Wow!

Channel 9 just ran this news segment about the rise of religious vocations in Cincinnati. My jaw was open the whole time as I saw great interviews with a seminarian, Fr. Kyle Schnippel (vocations director) and two high school students at Elder. Excellent job to Channel 9 and to all those interviewed!

Pro-Life apologetics

Listen to Sacred Heart Radio for some spots I recorded on Friday about, "Pro-abortion objections and pro-life answers." In about a minute, I try to answer common arguments, like, "Shouldn't abortion be okay in cases of rape and incest?" and, "Isn't abortion safe and legal?" from a pro-life perspective.

If you have heard the spots and are looking for more information, click the pro-life label on the right side of the blog or check out some of the links.

The gift of life

Take a couple of minutes to read this beautiful story of a mother, Lorraine Allard, who sacrificed chemotherapy for herself in order to give her unborn son a better chance at life. I know a couple of people personally who have been in similar situations, and I'm sure that little Liam Allard's life will be a blessing to so many others.



Lorraine's husband, Martyn, is quoted as saying: "Lorraine was positive all the way through. She had strength for both of us. I can't begin to describe how brave she was. Towards the end we knew things weren't going well, but she was overjoyed that she had given life to Liam."

A different take on Juno

Nicole and I went to see Juno yesterday. There's been a lot of hype about the movie -- from sixth grade classrooms to pro-life websites to the Oscar predictions. Needless to say, I had heard a lot about the movie, and most of the feedback was very positive. I had a different take on the film, though.

The movie treated very serious subjects (sex, marriage, babies, adoption, etc.) as no big deal. Comedic elements were added to every scenario, even when they were highly inappropriate to the subject matter. For instance, when Juno calls the abortion clinic, the gravity of the situation is diffused by her cracking jokes about the discomfort caused by her "hamburger phone." Since when is choosing an abortion a light matter?

Life, born and unborn, is not considered sacred in this film. The characters have a blase attitude about everything, and the few who consider matters of life to be serious (ie. the potential adoptive mother Vanessa) are mocked. When Vanessa gets emotional over the idea of having a baby and wants everything to be perfect in preparation for the child, the intended reaction is to roll one's eyes and say, "Get a grip." Of course, this isn't the attitude we should have toward life. But if the adult characters in the movie don't hold their lives as sacred, then why would the unborn child's life be special?

• The movie only provides Band-Aids -- simple solutions to cover the surface problem, not the root cause. Did anyone notice how much Juno seems to be starved for love? She seems to be looking for love in all the wrong places, and nothing she does is really seeking to get to the root of this longing. It brings to mind a beautiful quote from Pope John Paul II -- "Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate in it intimately."
• The selfless and loving nature of adoption is downplayed in the movie, as Juno continues to say it's no big deal. Her callousness regarding her unborn child may reflect the pain of placing a child for adoption, but it comes across as a decision that merely affects her 40 weeks of pregnancy, not the rest of her life. Consequently, it's hard to catch a glimpse of the monumental sacrifice and heroic love modeled by a birth parent.
• Juno's boyfriend, Bleeker, is portrayed as a rather wimpy young man. He is given no say in the adoption decision (when, in reality, a father has to sign away his right to parent). His lack of a role in the situation only perpetuates the stereotype that men are not necessary in a pregnancy -- except for the very first moment.
• Sex is portrayed as no big deal -- something to do when bored, something everyone does and something that has no intrinsic meaning. In fact, the only way it is shown to have an effect is through Juno's pregnancy. We are led to believe that if she did not get pregnant, life wouldn't be much different.
• So, in summary, I did not find Juno to be the hysterical, positive treatment of life and adoption that others have lauded it to be. I was very disappointed by the way the film portrayed precious subjects and poked fun at those who believe life to be a beautiful gift. The casualness of sex and of looking at the unborn merely reflected common views in our society, but I think we deserve better.

Reflections from the March, part 5

Pictures of signs and the international dimension of the March for Life ...

