No middle of the roaders on God's marriage... REPORT

The TFP campaign for traditional marriage at Brown last week sparked a large number of reactions, both good and bad.

First, our readers will find a sample of negative responses, even approving of violent retaliation.  And second, there are joyful comments in favor of God's marriage.

Negative Responses

Posted on Democratic Underground: "Only utter morons would think that an anti-gay rally could be held there. I'm surprised they didn't have the **** beaten out of them."

Student from Brown: "Bringing your anti-gay campaign to Brown of all places? Prepare to be destroyed."

Blogger: "Who is to say intellectuals and men of reason can never, ever show aggression? I don't think that. Violence and aggression can, on occasion, be a vehicle of reason, not its enemy... If someone else bagpipes and banners into your community, can you take them down and still be civilized? Of course you can, and when circumstances are outrageous enough, you are obligated to do a rough takedown."

Comment: "...Next time they play Scotland the Brave, I say we smack them in the mouth..."

Blasphemous blogger: "If I ever run into them I will taunt them with a consecrated Catholic communion wafer. I have a few in my collection of edible messiahs... Sometimes you just have to show utter disrespect for things they believe are sacred. Also exercising our right to be blasphemous neutralizes the power of religion."

Lanjier: "Who do they think they are dealing with? ...We are going to DESTROY you."

Katie: "I'd be glad to make my tax contribution to build dungeons for them. Cruel and unusual punishment should be their fate."

Bridgette L.: "Simply put, it is time to put the Bible away and have an honest, fact-based discussion - or it is time for tolerance to come to an end."

Positive Responses

From Joseph: "Keep up the good work you guys... courage in the face of adversity. Keep the Lion of Judah in your hearts always and never lose heart when they persecute you, for they persecuted Our Lord too and no servant is greater than his Master.

From Joanne: "You guys must be the Navy Seals of Catholicism."

Student from Brown: "I am a student at Brown, and I think you guys should come back more often! Brown is one of the most morally liberal schools in the nation (and a high profile one at that), and for us Catholics and Christians your guy's presence is a great reminder of what we stand for. And please email out when you'll be back so you can invite Brown students to come and join you. I am sure you'd be surprised how many would be willing stand by you."

From Gina: "I truly admire these young men who stand in the face of such vile and hateful adversaries to speak the truth. God bless you for being so heroically brave in these terribly troubled times. March on, Christian Soldiers. I wish there were more Catholic (and Protestant Christian) men with such impressive bravery."

From Sally Fong: God bless TFP advocates! You are awesome standing up to such a tsunami of vicious attacks by the "tolerant ones." Thanks be to God for your courage! I will be praying for you. Keep up the good fight!"

From James: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:18-20). Good job men of God!

From Michele: "You gentleman are truly AMAZING!!!! It's wonderful to see how calm and dignified you all are opposed to the other side that feels they need to be vulgar and disgusting to be heard. All of you men have my prayers and support."

From Mary: "How sad that today so many take evil for good and good for evil. Your brave and courageous stand is not unnoticed by those who believe the truth as you do, and by those who do not. Your witness encourages others who must soon decide which side they are on. And most importantly, all is seen by God."

From Irene Denke: "Just knowing that there is a TFP gives me hope. I did cry when I saw your article."

From Desiree: "So here's the deal: THEY want US to tolerate THEIR cause or sexual orientation or whatever, but THEY persecute us when WE try to stand up for OUR cause. WE didn't do anything to them when THEY were out there with THEIR flags and signs, but when WE do the same thing for OUR cause, WE get attacked. I'm confused... how is this, in any way shape or form, logical? "Blessed are those who are persecuted in my name..."

God bless TFP!!!

From Erin Woods: "Wow, what courage you people have to stand up for God the way you do!!! If spittle, abuse and a little violence is what we have to put up with to stand for Him, the reward we receive eternally cannot be measured. I am praying for you in Australia. God bless!!!"

From Urban Mbithi: "TFP. Your zeal for God's love makes me cry. I stopped my work to say a Hail Mary for you. If only I were that strong."

From Andrea S.: "Thank God for TFP! You make me proud to be Catholic. Keep up the good fight and stay strong."

Reconsidering the rage...

YouTube comment: Although I was there in the protesting group, and I was chanting along with the pro-gay marriage chants, I do believe that the screaming, profanity, and SPITTING was over the top... the rage expressed by us as Brown students showed a lack of maturity at best."

Homosexual rights activists at Brown University attack traditional marriage group, Youtube censors video

by Kathleen Gilbert

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, March 30, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A conservative group demonstrating support for traditional marriage met with violent opposition in Rhode Island last week.

Volunteers from the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) visited Brown University during their statewide tour for traditional marriage in Rhode Island on March 23. While peacefully demonstrating on the Ivy League campus, their pro-family banner was vandalized and a volunteer was spat upon in the face.

“What we faced at Brown University, an Ivy League university, had the flavor of a religious persecution,” said TFP Student Action Director John Ritchie. “Dozens of pro-homosexual students screamed, spat, taunted, and even attempted to destroy our traditional marriage banner.”

“Suddenly, a loud thud-rip noise was heard. I looked up and saw a pro-homosexual student literally crashing through our traditional marriage banner, attempting to destroy it,” explained Ritchie. “Running at top speed, he flung himself into it and ripped one side loose. Some students watching from a distance approvingly cheered the act of violence,” he said.

Ritchie also said, “one of our youngest volunteers, age 17, was spat upon in the face.” The attacker ran away before the volunteer could point out the individual to police.

“Seeing the violent attitude of the pro-homosexual students, the police wanted to escort us to our vans after the campaign was over to protect us,” stated Ritchie. “And thank God they did, because when we pulled away from the curb, many pro-homosexual students closed in to hit the sides of our vehicles with their fists or palms. A hard object, maybe a rock, was even thrown against one of the vans.”

Days after the videotaped incident was posted on YouTube, the video sharing website pulled down the footage, leaving a message stating: “This video has been removed because its content violated YouTube’s Terms of Service.”

TFP’s John Ritchie told LifeSiteNews.com that they were not aware of which Youtube rules the video supposedly broke. “It seems YouTube broke their own guidelines when removing it, because the policy states that the video poster will be notified of any problem, and be given 48 hours to either remove the video or correct the problem,” Ritchie said.

Youtube has become notorious among conservative circles for removing several videos that portray abortion or Planned Parenthood in a negative light. The organization, which is owned by Google Inc., has consistently declined to provide explanations for why such videos were removed.

A complete report of the event by TFP Action can be viewed here.

Scandal: Catholic Gonzaga University will allow the lewd V-Monologues play!

Send your instant e-protest message to Jesuit run Gonzaga University.

Caution: disturbing news of a lewd theater play, scheduled for April 4 at Jesuit run Gonzaga University. According to the article "'V-Monologues' OK'd on campus" from the online version of The Gonzaga Bulletin:

"For the first time in Gonzaga University history, the performance of the 'V-Monologues' will be allowed on campus."

Now, the V****** Monologues play is a mix of vulgarities, obscenities and explicit discussions of sexuality and sexual encounters including lesbian activity and masturbation.

It openly flaunts sins against nature, and thus subverts the order established by God. The play tramples purity, modesty and degrades women. It offends God and every good Catholic and has absolutely no place on a Catholic campus.

Send your instant e-protest message to Jesuit run Gonzaga University.

This is how one student described the play after seeing it:
"...it was a horrible exhibit of vice, lust, and infidelity. Everything about the play – the content, the performers, the atmosphere – was decidedly opposed to just about everything the Church teaches, whether it be about sexuality, abortion, contraception, holy matrimony, modesty, chastity, vulgarity, humility, reverence, you name it.

Protests are very effective.

In fact, several performances of the V-Monologues were canceled at Catholic colleges in previous years due to the large number of complaints from students, alumni, and concerned Catholics.

For example, Catholics nationwide applauded Fr. Brian J. Shanley, president of Providence College, when he prohibited the play on campus.

He stated:

"Doubtless some will reply that this is a violation of artistic freedom. But artistic freedom on a Catholic campus cannot mean the complete license to perform or display any work of art regardless of its intellectual or moral content.

So protests work. Lewd plays can be canceled at Catholic colleges like Gonzaga, if you and I pray, speak out and spread the word to enough Catholics.

