Quote book

"We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life - the unborn - without diminishing the value of all human life." ~President Ronald Reagan

Benazir Bhutto -- Pro-Life Advocate

LifeNews ran an article today about the recently assassinated leader of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto's pro-life convictions. At the United Nations Conference for Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, she said, "I dream ...of a world where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life and not to its destruction."

The complete article can be read here.

Jamie Lynn as a good example

I've been thinking this for awhile but haven't put my words on paper (or a computer screen). Jamie Lynn Spears obviously has not been a role model in the realm of chastity, but she has put forward a good example in another way: choosing life.

How much easier would it have been for Jamie Lynn to have an abortion and not have to tell the world about her pregnancy! Instead, she has made a courageous decision by owning up to the responsibilities that resulted from her choices. As I often tell our students, Spiderman says, "With great power comes great responsibility." When someone chooses to use the power of their sexuality outside of God's plan (well, even inside of God's plan), they need to simultaneously embrace the responsibilities that may come along with it.

Last summer I heard Janet Smith at a conference say, "There's no such thing as getting pregnant by accident." Sex and babies go together. God made it that way. They are not supposed to be separated.

So, Jamie Lynn, while not making good choices when it comes to sexuality, has shown young people that it takes courage to take responsibility for one's actions. By giving life to her baby, she will be making a brave choice that deserves to be recognized as such. It's too late to change past behavior, but we can still take away valuable insights from Jamie Lynn.

Making good dating choices

Chad Eastham, an abstinence advocate based in Cincinnati, OH, has a blog that I came across last week. I found the question, "How do I know if he is a good guy to date?" quite interesting. The complete answer is definitely worth your time (for girls and guys), but here is a brief segment:

"If you couldn’t date, would he still be your friend?

"This is a great indicator of what a guy wants. If he isn’t willing to be a friend, how in the world can you possibly have a good relationship? I can’t stress this one enough. Friendship is the strongest asset of any good relationship. I’ve always thought it actually means two people just enjoy each other. Now wouldn’t that be a good place to start?

"Dating is a made up word. What is dating? Isn’t dating about being with someone who you actually like and is a good friend?

"Again, this is the chance to evaluate what dating means. If almost all high school relationships don’t end up in marriage, you might want to consider that before you get into all of this. I have always found that the way you enter a relationship is usually the way it ends. If you start with a strong foundation of friendship, it’s more attractive, and usually ends up better as well."

Merry Christmas!

"With the birth of Jesus, in the simplicity and poverty of Bethlehem, God gave back dignity to every human being's existence. He offered to all people the possibility to participate in his same divine life. May this immeasurable gift always find hearts ready to receive it!"
-- Pope John Paul II

The preciousness of life

Fr. Kyle Schnippel chose his 1o favorite blog posts, and I found this one very inspiring. It's his homily for the funeral of a young girl, Mollie Summers, who had severe disabilities. For those who wonder whether or not one life matters, this is a beautiful reflection, especially as we prepare to celebrate life at Christmas.

Parents, hold kids to high standards on sex

That's the headline of an op-ed I wrote for today's Cincinnati Enquirer.


A longer version was posted on the blog a couple of days ago.