First Parliamentary debate on Bill C-384

On Oct. 2, Bill C-384, Francine Lalonde’s private member’s bill to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, received its first hour of debate. The bill was introduced on May 13 by the Bloc Québécois MP, in her third attempt to get such legislation passed in Parliament. Two previous attempts were scuttled when an election was called.

The first hour of debate saw eight MPs rise to speak on the issue. Two were in favour – Bloc MPs Lalonde and Serge Cardin (Sherbrooke). Six were opposed – David Anderson (C, Cypress Hills – Grasslands), John McKay (L, Scarborough – Guildwood), Jacques Gourde (C, Lotbinière – Chutes-de-la-Chaudière), Marlene Jennings (L, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce – Lachine), Joe Comartin (NDP, Windsor – Tecumseh) and Paul Szabo (L, Mississauga South).

Speaking in favour of her bill, Lalonde said C-384 “amends the Criminal Code so that a medical practitioner does not commit homicide just by helping a person to die with dignity.”

Lalonde noted Quebec medical professionals support legalizing physician-assisted suicide and pointed to polls from Quebec that purport to show the public supports her bill. She also reiterated some of the supposed safeguards her bill includes, such as requiring that those who request euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide be 18 years or older, that individuals have to be experiencing “severe” physical or mental pain and that two written requests must be made at least 10 days apart expressing the wish to die.

Gourde raised issues about the lack of safeguards. “Bill C-384 is too broad in terms of its scope,” he said, noting that, “The proposed legalization of medical euthanasia and assisted suicide would not only apply to terminally ill patients, but also to persons who suffer from severe physical or mental pain without any prospect of relief.” He noted that those who were depressed could request a physician’s assistance in committing suicide.

For the rest of the article refer here

Old Age: Decrepitude or Glory?

Old Age: Decrepitude or Glory?

How the modern world, caught up in sensuality, deceives itself when it sees only decadence in aging. When one knows how to esteem the spirit more highly than the body, growing old is to grow into what is most noble, the soul. Although aging does entail bodily decadence,this is only the material element in the human person. The body may indeed lose its beauty and its vigor, but it may enrich itself with the translucence of a soul that knew how to develop
and grow along the course of life. This translucence constitutes the highest beauty the human face may acquire.

Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was born in the island of Noirmoutier of pious parents on July 31, 1796, and received in baptism the name of Rose Virginia. She entered the community of the “Refuge” of Tours in 1814, and made her profession in 1816, taking the name of Mary Saint Euphrasia. She became first mistress of the penitents, a short time after her profession, and about eight years later was made superioress of the house of Tours. Desirous of extending the benefits of her order to the very extremities of the earth, she clearly saw that a central government, a mother-house, should be established. With help from Pope Gregory XVI, she founded Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd of Angers. She died in April 29, 1868, and her feast is celebrated on April 24.

During her life, nothing representing beauty was lacking to her youth: the crispness of her features, the beauty of her eyes and her flawless skin, the distinction of her face, the nobility of her bearing, the vigor and grace of youth. Moreover, the splendor of a clear, logical, vigorous and pure soul was reflected on her face. She was a magnificent example of a young Christian maiden. Now behold her in her old age. There remains but a dim reflection of her youthful charm. Yet another beauty, a higher one, shines in that admirable face. Her gaze has grown profoundly; a noble and imperturbable serenity foretells the transcendental and definitive nobility of the blessed in heavenly glory. Her face conserves the marks of the arduous battles of the interior and apostolic life of the saints, showing a form of strength, of completeness, of the immutable—it is maturity in the most beautiful sense of the word. The mouth is finely expressive, conveying the temper of iron. Great peace and kindness with neither romanticism nor illusion, but with some remnant of the former beauty, still shines in this face.

The body has declined, but the soul has grown so much that now it is all in God, leading one to recall Saint Augustine’s statement, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee.” Who would dare affirm that for Saint Mary Euphrasia growing old was growing decadent?

Law

The rule of the jungle is survival of the fittest. This was not the case in civilized Western society when it was rooted in the Judeo-Christian value systems. Laws were made to protect the weak, the poor, the widows and the orphan.

Today as we have abandoned the Judeo-Christian values that Western society was built on, we have also moved away from civilzed law and we have embraced the law of the jungle. Our laws no longer protect the weak and defenceless, instead we attack and kill the unborn child who needs our protection most and we kill the aged and elderly who cannot tak care of themselves.

Yes we are no longer a civilized society, we would like to think we are not.

Indeed, after his sin Adam lost the kingdom that God had intended for him to implant on earth. The kingdom he lost was taken over by the one who defeated Adam, the Devil, who with Adam’s sin acquired an enormous power over nature and human society. For this reason one can find in the great empires of Antiquity, such as those of Assyria, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the notable influence of the Devil in the idolatry of most of the ancient religions. Scripture states that all the gods of those religions were devils: “Omnes dii gentium sunt daemonia” (Psalm 95:5).

When Christ came and died for us we were redeemed and over the years that followed thourgh the collapse of the Roman Empire and the Rise of the Middle ages, we were able to build Western Socitey on Jeudo-Christian values. However we have now moved away form those values and embraced moral relativism and every single problem that faces society, abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality is a relefction of our rembrace of the devil and the abandonment of Christ

United Way Toronto and some of the groups it Funds

During Chirstmas time, we like to give to charity, however we need to have our eyes open about the charities we give to.



United Way is a very large charity that collects money and gfits and volunteers time to various agencies. Among the agencies it supports is Planned Parenthood



Refer to this LInk



http://www.unitedwaytoronto.com/agency/list.php



Also a lot of the agencies on the page seem to be of the family re-engineering type.



BE CAREFUL

Pray for this Ex- Preist he is in great peril

This is a news article I read yesterday. Once a priest always a priest, please pray for him

Canada's first openly gay Catholic priest wants another milestone under his robe.

Father Karl Clemens is getting married Saturday to his partner, Nick.

Clemens says he'll be the first man of the Catholic cloth to enter into a same-sex marriage in Canada, and maybe even in North America.

"I'm not doing it to start a revolution, but if people want to exercise their right, and so forth, that's terrific," he told Sun Media yesterday. "I feel very strongly about it.

"I'm leading the way, or pioneering, as it were, in something that I think is very important," Clemens said. "It's a human right."

Clemens, who's nearing 70 and retired from the Kingston diocese after serving there for 33 years, moved to Toronto more than a decade ago to work in, and advocate for, the city's gay village on Church St.

About his same-sex marriage, he's prepared for a backlash from the church and some of its followers, as he was when he came out of the closet in 2005.

"There will be Catholics who feel, because of their lack of understanding, that this is a very wrong thing and therefore will not be pleased," Clemens said. "But those are consequences we have to be willing to deal with because we feel strongly about the issue at hand, which is the right to be able to enter into same-sex marriages."

Clemens and his partner will be married Saturday afternoon in the couple's Sherbourne St. home.

Mother Theresa on abortion

In 1979 the year i was born Mother Theresa won the Nobel Peace Prize. This is a short excerpt of her speech.

I was surprised in the West to see so many young boys and girls given into drugs, and I tried to find out why - why is it like that, and the answer was: Because there is no one in the family to receive them. Father and mother are so busy they have no time. Young parents are in some institution and the child takes back to the street and gets involved in something. We are talking of peace. These are things that break peace, but I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing - direct murder by the mother herself. And we read in the Scripture, for God says very clearly: Even if a mother could forget her child - I will not forget you - I have carved you in the palm of my hand. We are carved in the palm of His hand, so close to Him that unborn child has been carved in the hand of God. And that is what strikes me most, the beginning of that sentence, that even if a mother could forget something impossible - but even if she could forget - I will not forget you. And today the greatest means - the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion. And we who are standing here - our parents wanted us. We would not be here if our parents would do that to us. Our children, we want them, we love them, but what of the millions. Many people are very, very concerned with the children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own child - what is left for me to kill you and you kill me - there is nothing between. And this I appeal in India, I appeal everywhere: Let us bring the child back, and this year being the child's year: What have we done for the child? At the beginning of the year I told, I spoke everywhere and I said: Let us make this year that we make every single child born, and unborn, wanted. And today is the end of the year, have we really made the children wanted? I will give you something terrifying. We are fighting abortion by adoption, we have saved thousands of lives, we have sent words to all the clinics, to the hospitals, police stations - please don't destroy the child, we will take the child. So every hour of the day and night it is always somebody, we have quite a number of unwedded mothers - tell them come, we will take care of you, we will take the child from you, and we will get a home for the child. And we have a tremendous demand from families who have no children, that is the blessing of God for us. And also, we are doing another thing which is very beautiful - we are teaching our beggars, our leprosy patients, our slum dwellers, our people of the street, natural family planning.

