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News and commentary from the Pro-Life Action League
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Bishop Daniel Jenky of the Diocese of Peoria gave a stunningly powerful homily this weekend in which he excoriated President Obama’s “radical, pro-abortion and extreme secularist agenda.”
Celebrating Mass at a men’s conference entitled “A Call to Catholic Men of Faith,” Bishop Jenky spoke in his homily about the ever-present difficulties of being a Christian, and noted:
[It]’s not supposed to be easy! The world, the flesh, and the devil will always love their own, and will always hate us. As Jesus once predicted, they hated me, they will certainly hate you. …
For 2,000 years the enemies of Christ have certainly tried their best. But think about it. The Church survived and even flourished during centuries of terrible persecution, during the days of the Roman Empire.
The Church survived barbarian invasions. The Church survived wave after wave of Jihads. The Church survived the age of revolution. The Church survived Nazism and Communism.
And in the power of the resurrection, the Church will survive the hatred of Hollywood, the malice of the media, and the mendacious wickedness of the abortion industry.
The Church will survive the entrenched corruption and sheer incompetence of our Illinois state government, and even the calculated disdain of the President of the United States, his appointed bureaucrats in HHS, and of the current majority of the federal Senate. [Continue reading ...]
Indeed He is risen!
During this Easter Week, we take special consolation in the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead. Not only is it the central event of our faith life, but it also provides us with great encouragement in our ongoing battle against abortion.
By conquering death, Jesus has also conquered abortion. As a result, we know that the outcome of the struggle that we carry on — this seemingly endless conflict between life and death — has already been decided.
We have, so to speak, been allowed to read the book’s final chapter before we actually get to it. We know that in the end, Life will be victorious.
From time to time, all of us need to remind ourselves of this, lest we lose heart.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave a lengthy and candid interview this weekend with the Wall Street Journal‘s James Taranto in which he reiterated the Catholic Church’s opposition to the “radical, unprecedented, and dramatically intrusive” HHS Mandate.
Early on, Dolan recounts his conversation with President Barack Obama following their 45-minute discussion at an Oval Office meeting last November:
“I said, ‘I’ve heard you say, first of all, that you have immense regard for the work of the Catholic Church in the United States in health care, education and charity. . . . I have heard you say that you are not going to let the administration do anything to impede that work and . . . that you take the protection of the rights of conscience with the utmost seriousness. . . . Does that accurately sum up our conversation?’ [Mr. Obama] said, ‘You bet it does.’”
The archbishop asked for permission to relay the message to the other bishops. “You don’t have my permission, you’ve got my request,” the president replied.
But as we all know from the way subsequent events played out, this “request” was soon forgotten. [Continue reading ...]
The March 23 Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom was such a stunning success due in no small part to the tremendous outpouring of support from dozens of Catholic bishops—led by no less than Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York and the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Cardinal Dolan himself issued a letter of support that was read at the Rally for Religious Freedom held on Wall Street, in the heart of his Archdiocese.
The Cardinal’s Letter begins: [Continue reading ...]
We’re now in the final days running up to the big March 23 Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom, taking place in 120 cities across the United States.
Please join me in praying this special “Novena to Reverse the HHS Mandate,” now on day 6. If you’ve missed the previous 5 days of this 9-day prayer sequence, go ahead an join in now—remember the workers in the vinyard!
Scroll down for the previous days’ prayers, or find them listed here.
Father, You unite the human family
through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ
and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
At this time of need,
when Your Church and all Your people
are called to stand firm against injustices
inflicted on us from our government,
we ask You to strengthen us in the bond of unity.
Strengthen the unity of Your Church,
that none of Your faithful may be on the sidelines,
but that everyone may be active in this battle.
Give Church leaders the grace to discern
the many varieties of the working of Your Spirit
that they may fan into flame the gifts that the Spirit
bestows freely on Your people.
And give us the wisdom to know
that no group has a monopoly on the defense of life and freedom.
