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- Newsletters
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Apostles
for Life News
January - February 2005
Dear Pro-lifers,
We have been given another year to work for the Kingdom. We ask God’s grace,
protection and mercy on us for the coming year. Let us use every opportunity to
spread the message of the value of each human life regardless of the
circumstances of that life.
The terrible events of St Stephen’s Day reminded us of how tenuous is our life,
how important it is to work while we are still able, how generous and
compassionate people can be when they see first hand such devastation and human
suffering, and on the other hand, how callous we can be towards our fellow man.
When we see these things with our own eyes, even from the remote security of our
own living rooms we are deeply touched. It really is a case of “seeing is
believing”, and “believing is acting”. There were so many people who wanted to
“do something” and who responded generously. On the other hand, we see the
callous indifference that resulted in people suffering and dying unnecessarily
because of not being warned of the impending danger.
Imagine people responding to the disaster of abortion as they have to the
tsunami disaster. Imagine activating a warning system to awaken women to the
dangers that result in the terrible aftermath of abortion and so save our unborn
brothers and sisters from needless cruelty, suffering and death. Imagine folk in
our society prepared to assist generously those mothers who feel pressured to
abort their children. Imagine awakening in our society a great love for
children. Imagine if we were to offer God’s healing mercy to families who have
suffered so greatly through abortion. Imagine if we would be able to see how
Jesus suffers when He sees the stark reality of abortion. Imagine Him saying,
“Why do you persecute (read kill) Me?” like He did to Saul. And when it comes to
the judgment (Mat 25:40) “Whatever you did to these least brothers of mine, you
did for me.”
This is our role as Apostles for Life - to warn of the dangers, and to come to
the rescue of those who do not understand or heed the warnings, to console those
who suffer, and to offer warmth, compassion and understanding, to bring the
knowledge of the Love and Mercy of Jesus to those who are most in need. Let us
pray that we will be faithful to our calling.
The Day of the Unborn Child This year Good Friday falls on 25th March, which is
usually celebrated as the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. The
Annunciation is transferred to Monday April 4th. Now is the time to consider how
you could celebrate in your parish the coming of Jesus into the Womb of His
Mother. Please give it some thought and prayer. Hopefully we will be able to
distribute special mementos to commemorate this special day of the year for the
pro-life movement
God bless you throughout 2005.
Angela
A lay initiative within the Catholic Diocese of Lismore to inspire and support
pro-life prayer, education and action in conformity with the Magisterium of the
Roman Catholic Church. Published bi-monthly as a means of communication between
those who attend our meetings and those who are unable to attend. Distributed
free to anyone who works and prays that the Gospel of Life will flourish in our
Diocese. Donations are welcomed but are not essential.
Meetings 11am on 3rd Saturday of the month in the Cathedral in prayer support of
all pro-life activists in the Lismore Diocese, followed by informative
discussion/video & cuppa at the Parish Centre.
Editor: Angela Martello, 17 College Road, East Lismore 2480 Phone/fax 66212348
amar5249@bigpond.net.au
“CONTRACEPTION - A CATHOLIC HANG-UP?”
Many people believe that contraception is essentially a “Catholic hang-up”, and
some even go as far as to blame the Catholic Church for causing people to suffer
unnecessarily by its teaching. I thought that it would be enlightening to see
what some “great minds” who are neither Catholic nor sympathetic to the Church,
have to say about it:
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Cicero, Roman philosopher (died 43 BC) De Republica 3:22
True law is right reason in agreement with nature. It is of universal
application. We cannot be freed from it - by senate or people. This law is not
one thing for Rome and another at Athens, but is eternal and immutable, valid
for all nations and all time. God is the author of it, its promulgator and its
enforcing judge. Whoever is disobedient to it is abandoning his true self and
denying his own nature.
-
Mahatma Gandhi, The Essential Gandhi - His Life, Works and Ideas. New
York Vintage Books 1962
“It is dinned into one’s ears that the gratification of the sex urge is a solemn
obligation like the obligation of discharging debts….. The sex urge has been
isolated from the desire for progeny and it is said by the protagonists of the
use of contraceptives that conception is an accident to be prevented except when
the parties desire to have children…. Marriage loses its sanctity when its
purpose and highest use is conceived to be the satisfaction of the animal
passion without contemplating the natural result of such satisfaction.”
-
Sigmund Freud, Introductory Lectures in Psychoanalysis, Alen & Unwin
1952 “It is a characteristic common to all the sexual perversions that in them
reproduction as an aim is put aside. This is actually the criteria by which we
judge whether a sexual activity is perverse – if it departs from reproduction in
its aim and pursues the attainment of gratification independently.”
-
Germaine Greer, as cited in F. Lynch, Love And Sex - Getting It All
Together, St. Paul NSW 1980. “It is foolish for women to put drugs and lethal devices into their bodies to
treat a healthy condition – fertility.”