Reflections from the March, part 4

So far I've been chronicling my pre-March activities in Washington, D.C., but eventually the real reason for my trip arrived. On the morning of Tuesday, January 22nd, the people I was staying with arose early to be on the Metro by 7 am, heading to the Verizon Center for the youth rally. It's a good thing we arrived when we did because the seats filled up incredibly quickly. Thousands and thousands of young people crowded the seats of the sports arena, listening to music and lively talks by such youth ministry favorites as Matt Maher, ValLimar Jackson and Steve Angrisano.

I was particularly touched by Steve Angrisano tearfully relating the story of his encounter with his six-year-old son's birth mother, who had pulled up in front of an abortion clinic, only to decide that she couldn't go through with the abortion. If she had aborted, then Steve and his wife would not have the blessing of their six-year-old son.

The crowd exploded in cheers as the papal nuncio read an address from Pope Benedict XVI to those attending the youth rally. According to CNS, the message said, "The Holy Father sees a radiant sign of hope for the future in this yearly witness to the Gospel of life." The 20,000 attendees were on their feet in a standing ovation for Pope Benedict XVI, in hopes that their enthusiasm would be communicated to the Holy Father in Rome.

Mass was awesome, with dozens of priests, bishops and cardinals filing into the Center. I saw Fr. Michael Dosch (St. Gertrude) and Fr. James Reuter (Our Lady of Victory) from Cincinnati on the screen. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of DC was the presider, but Fr. Scott Woods was the homilist. He gave a wonderful homily about the gift of life and our responsibility to defend it. You can read a summary of the homily here.

After Mass, the enthusiastic throng filed out of the Verizon Center and headed towards the Mall area (not a shopping mall) in front of the Washington Monument. Along the way, pro-life signs and stickers were available to anyone who wanted them.

I didn't get to hear much of the rally, because I was rather far back in the crowd, but it was great to catch up with old friends and see so many young, enthusiastic pro-lifers. It took awhile for the March to begin, because moving more than 200,000 people isn't an easy task. Pro-life signs and banners were waving, rosaries were clutched tightly and feet began slowly moving.

Some people chanted (such as the class, "Hey, hey, Ho, Ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go"), and others chatted with friends. Some prayed the rosary aloud and others silently. There were seminarians, religious ordered priests and sisters everywhere. Parishes and schools were proudly holding banners to alert the crowd as to their associations. I saw a sign for Roger Bacon High School, and was thrilled to find a group of St. Ursula girls at the end of the March.

The March for Life begins near the Washington Monument, passes the Capitol building and ends at the steps of the Supreme Court. This year I was able to stay and listen to some post-abortive men and women who delivered their testimonies at the base of the steps. They were very convicting.

There were only four or five protesters at the March. It was interesting that CNN had their cameras focused on these few pro-abortion people and not on the crowds of pro-life advocates. The secular media didn't really cover the March at all, but I was upset to see such an unbalanced camera shot by a major media outlet.

Shortly before we headed for the Metro, we spotted a beautiful rainbow, with one end hiding behind the Supreme Court building. While discussing the phenomenon with 40 Days for Life organizer David Bereit, he pointed out that Noah saw the rainbow after 40 days of rain. We were all encouraged by this beautiful sign of God's love and faithfulness, even when the culture of death is so bleak.

And that would really sum up the March for Life experience. Even though we don't hear about this in the media and even though we see overwhelming evidence of the culture of death that surrounds us, there are signs of hope everywhere. God is with us, and in His time, a culture of life will flourish. Today's young people will be instrumental in ending legalized abortion. This fight for life isn't just about changing laws; it is primarily about changing hearts. The March was a great sign of hope that hearts are being changed and are embracing the beauty of the gift of life.

Reflections from the March, part 3

Monday, January 21st was my friend Kristen's birthday, which provided an interesting lens through which to examine 35 years of legalized abortion. Kristen is much younger than 35, which means that her parents could have chosen abortion legally and never given her the gift of life. Celebrating birthdays of those who were born after 1973 is a reminder that their life is truly a gift. I have friends who were almost aborted for various reasons, and knowing that their parents chose life is not only a gift for their child but also for those who their children have touched.

