wifeforlife

2011-10-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such an incredibly amazing day. I was once again reminded of the Power of God, and how important it is to have faith.

How it began.....
A couple of weeks ago, our 2 year old took it upon herself to take the key to our freezer from it's hiding spot (it was SUPPOSED to be hidden from HER, as she figured out how to open the freezer with the key and get freezies out when ever she wanted....). Anyway, she LOST the key. We tore the basement apart, but it's gone; probably down the floor drain. Hence, we have not been able to get into our freezer at all -not fun, considering it would be REALLY nice to be able to access the bread in there! I have ordered a new key, and am expecting it to arrive any day. It is only going to be $3.00, so it's not so bad.

This past weekend, I lost the fob to our van (thank God it was unlocked!). Totally my fault. I know for a fact that I'm the one who lost it, as I was the one who unlocked the van to take the kids to youth group on Saturday evening. Somehow between driving them there and running a brief errand before coming home, I lost the fob. Checked all the pockets, the van, the purse, and even the street... no luck. Unfortunately a key fob for a van costs ALOT more than a replacement key for a freezer.

Bill had been laid off from Motorcoach for 10 months last year. He found another job in the meantime, but it didn't pay as well (but WAY better than EI!), and he didn't like some of the people he had to work with - someone there was extremely racist and bigoted, and no one else seemed to care. Anyway, he got called back to his job at Motorcoach this past August.
Yesterday, he came home with the VERY bad news that more than likely, he'll be laid off AGAIN, December 12th.. 2 weeks before Christmas. (this is not 100 % for sure, but they wanted to give the employees enough warning that it 'might' be coming...)
Thanks, Motorcoach.

So these past couple of weeks have not been great, especially with trying VERY hard to get back on track financially after the lay off. It's been a real struggle, especially with 5 of our 6 children in school. September saw a large chunk of money going to backpacks, new runners for indoors AND out for at least 3 of the kids, dry cleaning for suits (Christian is at St. Paul's!), and of course, school supplies, student fees, not to mention tuition payments. And, we still need to eat, and pay utilities, and buy Christian and Stephanie new winter jackets and boots!

Yesterday's notice of a potential lay off for Bill did not leave me in the best of spirits. I didn't think it could get any worse. Apparently I was wrong. During our family prayers, my wedding ring was slipping to the side so I adjusted it, only to find that one of the small claws felt unusually sharp. I stopped dead in the middle of prayers to look under the light; sure enough, one of the smaller diamonds from the end of the setting was missing. That was it! I have to admit, I pretty much completely broke down.

I thought back to all I had done during the day; making 2 batches of soup; a batch of homemade bread; washing dishes, laundry (folding!); changing diapers; running up and down the stairs countless times; taking out garbage, gave 2 girls baths and washed their hair.. a usual busy stay-at-home mom kind of day. I knew the diamond was GONE, and that with our current financial situation, it wasn't likely to be replace any time soon. Now maybe some people might think it's not such a big deal; some people don't even wear their rings. Well I DO. My marriage means a lot to me, and the symbolism of the ring is so very important.
Anyway, it was my turn to say my intentions so I added a half-hearted prayer that St. Anthony would help me find the freezer key, the van fob, and my diamond. We finished up, the little ones went to bed, and I went in the kitchen. Rachel kindly offered to empty the dishwasher before sweeping the floor, as I was still pretty despondant.

As Rachel was emptying the cutlery tray, she stepped on something, very tiny and very sharp. If she had been wearing socks, there is no way she would have even felt it. She picked it up and brought it over to me. At first, it looked like a little piece of a rock or something, but as I turned it over the light reflected off, revealing MY DIAMOND!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Between laughing and crying and thanking God, came the message loud and clear that God will ALWAYS look after us; and that everything WILL BE OKAY. Yes, it's still a little scary at times, and yes, we're still missing the key and the fob, but it's nice to be have the reassurance that our Faith does not go unfounded.

2011-10-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Some days attending Mass can really try my patience. Not because of how long it takes to get everyone out the door (that's a whole other issue, lol) but because when we do get there and settle in to spend some quality time with God, other people just dont' seem to get it.

Why do some people seem to have such a problem with discipling their children, or at the very least teaching them some manners? I doubt they would take their child to a movie and let them chatter away the entire time (or maybe they would; hard to say...). I don't want to listen to some kid behind me HUMMING songs for the entire homily, especially when they're certainly old enough to be able to behave. I TOTALLY get that sometimes toddlers will be a little disruptive, (I DO have a 2 1/2 year old!), and that sometimes they need something to keep them occupied; a book or two always works (as long as they don't insist that they be read to during the Mass! lol)

But really... does a school age child REALLY need to bring in the hand held video game? or a BAG of snacks?? Mass is an hour long. SERIOUSLY.... they WON'T STARVE TO DEATH if they don't eat for an hour! Toy cars and trucks that beep and grumble along? PLEASE LEAVE THEM AT HOME. They don't need 5 different coloring books and 2 kinds of markers or crayons, or all their Barbies AND a change of clothes for each one. Church is NOT A PLAYGROUND.

Once children are old enough to sit through a Disney movie, they should be expected to sit through an hour of church. But I suppose that it must start with the parents, and if the parents don't understand or observe proper behaviour at Mass then it's easy to see why the kids don't.

I recently read an excerpt from a book called "Motherhood Matters", by Dorothy Pilarski, addressing this exact issue. Entitled "Sunday Do's and Don'ts", Ms. Pilarski points out that there are expectations of behaviour clearly spelled out for places like a Symphony or Theatre, why can't there be for attending Mass?

The following are some of her suggestions:

"Remember you have entered into the house of God for the purpose of prayer, adoration and reflection. Now is not the time to talk to your friends, but to talk to God. In order to help you get the most from this sacred space we ask you to do the following:

- Turn off cellphones. Do not text messages or check your Facebook account from the pews or the back of the church. Leave your social media devices in the car. It’s distracting for others who are trying to pray. This is a time to focus on God.

- Do not chew gum. Spit it out before entering the church. Don’t push it to the side of your mouth to chew later. There should be nothing in your mouth when you receive the Eucharist.

- Dress with dignity. Mass is not a cocktail party. Mass is not a hockey arena. Dress with decorum and modesty and ensure your children do the same.
(It is very distracting and just not appropriate AT ALL to see short skirts, skin tight jeans and low-cut tops at church.)

- No children’s activity bags, granola bars, juice boxes, toys, etc. Mass is only one hour long. Children would grow in virtue if they were detached from these things for sixty minutes each week. For toddlers, instead of toys, try books for Catholic children or plastic rosaries.

- Provide instruction for children. Parents have an obligation to show their children the appropriate times to kneel, sit, stand and face the altar, not let them amuse themselves as if Mass is playtime. Involve them in the liturgy by teaching them to pray and telling them that Jesus is on the altar.

- Arrive on time. If you are late for Mass, be courteous to others and wait for an appropriate break before you walk down the aisle to find a seat.

- Don’t leave early. Set a good example for your children by staying in the pew until the Mass has ended with the final blessing and the priest has left the altar.

- Participate in the Mass. Don’t ask: “What is this Mass doing for me?” Instead, ask: “What can I do to participate more fully in the Mass?” Make an effort. Listen to the readings and the homily, recite the prayers of the Mass, follow along in the misslette and, when the music starts, sing! You will become an outstanding role model for your kids.

- No talking, please. Do not have conversations during Mass. You wouldn’t do that during a performance of the symphony. If you did, you’d be asked to be quiet or leave. So show respect for the priest and your fellow parishioners.

As a society in general, we are losing our sense of decorum and civility. Sadly, that’s also true at Mass. We have a responsibility to reverse that, to remember the reason we attend church is to know God, love Him and serve Him, especially at Mass."

If only her advice could be printed up on pamphlets and available at every church!

I'd like to read the rest of this book; sounds like this lady has some great words of wisdom!

2011-08-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This is my story of what we went through when we had Olivia, 8 years ago tomorrow. It was used for a Respect Life Week pamphlet the following year. I am reprinting it now just as an update.

My name is Lisa. I have been married to Bill for 9 years this past April. We have been blessed with Stephanie, age 8 (born 3 days before our first wedding anniversary!); Christian, age 6; Rachel, age 4, and Elizabeth, or “Littlebit” as she is known, age 2. We found out in April we were expecting again, with our fifth child due in early December.

Just like with my other pregnancies, we spent time wondering if this child was a boy or a girl; deciding on names; dreaming what he or she would look like and so on. Reading over the fetal development pamphlets was amazing; we got to “watch” our baby change and grow daily. Following the baby’s stages of development is always so exciting to me, even after having done so four times before this! It is such a privilege to be part of another human being’s life journey, literally right from day one.

Looking back now, I think I subconsciously knew something was not quite right. I thought the feeling of “some days I don’t even feel pregnant” was due to the fact that I was a very busy stay-at-home mom with a lot of responsibilities. A routine check up at fourteen weeks showed everything to be okay: my doctor and I heard the heartbeat, and the baby was growing at a nice rate. My next scheduled visit to my doctor was at 21 weeks, on July 29th. The week before this appointment I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling of foreboding: I knew I should have been feeling the baby move, and I wasn’t. When my doctor entered the exam room where I was waiting, she asked how everything was. My first response was “Not good. I haven’t felt the baby move at all.” She assured me that sometimes a mother might not necessarily feel movement this early; maybe the baby was just less active than my others were. She listened with that little monitor that amplifies the beating of the baby’s heart, searching, for what seemed like an eternity. I now know with brutal clarity what the expression “the silence was deafening” means.

My doctor, trying to remain optimistic, scheduled me for an emergency ultrasound, explaining that sometimes, if a heartbeat can’t be heard, that it could mean that the baby is just not in a good position, that maybe things are okay. I had enough time to go home and explain the situation to Bill, and arrange for a sitter for the kids before the ultrasound.
We cried and we prayed. We prayed for the baby to be okay; we prayed for the strength to deal with this horrible situation we were thrust into; we prayed for understanding. It was very difficult to explain the circumstances to our older children without alarming them, yet without minimalizing the possible outcome.

We went up to the floor the ultrasound was to be performed on. The technician obviously knew what was happening; she was solemn when she called me to go with her. The joviality I had come to expect with going to “see the baby” was just not there. I stood before the examination table, barely breathing, not wanting to be there at all. The technician was very sympathetic, telling me it was okay, whenever I was ready. I lay down and closed my eyes while she began the search. She moved the ultrasound wand around and around, not saying a word. Finally I had to ask, “You can’t find anything, can you?” “I’m so sorry. No.” Those words pierced my heart. How could that be possible? I had four perfectly healthy pregnancies previous to this. There had been no indication at all that something like this could happen.
Bill came to get me from the exam room, and we went back to see my doctor to discuss what would happen next. The ultrasound had shown that our baby had died at about 15 weeks gestation. I was already at 21 weeks, but my doctor was (thankfully) willing to wait one more week to see if I would miscarry naturally. Due to a previous c-section with my first pregnancy, apparently I was not a good candidate for induction, as the forced labour could possibly rupture my uterus. An absolute last resort would be a D&C to remove my baby, as waiting much longer would bring very high risks of infection. Because of my years of pro-life work and research, I knew exactly what a D&C would entail, so this was not an option I was even willing to discuss at this point.