Send your instant e-protest message to Gonzaga.

As Pope Benedict said in his 2008 visit to the U.S.:
"It is timely, then, to reflect on what is particular to our Catholic institutions. How do they contribute to the good of society through the Church's primary mission of evangelization?"
Concerned Catholic Parents

Catholic parents with children at Gonzaga must be deeply distraught when they hear about the V-Monologues. They probably assume their tuition goes towards a good "Catholic" education and that their children are safe in matters of Faith and morals.

However, by hosting the lustful "V***** Monologues" on campus, Gonzaga officials send mixed messages to students, and jeopardize students' Faith.

For the good of souls, please help stop this terrible scandal at this Catholic college by sending your instant e-protest message to Jesuit run Gonzaga University.

Would you please join me in praying for the administration at Gonzaga University? I have added this intention to my daily Rosary, and ask you to also.

Actually, if you'd like to respectfully express your thoughts about the V-Monologues in person, you can contact Gonzaga by using the information below. Please be polite yet firm when you speak with them.

Or, simply GO HERE TO SEND YOUR INSTANT E-MESSAGE.

President
Thayne M. McCulloh, D.Phil.
509.313.6102
president@gonzaga.edu
Exec. Assistant to the President
Julia Bjordahl
509.313.6102
bjordahl@gonzaga.edu
Admin. Assistant
Shanea Giroux
509.313.6103
giroux@gonzaga.edu
Trustee/Regent Coordinator
Kathy Sherrick
509.313.6130
sherrick@gonzaga.edu
Related story:
http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/vagina-monologues-ok-d-on-campus-1.2121346

This saint had reeds thrust violently between the nails and flesh of his hands and feet, and was disemboweled by a stake

                         March 31 --  St. Benjamin

Iran is now what was called Persia many centuries ago. In the 5th century, the King of Persia demolished all Catholic Churches, killed the presiding Bishop and convened a general persecution against the faithful. 

The torments and cruelties strike horror in the most stalwart of souls.  St. Benjamin was among the glorious martyrs of this time.

Benjamin was a deacon who was beaten and imprisoned in a dungeon for an entire year. Upon release he was exhorted to never speak about religion to any of the courtiers. 

However, Benjamin was a minister of the Gospel and, as such, would never consent to refrain from preaching it to all.  For this offense, he was apprehended and tortured by reeds which were thrust violently between the nails and flesh of his hands and feet. 

Finally, he was disemboweled by a knotty stake and thus expired  for the love of God in 424.

We can reflect on the words of St. Ephrem:

"The wisdom of philosophers, and the eloquence of the greatest orators, are dumb through amazement, when they contemplate the wonderful spectacle and glorious actions of the Martyrs; the tyrants and judges were not able to express their astonishment when they beheld the faith, the constancy, and the cheerfulness of these holy champions. What excuse shall we have in the dreadful day of judgment, if we, who have never been exposed to any cruel persecutions, or to the violence of such torments, shall have neglected the love of God and the care of a spiritual life?..."

Let us petition St. Benjamin to pray for us to love the Lord our God with our whole soul as he did.    

Guilty Until Proven Guiltier

 

 

 

 

 

No one denies that some priests have terribly abused minors, and some bishops failed to act properly to stop this unspeakable harm. This is the qualifier that must be placed before any rational discussion of the sexual abuse scandals.

However, there is a story that is not being told. In the hysteria surrounding these scandals, many innocent priests are being falsely accused. No one tells their story. David F. Pierre’s book Double Standard: Abuse Scandals and the Attack on the Catholic Church is a book that does much to expose this grave injustice.

The book is incredibly focused. It does not seek to enter into the details of many of the cases he cites. His message is simple: There is a double standard involved in the prosecution of abuse cases.

There is a one-sided bias that assumes any priest who has been accused is “guilty until proven guiltier.”

The author cites case after case of media mistreatment of the scandals. One finds total publicity for those making accusations and little exposure for the priests to proclaim their innocence. The slightest charge receives a media uproar whereas the rampant abuse in the public schools and administrative cover-up get almost no coverage.

Decades-old cases involving deceased priests are treated as if they happened yesterday and are constantly rehashed by the media.

One often sees all the efforts the Church has made to remedy the situation ignored by activists and reporters.

However, the worst part of this attack is that the priests themselves are marked forever as an accused.

When priests are exonerated, their innocence is rarely reported and some are taken out of their ministries “just in case.” Some of these are priests with excellent records of decades of parish work without incident.

The priest who has every right to his good reputation is not given this right. A number of priests have even refused to plea bargain and admit to a guilt they do not have. One of these chose to go to prison until he can establish his complete innocence.

Mr. Pierre cites numerous cases of false accusations – and false settlements which again are rarely reported. Many dioceses without the resources to get involved in many lawsuits simply make a joint settlement which assumes guilt on decades-old cases and besmirches the good names of the dead who have no defense.

At times diocesan officials did not even ask for specifics about the time and place of alleged abuse, turning the settlement into something similar to “a trip to an ATM machine.”

Indeed, there is a double standard which the book well documents. In the name of one scandal, another one has been created by those leading the charge to associate every Catholic priest with abuse. There should be one standard – the standard of justice where everyone is innocent until proven guilty and not “guilty until proven guiltier.”

To purchase Double Standard: Abuse Scandals and the Attack on the Catholic Church by David F. Pierre, Jr., please click here or our Amazon.com link. A percentage of what you pay will benefit the TFP.

Don't let 'em do it! Ohio town is taking the 'Easter' out of its annual egg hunt Send an email to the Munson Township trustees, asking them to reverse their politically correct decision.

From AFA:

According to television station WKYC, an NBC affiliate, trustees in Munson Township in Ohio have decided to abolish any reference to 'Easter' and have ordered organizers to call this year's Easter weekend event "The Spring Egg Hunt."

First, there was an attack on Christmas. Now, political correctness has reached Easter. These elected officials need to know that Americans will not allow them to strip "Easter" from community events.

While "egg hunts" aren't exactly biblical, they do provide opportunities for Christians to share the good news of Jesus' birth with members of the community by celebrating it in public.

TAKE ACTION

Send an email to the Munson Township trustees, asking them to reverse their politically correct decision and restore 'Easter' to the town's event.

Traditional Marriage Rally in New Hampshire – applause, apathy and a visit to the carwash

Today we reached New Hampshire, the Granite State. In considerably cooler weather, we campaigned for traditional marriage in Nashua, near City Hall.  The response was positive for the most part, with constant honking. It was good to meet local friends who came out to the intersection to support the effort. God bless them.

Three police cars arrived. For some unknown reason, they decided that our rally was blocking the sidewalk, interfering with pedestrian traffic, although the sidewalks were empty. "You need a permit to do this," they insisted. "If you don't leave, we'll write you up for disorderly conduct," the officer said. It was already nearing lunch time, so we moved on.

A woman pulled up to the curb where TFP member Mr. Gregory Escaro stood: "Be careful, I might run you over," she said.

Another disagreeable thing happened. As we got into our van, a car pulled up beside us. The woman inside the vehicle spat on our windows and doors, and then sped away. We visited a car wash and cleaned if off.

Snow fell intermittently during the afternoon. Its beauty added a new note of challenge, enhancing the campaign. The honking for traditional marriage kept up at a good rate for the duration of the rally.

Thank you for your prayers. We need them as we press forward to defend God-ordained marriage in New Hampshire.

Saint Joseph, patron of our tour, pray for us!

Help us stay on the road

To help us stay on the road for traditional marriage, please consider filling our gas tank.  With an intense travel schedule, our fifteen passenger van consumes about one tank of gasoline per day.  Your gift of $79.00 will keep us going for 330 miles.
Sponsor 1 Tank (330 miles) = $79
Sponsor 2 Tanks (660 miles) = $158
Sponsor 3 Tanks (990 miles) = $237

Red Bull commercial has immoral mockery of confession – send protest message!

If you were on YouTube, you may have seen a commercial that pops up automatically. It’s from Red Bull and it attacks the Sacrament of Confession!

In a few words, there is a boy who drinks Red Bull to drum up courage to go to confession for sins of impurity.  The priest who is hearing his confession makes some very indiscreet comments, which leads the boy to new sins of impurity. 

