M
mahleh
Guest
Have you sought out help from the Legion of Mary? Door to door evangelization is done by them. It will give you better protection, they always travel in two’s. Just a thought worth mentioning
- Status
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Mahleh,
I have thought of the Legion and will soon more formally present the opportunity to assist more broadly to interested parties within the parish. Before embarking on the project I did speak with the Pastor and informed him of my intention and he was pleased to see the effort undertaken. I’ve also presented the apostolate to the men in our Men’s Group and those families involved in pro-life activities we know personally and have had some positive responses and offers to help. And even here a fellow participant at forum.catholic.com extended an offer to buy Catholic pamphlets, which I have now accepted.
But its important as the forth organization recommended by the Bishops in the pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities to maintain an arm’s length individual independence from the Church (while being fully in union with the Holy See as individuals) and formal organizations of the Church as the purpose of a local Congressional Political Action Committee will eventually involve activities proscribed from 501c3 organizations. So anyone participating fully must do so as an individual, not as part of an organization that cannot legally participate fully.
I’m not sure yet how ready we’ll be for the 2008 election cycle - we may not be prepared to become as politically active as the Bishops call of such organizations formed to promote an end to legal abortion in America. Performing the tasks surrounding just evangelical education on life issues is proving to require a substantial effort and allotment of time, but seems a most worthy practice. We will need to be extremely cautious entering into more political pursuits to be sure to at all times keep focus to the purpose and mission at hand, yet without being timid either.
With experience and good counsel I’m confident we’ll be more comfortable and adept at navigating the right path and the do’s and dont’s in this arena.
Pax et bonum
I have thought of the Legion and will soon more formally present the opportunity to assist more broadly to interested parties within the parish. Before embarking on the project I did speak with the Pastor and informed him of my intention and he was pleased to see the effort undertaken. I’ve also presented the apostolate to the men in our Men’s Group and those families involved in pro-life activities we know personally and have had some positive responses and offers to help. And even here a fellow participant at forum.catholic.com extended an offer to buy Catholic pamphlets, which I have now accepted.
But its important as the forth organization recommended by the Bishops in the pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities to maintain an arm’s length individual independence from the Church (while being fully in union with the Holy See as individuals) and formal organizations of the Church as the purpose of a local Congressional Political Action Committee will eventually involve activities proscribed from 501c3 organizations. So anyone participating fully must do so as an individual, not as part of an organization that cannot legally participate fully.
I’m not sure yet how ready we’ll be for the 2008 election cycle - we may not be prepared to become as politically active as the Bishops call of such organizations formed to promote an end to legal abortion in America. Performing the tasks surrounding just evangelical education on life issues is proving to require a substantial effort and allotment of time, but seems a most worthy practice. We will need to be extremely cautious entering into more political pursuits to be sure to at all times keep focus to the purpose and mission at hand, yet without being timid either.
With experience and good counsel I’m confident we’ll be more comfortable and adept at navigating the right path and the do’s and dont’s in this arena.
Pax et bonum
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Re-reading what I wrote I find it necessary to correct something that may leave some with the wrong impression - may lack of experience in this sort of thing is showing… I wrote “Congressional Political Action Committee” which is incorrect. The proper term is Congressional District Action Committee.
The distinction is important as a Political Action Committee or PAC is an advocacy group that raises money for a political candidate or particular legislation - we’re not doing that. A Congressional District Action Committee is described here in the words of the Bishops in the Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities:
usccb.org/prolife/pastoralplan.shtml#implementing
The Public Policy Effort at the Local Level
To secure federal pro-life legislation or to pass a constitutional amendment requires the support of members of Congress. Efforts to persuade members to vote for such measures are part of the democratic process and are most effective when carried out locally. This can be done through activities organized on a congressional district basis (sometimes called a “congressional district action committee”) comprising citizens within a particular congressional district (involves people of different faiths or none), or it can be accomplished through effective parish efforts. Regardless of how it is carried out, its purpose is to organize people to persuade their elected representatives to support pro-life legislation. The following program objectives can be met effectively by a small group of politically aware and dedicated people:
In this regard it should be noted that the Church does not engage in partisan politics. Rather, it fosters the responsibility of every Catholic to exercise his or her citizenship
faithfully by being well informed on issues, and it recognizes the right to vote as a privilege
and a civic responsibility.