That week of waiting was one of the hardest weeks of my life. We decided to tell as few people as possible while we dealt with our grief. How do you tell friends and family that your baby has died, but that you’re still “pregnant’? We did not want to have to explain what we knew, then have to go through it all again when I actually delivered, especially since we had no idea when that would occur. So we waited. This actually proved to be very hard to do; I felt terrible about not telling everyone; about having to pretend that everything was fine. The hardest time was in going to a friend’s daughter’s birthday party and hearing her tell others I was expecting again. But Bill and I really needed that time for ourselves to grieve and to deal with our loss, whenever that would come. I am so thankful we had that time; it helped immensely in coping later on.

The morning of August 5th arrived. I packed a bag, knowing I would be admitted today, since my body was just not accepting that the baby I was carrying was no longer living. We went to see my doctor who was very excited about the news she had. She had consulted with several colleagues about my situation, and found out that she could in fact, administer the drug needed to induce me, even with the previous c-section. Apparently it would be safe if it was a lower dosage, with little risk of rupture of the uterus. My doctor also was very reluctant to do the D&C because of the “very high risk of perforating the uterus”, which she stated more than once.

(Just as a side note: it’s amazing that one doctor will acknowledge this danger as a “very high risk” while so many others want to portray the procedure of a D&C as very safe and routine.)

So off to the hospital we went, filled with apprehension of what was about to happen. I was admitted just before noon; the first dose of the drug needed to induce labour given not long after. The nurses on the floor I was on were so compassionate and understanding. Everyone was genuinely sympathetic to what we were going through. The social worker (one on staff for bereaved families), upon finding out that we had not received copies of our last ultrasound, immediately made arrangements for us to have another so we could get pictures of our baby in the womb. It was an amazing experience to see this tiny human being, lying so still, so safe inside of me. They took so many pictures; labelling where possible so we could identify them – an arm here, a knee, the baby’s face. I will be eternally grateful to the social worker who arranged for this. In addition, she also obtained copies of our original ultrasound for us as a surprise. Even though the pictures are very grainy and a little hard to make out the images, the thoughtfulness and effort behind getting us these ultrasound images will never be forgotten.

The baby was born still in the amniotic sac, not long after the second dose of drugs had been administered. She came quickly and quietly, without the normal amount of pain or pushing. The nurses whisked her away to clean her up and dress her. They brought her back dressed in a soft green knit toque and little cotton gown, wrapped in a soft green knit blanket. I will never forget that first moment of seeing our little girl, of holding that tiny, precious bundle. The nurses and doctor respectfully left us to bond, to grieve over the birth and death of our baby, assuring us that we could take however much time we wanted. She measured 8 inches, or 21cm from head to toe and weighed 120 grams. She was 14 ½ weeks of age when she died.

All the knowledge I had of fetal development and life in the womb could not prepare me for what now lay before my very eyes. Although her facial features were slack and not completely defined, we could still see a very distinct resemblance to our other children’s features. Most amazing were her perfect little hands, one of which fit perfectly across the nail of my index finger. Closer inspection showed distinct fingernails at the end of each of her delicate fingers. We marvelled at the tiny little toes at the end of each foot. The muscles and tendons of her body were all in place; viewed easily just by moving her arms and bending her legs. She was so beautiful; so amazingly, perfectly formed, perfectly proportioned. It is so unfathomable that people refuse to acknowledge this as a human being; that babies this age and older are being killed every day through abortion.

We named our little girl Olivia Amy, the name she would have had if she had been born at full term, the name we had assigned so many hopes and dreams to. Olivia is just as much a part of our family as any of our other children. We do not have four children; we have 5. We had a funeral for her, not so much as closure for our family and friends, but because she was a human being who deserved respect and recognition, no matter how brief her life was. Along with the gift of dignity and recognition of Olivia as a person, we received from the hospital a molded impression of her hands and feet, a memento of a daughter we only had on earth for a very short while.

We don’t know why Olivia’s life was so short. Whatever the reason, I’m sure that she would be happy that the impressions left of her little hands and feet can serve to remind us of the miracle of life; of a human being which begins to grow not when the umbilical cord is cut, but from the very moment of conception.

2011-05-29T08:17:00.001-07:00

Why we wear a scapular:

My family members are all wearing the brown scapular. We've been asked what they're for; what they represent, why we wear them. Even a lot of other Catholics don't follow this practice! It is NOT mandatory to do this if you're Catholic; it is a personal practice following the request of Our Lady, and following the example of many saints who were dedicated to this.

The brown scapular "identifies us, like a habit identifies a religious, or a uniform identifies a person. The Scapular represents a life of prayer." - Fr. John Corapi.
The Scapular is actually a miniature form of a monk's habit by the same name which is a sleeveless outer garment falling from the shoulders to the feet.

It is a sign which stands for the decision to:
-follow Jesus like Mary
-be open to God and to His Will
-be guided by faith, hope and love
-to pray at all times
-to discover God's presence in all that happens around us

WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT:The Brown Scapular is a magical charm to protect you; is an automatic guarantee of salvation or is an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life.

It is NOT to make us feel like we are better or more holy than those who don't wear it; it is not to make those who don't follow this practice feel guilty.

The Scapular encourages us to live as authentic Christians in line with the teaching of the Gospel, to receive the sacraments, to profess our special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which should be expressed each day, at least by saying the Hail Mary.

Saints devoted to the Brown Scapular:

St. Teresa of Avila
St. Simon Stock
St. John of the Cross
St. Alphonsus Liguori
St. Peter Claver
St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ
St. Claude de la Colombiere, SJ
St. Vincent Pallotti
St. John Vianney, Cure of Ars
St. Bernadette Soubirous, visionary of Lourdes
St. John Bosco
St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
Pope St. Pius X
St. Conrad

Pretty darn good roles models, if you ask me!

The morning prayer to be said for those who wear the scapular:

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss your Scapular as a sign of
your consecration; partial indulgence also), I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all
the altars throughout the world, joining with It the offering of my every thought, word and action
of this day. O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them
together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them in the interest of Thy
most Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Hope this helps those who are curious understand a little more of a great tradition!

2011-05-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

WHY THERE WILL BE NO RAPTURE! (At least not yet, anyway!)

The following is an article that sums up EXACTLY what the truth is about the Rapture.... not my words (I once again found an absolutely perfect summary written by someone else - just can't find out who, unfortunately!) So.... I can't take the credit for writing this, just for sharing!

The Rapture. The name is Latin for “caught up”. It basically comes from one particular verse in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
“then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

The Rapture has inspired a whole series of fictional books called the “Left Behind” series. In it, the saved are “raptured” into heaven, while the unsaved are left behind to fend for themselves on earth.

The rapture is a mysterious disappearance of people, who leave their clothes here on earth. Cars which were driven by the saved are left unmanned. The folks left behind are in a quandary as to what happened. A great tribulation then comes upon the earth, and the anti-christ makes his appearance. The ones left behind then get a second chance at salvation, if they can withstand the forces of the world-uniting anti-christ. Then Jesus returns again to defeat the antichrist.

None of this, except for the overall premise of a rapture is biblical. Why? Well for starters, the Bible says in Revelation 1:7:
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

In the Left Behind series, no eye sees Jesus. Everyone left behind is clueless as to what is going on. It’s plain that if they had seen Jesus, they would know what was going on.
The second problem with this series is that there are two “second comings” of Jesus. Once when the people mysteriously disappear, and then again when Jesus returns again and defeats the antichrist. The bible speaks of one and only one coming of Jesus Christ, not two. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15, it says the following:
“For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
Notice St. Paul says “THE coming”, not “A Coming”. There is one and only one second coming of Jesus. And nowhere in the bible does it say that people will mysteriously disappear and leave their clothes behind. That is all made up fiction by the authors of the Left Behind series.
The third problem with these books is that the saved escape the tribulation on earth by being raptured. Matthew 24:21-22:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
In the above verses, Jesus tells us about the great tribulation, and also explains that the days of this misery on earth will be shortened for the sake of the elect. That means that the elect, or God’s people, still have to be on earth when the tribulation occurs, and not yet raptured into heaven.
The fourth problem is that the people raptured in the Left Behind series sans clothes are not raptured on the last day of earth. In the novels, there are more days left for the antichrist to wreak havoc on the earth. We know from John 6:54 that the dead will be raised on the last day:
“he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”
And we also know from Paul that the rapture will take place after the dead are raised. 1 Thessalonians 4:14- 17:
“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
And what of the thousand year reign of Christ on earth? It is mentioned in Revelation 20:4:

“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. “
Well, we know from the pen of Peter that a thousand years is as a day to the Lord, and a day is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:1). St. John may have been trying to convey that Christ will reign for a very long time (eternity) by using the phrase “a thousand years”, just like we might say, “I told you a thousand times”, when we may have only told someone 4 or 5 times.
And what about the very premise of being “left behind”? The bible says in Matthew 24:37 - 41:
“As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.”
In the days of Noah, the saved were left behind on earth, Noah and his family. The unsaved were taken from this earth, and presumably didn’t make it to heaven. Therefore, if the end of the world is similar to those days, as the bible says, being left behind may mean that you will still be here on earth to be raptured later on. The ones taken may be like the flood victims in Noah’s time, and die.
One of the really big assumptions in the Left Behind series is that the saved will rise up to meet Jesus in the clouds, and then they and Jesus return to heaven to await the tribulation and the final judgment. But that isn’t biblical either. Nowhere in the bible does it say that Jesus will do a U-turn back into heaven at the rapture. Rather, the bible says that Jesus and his kingdom will descend to earth and become the new kingdom (Revelation 11:15 and Revelation 21:2). And the bible also says that we will be judged on that day, the last day, in John 12:48:
“He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.”

So go ahead and read the Left Behind series if you must, but remember, hardly any of it is biblical. The learned and educated religious people of the Bible didn’t understand the first coming of Christ. Just so, a lot of learned and educated religious people today don’t understand the rapture any better than the Pharisees and the Sadducees did the first time. But, they sure make a lot of money by selling books about their personal opinion of the events surrounding the rapture.

So will the Rapture happen? YES, but it will be a one time event, on the last day of our earthly existence, after the dead have been raised, and it will be seen and witnessed by all.

2011-05-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome article that a good friend (yes, it was Cara!) sent me via email. Very much worth sharing. I am SO TIRED of the whining and complaining from the left about a "dirty campaign" and Harper's supposed "underhandedness" and whatnot. Talk about sore losers. A perfect example is Jim Maloway's refusal to acknowledge Lawrence Toet's win in the Elmwood-Transcona riding. He actually blamed the fact that the failure of the CHP to run a candidate in this riding was the reason that he lost - that the usual votes that go the the CHP went to the Conservatives instead. Wow. We won fair and square. It's called a democracy. Live with it.
Kudos to Margaret Wente.......

