The Catholic bishops of America have called for a "Fortnight for Freedom," a time of prayer, action, and witness. We are asked to focus on the continuing struggle for religious liberty.
Click here to view an inspirational video from catholicvote.org.
And here is what the bishops have said, "The fourteen days from June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day, are dedicated to this “fortnight for freedom”—a great hymn of prayer for our country. Our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Culminating on Independence Day, this special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action will emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty. Dioceses and parishes around the country have scheduled special events that support a great national campaign of teaching and witness for religious liberty."
Our parish is sponsoring Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction, and prayer for the next two Friday evenings. In addition, the rosary will be recited in the church before EVERY mass for two weeks: our 3 dailies, plus the weekend services.
Tonight our family will decide how we will participate.
Sometimes I don't believe this mandate will last or ever be enforced. Then I think about how entrenched Roe vs. Wade is, and how few people probably realized 40 years ago that it could even happen or where it would lead.
Is media coverage of the HHS mandate driving you crazy? After the first few days, the mainstream message (okay, I mostly listen to public radio . . .) has become, "the bishops don't want women to have the right to use contraception."
HELLO--many Catholics don't want to be forced to pay for abortion-causing drugs and sterilizations. It's about our freedom of religion! Anyway, Americans United for Life is trying to get the word out. This reasoned, non-strident little video is from AUL:
I had my planner out as I signed up to pray with my family outside an abortion facility in support of 40 Days for Life. I needed to pick a "good" time--avoiding traffic, a violin lesson, club meetings, etc. Logistics was my focus.
So it was sweet to realize this morning that we would be praying for life on the Feast of the Annunciation, the commemoration of Mary's great "Yes."
Annunciation by Maurice Denis, 1912
Our parish is responsible for two (long) days of vigil, so our family showed up for an hour. This year we're at a new location, along a highly visible, busy road (three lanes each way!).
I've been involved in pro-lifeactivities over the years, but had never prayed publicly in front of a facility until today. Standing there in a small group with a few signs felt so different from participating in the March for Life; it felt more public, more outspoken. That doesn't make sense except that it was more ME out there than US (hundreds of thousands) together. We clustered for a few minutes, then faced the traffic and began praying our (20 decade!) rosary.
Those first minutes of facing the cars were intense. I felt that I was truly reaching out, praying for others, hoping a heart might change. The March is upbeat and hopeful and prayerful, but almost everyone downtown is pro-life that day. This morning a wide variety of attitudes drove by.
We received some positive horn-toots, one negative yell, and one long honk/thumbs down. All received friendly waves in response. :-)
(Much later) I think I'll always remember the cold (low 30's!), the bright sunshine, the noise of the cars, and the rhythm of the rosary recited with my family. And the emotions--peace, and near tears of hope (for changed hearts) and gratitude (for gifts of encouragement from passers-by). It was an amazing experience, a special way to take part in the Annunciation.
I try to avoid media coverage of the March for Life (which is easy...it's ignored or downplayed as much as possible) because it makes mecrazy! I've seen attendance estimates of 300,000 to 400,000 this year, but my local paper in print and online continues to write "tens of thousands."
And the pictures and interviews with counterprotesters (usually a few dozen at the Supreme Court) overemphasive their numbers and impact on the day. So.
In a column in today's Washington Post, Robert McCartney (a Roe supporter) acknowledges what I've noticed the past few years: the movement is young. Some quotes:
"I went to the March for Life rally Friday on the Mall expecting to write about its irrelevance. Isn't it quaint, I thought, that these abortion protesteers show up each year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, even though the decision stilll stands after 37 years."
"How wrong I was."
"...I was especially struck by the large number of young people among the tens of thousands at the march. It suggests that the battle over abortion will endure for a long time to come. 'We are the pro-life generation,' said signs carried by the crowd, about half its members appearing to be younger than 30."
(He also numbers the abortion supporters as "fewer than 100.")
I haven't had (made?) the time to read or write blogs lately, so here are some snippets of news:
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We marched for life today.
