7/02/2009
Happy 4th of July!
Give thanks for God’s care over our nation, and pray for the freedom of life this weekend and for those who defend it overseas and here at home!

God bless the USA.

You’re invited a CPLC movie screening!
“Maafa 21: Black Genocide in the 21st Century” is a ground-breaking new documentary exposing the history of abortion and Planned Parenthood’s role in killing off the African-American community one baby at a time.

The CPLC invites you to a special screening on:

Tuesday, July 7
7:00 p.m.
St. Rita’s Catholic Church
Sweeney Lounge
12521 Inwood Rd
Dallas, Texas

The movie runs 2 hrs. and 17 mins. Space is extremely limited, so call 972-267-5433(LIFE) to RSVP or get info on holding a screening at your parish.

Watch the trailer:


Visit the Maafa 21 website for more information about the movie.
6/30/2009
Breaking laws: Alabama Planned Parenthood caught in the act
Undercover UCLA student Lila Rose caught Planned Parenthood in Alabama breaking statutory rape reporting laws. After finding out that a Tennessee Planned Parenthood was breaking similar laws, the state pulled funding earlier this month.

Keep up the good work, Lila and the rest of the Live Action team!

6/25/2009
Pro-Life News Quickies June 25, 2009
Rome, Italy -- Pope Benedict XVI will meet with President Obama while he is in Italy for the G8 summit, a meeting of the world’s wealthiest nations.


Good News: Tennessee Ends Planned Parenthood Funding
State Legislature, Tennessee -- After being exposed by undercover college student Lila Rose for ignoring statutory rape laws in Memphis, state votes to cut $1.1 million in funding.

Catholic Answers sues IRS, alleging ‘intimidation’ on political issues
El Cajon, California -- The apologetics organization Catholic Answers has filed suit against the Internal Revenue Service claiming the federal tax collection agency has “intimidated” churches and non-profit groups into silence on politically controversial moral issues like abortion.

Women's Group Challenges Komen for the Cure to Debate Abortion, Breast Cancer
Washington, D.C. -- A women's group that educates the public on the link between induced abortion and breast cancer is challenging Komen for the Cure to a public debate. Komen has upset pro-life advocates for ignoring the abortion-breast cancer link and giving grants to Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion business.

Scary: Indian woman forced to undergo five abortions by husband and in-laws sues
Ahmedabad, India -- The woman filed a police complaint on Sunday accusing her husband and in-laws of mental and physical torture.
6/18/2009
PETA gets it right, but oh, so wrong
We got a call this morning from Jody, who wanted to let us know that she was outraged by PETA’s statement chastising President Obama for killing a fly during an interview with CNBC yesterday.

Here’s the deal. Alisa Mullins wrote this on the official PETA blog this morning about the fly swatting “He (Obama) isn't the Buddha, he's a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act.”

Translated: Even though he was being taped for national television indoors, Obama should have been humanitarian enough to stop what he was doing, think about the compassion he should have for the life of this fly and all who would be affected by its death, and find a more life-friendly way of dealing with this precious, fragile creature, aka the fly.

That’s all well and good, but if you’re going to scold the President of the United States for not having compassion and a life-friendly attitude toward something, shouldn’t it be for something like, say, I don’t know, a human life or more specifically, the life of an unborn child?

This is where PETA gets it wrong time and time again. Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. I’ve taken in my share of strays (cats, raccoons, opossums), but a line has to be drawn between the life of an animal and the life of a human being. PETA obviously doesn’t get that. I’d like to see them get behind the cause of the most popular mammal on the planet – the human race!

This is what Jody called to tell us. She said she rang up PETA before contacting us to give them a piece of her mind, too. Good point, Jody. Well put.

Oh, the horror.

6/16/2009
Another Chuck Norris joke! Oh, wait, it’s for real.
In a column published on WorldNetDaily.com, tough guy actor Chuck Norris goes through a whole list of reasons “Why Obama scares me, too”, including President Obama’s lack of urgency and understanding for protecting the unborn.


"You [Obama] scare me because you claim to be a fighter for minorities and constitutional promises of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, yet what greater minority can be defended than those in the womb, against whom you have already enacted more pro-abortion-related laws than anyone since Roe v. Wade?"
I have to say this surprised me at first, but way to go Chuck! I guess the column is a warm up before “Law” and “Order” get involved. Ha.

(If you got the joke, thanks for laughing.)