May 5, 2011
Here's why Stephen Harper really won
By MARGARET WENTE
From Thursday's Globe and Mail

A sad day for democracy? Nope, a great day for Canada Thanks to the central Canadian punditocracy, I now know why the Conservatives won an overwhelming election victory, and why the Liberals were pulverized. It was those nasty attack ads on TV.
So powerful were they that they persuaded millions of gullible voters to rise up against Michael Ignatieff and vote for someone else. Mr. Ignatieff himself blames them for his demise. Fellow Liberals think their leader was just too darn high-minded to strike back. "This is a blood sport," griped Jim Karygiannis, one of the last Liberal MPs standing. "There is no Mr. Nice in this business."
Liberal-minded opinion-mongers have been twisting themselves into pretzels to explain Stephen Harper's completely unexpected whopping victory. They're obsessed with the attack ads. Besides, they say, the Conservatives just got lucky. They reaped a windfall from the collapse of the Bloc QuÃ©bÃ©cois and unexpected vote splits. Another reason is that Mr. Harper successfully appealed to "voter fatigue," "fear" and an uninformed electorate that's sadly oblivious to the destruction of democracy in Ottawa.
Anyway, they argue, it really wasn't such a victory after all. Mr. Harper, they say, failed to broaden his base (even though he conquered Fortress Toronto, where he'd always been shut out), and won only 40 per cent of the popular vote (just like Jean ChrÃ©tien and Bill Davis). One commentator compared his win to George W. Bush's "stolen" election of 2000.
If you want to understand why Mr. Harper loathes the mainstream media, look no further. But if you want to understand why he won, you'll have to look elsewhere. One problem is that the media demonize the very qualities that have made him a success. They hate him for his micro-managing, control-freak ways. But those same qualities have been crucial to his success. Without them, he'd never have survived five years in the bear pit of minority government.
In fact, the Conservatives won because they did the sorts of things the Liberals used to do. They built broad coalitions among disparate groups. Take the so-called ethnic vote. When the Liberals courted new Canadians, it was smart. When the Conservatives do it, it's sleazy. During the campaign, the CBC assembled countless panels of ethnic people to express their disgust at this condescending and divisive tactic. Amazingly, however, ethnic voters seemed glad to have important cabinet ministers show up in their ridings. They liked the focus on stability and a strong economy. Besides, the Liberals hadn't been around for years.
The Conservatives' years of efforts paid off spectacularly. To get results like that, you need a long-term strategy, passion, and someone willing to drink 15,000 cups of tea. The Liberals no longer have any of those things.
The Conservatives profited from vote splits. But they were also able to get out the vote where it mattered. They were focused and had ground troops who worked hard. For this, they're being accused of running a soulless and technocratic campaign. (When Liberals ran things this way, they were called "professional.") As for those attack ads, it was Jack Layton, not Stephen Harper, who dealt the crucial blow when he brought up Mr. Ignatieff's miserable attendance record in Parliament during the leaders debates. "If you are going to apply for a promotion, you at least ought to show up for the job," he cracked. It stuck. Iggy never recovered.
Plenty of Harper critics think that Monday was a sad day for democracy. Personally, I think it was a great day for Canada. The Bloc, which squatted in Ottawa like a toad for 20 years, is gone. Mr. Harper has forged a historic new alliance between the West and Ontario, and he didn't need Quebec to win. Quebeckers' mass infatuation with the NDP may not last longer than snow in April, but their ability to hold federal governments to ransom may be gone for good.
For the next four years, Canadians will enjoy a blissful reprieve from non-stop political theatrics and dysfunctional minorities. They will have a clear choice of competing political philosophies. Critics warn that our politics will become polarized between left and right. But if Mr. Harper aims to turn the Conservatives into the Natural Governing Party, he'll have to govern as a moderate. That's bad news for armies of political experts, CBC panelists, Margaret Atwood and the Toronto Star. I almost feel sorry for them.

2011-02-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

This post is about yoga, and why we as Catholics cannot take part in this. I realise that some Catholics do not have a problem with yoga, and some may think we're "over reacting". Well, as far as I and my family are concerned; this is a very serious issue, and it is in direct contradiction to our Catholic faith. Period. The following excerpts are taken directly from reliable sources, and can be found easily.
I am fully crediting the authors of the following quotations; they are not my original words - I'm just quoting as it was easier to do this and to me, more legitimate than putting down my own views.
And I do have to fully credit my children for taking a stand and not just "going along with the crowd". We can teach, guide, inform and direct our children in their morals/beliefs/values, but there comes a time as a parent when you wonder if anything you say "sticks". We always hope and pray for the best, and for our children to "hold fast to the traditions" they have been taught. Sometimes, as adults this is hard to do. We discuss and explain many "controversial" subjects in our home, but always give an explanation of WHY we believe what we do. I wish I had the courage of Stephanie and Mary, who ON THEIR OWN have often taken a stand against things that go against their faith. God Bless them!

Now for the articles:

“According to a Hindu professor, yoga can no more be separated from its Hindu roots as Christianity can be separated from Jesus. Yoga was invented specifically for Hindu worship and each posture in yoga was designed to worship a Hindu god* (e.g., the serpent posture was designed to worship the serpent god). (Interestingly, St. Justin, Martyr, in his First Apology, states that the pagan gods are actually demons and these demons gave themselves names which are the names the pagans use for their gods. A free PDF copy of St. Justin Martyrs' writings can be found on the His Mercy Web site at www.hismercy.ca under eBooks.)

Below are some other quotes with their sources, although there are many, many more that could be added:

"The postures alone are designed to create altered levels of consciousness, plus they can trigger reactions just as the breathing and mind work do. It is
a direct door to the occult. Some people who get involved in New Age or occult practices need deliverance from evil spirits, according to Fr. Amorth, the Vatican exorcist." (Anne Feaster, 'Should Christians Do Yoga?, p. 3, http://www.swordoflightandtruth.org/)**

Moira Noonan, a former yoga teacher, says yoga cannot be Christianised. (Ibid, p. 3)

...“yoga” means “union with god or yoke with god”. The god they refer to is an impersonal energy force that they call Braham. They believe that through the practice of yoga, they can free themselves from the bondage of karma. The purpose of yoga is not exercise, but to reach altered states of consciousness... (Sword of Light and Truth, Spring 2005 newsletter, p. 3)

Yoga is the “physical manipulation of one’s body to create an altered state of consciousness which occurs as a result of the effect of the exercise on the central nervous system.”(The New Age Counterfeit by Johnnette Benkovic, p.ll)

Also, the Vatican has identified yoga as a New Age practice and therefore incompatible - in any form - with Christianity. (See Jesus Christ Bearer of the Water of Life which can be accessed on the Vatican site, www.vatican.va.)

We can be assured that there was an investigation on all aspects of yoga before the Church spoke out against it, and that experts were consulted. We also need to be mindful that we are to be obedient to Jesus through His Church. (Something that the devil and his followers will not do!)

There are many legitimate forms of exercise that are not harmful to our soul that we can use.

Note: It is important to distinguish between a belief or practice and the person who holds that belief or practice. As Christians, we are called to always love the person, but we must stay away from any belief or practice that is not from the one and only true God.

*Sharon Lee Giganti, in one of her monthly talks on Catholic Answers Live.

Ms Giganti's site: www.newagedeception.com

Catholic Answers site: www.catholic.com

** Also see Ms Feaster's 'The Truth About Yoga,' which has extra information.

ALSO:

Is Yoga contrary to our faith?

While the physical aspects of Yoga can be beneficial, the spiritual aspects may be harmful as they flow into "New Age" religiosity. The Church’s reflection on the New Age, Jesus Christ: The Bearer of the Water of Life , warns us:

Quote:

Yoga, zen, transcendental meditation and tantric exercises lead to an experience of self-fulfilment or enlightenment. Peak-experiences (reliving one's birth, travelling to the gates of death, biofeedback, dance and even drugs – anything which can provoke an altered state of consciousness) are believed to lead to unity and enlightenment. Since there is only one Mind, some people can be channels for higher beings. Every part of this single universal being has contact with every other part. The classic approach in New Age is transpersonal psychology, whose main concepts are the Universal Mind, the Higher Self, the collective and personal unconscious and the individual ego. The Higher Self is our real identity, a bridge between God as divine Mind and humanity. Spiritual development is contact with the Higher Self, which overcomes all forms of dualism between subject and object, life and death, psyche and soma, the self and the fragmentary aspects of the self. Our limited personality is like a shadow or a dream created by the real self. The Higher Self contains the memories of earlier (re-)incarnations.

Aspects such as these are certainly contrary to our faith!

2011-02-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is the article I wrote for our church bulletin for Respect Life Week last week. Thought I would try to start blogging again.....

"We are called to act with justice"

The greatest social justice issue facing us today is that of human dignity. Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality. Our belief as Christians in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. This belief gives us the starting point for a moral vision for society. It is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. In caring for God’s creation, we show our respect by our stewardship. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people as well as the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that all Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception (2270). This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable (2271).

Abortion and Euthanasia are direct attacks on human life. These are not "church issues" as some might think; they are human rights issues that we all need to be concerned and educated about. It is an unfortunate reality that in our society today life seems to be less and less valued, be it the child in the womb, the disabled, or the elderly patient in a personal care home. With the growing tendency to promote "mercy killing" as a solution to suffering, aging, mental or physical challenges, having the right to die is quickly becoming an "obligation to die". Many people who express a will to die are suffering from clinical depression rather than a terminal disease. Studies reveal that when certain anti-depressants are administered over a three-month period, 44% say they no longer wish to die. (Family Practice News, October 1996)
Abortion has become just another form of birth control, with abortionists no longer bothering to medically justify it. It is being used to brutally destroy those that are deemed "unacceptable" or "less than perfect". Society must learn that we can never eliminate problems by eliminating people. We do not improve society by rejecting society's members, and we do not build up the body of Christ by killing His disciples, no mater how tiny or how old!

In the Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II proclaimed:
"To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the
promotion of the common good. It is impossible to further the common good
without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other
inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."

Respect Life Week is the starting point where we can take the opportunity to live the beatitudes. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for Righteousness! Our mission as Christians is to bring Life and Peace to the world. We can do this by increasing public awareness of and promoting improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care; we can work to develop and build compassionate care community services as alternatives to "Mercy Killing." We can volunteer to visit people who are sick or shut in. We can support ministries that respect the sanctity of Life by donating baby food, diapers, baby and maternity clothing to places like the Crisis Pregnancy Centre. We can donate to or volunteer for our local pro-life group. And....WE CAN PRAY. Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord!

2007-11-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

NO (con)DOM SENSE......

