Defending Life Season 16 (2010)
The
sixteenth season of Fr. Frank Pavone's "Defending Life" program, taped in
October 2009, began on Friday, March 5, 2010.
Watch on EWTN:
Friday at
10:00pm
ET (This will change to Thursday's at 11pm ET on Sept 2, 2010)
Saturday at 2:30 am
ET.
Listen on EWTN radio:
Friday at 1am
ET,
Saturday at 6:30pm ET
Sunday at 5am ET.
See
www.askfrfrank.com for
questions that will be addressed on this series.
For more ideas on how to take
action to end abortion see
www.priestsforlife.org/action.
Order
Fr. Frank's book "Pro-Life Reflections for Every Day"
Order
"The Biology of Pre-Natal Development" - powerful images of the unborn
Order a free packet to
deepen your involvement in Pro-Life movement as a Missionary of the
Gospel of Life
orders@priestsforlife.org
or 1888-735-3448
Invite our speakers to your area!
The theme of each episode is as follows:
Episode 1:
Remembering Terri Schiavo (
www.priestsforlife.org/terri )
"Go home to your family and tell them how much the
Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (Mark 5:19)
Reflection: Do
post-abortion healing programs and pro-life activism mix? Countless women
and men say yes. Many activists, of course, have had abortions. They speak
up for the children they once killed -- and that is part of the healing.
Many of those in need of healing begin that journey because their conscience
is stirred by those who expose the reality of abortion.
Prayer: Lord, you inspire
those who have found your healing to carry out your mission. Give
fruitfulness to their words and words! Amen.
Terri's Day - March 31! - Click here for more info
Guests: Terri's siblings - Bobby Schindler and
Suzanne Vitadamo -
www.terrisfight.org
Featured Products:
-
Abortion Loss and Unresolved Grief - 8 DVD set plus Course
Guide. An Educational Series on the Psychological and Spiritual Impact
of Abortion. This is a 9 DVD set that comes with one course guide.
Additional course guides can be ordered separately.
- Packet with information about the Missionaries of the
Gospel of Life - contains the Manual and brochure. Call us at
888-735-3448 or email
orders@priestsforlife.org
Action Items: As a private citizen, host a
Prolife event in your home. Invite friends who are pro-life and have them
invite others who are sympathetic to the issue but may be struggling to
figure it out more. Use our
Defending Life Show,
Life Talk
segments or
You Tube
videos to show the guests
and facilitate discussion! You can also read an essay from Fr. Frank's
book,
"Ending Abortion, Not Just Fighting It."
If you cannot be in a city where the freedom rides are taking place you
can still participate in similar activities in your own city. Let
others know about help for pregnant women at
www.pregnancycenters.org.
Print and distribute post-abortion testimonies. Register people to
vote, see
www.priestsforlife.org/vote.
Ask Fr. Frank: My wife is post-abortive. What do I
do and how do I help her? - John from Nebraska - See
www.Rachelsvineyard.org and
www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org
Episode 2: Pro-Life Freedom Rides (www.prolifefreedomerides.com)
"You are the light of the world. A city
built upon a mountain cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14).
Reflection: In elections,
each of us has but one vote. Yet we can all influence thousands of votes.
And we should start with the people who need the least amount of urging –
those who already agree with us on the key issues of the day, and who would
probably support the candidates we support. Let’s reach for the "low-hanging
fruit,” thereby getting more results for the energy we expend.
Prayer: Lord, let me not
miss the opportunities you give me to mobilize your people to do good! Amen.
Description : The 2010 pro-life freedom
rides for the unborn will be modeled after the freedom rides for civil
rights.
Guest: Dr. Alveda King,
Priests for Life Director of African
American Outreach
Featured Products:
-
The Contraception of Grief: The Genesis of Anguish
Conceived by Abortifacients and Sterilization book. This book
exposes the pain that so many women endure when they realize that the
contraceptives they used caused the deaths of their children. This book
is for women, men, pastors, doctors and all who minister to the family.
-
Abortion and Contraception Fruits of the Same Tree brochure.
Find out exactly how abortion and contraception are related.
-
Humanae Vitae Study Guide. This study guide, written by the
Priests and Pastoral Associates of Priests for Life, contains the text
of the Encyclical itself (Humanae Vitae (On Human Life), written by Pope
Paul VI) along with commentary and study questions. Great for
personal or group use and also a great resource for Pre-Cana classes.
Action Item: Priests for Life has a large presence
on Facebook. See www.Priestsforlife.org/facebook for more information. Promote our
Facebook pages, causes and groups. Promote them and invite others to
do the same.
