"She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah." GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
God loves us incredibly! In His perfect plan for our well being and happiness, we can be assured that- sexual acts are reserved for married couples,
- sexual acts must alway be open to life, and
- marriage is indissolubile.
PART 1 - The Redemption of the Body
- Chapter 1: “Christ Appeals to the ‘Beginning’”: "....In the earliest of his weekly catechetical sessions, Pope John Paul II deeply explores the opening chapters of Genesis and how Christ called humanity to return to this 'beginning,' regarding marriage. In spite of all the wonders God created up to that point, the first man was 'alone' until God made the first woman – man’s 'suitable partner.' Before the Fall, before original sin, this husband and wife were completely transparent gifts to each other – 'naked, yet they felt no shame.' God Himself called them to sexual intercourse and procreation! 'Be fertile and multiply'....” (Read more)
- Chapter 2: “Christ Appeals to the Human Heart”: "....The opening pages of Genesis gave us a phenomenal look at God’s original plan for monogamous, lifelong spousal relationships – between one man and one woman – which would be His platform for continuing His work of creation. While spousal relationships changed for the worse after original sin, Christ calls us back to this “beginning”...." (Read more)
- Chapter 3: “Christ Appeals to the Resurrection”: "....Our marriages must proclaim what Christ tells us about eternal life! 'At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven' (Matthew 22: 30). Pope John Paul II looks at what the resurrection reveals about marriage, as well as at foregoing marriage 'for the kingdom.' Marriage and procreation are incredible goods of monumental importance, intended to lead us to salvation. Though men and women will not be married and will not bear children in Heaven, we will be drawn even closer to each other, in God! With our present finite understandings, the awesomeness of this eludes our grasps....We are meant to see God face-to-face!...." (Read more)
PART 2 - The Sacramentality of Marriage
- Chapter 1: “The Dimension of Covenant and Grace”: "....Pope John Paul II offers a profound reflection on marriage as a sacrament. A sacrament is not a mere sign or symbol; it is an efficacious sign. It makes real what it signifies. As the ministers of the sacrament, are not husbands and wives intended to be spiritual directors – of sorts – to each other?...." (Read more)
- Chapter 2: “The Dimension of Sign”: "So much has been written about notions of 'body language.' Police investigators look for signals from the body, which betray deceit on a person’s lips. Even the most sexually promiscuous person cannot escape the reality that sexual intercourse speaks a 'language of the body.' Sexual intercourse proclaims committed love and openness to new life. Hence, 'one night stands' – even for so-called 'consenting adults' – involve lying with the body. Marriage does not mean a license to use the sexual functions willy nilly. Using the sexual functions, in manners which cannot be open to life, similarly involves lying with the body. As has been said, marriage is a sacrament – a 'visible and efficacious sign.' If our behavior reflects the body’s authentic language, we are 'in the truth.' Otherwise, we lie and are false prophets. Yet, rather than primarily accused and/or condemned, we are first called. In this section, John Paul II’s reflection on the language of the body looks closely at the Song of Songs and Tobit:...." (Read more)
- Chapter 3: “He Gave Them the Law of Life as Their Inheritance”: "Christ responds to our verbal professions of love: 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you…. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him” (John 14: 15 – 17, 21). Through His Church, Christ has been abundantly clear in what He teaches about marriage, family, and human sexuality...." (Read more)
"The LORD keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free." GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
Our children are receiving a very different culture from what our parents left us. While our forebears helped secure justice against Hitler, we are failing to show enough testicular fortitude to demand defense of marriage/family/sexuality - even from those
elected officials who identify as fellow Catholics!
As per the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The First Amendment Defense Act (H.R. 2802, S. 1598) would bar the federal government from discriminating against individuals and organizations based upon their religious beliefs or moral convictions that marriage is the union of one man and one woman or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage. The Act provides broad protections against adverse federal actions directed toward individuals and organizations that act on such beliefs." Representative Fitzpatrick is NOT among the 151 co-sponsors of HR2802; NEITHER Senator Casey NOR Senator Toomey are among the 37 co-sponsors of S1598. The USCCB has an "alert" for contacts to our Catholic brothers Fitzpatrick, Casey, and Toomey, re: the FADA: http://cqrcengage.com/catholicbishops/app/make-a-call?0&engagementId=113753
As per the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The State Marriage Defense Act would require....the federal government to honor the state marriage laws where people are actually living when determining whether they are legally married for purposes of federal rights, benefits, and privileges." Representative Fitzpatrick is NOT among the 37 co-sponsors of HR 824; NEITHER Senator Casey NOR Senator Toomey are among the 14 co-sponsors of S 435. The USCCB has an "alert" for contacts to our Catholic brothers Fitzpatrick, Casey, and Toomey, re: the State Marriage Defense Act: http://cqrcengage.com/catholicbishops/app/make-a-call?2&engagementId=81348
As per the Family Research Council, the so-called "Equality Act" (S 1858 and HR 3185) "would essentially obliterate gender-specific designations in virtually every realm of public life in America and possibly even many private areas.
