Enjoy! :)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pro-Life Unity
I have just accepted my second writing engagement in less than a month! I had no idea that God would use love and natural talent for writing in such great ways! I am now a weekly columnist for Pro-Life Unity, based also in the northern Virginia/Washington, DC area. My picture and biography are posted on the website: www.prolifeunity.com I will be writing a minimum of once a week (my posts will come out on Thursdays), so please check out the website and the other columnists. The main objective of Pro-Life Unity, in a nutshell, is to unite all pro-lifers in the common cause of ending abortion and promoting respect for human life.
I am hoping that Pro-Life Unity and The Conservative Comeback can have some kind of partnership, since both organizations focus on uniting people of faith and common mind. (If you didn't already, please visit my personal blog, http://cecilia-rose.blogspot.com to read about my writing engagement with the CC.) Conservatives and pro-lifers have many (if not most) things in common, and there has to be a way to yoke them together, so to speak. I believe that focusing on the pro-life issue is a great place to start, because, after all: isn't LIFE the first right our Founding Fathers proclaimed?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
A New Endeavor
Please visit my personal blog to read about my first political position:
http://cecilia-rose.blogspot.com/2009/10/exciting-endeavor.html
If you are a conservative and believe in traditional American values, please join me!
~M~
Friday, October 2, 2009
My personal experience - 40 Days for Life
It is one thing to say you are pro-life...but it's another thing to actually ACT like you are pro-life.
The second thing is definitely harder, and although I am passionately pro-life, there are times when I really don't feel like putting my faith into action. I am usually a little active, such as writing pro-life letters to the editor, keeping myself updated on pro-life news, etc. What I mean by putting one's faith into action is actually putting oneself into the community and onto the front lines.
40 Days for Life began last Wednesdays, September 23rd in over 200 cities in 45 states, 5 Canadian provinces, and the country of Denmark...that's a total of 212 different locations, compared to 177 last fall. Last year, I wanted to participate but was unable to make it to the actual location, since I was at school in Baltimore and did not have a way to get to the vigil site. My contribution was to write a pro-life post on my other blog (http://cecilia-rose.blogspot.com) and to give up all desserts (oh chocolate...) for the 40 days. It definitely was spiritually fulfilling.
This year, I am back in Texas with my own car, so transportation is not an issue. So on Wednesday, September 30th, I headed to the Dallas 40 Days for Life vigil site. I got off work at 7 p.m. and headed there immediately after. In an effort to learn how to read directions, I didn't use my OnStar and instead used directions printed off from Google Maps. I made it to downtown Dallas fine (coming south on Central Expressway to Woodall Rogers), but when I was trying to get onto Harry Hines Blvd., I missed the street and accidentally got on the Dallas Tollway! I had no choice but to follow it until I found an exit, and then I wasn't sure how to turn around. At that point, I could've said, "Well, I tried but I'm lost now. I'm just gonna go home. The effort was good enough."
I finally connected to OnStar and after again missing the correct street, I finally made it to Robinson's Abortion Clinic. It was pretty much dark outside and about 7:40 p.m. I saw a small group of people standing on the sidewalk, holding signs, and it took me a couple minutes to turn around and figure out where to park.
The people were from St. Anthony's parish in Wylie, and they were very kind and welcoming. I signed in and signed the Pledge of Peace. Of course, Robinson's was closed and no abortions were happening at almost 8 p.m., but it is important to have round-the-clock vigil at these places of death and morbidity. I began praying a rosary and could feel how powerful our prayers there were. A few more people arrived, and we all prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary. Then we prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the "emergency prayer" that I think Fr. Corapi recommends in emergencies (10 Memorares, with the last one offered in thanksgiving I think).
I was there for a little over an hour, and I'm so glad I went. That first visit was like the ice breaker for me. I soon decided that I would visit again today (Friday evening). It's kind of like the Nike saying: "Just Do It." Once you step out, it's harder to recede into your shell.
This weekend will be very pro-life here in north Texas. In addition to 40 Days, my family and I are participating in the Hike for Life in McKinney on Saturday morning. (Anyone like to donate? Go to my personal webpage to make a monetary donation: http://hikeforlifetexas.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=318025&u=318025-273477450)
Then on Sunday, which is Respect Life Sunday in the Catholic Church, the Life Chain will be taking place all across the country. Life Chain is basically where pro-lifers of all faiths gather at a prominent place (road side, intersection) and hold peaceful pro-life signs and pray. Visit www.lifechain.net for more info.
