May 27 is the first Voter Registration Sunday!

May 24th, 2012

STATEN ISLAND, NY — Priests for Life is calling upon all people of faith to register as many Americans as possible to vote in the upcoming elections.

To encourage religious leaders of all denominations to become involved in this vital effort, Priests for Life has designated this Sunday, May 27, as the first of three Voter Registration Sundays.

“Assisting people to register to vote is one of the best ways to exercise our citizenship,” said Father Frank. “Non-partisan voter registration is both legal and appropriate for Churches to do, because it is a way to assist members of the congregation to exercise their faith in day- to-day life, and to take advantage of the freedom God gives us in this country.”

Visitors to priestsforlife.org/vote will find all the information and materials they will need to conduct a successful registration drive. July 1 and September 9 also have been set aside as Voter Registration Sundays. Priests for Life has spearheaded this effort by forming the “Vote Pro-life Coalition,” in which dozens of national organizations pursue the same goals related to non-partisan political involvement.

“Voter registration drives fall within the activities that are permitted to tax-exempt organizations and churches,” said Father Pavone. “The only thing standing in our way is not the IRS, but our own fears.”

Posted in Elections, Political Responsibility, Pro-Life | No Comments »

The Spirit of Truth

May 23rd, 2012

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. His gifts enable us to understand created realities, their value, and their relationship to the Creator and to our happiness. We should ask the Holy Spirit to give us an understanding of the value of the human person. The Spirit enables us to cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself gives witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Abortion, on the other hand, sees the human person as a disposable object. The Spirit of Truth likewise shows us the truth about our sins. In Him we come to understand the difference between good and evil. This works directly against the dynamics of the abortion movement, which identifies a moral evil as a “right.” “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”

Posted in Abortion, Faith, Holy Spirit, Pro-Life, Truth | 2 Comments »

Silent No More founders: From China, we can learn the Truth about Abortion & Breast Cancer

May 22nd, 2012

Janet Morana and Georgette Forney, co-founders of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, today issued the following statement about a new study conducted in China that establishes an abortion-breast cancer link:

“This is a perfect time for a study that finds an abortion-breast cancer link to come out of China, while the world’s attention is still focused on the fate of forced abortion protester Chen Guangcheng,” Mrs. Morana and Mrs. Forney said. “Perhaps it’s time for an honest assessment of how this common surgical procedure – sold to American women and forced on unwilling Chinese women – is actually hurting all women.

The study reported in the Asian Pacific Journal of Breast Cancer Prevention concluded that “compared with women who had no history of induced abortion, women with a previous induced abortion had a significant increased risk of breast cancer.” For older women, the risk of developing breast cancer was even higher. You can read the complete study here.

These findings were not unexpected.

“Medical professionals in the pro-life community in the United States have recognized the abortion breast cancer link for decades, but our ‘pro-choice’ culture can’t hear a bad word spoken about abortion,” the Silent No More co-founders said. “From China, where abortion is a tool of a repressive government, we can learn the truth. Abortion hurts women in so many ways, and one of those ways is that it increases the risk of breast cancer, which annually kills more than 39,000 women in the United States alone.

“Abortionists should be required by law to share this vital information with the women who come to them to end their pregnancies.”

Since the launch of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign in 2003, 4,845 women and men have shared their testimonies publicly at over 865 gatherings in 48 states and 10 countries where more than 110,830 attendees have heard the truth about abortion’s negative aftereffects. More than 10,100 people representing 57 countries are registered to be Silent No More. Raising awareness about the hurtful aftermath of abortion and the help that is available to cope with the pain are two of the Campaign’s goals. The Campaign has over 1,300 testimonies posted here, with over 120 that are shared via video!

The Silent No More Awareness Campaign is a joint project of Anglicans for Life and Priests for Life. For more information, please visit our website: SilentNoMoreAwareness.org

Posted in ABC Link, Abortion, Breast Cancer, Pro-Life, Women's Health | No Comments »

The Stigma Still Remains

May 22nd, 2012

In many states, abortionists come in from a different state in order to perform the procedure. One of the ways to reduce or eliminate abortion in a state, therefore, is for the legislature to pass a law that says abortions done in that state must be done by a doctor who resides within the state. Let’s make it as difficult as possible for them to do business.

The fact that so many have to travel across state lines is, of course, a good sign. It shows a turn-off in the medical community to doing this procedure. Whatever doctors may think about abortions, their view of abortionists is uniformly negative. Long live the stigma! It is a stigma that the pro-choice propaganda machine has never been able to erase.

Posted in Abortion, Health Care, prolife | 3 Comments »

Join Us This Week in Prayer

May 21st, 2012

Pro-life people around the world are invited to join us this week in saying a special Novena to the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life. You can view the prayer and sign up to participate on our web site.

The period of time between the Ascension and Pentecost was the original novena, when the disciples prayed at Jesus’ instruction that they would be clothed with power from on high.

That Holy Spirit, the Advocate, made them bold advocates for the Gospel. The same boldness is needed by us as we announce the sanctity of life and denounce the many attacks on life, beginning with abortion and euthanasia.

Let us pray in this novena that He will make us bold advocates for the unborn and all the vulnerable.

Posted in Abortion, Faith, Prayer, prolife | 5 Comments »

Father Pavone hails news of 12 new lawsuits filed against HHS mandate

May 21st, 2012

Staten Island, NY — Father Frank applauded the additional 12 lawsuits filed around the country today in protest of the Health and Human Services mandate forcing employers to provide coverage for activities they find objectionable.

