Bishop Bruskewtiz of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska was asked recently what counsel he would give to pro-lifers who are fighting to end abortion. Here is his answer:

Catholic Radio has come to North Texas! After a short but promising run with Radio Xavier earlier this year, Catholic radio now has a two full-time stations in Dallas/Fort Worth. KXEB 910 am will be English and KJON 850 am will be a full time Spanish station and both stations are currently running EWTN's Global Catholic Radio programming.

The Clarion Ledger of Jackson, Mississippi writes about an ongoing court case involving Operation Save America and their annual summer pro-life events, the last one being held in Jackson.

Several members of Operation Save America were arrested during last summer's events while protesting the lone, remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi, The National Women's Health Organization, and were in Jackson for pre-trial hearings.

In reading through this drama, one line caught my attention at the bottom of the article:

"Local abortion-rights activists stayed away from the clinic during the demonstration so as not to draw more attention."

That's an interesting line considering one of the more common statements coming from the mouths of pro-abortionists is that we live in a pro-choice America and that more people are pro-choice than they are pro-life. If that is the case, then why would they want to stay away when the only clinic in the state is being protested? Would this not be a great opportunity to let everyone know that there is only one clinic left in the state and that this is a threat to "women's rights" due to a lack of access to abortions?

But maybe not. Maybe those who are pro-abortion realize that any attention drawn to their clinic is negative and that people don't want to know about abortion clinics and what they do.

Whatever the reason, it sure is a good sign when abortion activists are afraid of the very thing they are trying to promote.

Here's also to the reporter for not questioning what surely was a sorry excuse for the absence of those who support abortion.

On the street of an abortion center, Don and I met a man whose wife was already inside. They have five children from 2 years-old to 17.

Tony* told us that his wife said SHE could not handle another child. She was too tired and they do not have enough help or money. His wife wanted to come last week but he resisted. We asked this Catholic man if he thinks his family could handle an evil as significant as killing one’s own child. No one ever can and he could not either, I told him. After taking his hands to pray for strength and peace, I told him, “before you go in to get your wife, claim your right as this baby’s father and rescue your baby and your wife.” He went inside.

After a while, Tony* came back out with his wife and got into their car. As they stopped at the exit, I gave them my card and offered to meet them at the White Rose. I told him I would continue to pray for his family and God will bless him abundantly for taking care of HIS children. They were both crying as they left and he said he would call. I hope he does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The week before meeting Tony* and his wife, on a horribly freezing day, Don & I met Daniel*, who did not speak English. Don got someone on the phone to talk with him. As I held the umbrella against the wind and sleet, we prayed with him and he went inside the clinic to get his wife and leave. Although we were frozen to the core, we could hardly notice any of it after they left. Our hearts were warmed and filled with the LOVE of CHRIST. Praise God! Just imagine if we had not been there…I had such a strange feeling that morning. Although I did not want to be there, I knew I had NO choice. The Holy Spirit does not care about cold when the lives of babies are at stake…Praise GOD!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several weeks ago Carol and I met a wonderful young woman (barely more than a girl). If she was anywhere else, you would have thought she was a young model with a mysterious sadness about her. In fact, she was returning for her second abortion with a man who could care less about her or the baby. Like so many young women who come to these centers, she seemed like a child without parents present in her life to help her or guide her.

I showed her a baby that was the size of her own as I asked her what the baby’s name was. She started to cry as she told me that she did not have a name. We then prayed together for healing trying to emphasize the fact that she is NOT the type of person who can survive her decision to end her baby’s life. She cried extremely hard.

She went inside the abortion center as we, too, cried. My heart hurt so badly, I could hardly stand it. Every time this happens I feel like I will pass out. What is this feeling? It could be the potential death of these poor babies and the ruination of their mothers that crushes us to the core. It seems like an eternity when she came out and told us she was keeping her baby--by the GRACE OF GOD and the power of the Holy Spirit!


*names have been changed to protect the privacy of the person.



Submitted by: Michael R.
December 17, 2006

Labels: Sidewalk Counseling stories

Believe it or not, one of the most exciting times at the office is when we have a huge mailing that needs to go out ASAP! As we spend hours stuffing envelopes we get to spend time getting to know our volunteers and co-workers who drop their work to help out...

"Life is a gift which is not completely at the disposal of the subject."
- Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace 2007 Message

Amen to that! I wonder how long it will take for people to realize that the life they have was given to them to fully and without reserve give themselves away!

This gift of our own lives demands a contrary gift; ourselves back to the One who created us. Doing anything else actually demeans the gift given to us, an act that purposely undermines the reason for our existence and sets in motion that idea that our status as human beings depends on how much good we can or cannot do for the rest of society.

