Senate to vote that we must ALL pay for abortions

Yesterday, a compromise was made by Sen.’s Nelson and Reid that will cost the lives of unborn babies in exchange Nebraska will be free of having to pay their fair share of Medicare reimbursement payments.

A compromise that won Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson’s support for the Reid health care bill that will do what he previously stated he would not support- use federal funds to subsidize abortions.

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), stated, “How significant that it comes during the Christmas season. Jesus Christ’s birth to an unwed teenager prompted a government official (Herod) to use government resources to murder innocent babies. As we celebrate the Messiah’s birth, we should soberly remember this part of history and ensure America never commits something so strikingly similar.”

“Senator Ben Nelson appears to have overlooked some realities. The option for states to opt out of
abortion coverage is illusory. The federal government will be subsidizing elective abortions, a federal agency will be managing abortion coverage, and individuals
(even those in Nebraska) will be paying for abortions through an accounting scheme. Under current federal law and programs, federal funds may not be used for any part of a plan that covers elective abortions. The human right not to be forced to be an accomplice to an evil act, in this case the deliberate murder of innocent babies, is a basic decency that the government should not force individuals or entities to violate.”, Wendy Wright said yesterday.

Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization, will score every cloture motion of this bill, so that each senator will be held accountable.

In about one hour from now a test vote will be done. Let us pray that this does not pass. Don’t force American families to choose between paying for anothers abortion and receiving health care insurance or obeying God and playing no material role in abortions.

Hail Mary, Mother of God, please intercede for us and the unborn. Amen.

‘Violent’ Student punished for drawing a Crucifix lawyers up!

Stan Cunningham, Catholics View

TAUNTON, Mass.,Dec. 16

On December 2, 2009, Jalen Cromwell, a second grader at Lowell M. Maxham School in Taunton, Mass., was taken to the principal’s office where he was
questioned without the presence of, or even notification to, his parents regarding a drawing he had made earlier that day depicting a stick figure Jesus on the cross with X’s over his eyes. The drawing reflected Jalen’s impressions about a recent family trip to the Christmas lighting festival at LaSallette. However, Jalen’s parents were later informed that, in keeping with school policy, he would not be permitted to return to school until he had undergone a psychological evaluation.

The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated has come to the defense of the family.

“This is a case of over reaction by school officials,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “Jalen’s drawing was simply a reflection of something he saw at a Christmas light show. The psychological damage to this family is appalling, and it is a clear-cut violation of their constitutional rights.”

Institute attorneys have requested that the school arrange for Jalen to be transferred to an out-of-district school and for his parents to be compensated for the associated transportation costs. The Rutherford Institute has requested a response to its demand letter within a week.

As a Catholic I can relate to the horrible experience this child went through that was criticized for drawing a crucifix while at school. Many other Catholics of all ages have also been criticized for wearing one around their necks for far too long. A crucifix – not a cross, because Catholics want to be reminded of the very real suffering Jesus experienced for our sins. Now, a child has been admonished for drawing one and for a brief period, thought to be crazy.

Have we gone so far left of Christianity as a society that we now think kids are crazy for thinking of a Crucifix when they are asked to draw what comes to mind when they think of Christmas?

Although a manger or a depiction of the Holy Family (which he would never learn of in a public school) may have been more appropriate, I ask myself, “Would it really have been?”.

Christmas (The celebration of Jesus’ birth) is one event of the many that lead up to His death and resurrection. It just so happens that in this case he had the opportunity to see a crucifix around Christmas time and decided to draw it.

So, is it more important to think of His birth at Christmas time, or is it more important to think about His entire life and ultimately the death that he freely chose so that our sins may be forgiven? I really don’t believe there is a right answer to that question.

Obviously in this case the Crucifix was significant enough in his mind to draw one. More appropriate for Easter time? Maybe… but certainly not wrong.

Apparently, this childs drawing just wasn’t commercial enough. Instead of drawing presents or a Christmas tree, he decided to go the religious route and teachers can’t have any of that in a public school!

It occurs to me that this child may have been the only one that was able to express what Christmas was truly about, Jesus Christ This ‘wrong’ answer was punishable by a humiliating appointment to see the nearest psychologist.

Religious persecution has gone on for years and thanks be to God, those who are persecuted will be rewarded in heaven. Which of course this has no meaning to the teacher or the principal.

A copy of Jalen’s drawing is available at www.rutherford.org

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Wendy Wright (CWA),”It will fund abortion” Vote NO on Health Care Bill

Wendy Wright (CWA) told the crowd that the current health care bill will fund abortions if passed.

A crowd of TEA Party protesters convened in the nation’s capital today to speak out against the Senate’s health care bill and
Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization in America stood with them.

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America joined leaders from conservative groups on stage.

Wright called the health-care bill a bait and switch scam. The bait being reducing health care costs and increase heath care coverage. The switch being exposed when patients find health care costs increasing and reduce access to quality health care.