Please complain about this blasphemy to Red Bull, telling them how offensive it is to Our Lord and Our Lady and to the Catholic faith in general.

To contact Red Bull:

feedback@us.redbull.com

RBNA Headquarters

1740 Stewart St.

Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA

Phone: 310 393-4647

Fax: 310 230-2361

YouTube Contact Information:

(Please be polite yet firm when speaking to people at YouTube.)

copyright@youtube.com

YouTube, LLC

901 Cherry Ave.

San Bruno, CA 94066

Phone: 650-253-0000 then press 0 to talk to a live person

Fax: 650-253-0001

Access with extreme caution. Link to the Red Bull commercial that YouTube hosts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3OPo9wHuk

Some people tried to guess with this is… a mistake, a mummy, a tribal pole, an eccentric doctor’s office…

It really will take some guessing to know what this is…you will be  startled to find out.  Stay tuned.

Oxford ethicist: use IVF to create only smart babies

by Thaddeus Baklinski

Professor Julian Savulescu

OXFORD, UK, Thu Mar 24, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An Australian ethicist working at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics claims that humanity has a “moral obligation” to use in vitro fertilization (IVF) to select the most intelligent embryos for the good of society, with the obvious implication that the less intelligent “surplus” embryos should simply be destroyed.

Professor Julian Savulescu of Melbourne made the statement while commenting on an economic modeling research paper by Oxford University ethicists Andres Sandberg and Nick Bostrom, who claim that a rise in humanity’s IQ would result in a reduction in poverty, welfare dependency, crowding of jails, school dropout rates, out-of-wedlock births, and single parent families.

“The overall societal impact of even a small increase in general cognitive function would likely to be sizeable and desirable,” Sandberg and Bostrom wrote in their report.

Professor Savulescu said, “There are other ethical principles which should govern reproduction, such as the public interest.

“Even if an individual might have a stunningly good life as a psychopath, there might be reasons based on the public interest not to bring that individual into existence.

“My own view is that the economic and social benefits of higher cognition are reasons in favour of selection, but secondary to the benefits to the individual.

“Cheaper, efficient whole genome analysis makes it a real possibility in the near future,” said Savulescu, according to the Herald Sun.

Conservative bioethicist Wesley Smith, however, denounced the suggestion as “bigoted.” “Alas, these bigoted ideas – because that’s what eugenics boils down to, bigotry – are embraced in contemporary academia and their intellectual purveyors are all the rage, garnering named chairs at the most elite universities,” he said.

“And notice,” he continued, “these eugenicists rarely mention trying to bring out the best traits of humanity, such as love, humility, selflessness,  or gentleness – traits that promote peace and harmony, and which people with Down syndrome possess in abundance.”

“Intelligence is good,” says Smith. “But if we’re going to pick and choose the traits of our progeny – which we shouldn’t – let’s aim instead for people with genes that might give them a propensity to express the virtues.” 

Professor Neil Levy, Deputy Research Director of the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics, also pointed out the practical shortcomings of Savulescu’s plan, saying that investing in “designer embryos” would be “an enormous waste of money,” according to the Herald Sun.

“Why spend all that money when we could be doing so much with that money to increase the IQs and life spans of babies in sub-Saharan Africa? The pay-off in terms of raising quality of life for many people would be much greater than you’d get from concentrating on just a few.”

“My view is this is essentially a distraction,” Dr. Levy said.

“If you have an enriched environment as a kid, you’re just going to have a higher IQ. Birth weights strongly predict IQ, and the mother’s nutritional status strongly predicts IQ. But these are things we’re not worried about, because we’re used to them,” Dr. Levy remarked.

Dr. David Amor, Director of the Victorian Clinical Genetic Services in Australia, warned that the genetics associated with intelligence were still poorly understood, and that geneticists are skeptical that a specific gene for IQ is likely to be discovered.

“It is likely that some genes involved in intelligence have both advantages and disadvantages, depending on the complex genetic environment they are placed in,” Dr. Amor said.

“It’s possible an embryo that appeared to have a perfect genetic make-up for intelligence might turn out to have less desirable attributes in other areas, such as health or personality. It might be a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’.”

Dr. Amor added that another consideration that limits the accuracy of genetic testing for intelligence is the small number of viable embryos produced by IVF.

“Most couples having IVF only produce a handful or embryos suitable to test and therefore the ability to select is limited,” he said.

“Even if there were larger numbers of embryos, intelligence of children tends to cluster closely around that of parents. Therefore, if a hypothetical genetic test for intelligence was applied to embryos, results would most likely be similar for all embryos.”

Contact Information:

Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics
Deborah Sheehan, Administrator
Suite 8, Littlegate House, St Ebbes Street
Oxford UK OX1 1PT
Phone: +44 (0)1865 286888
Fax: +44(0)1865 286886
Email: ethics@philosophy.ox.ac.uk

Bill mandating pro-homosexual content in school curricula passes California committee

by Christine Dhanagom

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A bill that would require California public schools to revise their social science curricula to incorporate study of the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans was passed by the California Senate Education Committee last Wednesday.

The bill, SB 48, was introduced by openly homosexual state Senator Mark Leno. It passed the ten member Education Committee by a vote of 6 to 3 with one abstaining, and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will be considered in early April.

If passed, the law would affect the curriculum for students as early as kindergarten. It contains no provision allowing parents to exclude their children or for teachers to opt out of teaching the new material.

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill in 2006. If SB 48 is passed by the Legislature, however, it is expected that current Democratic Governor Jerry Brown will sign it into law.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to combat alleged discrimination against homosexual students by school faculty and staff, and bullying by fellow students.

“People oppose and fear the unfamiliar,” Senator Leno told the New York Times. “When grade-school students understand the arc of the L.G.B.T. movement over 40 years, that otherness begins to dissipate. That’s desperately needed right now.”

However, according to the International Press Association, Senator Robert Huff challenged Senator Leno during the hearing, calling the bill a “paradigm shift” which would have the effect of “actively promoting a lifestyle.”

Pro-family organizations are rallying in opposition to the bill, and encouraging California parents to contact their senators to express their concerns.

Candi Cushman, education analyst with Focus on the Family, told LifeSiteNews that, as an anti-discriminatory measure, the bill is unnecessary, since “California has some of the most pro-active laws in the nation in this regard already on the books.”

“The appropriate emphasis in history books and social science books is to honor people because of their contributions,” Cushman said. “It just seems kind of crazy to be promoting them based on their political or sexual identity. You wouldn’t want to leave people out based on that, but neither do you want to base the entire reason that they’re included in history on sexual identity. It should be based on their historical contributions.”

Randy Thomasson, President of SaveCalifornia.org, called the measure “the most radical sexual indoctrination ever of children in California public schools,” in a letter to Senate Education Committee Chair Alan Lowenthal.

Thomasson believes that the bill would cause homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals to be presented as role models to California students.

The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a legal defense organization which works to combat threats to religious freedom and parental rights on the West Coast, sent a similar letter to the Senate, objecting to the bill on constitutional grounds.

According to PJI President Brad Dacus, the bill is “a violation of parent’s fundamental rights over their children.”

In addition to legislative action, the group is also urging California teachers to disassociate themselves from the leftist agenda of the California Teachers Association (CTA), which has openly supported the bill. CTA Legislative Advocate Isabelle Garcia testified in support of the bill during the Education Committee hearing.

According to the International Press Association, the CTA has supported the homosexual agenda in the past, most notably by donating $1 million to campaign efforts to defeat Proposition 8, a 2008 amendment to the California constitution which defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

“This is going to be binding on every single teacher in California, and that’s one reason why we like to remind teachers who are Christians who do object to these kinds of campaigns by the California Teacher’s Association to opt out of the teacher’s unions,” Dacus told LifeSiteNews.

Dacus encouraged teachers to consider sending their union dues to a pro-life charity, such as a Crisis Pregnancy Center, instead.

PJI has also voiced concern about the fiscal impact of the bill, pointing out in a recent press release that the bill would force schools to buy new curriculum materials.