Sadly 30 years later the same peace prize was given to one of the most Pro-Abortion Presidents of the USA Mr. Obama. NO ABORTION = KNOW PEACE

Letter asking Members of Parliament and all the people of Canada to reflect on the possible consequences of Bill C-384

The Parliament of Canada is soon expected to debate private member’s Bill C-384, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity), which aims at legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada.

Those wishing to re-open this debate are no doubt motivated by concern for the sufferings of others. An unfortunate understanding of compassion has led them to suggest euthanizing the most vulnerable instead of providing them with proper care, effective pain control, and social, emotional and spiritual support until their natural death. It is always important to be as clear as possible about intentions and possible consequences when we consider human acts, so as to assure the greatest good and limit any harm to the persons directly affected and also to the wider community.

Unfortunately, some of the terms being proposed for this debate are misleading or unclear. This can only lead to discussions that are confusing and unhelpful, and also makes it difficult to find common ground from which to assess the risks and impact of
proposals for new legislation.

From the Catholic perspective, it is legitimate to use medication and other means to alleviate suffering, even if a side effect can be the shortening of life expectancy. It is also legitimate for someone to refuse medical procedures that are found to be especially
burdensome. But what is never acceptable is the direct and intentional killing of the depressed, handicapped, sick, elderly or dying (Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2276-77).

It is hard to see how any legislation legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide would protect the most vulnerable in our society. What confidence and trust could they possibly have that their lives would continue to be protected by health-care providers, family and friends, or society at large? Euthanasia and assisted suicide, by their very nature, mean there is no longer a common duty for all to protect the lives of others. There is also the well-founded fear that euthanasia and assisted suicide can be imposed on individuals as a way to save costs and lessen demands on care-givers. Inevitably, the result would be a society even more fragmented, with its members living in greater isolation and anxiety.

As this debate resumes in our country on such an important question, the Catholic Bishops of Canada invite:

1. The members of the Parliament of Canada – elected representatives in the House of Commons as well as Senators – to use clear definitions in their upcoming debates, and also to consider the profound impact that such legislation would have on the lives of individuals and on the wider community;
2. All Canadians to become better informed about euthanasia and assisted suicide, and to promote instead palliative and home care to help those in need and their care-givers;
3. Catholics, our brothers and sisters who belong to other Christian communities orother faiths, and all who appreciate the beauty and dignity of life, to engage in this debate civilly and respectfully, so as to witness a profound reverence for the
   inherent dignity of each and all human life.

Most Reverend V. James Weisgerber
Archbishop of Winnipeg
President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Courtesy - CCCB

LIFE CHAIN2009

On the 4th October 2009, the Life Chain in defence of life from conception to natural death will take place across Canada. For a list of locations refer to link below.

CANADA - Alberta (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* BARRHEAD - 49th St at 53rd Ave, Sat, Oct 3, noon to 1:00 p.m.; Ali Vogelzang 780-674-3039

* CALGARY - Heritage at MacLeod, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; signs at Heritage LRT Station; John Harder 403-246-8848

* COLD LAKE - Hwy 28 at 50th Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Remi Lirette 780-639-3601

* DRAYTON VALLEY - 50th St at 50th Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Lisa Smith 780-542-7546

* EDMONTON - 104 St at 109 Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Karen Richert 780-425-1637

* LETHBRIDGE - Mayor Magrath Dr S at 9th Ave S, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Brenda Vroom 403-320-5433

* LLOYDMINSTER - Hwy 16 at Hwy 17 at City Hall, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Christine Aalbers 780-872-5831

* MEDICINE HAT - 2948 Dunmore Rd SE in front of Health Unit bldg, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; George Ibach 403-527-7434

* RED DEER - Heritage Ranch Approach at Hwy 2, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Red Deer and District Pro-Life 403-340-2229

* TABER - 50th St at Taber Community Center, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Erna Moedt 403-223-3103

* WESTLOCK - Parking lot of Westlock Inn, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Antonia Seguin 780-349-5398

* WHITECOURT - Hwy 43 at Dahl Dr, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Rachellle Godin 780-648-2199

CANADA - British Columbia (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* BURNABY - Kingway St from Imperial to Edmonds, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Nancy Lim 604-434-1328

* CASTLEGAR - Canadian Tire at Hwy 3A, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Trail/Rossland Right to Life 250-362-5767

* COURTENAY - Cliffe Ave at 29th St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Robin Fitzgerald 250-338-6117

* CRESTON VALLEY - Canyon St at 16th Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Mary Ann Staples 250-402-8141

* DAVIS BAY - Hwy 101, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Sunshine Coast Pro-Life 604-885-5734

* DAWSON CREEK - Alaska Ave Traffic Circle, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Nicky Moody 250-219-6343

* DUNCAN - Trans Canada Highway at Trunk Road, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Michael Green 250-743-3964

* FRASER LAKE - Hwy 16 West at Chowsunket St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Shari & Tom Anderson 250-699-8002

* KAMLOOPS - Columbia St at McGill Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Tonia Howell 250-376-4054

* KELOWNA - Harvey Ave at Gordon Dr, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.; Marlon Bartram 250-862-8202

* KITIMAT - by the Cenotaph, Sat, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; Kitimat Right To Life 250-632-2323

* LANGLEY - 200th St at 62nd Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Leonie Chanon 604-530-1703

* NANAIMO - Island Hwy at Dickinson, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Anne Elphick 250-751-2993

* NELSON - Front St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Nelson Right To Life 250-352-2581

* PORT ALBERNI - Johnson Rd from Helen to Tebo, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; Grace Shaw 250-724-4370

* POWELL RIVER - Joyce Ave at Duncan St, Sat, Oct 3, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.; Powell River Pro-Life Society 604-483-1891

* PRINCE GEORGE - 15th Ave at Burden St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Horst Thiele 250-563-2933

* QUESNEL - Front St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Marilyn McClanahan 250-249-5309 or Shannon Moleski 250-747-2026

* SALMON ARM - Trans-Canada Hwy at Ross St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; signs at Fletcher Park at 2:15 p.m.; Dan O'Brien 250-832-7762

* SMITHERS - Hwy 16 at Main St, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; signs at Buckley Valley Christian Elementary School at 12:30 p.m.; Sharon VanderWiel 250-847-2475

* SURREY - King George Hwy from 64th Ave to 104th Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Surrey-Delta Pro-Life Society 604-574-0225

* TERRACE - Hwy 16 at Skeena River, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Don Coburn 250-635-5427

* TRAIL / ROSSLAND - Victoria St downtown, Sat, Oct 3, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; Trail/Rossland Right to Life 250-362-5767

* VANCOUVER - Oak St at 29th Ave, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.; John Kaptein 604-708-1142

* VERNON - 32nd St at 32nd Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Anna Maria Johnston 250-545-5520

* VICTORIA - Blanshard St at Finlayson St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Michael Green 250-743-3964

CANADA - Manitoba (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* BRANDON - Victoria at 1st St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Karen Fitzpatrick 204-728-5205

* STE ROSE DU LAC - Hwy 10, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Laverne Hudson 204-638-6013

* WINNIPEG - Notre Dame Ave in front of Health Science Center Women's Clinic, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Maria Slykerman, Campaign Life Coalition MB 204-452-2459

CANADA - New Brunswick (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* DIEPPE - Champlain St near bridge, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Sr Cecile LeBlanc 506-857-9414

* FREDERICTON - Regent St at Brunswick St, 2;30 to 3:30 p.m.; Peter Ryan 506-459-8990

* FREDERICTON - Regent St at Priestman St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; John Burke 506-446-9401 or 506-422-2000 x3492

* SAINT JOHN - King Square bandstand, Feb 14, every year, 12:00 noon; StJohn Right to Life 506-657-3771

* ST. STEPHEN - King St near the arena, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Timothy Brown 506-466-3217

CANADA - Newfoundland (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* ST JOHN'S - Le Marchant Rd at Campbell Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Colette Fleming 709-579-1500