-
Malcom Potts, former Medical Director of International
Planned Parenthood, HLI Australia Special Report, Sept 1998, no 162.
“As people turn to contraception, there will be rise, not a fall, in the
abortion rate.”
-
Judith Bury, English abortionist, HLI Australia Special Report, Sept
1998.
“There is overwhelming evidence that, contrary to what you might expect, the
availability of contraception leads to an increase in the abortion rate.”
-
Lynn C. Landma, "Anniversaries." The Alan Guttmacher Institute's
<Family Planning Perspectives>. September/October 1980, page 2
"More teenagers are using contraceptives and using them more consistently than
ever before, yet the number and rate of adolescent pregnancies continue to
rise."
In the next edition we will look at “How Contraception Impacts on Marriage”
HAVE YOUR SAY!
From Michele Vieira, Goulburn:
Dear Angela, What a wonderful issue (Nov-Dec 2004) - thank you for doing it. I
think we should be promoting the diocesan Rosary for Life idea down here too -
thanks for the idea. Have a lovely day. Hope you and all your family are well
and at peace. Love, Michele & Daniel
From Wera Bellack, Tweed Heads: Pro-choice? For good or for evil? At the last
election, many Christians voted for a party with pro-abortion and pro same-sex
“marriage” platform. Both are against God’s Law. The teachings of our faith are
for our protection and will guide us to a happy healthy life. We ARE our
brother’s and sister’s keeper. A human life is sacred and should be protected
and cared for from conception to natural death. Even when a person has no faith,
the natural moral law tells him/her not to kill. The same for marriage: the
natural law tells us that a true marriage can only be between a man and a woman.
A society that goes morally wrong can only ruin itself. History gives good
examples. Material wealth alone, but where nobody cares or has time for the
other, is a cold and lonely life. We need a caring society every day, not just
sometimes – as in the case of the great disaster of the tsunami. We live in a
time when choices are important. of such moral strength can only be a blessing
to all Australians Yes, but let us pray that there will be more people making
good choices.
From Jill Bishton, Kempsey: We will be praying for this intention (Norma
McCorvey challenging the Roe v. Wade decision) but now is an excellent time to
pray and let our politicians know how we object to abortion and our taxes being
spent on funding them through Medicare. That $2000 billion is to be spent over
the next 40 years on aged care, whilst we abort 100,000 Australian children each
year! It is affecting the economy and will continue to do so whilst our rate of
having babies is so low at 1.7 per
woman.
Today on the ABC news they said that 73 Australian children were adopted here
and 370 from overseas last year, the rate has dropped dramatically here, but
increased from overseas. In abortion clinics, that many are aborted in
1˝working days each week.
We have just completed the Choices Decisions Outcomes (CDO) here with presenters
coming from Macksville, Kempsey, Port Macquarie,and Taree, 16 in all. We had
some good responses from the students many of whom wanted to know more about
abortion and STI's. Jane Power from Pregnancy Help Geelong, who presented the
course, has also written two more programs for senior students and other groups
on Abortion called "T.O.P. Decision" and "Flirting with Danger". We only went
through the CDO for years 7 to 10 but hope to eventually have the other two
programs here.
Marie Landers of Lismore writes: How is it that journalists can treat with
utter scorn the tragic plight of the Unborn who are actually murdered because
somehow through no fault of their own, they have become unwanted.
There is no doubt that, despite their size, their immaturity and their
hiddenness, they are still human beings - as we were once at that same stage -
created by a loving God Who entrusts each to its mother’s womb for its first
nine months of existence in what should be the safest of sanctuaries. But now
there are those of the medical profession who belittle their noble calling by
feigning compassion for the poor mother and so kill their precious charges for
“filthy lucre” And Medicare refunds the mother for what? Funeral costs? Surely
not for its murder!
May God bless Tony Abbott, and may his ilk truly multiply! Politicians. So far,
we haven’t had a terrorist act like America’s September 11th 2001, but why
shouldn’t we, if we continue with this slaughter of our very own — all so
utterly innocent and helpless — deprived of life, love and happiness!
Let us stop this frightful killing and allow our little comrades to live to love
and be loved! We would never regret it, and surely the rest of the world will
follow suit!
How to Sow the Seeds of Healing
Do you realize that you can promote post-abortion healing without ever talking
to people about their past abortions? You don't even have to know if someone has
had an abortion. And you certainly don't have to become a trained counselor or
an expert in post-abortion issues. All you have to do is to sow a few words of
compassion and healing into your everyday conversations.
In every case, your goal is merely to plant the seeds of understanding, empathy,
and hope that can lead to future healing. You are not trying to complete the
healing process. But you can help break down some of the obstacles toward
healing.