It's a rather interesting proposition to visit a cemetery on one's birthday, but Kristen and I decided to take the Metro to the Arlington Cemetery. More than 300,000 people are buried at this cemetery. Since there were more than 200,000 people attending the March for Life, the thousands of tombstones reminded me of the immensity of such a number.

It was also striking that there were multiple tombstones marked, "Infant" with one day or one year listed. I wish I had taken a picture, but these graves gave such dignity to children who were stillborn or miscarried. Contrast this with the unborn who are discarded in garbage disposals or thrown in the trash.

I was rather taken aback when I noticed the grave of Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. Justice Blackmun wrote the Roe v. Wade decision and was instrumental in legalizing abortion in our country. I said a prayer in front of his grave and wondered at the impact one person can make on the world -- whether for good or evil. This one justice had such a large impact on our nation, that his work on Roe v. Wade has resulted in 49 million children being denied the gift of life.

While at Arlington Cemetery, we also visited the Tomb of the Unknowns, where the U.S. Army stand guard 24/7/365. Kristen and I watched the five minute changing of the guard ceremony, and I pondered who the three men buried there were. I also wondered if a Tomb of the Unknown Child would be a possibility in future years when abortion is no longer legal in our country. Will we ever have a monument dedicated to the millions of children who are unknown to all except God?

Finally, as I viewed multiple war memorials (Korea, Vietnam, World War II, Marines, etc.) I was reminded that more babies have been aborted than Americans have died in all wars we have been involved in combined. Of course, comparing the current war on the unborn to past wars, the Holocaust or slavery does not negate the horrible tragedies that those losses of life were. It merely gives us a reminder of what a tremendous gift life is and of what a horrible tragedy a loss of that life or that freedom is.

And why is it, I wondered, while standing before the Jefferson Memorial, that our country does not recognize our inalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness? As the area surrounding Jefferson's statue were flooding with tourists and even young people readying for the March for Life, I couldn't help but wonder if the tourists noticed those famous words from the Declaration of Independence and pondered the same question.

More to come ...

Reflections from the March, part 2

Ensuing our time at the Holocaust Museum and some lunch, Kristen and I took the Metro to the Lincoln Memorial. I wasn't expecting to find anything significant there, other than a good picture and a glimpse of a historic monument. As we walked up dozens of wide, white steps to the statue of our 16th president, I was surprised by how large President Lincoln's statue is in real life. Then I noticed words inscribed on the walls (as well as quotes of his in the museum below) reminding me that President Lincoln was instrumental in ending slavery in our country.

That's when the connection hit me: President Lincoln worked to end slavery in his day, and we are working to end the injustice of abortion in our's. Slavery was treating humans like a commodity, like an object to be used not a person to be loved. Abortion is treating the unborn like commodities to be rid of when inconvenient -- again, objects to be used (or not used) and not as people to be loved.

The towering monument remembering the greatness of Abraham Lincoln was a sign of hope. With God's grace, a culture of life can flourish in our country. At one time, people thought ending slavery was impossible. Perhaps we feel the same way about ending abortion. Yet, this monument was a powerful reminder that with God all things are possible.

Reflections from the March, part 1

There is so much to share from my journey to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life, remembering 35 years of legalized abortion in all 50 states of our country. I had been to D.C. several times, but always for pro-life activities that precluded me from sightseeing. This time I decided to arrive on Friday night and stay with friends throughout the weekend in order to visit some landmarks and museums. What I didn't expect was that these secular tourist attractions would actually keep the Roe v. Wade anniversary in my mind throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, my friend Kristen and I visited religious places -- the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the John Paul II Cultural Center and the Franciscan Monastery (picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the right is from the Franciscan Monastery). These offered opportunities to pray for the flourishing of a culture of life. At Mass in the Basilica, a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the March for Life was underway.

