By Kevin Burke, LSW Author Rod Dreher shares about a deceased friend named Michael.  In the 1960’s, at age 11, Michael was raped by a monsignor who was principal of his Catholic school.  The boy told his mother what had happened.  Did she respond with love and concern?  Tragically, a toxic manifestation of clericalism led to a different response: [Michael] told his working-class Irish Catholic mother what happened. She slapped him hard and told him never to speak ill of…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW A young pregnant mother and her husband arrive for an appointment with their OB-GYN physician.   She is in 22 weeks into her pregnancy and has just had a series of ultra-sound and other test confirming that her preborn baby girl will be born a hunchback, dwarf, blind and lame.  The physician outlined their options, but emphasized the health challenges in such a way as to increase the couple’s anxiety as he steered them toward “termination of…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW As we draw closer to the most solemn week on the Church’s calendar, I’d like to suggest a spiritual and scriptural journey with Jesus that will take you through each day of this final week of his earthly life.   Scripture scholar Dr. Brant Pitre, in his presentation on Holy Week, draws upon the writings of the Old and New Testaments and other ancient Jewish sources that are essential to understanding Jesus, and His mission.  Dr Pitre…

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From Project Joseph: We hope you can join us on Sunday at 7 pm to hear Project Joseph speak! Reg Platt, Coordinator of Project Joseph, and his team will help you see why the manual of Project Joseph, through the story of the Prodigal Son, speaks to the men who have come to them seeking healing after having suffered a loss due to an abortion decision. They will help you understand the why and the how that has been such an…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW and Theresa Burke, Ph.D. March 25th is The Solemnity of the Annunciation, the celebration of the coming of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce her special vocation to be the mother of Jesus Christ. The feast reminds us of the mysterious and intimate relationship of Mary with her developing son from the moment of his conception. Pro-abortion advocates see the abortion issue through the distorted lens of bodily autonomy and choice.  But the biological…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW In the month of February, we celebrated Black History Month.  There is an ongoing crisis within the African American community that is closely connected to historical legacy of slavery and rarely acknowledged in most observances of Black History Month.  First let’s look at some sobering facts. In spite of overall falling abortion rates in the U.S. abortion ratios actually increased among black women as compared to white women. Close to half of all pregnancies among black…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW I would like to suggest a Lenten experience that will bless you abundantly and change your life. If you know someone who has an abortion, or multiple abortions in their history, consider sharing this article with them so the Holy Spirit can speak to their hearts. This Lenten sacrifice will require humility, courage, and some redemptive, life-giving suffering. But let me assure you, the blessings to you, your loved ones, and the deepening of your relationship…

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Kevin Burke, LSW February 21st marks the eleven year anniversary of the death of Dr Bernard Nathanson, an obstetrician who was directly responsible for 75,000 abortions before becoming a leading pro-life advocate and a convert to the Catholic faith. What is lesser known, is that Nathanson was the father of two aborted children, and experienced a difficult relationship with his own father.  This painful father/son relationship, together with his personal abortion loss, played a key role in the legalization, and…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW and Theresa Burke, Ph.D. February 18th marks the five year anniversary of the death of Norma McCorvey, the woman known as the “Jane Roe” in the 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe V Wade that legalized abortion in the U.S. In May 2020 news reports questioned Norma’s later conversion to the prolife movement.  A number of prominent prolife advocates who knew Norma for many years challenged these reports. But there is a lesser known story that reveals…

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By Kevin Burke, LSW On February 11, 1858, a poor, sickly French peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, experienced her first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A miraculous spring emerged from the site of the apparitions, and reports of the healing powers of the waters soon spread.  In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions. During the apparition of March 25, Mary identified herself with the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”  The mysterious dogma of the Immaculate Conception,…

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