LIBRARY -- TABLE  OF CONTENTS

Minutes Summary Tables (2009,  2008 and 2007)

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MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Jan 10, 2009

GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY

I       Opening Prayers
II     Minutes from last meeting
III    Review of Evangelium Vitae, #35

Fr. Markey pointed out that the foundation of what it means to be Christian is that we are made in the image and likeness of God.  “The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7)  St. Augustine shared that God made us for himself and that our hearts are restless until they return to him.  Pope John Paul II says that “The divine origin of this spirit of life explains the perennial dissatisfaction which man feels throughout his days on earth.  Because he is made by God and bears within himself an indelible imprint of God, man is naturally drawn to God”   Fr. Markey said that we all have a space in our hearts and until we fill it with God, we are never satisfied – that we cannot fill it with money, power, drugs, etc. but must remain restless.
God created vegetation, animals and provided for all needs, and yet man was not satisfied.  Pope John Paul Ii continues that when God created woman, -- “a being who is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones (cf. Gen 2:23) and in whom the spirit of God the creator is also alive” – to  satisfy the need for interpersonal dialogue, so vital for human existence”. Man and woman complement each other.

After God created us, Saint Ambrose comments with a sense of awe:  “The sixth day is finished and the creation of the world ends with the formation of that masterpiece which is man, who exercises dominion over all living creatures and is as it were the crown of the universe and the supreme beauty of every created being…He rested from every work he had undertaken in the world.  He rested then in the depths of man, he rested in man’s mind and in his thought; after all, he had created man endowed with reason, capable of imitating him, of emulating his virtue, of hungering for heavenly graces.  God says, “Upon who shall I rest, if not upon the one who is humble, contrite in spirit and trembles at my word?” (Is 66:1-2) Fr. Markey reminded us to thank God for our divine creation, and  to practice a reverential day of rest on Sunday.  As God rests in us, so we must pause to rest on Sunday.   

Fr. Markey told us of Our Lady of LaSalette
 
http://www.marysource.com/apparitions/ourladylasalette.htm
   
“A beautiful woman sat weeping, holding her sorrowful face.  France was going through tremendous upheavals.  Churches were abandoned; Catholics were not participating in Mass nor the sacraments, proving that religion and reverence for God had lost its place in the hearts of the French people. The Blessed Virgin then confided to two children about Her Son’s heavy arm and warned them about coming worldwide chastisements if people would not amend their ways.  She told the children that Her Son was particularly grieved that people were not keeping the ‘seventh’ day holy and that God was no longer first in their lives.  Then, Mary told them… make this known to all…”

IV    Miscellaneous

V    Legislative

March for Life:  Jan 22, 2008 – St. Mary buses leave at 6 AM PROMPTLY, after the 5 AM Mass.

Call Erlinda 866-5546 to sign up. $55/seat. As of now, 18 registered; no sponsors for scholarships yet.
Updated info on the Freedom of Choice Act:  Go to http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/ and click on the “Legislative” box in the table at the top of the page. Select Election Issues.

Vatican:  Fr. Neuhaus Died.  Pro-lifers mourn.  See circulating material.

Catholic Conference:  Feb 9, starts at 9 AM, details to come. Need a good showing again.

VI   Updates from Eileen

Taped for AirMaria, Face of Pro Life DVD (on Web site, Library Page).

Pregnancy Centers Are Promoting the Jan 17 Medical Seminar!:   Carol Zukowski is inviting pregnancy center personnel to invite the doctors they work with to the Jan 17 seminar.  The Coalition of Pregnancy Centers, NYC, which has 12 pregnancy centers, already did this

ACTION ALERT If you, or someone you know, are a health care worker (i.e. - physician, nurse, technician, etc.) who works in a Connecticut-based hospital emergency room who has religious or conscience based concerns about providing Plan B to patients,  please call me immediately at 203-879-9272. Thank you - Bill O'Brien – President

Jan 17 -  Creighton Model FertilityCare Seminar  11:30 am  to 4:30 pm  (Optional Mass at 10:30)  Fee:  $45 Lunch will be offered.  The Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat Center, 159 Sky Meadow Dr., Stamford, 06903  (At that time 17 people were signed up, 31 people attended. It was successful.)

VII  Speaker:  Barbara Savro, RN and Fertility Care Friends, Pennsylvania.   Barbara who has been actively involved with FertilityCare for many years, came to share some experiences and insights with us.  Here are some of the key points she made:

For women who are infertile, FertilityCare is a wonderful path to take. with an 85% success rate vs. 35% for IVF.

Biomarkers are key – they give doctors numerous ways to know about a woman’s reproductive cycle and its health or areas of problems.  Generally, there are multiple contributing factors to a health issue.  Biomarkers identify all and give status to allow for personalize treatments.

Biomarkers also show the effects of stress.

Coming off contraceptives, women have more difficulty with SPICE.

Can use NaProTECHNOLOGY anytime, even when coming off contraceptives.

There is a great advantage to having standard charting methods, and reliable diagnostics and treatments -- based on over 30 years of focused research.

Fertility depends on good healthy cervical fluid for sperm to travel.  (Barbara showed diagrams of the cervix (between the uterus and vagina) and cervical crypts which contain cells that produce cervical fluids and explained that during ovulation the fluid forms channels for the sperm to travel through.  After ovulation, the fluid changes and channels are replaced with a blockade type formation that prevent sperm travel.  All this is related to which hormones are predominant. 