My advice for all who haven't participated in 40 Days for Life (or any frontline pro-life work): just get out there and do it! It may be helpful to promise with a friend or family member something like, "We're going to pray at the abortion clinic for one hour a week" or whatever you feel called to do. Then fulfill that promise and I bet that you will go beyond that!
Let's pray and work to end abortion!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
An Interesting Observation
I was just doing some research on Planned Parenthood, in preparation for the upcoming 40 Days for Life in the fall, and I found this on a north Texas PP's website:
"We do not provide childcare services. We request that you please make childcare arrangements.
Only infants and toddlers in a car seat or stroller are allowed into the exam room. We request that you please make arrangements for childcare for any other children."
Just another way that shows how anti-child Planned Parenthood really is!! I've never heard of any doctor's office asking parents to not bring their own children with them...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A Response to a Pro-Choice Mindset
This past week I became involved in a Facebook discussion over a link I posted. For your reference, here it is:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040610.html
The title is "Obama Administration Call 'With Both Sides' to Reduce Abortions Compared to Hitler's Peace Conference."
Basically, as pro-lifers know, President Obama's claim to wanting to "reduce abortions" is merely rhetoric. Actions speak louder than words, and what he has done as president so far has definitely confirmed a pro-abortion mindset.
My first question for Obama is: why merely reduce abortion? Can't we work to eliminate it altogether? He is using the government to put an end to other crises, namely the economic downfall. Why can't he put that much effort into putting an end to abortion? Another thing that puzzles me is the fact that, while Obama says he wants to reduce abortions, as president he has overturned the Mexico City policy, appointed rabidly pro-abortion representatives in his administration, and has allowed tax-payer funded embryonic stem cell research (plus other things before he became president). This is why I said "actions speak louder than words," much louder than a "peace-making" phone call.
My discussion opponent mentioned that she personally feels that birth control doesn't promote promiscuity...but what do the facts say? (And from some research I've done, the book she mentioned - "Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History - probably isn't the most reliable source!) I agree that extramarital sex is not just a recent phenomenon. It's also totally true that before the 20th century, it was taboo to casually talk about it....but that's how it should be! Unfortunately, sex is not seen anymore as something that should remain within marriage, and thus is has been lowered to merely a pleasure that can be separated from its primary purpose: pro-creation. No one can deny that premarital/extramarital sex is promoted by what is on TV, in books, magazines, movies, advertisements, etc. It is not held as something sacred anymore.
Here is where contraception comes in: you can have sex and not worry about the consequences of it! Thus, people can get contraceptives and not be responsible for their actions. And therefore, it would make sense that extramarital sex is more rampant these days because people don't have to be as responsible for their actions, making promiscuity more common.
Do you know how and why the promotion of birth control came about? The founder of the Birth Control League (which later became Planned Parenthood), Margaret Sanger, began the movement, and she was a eugenicist. She believed in weeding out the "less desirable" humans, who were much of the time among the poor and the minorities. As quoted from "A Plan for Peace," Birth Control Review, April 1932, p. 106, she advocated "A stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is already tainted or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring." This shows her racist and eugenic mindset, which many people don't know about or choose to ignore.
Another issue with the Pill, in particular, is that it doesn't just prevent fertilization from happening: it can act as an abortifacient if the egg becomes fertilized. In other words, the Pill causes abortions. In addition, if you're not open to even conceiving a child, then what happens if you accidentally get pregnant? If you have this kind of mentality, it makes it that much easier to have an abortion to "get rid of the problem." Even within marriage, becoming pregnant is often seen as a negative side effect of sex, rather than the natural outcome; and so couples turn to birth control. Contraceptives rip marriages apart. We can see this in the rising rate of divorce as contraceptives have become more and more promoted in our culture.
To address her qualms about the government promoting abstinence-only education: First of all, no one can deny the fact that abstinence works! It's the only 100% guaranteed way that you won't get pregnant or get STD's. Using birth control and condoms still put you at risk. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 54% of women who have abortions have been using a contraceptive, as compared to the 8% of women who have abortions but have NEVER used a contraceptive.
The problem with "comprehensive" sex ed is that abstinence is downplayed and contraceptives are promoted. No one can deny that contraceptives are widely promoted in schools, the media, by doctors, etc. Not knowing how to use them shouldn't be the issue. The issue is the anti-life mentality and the moral degeneration of our culture, and that will not be solved by handing out the Pill. It will only be solved by restoring the Christian heritage of America and instilling better morals in our children, which includes abstinence-only education. Natural Family Planning is an excellent method for married couples who want to work within God's will for their family size. It strengthens marriages, is 99% effective, and there is a lower divorce rate among couples who use it. Visit www.ccli.org for more information.