“Our legislature just doesn’t get it—with thousands of teachers getting pink slips, this is not the time to place more expensive, politically correct mandates on our schools,” said Dacus

Priest accused of ‘anti-homosexual indoctrination’ for teaching Catholic view of homosexuality in class

by Rebecca Millette

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 29, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Catholic priest has come under fire from homosexual activists for “anti-gay indoctrination” after he taught his students what the Catholic Church teaches about homosexuality in his high school course on gay “marriage.”

Equality Matters, a media and communications group for homosexual rights, on their website accused the chaplain of Indianapolis’ Cardinal Ritter High School of “spouting a stream of homophobic and offensive falsehoods about same-sex marriage and gay people in general to a classroom full of students.”

Fr. John Hollowell, chaplain and teacher at the private Catholic high school, had posted the videos of the lectures on YouTube and his personal blog last week. 

In the lectures he explains Catholic teaching on homosexuality.

However, his presentation was denounced as “anti-gay lecturing” by the media watchdog group, who said that the priest “calls homosexual acts ‘an abomination’, advocates for ex-gay therapy, and rails against same-sex adoption and marriage by comparing homosexuality to alcoholism and prostitution.”

The priest is currently in Rome and says he won’t be able to respond to the accusations until his return.

In the videos, however, Fr. Hollowell is seen challenging his students to think about and discuss the “difficult” issues of homosexuality and homosexual “marriage.” 

He points out that the Bible, in Leviticus 20:13 and other places in the New Testament, calls “homosexual acts” an “abomination.” “You have two options,” he says, “God is cool with homosexuality, homosexual acts, I should say … or what the Bible and the Church say about it is correct … There’s no middle ground on that issue.”

The priest refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official book of the teachings of the Church, which states that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,” and condemns any form of “unjust discrimination” against them.

However, the Catechism also states that homosexual inclinations are “objectively disordered” and homosexual acts are “acts of grave depravity.”  “Under no circumstances can they be approved,” it says, explaining that people with the homosexual inclination are called to chastity.

Fr. Hollowell points out that human beings are able to choose either to act or not to act on given inclinations.  Those who experience homosexual attraction, he said, are called upon to refrain from acting on their inclination.  Just because someone has an “inclination to something” (for example, drinking alcohol, homosexual acts, etc.) does not make them “less culpable for acting on it,” he said.

Equality Matters claims that 70 percent of Catholics and the majority of Americans now believe that messages such as Fr. Hollowell’s lead to higher rates of homosexual teen suicide.

Hollowell, however, argues that the position he advocates is one of compassion. “If you’re struggling with homosexual attraction, the Church’s first message is compassion,” he told his students, “helping them overcome it is not the first inclination.”

Programs such as Courage are in place to help people “who want it,” he said, “we’re not out there telling people they need to change.”

Fr. Hollowell also described the “key Catholic social teaching” on homosexuality and its relation to the “common good.”  By common good is meant “what every human person does affects me and affects everyone else,” said Fr. Hollowell, explaining why students should be concerned about homosexual “marriage” legislation in other states. “The Church sees society as one body, therefore all are affected,” whether we realize it or not.

Defending the citadel of marriage from those whose unbridled sexuality brings frustration, anxiety and disillusionment

 

 

 

 

 

It is one of those strange contradictions of the liberals that they change their position when it suits them.

It was back in the sixties when they began their brutal attack on marriage. Feminists hated the institution because they said it enslaved them. Sexual liberation was to be extended to all consenting parties.

Everything was done to take away the prestige and esteem of this cherished institution. Soon it became fashionable for couples simply to live together. The results are well known.

The institution of marriage has suffered immense damage. We see the consequences of free love in the proliferation of single-parent households, no-fault divorce, abortion, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and deviant sexual lifestyles of all sorts.

The only way marriage could valiantly defend itself was by not yielding and insisting that it remain a permanent union of exclusion admitting no others. Brave husbands and wives have resisted the free love onslaught of the sexual revolution and, although battered by the cultural war, the sacred standard of marriage still waves from the citadel despite everything.

Now it seems those who were so anti-marriage have become pro-marriage.

When marriage becomes an insurmountable obstacle for the sexual revolutionary agenda of free love, liberals have no problem of trying to turn marriage into an institution to promote their agenda in the form of same-sex “marriage.”

That is why the same people who promote the whole range of sexual revolutionary positions can now be found extolling the wonders of same-sex “marriage.”

 

When marriage becomes an insurmountable obstacle for the sexual revolutionary agenda of free love, those same people who were so anti-marriage, now promote their agenda in the form of same-sex “marriage.”

Those same people who called marriage enslaving in the sixties, now insist upon their “right to marry” today.

They have not changed their positions on abortion, contraception, divorce or free love. They still enthusiastically support these anti-marriage positions. We will find these liberals fleeing from chastity, abstinence, modesty and virginity like bats flee from light.

However, they take this new position because they know that, as long as the sacred standard of indissoluble marriage waves from the citadel, society recognizes the fact that morality still exists.

As long as a morality still is perceived to exist, the agenda of free love suffers restraint which they find unbearable.

That is why they want to destroy the citadel not from outside marriage but from within. They seek to tear away the bonds of exclusivity that makes marriage what it is. That exclusivity that marked marriage as a fruitful and permanent union of one man and one woman now must become inclusive and sterile.

It is in the nature of the unbridled passions to accept no restraints and decry all morality. Thus, the new “defenders” of marriage will not be happy until the sacred standard of indissoluble marriage is wrenched down and the rainbow flag is hoisted in its place.

They will not be happy until any and all sexual relationships, “genders” and lifestyles are accepted. That is to say, they will never be happy because unbridled sexuality never brings happiness but only frustration, anxiety and disillusionment.

Written by John Horvat II

This saint wrote “the ladder of spiritual perfection”

              March 30 -- St. John Climacus

Palestine was the birthplace of St. John Climacus in 525.  He was well known among his peers for his studious nature and virtuous inclinations. 

Upon turning sixteen, he decided to shun worldly things and to dedicate his life to asceticism by seeking the instruction of the holy hermit, Martyrius. 

His progress was so extraordinary that he earned the title of Scholastic.  When Martyrius died, St. John had spent nineteen years under his tutelage.  Now was the time to embrace the eremitical life at the foot of Mount Sinai where he was regarded as another Moses.

In the fashion of this great Prophet, St. John, through his prayers and mortifications, was able to obtain a relief from the great famine and drought of the time.

His famous work, "The Ladder of Spiritual Perfection", is an excellent work describing all the Christian virtues-a true primer which instructs the religious about how to ascend the Heavenly "ladder".

The following prayer composed by St. John Climacus gives a great insight into the magnitude of his soul:

“My God, I pretend to  nothing upon this earth, except to be so firmly united to You by prayer that to be separated from You may be impossible;  let others desire riches and glory; for my part, I desire but one thing, and that is, to be inseparably united to You, and to place in You alone all my hopes of happiness and repose."

May St. John Climacus grant us the grace of the same sentiments.

The Saint Joseph Caravan for traditional marriage is making an amazing impact

Young TFP volunteers are wrapping up a tour of Maryland, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, where they hold signs and distribute flyers explaining why homosexual “marriage” is harmful to society and must be opposed.

In case you missed the action, here are some of the reports:

• Pro-Homosexuals at Brown University Respond to Peaceful TFP Rally with Violence   – VIDEO Caution!
• Pro-Homosexuals Attempt to Rip TFP Sign in Newport   – VIDEO Caution!
• Defending Traditional Marriage in Providence
• Traditional Marriage Tour Reaches Rhode Island
• Maryland Tour for Traditional Marriage Wraps up with Great Success   – VIDEO
• Victory for God’s Marriage in Maryland   – VIDEO
• Traditional Marriage Tour Stops in Baltimore
• Opposing Same-Sex “Marriage” in Annapolis, Maryland
• TFP Rally Disrupted by Pro-Homosexual Blasphemers Yelling “God is Dead”
       – VIDEO Caution!  This video is troubling
• New Tour for Traditional Marriage in Maryland   – VIDEO

Two mentalities, two worlds, two statues – which one do you prefer?

Option 1: Statue of “Our Lady” in the chapel of the Jesuit run Catholic University of Seattle.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

Abortion advocates and gay marriage defenders get violent at Brown University

Video shot at Brown University shows the extent abortion advocates will go.

http://www.speroforum.com/a/51090/Abortion-advocates-and-gay-marriage-defenders-get-violent-at-Brown-University

Amazing new cure at Lourdes, 56 year old walks again

Nietzsche said: “God is dead.”