Pax et bonum
The distinction is important as a Political Action Committee or PAC is an advocacy group that raises money for a political candidate or particular legislation - we’re not doing that. A Congressional District Action Committee is described here in the words of the Bishops in the Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities:
usccb.org/prolife/pastoralplan.shtml#implementing
The Public Policy Effort at the Local Level
To secure federal pro-life legislation or to pass a constitutional amendment requires the support of members of Congress. Efforts to persuade members to vote for such measures are part of the democratic process and are most effective when carried out locally. This can be done through activities organized on a congressional district basis (sometimes called a “congressional district action committee”) comprising citizens within a particular congressional district (involves people of different faiths or none), or it can be accomplished through effective parish efforts. Regardless of how it is carried out, its purpose is to organize people to persuade their elected representatives to support pro-life legislation. The following program objectives can be met effectively by a small group of politically aware and dedicated people:
Code:
* educating parishioners and others about the destructiveness of abortion to unborn children, to women and their families, and to society, and about the need for pro-life legislation and a constitutional amendment
* enabling parishioners and others to organize effectively so that their views will be heard and taken into account by elected representatives and political parties
* building effective mechanisms for lobbying elected officials and candidates for public office to support effective legal protection of human life from conception to natural death. These mechanisms might be telephone trees, postcard campaigns, fax and e-mail systems, letter-writing programs in the parish, etc. Collaborative work with other churches is highly encouraged.faithfully by being well informed on issues, and it recognizes the right to vote as a privilege
and a civic responsibility.
Pax et bonum
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Rein,
I received the Grotto Press pamphlets this morning - there’s a lot of them! There’s four packages of every pamphlet - I’m going to have to read through them and get acquainted so I know which one to pull out for a given situation. They’re a good size too - they would fit inside the pamphlets I’m putting out now. They’re probably about 3 inch squares that fold out a few times and what I’m giving out is close to 5 x 8 and puts focus mostly to legal issues and the impact of abortion. A pamphlet specifically on church teaching would be a good insert enhancement.
There’s a lot of different colors and by their size they seem good for leaving places too, like on a train, etc. I’ll keep you posted.
Pax et bonum
I received the Grotto Press pamphlets this morning - there’s a lot of them! There’s four packages of every pamphlet - I’m going to have to read through them and get acquainted so I know which one to pull out for a given situation. They’re a good size too - they would fit inside the pamphlets I’m putting out now. They’re probably about 3 inch squares that fold out a few times and what I’m giving out is close to 5 x 8 and puts focus mostly to legal issues and the impact of abortion. A pamphlet specifically on church teaching would be a good insert enhancement.
There’s a lot of different colors and by their size they seem good for leaving places too, like on a train, etc. I’ll keep you posted.
Pax et bonum
R
rien
Guest
Brian, glad you got them so quickly.
As I said previously I feel the format, orthodox message and look of these “cartoons” is pretty much spot on for evangelization.
As you read them and if you find the content as appealing as the “look”, spread the word. Grotto Press is to be commended for making these tracts available and, hopefully, they will get many orders for them.
BTW, check out my post on the BMF. I absolutely know there is one in your area and you are the type of committed Catholic male that should join this organization. Its open to females too of course, but Catholic men who believe and who can show that to evangelical men is a strong witness IMO.
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
BTW - I was out again today, breaking open the 1000 pack from the USCCB. From about 2:30 to 5:45 37 people took pamphlets out of about 120 houses visited.
I’ve also added a custom stamp (the type with the ink pad inside so I only have to stamp once to apply) to the process, stamping each pamphlet with my name, the website alexandria-respectlife.org , and a P.O. Box. Mostly I thought to add this so its no anonymous and any complaints wouldn’t go to the USCCB. At least with my name and how to reach me on each pamphlet they’re tracable to me for whatever reason. And if smeone’s interested and wants to help out and get involved they can get in touch too.
Hopefully I do better tomorrow. I’m shooting for 50 per person per outing.
Pax et bonum
I’ve also added a custom stamp (the type with the ink pad inside so I only have to stamp once to apply) to the process, stamping each pamphlet with my name, the website alexandria-respectlife.org , and a P.O. Box. Mostly I thought to add this so its no anonymous and any complaints wouldn’t go to the USCCB. At least with my name and how to reach me on each pamphlet they’re tracable to me for whatever reason. And if smeone’s interested and wants to help out and get involved they can get in touch too.