Recently (yesterday, in fact), there was YET AGAIN another column in our local newspaper filled with misinformation about how condoms will save the world. Well, okay, maybe not "save the world", exactly, but basically, how people really need to start using condoms to avoid STD's. Oh excuse me.... STI's. Apparently the sexually transmitted viruses are no longer considered "diseases". Now they're just infections. How very nice.

But, I digress.

So, back to the column, written (surprise, surprise) by uber-liberal Mindelle Jacobs of the Sun Media. Ms. Jacobs proposes that we need to make the condom "sexy", to encourage more regular usage, thus ridding the world of all the evil sexually transmitted diseases (sorry, that's what they are!). Of course, no mention was made whatsoever about the failure rate of condoms; the fact that they are basically USELESS when trying to prevent the spread of AIDS, and all the other fun little tidbits of information that the mainstream media chooses to ignore. I in my indignance fired off a letter to the editor trying to clarify a few things, and perhaps provide a more balanced overview of exactly how effective (or rather, INeffective) condoms actually are.

Since the paper did not publish my letter in today's issue (and considering I sent it to them at 10:00 in the morning, they had plenty of time to fit it in), and most likely they won't be publishing it any time soon, I am posting it on my blog. At least then I can feel like maybe it was worthwhile writing!

Dear Winnipeg Sun,

Mindelle Jacobs once again has successfully mixed a small amount of truth with blatant lies and misinformation to write her column. While it is very true that the rates of sexually transmitted diseases are skyrocketing, particularly among youth, it is simplistic and naïve to promote the idea that condoms are going to solve this problem. Condoms are not effective in stopping the spread of STDs, because many of the STDs are spread through skin-to-skin contact, not just through bodily fluids. Condoms DO NOT offer complete protection because the viruses are not confined to the area the condom is designed to cover. The AIDS virus HIV, is approximately 450 times smaller than sperm, and can easily pass through the pores of the condom. Even when condoms are used 100% perfectly (which they rarely are), the failure rate is STILL 15%. Condoms have a documented failure rate of 1 in 6 among couples using condoms to prevent the spread of the AIDS virus. A British study showed that the Human Papilloma Virus infects 46% of teenage girls after their FIRST sexual encounter. Is this what we want for our youth? There is absolutely no need whatsoever for teens to be engaging in intimate physical relationships, period. We need to step up as parents and teach our children they have self-worth and value without having to take off their clothes. It shows far more strength of character and maturity for someone to remain sexually pure than to be sexually active. If we are serious about our concern for our youth, we as a caring society will demand that abstinence programmes be implemented and emphasized in our schools. Sorry, Mindelle, but condoms are not the answer, and it is high time the media started printing the truth.

So THERE.

Thank you for letting me rant.

2007-09-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our dysfunctional society today...

Recently in the news it was published that marriage (normal traditional marriage) is on a decline, making up less than 50% of stats for Canada. Interestingly enough, Manitoba has bucked this trend, with something like 68% of couples claiming marital status. (yay us!). There have been many studies over the years done that have proven beyond a doubt that the best environment for children to live in is a stable, 2 parent (one of each sex) committed home. This means a man and a woman living together with a legitimate recognition of their binding; MARRIAGE.

Licia Corbella wrote an excellent column on this subject...

We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall, keeping us tied and true -- no ..."
-- Joni Mitchell from My Old Man (1971)
As much as I admire Joni, that sentiment was, and still is, hokey and more importantly, untrue if not dangerous.
Those hippie days are long past, but the notion of shacking up grows more prevalent every year, as Statistics Canada's release Wednesday of 2006 census data shows.
Couples have common-law relationships for a myriad of reasons -- most of them terribly unromantic -- and include convenience, being incapable of true commitment, waiting for someone better to come along or because they think they are being (yawn) oh, so original with their anti-establishment attitude.
But the census figures and other studies show that the so-called "piece of paper" Joni derided in that song holds a lot of value, particularly for the well-being of children.
Anne-Marie Ambert, professor emeritus of sociology at York University in Toronto, says shacking up carries with it some very serious societal side effects when kids are part of the arrangement.
"That piece of paper matters a lot because cohabitations are much less stable than marriages," explains Ambert.
According to figures from StatsCan's 1998 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, 63% of children whose parents were living common-law had seen their parents split by age 10, compared with 14% of children of married couples.
LET'S SPLIT
In other words, common-law relationships are a whopping 450% more likely to split up than a marriage!
The latest census figures show that common-law unions have increased by 19% since 2001 and account for 15.5% of all Canadian families.
Ambert says the resulting increase of lone-parent families -- which have reached a record 15.9% -- is also the leading cause of childhood poverty and the attendant risks associated with poverty and single parenting including, poorer educational outcomes, increased teenage pregnancy, a spike in criminality, etc.
In 2005, the median income for two-parent Canadian families was $67,600. For single-parent families it was $30,000, which means half of all single-parent families had incomes of less than that annually. About 80% of lone-parent families are headed by women.
According to a U.S. study cited by Ambert in a paper she published with The Vanier Institute of the Family, boys raised without a father are twice as likely to be jailed, though boys raised in step-parent families are at an even greater risk of turning to criminality.
That now seemingly quaint adage, "we're staying together for the sake of the kids," is starting to make a lot of sense.
"You very rarely have a very serious criminal who comes from a good, two-parent family," says Ambert. "You have delinquents and kids who go through a phase, but lots of studies around the world show that when you look at the population of very hardened criminals, very few of them grew up with a father."
Ambert adds most children raised by single parents turn out fine; it's just the negative risks grow exponentially.
TAX SYSTEM
Meanwhile, Canada's income tax system still penalizes married couples by disallowing income splitting. It's madness.
So, yes, pieces of paper hold enormous importance in this world, after all, how many of us would dare buy a house, car or couch without receiving a piece of paper in return? Unthinkable isn't it?
Paper is important. Parents who don't have that "piece of paper" are literally putting the well-being of their kids at risk.

As a side note: I can't believe how long it's been since I've written in my blog....bad Facebook.....

2007-03-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

The International Day of the Unborn Child
The Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, is one of the most important in the Church calendar. It celebrates the actual Incarnation of Our Savior the Word made flesh in the womb of His mother, Mary. Saint Luke describes the annunciation given by the angel Gabriel to Mary that she was to become the mother of the Incarnation of God. This is where the first part of the “Hail Mary” comes from; the angelic salutation “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee”.

The Church's celebration of the Annunciation is believed to date to the early 5th century. The Annunciation has always been celebrated on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day - the length of a pregnancy.

The International Day of the Unborn Child was instituted as an addition to the Knights of Columbus’ commitment to build a culture that respects and protects every human life from natural conception to natural death. This is our opportunity to stand up and speak out against the evil of abortion. This feast is very important in the defense of the life of unborn children. In families with young children, this feast would be a good time to begin teaching youngsters important lessons about the high value God places on human life.

Please take a look at this amazing presentation - put together by Suzanne at www.bigbluewave.ca. This would be an awesome commercial for T.V.!

http://www.youtube.com/v/OJX2JdNc-Lo"

2007-03-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

This is an amazing tribute to choosing life.....

Please watch this video!

Watch Videos:

Can I Live (Nick Cannon) Video Codes by VideoCodeZone.Com

2007-02-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

Recently, a 13 year old girl in Italy was forced to have an abortion AGAINST her wishes, by her parents. She had stated emphatically that she wanted to continue the pregnancy, but her parents refused and the state forced her to undergo the abortion. Now, she is in psychiatric care because she is under a suicide watch. She was so distraught at being forced to kill her unborn child, she has threatened to end her own life. And this was in her best interest???
(See the link to lifesite for the full story)
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/feb/07021904.html

I often wonder about some of the arguements presented by pro-aborts. One of their favorites, of course, is "it's a private matter; a woman's right to choose." If this is so true, then why aren't the pro-aborts rallying to this girl's defense? Who are they to say "she's too young to be a mother" (that is often their arguement). If she was old enought to have sex, and could conceive, then yes, by all technicalities, she IS perfectly capable of becoming a mother. She may not be the ideal age, but I happen to know a couple of people in their 30's whose parenting abilities are questionable, to say the least!!
That aside, exactly HOW do they conisder themselves "pro-choice"? It'll be interesting to see how the pro-aborts worm their way out of this one. Oh yeah.... they'll just conveniently ignore it!!

2007-02-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

This is the video about the smallest baby born to survive. Weighing just 10 ozs., this little girl was born at 21 weeks, 6 days, almost 2 weeks earlier than had previously been considered "viable".
The parents had to lie about the gestational age of their baby, stating that the mother was about 23 weeks along, to get the doctors to work on saving the baby. Why, you ask? Because in Florida, they ABORT babies on a regular basis at this age, and OLDER....
Maybe with more media coverage of images like this, the world will finally figure it out....

Check out the video!
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2886441

2007-02-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

We held a youth rally in celebration of Respect Life Week this past Friday evening. This achieved a three-fold purpose: education, fellowship, and outreach - youth from several different churches were in attendance. While the organizer (okay, it was me) was a little disappointed with the turnout of 44 youths, most were very pleased with this number, especially considering a) it was a “first time” event; b) there were several other major events happening in the city that evening; and c) it was REALLY COLD out! Still, I would have like to see a LITTLE more support, especially from my own church....
The youth that did turn out were treated to great music, hot dogs, chips and drinks while learning some really valuable information regarding their faith, chastity and abstinence. One significant demonstration was when two youth were “duct-taped” together on the arms, the presenter explaining that this represented a “bonding union” of two people. The duct-tape was quickly ripped off the two, representing the “break up”(giving a very real analogy of the pain, as well!). The same duct-tape was applied to the girl and a different partner, and then repeated again. The two were asked how the duct-tape felt by this last “sticking”. Both confirmed that the tape was much less sticky, and unable to hold the two together very well. The moral significance of this experiment was loud and clear, and definitely not lost on the youth present!
The chastity team imparted accurate, truthful information on the physical, emotional and spiritual harm caused by sex outside of marriage. Statistics on sexually transmitted diseases (one in 4 teens are infected yearly with an incurable infection) were sobering, to say the least. Those present learned condoms can have a failure rate as high as 30%, and that condoms DO NOT offer protection from all sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, as reported in a recent review by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Information on healthy relationships and the freedom abstinence gives (freedom from sexually transmitted diseases, fear of pregnancy, heartache, bad memories, guilt, having to lie to parents, etc) was also focused on.
While some youth were a little disappointed that they didn’t have more “free” time to fellowship – mainly due to a mix up by one youth group that didn’t arrive until after 7:30, most were eager to hear the presentation. One mother expressed before the rally that it was “great to be having a “church youth group” gathering where they would actually learn something about their Christian faith”! It is amazing how many youth groups from churches organize funbowling outings, roller skating, sleigh rides, etc, but don't give a second thought to actual Christian instruction! There was time before and after the presentation to mingle, and several chances to win a door prize. One youth pastor voiced his appreciation for the chance to fellowship with other Christians outside their own church community, and expressed great interest in getting together again.
Even though some of the youth may not be facing many decisions about their sexuality just yet, it is crucial that they get good information now rather than when it is too late. With the offensive and often erroneous messages from TV, music and the mainstream media, we as caring Christians have a responsibility to offer our children the Truth.