Wright claimed, “Instead of providing health care, it will fund abortion and ration care to patients.”

Other speakers at the rally included Republican Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Jim DeMint (R-SC). Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham was also at the rally.

Echoes of “Kill the Bill” resounded outside the Capitol and Senate buildings from the bus loads of citizens who traveled from around the country to convince senators to oppose the health care bill.

Caroling at Abortion Clinics?

Image via Wikipedia

Protesting abortion silently- by singing ‘Silent Night’ that is. That’s exactly what a Chicago based pro-life organization is doing this Saturday.

The Pro-Life Action League will hold its seventh annual “Empty Manger” Christmas Caroling Day on Saturday, December 19.
Two caroling tours will take place, one visiting four Chicago abortion facilities and one visiting four in DuPage County.

The life carolers will gather around an empty manger, which symbolizes both the hope that new life can bring as well as the emptiness left behind when an unborn child is killed by abortion.

“The Christmas story is a story of hope and joy brought into the world by a newborn baby,” said League communications director Eric Scheidler. “We want abortion-bound mothers in Chicago and the western suburbs to know that their unborn babies are a gift, too.”

This approach has worked before says Scheidler, “One mother told our counselor that hearing ‘Silent Night’ made her think about how Mary said yes to God and then she couldn’t go through with the abortion.”

One facility, All Women’s Health Center in Chicago, has never had a pro-life presence before. Their website indicates that they are “free of protesters” and women who are likely to have second thoughts about the choice to have an abortion probably go to this abortion mill more than the others. But the lure that this mill casts will be interrupted this weekend and with God’s grace and our prayers, many women will change their mind realizing there are other options.

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Ashland School in Oregon puts Christmas Tree back UP!

ASHLAND, Oregon,Dec. 14

Principal Michelle Zundel of Bellview Elementary School in Ashland, Oregon, has
reversed her prior decision banning Christmas trees and Santa Claus from her school. Principal Zundel removed a “holiday giving tree” from the school over Thanksgiving break and replaced it with two snowmen. She said a few parents had complained about the tree, which displayed tags suggesting gifts to donate for needy children, but Principal Zundel’s actions upset dozens of parents and people from around the country who called and expressed concern with the decision.

After receiving a letter from Liberty Counsel an organization that provides legal information about Christmas, Principal Zundel did the right thing and reversed her decision.

Responding to one concerned supporter of Liberty Counsel, Principal Zundel wrote: “I am pleased to report that as a result of our community meeting last week, a Giving Tree once again decorates the halls of Bellview Elementary School.” She added, “Fortunately, this incident never interfered with the project. The 25 families will receive gifts and food for the holidays.”

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “We applaud Principal Michelle Zundel for making the right decision to return Christmas to Bellview Elementary School.” Staver also stated that, “Christmas may be celebrated in public schools. To pretend like Christmas does not exist or, worse, to censor only the religious aspects of Christmas is wrong.”

Liberty Counsel provides legal information about Christmas on its website at www.LC.org.

Kennedy calls for US Bishops to give up on being Pro-life

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Opinion by Stan Cunningham, Catholics View

www.catholicsview.com

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend let us know today how well she adheres to Catholic morals and values in a statement issued today. It was more of an open letter to the US Bishops telling them to stay out of the way and let the health care reform bill pass and to give up on being pro-life and pass it, just throw the value of moral conscience of Catholic’s to the side. Health for ALL is what the bishops want and that includes the unborn.

The Kennedy family efforts at being Catholic are laughable – and have been for quite some time, dating back to President Kennedy. I will save that story for another time. I have been reserved in expressing my own opinion of the Kennedy brand of catholicism solely because I thought it improper to air them so close to the death of Ted Kennedy. I held back even while others criticized Ted’s own inability to display himself as a good Catholic politician while he was alive and while others were questioning if he should even get a Catholic funeral, I kept quiet.

In her open letter, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend goes as far to compare the bishops to the ‘tea-partiers’ in their efforts to stop the health care reform bill from passing the Senate. “I want Catholic bishops to heed the Vatican’s call for charity and justice for all, not just for the wealthy and well connected,” she says. Apparently unaware of what Catholics mean when WE say ‘justice for all’, obviously this comment was made in ignorance because that is exactly what the bishops are doing, standing up for everyones right to health care including the unborn. I could pick over this letter all day long, but spending another minute on it is a minute wasted. I will just close with this suggestion for Ms. Townsend and the rest of the so called ‘Catholic Kennedy’s’ – get a Catechism and figure out if you are Catholic. It’s the true Church of Christ, not the Kennedy’s church to shape into what they want. That’s called Papal authority, and thank God it isn’t something a Kennedy or Kennedy ‘hyphen’ will ever qualify for. Unfortunately, the Kennedy family is a family who Catholics have looked up to for years and this letter will continue to lead them astray.