Well, the truth is, Nietzsche is dead.

And God is alive and well, and continues prove it with miracles and wonders, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.

Now, we have a new miracle in Lourdes.  A 56 year old man who suffered from a disability in one leg, was miraculously healed after a pilgrimage to the shrine.

The miracle took place in April, 2002.  The man went to Lourdes, where he prayed and drank from the miraculous spring.  He then felt a pain in his damaged leg, then heat, then it was cured.

Eight years after the cure, the doctors involved in the case have said that the cure was immediate and complete.  It was in no way connected to any natural treatment.

Illinois homosexual civil unions threatens to force Catholic Charities out of adoptions

by Kathleen Gilbert

SPRINGFIELD, March 25, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Government officials in Illinois are reconsidering the Catholic Church’s involvement in adoptions after gay activists complained that the Church refuses to give up children to homosexual couples who have obtained a “civil union” under the new civil union law.

An official with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) told the Windy City Times, a gay news service, in a March 9 article that the new civil unions legislation had complicated the state’s relationship with church groups that handle adoption services.

DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe said that an “an ongoing review of all the related legal issues” was in the works.

The Windy City Times claimed that the result of that review “will likely come down to a choice for the agencies involved: Change their policy and allow for openly gay and lesbian people to be licensed as foster parents or lose state funding.”

The development had been anticipated by concerned Church leaders: in November of last year, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago had warned that the civil unions law, if passed, could threaten Catholic and other faith-based adoption services.

“The impact of this legislation on the Church’s social service ministries remains an important and thus far unanswered concern,” the cardinal had said in a statement.

Other faith-based institutions might also be required to provide adoption or foster care services to couples who have entered into a same-sex union, he said.

Joshua Mercer at Headline Bistro notes that Rep. Greg Harris, a cosponsor of the bill and an open homosexual, said George’s concerns were unfounded because the bill, disarmingly named the “Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act,” states it would not “interfere with or regulate the religious practice of any religious body.”

The legislation, signed by Gov. Pat Quinn on January 31, is slated to go into effect June 1.

The Windy City Times reported that the Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS), would likely change its policy against adopting to same-sex couples in order not to risk its contract with the state.

Over 150,000 march for life in Spain

Pro-life march in Spain draws over 150,000 participants

by Rebecca Millette

HazteOir.org

MADRID, Spain, March 28, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An estimated 150,000-plus pro-lifers gathered to celebrate life and protest a new abortion law in Madrid on Sunday.  Hundreds of others marched in over 80 Spanish cities, including Barcelona, Oviedo, Zaragoza and Las Palmas, and internationally on March 25 as part of recognition for the International Day of the Unborn Child.

From little children to teens to grandparents, families walked in the streets in support of a Spanish “manifesto” that calls abortion “a terrible hypocrisy against women” and a “terrible injustice to the children.”  Participants were asked to sign the petition demanding that Spanish laws protect life “at all times and circumstances” and seek to offer true aid to women with unplanned pregnancies.

“Today we are together for a just cause: the defense of human life,” said Dr. Gador Joya, spokesperson for Derecho a Vivre (Right to Live).  “We are here to return to the dignity of the individual at the heart of democracy. We are here, once again, because we do not accept that the life of the most vulnerable is the subject of political experiments.”

Last year in Spain a law went into effect that allows abortion on demand during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and up until 22 weeks gestation in cases of rape, fetal abnormality, and when the mother’s health is at risk.  The law also permits abortion at anytime until birth when the unborn child has a serious or incurable illness, as determined by a medical committee.

“Laws are adopted,” continued Dr. Joya, “and the unjust laws will be repealed. The Spanish Constitution states that everyone has the right to life … We will never accept abortion as an unavoidable fact in a civilized society.”

HazteOir.org

Pro-life marchers protested the law, chanting slogans such as “Yes to life”, “No to abortion”, and “Let me live.”  After speeches, a banner was raised more than 60 meters in the air by 120 colored balloons.  The banner read: “Everyone has the right to life.”

Ignacio Arsuaga, president of HazteOir, an organization that seeks political change through the voice of the people, applauded the participation of the many young people in the march.  “It is wonderful to see how our young people realize and commit to life,” he said.

In a testimony, Dr. Blanca Lopez Ibor, a medical oncologist and pediatrician, explained the beginnings of human life and the physical, psychological and spiritual consequences of abortion on mothers.  She challenged other physicians to speak up for the unborn.

“We have the power of our vote,” said Dr. Joya, ”the scientific, legal and moral right on our side.”

Stunning discovery: this company is using aborted fetal cells line in food enhancement tests!

Biotech company using cell lines from aborted babies in food enhancement testing

by Rebecca Millette

LARGO, Florida, March 29, 2011 (www.LifeSiteNews.com) – Pepsico, Kraft Foods, Campbell Soup, Solae and Nestlé are among the corporations partnered with a biotech company found using aborted fetal cell lines to test food flavor enhancers, according to a pro-life watchdog group. 

The internationally recognized biotech company, Senomyx, boasts innovation and success in “flavour programs” designed to reduce MSG, sugar and salt in food and beverage products.  Senomyx notes their collaborators provide them research and development funding plus royalties on sales of products using their flavor ingredients.

Pro-life watchdog group, Children of God for Life (CGL), has called upon the public to target the major corporations in a boycott, unless the company ceases to use aborted fetal cell lines in their product testing.

“Using isolated human taste receptors,” the Senomyx website claims, “we created proprietary taste receptor-based assay systems that provide a biochemical or electronic readout when a flavor ingredient interacts with the receptor.”

“What they do not tell the public is that they are using HEK 293 – human embryonic kidney cells taken from an electively aborted baby to produce those receptors,” stated Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director for CGL, the watch dog group that has been monitoring the use of aborted fetal material in medical products and cosmetics for years.

“They could have easily chosen COS (monkey) cells, Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, insect cells or other morally obtained human cells expressing the G protein for taste receptors,” Vinnedge added.

Responses from major corporations to CGL’s letter campaign succeeded in warning the pro-life watchdog that these companies would need significant public pressure to admit involvement in and convince them of the need to change Senomyx’s unethical testing methods.

After three letters, Nestlé finally admitted the truth about their relationship with Senomyx, noting the cell line was “well established in scientific research”.

Pepsico wrote: “We hope you are reassured to learn that our collaboration with Senomyx is strictly limited to creating lower-calorie, great-tasting beverages for consumers. This will help us achieve our commitment to reduce added sugar per serving by 25% in key brands in key markets over the next decade and ultimately help people live healthier lives.”

Campbell Soup was more concerned in their response: “Every effort is made to use the finest ingredients and develop the greatest selection of products, all at a great value. With this in mind, it must be said that the trust we have cultivated and developed over the years with our consumers is not worth compromising to cut costs or increase profit margins.”

“If enough people voice their outrage and intent to boycott these consumer products, it can be highly effective in convincing Senomyx to change their methods”, Vinnedge noted.  “Otherwise, we will be buying Coca-Cola, Lipton soups and Hershey products!”

To contact the companies:

Kent Snyder, CEO
Senomyx
4767 Nexus Centre Drive
San Diego, California 92121
Edmund M. Carpenter, CEO
Campbell Soup
1 Campbell Place
Camden, NJ 08103-1701

Paul Bulcke, CEO
Nestlé USA
800 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203
Jamie Caulfield, Sr.VP
PepsiCo, Inc.
700 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577

Irene Rosenfeld, CEO
Kraft Foods/Cadbury Chocolate
Three Lakes Drive
Northfield, IL 60093

Mr. Torkel Rhenman Chief Executive Officer
Solae
4300 Duncan Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63110

This saint saved Antioch from the Saracen scourge by urging the Catholics to turn to prayer and penance

                  March 29  --- St. Berthold

St. Berthold was ordained in Paris, France in the 12th century. During the Crusades, St. Berthold was instrumental in saving Antioch from the Saracen scourge by encouraging the Christians to turn to prayer and penance.

Seeing the need for consolidation, St. Berthold gathered the hermits of Palestine into a community settling on Mt. Carmel. 