Daniel rose before dawn to attend the youth Mass and rally. David hung out with some Christendom College friends. Lauren met her boyfriend, who rode a bus all the way from Notre Dame. The homeschoolers and I went to a dance/acrobatics show at the Kennedy Center. Then we marched.
The route these past two years is shorter than in the past, making for a start-up traffic jam. But the most striking aspect of the March to me is its youth. It seems to me that the overwhelming majority of participants are teens and young adults--hope for the future. Lauren looked online and told me the crowd is estimated at 300,000, the most ever. Who knows? The prayers and lives and work of the participants is more important than how many made it to DC.
What can you do to help pregnant women or struggling mothers?
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Many good habits fell by the wayside between Thanksgiving and the New Year. I have fallen off the weightlifting bandwagon, for one thing. Time to get back to work!
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My current shift in Joe's orchestra carpool is over until March. Hurrah! Added bonus: with the help of college and high school breaks, I had babysitters available for three weeks. No need to drag the little girls along on that 4 hour excursion. Double hurrah!
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We haven't gotten it together yet, but I'm still intending to follow Anne's example of choosing a virtuefor each family member to work on over the course of the year.
Becca's mini pizza slid face down onto the family room carpet on Wednesday. In my effort to clean up the huge tomato sauce blob, I pulled out the carpet steamer, which I had never used before. (Yes, I know, I have a fabulous husband...)
With some phone training I managed to soak the rug but not slurp enough water back up. A more complete training workshop was held that evening (oh yes, it was lots of fun). More steaming followed on Thursday. Such filthy water! The furniture will probably move back tomorrow, when we are sure the carpet is dry, dry, dry.
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It was sleeting lightly when we left home for the March this morning. The forecast was for temps in the low 30's, with a 50% chance of rain changing to a wintry mix. How pleasant! As it turned out, the precipitation ended and we enjoyed a cool, pleasant January day. Enduring rough elements can add to the sacrificial nature of the day, but I'm glad we didn't have to.
Jennifer at Conversion Diary hosts 7 Quick Takes Friday. Check out her post for links to MANY more (74 at press time!).
Of course you didn't, because you learned long ago that once an egg is FERTILIZED (and has all the genetic material it ever will), it develops into a blastocyst, then an embryo, fetus, and baby*.
Guess who doesn't know (or isn't acknowledging) this basic biology? Former President Bill Clinton! He misstates the simple fact multiple times in this CNN interview.
*And yes, s/he was always a human person. All s/he needs is time. H/T Elizabeth P.S. Sorry, Mom. I know this is going to give you a headache!
"But no matter what we choose to believe, let us remember that there is no religion whose central tenet is hate. There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."
Barack Obama February 5, 2009 National Prayer Breakfast
We marched for life on Thursday. Some of us spent time in the natural history and American history museums with another family, then met Len, David and Daniel at the rally on the mall. It took a long time to funnel so many people onto the street, but then the walking was steady.
An event like this one leaves my thoughts and feelings bouncing all over the place. It was exhilirating to be part of such a large, enthusiastic group. It was discouraging to think that it may not effect real change. I was close to happy tears seeing how many young people care about life--this crowd is mostly young! Yet I know many people don't understand how damaging abortion is to women (let alone their babies), and are so vehemently opposed to ending it.
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Some quotes from the day:
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From a sign:
Abortion
Quick
Easy way out
...for men
(so true--so many women are pressured into it by fathers and families)
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From another sign (you can just see it on the edge of the above picture):
And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you." President Obama's inauguration address
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While I was feeling discouraged, someone mentioned Mother Teresa, and I remembered something she once said, "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try."
Or perhaps irony. We shall see, as actions speak louder than words.
From President Obama's inaugural address:
"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise thatall are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."
This line was met with applause. Just who does Mr. Obama mean by "all"? So far it doesn't look like he means humans in the womb, no matter how close they are to being born. But we can always hope. And pray.