CANADA - Nova Scotia (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* CHURCH POINT - Hwy 1 across from cemetary, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Blanche Comeau 902-769-0974 and Lucille Saulnier

* HALIFAX - Robie St at Halifax Commons, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Ellen Chesal 902-861-1982

* NEW GLASGOW - East River Rd at Park St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Ray Hodgson 902-923-2807

* TRURO - Willow St across from the hospital, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Rhoda Hogan 902-897-2430

CANADA - Ontario (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* AJAX - Kingston Rd east of Westney, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.; Lou Gauthier 905-668-9019

* ALLISTON - Victoria St at Church St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Ilona Binns 705-435-6325

* AMHERSTBURG - Sandwich at Pickering, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

* AURORA - Yonge St at Maple St at church parking lot, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Carol Michael Newmarket & District Right to Life 905-853-2765

* BANCROFT - Hasting St at Station St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Pastor Charles Hughes 705-448-2273 or Mary Lou Robb 613-338-2401

* BARRIE - Bayfield at Cundles Sts, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Paul & Jane Kubica 705-739-0310

* BEAVERTON - Hwy 12 at Hwy 48 south intersection, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; David & Daisy Ross 705-426-7872

* BELLE RIVER - Notre Dame at Church, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

* BELLEVILLE - Dundas St W at Coleman St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Ted Morris 613-392-1069

* BRAMPTON - Hwy 10 from Gage Park to Steeles Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; 905-840-6650

* BRANTFORD - St. Paul's Ave/King George Rd south of Hwy 403, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Paul Vandervet 519-759-4240

BRUCE MINES - Hwy 17 at Post Office, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Pastor Jim Spurrell 705-785-1031 or Deneige Baird 705-785-3033

* BURLINGTON - Fairview St at Maple Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Halton ProLife 905-632-3232

* CALABOGIE / RENFREW - Main St at the Post Office, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Calabogie-Renfrew Pro-Life Association 613-432-4719

* CAMBRIDGE - Hespeler Rd at Bishop St northward, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Maria Chaves 519-623-1850

* CHATHAM - St.Clair St at Grand Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., meet ar Pines High School at 1:30 p.m.; Jeff Bultje 579-352-3611

* COBOURG - Elgin St at William St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Peter & Jennifer Riccio 905-373-8306

* COLLINGWOOD - First St at Birch St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Mary Cudney 705-445-6979

* COURTICE / BOWMANVILLE - Hwy 2 at Courtice Rd, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; John Vandersanden 905-697-3654

* ELLIOTT LAKE - Hillside Dr North at Collins Hall, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Kathleen Rosilius 705-461-3582

* ESSEX - Talbot St at Center St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

* FORT FRANCES - Scott St from Armit Ave to Mowat, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Carole Mackintosh 807-274-5736

* GEORGETOWN - Guelph St at Maple Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Tony Smyth 647-407-1617

* GRIMSBY - Main St at Christie St, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; Joanne Dieleman 905-309-3340

* GUELPH - Speedvale Ave at Woolwich St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Guelph & Area Right to Life 519-836-6311

* HALIBURTON - County Rd 21 by the high school, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.; David & Mary Ella Switzer 705-754-3889

* HAMILTON - McMaster University Hospital, Main St West, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Hamilton Right to Life 905-528-3065

* HAMILTON MOUNTAIN - Upper James St at Mohawk Rd, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Hamilton Right to Life 905-528-3065

* HANOVER - 10th St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Therese Weiler 519-364-6270

* HARROW - King St at Queen St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Josephine DeGoey 519-325-0929

* INGERSOLL - Charlotte St at Thames St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Wilma Debruyn 519-485-2679

* KINCARDINE - Queen St at Broadway, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Bob Cyr 519-396-3702

* KINGSTON - King St in front of hospital, 1:45 to 3:00 p.m.; Emilie Bruno 613-545-0753 - Pics 2008

* KINGSVILLE - Main St at Division St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Josephine DeGoey 519-325-0929

* KIRKLAND LAKE - Government Rd W in front of the mall, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Trevis Carey 705-567-2094

* LASALLE - Malden Rd between Normandy and Todd Ln, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

* LEAMINGTON - Erie St at Talbot St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Josephine DeGoey 519-325-0929

* LISTOWEL - Main St at Wallace Ave, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.; Listowel & Right to Life 519-291-6151

* LONDON - Wellington Rd S at Richmond St N, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; London Area Right to Life 519-659-3334

* MARKDALE - Main St at Toronto St, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.; John & Rita Black 519-986-2785

* MIDLAND - Hugel Ave at Hwy 93, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Mike Vandenheuvel 705-533-3028

* MILTON - Main St at Ontario St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Halton Pro-Life 905-632-3232

* MISSISSAUGA - Dundas St (17 locations) and Hurontario St (12 locations), 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Maria Campbell 905-877-1066

* NEW LISKEARD - Whitewood Ave at Armstrong St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Kathie Garahan 705-647-6390

* NIAGARA FALLS - Lundy's Ln at Highland St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Jacqueline Messinger 905-646-4926

* NORTH BAY - Lakeshore Dr at Judge Ave, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Rheal & Jeannine Lebel 705-724-3424

* OAKVILLE - Trafalgar Rd at Hwy 5, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Halton Pro-Life 905-632-3232

* ORILLIA - Atherley Rd at Hwy 12 Bypass, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Morris & Marie Seaborn 705-325-2470

* OSHAWA - King St E at Harmony, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Winston & Rose McIntosh 905-576-5640

* OTTAWA - several locations, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Campaign Life Coalition 613-729-0379

• Bank St at Napean St
Carling Ave at Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus
Montreal Rd at St. Laurent Blvd
Vanier Parkway at Montreal Rd
ALMONTE - Martin St at Ottawa St 
KANATA - Hazeldean Rd at Eagleson Rd 
KANATA - March Rd at Dunrobin Rd
NEPEAN - Merivale Rd at Meadowlands Dr 
ORLEANS - St. Joseph Blvd at Jeanne D’Arc Blvd 
OTTAWA SOUTH - Bank St at Hunt Club Rd 
RUSSELL - Castor St at Concession St

* OWEN SOUND - 10th St at 2nd Ave E, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Cor VanSchie 519-538-5346

* PARRY SOUND - Church St at Rosetta St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Rita McWhirter 705-746-5287 and Kathy Hogan 705-342-1779

* PETERBOROUGH - Lansdowne St at Monaghan Rd, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Paul Morgan 705-741-4000

* PORT ELGIN / SOUTHAMPTON - Albert St at High St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Dave Lepper 519-832-9372

* RENFREW COUNTY / PEMBROKE - Pembroke St W at Christie St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Margaret Thuemen 613-732-7912 or Mark Reilander 613-735-3894

* SAULT STE MARIE - Great Northern Rd at McNabb, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Bill Murphy 705-759-6086

* SIMCOE - Hwy 3 at Hwy 24, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Simcoe & District Voice for Life 519-428-5146

* ST THOMAS - Talbot St at City Hall, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.; St Thomas and District Right to Life 519-633-5433

* STONEY CREEK - Centennial Pkwy at Hwy 8, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Hamilton Right to Life 905-528-3065

* STRATFORD - Huron St at Ontario St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Grace Hoogland 519-284-4644

* SUDBURY - three locations, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Keith McCormick 705-675-7976
 La Salle Blvd at Barry Downe Rd
 La Salle Blvd at Notre Dame Ave
 Paris St at Brady St at City Hall

* TECUMSEH - Tecumseh East at Lesperance St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

* THUNDER BAY - Central Ave at Memorial Ave, Sat, Oct 3 & Sun, Oct 4, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Lakehead Life Support 807-627-6653

* TILLSONBURG - Broadway at Bridge St, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., meet at clock tower at 12:45 p.m.; Andre & Bonnie DeDecker 519-688-3248

* TIMMINS - Algonquin W at Preston St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Eileen Meunier 705-264-3529

* TORONTO - Some locations may change, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. except as noted; Campaign Life Coalition 416-204-9749