There he built and dedicated a monastery and church in honor of the prophet Elias.  This became the Carmelite Order, deriving its rule by the example of the way of life practiced by our saint, who became its first superior ruling for forty-five years.

God speaks differently to people.  It is necessary to be open to the grace in which we find ourselves.  St. Berthold saw a need and immediately put his hand to the task of fulfilling it.  The seed he planted grew into the great Carmelite order with all it abundant fruits. 

Let us ask St. Berthold to help us to plant well in our souls the graces that Our Lady wishes to give

Homosexual activists have pressured Apple to pull an iPhone app that has links to resources that help people suffering from same-sex attraction

Sign the petition to Apple asking them to
restore the iPhone app that
unmasks the myth that “homosexuality is genetic.”

Radical homosexual activists are using words like “hateful and bigoted” to describe an iPhone application that helps people overcome unwanted same-sex attraction.

The app was created by Exodus International, a ministry of ex-homosexuals, which offers links to the ministry’s news, blog, podcasts and other social networking and resource materials.

The app was approved by Apple and even received a 4+ rating for not having anything offensive, and it even could be found at Apple’s online iTunes stores.

Angry homosexual activists have pressured Apple to cancel the app from Exodus International, and they claim to have already gathered over 100,000 signatures against the app.

That’s why it’s important for Apple to hear from God fearing people who know that homosexuality is not genetic, that same-sex attraction can be overcome, as can any disorderly passion.

Sign the petition to Apple, asking them to restore the homosexual cure app.   

Exodus International suffers intense pressure and harassment from homosexual activists because, by their very existence, they prove that homosexuality is not genetic.  To the contrary, homosexual sin is a choice.

According to news reports, a similar petition from homosexual activists last year was successful in getting an app for the Manhattan Declaration canceled for being “hate filled” because it supported traditional marriage.

This is wrong and we cannot allow that type of thing to happen again.

God-fearing people cannot allow homosexual activists to impose their radical agenda upon the rest of society.

Sign the petition to Apple

For more information on this issue, please see:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/apple-pulls-ex-gay-app-after-complaints-from-gay-activists

Riots in London over cuts, anarchists battle police, casualties mount

This is not Tahrir Square in Cairo.  It’s Trafalgar Square in London.

But the anarchists are turning London into a nightmare.  See more here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370053/TUC-anti-spending-cuts-protest-200-arrested-500k-march-cut.html

Curiously, the BBC had sided with the anarchists, and has marched with the rioters. 

And do you know what? 

Our American tax dollars will soon be funneled to finance the BBC.

Read about it here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/20/bbc-world-service-us-funding

Awesome pro-life victory in the Philippines

Population control ‘RH Bill’ fails to pass in Philippines

by Patrick B. Craine

Despite tsunami warnings, thousands rally against ‘reproductive health’ bill in Philippines

Critics of Philippines population control bill could be jailed for six months

Filipino bishops ‘willing to be imprisoned’ to protest anti-life bill

MANILA, Philippines, March 28, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After an organized campaign of rallies, prayer vigils, and education initiatives, pro-lifers in the Philippines are celebrating the fact that the Filipino government’s controversial “reproductive health” bill failed to pass this spring by the end of the legislative session in the House of Representatives.

However, they are warning that the bill is not dead, and will likely be taken up in the next session, which begins in May.

“All of the wealthy NGOs who saw this as their best chance to pass the RH bill are discouraged that they still don’t have a majority in this pro-life, pro-family country,” said Rene Bullecer, MD, country director for Human Life International (HLI) Philippines. “Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent, but they have not been able to overcome the power of truth and of prayer. Still, we know that they will not give up and that their pockets are bottomless, so we still have lots of work to do before the next session begins.”

Various incarnations of the RH bill, which promotes population control through abortifacient contraception and sterilization, have been advanced for over a decade through a persistent, aggressive, and well-funded campaign by Filipino legislators and activists.  The bill has been heavily promoted recently by Western non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who were furiously campaigning for its passage during “National Women’s Month.”

But the bill, which has also been called the “Responsible Parenthood” bill, has been denounced unanimously by every pro-life and pro-family organization in the Philippines.  Pro-lifers have organized numerous large marches across the country, including one in Manila last month that drew over 50,000.

The pro-life response has been led by the nation’s influential Catholic bishops, who have urged the government to promote moral measures such as natural family planning.  They have warned that the bill will enshrine a contraceptive mentality that will eventually lead to abortion.

Amidst threats that pro-lifers could be imprisoned for not obeying the bill’s dictates, some bishops have even called for “civil disobedience” should the bill pass.

“The arrogance of sterile Western elites trying to tell Filipinos how to be ‘responsible parents’ is truly stunning,” said Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula, interim president of Human Life International. “But Christians are united against the bill. The Catholic Church is seeing strong leadership from its bishops and priests, and they are standing united with fellow Christians around the Philippines. They realize the mortal threat that the RH bill represents to their families and their future, and the more that people learn about it, the more vehemently they oppose it.”

“This is definitely a victory for life and family,” added Msgr. Barreiro. “But it is only temporary—it is not the end of the war. We and our partners will continue to grow the opposition to this destructive bill.”

Jesuit Run Marquette University to offer domestic partner benefits

A few months ago, we moved a national protest against Marquette University for the hiring of former U. S. Senator Russ Feingold to teach a course about law and the US Senate.

Feingold's pro-abortion, pro-homosexual voting record as a US Senator is a public fact. He also approved partial birth abortion and voted against prayer in schools.

You are invited to:

Sign emergency e-protest message to Marquette

Now, we learn that Marquette will offer domestic partner benefits. Read the full story here:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/118626194.html

What’s next?

ACLU Founder: “Communism is the goal”

ACLU founder Roger Baldwin wrote:

I am for socialism, disarmament, and, ultimately, for abolishing the state itself… I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and the sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.

In 1931, just eleven years after the ACLU’s inception, the US Congress convened a Special House Committee to Investigate Communist Activities. On the ACLU it reported:

The American Civil Liberties Union is closely affiliated with the communist movement in the United States, and fully 90 percent of its efforts are on behalf of communists who have come into conflict with the law. It claims to stand for free speech, free press and free assembly, but it is quite apparent that the main function of the ACLU is an attempt to protect the communists.

Please see the full story here at  Catholic Lane:

http://catholiclane.com/aclu-‘communism-is-the-goal’/

Abortion facility tries to stop pro-life video with real abortion footage

by Peter Smith

LANSING, Michigan (LifeSiteNews.com) – A late-term abortion chain has threatened to sue the pro-life Center for Bio-ethical Reform for copyright infringement, because it juxtaposed the clinic’s promotional video with real video of an abortion being performed.

Pro-life blogger Jill Stanek reports that the Northland Family Planning Centers in Michigan are none too pleased that footage of a late-term baby being actually dismembered has been spliced with shots from their advertizing video about how “everyday good women” get abortions.

The CBR video is entitled “The Most Shocking (graphic imagery), Four Minute, Abortion Debate You Will Ever See” and has been posted since January at Pro-lifeTube.com  [Warning: Extremely Graphic]

A description below the CBR video explains: “This Angel of Light video combats the lies of Northland Family Planning with the horrible visual truth of what abortion is and does to a living baby.”

Stanek says that Northland’s attorneys have sent a cease-and-desist letter to CBR, alleging that posting the video violated U.S. digital copyright laws, because Northland holds the registered copyright to the “Everyday Good Women Choose Abortion” footage. The March 18 letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP warns that they could face civil penalties of $150,000 for each posting and potential criminal liability as well.

“Northland is a late-term abortion chain of 3 mills in Michigan that aborts babies up to 24 weeks old. CBR merely showed what that looks like. I thought truth in advertising was a good thing?” remarked Stanek.

The Thomas More Law Center, a Palo Alto-based public interest firm, is representing CBR and told the firm representing Northland that they would be happy to bring the matter to court. The letter from TMLC senior trial counsel Robert Muise asserted that the Northland material in the CBR video fulfills the “fair use” doctrine in US copyright law, and warned Northland would be “reckless” to follow through on “hollow threats to sue them.”