"The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference explains that "Changing the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) will jeopardize many churches and their charitable outreach if they continue to adhere to their religious beliefs. In other states, this law has closed Catholic adoption agencies and violated religious liberty....HB 1510/SB 974 exposes even more Pennsylvanians to discrimination based solely on their religious beliefs. Simply put, this legislation is intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith. " From Bucks County, Representatives Steve Santarsiero (D), Tina Davis (D) John Galloway (D), Scott Petri (R) Marguerite Quinn (R), and Kathy Watson (R) are among the 84 co-sponsors of HB 1510. While Galloway identifies as Catholic, the others have studied at Catholic schools (i.e., Santarsiero, MEd, Holy Family; Davis, Bachelors, LaSalle; Petri, JD, Villanova; Quinn, BA, St Joseph's, and Watson (studied at Villanova).). Senator Chuck McIlhinney (R), who identifies as Catholic, is among the 26 co-sponsors of SB 974. As per the Pennsylvania Family Council, "Stand for true tolerance: oppose Senate Bill 974 and House Bill 1510."
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
As even our "Catholic" elected officials in Washington and Harriburg are failing to defend our right to proclaim what the Church proclaims about marriage/family/sexuality, we need to join our voices to those of Professor Robert George of Princeton, Matthew J. Franck of the Witherspoon Institute, Joshua W. Schulz of De Sales University, Colleen Sheehan of Villanova University, and Daniel Mark of Villanova University, who are among those who"call on all federal and state officeholders [i.e., mikefitzpatrickPa08@live.com; derek_miller@casey.senate.gov; Melissa_Ferdinand@toomey.senate.gov; cstaats@pahousegop.com; tdavis@pahouse.net; gdigirol@pahousegop.com; Ffarry@pahousegop.com; Jgalloway@pahouse.net; boneill@pahousegop.com; spetri@pahousegop.com; mquinn@pahousegop.com; Ssantarsiero@pahouse.net; kwatson@pahousegop.com; sgreenleaf@pasen.gov; cmcilhinney@pasen.gov; bmensch@pasen.gov; rtomlinson@pasen.gov]:
To refuse to accept Obergefell as binding precedent for all but the specific plaintiffs in that case.
To recognize the authority of states to define marriage, and the right of federal and state officeholders to act in accordance with those definitions.
To pledge full and mutual legal and political assistance to anyone who refuses to follow Obergefell for constitutionally protected reasons.
To open forthwith a broad and honest conversation on the means by which Americans may constitutionally resist and overturn the judicial usurpations evident in Obergefell."
"Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him." GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
- Trenton Planned Parenthood (www(dot)plannedparenthood(dot)org/planned-parenthood-central-greater-northern-new-jersey/patient-resources/saturday-services-in-trenton) even brags of expanding its Saturday hours & makes no secret of doing abortions. On Saturdays at 9:45, a small group gathers near State and Clinton for the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- While many claim to be pro life, there is minimal evidence of sufficient testicular fortitude to stop giving government dollars to the nation's largest abortion provider! We need our elected officials to absolutely oppose ANY monies going to Planned Parenthood. Email Representative Fitzpatrick, Senator Casey, and Senator Toomey, asking for all federal funding of Planned Parenthood to stop. Email all of Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg, asking for all state funding of Planned Parenthood to stop.
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood." GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
- Letter to Senator McConnell, Senator Reid, Speaker Boehner, and House Minority Leader Pelosi, in support of Representative Chis Smith's HR 1150 (Ken Starr, Archbishop Chaput, Alan Dershowitz, Matthew Franck, Maryann Glendon, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Bishop William Murphy, Pastor Rick Warren, Cardinal Wuerl and others, 7/14/15). "We write as a diverse group of religious leaders, public intellectuals and scholars to urge Congressional action on the issue of international religious persecution that threatens people of faith worldwide and our national security.... We are witnessing a tragic, global crisis in religious persecution, violence, and terrorism, with dire consequences for religious minorities and for the national security of the United States....H.R. 1150 would...give Ambassador Saperstein the status that other ambassadors at large at the Department of State enjoy, the authority to develop an interagency strategy to protect global religious freedom, and the resources he needs to implement that strategy. It would also mandate training for all foreign service officers, deputy chiefs of mission, and country ambassadors. This training would ensure that our diplomats fully understand and can effectively defend the free expression of religion worldwide, the enduring value of religious freedom and its relationship to national security, and how to advance the cause of religious liberty in our foreign policy...." (As of 11/7/15, Representative Fitzpatrick is NOT among the 108 co-sponsors of H.R. 1150 or the 146 co-sponsors of H Con Res 75.).
Materials needed for parish bulletins, websites, and bulletin boards:
- The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference's "alerts"
- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' "Alerts Central"
- the "National Committee for the Human Life Amendment" (NCHLA), and that
- "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition, "Justice for Immigrants.)
The following sites also deserve your consideration:
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