a unique role in helping to shape the health agenda for the new administration." They certainly succeeded in their prediction. The current Administration is has become their greatest ally. However, today's important vote portends a change is in the air.
    Thursday evening brought a three hour long, impassioned floor debate over this legislation. The defenders of the indefensible, using our tax dollars to fund the work of Planned Parenthood, used their tired old rhetoric, calling the proponents of the legislation, including women, of waging a "war on women". Fortunately, they failed. 
    In her recent story written before the vote, Catholic Online's Jennifer Hartline said of Congressman Pence,  "Pence is among many pro-life heroes in Congress who are actively pursuing the permanent defunding of Planned Parenthood.  He's certainly gotten Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richard's attention with his Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act."
    "Between the Pence amendment and the Live Action videos that reveal PP's utter disregard for children's welfare and safety and their disdain for the law, Richards knows that PP's federal gravy train is under serious threat of derailment."

    She is referring to Cecile Richards, the President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America who lobbied hard to prevent the passage of this amendment.
    Jennifer Hartline continued, "Finally, the political facade is being melted away and many Americans are beginning to see Planned Parenthood for what it truly is; an organization that profits from the destructive sexual activities of minors and adults - and quite possibly criminal sexual activities - and the wanton extermination of babies.  And thankfully, many more Americans are asking, "Why should we pay for this?" 
    "We shouldn't be paying for this.  Let the vocal and wealthy celebrities and abortion advocates in the country donate to their pet cause and keep PP operating if they choose, but keep our tax dollars out of it.  I choose not to fund PP.  I choose to value and protect my neighbor in the womb.  I choose life.  What about it, Cecile?  Aren't you supposed to be pro-choice? Thanks to Pence, Chris Smith of NJ and other unyielding defenders of life, the current Congress is poised to finally defund Planned Parenthood permanently."  
    Cecile Richards responded after Friday's vote in these words, "The outcome of this vote is not a surprise, but it is radically out of step with mainstream American values and it is out of line with the issues voters want Congress to focus on." No, Ms. Richards, it is your organization which is out of step with mainstream American values and we are determined to stop paying its tab.
    Next stop is the US Senate. Representative Pence had a message for his colleagues there, "I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation and end federal funding of Planned Parenthood once and for all." We must all help to ensure they get the message loud and clear.

    - - -

    Catholic Online asks that you join with us and help in this vital mission bysending this article to your family, friends, and neighbors and adding our link (www.catholic.org) to your own website, blog or social network. Let us broadcast, we are PROUD TO BE CATHOLIC!

    Tuesday 8 February 2011

    Front page news: Shame on you "abortion charity" Marie Stopes!

    I had a little trouble believing my eyes this morning as I caught a glance of the front page of the "Metro" free morning newspaper (distributed in London). First thing that caught my eye was the wording in the headline: "Abortion charity", excuse me? I am still confused on this issue. I thought that to be a charity you had to pass the public benefit test. Now I may be extremely conservative in my views, but killing people is not a public benefit. Nor is encouraging them to get infected with sexually transmitted diseases (the UK already has the highest rate of STD's among teenagers in Europe). Not only is "abortion charity" an oxymoron, it is moronic. Disgusting. And never mind the real definition of charity as "love in action". We need to really bring back the meaning to the charity business. Bring back the love. Without love there can be no "love in action", no real charity.
    But then that is not all. Apparently Marie Stopes International thinks it appropriate to tell teenagers that anal sex will help them enjoy themselves without getting pregnant. I almost fainted. "One up the bum, no harm done, you won't be a mum" or something equally ridiculous. I'm sorry, I think this is a strong argument against the theory of evolution. How can anybody with good genes be this stupid. You may not be a mum, but your chances of getting HIV just skyrocketed. Maybe they should be more truthful and sing "One up the bum and you won't live long." Someone wake me from this nightmare. This is even worse then the time I saw advertising on the side of a London bus informing teenage girls that they will get a free £10 music voucher with  their pap smear test. And only a little less worse than the show on public TV "The joys of teen sex" (I kid you not, Channel 4 is airing this idiocy).
    I have scanned the image in so that you can see I haven't made this up, I know all sane individuals would never believe it.
    And this is all a little bit Monty Python if you ask me. Once you consider the above and then look at the lead picture story about Rihanna being upset that her song about sex and sadomasochism has been edited by the BBC. I'm confused, you don't want to have sexy songs unless they are about anal sex? Or is it that it is only okay to publicise children's sex. No? Maybe it is only okay if it involves killing infants then, must be. Disgusting. Marie Stopes hang your heads in shame.
    Let us take this time to pray for the youth, for those who are involved in the abortion industry and also those involved in the sexualisation of children. May God grant them a change of heart and show them the path of true Love. Amen.

    Monday 7 February 2011

    Weekly reflection from the Jesuit Institute

    This is this weeks reflection from the Jesuit institute in South Africa, it deals with the conflict in the Arab countries of North Africa by starting with a quote from the Qur'an. Nice approach. Enjoy:

    Quotation:  "Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein, and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden." (Qur’an, 4:85)

    Reflection:  It is hard to know how to react to what is happening in Egypt.  At first our hearts might be gladdened by the sight of ‘people power’ on the streets: after all popular protest is something that helped bring down a bad government in South Africa. 

    But then we might feel dismay and anger at the use of violence, certainly by the Government forces but also by some protestors.  Then we might feel concern that the protests are being orchestrated by certain groups or shock at the violation of great treasures in the museums.  And we might feel anxiety at what happens to peace in the Middle East if this stable but undemocratic regime falls, or fear for the plight of the Christian minority if there is a new Islamist government. 

    The quote from the Qur’an reminds us always to return to understand the cause – for in that we will find the measure of what is of God and what is not.

    Prayer:  God, the Almighty the Compassionate.  We ask your blessing on the people of Egypt and all the people of Africa.  Give wisdom, compassion and courage to those in authority, those on the streets and those with the power to influence. 
    Amen.

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