Barbara confirmed that we are human at fertilization (conception), after which the new human travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus to implant in its endometrial lining where it will receive nourishment (the pill and other contraceptives also prevent this from happening – in which case, the  new human dies – why they are called abortifacients)

Each woman’s reproductive cycle is different, which is why NaProTECHNOLOGY is so successful.  It recognizes this and knows, through biomarkers, what the differences are.  Rhythm system did not work because it treated all women’s cycles as the same.  Without biomarkets, doctors could not see variances. 

It is important to get this info distributed for the health of mothers, daughters and babies.

The group asked many questions, and was interested in distributing information to women and their daughters.
 
VIII:  Call for Donations.  Last month’s donations were $260.  Please contribute generously to our projects. 

X:  Closing Prayer

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Feb 14, , 2009

I       Opening Prayers
II     Attendees -  50+
III     Minutes from last meeting

IV    Review of Evangelium Vitae, #36  (The Plan For US)

Pope John Paul II shares, “Unfortunately, God’s marvelous plan was marred by the appearance of sin in history… Through sin, man rebels against his Creator and ends up by worshipping creatures”.  God destroyed the cultures that performed sacrifices. 

The general group comment to this, when Fr. Markey paused for sharing, was that we worship creatures and prosperity.  In pagan times, they sacrificed  humans to gain the favor of their gods for prosperity (rain, crops, gold).  Today, we sacrifice humans (unborn babies and the elderly) for prosperity of a different form (homes, cars, stocks, things, pleasures). 

Pope John Paul continues, “As a result man not only deforms the image of God in his own person, but is tempted to offences against it in others as well, replacing relationships of communion by attitudes of distrust, indifference, hostility and even murderous hatred.  When God is not acknowledged as God, the profound meaning of man is betrayed and communion between people is compromised”.  Fr. Markey said that “this is when man loses dignity, and worse yet, does not realize that he is living below his God-given dignity”.   

Fr. Markey and the group shared that through reconciliation we can restore our knowledge of ourselves and that the diocese is offering reconciliation every Tues night throughout Lent.  If we all did this, we would recognize the dignity in each other and become elevated as a group as well as individuals. So what is the best way for our diocese to heal itself of sin – talk about sin, lobby, or go to reconciliation?

Fr. Markey continued to read….”The P L A N …..OF LIFE…..given to the first Adam finds at last its fulfillment in Christ.  Whereas the disobedience of Adam had ruined and marred God’s plan for human life and introduced death into the world, the redemptive obedience of Christ is the source of grace poured out upon the human race, opening wide to everyone the gates of the kingdom of life (cf. Rom 5:12-21).  The Apostle Paul defines Christ as “ a life-giving spirit”.

In discussions, the team examined  --  what does this mean to us?  It means, they concluded, that we must choose God over life; or to bring it closer to today’s issues, pro-life over better economy.  Or, we must put our energy into life over economic gain or pleasures.

“All who commit themselves to following Christ are given the fullness of life:  the D I V I N E  I M A G E  is restored, renewed, and brought to perfection in them. 

“Gods plan for human beings is this, that they should “be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom 8:29).  Only thus, in the splendor of this image, can man be freed from the slavery of idolatry, rebuild lost fellowship, and rediscovered his true identity”.  Fr. Markey concluded that “Only in the image of Christ can we restore our identity, fellowship, and our true identify as a Church and as a nation”.

V    Miscellaneous

VI    Legislative Events

March for Life:  Jan 22, 2008 – Update -  everyone was impressed with the large turnout, but disappointment with the lack of attention by the press and legislators.  There were ideas about various ways to better organize the march and to get more of a turnout. The final agreement was that the march is one of many things we are doing as Catholics to influence others toward a Culture of Life.  If it has not won the attention of  Washington’s legislators, it still serves to reinforce and inflame the pro-life fight that many of us have taken up.  For that, alone, it is a valuable march. St. Mary will take 3 or four buses again next year (with parishioners from several parishes).  Please plan to join us.

Catholic Awareness Conference:  Feb 9, Update -  The group would have liked the Catholic Awareness Day to include a stronger Pro-life agenda; pro-life being the #1 Catholic Issue.  If we are still killing children (like sacrificing humans in pagan days), how can we expect human to treat human with dignity, to have dignity, or God to support our economy.  God has not changed. 

Someone made the point that many Catholics think that with the coming of Jesus, who showed a very kind and gentle side of His nature, that God has changed. Not so.  God is the same God that did not support pagan cultures.  We are now a pagan culture and will be until we stop killing babies – as Mother Teresa implied.

To give pro-life issues more attention, we are having Deacon David Reynolds, of the Connecticut Catholic Conference (our Catholic Lobby Organization) come to speak with us on March 14.  It will be an open forum so that we can gather inputs from him and also exchange our ideas with him.  Please join us for an exciting meeting!
 

Eugencis:  A quick introduction was given to video on Eugenics and books recommended by Fr. Markey at the Gospel of Life Site, Legislative Page.  Go to the Legislative Page through the Navigation Table on the Home Page.