• Albion at Kipling, 265 Albion Rd (Covenant Reformed Church), Avenue at Wilson, Bayview at Finch, 3125 Bayview (All Saints Greek Orthodox Church), Bayview at Sheppard, Burnhamthorpe at West Mall, 155 Broadview (St. John the Compassionate Church), Danforth at Donlands (Metamorphosis Tou Sotiros) 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Danforth at Pape, Danforth at Victoria Park, Dixon at Kipling, Don Mills at Eglinton, Don Mills at Sheppard, Dufferin at Bloor, Dufferin at Eglinton, Dufferin at Lawrence, Dufferin at St. Clair, Ellesmere at Markham Rd, Islington at Bloor, Jane at Finch, Jane at Lawrence, Jane at Wilson, Keele at Bloor, Keele at Eglinton, King at Jamison, Kipling at Queensway, Lawrence at Birchmount, Lawrence at Kingston Rd, Lawrence at Markham Rd, McCowan at Steeles, Queen at Spading, Queen at Woodbine, Steeles at Dufferin, Victoria Park at Lawrence, Warden at Finch, Yonge at Bloor, Yonge at Dundas, Yonge at Eglinton, Yonge at St. Clair, Yonge at Steeles
Maple - Jane at Major Mackenzie
Markham - McCowan at Hwy 7,
Richmond Hill - Yonge at King Rd, 9116 Bayview (St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church), Yonge at Major Mackenzie
Thornhill - Yonge at Centre St
Woodbridge - Islington at Hwy 7, Islington at Major Mackenzie

* TRENTON and AREA - Dundas St at Division St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Jim & Mary Psihogios 613-392-1664

* WALKERTON - Durham St at Colborne St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Walkerton & District Right to Life 519-881-0549

* WALLACEBURG - Murrat St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Michael Kelly 519-352-3830

* WATFORD - Main St (Hwy 79 / Nauvoo Rd) at Victoria St, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.; Ted Minton 519-849-5880

* WHITBY - Hwy 2 (Dundas St) at Thickson, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Judy Morris 905-666-1888

* WINDSOR - 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Beryl Caves 519-969-7555

• Ouellette Ave at Wyandotte St, 
Ouellette at Giles Blvd, 
Ouellette at Tecumseh Road, 
Tecumseh East between Kildare and Byng

* WINGHAM - Josephine St at John St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Wayne Waechter 519-357-1558

* WOODSTOCK - Dundas St at Finkle St, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Mary Van Veen 519-421-0029

CANADA - Prince Edward Island (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

CHARLOTTETOWN - University at Grafton, Sept 30, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; PEI Right to Life 902-894-5473

CANADA - Quebec (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* MONTREAL - location to be decided, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.; Mario Richard 514-344-2686

* QUEBEC CITY - Jean De Quen at Laurier Blvd, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Quebec City Life Chain Commmittee 418-683-8554

CANADA - Saskatchewan (partial listing - for information, call 530-674-5068)

* MOOSE JAW - Main St at Saskatchewan St W, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; Elsie Alexander 306-693-2342

* PRINCE ALBERT - 2nd Ave West at 22nd Street W, Sun, Sept 27, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Valerie Hettrick 306-922-3357

* REGINA - Albert St at College Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Bob Waldegger 306-569-1985

* SASKATOON - 22nd at Idylwyld St, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.; Campaign Life Coalition 306-249-2764

* SWIFT CURRENT - Trans Canada Hwy No 1 at No 4 Hwy, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Swift Current & District Pro-Life 306-773-0741

* YORKTON - Gladstone Ave at Broadway Ave, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Ted Deneschuk 306-783-6240

MP Introduces Euthanasia Bill into Canadian Parliament

This is a bit late but i just found out about it.

Francine Lalonde, the Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament from La Pointe-de-l'Île, on Tuesday introduced a private members bill to legalize euthanasia in Canada.

Bill C-384* would add an exception to the criminal code, ensuring that doctors will not face criminal prosecution if they help a person die who is at least 18 years old and who, after being given or refusing treatment, continues to "experience severe physical or mental pain without any prospect of relief," or suffers from terminal illness.

"The time has come for this Parliament to find a way to decriminalize medical assistance in dying, which is of such vital importance to those whose suffering can no longer be relieved except by this ultimate compassion," said Lalonde in introducing the bill.

Lalonde went on to observe that so far three countries in the E.U., and two U.S. states, have legalized assisted suicide. "Serious research into the application of this legislation and their very specific criteria clearly shows that the greatest fear expressed in this Parliament some years ago, abuses and the hypothetical slippery slope, has not in any way become reality," she said.

She also claimed that "a remarkable progression has taken place in public opinion concerning the need for such a law. Increasingly, people believe that they should have the right to choose, when the time comes."

This is Lalonde's third attempt to legalize euthanasia in Canada.

Her first two attempts that were introduced in June 2005 (Bill C-407) and June 2008 (Bill C-562), would have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. Both bills were not limited to the direct and intentional killing of terminally ill persons, but also people experiencing chronic physical and mental pain. The current bill also makes allowances for euthanasia for physical and mental pain.

Lalonde stated in the House of Commons in February that she intended to introduce a bill to legalize euthanasia in Canada. Lalonde is number 42 in the private members bill order of precedence, meaning that unless an election is called, it is likely that her bill will receive a vote at second reading.

Alex Schandenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition told LSN in February about Lalonde's pending attempt at again legalizing euthanasia: "We are very concerned about the bill.

"Our primary concern," he said, "is that euthanasia and assisted suicide directly threatens the lives of the most vulnerable in society. We should not be focused on how to take the lives of the vulnerable but rather how we should be caring for them.

"To legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide represents the right of one person to take the life of another person. Our society should not be going there."

Article from Life Site News

Peterborough bishop faces human rights complaint

Peterborough Bishop Nicola De Angelis and 12 parishioners at St. Michael’s parish in Cobourg, Ont., face an Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (not the 'Commission', as previously reported) complaint that could cost the parishioners $20,000 each and the diocese of Peterborough $25,000 plus legal fees.

Jim Corcoran brought the complaint after he was asked to give up his position as an altar server at Sunday Masses. Corcoran was dismissed from all duties on the altar after 12 parishioners wrote a letter to De Angelis questioning the presence of a gay man serving at the altar of St. Michael’s.

For More details refer to this link

Forsaken Courage: Death of a Man's Soul

The following story is courtesy American Rumpo Blog

The story I am about to tell you is a true story. It is a story that not many people know about or care to listen to. However it is one of the most important stories to the future of our sons and daughters.

One of my closest friends from my young years called me a few months back. We had a great friendship. We were always catching crawdads, fishing, splitting wood, eating green apples until we got sick. Summers were the best as we would play sharks and minnows at the local pool for hours on end with our friends. We grew up together and then I joined the Marines and he went his way, we never heard from each other again until recently.

Getting a call from this long lost friend brought up some chilling feelings in my soul. See I knew this guy before I was a Catholic. I remember the things we used to do that were not so innocent. At the time I never really thought about it because I really didn't know any better. So I was both excited and concerned about the contact.

We decided to meet up and catch up on old times. When I saw him I was immediately oppressed by his weary look and heavy heart. This could not be my old friend, my buddy that used to make me laugh at the drop of a hat. Where did my friend go?

We talked for a long time my friend and I. As with everyone I meet I tried the best I could to get my faith into the subject of discussion. He was looking and is looking for something to help him rebuild, that is another story for another day. What he has given me permission to tell all who will listen is one of the most important story of our times. So my friend says from experience.......

Men I don't think understand courage anymore. They do not understand that when they act or omit action in a cowardly manner they kill the very soul that God gave them. Satan knows this fact. It is the number one virtue (fortitude) in man that he will attack head on because it is the quickest way to enslave a man's heart and soul.

Keep in mind my friend grew up a protestant, he had no way of knowing the above very Catholic thinking. Also he had no father from the time he was 11 years old so also he had no role model for courage or manhood. My friend continues......

Simplex, I have not lived a very good life. I am broken and often I feel beyond repair. It was a single decision I made many years ago a little before you left for boot camp. Do you remember my girlfriend, Lisa?

I tell him yes I remember her, she was very nice, especially good to you even though you were not so nice at times.

Yes, I was a perfect jerk much of the time. Well I got her pregnant. We did not know what to do we were very scared, not so much me because I knew my mom would just tell me that it was OK and she would help. She has always been like that, she felt that she had to make up for my Dad leaving and so she never wanted to make me feel bad.

What I was afraid of was facing Lisa's father and mother. She was scared to death too. After a couple of days she came to me and asked me if she should have an abortion. There it was, the moment the rest of my life would balance on.