CBR’s Gregg Cunningham explained in a lengthy email quoted by Stanek that they were just giving viewers an opportunity to see what happens “down the hall” from the rosy clinic office of the Northland narrator.

“Without saying a word, we simply show viewers the reality which Northland’s narrator struggles to distort. Is abortion an expression of ‘love’ or a vicious act of violence?”

Cunningham said viewers must decide whether to believe what they hear “or what they see – with their own eyes.”

Read the full details here at JillStanek.com

Ottawa Catholic university to host abortion activist

by Patrick B. Craine

OTTAWA, Ontario, March 25, 2011 (www.LifeSiteNews.com) - A research centre at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, a Catholic university with a pontifical charter, will host a keynote next week by the head of Amnesty International Canada - a group denounced by bishops and pro-life groups after taking up the campaign for abortion in recent years.

Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, will speak Wednesday at an event launching the university’s Conflict Research Centre.  The talk is entitled ‘Resolving and Preventing Conflict: The ‘Rights’ Way’.

In June 2010, Neve specifically called for abortion in the Canadian government’s G8 maternal health initiative on the basis of “human rights.”

“The government’s unequivocal statement that the maternal health initiative will not include funding for abortion services is deeply disappointing and fails to ground the initiative in a clear human rights framework,” he said.

Although Amnesty International (AI) was founded to defend those imprisoned for political crimes, they made the highly controversial decision in 2007 to add the legalization of abortion to their list of “human rights” demanded of foreign countries.

In 2009, this led them to launch an international campaign against Nicaragua, calling the country’s legal protections for children in the womb a “great horror,” “cruel,” and “cynical.”

The same year, they called on Mexico to force doctors to commit abortions on rape victims.

In the fall of 2010, they demanded the legalization of abortion throughout Latin America.  “The penalization of abortion denies to pregnant women and children the medical attention they need,” the organization wrote in a press release.

Given that AI was founded by a lay Catholic, and has often been supported by the Church, their turn to abortion advocacy has prompted loud denunciations from Catholic leaders throughout the world, including the national bishops’ conferences in Canada and the U.S.

In 2006, after LifeSiteNews revealed that AI was mulling the change, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops decried the impending policy change, saying AI’s abortion advocacy “would make it difficult for Catholics to continue supporting the work of Amnesty International.”

The next year, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, went further.  “I believe that, if in fact Amnesty International persists in this course of action, individuals and Catholic organizations must withdraw their support, because, in deciding to promote abortion rights, AI has betrayed its mission.”

LifeSiteNews did not hear back from St. Paul’s by press time.

Contact Information:

Conflict Research Centre
Saint Paul University
223 Main Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 1C4
Canada
Telephone: +1 613 236 1393, ext. 2519
Fax: +1 613 751 4028
Email: crc@ustpaul.ca

Milwaukee pro-life sidewalk counselor vindicated: charges dropped

by John-Henry Westen

MILWAUKEE, March 24, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Today in a Milwaukee municipal court, charges were dropped against a pro-life counselor who was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct last August.

James Marcou, a veteran sidewalk counselor, was charged after two clinic escorts at the Affiliated Women’s Heath Center claimed he was disorderly and obstructed free access to the abortion facility by striking a “clinic escort.”

“James Marcou can now carry on his life-saving work without this criminal charge hanging over his head,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, which represented Marcou. 

The charges were dropped after the key witness in the case failed to appear this morning to testify at an initial hearing.

Brejcha said that he learned that the witness, who was a regular clinic “escort” and who was known to pro-lifers as Gwynn, “gave police a false name – Steve Smith – and was subpoenaed to appear by that name. 

“No wonder he didn’t show up, as not only his name but also the rest of his story was falsified, and the whole truth would have come out clearly.”

On the day of his arrest last summer, Marcou was standing outside the Affiliated Women’s Health Center in Milwaukee making a video recording of peaceable sidewalk counseling and pro-life presence outside the clinic. One of the “clinic escorts” at the Health Center tried to block his view, moving back and forth as Marcou stepped from one side to the other to avoid any conflict.

According to the Thomas More Society, the escort – Gwynn – persisted, lurched at Marcou and forced him into a brick wall. When the police arrived they interviewed the escorts inside the clinic, but they reportedly omitted to ask any of the pro-lifers for their side of the story.

“The police should have investigated all the facts before filing these false charges.  Indeed, charges of assault and battery should have been filed against the clinic workers. Instead, Milwaukee police and city prosecutors charged the innocent pro-lifer,” said Brejcha. “Our client has been vindicated and Milwaukee authorities have been put on notice to chase criminals, not life savers.”

This saint was the iron rod of resistance at the siege of Belgrade

                  March 28 -- St. John of Capistrano

The city of Capistrano in Naples, Italy has the honor of calling St. John a native son. He was born there in 1386, became a famous jurist and , at 26, governor of that city. Disillusioned by the ways of the world, St. John entered the Franciscan Monastery of Monte. 

He had the singular blessing of being influenced by Blessed Mark of Bergamo, St. Bernadine of Siena, and St. James of the Marches. With their support and with the support of four Popes, St. John reformed his Order, led a Crusade, evangelized in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Poland.

Tens of thousands of pagans, heretics, and Jews were converted by his oratory.  In addition, he fought zealously against the Hussite heresy.  When the Muslims conquered Constantinople, St. John preached a Crusade to exhort Catholics to resist the infidels. 

In Belgrade, he encouraged 40,000 Catholic soldiers to pray and fight until victory was theirs. He accompanied them in all the attacks and maneuvers , taking unheard of risks.  Belgrade was saved. 

The saint that Pope Pius II described as, "small, dry, old, thin, wasted, nothing but skin and bones...", stalled the Turkish invasion and saved Europe by his bravery.  A few months later, at seventy years old, St. John was called to Heaven.

Let us ask St. John to help us in our daily combats.

If sin prevails for a long time, it is bound to produce such conditions in the social order as make certain calamities unavoidable...

Nor is it always necessary that God send such chastisement for public sins, as He sent the deluge or the destruction of Jerusalem. 

There are many sins which contain in themselves the gigantic oak. 

If such sins prevail for a sufficiently long time, unchecked and unrepented, they are bound to produce such conditions in the social order as make certain calamities unavoidable.

Take, for example, the sin of godless education, that is, education of youth without religion. 

Where such a system has been adopted, the necessary results must be the following: After two or three generations the knowledge of God will disappear more or less completely among the people, the sense of right and wrong will be lost; good will be called evil and evil good; there will be no respect for the moral law; the depravity of youth will grow worse and worse; dishonesty and corruption will prevail in business, in the courts, in the legislature, and in the government itself; taxes will be misappropriated or disappear in the pockets of grafters; heavy expenses will be necessary to maintain the growing number of asylums, juvenile courts, reform schools and prisons; there will be no security to honor property and life; the relations between capital and labor will be strained to the breaking point, so that  violence and bloodshed will become inevitable; family life will be disrupted by adultery, divorce and free love; national rivalries, jealousies and hatreds, provoked by commercial greed, grow more and more intense, until they lead to international wars with their unspeakable misery to millions. 

Nations that sow the whirlwind must reap the storm.

(Father Remler, Why Must I Suffer?)

This is why God allows natural disasters and terrible suffering

Public and national sins must be expiated in this world for the very simple reason that they cannot be expiated in the next.

In the world to come families, cities, provinces and nations will have no continued corporate existence. 

There, men and women will exist merely as individuals, without being united by those social, civil, political and national bonds which are necessary in this life for the welfare and preservation of the human race. 

In eternity, they will individually enjoy the fruits of their life on earth – the good will possess the kingdom of God in heaven, while the wicked shall suffer for their evil deeds in the unquenchable fires of hell. 

But as public sins require public expiation, and this expiation cannot be made in this next life, it is clear that it must be made on this side of the grave.

(From Father Remler, Why must I suffer?)

Restore the “homosexual sin is not genetic” apps – PETITION

 

 

 

 

 

As we know, homosexual sin is not genetic!  That’s why homosexual activists have pressured Apple to pull an iPhone app that has links to resources that help people suffering from same-sex attraction.  

And because of that pressure, Apple has caved in and pulled the “homosexual sin is not genetic” apps!

Sign the protest to Apple asking them to restore the iPhone app that unmasks the “homosexuality is genetic” myth.