Click here to read the whole column on WorldNetDaily.com
6/12/2009
Pro-Life Blogger named “Worst Person in the World” by Pro-Abort Media Figure
Pro-life blogger Jill Stanek was named “Worst Person in the World” by MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann on June 4. Stanek will be one of our guest speakers at our 2009 Pro-Life Boot Camp in late July.

“…I proudly accept my award. Thank you for the badge of honor, Keith!” Stanek wrote on her blog.



My award comes for supposedly making the supposedly last 2 late-term abortionists in the free world sitting ducks for Tiller copycat killers by posting their addresses and photos of their mills. Never mind that I didn't actually post the addresses of LeRoy Carhart and Warren Hern (see posts here and here), had I done so it would have been akin to posting the address of President Obama and being accused of making him a target for nutcases.

Libs, get a brain. These guys both advertise on the web. They want people to know where they operate, pardon the pun.

Tomorrow Keith had best make Google the 'Worst Search Engine in the World!' for posting a map and directions to Carhart's Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska and Hern's Boulder Abortion Clinic....

Furthermore, Carhart and Hern have enjoyed more positive press in the past 4 days than they've had over the course of their sick and sorry careers, gleefully taking every call from every news organization. Suddenly they're brain-sucking heroes. They love it.


The world needs more “worst” people to stand up for the dignity of life, even if the mainstream media labels you and your readers as wackos. Keep up the good work, Jill.
6/10/2009
CPLC husband and wife welcome baby girl!
Jacquelyn Smith, Catholic Pro-Life Committee (CPLC) Youth for Life Director, and her husband Andrew Smith, CPLC Communications Director, welcomed baby Felicity into the world! Felicity was born at 6 p.m. yesterday, weighing 8.9 lbs—the same as 2-year-old big sister Cecilia.




Thank God for small miracles that happen every day. Hey Smith family, way to keep the pro-life movement alive in your home!
6/03/2009
George Tiller USCCB Statement
The Catholic Pro-Life Committee may or may not put out an official statement about the shooting death of late-term abortionist George Tiller. Until then, we refer to and fully support the statement put out by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on June 1.

WASHINGTON—Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, expressed profound regret upon learning of the shooting death of abortion doctor George Tiller.

"Our bishops' conference and all its members have repeatedly and publicly denounced all forms of violence in our society, including abortion as well as the misguided resort to violence by anyone opposed to abortion," Cardinal Rigali said. "Such killing is the opposite of everything we stand for, and everything we want our culture to stand for: respect for the life of each and every human being from its beginning to its natural end. We pray for Dr. Tiller and his family."

Here’s a great clip from Fr. Frank Pavone from Priests for Life talking about the “Biggest danger" of George Tiller's murder.



5/21/2009
New Polls Show Pro-Lifers are NOT minority
Mainstream media and the Obama Administration would like to make us think we’re the only ones with these views, but according to Pew, Gallup, Fox News and Rasmussen Reports, it turns out we’re the majority.

What Americas say from the latest Rasmussen Report

Abortion is morally wrong most of the time.
58% of Americans agree
25% of Americans disagree

Abortion is morally wrong most of the time.
64% of women agree
51% of men agree

It’s too easy to get an abortion in America.
52% agree
13% say it’s too hard
21% just right

The new Rasmussen poll also asked Americans about the recent decision by the Obama administration to allow 17-year-old girls to purchase the morning after pill without consulting with a doctor or getting parental permission.

66% say 17 year-olds should be required to consult a physician before taking the pill
27% say no

What this might mean:
“New Poll May Reveal 'Obama Effect' on Americans' Abortion Views Says Fr. Pavone”


Read more about…

The Rasmussen Report
“Fourth Poll This Month Shows U.S. Public Opinion Trending Pro-Life on Abortion”

Gallup Poll
“More Americans ‘Pro-Life’ Than ‘Pro-Choice’ for First Time”

Pew Research
“New Pew Poll Shows Support for Legal Abortion Drops to Lowest Level in 15 Years”

Fox News Poll
“Poll: Majority of Americans Are Pro-Life for the First Time”
Notre Dame – The Aftermath: More footage from students’ Alternative Commencement
Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop John D’Arcy speaks at Alternative Commencement Sunday while President Obama’s speaks inside the auditorium.
Funding for Adult Stem Cells Reaches Close Vote in Texas -- Call your Rep. to support!
Yesterday, the Texas Senate passed SB 73 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Lewisville) to create an Adult Stem Cell Research Consortium in Texas. The bill will advance and commercialize adult stem cell research and treatments already being performed at more than 30 locations in Texas, helping to create high-paying jobs and attract top researchers to the state.