VII   Legislative Issues from GOLS Web Site

VIII   Updates from Eileen

Report on Medical (FertilityCare) Seminar, Jan 17 – The seminar was a success.  31 attendees came from CT and other states, in cold weather and threats of snow, including 8 nurses and 4 new doctors, (2 from CT, 2 from NY).  The speakers were terrific and kept everyone enthused and on the edge of their seats! We received a number of thank-you emails from those who attended and encouragements from those who did not. Several said they may be contacting Dr. Watson,  Dr. Scanlon, or Dr. Carpentier for immediate assistance.  All were happy to discover that there is a well-developed alternative to secular birth control offerings and a new full-service "women's health system" that is more effective at healing the widest spectrum of women's health problems including those that have multiple causes or that have been allowed to become worse or chronic because the contraceptives were masking causes or typical treatments were inadequate. A number of attendees, some of which were nurses,  expressed serious intentions to take the practitioners training in March or soon thereafter.  As a result, we will be participating in some follow-on activities such as a Mother-Daughter Luncheon, talking with nursing programs,  and speaking with hospital staff and doctors.

If you did not have a chance to provide your doctor’s contact information, please do send it to be added to our database.  I will invite all doctors in our database (in groups of 6) to see the DVD and selected portions of the seminar (particularly, the talks by the two doctors and question and answers afterward) and give them a copy of it with other material.   Doctors who attend will be invited to a presentation by a live doctor. Send to Stmarygols@aol.com;  subject:  Doctor Contact Info

IX    Donations:  Please contribute as your heart guides you to our projects. 

X:    Closing Prayer

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Mar 14, 2009

I       Opening Prayers
II     Minutes from last meeting
III    Review of Evangelium Vitae, #37  

John Paul II starts by saying ”Human beings cannot be reduced to mere existence in time.  The life which was always “in him” and which is the ‘light of men” (Jn 1:4) consists in being begotten of God and sharing in the fullness of his love: “To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:12-13)
Fr. Markey further shared that we are not automatically children of God.  John Paul II continues..”Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn 3:3).. The life which Jesus promises and gives is “’eternal’ because it is a full participation in the life of the ‘Eternal One’…Whoever believes in Jesus and enters into communion with him has eternal life (cf. Jn 3:15; 6:40)” 

Fr. Markey explained that it is the Trinity that is talked about here.  Within the Trinity, there are three persons in one God; where each is constantly giving and receiving love for all Eternity.  God so much wanted to share that love that he created us and the world.  We can enter into this “community of love” on this earth through the Trinity. John Paul Ii says,  “To know God and his Son is to accept the mystery of the loving communion of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit into one’s own life, which even now is open to eternal life because it share in the life of God”.  Fr. Markey said that the real essence of Jesus’s mission is to give this “life”.  Because Christ is true man and true God, he bridged that gap.  At some point in our lives, we have to be born again – to have the Holy Eucharist live in us – the source of Eternal Life. We are born on earth to start to enter into Holy Trinity, even before we die and to have knowledge and love of Him.  So, our destiny is to return to Him to live with Him in Heaven.  To see God’s face is to enter into this Trinity.

The group marveled over the fact that we can participate in this daily – now!  Every day! 

V    Miscellaneous

Talks moved to stem cell – that in some countries embryonic stem cell is not being pursued at all – disgarded long ago as not effective.  We pondered why the US is pushing it – and why money is still being put into it without having seen any results and knowing it is immoral.  Some shared that several countries have legally condemned experimentation on embryos.  One is Germany, another is Italy.  Also, other parts of the world are not promoting Euthanasia as the US is doing through the new Health Care system (that was buried in the Stimulus Plan) and possibly FOCA.

VI    Updates from Eileen

If you did not have a chance to provide your doctor’s contact information, please do send it to be added to our database.  I will invite all doctors in our database (in groups of 6) to see the DVD and selected portions of the seminar (particularly, the talks by the two doctors and question and answers afterward) and give them a copy of it with other material.   Doctors who attend will be invited to a presentation by a live doctor. Send to Stmarygols@aol.com;  subject:  Doctor Contact Info
 

VII  Deacon David Reynolds --  Connecticut Catholic Conference -  Speaking on Key Legislative Issues

The outcome of R.B. 1098 bill -- to modify procedures of the Catholic Church which included giving the priests and Bishop no vote in administration affairs of each parish, including financial, which were to be put into the hands of the laity.   The Catholic community was pleased to see that Catholics turned out in masses to protest this dangerous bill – over 5,000 Catholics showed up for the rally and information hearing.   Representatives, including Larry Cafero, came out the day before the hearing to condemn the bill. A lot of the democrats, too, were very much with us.  Though no one democrat spoke out against the bill, they gathered to protest the co-chairs of the Judicial Committee.   Deacon Reynolds pointed out that Catholics are a diverse group meaning that on many issues they have different opinions and that is alright (such as the death penalty).  Yet, when you talk about changing their Catholic Church into an Established church or into a Protestant congregation – which is what the effect of Bill 1098 would be -- that’s different.  The bill was pulled.   

Status of FOCA:  The post card drives around CT had a great effect.  FOCA has been stalled; it has not been raised.  Deacon Reynolds asks us to keep communicating with our legislators against this, which is expected to come back another time.