In conclusion, if people had more self-control and would remain abstinent when they don't want to become pregnant, there would be less abortions. Birth control makes people feel like they have control over their own lives, when really God is in control, and He is the one that gives and takes away...including life. He's the one who decides when to give life and when to take it away. It's none of our business to mess around with that. All we have to do is work within His Will. If you don't have a Christian faith, this will probably be hard or impossible to grasp. But I can assure you that if more people had this mindset, the world and our country would be a much, much better place.
Speaking of new life, Happy Easter! He is Risen, the One who gives us life! :)
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040610.html
The title is "Obama Administration Call 'With Both Sides' to Reduce Abortions Compared to Hitler's Peace Conference."
Basically, as pro-lifers know, President Obama's claim to wanting to "reduce abortions" is merely rhetoric. Actions speak louder than words, and what he has done as president so far has definitely confirmed a pro-abortion mindset.
My first question for Obama is: why merely reduce abortion? Can't we work to eliminate it altogether? He is using the government to put an end to other crises, namely the economic downfall. Why can't he put that much effort into putting an end to abortion? Another thing that puzzles me is the fact that, while Obama says he wants to reduce abortions, as president he has overturned the Mexico City policy, appointed rabidly pro-abortion representatives in his administration, and has allowed tax-payer funded embryonic stem cell research (plus other things before he became president). This is why I said "actions speak louder than words," much louder than a "peace-making" phone call.
My discussion opponent mentioned that she personally feels that birth control doesn't promote promiscuity...but what do the facts say? (And from some research I've done, the book she mentioned - "Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History - probably isn't the most reliable source!) I agree that extramarital sex is not just a recent phenomenon. It's also totally true that before the 20th century, it was taboo to casually talk about it....but that's how it should be! Unfortunately, sex is not seen anymore as something that should remain within marriage, and thus is has been lowered to merely a pleasure that can be separated from its primary purpose: pro-creation. No one can deny that premarital/extramarital sex is promoted by what is on TV, in books, magazines, movies, advertisements, etc. It is not held as something sacred anymore.
Here is where contraception comes in: you can have sex and not worry about the consequences of it! Thus, people can get contraceptives and not be responsible for their actions. And therefore, it would make sense that extramarital sex is more rampant these days because people don't have to be as responsible for their actions, making promiscuity more common.
Do you know how and why the promotion of birth control came about? The founder of the Birth Control League (which later became Planned Parenthood), Margaret Sanger, began the movement, and she was a eugenicist. She believed in weeding out the "less desirable" humans, who were much of the time among the poor and the minorities. As quoted from "A Plan for Peace," Birth Control Review, April 1932, p. 106, she advocated "A stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is already tainted or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring." This shows her racist and eugenic mindset, which many people don't know about or choose to ignore.
Another issue with the Pill, in particular, is that it doesn't just prevent fertilization from happening: it can act as an abortifacient if the egg becomes fertilized. In other words, the Pill causes abortions. In addition, if you're not open to even conceiving a child, then what happens if you accidentally get pregnant? If you have this kind of mentality, it makes it that much easier to have an abortion to "get rid of the problem." Even within marriage, becoming pregnant is often seen as a negative side effect of sex, rather than the natural outcome; and so couples turn to birth control. Contraceptives rip marriages apart. We can see this in the rising rate of divorce as contraceptives have become more and more promoted in our culture.
To address her qualms about the government promoting abstinence-only education: First of all, no one can deny the fact that abstinence works! It's the only 100% guaranteed way that you won't get pregnant or get STD's. Using birth control and condoms still put you at risk. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 54% of women who have abortions have been using a contraceptive, as compared to the 8% of women who have abortions but have NEVER used a contraceptive.
The problem with "comprehensive" sex ed is that abstinence is downplayed and contraceptives are promoted. No one can deny that contraceptives are widely promoted in schools, the media, by doctors, etc. Not knowing how to use them shouldn't be the issue. The issue is the anti-life mentality and the moral degeneration of our culture, and that will not be solved by handing out the Pill. It will only be solved by restoring the Christian heritage of America and instilling better morals in our children, which includes abstinence-only education. Natural Family Planning is an excellent method for married couples who want to work within God's will for their family size. It strengthens marriages, is 99% effective, and there is a lower divorce rate among couples who use it. Visit www.ccli.org for more information.
In conclusion, if people had more self-control and would remain abstinent when they don't want to become pregnant, there would be less abortions. Birth control makes people feel like they have control over their own lives, when really God is in control, and He is the one that gives and takes away...including life. He's the one who decides when to give life and when to take it away. It's none of our business to mess around with that. All we have to do is work within His Will. If you don't have a Christian faith, this will probably be hard or impossible to grasp. But I can assure you that if more people had this mindset, the world and our country would be a much, much better place.