With less than two weeks before the State Legislature session ends, the bill still has to be approved by the Texas House of Representatives in order to become a law.

"This bill puts patients first," says Joe Pojman, Ph.D., the executive director of Texas Alliance for Life. "We commend Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst, Senator Nelson, and the Texas Senate. They are moving the state beyond the ethical and practical problems of using embryonic stem cells into the promising world of adult stem cell treatments that have already saved thousands of lives."

(see previous blog entry on difference between embryonic and adult stem cells and the Church’s position)

"Because adult stem cells treatments are highly effective and do not harm the donor, we strongly support the state's continued investment in this promising medical technology. No treatments are available using embryonic stem cells," Pojman adds.

Texas Alliance for Life has produced a series of four videos in support of SB 73 that feature Texans successfully treated in Texas using adult stem cells. Their conditions include sickle cell anemia, heart disease, cancer, and debilitating joint injury.

UT Swimmer Competing in Record Time After Injury Thanks to Adult Stem Cells



Leukemia-Free for Ten Years Thanks to Adult Stem Cells!



Heart attack victim healed by Adult stem cells



Adult stem cells cure Dallas boy of sickle cell anemia




Do something!
Call your Texas State Representative and tell them that you want them to support SB 73. Don’t know your Rep? Use your zip code to look them up at http://www3.capwiz.com/afanet/dbq/officials/ .


Sample phone or email message:
My name is ________. I live at ________. I am a constituent, and I want Representative _________ to support SB 73.

Taking two minutes to make a phone call could help save the lives of hundreds of Texans!

5/19/2009
Notre Dame - The Aftermath: Breaking down the controversy
You have to give President Barack Obama credit for one thing. The man knows how to put on a show. That’s exactly what he did during his speech at the Notre Dame commencement Sunday.

My reaction to watching the footage of the most pro-abortion president our nation has ever had stand up at a Catholic institution, address a packed Catholic audience, and receive thunderous applause and a standing ovation, was, I’m sure, a lot like every faithful Catholic’s reaction. It was enough to make my stomach turn.

Why this is important:
A. Despite his good looks and good PR, most of President Obama’s ideology on life and family issues is in direct contrast to Catholic Church teaching.

B. Notre Dame is supposedly “the premier Catholic university of America.”

The Wrong Message: If the premier Catholic university of America is letting a pro-abortion president have the podium and giving him an honorary degree, this looks like the Catholic Church is saying “It’s okay. Our values on life are really not that important. You’re right. We should move along with the times and embrace what the culture is telling us about accepting abortion. We’ve been so foolish to hold on to our antiquated teachings. Thank you President Obama for coming and opening our eyes to the whole truth.”

It produces columns like this Editorial: Obama deftly calms culture war passions that get it completely wrong.

What the media doesn’t get:
The Catholic Church is NOT a popularity contest. Pope Benedict is not going to change the teachings of the Catholic Church just because people call him names and say they hate him. Jesus was hated, Jesus was persecuted. He told us that the Church and those who stand by her will also be persecuted. Most of the apostles were martyrs for sticking by Christ’s teachings. And 2,000 years later, as faithful Catholics and disciples, we are also called to continue to stand by those teachings, no matter what mainstream society says.

Protection for the dignity of life from conception to natural death is and will always be the teaching of the Church. People who stand up for these rights are not “radicals,” they’re faithful.

Why “fair-minded words” aren't working:
A president with a mind truly on uniting not dividing would not have taken this invitation to Notre Dame. President Obama ignored the protests of over 350,000 American citizens to not come to Notre Dame. He also ignored the almost 70 Catholic bishops who voiced their opposition. He even met with Chicago Cardinal Francis George for a 30-minute sit down, at the end of which Cardinal George said Obama was on the “wrong side of history,” and “not as hopeful now as I was when he was first elected” at finding common ground.

A similar situation went down when Pope Benedict XVI met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in February this year after Pelosi, a self-proclaimed “Catholic” gave incorrect public statements about the teachings of the Catholic Church and abortion.

We should never give up hope on conversion and working to build positive conversations with our opponents, but it seems like it just goes in one ear and out the other with the Obama Administration.

Why this is just the beginning:
If a pro-abortion president can garner a standing ovation from a speech at a Catholic university’s graduation, there’s no telling where this could go.