At first it seemed like the best solution, her parents don't find out. I am not smacked around by her Dad, no one gets hurt. The day came around and I took her to the clinic, it felt all wrong from the word go. I had no guts, no balls, just a piece of shit coward sitting there in the car. I let her go through with it.

She was so scared you could see it in her eyes, in her walk, her whole innocence gone in a split second. That was not even the worst part of it. When she came out...she was gone, if she didn't know it was wrong going in, she sure knew it now and so did I!

I failed the test of manhood that day, I was officially and forever more a coward by any standard. My failure had more important consequences. Lisa saw me for the first time as the coward I was. I ruined her for the rest of her life, she would always have this scar that I put on her. Every year on that day or the day we would have had that baby she would remember what I did to her. I also allowed a life that God made for me to be killed for my convenience, for my lack of courage.

I have always felt less of a man from that point on. This one instance in my life shaped me for the rest of it. No one ever understands that the easy way out is usually the wrong way out. For a man with a self inflicted wound to the soul and no courage to make amends is lost forever. The only thing that can bring him back is another man who can teach him how to act with courage.

Of course he is doing his best to repair his soul. I told him the truth that there was never going to be a way to take back what he had done. As a Catholic I told him that I believed that he could be forgiven and still get to heaven, and that he would most certainly spend some time in purgatory as would I. I told him that 90% of all men in today's society were weak and lacked the appropriate level of fortitude and that it was like anything else in that it take practice to get better at being courageous. Start with little situations and work your way up.

As fathers and mothers we need to understand that this could so easily be one of our children, hell it may even be one of us who holds this kind of pain and wound. That is why it is ever so important for us to teach our young men to be courageous in every thing they do. Our sons deserve it, our daughters need that type of protection and respect, and more importantly the slaughter of the innocents needs to be stopped and this is the only way that it will.

Fathers do not teach your sons to make women a conquest, teach your boys to be valiant champions of virtue. Train them up to be tough, intelligent, and gallant. Give them the tools to slay the dragon, the charm to win the fair maiden, and the fortitude to withstand Satan's wicked and forked tongue.

The Pro-Abortion Movement’s Best Kept Secret

In the wake of George Tiller’s killing, many pundits and pro-abortionists have tried to project the shadow of his assassination onto the entire pro-life movement.

A June 2 Associated Press (AP) article titled: “Suspect in doctor killing railed against abortion” exemplifies the attempt. Although the AP professes to be an unbiased news source, the only pro-lifers interviewed expressed support for Tiller’s slaying and a substantial part of the story outlined the increased security measures abortion mills will now assume.

Although every mainstream pro-life organization issued immediate condemnations of the killing, the article lacked a single quote from any of these statements. The only recognition of the pro-life movement’s rejection of the killing was a paragraph that stated:

Police said it appears the gunman acted alone, and some anti-abortion groups quickly distanced themselves from the killing. Outside Tiller's clinic, the Kansas Coalition for Life placed signs saying members had prayed for Tiller's change of heart, "not his murder."¹

Britain’s liberal newspaper The Guardian was even more biased. A June 5 story titled: “On the front line in the US abortion war,” is not an objective representation of the struggle against abortion, as the title suggests, but an interview with and character sketch of Georgian extremist Neal Horsley who justifies violence against abortionists and even honors the perpetrators of such violence, dubbing them: “soldiers in the war against terror.”

Worse yet, rather than admit that Horsley does not represent the pro-life movement, author Chris McGreal shockingly affirmed:

Horsley has been at the forefront of an unrelenting campaign against abortion that straddles the blurry line between the mainstream movement characterising itself as "pro-life" and men like Scott Roeder who has been charged with Tiller's murder.²

Meanwhile, the feminist pro-abortion group National Organization for Women (NOW) decried the killing as “the most recent in a string of murders in the service of the anti-abortion cause,” and called upon the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to “root out and prosecute as domestic terrorists and violent racketeers the criminal enterprise that has organized and funded criminal acts for decades.” They urged the government to put “the full resources of their two departments behind that effort.”³

National Abortion Federation (NAF) president Vicki Saporta went so far as to dub the last thirty years a “reign of terror” against abortionists.⁴

Similarly, late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart called on the government to define as hate crimes all efforts of “anti-choice domestic terrorists” and likened planting crosses in the yards of abortion-performing doctors to actions of the KKK.

Warren Hern, another late-term abortionist from Colorado, told London’s Guardian that pro-lifers constitute:

a national terrorist, totalitarian, fascist movement that is violent, well organised and well armed and they do not accept the basic premises of American society. Everything they've done for the last 35 years is designed to animate, to inspire, to give encouragement to anti-abortion assassins and anti-abortion violence.⁵

Indeed, the pro-abortion movement and leftist media are intent on equating the vast majority of peaceful and legal pro-lifers with savage terrorists. As conservative columnist Michelle Maklin aptly described it: “When a right-wing Christian vigilante kills, millions of fingers pull the trigger.”⁶

However, is this demonizing justified? Are pro-lifers really the violent people they are being made out to be? And what about pro-abortion violence, does it exist?

Skewed Statistics

Skewed Statistics and Misrepresentations
To track pro-lifers’ “offenses,” pro-abortion groups tally acts of “violence and disruptive actions” the former allegedly perpetrate in the United States and Canada. The NAF publishes a table of the data they accumulate.⁷

At first glance the numbers are impressive, indeed. According to the chart, the total disruptions and acts of violence since 1973 is a full 156,961. However, a closer look reveals that 141,837 of these incidents are peaceful picketing of abortion mills, 13,995 are “hate mail” or “harassing” telephone calls – which certainly include many peaceful and legal actions –, 1,993 are trespassing violations and 1,400 are generically termed “vandalism.”

The section of the NAF chart on violence is even more misleading. Under this heading it lists trespassing violations, vandalism, invasion, threats and butyric acid attacks. The latter may look violent at first glance. However, butyric acid is a harmless but foul-smelling liquid. Thus, the frightful sounding “butyric acid attacks” amount to nothing more than the use of stink bombs. Admittedly this costs money to clean up, but to classify it as “violence” is simply dishonest.

Furthermore, a 1995 Life Research Institute study investigated all available claims of pro-life violence and uncovered major inconsistencies. The study is titled: Abortion-Related Violence and Alleged Violence and is readily available online.⁸

It shows that many claims made by NAF and other groups are simply not substantiated nor is any evidence provided. Readers are expected to accept many incidents without proof.

Furthermore, an investigation of the more detailed “offenses” reveals major flaws. For instance, pro-lifers are assumed as the culprits of any act committed against an abortionist or even near an abortion mill.

Other examples include:

The 1993 murder of abortion doctor Wayne Patterson is categorized misleadingly as a murder that forced the closing of two abortion facilities. The truth is that Wayne Patterson was robbed and killed by an unknown assailant while leaving a pornographic movie theater. What his killing has to do with the pro-life movement is not explained.⁹

On October 21, the Feminist Women’s Health Center in Redding California burnt down. The event and was designated a pro-life arson, despite police reports that identified an electric fan as the cause of the blaze.¹⁰

In June of 1990, the Minnesota director of Planned Parenthood was supposedly assaulted, although he escaped the event without a scratch. His assailant, who certainly attacked other clinic employees, was an escapee from a mental institution. It was proven in court that he had no links to any pro-life organization.¹¹

Those Who Live in Glass Houses…
In addition to greatly exaggerating (and even inventing) incidents of pro-life violence, the pro-abortion movement is deathly silent about the violence from within its ranks against pro-lifers.

In fact, the vast majority of active pro-lifers have endured acts of pro-abortionist violence. A common example is abortion mill workers who try to run over pro-lifers demonstrating in front of clinics.¹² Dr. Tiller, himself, ran over a pro-lifer and rammed a policeman on a motorcycle in a 1989 incident at his Wichita clinic.¹³

Human Life International's logo

Pro-life organization Human Life International (HLI) has documented cases of pro-abortion violence for years. Their research is published online at: http://abortionviolence.com/ and on a blog titled: Tree in the Sea (see: http://tree-in-the-sea.blogspot.com/2008/05/pro-abortion-violence.html). The latter has a list that is over 100 pages long and contains more than 2,000 cases.

