“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776).
We have heard and read these famous words many times. Yet, it should be interesting for us to note that of the three fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the founding fathers of our nation recognize life as the first of these three unalienable rights.
Why is the right to life the first of these God given rights?
Life is a gift from God. The first pages of the Holy Bible direct our gaze to the awesome gift of life. “And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and made man a living person” (Genesis 2: 7). Life is entrusted to man as a gift. Thus, man has a responsibility to this gift.
Many people and many organizations are committed to the promotion of life. The country is filled with millions of unsung heroes who each day work to promote life. Locally, in the city of Corpus Christi, there are many who continue to do sidewalk counseling at the only remaining abortion clinic, and there are the hardworking individuals who are committed to the important work of Hope House, Birth Right, the Gabriel Project, the Society of the Body of Christ and Rachel’s Vineyard. Each year, “Celebration for Life” draws supporters to an evening of fine dining and entertainment and raises the much needed funding to support pro-life activities here in South Texas.
On January 22, 2007 our parish decided to lead a Rosary campaign to close down the only remaining abortion clinic in our city. We pray the Rosary every week when abortions take place.
Prior to our campaign, Dr. Eduardo Aquino was doing anywhere between 40 – 60 abortions a week. Although the clinic still remains, abortions have decreased to less than 15 a week. We plan to continue our efforts as long as abortions are taking place.
Last week I was able to speak briefly with the abortion doctor in a rather strange encounter in front of his clinic. I pleaded with him to come back to the Catholic Church and I told him that there is no need for abortion. Many people in Corpus Christi are more than willing to adopt a baby that a mother with a crisis pregnancy does not want or is unable to care for properly.
The Founding Fathers got it right. They understood that there is a relationship between life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom and happiness are impossible without the fundamental right to life. Why is this so?
Let us remember that no matter how small a little baby may be in the mother's womb, a new human life begins at the moment of conception. This new human being is entitled to the right to life as guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. If anyone has the right to terminate the life of an innocent human being, not only are those who are being terminated no longer equal under the law, but proponents of abortion are laying the ground work for choices to be made about the extermination of other groups of people.
Was this not the case in Nazi Germany? Not only were Jews, Gypsies and Catholics considered less equal than others, but a favored few took upon themselves the right to determine which individuals had the right to live.
Is not this the case of slavery? Not only were Africans considered to be less equal, but also once again the strong exerted their power over the weak, giving themselves the right to choose who would be enslaved and who would go free.
If a woman has the right to kill her baby, what is to keep a sniper from executing his next victim? If a doctor has the right to murder an innocent child, what is to keep a child from killing his own classmates? If a hospital has a right to sponsor homicide, what is to keep a state from supporting terrorists?
The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. All other rights depend upon the right to life. Abortion is a horrific evil claiming over 4,000 lives every day.
Man is not autonomous. He is created by God and therefore, must live in union with his creator. When humanity rebels against God the results are obvious for all to see in the news every day.
James Madison, the fourth president of our nation and one of our founding fathers once said, "We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
As you walk up the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, you can see Moses holding the Ten Commandments. As you enter into the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door. As you sit inside the courtroom, the Ten Commandments are displayed right above where the Supreme Court judges sit.
The Fifth Commandment states, “Thou shall not kill”. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in America.
A number of years ago, during a parish bible study that I was directing, a young parishioner asked me if I thought that we would soon see another civil war in this country. I answered him by saying that a civil war has already been taking place.
The first civil war took place from 1861 – 1865. The horror of slavery was not the only cause of the war, but it was certainly the main issue at hand. During his famous Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln wondered if the nation could endure. Through his presidency, which cost his very life, his dream did take place: “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”.
The new civil war has no army and has no set territories. It is a cultural war that knows no boundaries. The battle between the culture of life and the culture of death affects every city, every family, every business, every school, and every church community. This new civil war is even more intense than the first one.
The culture war of today is dramatic and very challenging. What will bring about a new birth of freedom? What will allow our government to be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? What will keep America as we know it from perishing from the face of the earth?
