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Newsletter's content:
• Stations of the Cross
• Human Life International Comes To
Town
• I Had A Dream - Sex Education and
Sex Practice
Dear Lover of Life, How are we, in the pro-life movement, preparing ourselves
to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death? To do that we must, each of us, first
carry our own cross (whatever it may be), stand in solidarity with those who
suffer, whether lt be from a terminal illness, or from the dreadful trauma of
abortion, or from ignorance of God’s purpose in their lives. During these forty
days of Lent, we are called by the Church to repentance, to offer ourselves in
self-sacrifice, prayer and fasting, to share the Good News about God’s wonderful
Mercy. Let us resolve to do all we can to proclaim Jesus’ victory over death by
living boldly the Gospel of Life.
Stations of the Cross
A great resource for Lent ls the Stations of the Cross, available on CD and
cassette. Ever imagined what it was like on the road to Calvary? This production
offers beautiful thought-provoking meditations related to everyday life, along
the Way of the Cross, with original music and songs, narration and sound
effects. It is produced by two young mothers who were disturbed at the promotion
of new-age meditation techniques being taught to their children. They decided to
do something about lt and formed Rosary Evangelisatlon Australia, now Perth
Catholic Productions. Going on past productions, I would recommend it strongly
for all ages. CD $26, cassette $24 (including postage) from: PCP, P0 Box 1779,
Canning Vale WA 6790 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are waiting to here from you!! Please give us feedback on the newsletter;
write a letter or an article; ask that question, disagree, point out the faults,
make a donation (stamps are useful).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HUMAN LIFE INTERNATIONAL COMES TO TOWN
Sixty of us heard the pro-Life message of Gail Instance and Paul Hanrahan of
Human Life International on Friday 23rd in Lismore and on 24th in Murwillumbah.
HLI is the world’s largest pro-life organization, which operates in over 80
countries, taking a totally Catholic approach to life-issues. We in HLI believe
that we will never win in the flight against abortion lf we are prepared to
compromise. We believe that every human being has the right to life from the
moment of fertilization.
The Catholic Church is known to be opposed to contraception, but how many of
us have been taught the reasons for this teaching. This subject warrants another
article in a future newsletter, but one of the messages we heard was that, with
no exceptions, contraceptive pills always carry the risk of causing an early
chemical abortion without the knowledge of the parent. They have been
manufactured to work in this way. Why are we repeatedly lied to on these
matters? Another mistake we make is to think that an early abortion is not as
bad as a late-term abortion, or the infanticide of partial-birth abortion. Think
about it. Would it be better to kill a six-year-o]d than a ten year-old child?
Is easier always better? Of course not|
We learned some history not to be found in our text-books. Ever heard of
Margaret Sanger (l879-1966)? Now there was a powerful woman! She casts a shadow
over Stalin, Mao and Hitler - with her pioneering work in eugenics, she is
responsible for the deaths of over two billion children world-wide and the
mutilation and deaths of uncounted women. Yet she is held high esteem in some
circles and her work flourishes all over the world to this day.
Margaret called for the elimination of human weeds, for the cessation of
charity, for the segregation of morons and the maladjusted, and for the
sterilization of genetically inferior races.
In Sydney, her work was established as the Racial Hygiene Association and,
when Hitler gave eugenics a bad name, Margaret encouraged a name-change to
Family Planning Association - the very same FPA that offers sex-education to our
state and Catholic schools, and operates clinics to refer for, or to perform,
abortions. She knew that sex-education, i.e. the destruction of childhood
innocence was a pre-requisite if her plans for “reproductive health” (using
today’s euphemism) were to be achieved.
We know that we cannot win against these well-heeled, government-subsidised
giants without prayer and fasting. “Without me you can do nothing.” With God on
our side, we cannot lose. Whose side are you on? Will you stand up and be
counted? Our eternal salvation and that of our family, friends and neighbours is
what it’s about.
For me, the best aspect of any pro-life gathering is the joy of meeting even
one new person who is enthusiastic and ready to act. It ls easy to find people
who think that abortion is wrong. It is rare indeed to find some one who is
fired up and ready to go. And so l was delighted to see so many new and young
faces, families, especially the men folk. We love you and need you! Don’t fall
for the lie that abortion is a woman’s issue. Half of aborted babies are boys;
and their fathers, grandfathers and brothers can and do suffer.