URGENT:  Conscience Law – passed by Pres. Bush – In Jeopardy:  This is the law that lets doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical professionals act according to their conscience in their jobs – avoid having to give abortions or refer to other doctors, avoid giving contraceptives, doing sterilizations, etc. Pres. Obama gave the medical community and all of us until April 9 to protest, and then he would pass a Bill # H.R.570  to nullify this law.  The Catholic Medical Association asks you to write your legislators immediately (CT and federal) to protect this.   Use this action alert web site to register your protest:   http://www.freedom2care.org/  Many doctors threaten to quit if this nullifying bill is passed. 

Stem Cell:  Deacon Reynolds explained this as a political issue rather than a science issue. It is well known by scientists and legislators that embryonic stem cell does not yield results, and cannot be expected to.  It is also known that adult stem cell works, and has been used in Europe successfully for decades. So why are we so slow???  Here in CT, we continue to give $20-30 million/year for embryonic stem cell research.  At the federal level, Pres. Obama is releasing billions for embryonic stem cell.

Abortion: Mandatory Counselling -  Raising the Age from 15 to 17 and under:  This controlled by attitudes at the national level. Some democrats do support this, yet it has not gotten far.  As a pro-life group, we need to avoid discussions on whether a legislator is pro-abortion or not.  Instead focus on the particular bill we are trying to pass – ask the legislator, “Do you agree that girls 17 and under shoud get counseling before an abortion?”  Or, “Do you agree that parents should be involved in a teens abortion?”  That’s more effective.  Write your legislators on these issues, continually. 

Same sex bills coming up  FIC is leading the charge. Pay attention to their action alerts and rallies. 

The group continued to have lively discussion with Deacon Reynolds and would like to have him visit with us annually.

IX    Donations:  Please contribute.  Monies are needed to cover monthly expenses (supplies, mailing, printer cartridges, paper, etc.) and to promote Fertility Care among all the diocese and parishes. 

X:    Closing Prayer

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________April 11, 2009

Holy Sat Retreat  

I        Opening Prayer
II       Rosary

IV.   Closing Prayer --

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________May 9, 2009

A Tribute to Mothers  

I     Opening Prayers
II     Minutes from last meeting – Holy Saturday
III   Miscellaneous

IV   Updates from Eileen 

Next meeting:  June 13 – Fr. Check talking about same sex ministry.

Gospel of Life Society’s two new chapters –  Charleston, S. Carolina and Willimantic, CT!

V   Legislative Issues -  Keep up your momentum of protests on key issues discussed by Deacon Reynolds during the March meeting.  I will give you updates on June 13.

VII    Donations:  Please contribute.  Here are some regular expenses and examples of periodic things that come up that require
our having financial resources.  

Monthly expenses (supplies, mailings to members, printer cartridges, paper, etc.)

Buses - as needed - for trips to rallies and marches

One-off events (such as the post-card drive) or Humanae Vitae Celebration

Creighton Model training scholarships toward  $2,050 per course + $750 in books

Theology of Body books and supplies for Gospel of Life

Printing (need more business cards, new preg center flyers – addresses have changed)

Begin to donate regularly to help our prayer partners who aggressively follow pro-life issues, track what we are doing,
and support us with their devote prayers.  The results are additional graces from God which contribute to our growth.

Assist our two new chapters  

VIII:    Closing Prayer:  Please pray regularly for me and the Gospel of Life, its new Chapters, and all of our Pro-life organizations, lobbyists, and our prayer partners including the Sisters of Life, Sisters of S. Birgitta, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, Franciscans of the Immaculate and of the Mount St. Francis Hermitage, and the clergy of our diocese and parishes we have sponsors in  – for their well being and to prosper under the Grace of God.  And please do ask St. Michael to protect us all from the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________June, 2009

 Opening Prayers
II     Minutes from last meeting
III    Review of Evangelium Vitae, #39 

 V    Miscellaneous

VI    Updates from Eileen
If you did not have a chance to provide your doctor’s contact information, please do send it to be added to our database.  Doctors will be invited to an “Informational” tutorial.  Send to Stmarygols@aol.com;  Use the subject:  Doctor Contact Info
 
Legislative Issues -  Keep up your momentum of protests on these –

• R.B. 1098 bill – keep writing legislators to leave our Church alone!  For inputs:   http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2201918/posts
• FOCA:  Keep communicating with our legislators against this. 
• Conscience Law – passed by Pres. Bush – Still In Jeopardy as of May 2009:  This is the law that lets doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical professionals act according to their conscience.
• he Catholic Medical Association asks you to:
  Keep writing your legislators immediately (CT and federal) to protect this.  
  Use this action alert web site to register your protest:   http://www.freedom2care.org/ 
• Healthcare Plan Continue to write legislators against the government Healthcare Plan, Entitled “America's Affordable Health Choices Act,” (H.R. 3200), which would also force doctors to act against their conscience. This plan is designed to involve rationed treatments and various forms of Euthanasia as well as abortion. Act now.  It may accomplish some of the same goals of FOCA.
• Stem Cell:  In CT, we continue to give $20-30 million/year for embryonic stem cell research. 
• Abortion: Mandatory Counseling bill -  Raising the Age from 15 to 17 and under – and parental notification bill:  More and more democrats are beginning to support these. Write your legislators on these issues, continually. New info on the Adolescent Brain may be helpful here - to be discussed in our Aug meeting.
• Same sex related bills  FIC is leading the charge. Pay attention to their action alerts and rallies.

