in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania's_1st_congressional_district http://archphila.org/pastplan/MAPS/Arch.pdf
and the Central Garden State

Thursday, May 28, 2015

"Let us continue to present the beauty of Christian marriage"

"The beginnings of evangelization in the American Continent always bring to mind the Dominican soil that received in the first place the rich deposit of faith, which the missionaries took with fidelity and proclaimed with constancy....

"The Church continues to walk today with her children in those dear lands in search of a happy and prosperous future; she meets with the great challenges of our time that affect social and ecclesial life, especially families. Therefore, I would like to appeal to you to support men, to reinforce the faith and the identity of all the members of the Church.


"Marriage and the family are going through a serious cultural crisis. But this does not mean that they have lost importance, but that their need is felt all the more. The family is the place where one learns to live together in differences, to forgive and to experience forgiveness, and where parents transmit values to their children and, singularly, the faith. Marriage 'seen as a mere form of affective gratification,' ceases to be an 'indispensable contribution' to society (cf. Evangelii gaudium, 66). In the forthcoming Jubilee of Mercy, do not fail in the work of matrimonial and family reconciliation, as a good of peaceful coexistence: 'ample catechesis on the Christian ideal of conjugal communion and of family life is urgent, which includes a spirituality of paternity and of maternity. It is necessary to give greater pastoral attention to the role of men as husbands and fathers, as well as to the responsibility they share with their wives in relation to marriage, the family and the education of the children' (Ecclesia in America, 42). Let us continue to present the beauty of Christian marriage: 'to be married in the Lord' is an act of faith and love, in which the spouses, through their free consent, become transmitters of the blessing and grace of God for the Church and for society.


"I invite you to dedicate time and to look after the priests, to take care of each one of them, to defend them from the wolves that also attack the pastors....


"The pastoral and charitable care of immigrants, especially those from neighboring Haiti, who seek better conditions of life in the Dominican territory, does not admit the indifference of the pastors of the Church....


"it is indispensable that the Dominican laity, which is perceived very present in the works of evangelization at the national, diocesan, parish and community level, not neglect its doctrinal and spiritual formation, and receive constant support, so that it is able to give witness of Christ by penetrating those environments where often the Bishops, priests and Religious do not reach. It is also necessary that the pastoral of young people receive careful attention so that they are not distracted by the confusion of the anti-values that seek to overwhelm youth today....

"Finally, to conclude, and keeping in mind the beauty and color of the countryside of the beautiful Dominican Republic, I invite all to renew their commitment for the conservation and care of the environment. Man's relation with nature must not be governed by greed, manipulation or unbridled exploitation, but it must preserve the divine harmony between the creatures and creation to put them at the service of all and of the future generations" (Pope Francis to the Bishops of the Dominican, 5/28/15).
       


Pope Francis discusses immediate preparation for marriage:
"Continuing these catecheses on the family, today I would like to speak about the [time of] engagement. Engagement -- we hear it in the word – it has to do with trust, confidence, reliability -- confidence in the vocation that God gives, because marriage is first of all the discovery of a call from God. It is certainly a good thing that today young people can choose to marry on the basis of mutual love. However, the freedom of the bond in fact requires a harmonious awareness of the decision, not only a simple understanding of the attraction or of the sentiment, of a moment, of a brief time ... it requires a course [sic. Instead of "a course," might a better translation have been "preparation"?]....

"you, Italians, in your literature have a masterpiece on engagement [I Promessi Sposi]. It is necessary that young people should know it, that they should read it. It is a masterpiece, which tells the story of an engaged couple that suffered so much pain; they travelled a path full of difficulties until they arrived in the end at marriage. Do not leave aside this masterpiece on engagement that Italian literature has in fact offered you. Go ahead, read it and you will see the beauty, the suffering, but also the fidelity of the engaged couple....

"We cannot treat the bonds of the flesh with heedlessness, without opening some lasting wound in the spirit (1 Corinthians 6:15-20)....

"The pre-marital courses are a special expression of the preparation. And we see so many couples, that perhaps arrive at the course somewhat against their will, 'But these priests makes us do a course! But why? We know!' – and they attend against their will. But afterwards they are happy and thank us, because in fact they found there the occasion – often the only one!-to reflect on their experience in terms that aren’t trivial....

"The time of engagement can truly become a time of initiation, to what? To surprise! -- to the surprise of spiritual gifts with which the Lord, through the Church, enriches the horizon of the new family that prepares to live in his blessing" (Pope Francis, 5/20/15; See it here.)