2007-02-01T08:41:00.001-08:00

I found this great quiz on a fellow blogger's site, the bird's nest. It is HARD.... I only got 86%.
It is an eyeopener of how well you know your faith...Too bad they don't show which ones you got wrong!

Good luck!!!

Do You Know Your Baltimore Catechism?

I did it a second time, and at least I improved to 89%, but I STILL don't know which ones were wrong.....

2007-01-31T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is a slightly different version of the article I did for Respect Life Week for our church bulletin....

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born
I set you apart.” Jeremiah, 1:5

Sunday, February 4th marks the beginning of Respect Life Week in Manitoba. In 1970 the League for Life was organized, responding to the need for a pro-life educational group in the city. Respect Life Week was officially endorsed by the Bishop in 1983 as a time for all Churches to recognize the need to promote a respect for Life.
We must take time to reflect on God’s priceless gift of human life, and to recognize the need for greater action. It is not just about abortion, but also end of life decisions, assisted suicide, euthanasia, and now embryonic stem cell and human cloning experimentation.
As Catholics, we are mandated by our faith to uphold and promote in an ethical and moral manner the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear with article 2271:
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of
safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of
themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the
moment of conception…”
The defense and promotion of Life is not the ministry of a few but the responsibility of all. It is sometimes difficult to have the courage to speak out about issues that some people believe we have no business concerning ourselves with. Pro-lifers are often portrayed as enemies of women’s rights and as opponents of freedom. This is so far from the truth! People need to be totally free from the lies and exploitation abortion offers. We need to be educated about the damage of abortion - physical, emotional and spiritual.
As caring Christians, we must focus on inspiring the hope that brings the courage to say “yes” to life. We can accomplish this most successfully through education; first of ourselves, and especially of our children. Science has proven that life begins at the moment of conception, a life entirely separate and unique from the mother. We must also educate ourselves on the realities and risks of abortion. We are called to minister in a loving and supportive way by sharing our time, talent and treasure in life affirming ways: donating items to a crisis pregnancy centre; offering support to a new mom by free babysitting occasionally; doing small errands or chores for someone elderly or even just visiting with them. Sometimes we may be called to “step out of our comfort zone”, to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8-9) and truly taking a stand for Life.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
-- Dante

2007-01-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

I was doing my daily check on Suzanne's Big Blue Wave, and for some reason decided to click on Bread n Roses to see what was up there.... The following is so ludicrous, I can't believe this woman would actually admit to thinking like this!

Posted by fern hill on 22nd January 2007
"Men and women are different. Here is what one embattled abortion provider in the US said:
“The only way women come close to achieving equality is if they can control their fertility,”
said the 65-year-old Carhart. “Abortion rights for men have been available since the
beginning of time. When they’re unhappy with a pregnancy, they walk away; it doesn’t
matter whether it’s the day after conception or when the child is 10 years old.”

If women are to achieve and maintain equality, there must be a full range of choices in how
we control our fertility.
That’s how simple it is to me. Equality"

So, from what I gather, she is saying that women should have the right to kill their children NO MATTER WHAT THE AGE, because she believes in equality?!?!

Just because a man may think it's "okay" to leave a pregnant woman when he doesn't want to accept his responsibility doesn't mean this is something women should aspire to being able to do, too. This arguement also points to the fact that pro-aborts DO in fact, see abortion as just another means of birth control.

If the issue is about equality, which the author seems to be suggesting; what about the rights to equality of the child? A child 10 years of age is different only in size and living space from a child in the womb. What if it is a girl child? What about her rights to equality?

Abortion, besides taking the right to life away from another human being, is a tool of oppression. Men push for a woman to abort so they don't have to take responsibility for their actions; they view women only as sexual objects and playthings. Abortion is forced on incest victims by men who want to hide their crimes. If women are truly concerned about equality in the area of "reproductive rights", they might want to focus more energy on support services that empower women to continue with a pregnancy. People need to learn that if they are going to have sex, they should be willing to accept the responsibility of that outcome, whether it is love and emotional attachment or a baby.

2007-01-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

"The Little Black Book" has been the centre of controversy around Manitoba for some time now. It is an "address style" book to be distributed to teens, with information regarding a wide variety of topics including a substantial portion on sex.

Recently in our local community newspaper (the Herald), one of the columnists (who shall remain nameless), wrote an article extoling the "virtues" of this Book, expressing her opinion that every single student in Manitoba should receive a copy. In true leftist, socialist fashion, she also slagged any parent for opposing the handing out of this so-called information. She was extraordinarily rude in her “request” for parents who have concerns about the “Little Black Book” to “give their heads a shake” showing not only her immaturity level, but a complete lack of understanding of what it means to be a parent.

The author advises parents with concerns that "it's not 1950 anymore! Sex is everywhere!" Yes, it’s not 1950 anymore, and sex may very well “be everywhere”. Responsible parents monitor how much of this and in what capacity it reaches their children. My children have never, ever been exposed to Sex in the City, or Desperate Housewives, or whatever the current drivel on T.V. is. My husband and I ensure they are not watching any T.V. without our consent as to what they are viewing. If something is objectionable; we shut it off, and explain why. As a family we enjoy popular music, current movies and read the newspaper daily. I know many other responsible parents who are also raising their children to be discerning as to what is appropriate. This is not hard to do; it just takes serious commitment, time and a desire to raise good children.

The author of this column believes the Black Book is a “book of facts”. I have seen several examples of the so-called “facts” being purported in this book; they are nothing short of pornography. Where are the facts that show that the only 100% surefire way to prevent STI’s is abstinence? Where is the accurate, truthful information detailing the dangers of casual sexual encounters; of drugs or alcohol? What about the fact that condom failure has been rated as high as 30%? Where is the information on how to build self-esteem, and the importance of self-respect? Children need to learn the beauty of sex within the boundaries of a loving, committed marriage, the way it is meant to be experienced.

The loose, liberal values types have had their chance to “educate” our youth regarding sex – for over 30 years, in fact. What do we have to show for it? Epidemics of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (just because people are trying to change the name to “infections” doesn’t lessen the fact that these are still diseases.) Out of control promiscuity; soaring rates of teen depression and anxiety; higher incidences of suicide of our youth who constantly feel devalued, used and generally “not good enough”.

It is high time for change. Serious education regarding a basic respect of life, the overwhelming benefits and advantages of abstinence and chastity, (100% success rate for protection against unplanned pregnancies, unwanted STDs guaranteed!!) as well as teaching our youth about self-control and accepting responsibility for themselves will give them much better tools to deal with life than any “little black book” could ever hope to aspire to.

2007-01-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

Lifesite News has reported that

"both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) are recommending that all pregnant women, not just those over 35, should be screened, including with invasive procedures such as amniocentesis, to discover whether they have a risk of bearing a child with Down’s Syndrome."

The purpose of this is to give women "the opportunity" to abort their baby (oh excuse me, if the baby is not wanted it is "the pregnancy") if there is a chance that their "product of conception" will be less than perfect. The SOGC is going as far as to ensure that all
"Pregnant women over the age of 40 should “automatically be given amniocentesis", as reported by the National Post.
Does this mean they are considering this to be a mandatory screening? With my last pregnancy at the age of 38, even my obstetrician, who knows very well that I am a staunch pro-life activist, really pushed for me to have an amniocentisis (no, I did not.). What will happen if women refuse? Will our medicare system refuse to cover expenses of this birth? Perhaps penalize us financially? Don't laugh....this is not past the realm of possibility....

This is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt at eliminating the disabled of our society, in other words, the practice of eugenics. Already 89 percent of Down Syndrome babies in Canada, and 90 percent in the U.S. are killed before birth. Is this being fueled by the economic pressures of our health care system? With the current push for the acceptance of euthansia, and indeed, the acceptance of the "right to die" turning into an "obligation to die" so as to not be a further burden on our already overwhelmed health care(?) system, it is only a matter of time before infanticide becomes the next accepted "solution".

The other statement I take great issue with comes from Dr. James Goldberg, the former chairman of the ACOG's committee on genetics. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Goldberg said

that the recommendation to offer younger women the invasive procedures was worth the risk of miscarriage. He said that for most couples, “losing a normal pregnancy secondary to the procedure is not as problematic as the birth of a Down syndrome child, so they’re willing to take that risk.”

Wow. What a complete affront to those of us who have lost children to miscarriage, and to those who are raising a Down syndrome child. So, it's better to have a child die than to have a child with Down syndrome? This Dr. Goldberg has obviously never spoken with any parent who has actually lost a child through miscarriage. To suggest that it is better to miscarry than have a baby with a birth defect shows just how little human life is valued.

Here in Manitoba, we have groups, the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities, the Down Syndrome Society, Autism Society, and several others. Wherever we are in Canada, we need to encourage members of these organizations to stand up and be counted as members of a Right to Life group. We need to actively invite them to join, and to have their members automatically belong to our Respect Life Organizations.

We need to strengthen our numbers. If we don't all band together, sometime in the not so distant future, we may all find ourselves the target of some sort of "elimination" campaign.

2006-12-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth May, leader of Canada's Green Party, clearly states her party's position in a December 22, 2006 response to Judy Rebick's open letter regarding May's convoluted statements regarding abortion.

"Is the Green Party strongly in favour of a woman's right to access a safe and legal abortion? Yes."

Because I have never given the Green Party any serious consideration, I always assumed they were the "tree hugging environmentalist PETA-type" activists. It is ironic how these types claim to "love the world" and "hate violence", unless it concerns a women's "right to choose". How can the Green Party support abortion, which is the ultimate act of violence against a human, and yet claim to be "conservationists and trusted guardians of Canada’s natural wealth" (taken from their own website)? The future wealth of our country lies with our next generation; if we continue to kill them off, where does that leave us?"

Am I personally strongly in favour of a woman's right to access a safe and legal abortion? Yes. (In fact, I am concerned that there is progress to be made to ensure access through enhancing availability of abortion providers. More work needs to be done to ensure access.) "

How does May intend on ensuring the availability of abortion providers? If she fully believes that the "interests of Canadian citizens must always take precedence", she should pay attention to the overwhelming majority that do not believe that abortion is a necessary medical procedure, especially if it means their tax dollars are paying for this "service". Does the Green Party intend to force medical students to provide abortion services? How does this comply with their respect of "diversity"? The Green Party also claims to be concerned that "Canada’s changing demographic reality will place greater burdens on our society". They should be aware, then, that Canada is currently in a negative population growth, and to overcome this , perhaps they should be looking at a system that rewards and encourages child-bearing to sustain our economy in the future. Building healthy communities and a healthy country means offering stronger support to the building blocks of society: healthy families."

As a practicing Christian, I hate being told I am not “pro-life” because I support a legal right to abortion. I favour access to safe and legal abortions as an aspect of my respect for life. As we know and your letter notes, otherwise, women will die. The status of a foetus before birth is debatable in terms of when the potential for life crystallizes as human life."