What we do know is this is definitely a game-changer.
Notre Dame – The Aftermath: Looking at those who said ‘No’
As President Obama was descending from Air Force One, Norma McCorvy, the original “Roe” from Roe vs. Wade spoke out against Obama’s presence at the formally premier Catholic university of America.




Catholic talk radio host Laura Ingraham brings to light President Obama’s fierce pro-abortion record and talks about what it means to be a real Catholic on this issue.




Sue Syr, a Dallas/Fort Worth sidewalk counselor and mother, is interviewed by FOX News on Sunday before the President speaks at graduation commencement.


5/18/2009
Notre Dame – The Aftermath: The ‘Alternative’ to dissention
Here’s what you missed this weekend in case you couldn’t go to South Bend, Indiana for the peaceful protests against President Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame University.

Notre Dame University seniors who decided not to attend their commencement ceremony in protest of the university's decision to grant President Barack Obama an honorary law degree instead held a meditation in the university's grotto to coincide with the official commencement.

ND Response, the student-led coalition who planed the meditation, said Notre Dame should not be honoring a political figure who supports abortion and stem cell research. Watch the video.


The meditation was led by Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, as part of a two-day rally officially sanctioned by the university.

Read Fr. Frank Pavone’s “My Day at Notre Dame”

Fort Wayne-South Bend bishop Rev. John D'Arcy, led a candlelight prayer vigil for graduating seniors and their families to pray for an end to abortion and embryo research.

And at least one Catholic priest was arrested.

5/14/2009
Report of Spanish Marriage Congress
From the CPLC Director of Spanish Ministry, Aurora Tinajero.

I wanted to give you a report regarding this weekend's Marriage Congress that was co-sponsored by Spanish Ministry and Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish. It was a historic event that covered the essential elements to truly transform the culture of death to a culture of life and to promote and defend the family as God intended it to be. There were couples from many different parishes in attendance.

Father Wilmer Daza and I, along with a team of volunteers from both his parish and Spanish Ministry, planned this event not really knowing what the response would be in light of the fact that within the Spanish-speaking community, there are two extremes, those who hold on to the traditional style of marriage and family, and those who have adopted living together and contracepting as a way of life. Our invitation was aimed at the latter, since they were the ones who needed to hear our message. We understood that we were taking a risk because they are also the ones who don't want to hear it.

We registered the limit of 100 couples, but by the afternoon session, we had couples show up who had been invited by the morning couples to come to hear what was being presented. We decided to not turn anyone away. So our morning session was full and our afternoon session was even fuller.

Couples stood in the back and in the aisles taking in every word that was shared by the speakers. I was the MC of the event and the speakers were Father Wilmer (our 2006 Pro-life Pastor of the Year), Martha Garza (an NFP-only OB-GYN from San Antonio and nationally known speaker), and Adolfo Castaneda (who is the "Defend Life" radio show host on EWTN Global Radio and studied the Theology of the Body at the Angelicum in Rome).

Adolfo covered two very important topics to set the tone of the event, "The Mystery of the Creation of Man and Woman," and, "The Spousal Nature of the Human Body."

Father Wilmer covered "Marriage: A Sacrament or a Free Union," and Martha covered, "The Physical and Spiritual Effects of Contraception" and "NFP - The Effective and Prudent Methods." She explained the risks of each artificial method with a powerful powerpoint presentation and she gave a basic understanding of how each of the NFP methods work. It was an extraordinary presentation. The couples asked that we please waive the breaks and instead just continue with the presentations - they didn't want the speakers to stop!

During the lunch break, we videotaped different couples talking about their relationships and we were truly impressed with their openness and transparency.The last hour before our closing Mass, we had a panel discussion and one of the questions was whether or not they wanted to continue having these types of events and how often, once or twice a year. They yelled "three or more!" Dr. Martha and Adolfo said it was one of their favorite congresses (Martha said it made her want to move to Dallas!) and Father Wilmer was very moved by the end hearing the couples express their gratitude for the congress.

This event showed me that through these types of formational teachings, we can help eliminate many of the evils that are threatening life and family in these difficult times. It was very, very hard work but I want to thank Edith and Sam, Laura, Omar and his parents, and the rest of SM volunteers, for faithfully serving in so many ways. You guys truly saved the day! I think we all agree it was more than worth being so tired you can't take another step to see what God can do when we obey Him!

