Freedom from religion?

I am going to have lunch with my son Brandon today at school. Brandon is in second grade, and I will be attending the school book fair with him after lunch.

As I was putting on my shirt a while ago, my wife Kendra asked, "Are you wearing that shirt to school?" At first I thought she meant to Monica's Kids' Day Out program at our parish. Perplexed as to why she was asking, I gave her the "deer in the headlights" look. Kendra said, "I think he would get in trouble if he wore that to school."

Oh, oh. My "button" got pushed.

The "problem" was that I had picked out my 2012 "Hike for Life" shirt. There's no reference to anything religious, but on the back is a picture of a baby's hand reaching out, with the words, "Take my hand, not my life." There's also a phone number referenced for crisis pregnancy counseling.

Kendra meant no harm of course, but her response to my wearing this shirt to a public school underlines a couple of "beefs" I have.

Planned Parenthood is all over public school campuses in this country. They are "teaching" sex education (uggg), handing out contraceptives, and letting little girls know they can get an abortion without their parents finding out. Of course this lets the little boys know they can use the little girls for their own pleasure and not have to "worry" about any responsibility. Don't tell me I can't wear my shirt that promotes a respect for life to a public school campus.

Even if my shirt did promote a "religious" thought, so what? Here's another problem we have today. We have let atheists and others tell us that God is not allowed anywhere in the public square. They hide behind the public funding argument, and despite the government being the number one sponsor of Planned Parenthood, the largest baby-killer in America, the government backs them. Another uggg.

It's not freedom from religion, people. It's freedom of religion.

Please help me save babies

Please help me support Crisis Pregnancy Centers in saving unborn babies by donating to my pro-life cause with Hike for Life.

Hike for Life is a pro-life walk held once a year in various locations around Texas that raises money for area Crisis Pregnancy Centers and raises awareness of the dignity of all human life, from conception to natural death. The funds raised by Hike for Life are distributed to Crisis Pregnancy Centers in the area where the Hike is held.

Thank you for your help!

CPLC: Helping you answer the difficult questions‏

-by Karen Garnett, Executive Director Catholic Pro-Life Committee

It was 8 years ago, but I still remember the shock as if it was yesterday. The unbelievable news headline read: “Cardinal Ratzinger: It’s OK to vote for pro-choice candidates, if for other reasons.” I was floored by this blatant misrepresentation of our-now Holy Father's words and the Church's teaching prohibiting support of intrinsic evils, and I was galvanized, with every ounce of my energy, to find a way to right this terrible wrong. This moment crystallized for me the dire need for education and clarification of the truth as to what it means to be a Faithful Citizen ... a Catholic American.

This need is even more critical in 2012, as we face attacks not only against the most vulnerable in the womb, but also against traditional marriage and our most precious liberty – religious freedom. On September 8, leaders from throughout the state will be presenting on these issues in English and Spanish (two tracks) at the Render Unto Caesar conference (details below).

You may be saying to yourself: "I know and understand the Church's teaching on Faithful Citizenship. What can this conference offer me?" But it is not enough for us to simply know the truth. We are called to live, proclaim and defend that truth. This conference will equip you to answer that call by:

Helping you answer the difficult questions

Preparing you to discuss the hard issues

Giving you opportunities to be heard

and providing tools to be persuasive. 

Plus much, much more! 

Click here to register and answer the call 

Our focus is naturally on ensuring our consciences are formed properly for the voting booth this year. But our obligation as Catholics, as Americans, is much broader and more profound. We are called to be evangelizers every day of every year, in our private lives and in the public square. Join me on September 8 to become a peaceful and powerful force for the truth. And invite your family and friends!

I look forward to learning and evangelizing with each of you.

Blessings in Christ, for Life,
Karen

Are you a pawn for politicians and parties?

I have to admit.  It's been a pretty rotten day.  First, there's the trouble for friends and family with Hurricane Isaac.  There's national media and others who call New Orleans area (NOLA) residents crazy or demean them in other ways without taking into account all of the facts.

Then, I find myself in a bit of a spitting match with Steve Ertelt of LifeNews.com who I've much respected for his prolife work.