VIII  Our Speaker: 

 
One of the goals of the work of Courage is to help people to better understand the nature of same-sex attraction and the Catholic Church's teaching on matters related to human love and intimacy and marriage.  Fr. Check opened his talk discussing the deep desire the Catholic Church has to help those with same sex attraction.  This desire is rooted in the Church’s strong empathy as shown in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  The Church acknowledges that those who have homosexual tendencies are many, and that this inclination “constitutes for most of them a trial" (par 2358)....Fr. Check added that some of them also struggle with childhood abuse (up to 40% are likely to have suffered this) or indifference which then prompted out-of gender feelings and behaviors, drug or alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety or other mental illness... as well as an unrelentless search for healing,  warmth, acceptance, and love. St. Paul offers a way forward: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love HIM" (Rom 8:28)".  A source of Catholic help for parents and other loved ones of those with SSA is Encourage http://couragerc.net/ . At this site also find a DVD that is very popular called "Portraits of Courage" -- a compilation of case studies. A Catholic blog is ListServs http://couragerc.org/  A great conference is coming up in July in PA.  For info on it, see http://couragerc.net/Conference2009.pdfi  

In his ministry, Fr. Check said he draws on an example by Jesus Christ who helped the adulterous woman.  She had broken the law established by God, and she was about to be stoned.  He then intervened and asked her if there was anyone there who could condemn her.  She said “No” and he stated that he could not either.  However, he did ask her to go and sin no more.  Fr. Check said, “The son only does what he sees the Father doing”.  So, he said, “My obligation can only be to present what the Church teaches and why.  And, he must also request of those he ministers to that they resist doing things at variance with the Church and with one’s own good. Also, he suggested that when we are trying to help loved ones in any way, we keep two things in mind: 

1)  too much compassion leads to too much tolerance and
2)  to call a person to immediate conversion may be in excess -- too unrealistic and harsh.  

Key points made are:

The subject of homosexuality is complex; at the heart are humans who are complex.

Yet, ignorance is never preparation for human virtue.

Homosexuality always existed but it is growing.  The difference now is that through ignorance, it is promoted as an acceptable and good and natural “mainstream” and life style. 

When seeking the truth on this issue, the best approach is to look at God’s design – men and women. True intimacy requires one man and one women – this is not masturbation, fortification, contracepting, or homosexual activity. 

We should not label people anything and that includes calling people the noun “homosexual”.  When we label a person, we treat them generically – we attach the label to their entire identity.  No one is generic.  God made each of us unique.  We must just refer to their “same sex attraction”.

Some of our labeling may be an outgrowth of a belief that SSA is biological and people are therefore locked into it for life.  This is not true either.  The Church says there is a “lack of evidence”.  Science says sex is determined by chromosomes.

Furthermore, because SSA is complex, there is no one profile of a person with SSA, or one root to it; we must stop simplifying.  The Greeks & Romans did not have a noun for people with SSA; this is a unique 19th Century, Culture of Death, phenomena. 

Another set of terminology to carefully manage are:

Person:  A child of God;

Desire:  An inclination;

Homosexual action:  Always immoral when measured against our true human good.

There are some who think we must let ourselves sin, to feel more human or become more human. This is not true. We do not become more human by lying, cheating, stealing or engaging in sodomy (which, by the way, is only one sin of lust – there are others). So, we absolutely must separate the sin from the human. Sins do not define classes of persons. 

Fr. Check said,  "NARTH research and that conducted by Dr Robert Spitzer, former chair of the American Psychological Association's DSM review panel, suggest the 'rule of thirds' with regard to therapy for those with SSA: 1/3 experience significant change such that marriage and family life are possible; 1/3 experience a significant quieting in the homosexual inclination; 1/3 experience no change.  In the case of medical conditions for which people seek assistance from health care professional--like cancer or heart disease--a "success rate" of some type as high as two thirds would be considered quite good.  Should not men and women with SSA have the freedom to choose whether they would like to undertake such therapy, rather than it be denied to them?  The work of Courage is not to advocate for what is sometimes called 'reparative therapy', but to educate people about the nature of homosexuality, and to assist those with SSA to experience an interior change that does not necessarily mean 'coming out of the condition', but rather the cultivation of a chaste mind and heart.  Having said that, Courage does work with many good therapists--psychiatrists and psychologist and other trained professionals with a proper Christian anthropology--who do provide competent assistance proper to the mental health profession." 

Homosexuality cannot be inherited or passed on (like hair color, height, etc). 

It is in through the marital relationship between the spouses that a child must witnesses and learn about charity, virtue, how to maintain a healthy relationship with a person of the other gender, and how love.

Parents can damage their children by early in life by depriving them of genuine closeness with the same-gender parent. An example would be when a father is absent often or is demonized by a mother (who also transfers her need for emotional comfort to the baby or son to substitute for neglect of the father), Now, this baby or child gets love only from the mother, and acts to please her yet longs for the love and gender approval of the same-sex parent. These parents damage that child in a way that can lead to SSA.  