We plan to take the event to other parishes - Father Eduardo from the Cathedral already asked to host the next one.
Awesome: Fr. Pavone tells Notre Dame grads: "Don't Show up!"
"Hundreds of thousands of Catholics, hundreds of priests, and dozens of bishops have called upon Notre Dame to end this scandal by withdrawing its invitation to President Obama. The result of that demand is not in our control. But one final response to this scandal is fully in the control of each graduating senior: don’t show up."

" . . . the fact that many don't have a problem with Barack Obama sitting in a place of honor at a Catholic Commencement is simply a corollary of the underlying problem that so many don't have a problem with Barack Obama sitting in the White House."

Read the whole thing here.

Labels:

5/13/2009
'Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public' says former abortionist
Hillary Clinton May Have Misled Congress on Brazil Botched Abortion Claims

Read the full story from Lifenews.com


In a statement sent to LifeNews.com, Smith said he wasn't surprised that Clinton may have exaggerated what she saw.

“This is part of a longstanding problem of abortion advocates making unverifiable and/or bogus statements about abortion data and then using the information to try and craft bad policy," he said. "Pro-abortion activists have a long history of making these type of unsubstantiated claims. That’s how they drive policy—with gross exaggeration of numbers, hyperbole and junk science."

Smith says he is reminded of the comments of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a former abortion practitioner and director of NARAL, who is now pro-life.

While Nathanson "told the media that 10,000 women were dying from illegal abortions in the U.S. every year, he later admitted this was all lies. Nathanson said the actual figure of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually."

Nathanson was quoted as saying: “Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public."
5/08/2009
Video: Fr. Corapi speaks out against Obama at Notre Dame
Fr. Corapi, a powerful speaker known for his radical conversion, posted this video to Youtube yesterday.


In addition to thanking those who signed the petition against Obama coming to Notre Dame, Fr. Corapi thanks the almost 70 Bishops who have already taken a stand, commending them for their leadership and giving Catholics hope. Here's some of what he said.

“No president in history has been so damaging for the cause for respect for life as this one [President Barack Obama], and it’s only just begun…This man, the University of Notre Dame invites in to receive an honorary doctorate degree and deliver the commencement address?

Whether intended or not, this sends a terrible message to the Catholic world and to the world at large. A picture is worth a thousand words. Which thousand words will be articulated to an already morally relativistic culture by the picture of Mr. Obama receiving such honors from a Catholic university? Metaphorically and morally, it’s like shooting yourself in the foot.

So, Notre Dame limps on.

Many of you did what you could to prevent this travesty from actually happening. I want to sincerely thank the more than 350,000 that signed the petition of protest making a singular public statement against Notre Dame’s obvious lack of good judgment that not only dilutes the university’s Catholic credibility and identity but undermines the authentically Catholic identity and credibility of the Church in this county. ..

If indeed we choose prestige over principle and popularity over morality, then we become part of the problem not part of the solution…

Pray for the university of Notre Dame, pray for our Bishops for in the end, the burden will rest on their shoulders to decide if Catholic universities like Notre Dame are Catholic or not.

Fight the good fight… Truth will triumph over lies.”

Amen Father. Preach on.

40 Days for Life: 433 lives saved and counting
One of my first experiences with the pro-life movement was holding a pro-life sign on a sidewalk near HWY 635 and Macarthur Blvd. with about 15 other people as part of the Dallas 40 Days for Life “Life Chain.” Standing there on a Sunday afternoon in 2007, I felt so strong in unity with the people doing the same thing as me in small towns and big cities all over the country in solidarity for life.

A couple of people shouted rude comments at us as they drove by, but for the most part, people honked approvingly, gave thumbs up and some even stopped to ask what we were doing and how they could be involved.

I was just holding a sign for an hour, but for the first time in a while, I felt like I was actually doing something instead of just wishing I could do something.

It was my favorite ministry work that I did that year. I couldn’t wait to do it again in 2008. So, I did. And this time, there were about 30 of us, and we took up both sides of the street. And more people shouted rudely, and more people gave thumbs up and asked how they could get involved. The positive reaction was something only the Holy Spirit could inspire.

40 Days for Life started here in Texas at Texas A&M in 2004 and had its first national campaign in 2007. David Bereit, 40 Days for Life National Director, put this video out after their spring 2009 campaign ended recently. It takes a couple of seconds to start up, but stay with it. It's a great reminder of how a lot of change can come from just a little bit of effort from all of us.



Visit the 40 Days for Life website to see how you can get involved.