Hopefully I do better tomorrow. I’m shooting for 50 per person per outing.
Pax et bonum
R
RobNY
Guest
Brian,
How’s your experience been? Are people generally receptive? I’m very curious.
God bless. St. Therese, pray for us.
-Rob
How’s your experience been? Are people generally receptive? I’m very curious.
God bless. St. Therese, pray for us.
-Rob
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Rob,
Generally so, yes, and thank you. Some take the pamphlet not knowing what it is, others ask and I tell them its pro-life. Of those, most smile and take it. But some say no thank you and hand it back. Only a very few feel it necessary to display any sort of animosity toward me or say anything other than they won’t take the pamphlet - which works for me anyway as I’m sure if they did take it they’d throw it out without reading it. So by refusing to take it they’re actually helping out
One guy followed me down the block from across the street very interested in what I was doing, but never appraoched.
I try to be polite and considerate and just do what I’m doing - distribute literature. I’m not out there to argue with people. I think they appreciate I don’t leave the pamphlets at every door but ring the bell and hand it to them. If they don’t answer or no one’s home, I don’t leave a pamphlet. Its unusual enough that people take notice because a. When was the last time you saw someone distributing pro-life litrature door to door and b. when was the last time you saw someone distributing Catholic literature door to door and c. you’ve never seen both - but its not so strange. And I think it sends a message of commitment to both people pro-life and pro-abortion - that we care and we’re out there.
I think it will get more and more interesting when we’ve completed the first run of the parish and start over and we start to see some repeats. The people that liked it the first time will be glad to see me again. The people who didn’t may be slightly more aggrevated when they realize it wasn’t a one time thing.
We’ll see - I’ll post updates here.
Are you in the City or upstate? I’m originally from NYC and just learned my cousin won the highest honor of the FDNY on Medal Day this year… firefamilytransport.org/
In NY I’ve lived in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge, Bensenhurst, Windsor Terrace, Sheapshead Bay), Queens (Flushing Meadows, Rockaway), Manhattan (Chelsea), Long Island (Patchogue, Stony Brook, & Babylon), but mostly Bay Ridge…
Pax et bonum
Generally so, yes, and thank you. Some take the pamphlet not knowing what it is, others ask and I tell them its pro-life. Of those, most smile and take it. But some say no thank you and hand it back. Only a very few feel it necessary to display any sort of animosity toward me or say anything other than they won’t take the pamphlet - which works for me anyway as I’m sure if they did take it they’d throw it out without reading it. So by refusing to take it they’re actually helping out
One guy followed me down the block from across the street very interested in what I was doing, but never appraoched.
I try to be polite and considerate and just do what I’m doing - distribute literature. I’m not out there to argue with people. I think they appreciate I don’t leave the pamphlets at every door but ring the bell and hand it to them. If they don’t answer or no one’s home, I don’t leave a pamphlet. Its unusual enough that people take notice because a. When was the last time you saw someone distributing pro-life litrature door to door and b. when was the last time you saw someone distributing Catholic literature door to door and c. you’ve never seen both - but its not so strange. And I think it sends a message of commitment to both people pro-life and pro-abortion - that we care and we’re out there.
I think it will get more and more interesting when we’ve completed the first run of the parish and start over and we start to see some repeats. The people that liked it the first time will be glad to see me again. The people who didn’t may be slightly more aggrevated when they realize it wasn’t a one time thing.
We’ll see - I’ll post updates here.
Are you in the City or upstate? I’m originally from NYC and just learned my cousin won the highest honor of the FDNY on Medal Day this year… firefamilytransport.org/
In NY I’ve lived in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge, Bensenhurst, Windsor Terrace, Sheapshead Bay), Queens (Flushing Meadows, Rockaway), Manhattan (Chelsea), Long Island (Patchogue, Stony Brook, & Babylon), but mostly Bay Ridge…
Pax et bonum
R
RobNY
Guest
Very interesting. I had forgotten that you were handing out pro-life stuff. But, I actually think the issue of adult stem cells could be such a popular position if the proper information was out there, so I think that’s certainly information that needs to be disseminated. Of course, about other pro-life issues as well. I’m glad things went so nicely.