Children need a quality relationship with the parent of the same sex to feel comfortable with their gender, and get recognition for it.  For example:

Little boys need to do the rough and tumble baby playing and teen sports with their dads, build objects, work on household projects, go fishing, etc.  In so doing they learn how to do these things well enough to be accepted by peers, about manliness, have a chance to learn how to manifest their maleness by mimicking the father, see the father's enjoyment in being with them, and receive acknowledgement and recognition for their success -- such as a good game played, the fish they caught, the ball they threw, the bike they fixed, etc. They learn how to move and speak like a man.  Along these lines, boys also need to acquire from their dads knowledge that helps them to become good husbands and providers -- for example, how to create an environment of protectiveness, be head of family, seek to meet the needs of their wives, children, and other family members, be a church member, set a Christly example, led or follow men in the community, and yet be benevolent, warm, and show good will and love.  Loving mothers can inadvertently interfere by structuring too much time in non-dad activities, and by being too overprotective, needy, and demanding of the boy.  Loving dads often minimize time with their son by spending too much time working away from home or retiring to non-family activities in the home. When a boy child is deprived of this because the father is not present -- or rejects the son -- that boy will try to fill the need for male-gender acceptance through peers of the same sex.  In the process, he could misinterpret his admiration of physical characteristics, strength, skills, etc. as sexual attraction and love.

When a mother is not available to a girl -- is too emotionally distant, needy, or rejects the little girl for any reason -- that girl can fall into the same SSA pattern. Girls need to be close with their moms to learn about being a woman, mother and wife.  From early ages, this helps them to feel comfortable with their gender, win peer approval, and begin to feel comfortable participating with peers and female adults in parish and social activities and community events. She too needs opportunities to win motherly and social recognition and approval for her accomplishments --  in the home and in the community or at school – for her winning performance in a school play, being the lead clarinetist in a school for symphony, selling the most cookies, or the marathon she finished for a non-profit fund raiser.

Both sexes need unstructured talking time with parents of both sexes – as when they do simple tasks together, like cleaning a car, setting the table, making pasta, doing the dishes, walking, fixing something, etc. – with time to share ideas about life, family, thoughts and emotions, and to learn how they should aspire to behave as they mature and why. 

Other damage done to children by parents includes indifference, rejection, sexual or other abuse, and spending a minimum amount of time with the child – as in separation or divorce. Divorce is the worst offender.

Parents who are not separated can also damage their children -- as when the parents chronically fight or disagree and have not learned to behave with charity and love toward each other.  These parents  actually forfeit their paternity.  But most children still love these “significantly’ less-than” parents, because that’s what children do.

Answers to Questions:

It is important to begin immediately to correct SSA.  (Eileen Note:  Researchers and therapists say It generally begins to appear at ages 2-3; remember the first 5 years of a child’s life are very formative. It can disappear and reappear in the teens, disappear again and show up in adult life when the child is married and with children.) See the Gospel of Life Web Site for more detail and articles. 

Go to the http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/ site

Click on Gospel of Life

Scroll down 2” to the Navigation Table and Select “Legislative”

Scroll down 2” to the Table of Contents

Select SSA

Parents should work with a good pro-life mental health professional and priest.

NARTH is a good source of information (see info at Gospel of Life site)

Some justify SSA by saying some animals are homosexual.  Fr. Check answered by saying, “Yes, and some animals eat their children too!” 

Yes, there is a correlation between the high rate of divorce and SSA.

Yes, transgender dressing is a problem.  It encourages children to self-identify and label themselves.

Pornography is a contributing factor. 

Two people living together chastely, deliver a wrong image. 

The purpose of adoption is to provide a child with a family and not the other way around.

When there is abuse by parents or another, the children are 7 times more likely to develop a SSA.

Yes, they tend to have more partners because they have difficulty gleaning from their relationships what they should have gotten from their parents.  They average 100 partners vs. 4-6 for heterosexual.

Those with SSA are interested in marriage to feel okay, have civil rights, and to change norms.  Generally these are those who believe it is biological.

 
IX    Donations:  Please contribute.  Monies are needed to cover monthly expenses (supplies, mailing, printer cartridges, paper, etc.), to advertise, purchase ads in colleges, at galas, and in our Catholic newspapers, and to build a campaign to educate women, doctors, and nurses on Fertility Care (flyer is attached).   

X:    Closing Prayer.  Please pray for St. Michael’s protection of Gospel of Life, Come Holy Spirit, to forgive our enemies, and for our partners (Sisters of Life, Convent of St. Birgitta, CT Right to Life, FIC, CCC, our Chapters, Safe Haven, those who stand vigil outside abortion clinics, Friars of the Immaculate, etc.)

2008

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Jan 12, 2008

 I           Opening Prayer
II         Minutes from last meeting
III        Speaker: Fr. Greg Markey: History of the Culture of Death

Fr.. Markey presented a comprehensive historical overview of the culture of death, highlighting the persons, legislations, and cultural themes that have played major roles in creating the culture we find ourselves in today.

The bell was sounded by Pope John Paul II who brought the desperateness of the situation to our awareness, being so saturated with this culture of death that we ourselves could not realize it. The rise of educating children in public schools led to an eclipse of the sense of God; education became separate from God, with no sense of God’s role being taught. We started to lose our sense of who we are, no longer seeing ourselves as different from other creatures, but just one more that can be manipulated. We are mysteriously different from other creatures not only in degree but in kind. This impacted how we view our sexuality, reducing it to pure materiality, depersonalized, and exploited. 