May we work in an ecumenical and inter-religious spirit
and welcome the efforts of all people of good will
who believe in freedom of religion and conscience.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The ancient image of Christ Pantocrator, or “Christ, Ruler of All” reminds us that temporal powers come and go, but God is the king above all. It is well within His power to stop the Obama Administration’s pernicious HHS Mandate, and with that in mind, we are asking all people of faith to join in a united prayer effort to Stop the HHS Mandate.
Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life has composed an ecumenical Novena for the defeat of the HHS Mandate, which begins today.
A novena is a nine day prayer sequence [Continue reading ...]
In response to President Obama’s HHS Mandate, the Pro-Life Action League is partnering with Citizens for a Pro-Life Society in calling for a national day of prayer and protest.
The Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom will take place in cities and towns all across the country on March 23 at Noon.
Thousands of faithful, pro-life Americans will meet at U.S. government sites—Federal Buildings, Congressional offices and historic sites—to stand up for religious freedom and demand that Obama rescind the HHS Mandate.
Over 50 cities and towns have already signed on to be a part of the Nationwide Rally on March 23, with more locations being added to the map every day. Contact the League for information on leading a Rally in your town.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is now mandating [Continue reading ...]
Warning: The video linked to in this post contains graphic illustrations that are not suitable for children or teens. While the information the video contains is critical for parents and educators to know, readers are strongly cautioned that some of the material is disturbing.
Update, Feb. 17: American Life League’s exposé on Planned Parenthood’s sex ed propaganda was removed from YouTube because of a copyright infringement claim over one of the pictures used in the video. ALL believes the video complies with YouTube’s fair use policies and is fighting the claim.
In anticipation of National Condom Week, last week American Life League (ALL) posted a disturbing video entitled “Hooking Kids on Sex” that shines a light on Planned Parenthood’s sex education materials aimed at school-age children.
“Disturbing” is the word ALL used in its press release announcing the release of the video — and indeed it is.
Not to put too fine a point on it, ALL’s Jim Sedlak plainly states, “Any parent that sees the video of Planned Parenthood’s material for school children will be horrified.”
Over-the-top prudish rhetoric? No way. It really is that bad. [Continue reading ...]
Earlier this hour, President Obama announced in a White House Press Conference an “adjustment” to the HHS Mandate. The Mandate is set to go into effect in August, and will require all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacients.
The HHS originally provided a “religious exemption” so narrow that it would exclude Catholic hospitals, universities and charities, forcing these institutions to act in direct opposition to Catholic teaching through the health care plans they provide. Institutions run by other religious organizations would be likewise affected.
In response to outcry from religious leaders—including 171 Catholic bishops—and Americans from across the political spectrum, Obama today outlined an “adjustment” to the HHS Mandate whereby the objectionable services will be paid for by insurers rather than directly by employers.
Setting aside the fact that contraceptives are not preventative health care—since pregnancy is not a disease—Obama’s adjustment is nothing but a shell game.
At the end of the day, religious employers are still required to provide health plans that offer free contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacients. [Continue reading ...]
March for Life 2012 outside the US Supreme Court building [Photo by John Jansen]
I’ve attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. a good number of times, but this year’s was by far the most upbeat, energetic and encouraging march I’ve been to, and the Pro-Life Action League was thrilled to be a part of it.
The crowd was enormous and excited about the coming year, as well they should be. 2011 was a banner year for the pro-life movement, and the momentum only keeps going our way.
As the march wound through the streets of the nation’s capital one could see groups from all religious traditions, all ages and races, school groups, church groups, colleges with huge banners—it was quite a show.
But there was one thing that I don’t think anyone missed—the Crusaders for Life pro-life youth group from our own St. John Cantius church here in Chicago. The giant group came equipped with chants, huge yellow “LIFE” balloons, and portable platforms where they could carry some of their cohorts above the crowd to lead chants. [Continue reading ...]