Recently, radical homosexual activists are using words like “hateful and bigoted” to describe an iPhone app that helps people overcome unwanted same-sex attraction.

The app was created by Exodus International, a ministry of ex-homosexuals, which offers links to the ministry’s news, blog, podcasts and other social networking and resource materials.

The app was originally approved by Apple with a 4+ rating indicating that there was nothing offensive in it and even had been sold at Apple’s online iTunes stores, until now.
Angry homosexual activists pressured Apple to cancel the app from Exodus International and they allege to have already gathered over 100,000 signatures against the app.

That’s why it’s important that Apple hear from God-fearing people who know that homosexuality is not genetic, that same-sex attraction can be overcome, as can any disorderly passion.

Sign the protest to Apple, asking them to restore the homosexual cure app.  

Exodus International suffers intense pressure and harassment from homosexual activists because, by their very existence, they prove that homosexuality is not genetic.  To the contrary, homosexual sin is a choice.

According to news reports, a similar petition from homosexual activists last year was successful in getting an app for the Manhattan Declaration canceled for being “hate filled” because it supported traditional marriage.

This is wrong and we cannot allow this type of thing to happen again.

God-fearing people cannot allow homosexual activists to impose their radical agenda upon the rest of society.

Sign the petition to Apple

For more information on this issue, please see:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/apple-pulls-ex-gay-app-after-complaints-from-gay-activists

The coming era of peace, triumph of Our Lady as foretold by two great Marian saints

In the 17th century, Saint Louis de Montfort foretold the coming of an era of glory of triumph of Holy Mother Church over evil, all done by Our Lady’s intervention:

“She will work the wondrous things that will happen in the latter times; the formation and the education of the great saints who will come at the end of the world are reserved to her ... They will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.

“With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness. With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon and the mystical city of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Fathers of the Church the Temple of the true Solomon and the mystical City of God... The salvation of the world began through Mary and through her it must be accomplished.”

St. Maximilian Kolbe, also mentions the same thing:

“The Immaculate one will become Queen of the whole world and of each and every soul ... mankind will draw as close as possible to happiness on this earth, anticipating that happiness for which each of us already naturally tends; that is, that limitless happiness in God, in Paradise.”

Consider the tsunami a warning from God

Americans are still stunned about the tragic earthquake and tsunami which occurred in Japan last week. Let's pray that the Japanese people have the spiritual strength and courage to deal with this sad and tragic event.

Americas naturally feel compassion for the victims of any natural disaster. However, most Americans really don't understand why tragedies like this occur. The science community would like us to think that events like this are caused by "Mother Nature." They leave out the fact that God is the cause and effect of the laws of nature.

So, why does God allow catastrophes like this to happen? First we have to understand the connection between the effects of sin and the natural law. There is a correlation between the moral law and the natural laws of God, and when man disobeys the moral law it causes disruption and turmoil in the laws of nature. God is the creator of all things that exist, and the laws that govern man and the universe are not independent from the One that made them. They exist because God created them.

Mankind is disregarding the fact that in all sectors of our society immorality has reached unprecedented proportions.

More devastating than the natural disasters that have recently occurred, is the "tsunami of immorality" which continually floods the world today. It has caused an unprecedented amount of divorces, abortions, and laws that favor and promote homosexuality.

And worse than that, there is an unrelenting campaign of blasphemies and ridicule against God and all things sacred. Even our judicial laws are slowly doing away with all references to God and religion by taking them out of the public place and our children's education.

Finally, in regards to the recent events in Japan and so many other natural disasters, one cannot fail to mention the warnings from Our Lady at Fatima in 1917 about the chastisements that would come to humanity if mankind didn't turn away from sin and return to God.

What is the lesson mankind needs to learn from Japan and all of the other worldwide catastrophes that have occurred?

The lesson is that the "prodigal son" must return to the Father's house. God is warning mankind to repent, so they may receive His unlimited love and forgiveness.  For the prophet Isaiah warns us "He who has eyes to see, let him see, and he who has ears to hear, let him hear."

by Walter Camier

This saint’s hand was glued back by Our Lady after the Emperor cut it off

     March 27 --  St. John Damascene             

In the eighth century, Emperor Leo the Isaurian had a campaign to destroy Catholic statues, the beginning of the iconoclast heresy.  St. John Damascene immediately began to defend the Church against this heresy with his prolific writings.  As a result, the Emperor had the saint's hand cut off. 

However, Our Lady appeared to St. John and reattached his hand.  St. John continued his polemics : " As for the Saints who combated for Him, I honor and venerate them, kissing their precious relics.  In the Bible the sacred writer gives an account of the Incarnation of Christ. 

The sculptor pictures the glory of the Church from the first Adam to the birth of Christ.  The writer and artist concur on the same truth.  the Church benefits from both, but you, O heretic, venerate the book and destroy the statue. What an extravagance!"

In other words, St. John points out the inconsistency of a position which wants to destroy statues but allows veneration of the Bible. A literary description is accepted but an artistic rendering is condemned.

Let us ask St. John Damascene to give us the strength to combat the errors of our time.

‘Catholic,’ ‘Christian’ homosexual projects funded by homosexualist billionaire

by Kathleen Gilbert

March 25, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Top ‘gay-rights’ groups claiming to represent Christians and Catholics, and at least one Jesuit-run college, are being funded by a major homosexualist business magnate with the aim of stirring up dissent within the ranks of the church.

In a recent article Thomas Peters, Cultural Director for the National Organization for Marriage and founder of the American Papist blog, revealed the funding sources of various groups that promote acceptance of homosexuality under the guise of representing concerned members of the Judaeo-Christian community.

Groups such as New Ways Ministry, a top group recently condemned by the U.S. Catholic bishops, have received large sums from the Arcus Foundation for the purpose of promoting same-sex “marriage” specifically among Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Jews.

The Arcus Foundation was begun by Jon Stryker, an openly gay billionaire stockholder and a leading supporter of homosexualist initiatives.  A 2006 Salon article points to the influence of gay software millionaire and activist Tom Gill on Stryker. 

“Lisa Turner, political director for Jon Stryker, confirms that Stryker was motivated by the generous and precedent-setting giving of Tim Gill, the openly gay founder of Quark Inc., in 2004,” says the article.

“Proponents of gay marriage are smart – they create organizations to funnel their wealth to the causes they want to see succeed,” wrote Peters, who pointed to the degrees of separation obscuring the relationship between New Ways Ministry and Stryker’s foundation.

The Arcus Foundation’s website also lists several other “Catholic” projects under the heading “Religion and Values.” The listings specifically describe plans to undermine Catholic Church teaching on sexuality from the inside.

For example, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force received $152,625 from the foundation for “a collaborative strategic planning process focused on building a pro-LGBT movement within the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S.” On the Catholic education front, the Jesuit Fairfield University was granted $100,000 to “expand the current discussion on homosexuality within Roman Catholicism to include the diverse opinions of progressive Catholic thought leaders and theologians.”

Pushing acceptance of birth control or abortion among Catholics is also part of the mission of the foundation: the Woman’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual was entrusted with $70,000 to create “a cadre of Catholic lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and their allies that would assume a leadership role within the Catholic community on issues related to gender, sexuality, [and] reproductive health.”

Other funding includes $93,345 to New Ways Ministry, $200,000 to New Ways Dignity USA, and $23,000 for a campaign to attack Catholic teaching on sexuality in tandem with Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States in 2008. (Click here for a full list of Arcus grants.)

According to Peters, if “you add up Arcus giving to other ‘Christian’ outfits, the total since 2007 is a staggering $6,500,000.”

Catholics for Equality is another budding front group aimed at undermining Catholic teaching on homosexuality. In this case, the organization has clear ties to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), one of the country’s most prominent pro-homosexual organizations.

HRC employs or formerly employed three of the five board members of Catholics for Equality. Even gay activist blogger Michael Petrelis noted that the group, launched last year, is “riddled with support from other HRCers” and that the close connection upset the Rainbow Sash Campaign, another homosexualist ‘Catholic’ group.

“Catholics should be outraged that an outside group – which also funds anti-Catholic groups – is funding dissident organizations within the Church to confuse fellow Catholics and undermine our bishops and the teachings they articulate,” said Peters.