Where I have been calling on Christians and especially Catholics to take a real serious look at the choices we are being presented with in this election, and challenging them to keep the issues of life, faith, morals, and family values alive, well Steve drew the line in the sand for me.

I was absolutely shocked that his response to my position (I can be against abortion without supporting Romney, can't I? I can support SOME of his policy/position without sounding 100% for.) with "No, the choice is Romney or Obama, pick a side."  See it here.

My response to that (and I did respond such) can only be

WOW! I am for GOD before man. I WILL support action before words. I support Romney's stance against abortion BUT not his exceptions. - Me, George Vogt, IV

This whole "I am a robot with blinders on my eyes and fingers in my ears" thing was really getting to me.

Then I saw Lorraine Keeley on facebook post a video by Michael Voris of ChurchMilitant.TV that made my day get much better.  Mr. Voris has a much larger audience than I, and the message sounds familiar.


Thanks Lorraine!

Karen Garnett of the CPLC slams Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood

Karen Garnett of the CPLC (http://prolifedallas.org) slams Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood in a response published in the Dallas Morning News.

Richards claims the PP lawsuit against Texas is not about PP.

Here is Karen's response:

According to Cecile Richards, the lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood against the Texas government “has never been about Planned Parenthood.”

This is nonsensical spin to the absurd. Cecile, it’s about Planned Parenthood. It’s about the challenged, now enforceable, law redirecting taxpayer funds away from Planned Parenthood and the truth lying behind its corporate veil. It’s about Planned Parenthood performing over 325,000 abortions last year, making up 51 percent of its clinic income. It’s about Planned Parenthood’s reported requirement that all of its affiliates perform abortions by 2013. It’s about the taxpayer-funded Planned Parenthood facilities which do not perform abortions but nonetheless refer for abortions — to whom? Planned Parenthood. It’s about Planned Parenthood’s abortion and “family planning” facilities feeding off each other, operating in the same building and cross-marketing their “services” to the same customers. It’s about Planned Parenthood choosing to shut down its “health centers” while breaking ground on a $6.5 million abortion center in Fort Worth.

Ultimately, it’s about Planned Parenthood favoring its abortion business over the low-income women it claims to serve. Texas has had enough. No organization in the business of killing unborn children deserves a single penny of taxpayer funding — that’s Planned Parenthood, Cecile.

Karen Garnett, Executive Director, Catholic Pro-Life Committee, Respect Life Ministry of the Diocese of Dallas

The entire DMN article may be found at here.

Fr. Frank Pavone on the Passing of Joan Appleton

Fr. Pavone

Staten Island, NY - Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, today issued the following statement on the passing of Joan Appleton, a former abortion facility nurse who went on to found and lead the Society of Centurions of America, a group that provides counseling and financial aid to those who leave work in the abortion industry.

“I was very sad to hear that Joan had died. I learned a lot from her over the years about the corruption in the abortion industry and the needs of former abortion providers like herself.

“Together with her and Pro-Life Action Ministries, I have had the joy of ministering to those who have left the abortion industry. In Joan's memory, we at Priests for Life will redouble our efforts to expand the Society of Centurions, ministering to former abortionists and their staff, and inviting those still in the industry to repentance and healing.”

Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.

40 Days for Life-Dallas Cast the Vision Meeting

40 Days for Life-Dallas Cast the Vision Meeting

August 28, 2012 7:00 P.M. Gaston Oaks Baptist Church 8515
                                             Greenville Ave Dallas, 75243 (Map)

Learn from Lauren Muzyka, National Campaign Strategist
                        What is 40 Days for Life?
                        What makes this prayer campaign unique?
                        Why thousands are participating worldwide?
                        And why you should too!
                        Plus practical pointers for those returning to the campaign
                        and organizing groups

Click here for Event Flyer

Fall Campaign Dates: September 26-November 4
Contact Us: 40days@prolifedallas.org 972-267-LIFE (5433)

www.prolifedallas.org/40days

Reproductive Health: Safe, Legal, and Rare

These terms of the so-called "pro choice" crowd make me cringe.  So do many of their other terms, including "pro choice", that they use or have used in the past.  Alas, that is for another day.