Speaking of new life, Happy Easter! He is Risen, the One who gives us life! :)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Pro-Life Verses from St. Matthew
During my Lenten Bible readings, I've run across several verses in the Gospels that I feel can be applied to the pro-life outlook and work.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake." ~Matthew 10:16-22 (RSV, Catholic Edition)
The bolded words are the ones which stood out to me the most. To put this in context, this is right after Jesus chose His 12 Apostles and is sending them out to "the lost sheep of Israel" (Matt. 10:6). He is instructing them to preach His Word and heal people. I believe we can apply Jesus' instruction here to our own lives today.
We are in "the midst of wolves." Just take a look around at the American (and the world's) culture: there are attacks on life, faith, and family all around us. The pro-abortion crowd is trying desparately to stop our pro-life efforts.
Christians have been persecuted and put to death ever since Jesus founded the Catholic Church. Today it's no different, especially as we preach the Gospel of Life. For example, an African-American preacher named Walter Hoye was put in prison on March 20th for peacefully proclaiming this message, and he faces 2 years in jail. This past August, 18 pro-lifers from Maryland's Defend Life group were jailed. Being pro-life is not an easy task, and we must do our research, but when we're talking to someone about our views, we need to just trust the Holy Spirit that He will give us the right words to say.
Quite literally these days, fathers are condemning their children to death...even though they're not physically performing the abortion, they're standing by and letting their girlfriends/wives get abortions, or even coercing them into having an abortion! Fathers need to be true men and stand up for their partners and unborn children. The sentence about children putting their parents to death reminds me of euthanasia, or assisted-suicide. The elderly are being put to death just because they are a "burden" and are "worth nothing," when their children should be the ones making sure they're taken care of in a Christian way.
Finally, we all know what it's like to be hated for Jesus' sake. We've all had a friend or relative, or maybe even a perfect stranger, tell us why they think we're wrong for trying to end abortion, or that abortion is a constitutional right, or that we don't understand women's needs. We know that there are people out there working against us, such as the Feminist Majority Network, who is spreading lies about Crisis Prenancy Centers and trying to shut them down. (If you want to work against this effort, contact Students for Life of America!! www.studentsforlife.org)
It's very encouraging to read verses such as the one from Matthew, because even though being persecuted isn't fun, we know we're doing the right thing because of that.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake." ~Matthew 10:16-22 (RSV, Catholic Edition)
The bolded words are the ones which stood out to me the most. To put this in context, this is right after Jesus chose His 12 Apostles and is sending them out to "the lost sheep of Israel" (Matt. 10:6). He is instructing them to preach His Word and heal people. I believe we can apply Jesus' instruction here to our own lives today.
We are in "the midst of wolves." Just take a look around at the American (and the world's) culture: there are attacks on life, faith, and family all around us. The pro-abortion crowd is trying desparately to stop our pro-life efforts.
Christians have been persecuted and put to death ever since Jesus founded the Catholic Church. Today it's no different, especially as we preach the Gospel of Life. For example, an African-American preacher named Walter Hoye was put in prison on March 20th for peacefully proclaiming this message, and he faces 2 years in jail. This past August, 18 pro-lifers from Maryland's Defend Life group were jailed. Being pro-life is not an easy task, and we must do our research, but when we're talking to someone about our views, we need to just trust the Holy Spirit that He will give us the right words to say.
Quite literally these days, fathers are condemning their children to death...even though they're not physically performing the abortion, they're standing by and letting their girlfriends/wives get abortions, or even coercing them into having an abortion! Fathers need to be true men and stand up for their partners and unborn children. The sentence about children putting their parents to death reminds me of euthanasia, or assisted-suicide. The elderly are being put to death just because they are a "burden" and are "worth nothing," when their children should be the ones making sure they're taken care of in a Christian way.
Finally, we all know what it's like to be hated for Jesus' sake. We've all had a friend or relative, or maybe even a perfect stranger, tell us why they think we're wrong for trying to end abortion, or that abortion is a constitutional right, or that we don't understand women's needs. We know that there are people out there working against us, such as the Feminist Majority Network, who is spreading lies about Crisis Prenancy Centers and trying to shut them down. (If you want to work against this effort, contact Students for Life of America!! www.studentsforlife.org)
It's very encouraging to read verses such as the one from Matthew, because even though being persecuted isn't fun, we know we're doing the right thing because of that.
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