Rosary Rally for Marriage 
Saturday, June 13 (noon - 1pm): Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (137 West Upper Ferry Rd, West Trenton, N.J.) - in front of the Our Lady of Fatima Statue.

As per the USCCB*, the Pa Catholic Conference, and/or the Archdiocese,  
*In addition to "ALERTS CENTRAL" the USCCB notes that "Action alerts for pro-life issues can also be found through our partner organization, the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment" and "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition,Justice for Immigrants."


As per the Pa Catholic Conference and/or the Archdiocese,
  • Support "Supportive, Comprehensive End of Life Care" [i.e., Oppose "doctor-prescribed suicide." While the battle rages over assisted suicide, many forget that in 1990, the United States Supreme Court allowed euthanasia  by dehydration and starvation. First, by declaring artificially-administered food and water (ANH) as a form of 'life support' and then, granting third parties the ability to remove ANH (feeding tubes) from persons with disabilities, it became effectively legal to deny a human being food and water against their will in the
    United States....Anyone requiring only a feeding tube is not brain dead, but often brain injured....Even fully-conscious people may require tube feeding" (Dr. Jacqueline C. Harvey)]
  • Oppose the nomination of Pedro Cortes: "Please call and email your state Senators with this message, 'I urge you to vote against the appointment of Pedro Cortes to serve as Pennsylvania Secretary of State. He failed to stop abortionist Kermit Gosnell by failing to shut down his dangerous abortion operation.'"
sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
cmcilhinney@pasen.gov
bmensch@pasen.gov
rtomlinson@pasen.gov 
"Two years ago on May 13, Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murdering newborns at his house of horrors clinic, and the state honcho who could have stopped Gosnell, but didn’t, is set to get his old job back under Gov. Tom Wolf....You might think Cortes would re-evaluate his skill set and consider another line of work, given his department’s epic failure to revoke the license of the most notorious doctor since Josef Mengele.  Think again" (J.D. Mullane, Courier Times and Intelligencer, 5/17/15
 

As per the American Life League, 
  • The purpose of the Life at Conception Act (HR 816): is "'to implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.'  The bill says: 'Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being. . . . For purposes of this Act: The terms "human person" and "human being" include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.'  There are no exceptions in this bill. It declares that every preborn human being, from the first moment of their existence, has the right to life" (American Life League, 5/15/15).  
  • Ask our congressman (mikefitzpatrickpa08@live.com/)) to become a co-sponsor of HR 816.


As per the Pennsylvania Family Institute

Monday, May 25, 2015

"God of power and mercy...."

"God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons
      and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen." 

(http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/memorial-day-prayer.cfm)
  

As per the USCCB*, the Pa Catholic Conference, and/or the Archdiocese,  

*In addition to "ALERTS CENTRAL" the USCCB notes that "Action alerts for pro-life issues can also be found through our partner organization, the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment" and "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition,Justice for Immigrants."

As per the Pa Catholic Conference and/or the Archdiocese,

  • Support "Supportive, Comprehensive End of Life Care" [i.e., Oppose "doctor-prescribed suicide." While the battle rages over assisted suicide, many forget that in 1990, the United States Supreme Court allowed euthanasia  by dehydration and starvation. First, by declaring artificially-administered food and water (ANH) as a form of 'life support' and then, granting third parties the ability to remove ANH (feeding tubes) from persons with disabilities, it became effectively legal to deny a human being food and water against their will in the
    United States....Anyone requiring only a feeding tube is not brain dead, but often brain injured....Even fully-conscious people may require tube feeding" (Dr. Jacqueline C. Harvey)]
  • Oppose the nomination of Pedro Cortes: "Please call and email your state Senators with this message, 'I urge you to vote against the appointment of Pedro Cortes to serve as Pennsylvania Secretary of State. He failed to stop abortionist Kermit Gosnell by failing to shut down his dangerous abortion operation.'"
sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
cmcilhinney@pasen.gov
bmensch@pasen.gov
rtomlinson@pasen.gov 
"Two years ago on May 13, Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murdering newborns at his house of horrors clinic, and the state honcho who could have stopped Gosnell, but didn’t, is set to get his old job back under Gov. Tom Wolf....You might think Cortes would re-evaluate his skill set and consider another line of work, given his department’s epic failure to revoke the license of the most notorious doctor since Josef Mengele.  Think again" (J.D. Mullane, Courier Times and Intelligencer, 5/17/15


As per the American Life League, 

  • The purpose of the Life at Conception Act (HR 816): is "'to implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.'  The bill says: 'Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being. . . . For purposes of this Act: The terms "human person" and "human being" include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.'  There are no exceptions in this bill. It declares that every preborn human being, from the first moment of their existence, has the right to life" (American Life League, 5/15/15).  
  • Ask our congressman (mikefitzpatrickpa08@live.com/)) to become a co-sponsor of HR 816.