Abortion is not "reproductive health".  It kills reproduction, and being an unnecessary "procedure", it not in the best interest of "health".

Legal?  Just because our country does not recognize it as inhumane or a crime does not make it so.  Slavery was once accepted as well.  One can only hope and pray that our nation will one day reflect on the tragedy of abortion as it now does regarding slavery.

Rare?  Abortion is a September 11 each and every day.  There are about as many Americans killed each day via abortion as there are victims of our nation's most stunning attack.  There are about as many Americans killed each year via abortion as there have been in all of the wars (including actions against pirates) we have engaged in combined.  (And we're only talking about abortions in the U.S.)

Safe?  Well, it's certainly not safe for the innocent babies who are killed in a variety of ways.  And the mothers?  Those claims of "back alley abortions" come to mind whenever I think of the many abortion mill locations I have seen.  Hello!  They're still "back alley" in my opinion of course.  And the women who go in look as if they've been through hell.  Oh yeh, they have.  And what about the proven psychological effects they suffer afterwards?

Enough of my rant.  Have you seen this?

-------------

Family Seeks Answers After Woman’s Death Following Abortion 

 CHICAGO (CBS) – The family of a Chicago woman who died after an abortion at Planned Parenthood says it wants answers about her death.

Tonya Reaves, 24, died late Friday night from a hemorrhage, with a cervical dilation and evacuation, as well as an intrauterine pregnancy as contributing causes, according to the medical examiner’s office.

 She died after she’d had an abortion at Planned Parenthood at 18 S. Michigan Av, according to the medical examiner’s office.

 Her death was ruled an accident, but the Reaves family wants to know more, especially Tonya’s twin sister Toni.

“We were born the same day. She was my other half,” Toni said.

Toni Reaves said the family is trying to get through this.

“It happened so fast. She was just fine one day and then the next day she was gone. We’re just trying to figure out what happened… what happened,” she said.

Toni Reaves said her sister was engaged to be married and had one son – Alvin – who just had his first birthday.

In a written statement, Planned Parenthood of Illinois CEO Carole Brite said “We were shocked and saddened upon learning of a tragic development at a nearby hospital. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of this patient.

“While legal abortion services in the United States have a very high safety record, a tragedy such as this is devastating to loved ones and we offer our deepest sympathies. Planned Parenthood of Illinois cares deeply about the health and safety of each and every patient. We do not publicly discuss private patient matters and we follow HIPAA laws that forbid the disclosure of patient information.”
--------------

Right!

Hey USCCB!, You can't ride two horses with one...

It was recently discovered that Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official overseas relief agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has participated in funding CARE.  CARE is an international humanitarian organization which provides relief in developing nations.

Great!  However, they also provide contraception and early-abortion-inducing drugs!

In an article by Catholic News Agency, CRS defends its funding of CARE, and states that it “always has taken very seriously decisions we make about the groups with which we collaborate or form partnerships to ensure that we are not violating the Church teachings.”

CRS further defends its funding of CARE by stating that there was "little to no risk" that funds it donated would be used for purposes other than what it intended.

NOT good enough!  If CARE has $100 that they can use toward food or abortion, and CRS gives them another $100, CRS just gave CARE the means to provide abortion.  Hello!!!???

Paraphrasing the Church's teaching, "It is ... an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. ... One may not do evil so that good may result from it." (1)

I know, I know.  "These days you can't avoid indirectly participating in such activities."  This is not like you or me shopping at some store that donates to an organization that in turn donates to another.

The Catholic Bishops are in a fight, to say the least, against the immoral and unjust Obama / HHS mandate.  They teach (rightly so) against some of what CARE provides via (however indirect) CRS funding.  And who funds CRS?  Yep, faithful Catholics.  It's hard to purport a position when there is evidence to the contrary.

It's time for the Bishops to stop allowing funds, given in good conscience, to be used for immoral activities.  Its time for them to do their homework, stop relying on third party information, and to avoid these continuous "egg-faced" embarrassments.

(1) Catechism of the Catholic Church 1756