In a simple, conversational way, cover the following three points:
(1) Announce that you have come to a whole new understanding of the abortion
issue, including why people choose abortion and how it affects them;
(2) Express your compassion for women and men who have had abortions, knowing
that they must constantly face the fear that others are judging or condemning
them, and that they may be experiencing feelings of doubt and regret; and
(3) Describe how you have heard of new programs that help women and men find
freedom from the burdens of secrecy and shame associated with past
abortions.
For example, you might simply
say:
Understanding "I read an interesting article that gave me a whole new
understanding of why women have abortions. I never really understood before how
much pressure many are under to have an
abortion.
Compassion "I also didn't realize before how much they feel judged and condemned
by others. That fear of judgement can really make it hard for them to complete
the healing process. Did you know that on average it takes around ten years for
women to recover emotionally from a past
abortion?
Hope "The good news is that there are new programs now to help women and men who
are dealing with post-abortion problems."
That's it. You have planted the seeds. Perhaps someone will ask for more
information, in which case you can refer him or her to a post-abortion ministry
in your area.** Just remember these three key words: understanding, compassion,
and hope.
The first step, expressing understanding, respects the
mind. The second
step, expressing compassion, soothes the
emotions. The third step,
offering hope, feeds the spirit.
Wouldn't our world be a better place if everyone would begin to sow the seeds of
understanding, compassion, and hope?
This article is excerpted from the Elliot Institute's 12-page publication, Hope
and Healing. This is a great resource that can be distributed through churches,
crisis pregnancy centers, schools, and as an insert in newspapers. To view the
layout and text of the articles, as well as pricing information, visit
www.afterabortion.info/hope/hhindex.htm.
** We hope to be able to encourage a post-abortion ministry in our area by
bringing a particularly gifted person for this purpose. If you can help with a
donation to this cause we would be most appreciative.
2005 CALENDAR
Below is a guide for 2005 – we hope that those who unable to be with us will
join with us in prayer and in spirit, wherever you are. If you do not yet have a
regular monthly Rosary for Life in your Parish Church, maybe you can start one.
We depend on prayer. We pray tribute to those who, though unable through age or
infirmity to be active, contribute so generously to our efforts with their
prayers and sacrifices. Can you help?
DateDaySpecial EventLocationFeast Day
Jan 31st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenHoly Name of Jesus
Jan 142nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
Jan 153rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
Feb 71st MonRosary for LifeCamden Haven
Feb 112nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsOur Lady of Lourdes
Feb 193rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
March 71st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSts Perpetua & Felicity
March 112nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
March 193rd SatRosary for LifeCathedralSt Joseph
April 41st MonHoly MassCathedralAnnunciation
Day of the Unborn Child
Rosary for LifeCamden Haven
April 82nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
April 163rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
May 21st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSt Athanasius
May 132nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsOur Lady of Fatima
May 213rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
June 61st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSt Norbert
June 102nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
June 183rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
July 41st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSt Elizabeth of Portugal
July 82nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
July 92nd SatRosary for LifeCathedralChinese Martyrs
July 163rd SatHoly MassThe CarmelOur Lady of Mt Carmel
Aug 11st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSt Alphonsus Ligouri
Aug 122nd FriRosary for LifeTweed Heads
Aug 203rd SatRosary for LifeCathedralSt Bernard of Clairvaux
Sept 51st MonRosary for LifeCamden Haven
Sept 92nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsSt Peter Claver
Sept 173rd SatRosary for LifeCathedralSt Robert Bellarmine
Oct 31st MonRosary for LifeCamden Haven
Oct 72nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsSt Callistus
Oct 153rd SatHoly MassThe CarmelSt Teresa of Avila
Oct 224th SatRosary for LifeCathedralTransferred from 3rd Sat
Nov 71st MonRosary for LifeCamden Haven
Nov 112nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsSt Martin of Tours
Nov 193rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
Dec 51st MonRosary for LifeCamden HavenSt Sabas
Dec 92nd FriRosary for LifeTweed HeadsSt Juan Diego of Guadelupe
Dec 122nd MonOur Lady of Guadalupe
Dec 173rd SatRosary for LifeCathedral
Dec 284th Wed The Holy Innocents
THIS YEAR WE ARE INTRODUCING A REGULAR NOVENA TO THE DIVINE MERCY
The novena will run during the last nine days of the second month so that, even
if the edition is late being printed or posted, all will have the opportunity to
take part, e.g. for Jan-Feb issue, the novena will start on 20th and finish on
28th February.
Our special intention for February is for Ian Causley, our (Page) Federal
Representative, who at present is unable to represent us because of his beliefs
about life in the womb. Ian believes that life does not start until the heart
starts beating, and voted for embryonic stem cell research. He also believes
in eugenic abortion, i.e. abortion in the case of foetal abnormality. Please
unite with us in praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for those nine days.
If you have a special pro-life intention you would like to include in our
regular novena please let me know and we will be include it. Our combined effort
in prayer will bear fruit. |