The lawsuits represent 43 plaintiffs, including the Archdioceses of New York, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, the Michigan Catholic Conference, and several dioceses.

“These new actions mean there are now 23 lawsuits filed against this assault on religious freedom,’ said Father Pavone, whose organization was the fourth to file suit against the mandate. “Since Priests for Life launched its lawsuit in February, we have urged other organizations and dioceses to do the same. When there are multiple federal lawsuits on the same issue in different parts of the country, this can create the potential kind of conflict that the Supreme Court may be more likely to resolve.”

Besides suing Kathleen Sebelius and the HHS, Father Pavone and Priests for Life are helping organize rallies nationwide to stand up for religious freedom on Friday, June 8. The Priests for Life team is organizing the rally in New York City.

“The fact that the New York Archdiocese is now part of the legal assault on this mandate will, I am sure, create renewed interest and participation in our June 8 rally. We invite all to take part.”

More information on the rally can be obtained by emailing rally@priestsforlife.org

Posted in HHSmandate, ReligiousFreedom, stophhs | 3 Comments »

Fr. Pavone: Sebelius Leading Assault on Religious Freedom

May 18th, 2012

STATEN ISLAND, NY – Father Frank issued the following statement regarding Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s commencement address today at Georgetown University.

“It was outrageous when Notre Dame University awarded an honorary degree to President Obama during commencement exercises in 2009,” said Father Pavone, who was invited by pro-life students to lead an alternative graduation ceremony at the Indiana university. “Georgetown’s decision to invite Secretary Sebelius is just as bad. She is leading the assault on religious freedom that has grave implications for the Catholic Church. By inviting her to speak, Georgetown offers the image of a Church that is, at best, divided, and at worst, hypocritical. What we need instead is a show of unity and resolve.”

Priests for Life in February filed the fourth of what are now 11 lawsuits against the Health and Human Services mandate that would require most faith-based employers to provide their employees with insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization services and abortifacient drugs.

Father Pavone stated, “Not only do we urge the bishops to voice their objections regarding the Sebelius invitation just as they did over Notre Dame’s invitation of Obama, but we further urge the bishops to join in the legal action that we and others have taken against Sebelius and the HHS.”

For more information, see priestsforlife.org/hhsmandate.

Posted in Catholic, HHSmandate, ReligiousFreedom, stophhs | 5 Comments »

Happy Feast of the Ascension!

May 17th, 2012

Forty days after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven. What was different on that day than when He was in heaven before coming to earth? The difference was that now He was in heaven in a human body and soul — the same human nature that you and I share. Jesus took our humanity to the heights of heaven, making it possible for us to go there, too. The Ascension teaches the world the meaning and destiny of human life: we are called to be in the heights of heaven.

That is why we can never permit human life to be thrown in the garbage by abortion and other atrocities. Jesus has taken human nature to the heights of heaven — the same human nature shared by every unborn child.

Posted in Abortion, Catholic, Jesus, prolife | 2 Comments »

Father Frank on Passing of Father Norman Weslin: “Our Loss is Heaven’s Gain”

May 17th, 2012

Father Norman Weslin, left, founder of the Lambs of Christ, with Father Frank.

Father Frank issued the following statement today after learning of the death of Father Norman Weslin, a pro-life activist and founder of the Lambs of Christ.

“Our loss is Heaven’s gain,” said Father Pavone, who worked closely with Father Weslin over the last three decades. “Father Weslin’s commitment to unborn children was so profound that he spent time behind bars on many occasions. He told me in 2001, while awaiting sentencing on a federal charge, that he wasn’t ashamed to be arrested because Jesus and the Apostles all went to jail. He believed that a priest’s place was not behind his people, lending encouragement, but out in front leading the way.”

Father Weslin served for 20 years in the U.S. Army. During his military career, he met and married his wife, Mary. They adopted two children and became active in the pro-life movement. When she was killed in an accident in 1980, he turned their home into a refuge for women facing unplanned pregnancy, and he joined the priesthood. He was ordained a missionary priest of the Oblates of Wisdom in 1986.

“We will miss his passion and his witness,” Father Pavone said. “But we are sure he is being welcomed with open arms by the unborn children he championed and fought so tirelessly to save.”

Posted in Abortion, Catholic, prolife | 7 Comments »

Fr. Frank: After 40 Years of Roe, It’s Time to Wake Up

May 16th, 2012

Father Pavone announced today that pro-life leaders and groups are gearing up for the 40th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, which will be January 22, 2013.

“I can assure you that you will see an intensification of pro-life activity at every level, and a greater unity among the diverse pro-life organizations,” Father Pavone said. “Moreover, this anniversary – which will be observed both as we lead up to January, and also throughout 2013 — will be marked by a significant recruitment of pro-life activists across the nation.”

In the coming weeks, various initiatives and events to mark the 40th anniversary will be planned, and special opportunities announced.

“One of the significant preparations for this major commemoration will be a successful election season in November. By successful, I mean that people will elect public servants who know the difference between serving the public and killing the public. Supporters of abortion have no place in public office, and it’s time to say so in the pulpits and in the voting booths,” Father Pavone stated. “At the end of this month, we have the first of three National Voter Registration Sundays designated for 2012 by the organizations that comprise the Vote Pro-life Coalition. Pentecost Sunday (May 27) reminds us of the new energy and courage that the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles to go out and change the world. That same Spirit is among us today, and it’s time to respond.”

See PoliticalResponsibility.com, and coming soon for the 40th anniversary activities: RoevWade40.com.

Posted in Abortion, Activism, prolife | 6 Comments »

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