Ms. May claims the status of a fetus before birth is debatable. Science long ago established that life begins the moment an egg is fertilized by a sperm, that is at the moment of conception. There is no debate on this; it is proven scientific fact. Humans are "life with potential", not "potential for life"! And no, Ms. May, you cannot consider yourself "pro-life" if you support a legal right to abortion. Abortion is about taking a life; that's about as un "pro-life" as you can get!! You hate being told you're not "pro-life"? Maybe you should reconsider your thinking, then!

"If we could focus on what we want as a society, that might bring us closer together. We would want every pregnancy to be a wanted pregnancy and every child to be a wanted child."
I have never understood the "every child a wanted child" mantra of the planned parenthood ilk. Ask anyone who is looking to adopt a child (and can't afford a third-world county jaunt). The waiting lists to adopt children in North America are horrendous. People are going to Asia and the Ukraine because the waiting lists here are up to 7 years long! Why? Because women are being told that the baby they are carrying is a disposable commodity. We need to foster a healthy respect for life as a society, or our society will fall apart.

In their "respect for diversity", the Green Party claims to "defend the right of all persons, without discrimination, to an environment supportive of their dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being." Is the Green Party hypocritical in what they actually believe, or do they simply not know what they believe in? Either way, Elizabeth May has brought to light for many that this party cannot be taken seriously in their so called "respect of life".

2006-12-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

I "borrowed" this from a fellow blogger on blogspot.com. It's a fun one, perfect for this time of year!! Lisa

A Little Christmas Cheer

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg nog, all the way!!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped! Presents to others are always wrapped and under the tree (if I get them done before the 24th), and of course, Santa brings more for Christmas morning. Funny thing, though (as Stephanie pointed out last year), Santa used the same wrapping paper as we did for some of the gifts!!
3. Colored lights on tree or white? Tiny white lights; HUNDREDS of them!!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I have yet to even see mistletoe anywhere...
5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the first Sunday in Advent
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? sweet potatoe casserole with marshmallows, that I have only EVER had at the CPC banquet, and this year they didn't serve it!!! :~(
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Opening stockings on Christmas morning!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? what do you mean, truth....
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open all the gifts that are under the tree Christmas eve, as My mom comes and celebrates with us. Gifts from Santa and family are opened Christmas day.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Mostly white, red and silver, but with lots of beautiful decorations the kids have made over the years, and lots of special, keepsake ornaments.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT!
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, I love to skate. Okay. I used to love to skate.....I actually haven't been on skates for about 6 years!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My birthstone ring from Bill - one-of-a-kind with both of our birthstones in it.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Keeping Christ in Christmas!!15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Carrot pudding with butter sauce - I grew up having this as a kid at the grandparents', too bad I can't find the recipe!!! I haven't had it in years, but it is still my all time favorite! It was made in a coffee tin, with this really sicky-sweet sauce to pour over it, but, boy, was it ever tasty!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Wigilia -traditional Polish Christmas eve. We have 12 meatless dishes - special foods.
17. What tops your tree? A really pretty angel.
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving, but hey, who doesn't like to receive something, too??
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Mary's Boy Child, the Boney M version. Actually, most of the Boney M Christmas songs....and the Huron Carol.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?? Not a big fan, unless they are used to stir hot chocolate...

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!

For Life,

Lisa

2006-12-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

“REJOICE!”
Well, we are almost at the third week of advent, all of us incredibly busy preparing for Christ's birthday.... I did another article for our church bulletin focussing on Advent and the tradition of the Advent wreath. Enjoy! ;~)

The name Advent comes from the Latin words, advenire (to come to) & adventus (an arrival), and refers to Christ's coming into this world. Advent is the time the Church invites us to prepare for the celebration of Christmas. We remember the anniversary of our Lord’s birth, and look to His Second Coming. We are called to prepare ourselves by prayer and works of penance, much like at Lent. If you have ever wondered how the Church determines when Advent begins, it is always the Sunday closest to 30th November, the feast of St Andrew. It is interesting to note that the first Sunday of Advent is also the first Sunday of the new Church liturgical year. I always think of the Advent song “People Look East” telling us to “make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table”. This is not unlike what many of us do at the beginning of the calendar New Year in our resolutions to “clean up and make fair” a part of our physical lives.
Advent is a time of preparation and joyful expectation of the coming of the Lord. Many of us use an advent wreath to symbolize the advent (coming) of Light into the world. The Advent wreath, of German origin, is comprised of four candles, three candles purple, and one pink, arranged in a circle of evergreen boughs. Some wreaths have a fifth, white candle in the middle.
The gradual lighting of the four candles symbolize not only our expectation and hope in Our Savior's first coming into the world, but also in his Second Coming.
The purple candles reflect the contemplative nature of the season, and symbolize repentance. The pink candle is burned beginning with the third week of Advent to symbolize the "half-way" point in the dark time of waiting. The third Sunday of Advent is called "gaudete," Latin for "joy," which is the spiritual focus for this week of Advent. Interestingly, it also used to be known as “Refreshment Sunday”. When it was traditional to follow a disciplined fasting during Advent, Christians were allowed extra sustenance this day, often in the form of hot cross buns. (And you thought they were only for Easter!) The pink candle also stands as the sign that Light overcomes darkness. (When the first two candles are lit there are still two dark, it is half and half, but when the third is lit “Light” wins!)
There are many and varied traditions around the meaning of each particular candle. Historically, the candles have a twofold purpose: they represent the foundations of our walk as Christians, and each candle represents our ancestors in faith:
First candle: Faith - the Patriarchs
Second candle: Joy - the Prophets
Third candle: Love - John the Baptist
Fourth candle: Hope - the Virgin Mary Readings for the 3rd Sunday in Advent call us to rejoice and exult with all our hearts; God is our salvation. By counting the Sundays of Advent with lighted candles, we prepare for welcoming the One True Light. In the words of Isaiah the prophet: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light”. Let the Advent wreath, with its’ pink candle of joy, remind us to be that joy and light to the world.

2006-11-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

The "Pink Book" release....what a joke!

Judy Sgro is a demagogue...
The Liberal party, with the release of its’ “Pink Book”, once again shows how out of touch with real women they actually are. And what a surprise! None other than the shining example of a well-adjusted, stable woman, Belinda Stronach, heads the group. The Liberal policies to help further women’s economic status are nothing more than thinly veiled attempts to further their elitist and completely undemocratic militant feminist agenda.
Judy Sgro, chairman of the Commons committee of the status of women; (the same Judy Sgro of the Stripper affair, the pizza restaurant affair, and general heckler of Conservatives) claims that the “Conservative government, based on their policies, would clearly prefer women stay barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen and move us backwards 40 years.” Ms. Sgro and Ms. Stronach would have the public believe that all Conservative women are subservient and oppressed. They are hoping use this perception to manipulate the public to advance their political agenda, for their own personal advancement and power. This is demagoguery at its’ finest!
In my experience, the vast majority of Conservative women are intelligent, dignified, caring and committed to their values. Let the Liberal party take note: Canadians are sick and tired of the Liberal propaganda regarding women. If the best spokespeople you can come up with are Belinda and Judy, your party is in more trouble than you think!

2006-11-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

Feast of All Souls and Purgatory....
So many people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, do not understand the meaning of or the IMPORTANCE of praying for the dead. I recently wrote an article for our church bulletin regarding this, in an effort to shed some much needed light on this subject:

During the month of November we set aside time to remember the deceased. It is a time to pay respect to the souls of friends and loved ones who have died, as well as to offer prayers for those who have no one praying for them. We pray for their souls that they may be received into Heaven. Beginning in the year 998, all souls -- the "faithful departed" -- were officially remembered in the Church's prayers on the evening of November 1, and with Requiem Masses on November 2. All Souls Day is now a feast of the universal Church honoring all saints, known and unknown.
We pray for our dead to show respect. Respect for the dead is part of respect for all human life, which comes from God. Our heavenly Father gave us life, and we are all infinitely precious to Him. This act of charity of praying for our deceased is a stewardship we are all called to share in.
In the Apostle’s Creed, we state emphatically “we believe in the Communion of Saints”. What does this mean for us as Catholics? This is the belief that all of God's people, on heaven, earth, and in the state of purification, or Purgatory, are connected in a communion. The Doctrine of the Church teaches that the communion of saints is “the spiritual solidarity which binds together the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ its head.” (Taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia).
Because of our communion through Jesus Christ, our prayers are joined with the heavenly community of Christians. Throughout the Gospel of Matthew and the letters of St. Paul, we are taught about this solidarity. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches; He is the Head of the Mystical Body of which all Christians are a part.
There are three levels of existence for the Mystical Body of Christ. On earth we invoke the prayers of the saints in heaven, honor them as glorified Christians and seek to imitate them. The Saints in Heaven pray for the saints on earth and for the souls in purgatory. Those in purgatory can invoke the saints in heaven and pray for us struggling with the world. The saints are continually praying for us and interceding before God on our behalf. The feast of All Souls is a reminder to pray for the "faithful departed". It is a time for celebrating Life, not mourning its loss. Jesus said, “My God is not the God of the Dead, but the God of the Living.” We are given New Life in Christ – a life in which we continue and complete the Communion of Saints. This month let us take this opportunity to introduce memories of loved ones to our children, and celebrate what their lives meant to us. Let us all take the time to reflect and share in the glory of belonging to the Body of Christ.

2006-11-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

The Truth About Stem Cell Research....

Stem cell research is hot and heavy in the forefront of the news right now, thanks to Michael J. Fox and Rush Limbaugh. Unfortunately, so many people don't have all the facts, and therefore, even some Catholics tend to believe that there is nothing wrong with suppporting it.

There has been a great deal of misinformation fed to the public regarding stem cell research. Michael Coren’s column (Wrong side on stem cells) addressed this admirably, however, there is still much educating to be done. Michael Coren, for those who have not been blessed enough to ever read any of his columns or books, is a regular columnist for the Sun media group in Canada. Please check him out at www.michaelcoren.com. He is an AMAZING writer!

There are many problems with the use of embryonic stem cells because they are not compatible with adult tissues. Rejection of tissue, as well as the formation of life-threatening tumors is commonplace, and just two of the reasons why stem cells from embryos are not ideal. There has yet to be even ONE successful procedure using these stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are designed to further the rapid growth of a human embryo, not to further human engineering!

Adult stem cells and stem cells from umbilical cords have been shown to consistently have positive results in clinical trials. Adult and cord blood stem cell therapies are used every day in the treatment of nearly a hundred different diseases. In fact, umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used over 3000 times to successfully treat 45 different diseases. We need to do SO MUCH MORE to encourage the donations of umbilical cords...this is a highly accessible source of stem cells, made available every time a baby is born.