After Sunday Mass at the Dominican House of Studies, we toured the Holocaust Museum. Witnessing evidence of such atrocities done to fellow humans was quite sobering. It was also a reminder that we are dehumanizing the unborn in our country and in our world today. As the Holocaust Museum exhorts, "Remember what you saw," I was struck by the horrible apathy shown by many Americans today as 3,600 unborn Americans are surgically aborted every day.

Two years ago I went to Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp during World War II. In the museum there, I was struck by a picture of women carrying their children and holding their hands as they walked hurriedly. The caption noted that mothers were tricked into bringing their children to their death, thinking they were heading to showers or other seemingly innocuous places. At the time, I contemplated mothers today who willingly bring their unborn children to their death, or other mothers who are tricked into thinking they are not really killing a child but "terminating a pregnancy."

How long will it take us to realize that what Hitler did by dehumanizing others and deciding who was convenient or worthy of life and who was not, is what we are doing to the unborn today? I think Martin Niemoller's quote regarding the Holocaust sums up our situation with the culture of death well: "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me."

More to come ...

Heath Ledger... my childhood sweetheart.

So, Tuesday I came out of work... same old same old, excited to be out in the little sunshine left of the day, and jumped in my car for the commute home. Pulling out my cell, I flipped it open to see I had one new message.

"Nicole, my mom just called me with some breaking news... you are the first person I thought of to call..."

It was an old friend from early on in high school who had called. Oh my gosh! What had happened? My thoughts instantly went to the March for Life. What happened there? Were people hurt? What about Emily! I continued to listen...

"They found Heath Ledger dead in his apartment today... I didn't know who else to call. I am going to watch A Knights Tale. Call me..."

Now, a little background may be needed here. As I said, this was a really good friend of mine from high school who shared various Hollywood crushes... um... obsessions that adorned my bedroom walls, including Josh Hartnett, Leonardo DiCaprio, (etc, etc, etc), and of course Heath Ledger. Heath Ledger the Australian heart throb from the movie A Knights Tale with the dancing scene to "Golden Years" that I religiously watched over and over again. The actor who, I knew, that if we only met, would fall madly in love with me and live happily ever after. I mean, he fought for the girl (while wielding a big wooden lance-type-thing, AND riding a horse AND at the same time wearing what looked like hundreds of pounds of armor)... and he won! Can you really blame me?

Maybe it was because I was in about of a panic by the time she reached the point of her call, but once the message was over and my anxiety began to cease, my only thoughts were...

are you for real?

Now, I am not trying to say that his death was anything less than a tragedy. It is very sad to me as was the death of Steve Irwin, also a childhood favorite. But on the day of the March for Life, a day to commemorate all the lives that have been lost to abortion, was there any coverage on the news, radio, or paper for that? If so, I am sure the amount did not quite match up. Mr. Ledger's life should be remembered, but also the lives of the all the children who have been lost to abortion over the past 35 years in this country. I do not mean to trivialize his death, just simply say maybe our country's priorities need some, well re-prioritizing.

Tales from D.C.

I just returned from the March for Life this afternoon and am heading out to do some presentations this evening. But be watching tomorrow for my take on this year's March for Life and my time in Washington, D.C. leading up to it. Hopefully I will have some pictures for you too.

Can I Live?

Little known fact: Nick Cannon was almost aborted. He shares his story through his song, "Can I Live?". You can check out the lyrics here.

Music Video:CAN I LIVE (by Nick Cannon)

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

If you cannot view the video, try clicking here.

March for Life

It was 35 years ago today, on January 22, 1973, that the Supreme Court made its landmark Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton decisions, legalizing abortion in this country through all 9 months of pregnancy. Since this day, over 44 million children have been killed... one third of this generation, your generation and mine (those 35 and younger) that were never given the chance to live. In remembrance of those lives that have been lost and to memorialize this infamous day, the March for Life has taken place every year in Washington, DC since 1974, pulling in over 200,000 pro-life advocates in past years.

Theme for March for Life January 22, 2008:
"Build Unity on the Life Principles throughout America.
No Exception! No Compromise!"

