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Lyrics:

At this time in America we’ve come to the crossroads
Standing with our religious freedom and what we have been told.
We hold these truths to be self evident all men created the same
Endowed with certain unalienable rights that can’t be taken away
They cannot be taken away by man, they were given by the creator
God almighty in Heaven, greater than any legislature
No system, No policy, No mandate has the power
To trample on our conscience and rob us of what is ours
Things that violate health, we are told we must provide
Using faulty percentages to justify conquer and divide
This is not about one issue that we need to just let go
It’s not simply about contraception but about government control
A Year to comply? A Year to deny?
A Year to turn the other way and let our conscience die?
A Mandate that violates the corporate conscience of our faith
And once this door is open every religion and creed is at stake
Every American should see this as a threat to our country’s foundation
Religion doesn’t make us second class, settling for an accommodation
Our conscience is sacred; our freedom of religion is a treasure
Handed to us by Soldiers who fought and sacrificed beyond measure
The 1st amendment protects the free exercise of Religion
To exercise our freedom without living a contradiction
As faithful Americans we HOLD THESE TRUTHS
Life, Liberty and Happiness’ pursuit
This isn’t to be partisan or to endorse a candidate
This is about a plea to the administration to rescind this mandate
And as you deliberate for freedoms sake just remember
We get to use our rights and cast our two cents in November

Fr. Claude (Dusty) Burns
Aka Pontifex
2/24/12

Almighty Father and Lord of life,

You have entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding and protecting human life with the utmost care from the moment of conception to natural death (Gaudium et Spes No. 51). During this holy season of Lent, a time of both penance and great hope, stir in our hearts a greater love for you and for each other.  During these 40 days of spiritual renewal, lead us to a deeper conversion so that by living in your light and love we may bear witness to the gift of life. 

Lord Jesus, the firstborn of all creation, have mercy on us. Accept our prayers and our fasting in atonement for the tragic sin of abortion. By the merits of your precious blood shed for our redemption, instill in all hearts a profound respect for the gift of life and bring about an end to abortion, euthanasia and every other assault on innocent human life. Reawaken in the heart of every pregnant mother a profound love for the life growing in her womb and grant to her unfailing courage to choose life for her child. 

Come Holy Spirit, strengthen us and give us fortitude to work tirelessly to promote a true Culture of Life, a culture that recognizes the dignity and sanctity of every person. Raise up men and women to serve in public office who will enact laws which will safeguard and protect all human life. 

Blessed Mary, Mother of God, you bore the Author of Life in your womb. Through your intercession may our hearts be conformed to yours so that we might accept, nurture and cherish all human life. 

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.  Amen

Written by Bishop James D. Conley,   Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Denver

Thank God the bishops are using their clout against the attempt of the Obama administration to force Catholic institutions to pay for contraception. Although I do not agree with Paul Moses entirely, I believe he has a point in suggesting that the effort could backfire.  But that is a risk we have to take. Unfortunately, politics today is largely part of our sound bite culture.  So many people are more interested in the outcome of the Twitter war than they are about having an in-depth and clear understanding of the problem at hand.  Political persuasion is to a great extent about perception. Winning a debate  seems more important than dealing with the fundamental issues. Clarifying first principles often clouds the particular agenda and appeals more to the intellect than it does to the emotions. Emotional arguments work better. Partisanship is also an issue.  I am all for distinctions and hard ones when they reflect reality, but Republican vs. Democrat generally does not reflect the complex reality of peoples real interests and positions.  Certainly, neither political party represents the fundamental interests of the Catholic Church. Yet the current problem does reflect a reality that could be conveyed easily on Twitter.  It is President Obama against the Church.  The interests of the bishops relative to this issue are not political.  They are not even confessional.  It is the age old problem of the Church maintaining its liberty from incursions into relgious matters by civil authorities.  And the issue even simpler than the current debate frames it.  The real question is not whether religious institutions should be exempted from paying for something considered immoral by their confession.  The real question is why anyone at all is being forced by the government to act contrary to fundamental religious convictions rooted in natural law and in legal history of our country. During the last presidential campaign Doug Kmiec successfully convinced many Catholics that Barack Obama was the most pro-life candidate in the race.  Many of us were astounded.  Recently, Kmiec wrote to the president in respect to the present debacle.  He said:

In deciding against a reasonable accommodation of Catholic concerns in the implementation of the health care program, you lost sight of your own beliefs.  For this reason, your words this morning touched neither soul nor heart in the room. . . . Today, Sir, I ask you no longer as an Ambassador, but simply as a friend, why put the cold calculus of politics above faith and freedom?  Please respond, for friendship will not permit me to disregard duty to faith and country.  The Barack Obama I knew would never have asked me to make that choice.