This, ultimately, is why the Holy Father tells us that the priority of respecting the right to life is the indispensible condition for peace in the world. Hold the bar high, he is saying. Without this respect for all human life, we cannot fully ensure that all human life will be protected. Some life will inevitably fall into the category of "worthless" or "unproductive" and people will start looking for ways to marginalize or even to eliminate that life.

This is a "principle of decisive importance" that must be lived to the full.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the new US Representative from Texas' 23rd District, Ciro Rodriguez, upon his victory over Henry Bonilla said that "they elect us to go out there and solve problems, not create any more."

Good. Now, let's examine the records of these two men and see who is causing problems and who is not.

Henry Bonilla (From On the Issues)

Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)

Ciro Rodriguez (From On the Issues)

Voted NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
Voted NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
Voted NO on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted NO on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)

These two men are about as far apart on the moral spectrum as can be imagined and I am not at all certain that someone who votes repeatedly for abortion (and partial-birth abortion at that) and its related ilk could be considered a "problem-solver."

Exactly how do the citizens of the 23rd Texas District benefit from more abortion, less abortion restrictions and more funding for contraception?

The six abortion centers in Dallas, where an estimated 50 babies die each day, are places of unspeakable violence and sorrow. Christians are called to be present there, as Mary and the apostle John stood at Calvary. Like them, we must bravely face the suffering of the innocent.

The Convert-to-Life Ministry of the CPLC is present to women in two ways: prayer and sidewalk counseling. Prayer events include a quarterly Mass and Rosary Procession to an abortion center and Eucharistic Adoration. Each parish is asked to pray and fast for the conversion of a particular abortion center, its staff, and all who come there.

Sidewalk counselors, including those from the Summer Intern Program, are trained to lovingly offer alternatives to women coming to the centers, and referrals for post-abortion healing to those leaving. Over 30 counselors ensure an almost daily presence at the centers. Since its beginning in 1997, Convert-to-Life has helped more than a 2500 mothers choose life for their babies, and two abortion centers have closed.

So far this year, we have turned away more than 360 women from abortion mills here in Dallas.

We are continuing to make progress in the fight to end abortion, but we need more help. Please volunteer your time and efforts. You can call us at 972-267-5433 to find out more.

No, that's not the catch line to some horror flick seen on late night TV. That quote, in fact, comes from a young lady named Kelly Dickerson who showed up on Bill O'Reilly's "O'Reilly Factor" show yesterday to talk about her experience having an abortion at the infamous abortion clinic of George Tiller in Wichita, KS.

Tiller has a long and sordid history of playing fast and loose with the laws around abortion and it is only a matter of time before he is caught and appropriately punished.

Surely abortion advocates must cringe a lot harder than pro-life people do when these kinds of things are made known to the public. I have no idea if Kelly's particular story is true, but I do know that we hear these kinds of things over and over from women who have had abortions in the past. Her story is nothing new.

We also know that the more these things are talked about and the more abortion is exposed for what it truly is, the more people flock to the pro-life movement in an attempt to halt the tide of what they know is morally repulsive.

You can watch her interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMC_70oYV8U

All of this brings us one step closer to the inevitable overturning of Roe v. Wade. May that day come soon.

One of the signers of the below posted statement on the "Assumption of Chastity" on Catholic college campuses is Dr. John Haas.

Dr. Haas is the President of the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia which is becoming known as a powerhouse in the world of bioethics and stem-cell research.

Dr. Haas was recently appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to the Pontifical Academy for Life as an Ordinary Member. In this capacity he will study questions and issues connected with the promotion and defense of human life, foster a culture of life through suitable initiatives and inform the authorities of the Church about the most relevant results of its study and research activities.

Congratulations to Dr. Haas!

The Catholic Pro-Life Committee recently signed a statement calling for an "Assumption of Chastity" on Catholic college campuses. More than 50 Catholic leaders signed the statement which encouraged Catholic colleges and campuses around the nation "to conform to Church teachings on sexuality, marriage and human life."

The document notes many instances of abuse of the teaching of chastity and the influence it has on Catholic college students and outlines a few things that campuses can do to counteract this influence.

Chastity is an important concern regarding the fight to end abortion and there is a direct link between abortion and chastity. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, "two-thirds of all abortions are among never-married women."

It's simple, really. If unmarried women and men were to practice chastity in their lives and faithfully follow out the teachings of the Catholic Church, two-thirds of all abortions would be eliminated. That's a number we can live with.