Starting at the Washington Memorial pro-lifers walk in remembrance of our unborn brothers and sisters peacefully and prayerfully through the streets of DC. The actual March begins at noon, with live coverage available starting at 11 am. I encourage you to join in the March for Life if in the DC area. If unable to do so, please offer a prayer today for all of those who have lost their lives because of the injustice of abortion in our country and for those taking a stand for life in Washington today... and remember today the great gift of life that YOU have been given.

Heading to D.C.

In a couple of hours I will be on a plane heading to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life, commemorating 35 years of legalized abortion in the United States. Since January 22, 1973, there have been more than 49 million abortions.

I may not have the opportunity to update the blog while I am gone, but expect to hear all about the trip when I return. If you are not able to travel to D.C., take part in the local events to pray for the end of abortion. You can also listen to Sacred Heart Radio on Tuesday, January 22, to hear from a range of people participating in the March. (I will be on around 8 am.) Live coverage of the event should be on the radio and EWTN (television or online) as well.

If you can't be there, please pray from home!

Simple relationship advice

Many people are of the opinion that if you are not currently dating, you must be a "loser." Somewhere along the way, we forgot that the ultimate purpose of a relationship isn't to gain popularity points, but is to get to know someone better and ultimately to discern marriage. I heard this adage last year: It's better to not be in a relationship and wish you were, than to be in a relationship and wish you weren't.

Choosing relationships wisely is so important, not only in someone's journey with chastity, but also to your happiness. Although it's rather cliche, in the case of dating, quality is much more important than quantity.

A culture that embraces the unbelievable

Thanks to Elizabeth Andrew for posting this excerpt from Peter Kreeft's How To Win the Culture War:

"I know a doctor who spent two years in the Congo winning the confidence of a dying tribe who would not trust outsiders (black or white) and who were dying because of their bad diet. He was a dietitian, and he saved their lives. Once they knew this, they trusted him totally and asked him all sorts of questions about life in the West. They believed all the amazing things he told them, like flying to the moon and destroying whole cities with one bomb, but there were two things they literally could not believe. One was that in the West there are atheists- people who believe in no gods at all. (“Are these people blind and deaf? Have they never seen a leaf or heard a waterfall?) The other was that in one nation alone (America), over a million mothers each year pay doctors to kill their babies before they are born. Their reaction to this was to giggle, which was their embarrassed way of trying to be polite, assuming it was a joke. They simply had no holding place in their minds for this concept, and they expected every day that the doctor would tell them the point of the joke. And it is we who call these people “primitive.”

If you are unable to travel to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life next week, you can participate in some local events to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the legalization of abortion in Roe v. Wade. On Saturday, January 19, a Rosary procession will be held from Cincinnati City Hall to Fountain Square. Come be a voice for life during this peaceful, prayerful event.

Sex without emotions?

In response to the idea that sex without emotions for men and women is possible, former Miss District of Columbia and current abstinence educator, Rashida Jolley, is quoted in Wendy Shalit's Girls Gone Mild as saying:

"People want to remove consequences, but we cannot remove consequences. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can't change the consequences, you have to change the behavior. Because the only real way to remove emotions is if you are buried, six feet under. Then I guess you can remove emotions" (page 96).

Cincinnati high school pro-life contest

I found this information in the Cincinnati Right to Life newsletter. Let us know if you enter or win these contests!

* Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati's annual Oratory Contest for high school juniors and seniors will be held Saturday, March 15, place and time TBA. Cash prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners ($150, $100, $50). The 1st place winner competes at the state level in Columbus April 26 for the chance to compete nationally. Registration deadline is March 7.

* Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati is accepting submissions for the first annual pro-life Poetry Contest for high school students, grades 9-12, deadline is March 15. Poetry of any style may be submitted, creatively addressing the affect of abortion on our culture, people, and/or ways of thinking and acting. Cash prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners ($100, $75, $50).

* There is also a Poster Contest for K-8.

More information can be obtained at the Cincinnati Right to Life website.