In the news....

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Abortion, Drones, Immigration, Nuclear Weapons, Mouments Men Revisited?, What Was Once Thought Preposterous

HR 36, HR 816, and the Pill Kills

  • "Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 242-184 to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36), a bill that seeks to protect unborn children from painful, brutal late-term abortions after 20 weeks, or 5 months of pregnancy.
Rep. Keith Rothfus spoke in favor of H.R. 36. Tweet him (@KeithRothfus) and call his office ((202) 225-2065) to thank him for his commitment to Life!....
Rep. Glenn Thompson spoke in favor of H.R. 36. Tweet him (@CongressmanGT) and call his office ((202) 225-5121) to thank him for his commitment to Life!....
Rep. Joe Pitts spoke in favor of H.R. 36. Tweet him (@RepJoePitts) and call his office ((202) 225-2411) to thank him for his commitment to Life!....
Rep. Mike Kelly spoke in favor of H.R. 36. Tweet him (@MikeKellyPA) and call his office ((202 225-5406)) to thank him for his commitment to Life!" (See Pennsylvania representatives speak in favor of H.R. 36, Susan B. Anthony List)
  • The Life at Conception Act (HR 816): Its full purpose is 'to implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.'  The bill says: 'Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being. . . . For purposes of this Act: The terms "human person" and "human being" include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.'  There are no exceptions in this bill. It declares that every preborn human being, from the first moment of their existence, has the right to life.  The bill currently has 87 cosponsors. You can see the list here....You can SAVE ALL THE BABIES. SUPPORT H.R.816" (American Life League, 5/15/15).  MIKE FITZPATRICK IS NOT A CO-SPONSOR! 
  • "Join American Life League in our Pill Kills National Day of Action on June 6, 2015, by organizing an event in your community" (http://thepillkills.org/).

Lethal Drones, Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and "Unlocking Human Dignity"

  • "The Holy See declared at the beginning of the NPT Review Conference [i.e., Ninth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons]:  'We are all aware that the goal of a world without nuclear weapons is not easy to achieve. ... But this is neither a reason nor an excuse not to implement the obligations undertaken in conformity with the NPT. ... Ethics based on the threat of mutually assured destruction is not worthy of future generations'....The United States and other nuclear weapons possessing states bear a particular responsibility for nuclear disarmament and despite the success of the New START Treaty in further reducing the numbers of weapons, there has not been enough progress" (Bishop Oscar Cantú, Chair of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace, 5/12/15).

"Monuments Men" Revisited? U Penn Scholar Katharyn Hanson Testifies Before Congress

  • "Minority religious heritage sites throughout ISIS held areas of Iraq and Syria have been suffering enormous damage and face constant risk. The targeted extermination of religious minorities by ISIS results in mass death and also the erasure of the outward manifestations of the minority religious culture, threatening the continuity of their religious practices....In thinking about how we can address the intentional destruction of minority religious and cultural heritage, I would like to offer three recommendations of actions that can be taken now by the Committee and the U.S. Government.
     First, to the extent possible, we need to offer humanitarian assistance to religious and refugee communities as well as the displaced museum curators, librarians, archivists, and archaeologists who are working at great personal risk to protect religious and cultural heritage inside Iraq and Syria....
     Second, this Committee should use its powers to inquire into the efforts by the Department of Defense to protect religious heritage and other cultural sites during action against ISIS....
     Finally, there is bipartisan legislation on cultural heritage protection, the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act, HR 1493, now pending in this Congress. Introduced by Mr. Engel, Mr. [Chris] Smith, Mr. Royce, and Mr. Keating" (May 13, 2015).

What was Once Thought Preposterous



Saturday, May 23, 2015

Heretofore, "Ireland's Constitution...[enshrined] that 'The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack’ (Art 43.1.1.)"