I wonder how people would take to doctrinal pamphlets. Evangelizin’.
Are you in the City or upstate? I’m originally from NYC and just learned my cousin won the highest honor of the FDNY on Medal Day this year… firefamilytransport.org/
You’ve been all over.
Long Island for me. In fact, I live right next to Stony Brook.-Rob
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Rob,
There’s so much constant disinformation about embryonic stem cells its difficult to break through that - especially by the Associated Press which is quite prolific, appearing in most every paper in the country, somtimes constituting the majority of the news presented.
But if there’s a pamphlet I’d be a good candidate to distribute it’s this one - I was a lab administrator at Harvard University in the Dept. of Molecular & Cellular Biology in a developmental biology lab that worked primarily with mamalian models (mice) but the chair at the time was very vocal in his support of human embryonic stem cell research. Though I’m not a researcher, I know a little about the subject…
Fr. Tad is a great resource in this area - he came to our parish not long ago and I think there’s a bulliten insert on stem cells by him available from the USCCB.
Great news - looking it up for this post I find the USCCB also has a pamphlet by Fr. Tad here:
usccb.org/prolife/publicat/stemcell.shtml
I’ll have to order some and consider it for the next round through the parish.
Pax et bonum
There’s so much constant disinformation about embryonic stem cells its difficult to break through that - especially by the Associated Press which is quite prolific, appearing in most every paper in the country, somtimes constituting the majority of the news presented.
But if there’s a pamphlet I’d be a good candidate to distribute it’s this one - I was a lab administrator at Harvard University in the Dept. of Molecular & Cellular Biology in a developmental biology lab that worked primarily with mamalian models (mice) but the chair at the time was very vocal in his support of human embryonic stem cell research. Though I’m not a researcher, I know a little about the subject…
Fr. Tad is a great resource in this area - he came to our parish not long ago and I think there’s a bulliten insert on stem cells by him available from the USCCB.
Great news - looking it up for this post I find the USCCB also has a pamphlet by Fr. Tad here:
usccb.org/prolife/publicat/stemcell.shtml
I’ll have to order some and consider it for the next round through the parish.
Pax et bonum
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Best day so far. I left the house with 113 pamphlets (2 packs of 50 and what was left from yesterday) and came home with 13, so en even hundred today plus 37 from yesterday.
I got ‘atta boys’ from two guys and a woman but another guy ran two blocks to give me back the pamphlet and proclaim his complete dedication for Roe v. Wade a woman thew one out the door after reading the cover, and a few women refused along with a couple of guy - but the vast majority (90%+) of people answering the door took a pamphlet, many only after being told its pro-life (a lot of people are hesitant to take a pamphlet until its contents are explained).
For one guy it was really difficult not to say anything but I’ve committed to that for at least this first round. He lives right next to our parish church and he refused the pamphlet on finding out its pro-life. He said “My family is Catholic and pro-choice.” It took everything I had not to take him to task on the problems with that statement… but I moved on quickly.
Pamphleting went from about 1:00 - 6:30 PM today.
Pax et bonum
I got ‘atta boys’ from two guys and a woman but another guy ran two blocks to give me back the pamphlet and proclaim his complete dedication for Roe v. Wade a woman thew one out the door after reading the cover, and a few women refused along with a couple of guy - but the vast majority (90%+) of people answering the door took a pamphlet, many only after being told its pro-life (a lot of people are hesitant to take a pamphlet until its contents are explained).
For one guy it was really difficult not to say anything but I’ve committed to that for at least this first round. He lives right next to our parish church and he refused the pamphlet on finding out its pro-life. He said “My family is Catholic and pro-choice.” It took everything I had not to take him to task on the problems with that statement… but I moved on quickly.
Pamphleting went from about 1:00 - 6:30 PM today.