Quote book

"There is no place for selfishness—and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice"- Pope John Paul II

Men's rights in abortion

After discussing the lack of men’s legal rights in abortion in school for the past couple of days, I tackled my old text books and notes from my Life Issues and the Law class in college. Here are some important points, mostly dealing specifically with married men’s rights (or lack thereof), though they imply a great deal about non-married men as well:

In a 1976 Supreme Court case, Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth, a decision was handed down regarding fathers’ rights in abortion. One of the findings was that a man’s right to know about his wife or daughter’s abortion is “unconstitutional.”

• The Supreme Court refused to hear the Conn v. Conn. case regarding a man who won a court order in 1988 barring his wife from having an abortion. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, the woman defied court orders and had the abortion anyway. Her lawyer “stated in legal documents that ‘she did what she had to do to protect both her physical and emotional health’” (The Facts of Life: An Authoritative Guide to Life and Family Issues by Brian Clowes, Ph.D., page 31). But court documents “showed that she had the abortion because she had planned a trip to the beach and wanted to look good in her new bathing suit!” (ibid).
  
• The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear this case implicitly proved that fathers have no legal rights when it comes to abortion.
• The Supreme Court decision, Casey v. Planned Parenthood in 1992 also commented on this issue. They considered it an “undue burden” on women to have to share their abortion decision (or even notification) with their husband. They relied heavily on the argument that it may cause psychological or physical abuse on the part of the husband. Part of the decision said, “The husband’s interest in the life of the child his wife is carrying does not permit the State to empower him with this troubling degree of authority over his wife. … A state may not give to a man the kind of dominion over his wife that parents exercise over their children.”
• In Casey v. Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court also said that if this were the case of a woman notifying her husband about taking action regarding their “living child,” then the mother and father would presumably have equal interest in the matter. However, they stated that, “It is an inescapable biological fact that state regulation with respect to the child a woman is carrying will have a far greater impact on the mother’s liberty than on the father’s.”
• These cases all applied to husbands. If a married man is given no say in abortion, then neither is a single man.

I don’t understand how a father can be given no legal rights when a child is just as much his as it is the woman’s. Obviously the child is living inside of the mother’s womb, but it is not part of her body. It is upsetting to know that informing a baby’s father about an abortion decision is legally considered an unnecessary burden on women. Fortunately, no law can stop a man from expressing his views concerning abortion.

Men of Moeller ...

Welcome to the blog! We enjoyed our time at Moeller High School this week.

Here are a few posts you may want to check out:

* Heisman Trophy winner almost aborted


* How much do you know about Roe vs. Wade?


* Teen guys and sex

Did you know?

The temperature inside the womb is 99 degrees.

Guerrilla Apologetics for Life Issues

Yes, I like to read. So, not only did I read Girls Gone Mild (reviewed below) after Christmas, but I also read Guerrilla Apologetics for Life Issues. The small book, written by Paul Nowak covers several common life issues and how to respond to objections in a non-religious way.

One common approach suggested is to ask the person bringing forward objections different questions in order to put them on the defensive. They idea is that they must prove their own position. Example: Ask the other person to prove when life begins.

The final challenge is to ask someone who supports abortion: What if you are wrong?

If you are looking for a brief explanation of various life issues, including euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research, then you may want to breeze through this tiny volume. More info can be found here.

Girls Gone Mild

I had been waiting for several months to receive Girls Gone Mild for Christmas, and Santa Clause did not disappoint. Wendy Shalit, the brilliant author of A Return to Modesty, penned this remarkable look into our culture and the "young women [who] reclaim self respect and find it's not bad to be good" (the book's subtitle).

With a sense of humor and a wonderful writing style, Shalit gives numerous examples of how our modern culture views sex, morality, modesty, relationships and related topics. She also presents reasons for hope -- young women who are tired of the pressure to be "bad" and who want to be loved and respected, not used.

My copy of Girls Gone Mild is heavily underlined, as I found some wonderful insights and examples within the pages. I recommend the book to anyone -- girls and guys -- for a refreshing view of what's wrong with our culture and what we can do to change it.

You can read more, including the first chapter, here.

Happy New Year!

May 2008 find you abundantly blessed and open to God's amazing plan for your life!