Sexuality, which is a sacred act, is reduced to a biological one. We, the people in this culture, are responsible for creating this mindset. There is a clash between good and evil, we all share in it.  Every Catholic needs to hear this, that we have the responsibility to be unconditionally pro-life. ·

Robert Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) – an Anglican clergyman who in 1798 proposed a theory of population which held that because population grows at a geometric rate while food production does not, that at some point there would not be enough food to support all of us. This has been proven to be false; as population grows we advance in food production by an increase in technologies and techniques, trade, capabilities, etc. But this idea fueled a fear of excessive population growth.

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Origin of the Species – theory of genetic differences benefiting animals

Herbert Spence (1820-1923) Survival of the Fittest – took Darwin’s theory and applied it to humans; arguing for the elimination of the unfit and selective breeding

Sir Frances Galton (1822-1911) create a suitable race through breeding; blacks, Jews, and those in poverty should be sterilized

1907 Indiana passed the first forced sterilization laws to be applied to “criminals, idiots, rapists, and imbeciles”; other states followed

Anthony Comstock (1844-1915) - Responsible for federal laws prohibiting contraceptive sales and use in the U.S.

1800’s mainstream Protestant denominations held that contraception was extremely immoral.

1908 Lambeth Conference – Anglican Church Bishop condemns contraception

1920 Anglicans again emphatically warn against unnatural means of contraception

1930 the Anglican Church became the first to accept contraception, giving in to the pressure.

12/1930 Pope Pius XI wrote encyclical Casti Cannubi; barrier contraceptive methods are immoral,  After the Anglican Church at Lambeth fell, all the
dominoes started to fall 

1931 Washington Post editorial would sound the death knell of marriage as a holy institution

1965 Griswold vs. CT overturns law prohibiting contraception, upheld the right to privacy in the constitution

Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) National Birth Control League, morphed into Planned Parenthood;

1919 causing more children from the fit and less from the unfit is the chief purpose of birth control; 

1968 successful in overturning the Comstock Laws; “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infants is to kill it.”

Planned Parenthood has set goals in CT – doubling the number of abortions and increased fund raising

1953 first hormone pill discovered – is it immoral because it’s not a barrier method, does Casti Cannubi still apply

pe Pius XII spoke against it but not an encyclical, not in a definitive way

Pope John XXIII also spoke against it but again it was not a definitive teaching· 

June 966 Papal Birth Control Commission of Pope Paul VI; majority on the commission recommended that it was morally elicit to use and this was leaked to the press against the wishes of the Pope who was still struggling with the issue. He was convinced of the immorality of contraception by Archbishop of Krakow

1968 Humanae Vitae – people were thinking it would be permissible; Pope asserted that each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life and upheld the immorality of contraception; marriage both procreative and unitive, removing the procreative aspect makes it an unnatural act. He prophesized these consequences of artificial birth control:

o general lowering of morality
o loss of respect for women
o government would force contraception upon the people

the reaction was vocal dissent – theologians absolutely opposed this encyclical and invited the laity to join them

Humanae Vitae is an infallible teaching and is binding on all Catholics. 

The Catholic Church has been protected from embracing this false teaching by Christ’s promise of the protection of the Holy Spirit given to Peter in Scripture. As all the other churches and theologicans fell to the pressure, Pope Paul VI spoke out against it.

===============================================================
Fr. Markey recommended to following books:

The War Against Population by Jacqueline Kasun

Architects fo the Culture of Death by Donald DeMarco

The Facts of Life by Brian Clowes, PhD. (he stressed the importance of this reference book in particular)

V Legislative – CT
Legislative – Federal - Planned Parenthood Funding Under Attack – Wash. DC -- Representatives of 48 pro-life organizations have co-signed a letter to President Bush asking him to do more to limit the funding Planned Parenthood receives under the Title X family planning program. They say it should be doing more to separate family planning from its abortion business

VI Global
Beijing, China – One Child Policy Being Strictly Enforced -- Since the Chinese government instituted its family planning policy prohibiting more than one child per couple, it is believed that no one has paid a higher fine for violating it than Li Shaoqing. Li, the head of a cement mixing company, was ordered to fork over $100,000 US because fathered a second child in 2006.

VI Miscellaneous

WorldMag.com – anniversary Roe v. Wade issue

Jan 22 – D.C. Rallies from 12 – 2 at the Federal Court House in Bridgeport, and also in Hartford.

Donna Marie Cooper-O’Boyle will be speaking at St. Joe’s in Shelton on Saturday, Feb. 2.