For example:

Seven-year-old Ekaternia Engelke was kneeling in prayer at a Wisconsin abortion mill when leftist Catherine Doyle approached and screamed profanities at the little girl. When the latter replied: “You are killing babies!” the former kicked little Ekaterina in the face, injuring her. Afterwards, a hotline for Doyle’s pro-abortion group, Milwaukee Clinic Protection Coalition, instructed fellow pro-abortion activists to “brush up on their football skills.”

Despite numerous witnesses, charges were never brought against Doyle. Incidentally, her sister was Wisconsin Attorney General at the time of the attack.¹⁴

Worse yet, in Los Angeles, three pro-abortionists were arrested in 1989 for trying to burn down a church, packed with pro-lifers. Police also found concussion grenades underneath a speaker’s platform that was set up for a rally scheduled later in the day. There were 2,500 pro-lifers at the event.¹⁵

Senator Tommy Burks

In Tennessee, Byron Looper, pro-abortion candidate for the state senate, shot his pro-life opponent Senator Tommy Burks in the face, killing him. Afterwards, he bragged about the murder to his friend Joe Bond, saying: “I did it, man, I did it! I killed that dude.”¹⁶

Last, activist Eileen Orstein Janezic shot pro-life talk show host Jerry Simon at his home. She proceeded to hold the police at bay for six hours, while she recited quotations from Antoin LeVey’s Satanic Bible.¹⁷

These four events are merely the tip of the iceberg. There are literally thousands of documented cases of pro-abortion violence.¹⁸ In fact, these substantiated incidents greatly outweigh the alleged acts committed by pro-lifers.

Denunciations and Silence
Furthermore, when an abortion opponent commits a violent crime, all mainstream pro-life organizations instantly condemn the act and reaffirm their commitment to engage only in peaceful activities.

Thus, when George Tiller was killed, immediately an ocean of rejection flooded from the pro-life community. Human Life International President, Father Thomas Euteneuer affirmed that Tiller’s killer “proved that he was no better than Tiller.”¹⁹

Likewise, American Life League executive director, Katie Walker, stated that Tiller’s killing defied the principles of the pro-life movement.²⁰ Pro-Life Action League President Joe Scheidler affirmed: “We deplore the killing of George Tiller on Sunday morning.” He also stated that his policy is to try and convert abortionists, not kill them.²¹

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council president, decried the murder saying: “We strongly condemn the actions taken today by this vigilante killer.”²² Doctor James Dobson of Focus on the Family declared: “We are shocked by the murder of George Tiller, and we categorically condemn the act of vigilantism and violence that took his life.”²³

Last, an Operation Rescue press release condemned the attack saying: “We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning.”²⁴ (To read the American TFP denunciation of the murder of George Tiller, click here.) The list goes on and on.

However, when a pro-abortionist commits violent crime, abortion groups react at best with deafening silence.

When 69 year-old Ed Snell was counseling women entering Hillcrest Abortion Clinic in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from atop his car, the boyfriend of a potential “client” became angry and threw him to the pavement below.²⁵

Ed Snell talking with the author.

The force of the fall was such that Mr. Snell was knocked unconscious. After being rushed to the hospital, doctors found he had two broken ribs, four fractured vertebrae, a cracked scapula and bleeding in the tissue between his skull and brain. Until they were able to stop this bleeding, doctors feared he would die.

Nevertheless, when the author called Hillcrest Abortion Clinic for a statement on the assault, a receptionist shouted: “He got what he deserved! He earned what he got!” then hung up the phone.

Additionally, the author’s research did not uncover a single condemnation of the attack from pro-abortion organizations. This research included searching the web sites of: NARAL, Center for Reproductive Rights, National Organization for Women (NOW), Catholics for a Free Choice, National Abortion Federation (NAF), Feminist Majority Foundation and Planned Parenthood.

Furthermore, the author checked the same web sites for a condemnation of the murders committed by Byron Looper and Eileen Orstein Janezic mentioned above. Not finding the slightest reference to either, he proceeded to write to each of these groups.

NAF responded immediately that, due to the “volume of inquiries” they receive, they are unable to answer questions. NOW sent him a membership form and neither NARAL, Center for Reproductive Rights nor Feminist Majority Foundation returned his email.

Shockingly, Catholics for a Free Choice and Planned Parenthood wrote back stating they had no knowledge of the murders and asked for more details. Catholics for a Free Choice never responded after receiving more information and Planned Parenthood Media Relations Specialist, Elizabeth Clark admitted: “I’ve had a couple of people in the National office check for statements, but there’s nothing in our records. It doesn’t look like we commented on these incidents.”²⁶

The Emperor Has No Clothes
Despite everything, the media continue their biased emphasis on anti-abortion violence while underreporting the violent acts committed by abortionists. It is time for this to stop.

It is time for pro-lifers to raise their voices and point out that violence is the inevitable inheritance of those who favor the killing of mankind’s most innocent and defenseless. This message should be repeated at every chance, in all their publications and republished until the message sticks.

Only then will America view the issue without the blinders crafted by media intent on promoting a cause rather than reporting news. With the help of Divine Providence and a clear outlook this nation can overturn Roe v. Wade and once again defend the right to life of its most vulnerable citizens.

Footnotes

1. http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16029/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=pr0NrgwF [back]
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/05/abortion-america-george-tiller [back]
3. http://www.now.org/press/06-09/06-01.html [back]
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6kxUJNlC8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eprochoice%2Eorg%2F&feature=player_embedded [back]
5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/05/abortion-america-george-tiller [back]
6. http://michellemalkin.com/2009/06/03/mapping-the-climate-of-hate/ [back]
7. http://www.prochoice.org/pubs_research/publications/downloads/about_abortion/violence_stats.pdf [back]
8. http://www.geocities.com/kekogut/miscellaneous/Jan1995.pdf [back]
9. Ibid. p. 46. [back]
10. Ibid. p. 50. [back]
11. Ibid. p. 70. [back]
12. The author has spoken to literally hundreds of pro-lifers who have experienced this violent form of intimidation, including his own sister. [back]
13. http://tree-in-the-sea.blogspot.com/2008/05/pro-abortion-violence.html [back]
14. Glenn Ellen Duncan. "The Shocking Violence Against Prolifers." Catholic Twin Circle, September 11, 1994, p. 11; "Pro-Abortion Violence: A Growing National Phenomenon." Life Advocate, July 1993, p. 10-15; "Pro-Choice, Anti-Child." ALL About Issues, July-August 1993, p. 26; "Second Special Prosecutor Appointed To Investigate Kicking Of Seven-Year-Old." The Wanderer, June 3, 1993, p. 6; Human Life Internationally ... News from the Branches Worldwide. "Milwaukee, Wisconsin." HLI Reports, August 1993, p. 10. Sources and story can be found at: http://tree-in-the-sea.blogspot.com/2008/05/pro-abortion-violence.html [back]
15. Ibid. [back]
16. "Pro-Life Democrat State Senator Killed in Shooting." Steven Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, October 23, 1998; The Tennessean, October 27, 1998; Mary Jo Denton. "Looper Enters Not Guilty Plea." Tennessee Herald-Citizen, February 6, 1999; Mary Jo Denton. "Looper Quoted: "I Killed that Dude"." Tennessee Herald-Citizen, November 24, 1998; Court TV's Crime Library at http://www.crimelibrary.com has a complete 17-part series on Looper's murder of Burks. Sources and story can be found at: http://abortionviolence.com/TN.HTM. [back]
17. World Magazine, September 18, 1993; "Pro-Life Leader, Pastor Murdered by Avowed Satanist." Life Advocate, November 1993, p. 7. Sources and story can be found at: http://abortionviolence.com/AL.HTM. [back]
18. Readers interested in seeing more examples are directed to: http://abortionviolence.com/ and http://tree-in-the-sea.blogspot.com/2008/05/pro-abortion-violence.html [back]
19. http://hli.org/index.php?option=com_acajoom&act=mailing&task=view&listid=2&mailingid=578 [back]
20. http://all.org/article.php?id=11966 [back]
21. http://prolifeaction.org/press/2009/0601.htm [back]
22. http://www.frc.org/pressrelease/frc-condemns-the-murder-of-george-tiller [back]
23. http://www2.focusonthefamily.com/press/pressreleases/A000001406.cfm [back]
24. http://www.operationrescue.org/category/press-releases/ [back]
25. For details on the assault of Ed Snell, see: http://www.tfp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=556&Itemid=28 [back]
26. Quoted from an email Elizabeth Clark sent the author. [back]

Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 July 2009 13:57

Video Alert

All i can say is Video Alert.