Well known biomedical ethicist Dr. David Reardon explains clearly on his website (www.elliotinstitute.org) why so many organizations are
pushing for embryonic stem cell research: “scientists and researchers are enamored with the possibilities of experimenting with human embryos and human cloning.” It sounds terribly "mad-scientistish", but unfortunately, many of the researchers are indeed looking to not cure current diseases, but to create beings free from these diseases in the first place. For further information, check out Dr. Reardon's website on this subject.

One reader to the Sun wrote in, complaining that Mr. Coren's language was "inflammatory", because he refers to the embryos as children. Michael Coren’s language is far from inflammatory; it is the truth. “Days-old” embryos are indeed unborn children. What do people actually think the embryos are, unborn ducks, or frogs, perhaps? Embryonic stem cells are harvested from “surplus” embryos left over from invitro fertilization. These are unborn humans already 5-7 days old, with sex, height and every other characteristic determined.

The public needs to be made aware of the overwhelming superiority of adult and umbilical cord stem cells. This will only happen through education, and the persistence of pro-lifers of ensuring the media reports the truth.

2006-11-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

Important reprint from LifeSiteNews:

I never thought I would actually have time to blog twice in one day, but I just checked Lifesite news and found something really worth passing around. A Bishop from Wisconsin has taken a rare and courageous step in ensuring the priests in his diocese follow his request to address certain life issues this coming up weekend before the election in the States. We can only pray that one day our Canadian counterparts (other than the amazing Bishop Henry, of course) will show the same conviction and courage!

Bishop Morlino's letter to priests

The letter below from Bishop Robert C. Morlino was sent to the priests of the Diocese of Madison, dated October 25, 2006 marked "Personal and Confidential." Information about the letter was reported in the Wisconsin State Journal on October 30. The full text of the Bishop's personal correspondence with the priests is reprinted here, so that the full truth regarding the content of the letter can be known.
October 25, 2006

Dear Brother Priests,
Please pray for all those who exercise their right and duty to faithful citizenship. Pray for all our candidates, that they will choose to do God's will as our elected officials, and not their own. Enclosed with this letter, you will find a recorded message from myself both on CD and ordinary-cassette-tape format, for your convenience. It is mandatory that this recorded message be played for our faithful people at all Masses of obligation on the weekend of November 4th and 5th.
Very honestly, I would prefer never to have to resort to this particular format, and you can be assured that my use of it will be extremely rare. In the slightly more than three years that I have been with you, this is the first time when it has even occurred to me that this format would be appropriate. The message is approximately 14 minutes in length, so its use at the time of the homily (when it must be used) will not prolong the duration of Mass.
I apologize in advance for this second paragraph that I must write, and I would very much prefer otherwise. My office has received reports that in isolated cases, priests have refused to cooperate with my requests in terms of preaching in defense of marriage and have even expressed disagreement with my clear wishes in this matter. Please listen to the enclosed message: it deals with the marriage referendum, the death penalty referendum, and the issue of embryonic-stem cell research.
The message is educational in its purpose, and is certainly non-partisan. What I expect of each of you is a simple introductory statement that the bishop has required this message to be played during the homily time at all Masses of obligation on November the 4th or the 5th. If you can express some support for the message that I offer that would be appreciated but not expected.
I must make it very clear that any verbal or non-verbal expression of disagreement with this teaching on the part of the priest will have to be considered by myself as an act of disobedience, which could have serious consequences. I am sorry that a few isolated reports cause me to write to all of you in this vein. Up to this point I have not investigated the accuracy of those reports and at the moment I am giving the priests involved the benefit of the doubt, as is my custom. But it would be less than fair for me to leave any lingering ambiguity in anyone's mind about my seriousness in this particular matter. As always you are welcome to discuss the matter with me, through the use of my private phone number.
The episcopal consecration of Bishop Paul Swain provides us an opportunity to celebrate all that is holy, and good, and inspiring in our presbyterate. Make no mistake that I am far more impressed by that holiness, goodness, and inspiration, than I am troubled by the difficulties that we may encounter with each other along the way.
With deep gratitude for all that you are and for all that you do in the Lord's service, I am

Fraternally yours in Christ

Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

Check out LifesiteNews to hear Bishop Morlino's tape.

2006-11-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

Stewardship Campaign

“We are a gifted people”….what does this mean to us as Christians? As Catholics? As members of our local parish?
We are well into our stewardship campaign for 2006, the time where we pay particular attention to what God is calling us to do. Every year there is a particular rhythm to the Stewardship campaign. We have reminders in the bulletin; we are sent letters in the mail asking us to renew our pledges, and we have a witness speak about stewardship.
If you feel like you missed “the call” this year; you are not alone. I was more than a little embarrassed when I asked our parish priest when we were having our "stewardship presentation this year", to which he replied, “we just had it, this past weekend…” I was at Mass; I was paying attention; I just didn’t “get it”.
This year, Father explained, instead of a distinct focal point, we are being called to reflect on the blessings we receive by sharing our gifts. The person who witnessed his call to stewardship in our parish focused on how God touched him through his experience in travelling to a village in El Salvador to help with a project, and how he was blessed because of giving of his time, talent and treasure.
Our heavenly Father has blessed each and every one of us with some kind of gift. In answering God’s call to give of our time and talent, we are able to witness first hand the Kingdom of God. What gifts can we share in order to experience God’s Kingdom? Stewardship is so much more than coming to church and putting an envelope in the basket. As Christians, we are called to action: “faith without works is nothing.” In the book of James we are invited to participate in the Kingdom of God by using our gifts to help others. Our churches need us! We are blessed with talents not to keep to ourselves or for our own enrichment, but to share with our community. If we want to experience the joy of God’s blessings on us, we must answer His call to give. This does not necessarily mean having to travel to a third world country to experience the Kingdom of God. We are all called in different ways: some are called to share their faith with children in the catechetic programme; some may be called to music ministry. Some may be called to give of their time with the Knights of Columbus or the Catholic Women's League. Some are called to work in the inner city with the poor. There are many, many areas of our community both in and outside of the parish that are in need of our gifts. In sharing the time, talent and treasure that God has blessed us with we are endlessly rewarded – this is God’s promise to us through His Son.
This time of reflection is for our renewal. It is why we are asked to renew our pledge to stewardship. This renewal, or “resurrection” of our commitment of sharing our time, talent and treasure affords us the blessings of God. We are a people gifted…to give.

2006-10-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Regarding Peter McKay....

The uproar surrounding Peter McKay's alleged comment about ex-girlfriend Belinda Stronach would almost be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic. Today in the Winnipeg Sun, someone wrote in with the dire prediction that Mr. McKay's remark will "cost the Tories the Women's vote".
Exactly how this guy came up with this conclusion, I'm sure we'll never know! The vast majority of intelligent women see the Conservatives as the answer to Canada's problems of fiscal mismanagement and social disarray. This is just another example of Liberal desperation and floundering. They have absolutely no leg to stand on regarding ANY relevant issues, therefore they must make noise wherever and whenever they can.
At least the Conservatives cannot be accused of "dithering", like a certain EX-prime minister was a master of. They are not afraid to "call it like it is", and are taking a no-nonsense approach to governing our country.
As for Belinda being referred to as a dog, "If it walks like a duck, and acts like a duck...."

2006-10-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

So the Court Challenges Programme has had its' funding cut....

This has been a controversial programme since its' inception. Court Challenges is a programme founded in 1973 under the Trudeau Liberals that has given millions of dollars to exclusively leftist special interest groups to make legal challenges to existing laws. While the CCP was originally billed as a funding source for dealing with language rights, the Court Challenges program quickly became a vehicle for activist organizations furthering social engineering goals.

Lifesite news reports that the Canadian Union of Public Employees is contributing funds to a campaign to “save” the controversial Court Challenges Programme. CUPE, which is Canada’s largest union, has consistently supported activist groups pushing for pro-homosexual and pro-abortion issues, using mandatory worker’s dues for funding.
Family News in Focus reported in 2004 that "while pro-life and traditional family groups were denied funding under the CCP, organizations challenging family autonomy through radical interpretation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were consistently subsidized by the organization."

In 1993 the CCP was shielded from Access to Information legislation under the Liberals, effectively preventing an accurate accounting of where taxpayers’ money goes. The Court Challenges program was reorganized as a not-for-profit organization, completely independent of the government. Since then, the organization has not had to announce its funding grants or the criteria for its decisions. In its current form, the Court Challenges program is not subject to Access to Information laws or to Parliamentary review, great cause for concern, according to Justice Minister Vic Toews.

The two main beneficiaries of CCP funding--the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund and the homosexual activist group EGALE--are two of the most powerful lobby groups in the country. These are hardly representative of "the disadvantaged and vulnerable" that the Court Challenges Programme was intended to support.

The bottom line is that it is the taxpayer's money, yours and mine, that has been used for this programme. Bravo to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Treasury Board Secretary John Baird for standing up for ALL Canadians and finally eliminating the Court Challenges Programme. Please contact the above, and THANK them, let them know they are doing the right thing, and that they have the support of the majority of REAL Canadians!

2006-10-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Bravo for South Dakota!

Strong pro-life support is at work in South Dakota, as reported at www.lifesite.net. The following is an excerpt of their article, because, hey, they said it first and best, and why should I try to re-word it??

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. October 11, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – South Dakota’s prohibition on abortion, passed overwhelmingly in the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Mike Rounds, awaits a public referendum set for November 7th. In the meantime, the law – called by Rounds “a direct challenge” to Roe vs. Wade – is being supported by a strongly pro-woman campaign that points to the psychological and physical damage done to women by abortion.
Complaining that the pro-life supporters’ emphasis on the harm abortion does to women has disconcerted their strategy, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and North and South Dakota is worried that the referendum is going to backfire.
Talking about the psychological and physical harms of abortion, “adds an element we're not accustomed to” Planned Parenthood president and chief executive Sarah Stoesz told the Los Angeles Times. “It's a different line of debate. And that is something we struggle with politically.”

So the pro-aborts aren't accustomed to addressing the "psychological and physical harms of abortion".... hmmm...maybe because it would cut into their profits too much if women actually knew the TRUTH!!!!

This victory is EXACTLY why it is so important to be ACTIVELY pro-life. It is NOT enough to be pro-life in values and beliefs. We are called to action! There is a quote, and I can't remember by whom (somebody help me out here) that says "All it takes for evil to flourish is a few good men to do nothing" - or something to that effect. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a paid membership to your local Right to Life group.
You may think it doesn't matter, but don't forget: numbers are everything to politicians and the media - it is much more impressive to say "we have a membership of 5000 who hold the same beliefs" than to go and say "well, we have 300 people belonging to our organization..." Who would you think has more clout? The time to act is NOW! If you do not have a membership in your local Life group (contact your local pro-life organization or CPC to find out where to sign up!) please get one! It is only because there are a large number of active pro-life people ACCOUNTED for in places like South Dakota that pro-life legislation can be passed!
Thanks, and God Bless....

2006-10-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Abortion-breast cancer link: important information....