America will change if Americans get back to God.
Let us remember a passage of Scripture that I refer to frequently: “If my people who bear my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I myself will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land” (Second Book of Chronicles: 7; 14)
British historian and philosopher Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) once said: “Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder”. Let’s face it: we are in a state of emergency. What is the solution? The solution is not what; it is who. As a people, we need to leave aside our wicked ways and turn to the Lord. Only when this happen, as the Bible tells us, will the Lord heal our land and give us the gift of peace.
The Catholic Church in Poland was able to resist the evils of Nazism and Communism because the Church remained faithful and united.
Today, faithful Catholics face a battle on two fronts: the culture war in society and the polarization in our own Church. Too many Catholics are pro-abortion. Too many Bishops and too many priests refuse to take stand against abortion and against pro-abortion Catholic politicians.
This is a battle that is not easy to handle and it is possible for people to feel discouraged and overwhelmed. What we need from the Bishops and the clergy is leadership and encouragement. They too need to be at the abortion clinics of our nation. It is easy to hide inside our churches and offices. We need to bring the cause of life to the streets. We need to challenge the conscience of a nation.
The overwhelming demands of family life, the constant struggle to be faithful within a nation dominated by the culture of death, the weariness that may be caused by years of commitment to the pro-life apostolate can cause occasional discouragement. But, Jesus tells us today to persevere. We will find our strength in him.
And remember...illegitimi non carborundum!
We have heard and read these famous words many times. Yet, it should be interesting for us to note that of the three fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the founding fathers of our nation recognize life as the first of these three unalienable rights.
Why is the right to life the first of these God given rights?
Life is a gift from God. The first pages of the Holy Bible direct our gaze to the awesome gift of life. “And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and made man a living person” (Genesis 2: 7). Life is entrusted to man as a gift. Thus, man has a responsibility to this gift.
Many people and many organizations are committed to the promotion of life. The country is filled with millions of unsung heroes who each day work to promote life. Locally, in the city of Corpus Christi, there are many who continue to do sidewalk counseling at the only remaining abortion clinic, and there are the hardworking individuals who are committed to the important work of Hope House, Birth Right, the Gabriel Project, the Society of the Body of Christ and Rachel’s Vineyard. Each year, “Celebration for Life” draws supporters to an evening of fine dining and entertainment and raises the much needed funding to support pro-life activities here in South Texas.
On January 22, 2007 our parish decided to lead a Rosary campaign to close down the only remaining abortion clinic in our city. We pray the Rosary every week when abortions take place.
Prior to our campaign, Dr. Eduardo Aquino was doing anywhere between 40 – 60 abortions a week. Although the clinic still remains, abortions have decreased to less than 15 a week. We plan to continue our efforts as long as abortions are taking place.
Last week I was able to speak briefly with the abortion doctor in a rather strange encounter in front of his clinic. I pleaded with him to come back to the Catholic Church and I told him that there is no need for abortion. Many people in Corpus Christi are more than willing to adopt a baby that a mother with a crisis pregnancy does not want or is unable to care for properly.
The Founding Fathers got it right. They understood that there is a relationship between life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom and happiness are impossible without the fundamental right to life. Why is this so?
Let us remember that no matter how small a little baby may be in the mother's womb, a new human life begins at the moment of conception. This new human being is entitled to the right to life as guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. If anyone has the right to terminate the life of an innocent human being, not only are those who are being terminated no longer equal under the law, but proponents of abortion are laying the ground work for choices to be made about the extermination of other groups of people.
Was this not the case in Nazi Germany? Not only were Jews, Gypsies and Catholics considered less equal than others, but a favored few took upon themselves the right to determine which individuals had the right to live.
Is not this the case of slavery? Not only were Africans considered to be less equal, but also once again the strong exerted their power over the weak, giving themselves the right to choose who would be enslaved and who would go free.
If a woman has the right to kill her baby, what is to keep a sniper from executing his next victim? If a doctor has the right to murder an innocent child, what is to keep a child from killing his own classmates? If a hospital has a right to sponsor homicide, what is to keep a state from supporting terrorists?