Presenting the "twelve signs that we are on the road to victory" for the taping of his TV show, Gospel of Life, Fr. Frank Pavone gave the Catholic Pro-Life Committee and our community an experience like no other.

Imagine the rare experience of being in your church, but not for Mass. You are present at the shooting of Fr. Frank Pavone's Sky Angel Network show. With each word that Father says, you are internalizing the power of knowing that we are fighting the victorious fight. You have just experienced motivation unparalleled by any political speech that could ever be given.

On December 2, 2006 at St. Rita Parish in Dallas, TX, with absolutely no notes to refer to, Fr. Pavone thoroughly breezed through his 12 reasons why the Pro-Life side is winning. These are just a taste:

• A high percentage of young people are getting involved in the Pro-Life movement. (...and they realize that it could have been them!)
  
• More and more women who have abortions are standing up and saying, "I regret my abortion!" (And the more abortions there are, the more women are standing up against what they have done.)
  
• Researchers are coming up with more and more evidence that abortion as a supposed "benefit" to women does more harm than good.
  
• Fewer and fewer doctors will perform abortions. (Ask the pro-choice doctors if they themselves will perform the abortion!)
  
• In which directions are the conversions going? There is a society of former abortionists used to use their skills to kill babies and now are seeking healing while some speak up against what they used to do. Where is the society of former Pro-Lifers who are now abortionists?
  
• Jesus already won the battle over the kingdom of death!
  

The pro-life movement is succeeding. And I am stressing "ing" because it is a process. We are moving towards victory.

To hear Father's talk in it's entirety and experience the motivational power of hearing the truth of the state of the Pro-Life movement, stay tuned to the Sky Angel Network and watch Fr. Pavone's Gospel of Life.

Reuters has written a one-sided story about the occurrences of repeat abortions in the United States.

In question is a new study from the Alan Guttmacher Institute that shows that out of all the women in 2002 who had an abortion (the latest year for which abortion statistics are available), 48% or more had had a previous abortion. Believe it or not, the study indicated that one of the proposed solutions for reducing the numbers of repeat abortions was to hire more staff at abortion clinics! I'm not making this up. Click here to read the executive summary report (Click on "Repeat Abortion in the United States, November 2006" and go to page 7, para 4).

However, I am not so much concerned with the actual results of the study as I am with the way in which Reuters decided to interview the President of the Alan Guttmacher Institute, Sharon Camp, and a researcher of the study, Rachel Jones, and not interview anyone who would have an opposing opinion. The Guttmacher Institute has a decidedly pro-abortion slant and is not ashamed to admit this since their mission "is to protect the reproductive choices of all women and men in the United States and throughout the world."

Both of those interviewed spoke in favor of the idea that more contraception equals less abortion (a hypothesis sadly untrue) but neglected to interview anyone who could show otherwise.

Maybe Reuters finds it hard to believe that someone could actually disagree with the idea that increased contraception leads to abortion rates going down. But it would be nice if they spoke to those people anyways.

Last August, ground was broken in Amarillo, Texas for the foundation building of a new religious society called "The Missionaries of the Gospel of Life." Who are these people and what do they do?

The Missionaries (MEV's for short) were founded by Fr. Fank Pavone of Priests For Life. Fr. Pavone has been preaching and teaching on the pro-life issue in his capacity as National Director of Priests for Life for more than 15 years and has long desired to establish a community of Priests, Deacons, Brothers and lay people who would devote their energies full-time to the defense of human life, this being the calling of our time.

So far, Fr. Pavone is the only member that has professed with the Society, he is now the Moderator General, but there are 2 men in seminary and 4 men in their first year, or "Inquirer" year discerning the possibility of starting formal studies with the society. Even more are expected to start next year.

It is these men, the Inquirers, who came to Dallas last week at the request of Fr. Pavone to spend two days immersed in pro-life work. Fr. Pavone specifically asked the Catholic Pro-Life Committee to take them under our charge for two days in order to give them the full experience of diocesan pro-life ministry.

The four Inquirers, James Snow, David Mullen, David Begany and Heriberto Reyes met with the staff of the CPLC, prayed and counseled with CPLC sidewalk counselors at local abortion mills, had meetings with local leaders about pro-life work and got to experience the day to day work of diocesan pro-life work at our office.

We are grateful to be given this chance to work with and train the future leaders of our Church and the pro-life movement. This was the second time the CPLC had done this as last year, Fr. Pavone sent his first three men to us for the same kind of training.

If you know of any young man who is interested in doing full-time pro-life work as a Priest, please have them contact the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life at vocations@priestsforlife.org.