The Kennedy letter is posted at-
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30311.html

You may also be interested in another essay I posted;

http://catholicsview.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/catholics-paying-for-abortions/

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The Holy Spirit

Image by Church of the Redeemer via Flickr

LiveJournal Tags: holy spirit,eucharist,sacraments

I recently posted a comment on another blog. Bread from Heaven is an excellent blog for non-Catholics to explore. The writer is fine tuned in scripture, from the Protestant point of view as well as the Catholic view.To view the entire post prior to my comment, please click here.   You can reach this blog at-http://bfhu.wordpress.com.

My comment on http://bfhu.wordpress.com-

You said- “The Apostles had authority over the churches of Christ because they were the ones who received the promise that the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance all things that Jesus had said to them, and that He would guide them into all truth. The Elders did not have this same authority.”

Response: Check Acts – The Apostles replaced Judas, empowering him with the Holy Spirit in a REAL sense. Other Churches feel the Holy Spirit, this may be true, BUT only Catholics know that the Holy Spirit they have received is from Jesus Himself. Holy Spirit passed on from the Apostles, to the Bishops, to the Priests, to us. It never died when Jesus died on the Cross and rose to heaven! If Jesus wanted scripture alone, aside what an independent Pastor wanted to do, He would have told the Apostles, “Scribe this”, did He?

Why would Jesus want His Church to die when the Apostles died? He didn’t, that is why he gave them the Holy Spirit to carry His Church forward and the Apostles ordained men to carry the Truth forward, having Bishops, guided by the Apostles with Peter as the Pope. Only when the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, instituted by Christ, and passed to men to tell us the truth can we hear the ONE true word.

I’ve been to MANY other congregations and depending on where you go, just as you pointed out, the Word is different. Is this oneness in Christ? I don’t think so.

It is my belief that true Catholics have an understanding of the Holy Spirit in a real sense. When we receive the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments beginning with Baptism, we understand that this is the true Holy Spirit from God Himself. Protestants on the other hand, do not believe as much as we do of a real presence of the Holy Spirit, doubting that God could ordain men to deliver the true Holy Spirit. According to the Catholic Church, we recognize the Sacrament of Baptism when it is carried out according to His instructions (belief in the true trinity, with water). But it stops there, because to be truly confirmed in Christ, you must receive the true Holy Spirit that comes from the true Church that ultimately was from the Apostles who received it from Christ.

Doubters of the Holy Spirit continue such as when Jesus, at the Last Supper simply instructed them, “Do this in memory of me”. Most Protestants believe that the bread and wine are just symbols now, considering He was already on the Cross. Does the principal behind the Eucharist just die after Christ died on the Cross? Or is the Catholic Church doing as instructed. I can’t believe that the Eucharist isn’t as good as the Eucharist the Apostles received. I believe this because God is alive! God no longer literally in the Eucharist? This is denying the power of the Holy Spirit. Catholics are criticized for their personal relationship with God and that we look up to “men” and not God. My understanding of my relationship with God is glorified when I receive His Body in the Eucharist and His Holy Spirit in the other Sacraments. This is delivered to me literally by men who have been ordained in the Holy Spirit, just like the Apostles were, just like the Bishops. Doubting that God could ordain men to carry out His instructions…. that person does not have a real understanding of the Holy Spirit in my opinion.

Planned Parenthood Convert

Introduction by Stan Cunningham of Catholics View

I just read this article of an employee of Planned Parenthood walking out and is now Pro-Life. Thank you God for leading this heart back to you and thank you for being with the prayerful outside of these abortion clinics. Here is the story.

Planned Parenthood employee becomes pro-life advocate

—-
“What I saw during the procedure was so gruesome to me, and something I had never experienced before, that I just thought, I’ll never do this again,’” she says. —-

http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/planned-parenthood-employee-becomes-pro-life-advocate/

A powerful Catholic prayer; Hail, Holy Queen!

A Catholic prayer that I have yet to memorize is; Hail, Holy Queen! A beautiful prayer to Mary, the Mother of God, I find it to be very powerful. Just as in the Hail Mary prayer, it is clear that we as Catholics are asking for her help in a prayerful way, not in the worshiping way as some may argue. This prayer honors Mary as someone who intercedes for us, or as some Catholics have said, a partner in prayer. Traditionally this prayer is also part of praying the Rosary. My memorization skills are not as good as they used to be and I am curious if anyone else has trouble memorizing this prayer. I have laminated a prayer card that I carry ever so often to use whenever I want to say this prayer. Please share this prayer if you love it as much as I have.

Hail, Holy Queen!

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we sigh, mourning and weeping in this vail of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Amen.

A Knight’s Armory – The Philadelphia Bulletin

A great article about volunteerism, character, catholicism, and the Knights of Malta. Please click on the link at the bottom of the post.

 

“I believe volunteer work is an important component to the overall success of a human being.”

A Knight’s Armory – The Philadelphia Bulletin.