Ask Fr. Frank: Shouldn’t the Church be about
changing minds and hearts through prayer and preaching rather than politics
and protest? - James from Oregon.
Episode 3: Embryoscopy
”The people of Judah have done evil in my eyes, declares the Lord …
They have built the high places … to burn their sons and daughters in the
fire” (Jeremiah 7:30-31).
Reflection: A woman who
saw the photos of aborted babies on the Priests for Life website wrote to
us, “Let me state first that I am rarely if ever speechless, I am very
outspoken and speak what I feel. The abortion images are jolting, and
will haunt me the rest of my life. … I will never be silent about this
matter again.”
Prayer: Jolt us, Lord;
awaken us, and preserve us from sin. Amen.
Description: The Endowment for Human Development
(www.ehd.org) has put together a powerful DVD - The Biology of
Pre-natal Development. This is the most vivid, powerful, and
striking videography of the unborn child that exists. It was obtained
through a rarely used technique called embryoscopy, in which a video camera
the size of a pen-point is inserted abdominally or cervically. It's light
years beyond ultrasound and will make you practically fall off your chair
when you see it.
Featured Products: Brochures by Fr. Frank Pavone
Action Items:
Ask Fr. Frank: Doesn’t more birth control prevent
more abortions? - Susan from Ohio
Episode 4: Advancing Political Responsibility
“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father
will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him”
(John 14:23).
Reflection: When the Father and Son
come and abide with us, it is through this Holy Spirit. The Spirit unites
the human family in bonds of self-giving love. Abortion, and other
manifestations of the culture of death, however, divides the human family,
because they are the opposite of self-giving.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, we
need you and we long for the unity you bring. Give us the love that
overcomes division. Amen.
Featured Products:
Action Items:
- Communicate with your Bishops and
encourage them. At www.priestsforlife.org you will find many pro-life statements from
Bishops. Read them and thank the Bishops for them.
- Sign up to be more active at
www.politicalresponsibility.com, register others to vote and
distribute literature during election time.
Ask Fr. Frank: My grandmother is in a nursing home
and I am worried that she is not being given the proper life-sustaining
treatment. What does my grandmother need and how do I protect her? - Neil
from Maryland
Episode 5: Reflecting on Pro-Life Pioneers
“Take this and eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).
Reflection: Supporters of
abortion say, "This is my body, I can do what I want." Jesus says, "This is
my body, given up for you." The same words are spoken from opposite ends of
the universe, with totally opposite results. Let us resolve to live those
words as Jesus did, giving ourselves away for the good of others, born and
unborn.
Prayer: Lord, thank you
for my body, my life and my freedom. May all of us understand the
purpose of these gifts: to freely give ourselves away in love just as you
did. Amen.
Guest: Brad Mattes,
Life Issues Institute.
See also the Men and Abortion Network at
www.menandabortion.net.
Featured Products:
-
Sharing the Heart of Christ book. The nature of abortion
trauma requires a team approach to treatment with Clergy, Counselors and
Laity working together. In this book, abortion is presented as a relational
wound exploring the effects on Marriage and family life and special chapters
address unique issues for clergy in their ministry. This book is for
Priests, Deacons, Counselors and Laity in ministry to those suffering after
abortion and in need of emotional and spiritual healing.
-
Preaching on Abortion
booklet. This manual shows a busy priest why and how he should
preach about abortion.
-
Will to Live. Fill out a
Will to Live, not a Living Will
Action Item:
- Terri’s Day is March 31st and 2010 marks the 5th Anniversary of her death.
We encourage you to make known Terri's Day to your community. See
www.terrisday.org
- Register your abortion regret at
www.iregretmyabortion.com
Ask Fr. Frank: I know that I should preach the
Gospel of Life in my parish, but I am worried about alienating people with a
political issue. How do I talk about pro-life issues in my parish? - Fr. Leo
from Florida
Episode 6: Priests for Life and Outreach to Clergy
“When you have a reception, invite beggars and the
crippled, the lame and the blind. You should be pleased that
they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid in the resurrection of the
just.” – Lk. 14:13-14
Reflection: Jesus calls us
to the purest form of love, that is, love of those who cannot repay us. The
unborn children, whose lives we seek to protect, cannot repay us and do not
even know we are fighting for them. Pro-life work is motivated by pure love.
Prayer: Lord, increase my
love for the children in the womb, who cannot acknowledge or repay me. May
you be my only reward.