Pax et bonum
M
mahleh
Guest
Keep on truckin’
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
Rein,
I just noticed the packet you’d sent from the publisher of the pamphlets contains a pamphlet advertising for something I’ve been looking for recently in our area. I’d bought a Precis at the National Shrine in DC on the Sanctity of Human Life by Catholics Committed to Support the Pope (Advisory Board has 7 Cardinals, an Archbishop, Bishop, Archmandrite Msgr., Msgr., and a Professor) and went back to buy more on other subjects in preparation for home schooling - but they no longer carry them at the bookstore. Now we can order the set
Pax et bonum
I just noticed the packet you’d sent from the publisher of the pamphlets contains a pamphlet advertising for something I’ve been looking for recently in our area. I’d bought a Precis at the National Shrine in DC on the Sanctity of Human Life by Catholics Committed to Support the Pope (Advisory Board has 7 Cardinals, an Archbishop, Bishop, Archmandrite Msgr., Msgr., and a Professor) and went back to buy more on other subjects in preparation for home schooling - but they no longer carry them at the bookstore. Now we can order the set
Pax et bonum
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
After this coming weekend I expect to have advanced up to King Street, which is the main street in Old Town Alexandria that has a lot of shops and restaurants (very popular with tourists) and the entire length of the strip from the Potomac to the Amtrak/Metro station is within the parish.
To include the businesses in the effort I’ve decided to solicit for the prominent display of a pro-life symbol in their shop window - something subtle yet distinct; but I’m not decided on what to use.
All suggestions welcome…
It could be a sticker or decal I could buy directly online or have made locally, it can be an image only or an image and words or just words - possibly Latin.
I’m open to any ideas.
Pax et bonum
To include the businesses in the effort I’ve decided to solicit for the prominent display of a pro-life symbol in their shop window - something subtle yet distinct; but I’m not decided on what to use.
All suggestions welcome…
It could be a sticker or decal I could buy directly online or have made locally, it can be an image only or an image and words or just words - possibly Latin.
I’m open to any ideas.
Pax et bonum
R
rien
Guest
Glad for the happy coincidence.Rein,
I just noticed the packet you’d sent from the publisher of the pamphlets contains a pamphlet advertising for something I’ve been looking for recently in our area. I’d bought a Precis at the National Shrine in DC on the Sanctity of Human Life by Catholics Committed to Support the Pope (Advisory Board has 7 Cardinals, an Archbishop, Bishop, Archmandrite Msgr., Msgr., and a Professor) and went back to buy more on other subjects in preparation for home schooling - but they no longer carry them at the bookstore. Now we can order the set
Pax et bonum
Grotto Press took over the cartoon tracts from a couple that started them but could not keep up. Sounds like they did this too with Precis.
For anyone interested, check out the Grotto Press site and support them by ordering even small amounts of the varied materials they offer. If nothing else place them in your parish’s book/periodical shelf.
The link again:
grottopress.org/index.html
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
83 pamphlets were delivered into the hands of residents of the parish this weekend in the residential blocks on both sides of King Street, extending North to Green St.
One change implemented I think improved getting pamphlets to unsympathec but open people is for 100% of encounters, before offering the pamphlet I made certain they understood it was pro-life. Where before I would simply say I was distributing/delivering literature/pamphlets and hand it to them, and when most people asked identify it as pro-life - now I identified the pamphlet immediately as pro-life before offering it.
One might think this would have a negative impact resulting in more people not taking the pamphlet at the outset, but I think it was the reverse because it was direct and honest - and also more respectful, as I’m not putting it in their hand to give back but asking permission with full disclosure in advance.
A good number of people who cringed when I said pro-life still took a pamphlet and not dismissively so as best as I could tell. They seemed in some sense obligated to take it and genuinely interested, despite the cringe.
I’m hopeful to get more out next weekend with a target of 150 if I’m alone again. This weekend had a later start both Saturday and Sunday due to prior engagements and though I had a lower ending tally on Sunday, today, I’m certain I was seeing a higher rate of people accept the pamphlets by the new method. It will be again put to the test…
Another aspect that’s been great is the prayer. To have a consistent waiting period after ringing a bell or knocking on a door I say two silent Ave Maria’s, praying for the inhabitants (we’re learning latin to teach our children in homeschool and its one of the few I’ve got down). If its a really big house or I hear noise inside and they’ve not come out at two, I’ll go three… so that’s about 400 Ave Maria’s today… It kind of makes the whole thing a prayer.
Pax et bonum
One change implemented I think improved getting pamphlets to unsympathec but open people is for 100% of encounters, before offering the pamphlet I made certain they understood it was pro-life. Where before I would simply say I was distributing/delivering literature/pamphlets and hand it to them, and when most people asked identify it as pro-life - now I identified the pamphlet immediately as pro-life before offering it.