This one is for all your women especially you Adrienne

Killing Conscience in 7 Steps

An elderly French couple, having retired after long years of work, were enjoying a tranquil, bucolic existence in a cottage outside of Paris. While rocking on the porch one evening, they were discussing what the other would do if one of them died. After some thought, the husband said, "Well, if one of us dies, I'll move back to Paris."

How human! It's always easier to think of others dying, rather than ourselves. You'll die and you'll die and you'll die, but I won't die. Something of the same mind also shows up in our attitude toward sin and sinners. It's easy enough to see other's faults and sins but not always easy to see our own. It's not that we cannot see them but just that we don't have the courage to look at them. They hurt our pride, or make us uncomfortable or dissatisfied with ourselves. We prefer to live in a fool's paradise of denial instead of tackling the exertion to get rid of them.

As with dying, it's easy to philosophize about sin and evil in the world and to cluck the tongue about the wickedness of this generation and be scandalized by it. It's so easy to make up a litany of social sins like injustice, dishonesty, graft, mugging, big industry pollution of water and the atmosphere, violation of so-called animal rights and sexism. But it is not so easy to face our personal sins, their causes and consequences. We don't want to look straight at that inner self which we struggle to bury in our subconscious.

Actually, each of us has three selves. First the public self which functions while we are in the presence of others, as on a stage. We're always trying to make a good impression, wondering what others are thinking of us and how we are impressing them. We are putting on a show. But a time comes when we leave the stage and slam the dressing room door behind us. We find ourselves alone. Then our private self takes over. We do things we would never do if others were looking at us: checking the waistline from the side, trying to get a look at the bald spot, making faces in the mirror, checking the cavities in our teeth. There's no need here in private to put on a show or be on display.

But besides these, each of us has a third self, our inner self. That's the one we don't want to face up to. That's where, if it happens, we take a good hard look at what we really are before God and why. Generally, we abhor confronting this self, so we constantly try to distract ourselves when it rises up into our consciousness. We wake in the middle of the night and it looms and disturbs us so we snap on the radio to see what's going on with the talk shows. When awake, we can't stand being alone, because that vision of what we really are might show up again, so we must get with the crowd, change into the fast lane, find some distraction.

This is why today, when the world does evil, it's the fashion to ignore and forget what's done, or to excuse it, to call it a mistake. Anything but sin. Our behavior is socially unacceptable or we're not relating properly to others. Moreover, it's always easy to look around and see that what I did is no worse than what others do.

But the top of the line brand of rationalizing and shirking responsibility, a practice that enjoys a booming popularity today, is not only excusing one's misdeeds and sins but actually defending them and maintaining they are simply not sins. They are my right; they are necessities of life; they are manifestations of freedom and not misdeeds at all. Besides, everyone's doing it. They are only reasonable allowances that must be made for life in the 21st century. After all, there is such a thing as exaggeration and losing one's sense of proportion. Thus each person becomes his own pope, do-it-yourself pontificating. But if each one is his own judge, who will be condemned? What spawns such a state of mind? A few centuries ago, St. John Fisher described the successive steps of the tragic process which leads to a such a dead conscience.

First Step

The English martyr bishop once preached a Lenten course to the Court of Henry VIII when Henry was still a true defender of the faith. In that series, the bishop traced out what he described as seven steps to the development of a bad will or dead conscience. The first step on this road, he claimed, has one wrestling with a temptation to do an evil or sinful act. The evil appears to him under the guise of a good, to do which promises pleasure, satisfaction or reward of some kind. For example, he might be tempted to rob a bank or to seduce a friend's wife or to some other sinful aberration from God's will, the gravity of which is testified to ultimately by the ordinary Magisterium of the Church. If the act promised no satisfaction or enjoyment, obvious there would be no temptation. No one was ever tempted to sneak a dose of castor oil, like an alcoholic snatching a furtive drink for the kick involved. Pleasure, satisfaction, titillation are essential to temptation. At this stage, of course, there is no question of the person sinning no matter how strong the temptation might be, provided the temptation is resisted.

St. Paul recalls even the Lord, like us in all things except sin, was subject to temptation in the desert. So there can be no guilt in the mere appearance of the sin to the mind, with all its enticement to anticipated pleasure or satisfaction. Moreover, God graciously permits no one to be tempted beyond his power to resist. "My grace is sufficient for you."

Second Step

On the other hand, should the person succumb to the temptation and decide to do the evil deed, that is, to grab the proffered satisfaction or pleasure, he thereupon takes the second step of the process. He has, at that moment, voluntarily committed the sin internally. "Whoever looks after a woman," in the sense in which Jesus spoke, "has already committed adultery in his heart." He has committed his will and incurred the guilt of the sin which, in the proposed example, would be serious or mortal and break his relationship of love with God.

Third Step

After incurring the guilt of the sin internally consenting fully to the temptation, should he continue down the steep ladder, he takes the third step of the process as proposed by St. John Fisher. All three synoptics described this step as it was taken by Judas Iscariot in betraying Jesus. After he had dickered with the Jewish chief priests and officers, it is written that he took the money and "then kept looking for an opportunity to hand him over without creating a disturbance" (Luke 22:6, emphasis added). Thus, the unfortunate dupe in our horrible example schemes and searches out the means to put his already determined plot into action. He "cases" the bank site, plans the location of a getaway car, discovers the least busy time at the bank; or, in the other case, he devises plans for contacting his friend's wife at the most opportune time and place. By taking this third step, he has increased his malice, guilt and culpability of his sin, since he has more firmly determined his will to externalize what was previously solely an internal sin.

Fourth Step

Having decided on the means he will use, if he persists in this resolve, he moves on to the fourth step. He de facto actualizes the sin by doing the evil act in the external forum. He robs the bank. He violates the other man's wife, or whatever. His sin has now further grown in gravity since it has accumulated the added guilt of the concomitant injustices to the bank depositors who have lost their money, or the insurance company which must raise its rates to subsidize the loss; or, in the other case, because of the hurt and injustice accruing to the husband and/or family of his seduced victim.

The culprit has now put himself into a state of more serious mortal sin than before he acted. But he can still hope for the grace of repentance and conversion in the normal course of God's dealing with his children. Jesus insisted that he had not come to call the self-righteous but sinners. "Those who are well need not a physician." Thus the person, while in a state of grave sin, has reason to hope that God's grace will ultimately bring him to repentance. In his inner self, when he faces it, his conscience still realizes the evil of his ways and the seriousness of his condition, however he may try to stifle it. While he is sick spiritually, it is possible for him to recognize that fact along with his need for the divine physician.

Fifth Step

But having externalized the evil act to which he was tempted, and having felt the pleasure or benefits of the sin, he can find it so appealing and satisfying that he is led to move on to the fifth step of the process. He can so forget the love of God and the God who loves him that he slips quite easily into repeating the sin again and again, i.e., robbing other banks or seducing other's wives until he develops a habit of bank robbery or seduction. Thus, he reaches a point where he has confirmed his will in habitual evil or mortal sin. His conscience is numbed.

But even at this tragic point, he can still hope for repentance and salvation in the ordinary operation of God's grace. Despite his habit of mortal sin, which he commits easily, with pleasure and without effort (a second nature), he still acknowledges in his inner self or conscience, when he faces it, that what he is doing is wrong. His conscience continues to function correctly though feebly and he is still amenable to the light of grace bringing truth to his mind and strength to his will. Thus, God can lead him to repentance and conversion even while he pursues his acknowledged evil.

Sixth Step

He continues in his condition until one of two things happens. He decides he can no longer live that way since he has no true peace, and so he repents and is reconciled with God. Or, if reconciliation does not happen, he then plunges into the next curve of the downward spiral leading to total confirmation in evil. When that happens, he has taken the sixth step of the process which effectively puts him in a condition of hopelessness.

The essence of this step is that he starts to tell himself seriously that, for him, these sinful acts, in which his will is habitually confirmed, are not sinful. He convinces himself that robbing banks or seducing married women or homosexual acts or contraception or abortion is all right for him. Circumstances make them acceptable and justifiable in his or other's cases. Those who say nay just do not understand the ramifications of the times or social conditions, or what people in general are doing. They should wake up and get with it, and slough off their "hangups." In a word, he has become a full-fledged dissenter from, at very least, the teaching of the ordinary Magisterium, the guardian of Christian morals, a teaching which demands religious consent and conformable conduct.