I've received a couple of emails urging nine days of prayer (like in the upper room) and fasting for the intention of stopping the "Freedom of Choice Act". Barack Obama has promised to sign it into law if/when Congress passes it, which could happen as early as next week.
FOCA Would Wipe Away Every Restriction on Abortion Nationwide This would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as: --Bans on Partial Birth Abortion --Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion --Only licensed physicians can perform abortions --Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion
FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.
We're going to talk to the children tonight about this novena. Right now I'm thinking of commiting to a family rosary every day, along with fasting (probably giving up sweets--a biggie for most of us) and a pro-life prayer. Many Americans are starting on Sunday (ending on January 19th), but I'm thinking of starting Monday and continuing up through the inauguration on the 20th.
Soon it will be time to call our legislators, but for now let's pray together.
This morning I started my rosary on the walk to the polls. Tuesday is the sorrowful mysteries, providing food for thought on God's mercy and love and just how far He'll go for us. The line that stood out the most to me, though, was from the Lord's Prayer, "Deliver us from evil."
I suppose that sounds dramatic, but making it easier to abort babies only hurts women and society, and of course the children. We don't allow people to chooseto steal or stalk or abuse. Why should we allow them to choose to kill children? It's not about the woman choosing what to do with her body--she's deciding what to do with someone else's body. That baby is not her mother.
Today is the Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, schooled in both civil and canon law. The meditation in Magnificat included these words from Deuteronomy 4:5-8,
"Therefore, I teach you the statues and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, 'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.' For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?"
I'm praying our nation's laws will come closer to God's law in all areas of truth and justice.
One last quote! Deuteronomy contains statutes for Israel as well as history relating to the tribes' entrance into the Promised Land. I can't read quotes like those above without being reminded of Chapter 30, verse 19,
"I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life,then, that you and your descendants may live."
There is much more to being pro-life than politics, but politics does matter. Here are some interesting links. (Thanks, Elizabeth.)
The first is more inspirational, the others scarier. There is very little being said on the national scene about Barack Obama's plans to eliminate abortion restrictions, or about his record so far. And when it came up in the last debate, he smiled and lied.
Women must be helped and valued before abortion will end. Hearts must change before abortion will end. In the meantime, laws can save lives.
Today Len, the homeschoolers, and I attended our FIRST EVER political rally. We went to Fairfax (along with 10,000-20,000 others, depending on which estimate you believe!) to see John McCain and Sarah Palin.
We were on a hill (in the shade--yes!) far from the podium but with a clear view.Here's a better photo showing the size of the rally.
I don't think I've ever found a candidate with whom I agree on every issue. Certainly no major party platform matches my beliefs. I vote every year, but sometimes with discouragement about my "choices". This year I feel hopeful.
It was more exciting/interesting than I expected to be at the rally. There was lots of enthusiasm and not too much trash-talking (certainly not from McCain or Palin).
As we were walking back to the car, the motorcade went right by us. Actually it almost went by, then stopped, then almost went by, then stopped again before finally driving past. Apparently John McCain got off his bus TWICE to mingle with the crowd--I could hear the walkie-talkies of the motorcycle escort. He didn't stop to shake our hands, but Joseph did get a shield decal from one of the police officers (who beckoned him into the street to give it to him).
The children are following this election more closely than I ever did at their age. They saw commercials for both candidates during the Olympics (we don't watch much tv) and have heard us discuss issues. Today we talked about Virginia as a battleground state and how the electoral college makes each state "all or nothing" for the candidates. They saw and heard politicians, protesters, and supporters. Some of the protesters were rude. Len told Joe that,"He who shouts loses the argument," only to hear someone on our side of the street yell something about "socialists and communists" and "voting for Muslims". Sigh. (Most people on both sides were adamant but civil.)
There's been some discussion lately about charity and openness to life, especially in the context of Christian families. May I offer some related thoughts?
Sometimes a pregnant woman is not married.Sometimes she is a teenager.Sometimes she needs emotional, financial, or psychological support.Sometimes she has no safe or loving place to live.Who will help her?