One might think this would have a negative impact resulting in more people not taking the pamphlet at the outset, but I think it was the reverse because it was direct and honest - and also more respectful, as I’m not putting it in their hand to give back but asking permission with full disclosure in advance.
A good number of people who cringed when I said pro-life still took a pamphlet and not dismissively so as best as I could tell. They seemed in some sense obligated to take it and genuinely interested, despite the cringe.
I’m hopeful to get more out next weekend with a target of 150 if I’m alone again. This weekend had a later start both Saturday and Sunday due to prior engagements and though I had a lower ending tally on Sunday, today, I’m certain I was seeing a higher rate of people accept the pamphlets by the new method. It will be again put to the test…
Another aspect that’s been great is the prayer. To have a consistent waiting period after ringing a bell or knocking on a door I say two silent Ave Maria’s, praying for the inhabitants (we’re learning latin to teach our children in homeschool and its one of the few I’ve got down). If its a really big house or I hear noise inside and they’ve not come out at two, I’ll go three… so that’s about 400 Ave Maria’s today… It kind of makes the whole thing a prayer.
Pax et bonum
B
brianjbyrne
Guest
I’m delinquent in keeping the thread up to date both here and at another site… I was able to pamphlet one day each if the two past weekends; Saturday the first and Sunday this past. My count for both days cames to roughly 80, but I think I missed count of another 50. This week I’ll count the remainder of the original 1,100 while stamping them to get a good count of what’s left.
The decals arrived very late and the wrong color but its probably for the best as it gave me some more time to consider the approach and also put some more focus to forming the organization. What I’ve found is most people, no matter how dedicated, will not pamphlet. I know about 10 people in our immediate circle who will eventually come out and help but the average person I think needs an alternate avenue of participation and we need to be creative to match their gifts to the right efforts. That said, we’re getting together all the solid Catholic families we can to brainstorm over dinner exactly what we can do and how we should do it; outline policies we will adopt - what we will do and what we will not do. All under the core mission of ending legal abortion in America while assisting with existing pastoral care and spiritual pursuits similarly aligned.
I’ve also been very interested in reviewing legal papers surrounding the case Marbury v. Madison and what it means with respect to options for ending legal abortion. Historically I came to piece together a departmentalist perspective on Constitution interpretation before I knew what departmentalism was - but I knew I didn’t much like the concept of judicial supremacy. Reading the decision, Jefferson, Madison, Marshall himself, the Consitution, the decison in Marbury, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, etc. on the issue I think I’ve come to a new appreciation for the original intent of the Constitution with respect to the three separate but equal branches obligation to interpret the Constitution in the exercise of their specific powers independently and honorably. Its more complex than I had recognized previously, but when understood, also more complete. Where before I had seen chaos in abandoning the rather novel concept of judicial supremacy, I see the mayhem and carnage is more found precisely in what we have now - with decisions like Roe v. Wade.
Still, the republic stands or falls based most on the quality of her people and their willingness and capacity to defend good over evil in both the public and private spheres of life. It may be so if Congress were to act within the authority it has presently and has always had in the Constitution it would do nothing but affirm Roe v. Wade all over again.
In part, this is why it is so vital that the Gospel of Life be brought to the people and those of faith renew and rededicate themselves to the cause of life and be aided in finding ways in which to participate and give of themselves and to put their gifts and their vocations in the service of the as yet unprotected unborn.
For what is our choice by right is our government. And that government must be formed so as it would be impossible for it to do otherwise than to defend all human life from the moment of conception. But this requires we set the bar as high as it always should have been with respect to who is on the ballot in the first place, and of course, who wins.
While researching Marbury I came across HR 618; a bill in the House with 80 cosponsors that simply states human life begins at conception and equal protection applies to all human beings, no matter what stage of life.
On the political side of faithful citizenship - it is up to us to act to make conducive the sure passage of such legislation in both the House and the Senate. Difficult to be sure, but we enter into such an endeavor safe in the knowledge that with Him, all things are possible and we are obligated to act with due haste and full effort as 4,000 innocents are daily added to the toll approaching some 50,000,000 dead from legal procured abortion in America since Roe v. Wade.