St. John Fisher insisted that at this point the sinner had reached a state of being practically hopeless for heaven because he has closed off every avenue by which truth can reach his person. First, his will is confirmed in a habit of mortal sin from constant repetition. Now, by taking this latest step of self-deception, he has blocked from his intellect the light of truth and the influence of the Holy Spirit. He is saying that wrong is right. There is no way for God's truth to reach him and he has willfully put himself into a condition of unavailability to the Spirit. His conscience is dead and he has killed it.

Note that the Holy Spirit, in influencing persons, does three things, if his operation is not resisted. First, he conveys truth to the mind. Then he moves the mind to grasp and understand the truth he makes known. "He will bring to mind all things I have told you." Finally, he moves the will to "do the truth in charity," as St. Paul says. That is, he moves the person to believe God's word as made known and guaranteed, ultimately by the magisterium of the Church, and moves his will to do God's will as he has made it known. All these operations, of course, are not coercive and require free acceptance and cooperation by the recipient.

However, by repeatedly resisting God's grace and refusing to listen to the Holy Spirit, one actually loses the ability to accept his love and mercy on his terms. This is the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit, who never ceases to offer his love and grace. This individual has confirmed himself in a crass, erroneous conscience and is reduced to calling black white and saying no is yes.

Pope John Paul II interceded for such types in his Marian prayer at Los Angeles. He prayed for "all those who are confused about the truth and are tempted to call evil good and darkness light." St. John the Evangelist puts it this way: "If we say we are free of the guilt of sin, we deceive ourselves; the truth is not to be found in us. But if we acknowledge our sins, he who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong. If we say we have never sinned, we make him a liar and his word finds no place in us" (1 John 1:8-10).

So, by ignoring St. John's cautions and denying his sin, the subject has put himself in the state of being unavailable to God's action and, in effect, has made himself unforgivable. He commits moral suicide, doing tremendous damage to himself and others by blasting out the very foundation of hope, which is faith. He has reached the depths of infidelity, the loss of faith, which, by its nature, implies commitment to the will of God who is believed by faith. Such confusion in one's life finally produces a condition of slavery. Pope John Paul, on his visit to New Orleans, made it clear to any unfortunate who might find himself in such a state and would listen: "Even though you can come and go as you like, and do what you want, you are not free if you are living under the power of error or falsehood, deceit or sin." As the TV commercial used to say, "You can't fool mother nature."

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews described this state in even more frightening terms:

For when men have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and become sharers in the Holy Spirit, when they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to make them repent again, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt." (Heb. 6:4-6).

Such a person has left no access for God's grace to come to or operate in him, for the Holy Spirit will never force his acceptance. No power on earth, in heaven or in hell can possibly coerce the free will of a person to accept or act on the impulse of God's grace. No external cause or factor can produce faith. Nothing within a person can generate what is above the powers of nature. Thus, only a miracle of grace can bring about the conversion of a resisting heart.

But to expect such a miraculous conversion in the natural order exceeds the ordinary mode of operation of God's grace. To hope for such a miracle at the end of life or at any other moment, for that matter, is the sin of presumption in its purest form, for God is not mocked. Moreover, such a state, being completely incompatible with supernatural hope for heaven and the vision of God, can never produce true inner happiness, even on this earth.

Seventh Step

The first sign that habitual sinning and perversion is a disastrous turning off the road to God is sadness. Nature is relentless and ultimately strikes anyone who acts against her. As with the law of gravity, one can deny sin but he never escapes the effects of sin. Archbishop Sheen used to tell the story of the Spartan boy who stole a fox and hid it beneath his toga. While he was denying the theft, the fox was eating away at his entrails. The first warning of sadness springs from within, from the inner self and it remains because, though dull and subtle, it is persistent and inexorable.

Now, because no one likes to be the only one miserable, (misery loves company), a person confirmed in a habit of sin which he has foolishly convinced himself is not sin, boldly strides to the seventh and final step to spiritual destruction. He proceeds to pull out all the stops to convert others to adopt his convictions, to persuade them to think and act the way he thinks and acts. He wants to make others as unhappy as he is. His joy is to "debunk" others and try to free himself from guilt by projecting it onto others. He wants to make others as unhappy as he is.

Thus, he and his ilk take to shouting their conclusions and theories from the rooftops, whether they are about pornography, contraception, abortion, homosexuality or whatever is the blue plate special of the day. They resort to bitter, desperate self-defense to protect themselves in their own eyes against nay-sayers. They strive to indoctrinate others in their errors, seeking their approval. As St. Peter warns in his second epistle, "They will eagerly try to buy you for themselves with insidious speeches, but for them the Condemnation pronounced so long ago is at work already, and Destruction is not asleep" (2 Pet. 2:3, J.B.). So they are welcomed on Phil Donohue or Oprah or Sally or other TV or radio talk shows. Like magnets, they attract cliques at cocktail parties and spew their venom against the Holy Father and the Church's teachings; they write letters to editors; they join demonstrations; they carry signs to try in any way possible to get others to adopt and act on their views. Chicago Tribune Columnist Mike Royko stands up and psycho-babbles for the whole group: "I stopped being a Catholic many years ago (my family didn't want somebody like [Card.] O'Connor telling us how many children to have)." Like young boys whistling their way past a cemetery on a dark night, they pump up pseudo-courage to continue on their perilous path.

"After all, what does that old bachelor in Rome know about life; what does he know about marriage and love and contraception or homosexual activity? It is by Beelzebub that he is trying to cast out these practices he calls devils."

Thus, as a modernized version of St. John Fisher would have it, some put themselves in a state of unforgiveableness because they refuse to accept Gods' conditions for forgiveness, i.e., the willingness to admit their wrong doing. If a person is sick and admits it, there is some hope that the cause of his sickness can be discovered and remedied. But if a person is sick and insists that he is well, if he refuses to acknowledge that he might be ill, there is not much the Divine Physician can do for him. The worst thing in the world is not sin. It's the denial of sin by a false conscience. The unforgivable sin is the denial of sin.

Thus, objectively, confirmed dissenters from the Church's moral or dogmatic teaching cannot bring themselves to act contrary to the self-justifying conclusions of their own minds. Such resent the very authority upon which faith rests. If the truth is not run through the computer of their own judgment, they fear restraint of their liberty, the height of intellectual pride. Acceptance of truth on faith in God seems to them a reflection on themselves, an indignity to their human nature whose autonomy they regard as the primary operational principle. The truth is, submission by faith to the authority of God is not an insult, not a humiliation, not a degradation. It is rather a liberation from the five-barred cage of the senses, a guarantee that one will not be misled or tricked.

After all, the Catholic Church is a voluntary community and in deliberately choosing to remain part of it, all Catholics, clerical and lay, must provide "submission of mind and will" to the Church's ordinary magisterial teaching on faith and morals. The Church cannot force moral decisions on anyone since such decisions are made in the internal forum which is not subject to external forces.

According to St. John Fisher, one at this stage has reached the condition of hopelessness, because by infidelity, the opposite of faith, he has destroyed any basis of hope he may have had. He cannot really hope to be with one in whom he has no functioning faith. In the spiritual realm, such dissent is a disaster comparable to AIDS in the physical order. It threatens more than the physical life. "Do not fear those who deprive the body of life but cannot destroy the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna" (Matt.10:28).

Obviously there are many whose activity, objectively, indicates a dead conscience, because they have completed the seven steps described by St. John Fisher. They are what Mother Teresa calls the poorest of the poor of this world, however prosperous they may look, no matter what posh suburb they may inhabit. They must be the first concern of the Church in pursuing its fundamental option for the poor, and should be the object of unceasing prayer by all Catholics. When the Apostles asked Jesus why they could not expel a certain demon, he replied, "This kind you can drive out only by prayer" (Mark 9:29). There but for the grace of God go I.

Reverend Philip E. Dion, CM., is Director of Aging and Retirement for the Vincentian Eastern Province. Formerly Dean of the Graduate School of St. John's University, New York and the Seminary of Our Lady of the Angels in Albany, N.Y., he holds an S.T.L. from the Angelicum in Rome. He has published four books on the spiritual life and given numerous retreats to clergy and religious in the U.S.A., South America and Asia.