I still think Kmiec is very naive–at best. Politicians, journalists, pundits and bloggers will now “soundbite” and “twitter” us with irrelevancies about women dying from a lack of birth control because Catholics don’t want to pay for it and about how the bishop’s are too conservative and partisan.  Unfortunately, many will buy it, which is very ironic, since the official voter’s guide of the USCCB is hardly a conservative or partisan representation. Another irony is Paul Moses’ suggestion that the bishops employ the methods of Saul Alinsky.  This, he says, could build consensus.  Moses counsels the bishops to garner enthusiastic support by community organizing.  Grassroots support, of course, if helpful.  However, the quintessentially alinskian element here is the way in which grassroots support is generated by the ulterior motives of radicals in order to implement a preconceived and elitist agenda.  Moses rightly points out that Obama knows all about this.  But this is not the mission of the bishops. The Church is a voluntary society.  No one has to belong to it, but those who do have an inalienable right to follow its precepts without the interference of the state.   This is not about political maneuvering.  It is about keeping the claws of the government out of religious matters. Politics is tricky.  We cannot do without consensus because politics is a matter of persuasion.  However, I can hardly think of a situation that is more simple than the present one.  The Church must not sacrifice her independence and the general principle of religious liberty for the sake of some vague measure of political coexistence and popular support. There is hardly any way to prevent those who support Obama’s agenda from casting the bishops’ position as a partisan one.  Caesar must not be conceded an inch of God’s territory even if there are political costs. Filed under: Catholic Action, Church, Culture, Politics, Pro-Life, Religion Tagged: Barack Obama, Contraception, Doug Kmiec, Paul Moses Go to Source

Variety #193 – Fr. Thomas Ward ( 18min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fr. Thomas Ward of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Binghamton, NY, expounds on the sacred truth of the Dignity of the Human Person. This Truth is under attack on all sides by the one who is the “Father of lies” and “Murderer from the beginning.” Father Ward explains how tolerance of lies and sin ultimately leads to the destruction of human life, and the loss of souls.

He then exhorts us to respond with uncompromising truth, generous kindness, and universal charity, all of which must animate the merciful work of the Pro-Life movement.

This sermon was given for the Annual Pro-Life Prayer Service organized by the Broome County Right to Life Committee.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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“It grieves me, my God, that I should be so wicked and that I am able to do so little in Your service. I well know that it is my own fault that You have not granted me the favours which You gave to those who went before me…. I grieve over my life, Lord, when I compare it with theirs; and I cannot say this without weeping. When I meditate, my God, upon the glory which You have prepared for those who persevere in doing Your will, and when I think how many trials and pains it cost Your Son to gain it for us, and how little we have deserved it, and how bound we are not to be ungrateful for this wondrous love which has taught us love at such a cost to itself, my soul becomes greatly afflicted.

How is it possible, Lord, that all this should be forgotten, and that, when they offend You, mortal men should be so forgetful of You? O my Redeemer, how forgetful are men! They are forgetful even of themselves. And how great is Your goodness that You should remember us when we have fallen and have tried to strike You a mortal blow, and that You forget what we have done and give us Your hand again and awaken us from our incurable madness so that we seek and beg You for salvation. Blessed be such a Lord, blessed be such great mercy and praised be He forever for His merciful pity! O my soul, bless forever so great a God! How can a soul turn against Him?” (St Teresa of Jesus, Foundations, 4 — Exclamations of the Soul to God, 3)

O Lord, although I know how much this poor soul of mine has cost You, yet how often have I offended You, resisted Your grace, been unfaithful to Your love, and deaf to Your invitation to a more perfect life, to sanctity.

You, my God, have given everything, You have given Yourself entirely for me; therefore, it is not seeking too much in return to ask me to give myself entirely to You, to give You everything in order to match Your love for me. Yes, I know that You are not satisfied with my thinking only of saving my soul, just as You were not satisfied to acquire for me only the means necessary for my salvation, but willed also to acquire the means necessary for my sanctification. You have already purchased and paid for all of them; therefore, if I do not become a saint, it is entirely my own fault.

But, O Lord, how can a soul as weak and miserable as mine, one so full of faults, selfishness and meanness aspire to an ideal as high as that of sanctity? Oh yes, my pretensions would certainly be the greatest temerity if You Yourself had not shown me that this is exactly what You will. You have even given me a precious commandment concerning it, “Be you therefore perfect as also Your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)

I beseech You, O Lord, repeat this sublime invitation to my poor soul, pressingly, compellingly, so that held by this ideal, it may be urged to greater generosity, stronger resolutions, and more complete confidence in Your merciful work of redemption and sanctification.

Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene OCD

Conferences #128 – Mike Cutone on Catholic Leadership ( 04min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Master Sargent Mike Cutone gives his conference on Catholic Leadership going through the acronym L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. as he has outlined in his book Catholics Lead the Way. In this segment he is on “L” for “Lead by Example”. Just as Jesus lead by example by carrying his Cross so we must not ask anything of our subordinates that we are unwilling to do.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion in America.

The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities … and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ’s resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

Vision and mission

40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America. The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion in America.

From September 28th-November 6th, many communities will be joining together for a faith-filled, groundbreaking, coordinated pro-life mobilization — 40 Days for Life.

We are praying that, with God’s help, this groundbreaking effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in our city — and throughout America and the world.

Please prayerfully consider how you might take part in this pro-life effort this Lent.  www.40daysforlife.com

The universal call to holiness 

All Sacred Scripture is a calling to holiness, to the fullness of charity, but Jesus makes it quite explicit in the Gospel: You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  And Christ is not addressing his words to the Apostles or to just a few of his followers, but to everyone. Saint Matthew makes the point at the conclusion of these discourses that the crowds were astonished at his teaching.  Jesus does not demand sanctity of an exclusive coterie of disciples who accompany him everywhere, but of all who approach him: the multitudes, among whom were mothers of families, laborers, and skilled craftsmen who would stop to hear him after work, children, tax-collectors, beggars and cripples … The Lord calls people to follow him without distinction of state, race or condition.  

Christ speaks to us, to each one in particular, to our neighbors, coworkers or friends in the office or in the Faculty and to those who pass us and each other in the street: Be perfect … he says, and grants us the means and the appropriate graces that will make perfection possible. This is not just advice from the master, but an imperative command. All in the Church, whether they belong to the Hierarchy or are cared for by it, are called to holiness, according to the Apostle’s saying: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’ (l Thes 4:3).  

All Christians, in any state or walk of life, are called to the full­ness of Christian life and to the perfection of love.In the doctrine of Christ there is no invitation to mediocrity, but a clear call to heroism, to love and to cheerful sacrifice.  

Love is within reach of the child, of the invalid who has been confined to a hospital bed for a lengthy period, of the businessman, of the doctor who hardly has a minute to spare, because sanctity is a matter of love, and of the effort we make to reach the Master with the help of grace. We have to give a new meaning to life, together with all its joys and exhilarations, its pains and woes. Sanctity requires a fight against conformity, against lukewarmness, against an easy-going worldly attitude. It demands heroism – not in extraordinary situations that we ‘are unlikely to encounter, but in continual fidelity to our task in the unremarkable duties of each day.  

Today we implore this of God: Lord, grant us a lively desire for sanctity, that we may be exemplary in our duty of loving you more each day. Help us to spread your doctrine every­where. Our Lord is not happy with a lukewarm life and a half-hearted dedication.  Let us ask the Blessed Virgin for an effective zeal for sanctity in the circumstances in which we find ourselves now…let us not wait. 

Fr. Francis Fernandez

Today is the Feast of the Patron of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Louis the King.  He lived his faith with conviction and publicly.  Here is a meditation on this topic  from a modern Franciscan who is presently the Archbishop of Denver and soon to be the Archbishop of Philadelphia:

“Speak in the light”

Cardinal Henri de Lubac: once wrote that “It is not true … that man cannot organize the world without God. What is true is that, without God, [man] can ultimately only organize it against man. Exclusive humanism is inhuman humanism … ”

Living within the truth means living according to Jesus Christ and God’s Word in Sacred Scripture. It means proclaiming the truth of the Christian Gospel, not only by our words but by our example. It means living everyday and every moment from the unshakeable conviction that God lives, and that his love is the motive force of human history and the engine of every authentic human life. It means believing that the truths of the Creed are worth suffering and dying for. Living within the truth also means telling the truth and calling things by their right names. And that means exposing the lies by which some men try to force others to live.

The world urgently needs a re-awakening of the Church in our actions and in our public and private witness … We need really to believe what we say we believe. Then we need to prove it by the witness of our lives. We need to be so convinced of the truths of the Creed that we are on fire to live by these truths, to love by these truths, and to defend these truths, even to the point of our own discomfort and suffering.

We are ambassadors of the living God to a world that is on the verge of forgetting Him. Our work is to make God real; to be the face of his love; to propose once more to the men and women of our day, the dialogue of salvation…The form of the Church, and the form of every Christian life, is the form of the cross. Our lives must become a liturgy, a self-offering that embodies the love of God and the renewal of the world … Let us preach Jesus Christ with all the energy of our lives. And let us support each other – whatever the cost – so that when we make our accounting to the Lord, we will be numbered among the faithful and courageous, and not the cowardly or the evasive, or those who compromised until there was nothing left of their convictions or those who were silent when they should have spoken the right word at the right time.

Archbishop Charles Chaput OFM Cap, Archbishop of Denver.