Guests: Msgr. Mike Mannion, Diocese of Camden, NJ,
Fr. Scott Daniels, OP, Priest Associate, Priests for Life and Fr. Victor
Salomón, Director of Hispanic Outreach for Priests for Life
Featured Products:
Action Item:
- Monitor News Stories online and post
your comment! This is a chance to get the pro-life message out there.
Comment on blogs, too.
- Follow Fr. Frank on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Ask Fr. Frank: Where can I find a pro-life doctor?
- Sarah from Washington DC. See
www.priestsforlife.org/doctors
Episode 7: African American Outreach
“Arise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt”
(Matthew 2:13).
Reflection: Joseph is a
model for all fathers in his example of faithfulness and protection for his
family. Thousands of times a day, children are aborted, because of a
choice of a father, who fails to
show that faithfulness and willingness to protect the child he has helped
conceive.
Prayer: Lord, bless
fathers. When their child is unexpected, may they welcome that child and
encourage the child’s mother to say yes to life. Amen.
Featured Products:
MAAFA 21. Black Genocide in the 21st Century -
Contact us at 1-888-735-3448 for more information.
Killed In Darkness Remembered in Light DVD.
On the afternoon of July 27, 2008, close to 500 of the faithful filled
Mother Angelica's Shrine in Alabama for the funeral of three aborted
children who had been retrieved from a dumpster. This DVD takes you through
the ceremony conducted by Fr. Frank Pavone. Fr. Frank will explain why such
funerals are crucial in exposing the darkness of abortion.
Action Item: Donate Pro-Life books to schools and
libraries. See
www.priestsforlife.org/books for ideas.
Ask Fr. Frank: Is our parish allowed by
to conduct a voter registration drive? - Melissa from Texas. See
www.politicalresponsibility.com
Episode 8: The Survivor Generation
“Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Reflection: The truth of God's Word exists
before Mary's own choosing. She submits to a word, a truth, she did not create.
At the heart of the "pro-choice" mentality is the idea that we
create our own truth. This mentality holds that the value of the unborn
child, and that child's right to exist, depend upon the choice of the
mother.
Prayer: Lord, let it be
done to me also according to your word, now and always! Amen!
Guest:
Brandi Swindell,
Founder of
Generation Life and
Stanton
Healthcare.
Featured Product:
Fr.
Frank's Homilies from the EWTN Live Televised Mass. 12 CD's
are available with Fr. Frank's powerful and stirring homilies from the EWTN
Live Televised Mass.
Action Item: Tell counselors in schools and
hospitals about the hotline for women in an unplanned pregnancy,
www.optionline.org or
1-800-712-HELP. Also tell them about the Rachel's Vineyard hotline for
post-abortive women at 1-877 HOPE 4 ME. Also, on the web refer them to
our brochure "You Can Save Someone's Life Today" at
www.priestsforlife.org/brochures/youcan.html.
Ask Fr.
Frank: When someone has had an abortion and wants to share her story,
what are some of the things she needs to keep in mind? - Elizabeth from New
Mexico
Helpful websites:
www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org,
www.RachelsVineyard.org,
www.HopeAfterAbortion.org and
www.Messengers2.org
Episode 9: Abortion - A Pro-Life Doctor's Perspective
“As for Mary, she treasured all these words and pondered them in her
heart” (Luke 2:19).
Reflection: The Rosary has conquered
countless enemies, and many pray it in front of abortion mills. As we
acknowledge Jesus as the fruit of Mary's womb, we stand to pray for our
brothers and sisters in the womb. As we honor the greatest mother, we pray
for the frightened mothers.
Prayer: Mary, our Mother,
bring us Jesus yet again; lead us to his victory over all forms of death.
Amen.
Guest: Dr. Nicole Lanborn, OBGYN, NJ. Find
pro-life doctors at
www.priestsforlife.org/doctors
Featured Products:
-
Pro-Life Reflections for Everyday -
This will enrich your daily
prayer life with new vigor to stand up for the unborn! This is a
devotional prayer book, one of the "Spiritual Life" series that Catholic
Book Publishing Company has produced for years. The book is 192 pages
with vinyl binding and ribbon. In exchange for one minute a day, your
spiritual life will be nourished throughout the day with pro-life vigor!
-
Ending Abortion Not Just Fighting It - In this collection
of stirring and informative pro-life essays, Fr. Pavone convincingly
portrays the negative ramifications that the abuse of freedom and the
right to choose have unleashed on our society since abortion was
legalized...
- Professional diagrams of two abortion
procedures:
Dilation
and Evacuation procedure and Suction and Curettage procedure
Action Item: Place Bulletin inserts in your parish
bulletin - see
www.priestsforlife.org/bulletin and the
Priests for Life store.