This weekend I was very fortunate to attend a pro-life conference hosted by Campaign Life Coalition. The speakers were informative and engaging, particularly Dr. Clem Persaud, who spoke on the abortion-breast cancer link.
Dr. Persaud's research shows that every week, 429 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Canada, and of these 429, 102 women will die. 1 out of 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. If these numbers are correct, we should be doing everything in our power to lower all possible risks, particularly if the risks are within our control.
It is easy to understand the link between abortion and breast cancer, if one just takes a moment to logically think about it. As soon as a woman becomes pregnant, her body starts to change; estrogen levels rise dramatically. The cells in her breasts begin to multiply, due to the increase of estrogen. With a regular, uninterrupted pregnancy, the cycle of cell growth is naturally completed with the birth of the baby and the production of milk. When a pregnancy is UNNATURALLY ended through abortion, the cells that began to grow in anticipation of milk production multiply out of control - they go "haywire", hence, they have a much higher chance of becoming cancerous. There is, in fact, an increased risk of up to 30% for breast cancer after abortion.
The reason that miscarriages do not increase risk of breast cancer is because if a pregnancy is NATURALLY ended, the estrogen level is generally not high enough to either sustain the pregnancy or cause the same cellular changes to the breast.
Maybe this is over-simplified, but I find that when I explain it like this, most people understand, and can see how abortion does in fact increase a woman's risk of breast cancer.
A couple of great sources to check out: www.abortionbreastcancer.com, and www.abortionfacts.com for more information. Perhaps once more people see the link between abortion and breast cancer, organizations like the Canadian Cancer Society will be willing to publicize this as a very real risk.

2006-10-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Life Chain - great chance to witness!

Yesterday (Sunday, October 1st) was the Life Chain, held across Canada and the U.S. Here in Winnipeg, Campaign Life Coalition held the chain outside the Women's Pavilion Hospital, where some 3400 abortions are done each year. We had approximately 85 people in attendance; I thought a lot more could have come out, considering how beautiful a day it was...

People driving by were overwhelmingly supportive; many waved and honked in support. Only 4 dissenters - one was a young female, perhaps in her very early 20's, screamed "**** you!" at us as the car she was in raced by. How sad. So many "pro-choice" people preach tolerance, yet do not tolerate opposing views, and do everything to silence what they don't agree with.
Hundreds of thousands of women have been exploited by abortion, and millions of babies slaughtered, but we're not allowed to say anything, because "it's none of our business"!

It is great to see the positive changes coming about in the U.S.regarding the abortion laws; pray that our politicians will wake up and listen to the growing majority of people in Canada who respect Life and are working to put an end to the senselessness of abortion.

2006-09-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Winnipeg Life Hike - thoughts

Wow, I am so new to this stuff.... I had no idea there was so much "out there" with the internet. It is so nice to hear from so many other pro-life people. Sometimes I feel like I don't have that much support. Just for example, this Saturday (September 30th) is our annual "Life Hike", a walk-a-thon of sorts that our League For Life holds to raise money for pro-life educational work. Bill and I and the kids have been collecting pledges at church for the past 2 weeks, and I cannot believe the number of people who DO NOT sponsor us! You know... the people you see every Sunday at Mass who all of a sudden seem to really want to avoid you? I remember two years ago I approached someone after Mass to make a donation - (it was one of our eucharistic ministers) and he practically spit "No", and turned and walked away! Talk about shocking! I don't know; maybe I'm too naive....I assume that everyone who goes to Mass on Sunday on a regular basis, especially those INVOLVED in ministry, should be pro-life....silly me....

I'll post the results of our total fundraising after the hike!

2006-09-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Olivia's story (August, 2003)

I wrote this 3 years ago for our local pro-life group newspaper. I wanted to include it on my blog because it really represents who I am.

My name is Lisa. I have been married to Bill for 9 years this past April. We have been blessed with Stephanie, age 8 (born 3 days before our first wedding anniversary!); Christian, age 6; Rachel, age 4, and Elizabeth, or “Littlebit” as she is known, age 2. We found out in April we were expecting again, with our fifth child due in early December.

Just like with my other pregnancies, we spent time wondering if this child was a boy or a girl; deciding on names; dreaming what he or she would look like and so on. Reading over the fetal development pamphlets was amazing; we got to “watch” our baby change and grow daily. Following the baby’s stages of development is always so exciting to me, even after having done so four times before this! It is such a privilege to be part of another human being’s life journey, literally right from day one.

Looking back now, I think I subconsciously knew something was not quite right. I thought the feeling of “some days I don’t even feel pregnant” was due to the fact that I was a very busy stay-at-home mom with a lot of responsibilities. A routine check up at fourteen weeks showed everything to be okay: my doctor and I heard the heartbeat, and the baby was growing at a nice rate. My next scheduled visit to my doctor was at 21 weeks, on July 29th. The week before this appointment I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling of foreboding: I knew I should have been feeling the baby move, and I wasn’t. When my doctor entered the exam room where I was waiting, she asked how everything was. My first response was “Not good. I haven’t felt the baby move at all.” She assured me that sometimes a mother might not necessarily feel movement this early; maybe the baby was just less active than my others were. She listened with that little monitor that amplifies the beating of the baby’s heart, searching, for what seemed like an eternity. I now know with brutal clarity what the expression “the silence was deafening” means.

My doctor, trying to remain optimistic, scheduled me for an emergency ultrasound, explaining that sometimes, if a heartbeat can’t be heard, that it could mean that the baby is just not in a good position, that maybe things are okay. I had enough time to go home and explain the situation to Bill, and arrange for a sitter for the kids before the ultrasound.
We cried and we prayed. We prayed for the baby to be okay; we prayed for the strength to deal with this horrible situation we were thrust into; we prayed for understanding. It was very difficult to explain the circumstances to our older children without alarming them, yet without minimalizing the possible outcome.

We went up to the floor the ultrasound was to be performed on. The technician obviously knew what was happening; she was solemn when she called me to go with her. The joviality I had come to expect with going to “see the baby” was just not there. I stood before the examination table, barely breathing, not wanting to be there at all. The technician was very sympathetic, telling me it was okay, whenever I was ready. I lay down and closed my eyes while she began the search. She moved the ultrasound wand around and around, not saying a word. Finally I had to ask, “You can’t find anything, can you?” “I’m so sorry. No.” Those words pierced my heart. How could that be possible? I had four perfectly healthy pregnancies previous to this. There had been no indication at all that something like this could happen.
Bill came to get me from the exam room, and we went back to see my doctor to discuss what would happen next. The ultrasound had shown that our baby had died at about 15 weeks gestation. I was already at 21 weeks, but my doctor was (thankfully) willing to wait one more week to see if I would miscarry naturally. Due to a previous c-section with my first pregnancy, apparently I was not a good candidate for induction, as the forced labour could possibly rupture my uterus. An absolute last resort would be a D&C to remove my baby, as waiting much longer would bring very high risks of infection. Because of my years of pro-life work and research, I knew exactly what a D&C would entail, so this was not an option I was even willing to discuss at this point.

That week of waiting was one of the hardest weeks of my life. We decided to tell as few people as possible while we dealt with our grief. How do you tell friends and family that your baby has died, but that you’re still “pregnant’? We did not want to have to explain what we knew, then have to go through it all again when I actually delivered, especially since we had no idea when that would occur. So we waited. This actually proved to be very hard to do; I felt terrible about not telling everyone; about having to pretend that everything was fine. The hardest time was in going to a friend’s daughter’s birthday party and hearing her tell others I was expecting again. But Bill and I really needed that time for ourselves to grieve and to deal with our loss, whenever that would come. I am so thankful we had that time; it helped immensely in coping later on.

The morning of August 5th arrived. I packed a bag, knowing I would be admitted today, since my body was just not accepting that the baby I was carrying was no longer living. We went to see my doctor who was very excited about the news she had. She had consulted with several colleagues about my situation, and found out that she could in fact, administer the drug needed to induce me, even with the previous c-section. Apparently it would be safe if it was a lower dosage, with little risk of rupture of the uterus. My doctor also was very reluctant to do the D&C because of the “very high risk of perforating the uterus”, which she stated more than once.

(Just as a side note: it’s amazing that one doctor will acknowledge this danger as a “very high risk” while so many others want to portray the procedure of a D&C as very safe and routine.)

So off to the hospital we went, filled with apprehension of what was about to happen. I was admitted just before noon; the first dose of the drug needed to induce labour given not long after. The nurses on the floor I was on were so compassionate and understanding. Everyone was genuinely sympathetic to what we were going through. The social worker (one on staff for bereaved families), upon finding out that we had not received copies of our last ultrasound, immediately made arrangements for us to have another so we could get pictures of our baby in the womb. It was an amazing experience to see this tiny human being, lying so still, so safe inside of me. They took so many pictures; labelling where possible so we could identify them – an arm here, a knee, the baby’s face. I will be eternally grateful to the social worker who arranged for this. In addition, she also obtained copies of our original ultrasound for us as a surprise. Even though the pictures are very grainy and a little hard to make out the images, the thoughtfulness and effort behind getting us these ultrasound images will never be forgotten.

The baby was born still in the amniotic sac, not long after the second dose of drugs had been administered. She came quickly and quietly, without the normal amount of pain or pushing. The nurses whisked her away to clean her up and dress her. They brought her back dressed in a soft green knit toque and little cotton gown, wrapped in a soft green knit blanket. I will never forget that first moment of seeing our little girl, of holding that tiny, precious bundle. The nurses and doctor respectfully left us to bond, to grieve over the birth and death of our baby, assuring us that we could take however much time we wanted. She measured 8 inches, or 21cm from head to toe and weighed 120 grams. She was 14 ½ weeks of age when she died.

All the knowledge I had of fetal development and life in the womb could not prepare me for what now lay before my very eyes. Although her facial features were slack and not completely defined, we could still see a very distinct resemblance to our other children’s features. Most amazing were her perfect little hands, one of which fit perfectly across the nail of my index finger. Closer inspection showed distinct fingernails at the end of each of her delicate fingers. We marvelled at the tiny little toes at the end of each foot. The muscles and tendons of her body were all in place; viewed easily just by moving her arms and bending her legs. She was so beautiful; so amazingly, perfectly formed, perfectly proportioned. It is so unfathomable that people refuse to acknowledge this as a human being; that babies this age and older are being killed every day through abortion.

We named our little girl Olivia Amy, the name she would have had if she had been born at full term, the name we had assigned so many hopes and dreams to. Olivia is just as much a part of our family as any of our other children. We do not have four children; we have 5. We had a funeral for her, not so much as closure for our family and friends, but because she was a human being who deserved respect and recognition, no matter how brief her life was. Along with the gift of dignity and recognition of Olivia as a person, we received from the hospital a molded impression of her hands and feet, a memento of a daughter we only had on earth for a very short while.

We don’t know why Olivia’s life was so short. Whatever the reason, I’m sure that she would be happy that the impressions left of her little hands and feet can serve to remind us of the miracle of life; of a human being which begins to grow not when the umbilical cord is cut, but from the very moment of conception.