In our diocese (Arlington, VA), Catholic Charities offers pregnant women in crisis a "family home".They live with a functional family in a loving environment throughout the pregnancy and sometimes for a short time afterwards.Meanwhile, each young woman and her social worker deal with current problems and make a plan for the future.
We've offered a family home for about a dozen years now.I must have inherited a hospitality gene from my mother, because I called Catholic Charities almost as soon as I saw the bulletin announcement asking for homes.There was plenty of paperwork (It's like becoming a foster home, especially as some of the moms are under 18.), but we were approved in less than three months.
In all these years we've actually housed less than ten young women.There were many "dry years" when we didn't get any calls.Other times, a social worker would call to see if we were open to a placement (We always said yes.), but then no one came.It was discouraging until I was told that just knowing someone was willing to take her in was enough to nudge some women and their families to work things out.Just being available helped in a small way.This past year three different women have lived with us for 3-4 months at a time.
I certainly don't mean to imply this is some sort of rainbows and butterflies existence.It's real life in our real family, with someone new added in.When our oldest was about seven, we received our first teenager.Thank goodness my husband is so level-headed!
Being a family home entails setting another place at the table, but of course there's more to it than that.As our family has grown too large to have a dedicated guest room, we've needed to rearrange bedrooms whenever a mom moves in.We have to adjust to a new, fully formed personality (so different from adding a baby to the house!).There may be less privacy.Our flaws are out there on display.And every woman who needs a family home has a unique but always difficult story.I'm not a cryer, but I did shed many tears this year over one mom's situation.
The benefits for us far outweigh any negatives I can think of.We've come to love all these young women, and that can only be a good thing.Having someone new in the house livens things up--we joke, work, play, and pray together. My children contend that I cook more "good" meals, too. ;-) For some young women, ours is the first functional family (even though we're not perfect) they've been a part of, and Len is a wonderful example of a godly man, husband, and father.Living with us (and our babies or toddlers or teens) is one long teaching moment for these moms-to-be.
Being a family home also gives us a chance to practice what we preach—about being pro-life, hating the sin but loving the sinner, and sheltering the homeless.I want my children to believe I'll love them no matter what kind of trouble they find themselves in, and caring for these women gives me a chance to prove it.
Before you ask, I'll answer some FAQ:
We tell our young children that God wants people to be married before they have babies, but that sometimes people don't follow His plan. We don't need to explain much to our teens--they get it.
In our experience, most moms have chosen to parent rather than place their babies for adoption.
We work hard to respect confidentiality. We introduce our women to friends and neighbors, but don't share their stories. Sometimes they themselves choose to share.
Catholic Charities provides support for us as well as the moms, helping with rules or negotiations or information sharing or driving to appointments.
Not all of the moms are Catholic, but they understand they're moving into a Catholic home.
Catholic Charities provides a daily stipend, so finances aren't an issue.
Most women move out right after delivery.
Keeping in touch is up to the moms. Some have, some haven't.
Why am I writing all this tonight? It's definitely not to brag. I think every family has a calling, and this is ours. I'm hoping to inspire other families to consider this mission to help pregnant women. Our diocese has just two homes right now, and has recently been getting more and more calls. It would be a shame to turn away someone who is asking for help. Ask me some questions or call your Catholic Charities office or crisis pregnancy center. If they don't have a program already, maybe they'd like to start one.
Today is the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in America. Since we live so close to Washington, DC, we often attend the March for Life. This year the logistics are too complicated, so it looks like only our teens are going to make it.
So for the rest of our family and anyone else who can't be there in person to stand up for life (from the beginning to its natural end), here are some ideas for the day:
Go to mass.
Pray the rosary (sorrowful mysteries today).
Go to adoration.
Fast.
Give up dessert or some other favorite food.
Give up screen time (tv, computer, etc.).
Pray.
Donate money or supplies to a crisis pregnancy center.
Visit or call or write to someone sick or old or lonely.
We're planning to do several of these things. How about you?
Here's a 