It was wonderful that we were able to go to Murwillumbah and meet 40 new
faces. We earnestly pray that, out of our meeting will come actlon on behalf of
God’s precious infants who are being killed in Tweed Heads. We pray, not only
that babies’ lives will be saved, but that mothers, and whole families will,
through our efforts, come to know the love of Jesus.
I HAD A DREAM:
I was watching a soapie on TV, in which two teenage girls were in competition
for the affections of the same boy, one pregnant but abandoned by him, the other
the object of his affections.
Suddenly there was no longer TV, but through the door came the two girls in a
real-life violent clash. I put my arm around my daughter to shield her from
physical harm, and positioned us with our back to them to protect her from
viewing the terrible event.
When the fight was over, one of the girls, oblivious of our presence,
sauntered towards the same door licking clean the knife with which she had
performed the dastardly deed.
The meaning of this horrific dream became apparent to me immediately, and
gave me much to think about.
Nadir and I had, that previous evening, agreed to ban TV over Lent, but not
for the reason we might have decided to abstain from chocolate and other good
things. No, it was the result of increasing dissatisfaction, even anger, at the
rapid deterioration in the standard of all programs. We are not giving up
something good, which we could call a penance. We are giving up an evil and we
could safely call that repentance.
One message from the dream is that the more we are part of the TV “culture”
the more it takes over our lives and we become one with it. A terrifying
thought!
A couple of years ago I met “Debbie” - a 21-year-old girl who had escaped a
violent situation in Darwin - with her two little girls aged 3 and 2. She was
pregnant with her third child.
“Debbie” told me that she was an avid fan, and rarely missed an episode of
Neighbours, since before she became a teenager. Now I am not saying that
watching the soapies will land you in such a desperate plight as Debbie’s, but
it did make me think that such a strong identification the a-moral heroes and
heroines of soapies could not do much good to a child in her formative years,
especially if she was also deprived of the loving presence of a father to
protect her and cherish her though her formative years.
Another precipitating factor for the dream was, I think, an article that had
been recommended by Gail Instance of Human Life International, at the meetings
we held at Lismore on Friday, and at Murwillumbah on Saturday night. It was “Sex
Education and Sex Practice” by Louise Eickhoff, a child psychiatrist in Britain,
and published in 1974 in “Child and Family”. It is a study comparing girl
juvenile delinquents of the early fifties with a similar group of the sixties.
In his fascinating work, Dr. Eickhoff finds that, up until the 50’s,
delinquency
“was the outcome of some defect in constitution and rearing, of poverty and a
precipitating factor. The offender was ignorant of the law, the nature of the
act, or the significance of her involvement; or was motivated by hunger based on
real deprivation; or was victim of adult forcefulness. The offence was simple
(e.g. petty theft, truancy), unplanned and committed without accomplice, except
for a sibling. The girl was never actively involved sexually. Leaving home was
unusual, a sign of deep psychiatric disturbance, a symbolic journeying towards
death and union with the desired parent. Girl delinquents were contrite,
amenable and responsive: invariably sensitive, needing tactful investigation of
sexual matters for they knew only euphemisms.”
However, by 1959, not only had the numbers exploded out of all proportion,
but a new norm had appeared:
“girls remanded for the gravity of their offences, and not their
circumstances or state, normally endowed constitutionally, superior
intellectually, no longer from a poor background, with no apparent precipitating
cause for their deviancy. She operates with extra-familial, peer accomplices and
beyond control, even cognizance, of guardians, i.e. like an adult offender. Her
offences are grave, planned and adult type, e.g. systemised shoplifting and
burglary. She knows the Law and the significance of her acts; but she is
uncontrite, accepting her lifestyle like a married woman, as normal and her
right. Leaving home is a conscious move towards immediate independence and a
sexual goal. Yet she immaturely self-centred, unable to love, or wait for
natural outcomes, apt to explode into violent tantrums when frustrated.
Motivated by personal convenience, spite, revenge, greed and sexual desire. She
is the direct opposite of the 1952 delinquent.”
What happened in society to bring about these remarkable changes? This report
ls well worth reading, and though not conclusive, finds sex education suspect.
Copies are available from Apostles for Life or Human Life International. |