  • "The Church seeks with others to reaffirm the rational basis for holding that marriage should be reserved for the unique and complementary relationship between a woman and a man from which the generation and upbringing of children is uniquely possible....The Church holds that basic human rights must be afforded to all people. This can and should be done without sacrificing the institution of marriage and family and the fundamental role they play in society....In seeking to reaffirm the unique value to children and society of the mutual and complementary roles of a mother and father, we ask that the principle of equality not be undermined by applying it inappropriately to two fundamentally different types of relationship. Marriage is a unique relationship different from all others for a reason" (Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference).
  • "If Ireland votes 'yes' to same-sex marriage, it will have had much to do with the younger generation....90 percent of 18- to 35-year-olds in Ireland support the proposed Constitutional amendment.  Yet quite a lot of these younger voters would, no doubt, identify as Catholic to some degree....The avoidance of significant parts of Catholic doctrine in schools and churches throughout the country is, I am sure, what makes a lot of Irish Catholics comfortable to acknowledge at least a residual belief" (Maeve O'Rourke, NY Times, 5/20/15).
  •  "Ireland's Constitution enshrines that 'The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack’ (Art 43.1.1.).  This legal binding pledge is not made on religious grounds but because, ‘The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law (Art 41.1.1)....In Ireland’s great future we cannot forget its past. Marriage between a man and a woman has certainly served us well as a nation throughout our history and it deserves to be protected and maintained" (Dana Rosemary Scallon, 5/21/15).
  • "The fate of traditional marriage hangs in the balance as voters go to the polls on Friday, May 22 for a referendum on 'marriage equality'....advocates strategically pushed the same-sex marriage agenda using...a widely-hailed study published by California professors, which has now been retracted due to fake data.....[As per] Pope Francis: 'Jesus teaches us that the masterpiece of society is the family: the man and the woman who love each other'....The Irish have already embraced contraception, abortifacients, divorce, abortion, pornography, secular sex education, and possibly this week, the redefinition of marriage....an online resource, Who Am I to Judge, ...provide[s] key information that is often omitted from discussions" (Human Life International, 5/21/15)
  • "Not only has Ireland has [sic] agreed to same-sex marriage, it has done so in a louder voice than many could have imagined, carried on the back of a remarkable turnout and an engagement by younger people not seen in years....this one was largely for the younger generation, which turned out in its droves. Stories of emigrants returning home to vote and huge increases in voter registration offered indications of what was to come but the final results were astonishing" (Fiach Kelly, the Irish Times, 5/23/15). 

"when He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to all truth."

 
As per the USCCB*, the Pa Catholic Conference, and/or the Archdiocese,  
*In addition to "ALERTS CENTRAL" the USCCB notes that "Action alerts for pro-life issues can also be found through our partner organization, the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment" and "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition,Justice for Immigrants."

As per the Pa Catholic Conference and/or the Archdiocese,
  • Support "Supportive, Comprehensive End of Life Care" [i.e., Oppose "doctor-prescribed suicide." While the battle rages over assisted suicide, many forget that in 1990, the United States Supreme Court allowed euthanasia  by dehydration and starvation. First, by declaring artificially-administered food and water (ANH) as a form of 'life support' and then, granting third parties the ability to remove ANH (feeding tubes) from persons with disabilities, it became effectively legal to deny a human being food and water against their will in the
    United States....Anyone requiring only a feeding tube is not brain dead, but often brain injured....Even fully-conscious people may require tube feeding" (Dr. Jacqueline C. Harvey)]
  • Oppose the nomination of Pedro Cortes: "Please call and email your state Senators with this message, 'I urge you to vote against the appointment of Pedro Cortes to serve as Pennsylvania Secretary of State. He failed to stop abortionist Kermit Gosnell by failing to shut down his dangerous abortion operation.'"
sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
cmcilhinney@pasen.gov
bmensch@pasen.gov
rtomlinson@pasen.gov 
"Two years ago on May 13, Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murdering newborns at his house of horrors clinic, and the state honcho who could have stopped Gosnell, but didn’t, is set to get his old job back under Gov. Tom Wolf....You might think Cortes would re-evaluate his skill set and consider another line of work, given his department’s epic failure to revoke the license of the most notorious doctor since Josef Mengele.  Think again" (J.D. Mullane, Courier Times and Intelligencer, 5/17/15


Please also note the Pennsylvania Family Institute's link:  

home page links

The 10 Commandments

The Beatitudes (from "Jesus of Nazareth")