The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. All other rights depend upon the right to life. Abortion is a horrific evil claiming over 4,000 lives every day.
Man is not autonomous. He is created by God and therefore, must live in union with his creator. When humanity rebels against God the results are obvious for all to see in the news every day.
James Madison, the fourth president of our nation and one of our founding fathers once said, "We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
As you walk up the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, you can see Moses holding the Ten Commandments. As you enter into the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door. As you sit inside the courtroom, the Ten Commandments are displayed right above where the Supreme Court judges sit.
The Fifth Commandment states, “Thou shall not kill”. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in America.
A number of years ago, during a parish bible study that I was directing, a young parishioner asked me if I thought that we would soon see another civil war in this country. I answered him by saying that a civil war has already been taking place.
The first civil war took place from 1861 – 1865. The horror of slavery was not the only cause of the war, but it was certainly the main issue at hand. During his famous Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln wondered if the nation could endure. Through his presidency, which cost his very life, his dream did take place: “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”.
The new civil war has no army and has no set territories. It is a cultural war that knows no boundaries. The battle between the culture of life and the culture of death affects every city, every family, every business, every school, and every church community. This new civil war is even more intense than the first one.
The culture war of today is dramatic and very challenging. What will bring about a new birth of freedom? What will allow our government to be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? What will keep America as we know it from perishing from the face of the earth?
America will change if Americans get back to God.
Let us remember a passage of Scripture that I refer to frequently: “If my people who bear my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I myself will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land” (Second Book of Chronicles: 7; 14)
British historian and philosopher Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) once said: “Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder”. Let’s face it: we are in a state of emergency. What is the solution? The solution is not what; it is who. As a people, we need to leave aside our wicked ways and turn to the Lord. Only when this happen, as the Bible tells us, will the Lord heal our land and give us the gift of peace.
The Catholic Church in Poland was able to resist the evils of Nazism and Communism because the Church remained faithful and united.
Today, faithful Catholics face a battle on two fronts: the culture war in society and the polarization in our own Church. Too many Catholics are pro-abortion. Too many Bishops and too many priests refuse to take stand against abortion and against pro-abortion Catholic politicians.
This is a battle that is not easy to handle and it is possible for people to feel discouraged and overwhelmed. What we need from the Bishops and the clergy is leadership and encouragement. They too need to be at the abortion clinics of our nation. It is easy to hide inside our churches and offices. We need to bring the cause of life to the streets. We need to challenge the conscience of a nation.
The overwhelming demands of family life, the constant struggle to be faithful within a nation dominated by the culture of death, the weariness that may be caused by years of commitment to the pro-life apostolate can cause occasional discouragement. But, Jesus tells us today to persevere. We will find our strength in him.
And remember...illegitimi non carborundum!
4 comments:
Your Blog post dovetails nicely with this from Paul Melanson over at La Salette Journey:
http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/2009/07/on-verge-of-totalitarianism.html
Will someone explain to me how in good conscience someone in the military can fight and possibly kill people in a war that's been called
"unjust" by the Bishops in America, and by the Popes ?
I'm not understanding this.
Maybe I'm over reacting,
but if I had children in the military, I would go to Rome and find out for myself if this is a moral issue that could put souls in jeopardy.
(deleted first due to need for editing)
You say we need slavery because a race is darker skinned. On that principle, let the next man lighter skinned than you be your master.
You say we need slavery because a person is not as intelligent as you. Then let then next man more intelligent than you lord over you as their master.
--------------------
Today we can charitably use his points for any reason someone gives to support abortion: You say we need abortion because a fetus gets in the way of a person's future plans. By that principle, then you would let the next person who feels you are in the way of their future plans abort you.
I think Abe Lincoln clearly illustrated dangers and slavery and his logic can be applied to abortion or any injustice towards life.
Anonymous--I would recommend you post your question on www.phatmass.com forum and there are many Catholics there who may be able to help you--weigh their answers carefully since some of the Catholic posters are more knowledgeable of their faith than others. God bless you,
Ann
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