"She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

12/18/16, 4th Sunday of Advent

• "I encourage all of you, the sick, the suffering, physicians, nurses, family members and volunteers, to see in Mary, Health of the Infirm, the sure sign of God’s love for every human being and a model of surrender to his will.....the infirm and the suffering desire not only to be healed, but also to live a truly Christian life, even to the point of offering it as authentic missionary disciples of Christ....The solidarity shown by Christ, the Son of God born of Mary, is the expression of God’s merciful omnipotence, which is made manifest in our life – above all when that life is frail, pain-filled, humbled, marginalized and suffering – and fills it with the power of hope that can sustain us and enable us to get up again....On this World Day of the Sick, may we find new incentive to work for the growth of a culture of respect for life, health and the environment. May this Day also inspire renewed efforts to defend the integrity and dignity of persons, not least through a correct approach to bioethical issues, the protection of the vulnerable and the protection of the environment" (Pope Francis, Message for World Day of the Sick [2/11/17], 12/8/16).

• Catholic Medical Ethics: Blueprint for proclaiming the sanctity of life in health care - why conscience protection is invaluable! (11/29/16)

• High Priority: Public Comments Needed on American Nurses Association’s New Draft Position Paper on Denying Food and Water (NRL News Today, 11/23/16)

• Act now to stop assisted suicide (Diocese of Trenton, 11/4/16)

• "Please send a message to the AMA today asking them to support the dignity of every person and the need for supportive and comprehensive end of life care" (Pa Catholic Conference).

• Action Alert to the Department of Homeland Security: Ensure the well-being of Haitians affected by Hurricane Matthew (USCCB)

 

 

•  Study Guide to St. Pope John Paul II's "Theology of the Body"

•  re: "Council May Limit Conversion Therapy" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/9/16)

• "In order for celibacy to be a truly free choice, seminarians must be led to understand, by the light of faith, the evangelical power of such a gift.176  At the same time they should be able to esteem correctly the values of the married state: 'Marriage and celibacy are two states of authentic Christian life.  Both are specific expressions of the Christian vocation'177" (Congregation for the Clergy, The Gift of the Priestly Vocation, 12/7/16, p. 48).

• re: "Why are we not protecting married couples from the violence of contraception — the divorce of unitive and procreative aspects of the beautiful gift of sexuality? Why are we afraid of helping our brothers and sisters to live in truth, according to their dignity?" (12/3/16)

• Marriage Unique for a Reason (USCCB, 12/2/16)

• Mum, Dad and Kids Initiative Still Collecting Signatures (Zenit, 11/30/16)

• The Cape Town Declaration

•  "At the beginning of this New Year, I offer heartfelt wishes of peace to the world’s peoples and nations, to heads of state and government, and to religious, civic and community leaders. I wish peace to every man, woman and child, and I pray that the image and likeness of God in each person will enable us to acknowledge one another as sacred gifts endowed with immense dignity. Especially in situations of conflict, let us respect this, our 'deepest dignity', and make active nonviolence our way of life" (Pope Francis, Message for 50th World Day of Peace [i.e., 1/1/17], 12/8/16).

• "Every day I am close, above all in prayer, to the people of Aleppo.…I make a call to everyone to commit, so that there might be a choice for civilization: no to destruction, yes to peace, yes to the people of Aleppo and of Syria" (Pope Francis, 12/11/16)

• "In the painful experience of these [migrant] brothers and sisters, we see again that of the Baby Jesus, who at the moment of birth did not find lodging and was born in a cave of Bethlehem; and then He was taken to Egypt to flee from Herod’s threat" (Pope Francis, 12/9/16).

• Lawsuit Seeks to Decriminalize Prostitution in California; Anti-Porn Group Warns of Sex Trafficking Link (The Christian Post, 12/9/16)

• We Can’t Contracept Our Way to Maternal and Child Health (C-Fam, 12/8/16)

• Tell Amnesty International to Change Their Policy on the Decriminalization of Prostitution (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)

• Encourage Your Representatives To Do Something About Demand! We can't solve problem of sex trafficking until we curb the demand (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)

• Tell DOJ to enforce obscenity laws (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)

• Call to Prayer (USCCB, 12/16/16)

• St Francis Xavier and "Silence" (12/3/16) 

• Blasphemous Bile  from Groupon Goes Far Beyond Tastelessness (Tradition, Family, and Property) 

• Tell Dark Horse Brewing Co. to Stop Blaspheming Our Lord Jesus (Tradition, Family, and Property)

• Protest Paramount’s Blasphemous Film “Office Christmas Party”(Return to Order)

• Keep Satan Out of Washington Schools (Return to Order)   

• Tell The [Estonian] National Museum: STOP This CONTEMPTIBLE Attack On Mary (America Needs Fatima)

• Target boycott (American Family Association)

• Keep Satan Out of America (America Needs Fatima) 

• Urge President-Elect Trump to stay true to his word on pro Life concerns
• Encouraging First Steps For Pro-Lifers From President-Elect Trump (Eric Scheidler, 12/4/16)

• Click to Email Pa's Congressional Delegation, regarding positions backed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 
• Bipartisan betrayal by the Pa delegation to the House and Senate? (12/8/16)

• Click to Email all of Bucks County's representatives (as well as incoming Rep Warren) and senators in Harrisburg, re: issues/legislation backed by the Pa Catholic Conference.