Like slavery before it, the repugnancy of the atrocity cannot stand full scrutiny - the truth prevails. We will see abolition. And then, when that day comes, we will be needed more than ever to be strong in love, to build community, and to be beacons of light to those who find no recourse to abortion and ask - what now?
At any rate, we’re trying to be creative to come up with ideas for evangelization within the parish to promote life. We’ll be sure to share. And of course the pamphleting will continue. Ideas welcome…
Pax et bonum
The decals arrived very late and the wrong color but its probably for the best as it gave me some more time to consider the approach and also put some more focus to forming the organization. What I’ve found is most people, no matter how dedicated, will not pamphlet. I know about 10 people in our immediate circle who will eventually come out and help but the average person I think needs an alternate avenue of participation and we need to be creative to match their gifts to the right efforts. That said, we’re getting together all the solid Catholic families we can to brainstorm over dinner exactly what we can do and how we should do it; outline policies we will adopt - what we will do and what we will not do. All under the core mission of ending legal abortion in America while assisting with existing pastoral care and spiritual pursuits similarly aligned.
I’ve also been very interested in reviewing legal papers surrounding the case Marbury v. Madison and what it means with respect to options for ending legal abortion. Historically I came to piece together a departmentalist perspective on Constitution interpretation before I knew what departmentalism was - but I knew I didn’t much like the concept of judicial supremacy. Reading the decision, Jefferson, Madison, Marshall himself, the Consitution, the decison in Marbury, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, etc. on the issue I think I’ve come to a new appreciation for the original intent of the Constitution with respect to the three separate but equal branches obligation to interpret the Constitution in the exercise of their specific powers independently and honorably. Its more complex than I had recognized previously, but when understood, also more complete. Where before I had seen chaos in abandoning the rather novel concept of judicial supremacy, I see the mayhem and carnage is more found precisely in what we have now - with decisions like Roe v. Wade.
Still, the republic stands or falls based most on the quality of her people and their willingness and capacity to defend good over evil in both the public and private spheres of life. It may be so if Congress were to act within the authority it has presently and has always had in the Constitution it would do nothing but affirm Roe v. Wade all over again.
In part, this is why it is so vital that the Gospel of Life be brought to the people and those of faith renew and rededicate themselves to the cause of life and be aided in finding ways in which to participate and give of themselves and to put their gifts and their vocations in the service of the as yet unprotected unborn.
For what is our choice by right is our government. And that government must be formed so as it would be impossible for it to do otherwise than to defend all human life from the moment of conception. But this requires we set the bar as high as it always should have been with respect to who is on the ballot in the first place, and of course, who wins.
While researching Marbury I came across HR 618; a bill in the House with 80 cosponsors that simply states human life begins at conception and equal protection applies to all human beings, no matter what stage of life.
On the political side of faithful citizenship - it is up to us to act to make conducive the sure passage of such legislation in both the House and the Senate. Difficult to be sure, but we enter into such an endeavor safe in the knowledge that with Him, all things are possible and we are obligated to act with due haste and full effort as 4,000 innocents are daily added to the toll approaching some 50,000,000 dead from legal procured abortion in America since Roe v. Wade.
Like slavery before it, the repugnancy of the atrocity cannot stand full scrutiny - the truth prevails. We will see abolition. And then, when that day comes, we will be needed more than ever to be strong in love, to build community, and to be beacons of light to those who find no recourse to abortion and ask - what now?
At any rate, we’re trying to be creative to come up with ideas for evangelization within the parish to promote life. We’ll be sure to share. And of course the pamphleting will continue. Ideas welcome…
Pax et bonum
M
mahleh
Guest
I recieved an advertisement wanting to know if I would like to make a tax relief donation to planned parenthood. I would like to know what idiot brought this up so that I could send them a tax relief donation to Catholic Charities. Sorry had to vent for a moment. I have been thinking of finding an empty lot and starting an impromptu rosary for world peace. Any ideas, suggestions, lawyerly advice would be definetly welcome.
Q
quiet52
Guest
If you were given a postage-paid envelope, return it with pro-life literature (and no monetary donation of course).
B
Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
Also make sure that you obtain the permission of the pastor of the parish in which you are going to do this if the parish name is on any of the material. If you put your own name, address and phone down for more information that is fine.
- Status