Ask Fr. Frank: I was sued for praying in front of
an abortion mill and now I need an attorney. Are there pro-life lawyers who
can help me? - Rory from Illinois. See
www.ThomasMore.org,
www.AllianceDefenseFund.org and
www.ACLJ.org
Additional Resources: Find testimonies of former
abortionists at
www.priestsforlife.org/testimonies. Find out more about the
National Association of Pro-Life Nurses at
www.NursesForLife.org
Episode 10: Silent No More Awareness Campaign
“They do more harm to those who practice them than to those who
suffer from the injury” (Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 27).
Reflection: This quote
from Vatican II is speaking about abortion, euthanasia, genocide, and
various other forms of violence against human life and dignity. It obviously
calls for a deep concern for the welfare of those who carry out these
activities. The Church seeks both the protection of the victims and the
salvation of the perpetrators.
Prayer: Lord, have mercy
on those who carry out practices against human life and dignity.
Convert, heal and save them. Amen.
Five levels of participation in the Silent No More
Awareness Campaign
Featured Products:
Mass
Cards for the Living and Deceased.
Action Items:
- Order the Choose Life License Plates
if they are available in your state. See
www.choose-life.org or get vanity
plates with a pro-life message.
Ask Fr. Frank: Parishes have certain rules with the
tax exempt status pertaining to talking about politics. How can I find out
what they are and assure our pastor that preaching the Gospel of Life does
not conflict with them? - Sharon from Arkansas - See
www.politicalresponsibility.com to get legal guidance.
- Read the Bishops' document, "Living the Gospel of Life" and use the
Priests for Life study guide to this document. Order both from
www.priestsforlife.org/store.
Episode 11: South Dakota Law
“Be mindful, O Lord, that mercy and kindness have been
yours from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth”
(Psalm 25:6-7).
Reflection: A woman wrote
of her abortion, “It was very painful, physically and mentally. It affected
me in the worst way. I felt very guilty. I couldn’t look at any kids. I know
I won’t ever do it again.” Those getting an abortion think it will solve
their problems, and they find out it only creates more of them.
Prayer: Lord, show us how
to reach out to those who have had abortions, and how to understand their
pain. Bring us all to healing. Amen.
Featured Products:
Action
Item: Join the Freedom
Rides
Ask Fr. Frank: Is there hope and healing for
victims of miscarriage? If so, where do I find it? - Anne from Iowa
Episode 12: Missionaries of the Gospel of Life
“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice
like a trumpet!” (Isaiah 58:1).
Reflection: In order to give voice
to the voiceless and to reach the numbers of people we need to reach in the
short time we have to reverse the culture of death, we sometimes have to be
in the public spotlight. “Let your light shine before others,” the Lord
said, always reminding us that the glory goes to the Father (see Mt.5:16).
Prayer: Lord, teach me that humility
does not mean I am always hidden, but rather, that I am always exactly where
you need me to be. Amen.
Featured Products: Great brochures for your Parish
literature rack
Action Item: Get voter registration forms and
conduct voter registration drives.
Ask Fr. Frank: A lot of people who I know that
claim to be pro-choice say they are because they don’t want women to go to
jail. What do I say to them? - Emily from Alaska
Additional Resources:
www.hopeafterabortion.com and
www.messengers2.com
Episode 13: Pregnancy Resource Centers
“It is a supreme injustice and arbitrariness when some
make themselves the judge of who should live or die” – Evangelium Vitae, 66.
Reflection: When people
ask me about the right to die, I say, Don't worry -- you won't miss out on
it. A right is a moral claim. We do not have a claim on death; it has a
claim on us! It is our duty to surround our dying brothers and sisters with
all the love and care we can.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you
conquered the power of death. May we seek freedom from its power only in
you! Amen!
Featured Products:
Pro-Life Spirituality and Activism - a 9 CD set. Fr. Frank Pavone
has trained pro-life leaders across the Country. Now you can benefit from
his seminars while in the comfort of your own home! This 9 CD set will renew
and perfect your pro-life work like never before. Topics include:
Spirituality of Pro-Life Work, Public Education and Prayer and Repentance
Action Items: Show the graphic images of abortion
at www.unborn.info.
Order our brochure about the use of graphic images by
clicking here.
Ask Fr. Frank: My friend is pregnant and not sure
whether to choose life. How do I help her? - Rebecca from Georgia
Additional websites of interest:
www.nifla.org
www.heartbeatinternational.org
www.care-net.org
www.lifeinternational.com
www.Birthright.org
www.PregnancyCenters.org
More Information about Defending Life