VII. Closing Prayer

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Feb 9, 2008  

I           Opening Prayer
II         Review Minutes from last meeting
III        Review of Evangelium Vitae, #24 by Fr. Greg Markey.
Fr. Markey pointed out that on the subject of conscience, there is confusion because  of a misinterpretation of Vatican II about conscience.  Conscience applies a moral norm to the particular situation or environment in which we are living. If we violate the norm, conscience silently speaks to us – repeatedly –  so much so, for some of us, we may not be able to sleep at night.  However, the conscience of each of us is at different levels of formation. For some, conscience may not been fully formed at all; it may be a malformed conscience.  Therefore, to ensure a strong conscience, we should be developing our conscience throughout our lives -- through: 

sacred scripture  /////  prayer 

counsel from someone you respect or clergy (within the community of the Catholic Church)

Church teaching

Fr. Markey continued and emphasized Pope John Paul II’s teaching that our individual consciences, together with the overall “moral conscience” of society, contributes to the Culture of Death by creating and consolidating  “structure(s) of sin” which go against life. Individual conscience participates in various degrees -- by tolerating sin, perpetuating sin, or directly fostering sin or behavior contrary to life.  Pope John Paul II says that “individual and moral conscience today are subject to serious and mortal danger; that of confusion between good and evil, precisely in relation to the fundamental right to life.  A large part of contemporary society looks sadly like that humanity which Paul describes in his Letter to the Romans.  It is composed of ‘men who by their wickedness suppress the truth’ (1:18).”  The group remained silent for awhile.

IV        Speaker:

Peter Wolfgang, Executive Director, Family Institute of CT (FIC).  Peter is a “Catholic” family man and Pro-Life Lobbyist.  He said he is very appreciative of Pope John Paul’s Evangelium Vitae which supports Pro-life in a Pro-choice culture, and, like Brian Brown, who founded FIC, Peter feels called to emphasize justice and speak for those who cannot help themselves – particularly to fight for traditional marriage which is being dishonored and threatened by:
             -  “no fault” divorce laws which make marriage a weaker contract than business contracts.   
             -  The promotion of same sex marriage and the one-parent family
Granted, there are many circumstances that cause a child to be brought up by one parent – due to misfortune or tragedy.  However, cultural developments to purposely create non-traditional families ignore many studies that show that children really need both a mommy and a daddy.  However, same sex marriage is a deliberate promotion of one parent or same sex parents and the life style and structures that go with it. This all started with Roe vs Wade and has grown dangerous to marriage as we know it and society which is based on marriage. Peter said that as in the Biblical time of Isaiah, when humanity was being influenced to follow false structures, Isaiah sent out to his people the imperative to act on behalf of the oppressed  -- calling on individuals to feed the hungry and help the afflicted – to become “the repairer of the breach.” (Isaiah 58:12).  So today, Peter said, we are all called to, repair the breach.  Some of the political people of the past decades did not repair the breach, but widened it.  As lobbyists, the FIC:

Pays attention to the legislative agenda.  Every other year, there is a short session – the even numbered years, which is 2008.  The agenda should be focused on doing budgets.  However, opponents in Washington Building will sneak “rats” into bills.  During these years, we must play defense – that is, detect and fight these “rats”. 

Proactively raised three bills in committee: 

Parental Notification (CT is one of only 6 states that does not have such a law):  Associated with this, we raised Act Concerning the Required Age for Counseling to determine whether to modify the statutory age (from 16 and under to 17) related to the counseling of teens by abortion providers, prior to receiving an abortion.   This is a small step forward, an incremental step.

Fatherhood Bill -  this involves opposing same sex marriage, studying why daddy’s are needed by children, and investigating causes of fatherlessness in CT – which serve to  prompt discussions about traditional marriages and their value to families and society.

Bill to Protect Home Schoolers – this would protect the right of parents to teach without having to justify their curriculum.

Sponsored or jointly promoted events  such as the Rally to Fight to Marriage and Religious Freedom or the upcoming Catholic Awareness Day on March 6.   There was a bad showing last year (less than 100 people).  Peter said we really need a better turnout at these and similar events. In the past, we turned out 1,000+ people.  Legislators only care about numbers of people – votes.

Work to Reverse bills pushed through by the opposition, such as using a constitutional convention referendum.  Bills that were pushed through by the opposition include the same sex marriage bill (the Supreme Court can impose on CT same sex), the transgender bill (which ties the hands of local board of education – they have no recourse if Mr. Smith becomes Mrs. Smith), and the PP sex education funding bill (PP gives many services to girls; while at the same time they give condoms – which, by the way, do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV – see http://www.ct4women.com/contraception.html ).   

How You Can Help:
 Register on our site:  http://www.ctfamily.org/ ; receive alerts, stay up to date with issues and write your legislators.

-  Ques:  How are the opponents are so successful. Ans:  they are master incrementalists – they break entire bills down into increments and push one at a time.  They are also backed and funded by large organizations/foundations.  One of the group mentioned the Council of Foreign Relations – which promotes global standards that align with the opposition (we need to find out more about this).

-  Ques:  Why was it so hard to pass the parental notification?  Ans:  the other side claims that it takes too much time to involve parents, putting the girl about to have the abortion at greater risk. And if the parents have abused the girl, and she must get a waiver to not have to tell them, that too takes too much time. The suggestion was made to adjust the processes so that it will not take too much time.

V   Legislative
CT:   
Catholic Awareness Day –  To influence legislators and thereby prevent the imposition of state laws against the family, marriage, and our religions.  To this event, our flyers went out the second week in February to all Gospel of Life sponsors and Parishes and announcements were placed in 16 CT papers).  Please make every effort to come – car pooling from St. Mary, 7:30 am, and pickup at  Merritt, Exit 44, by HiHO Restaurant at 8:00 am. Call Eileen 203 847-5727.
   Global:

French Court:  Approves “registered” official naming of miscarried or stillborn children after 22 weeks gestation or if the baby weighs more than 1.1 lbs –  a good example of a global incremental win!

IL Gay Activists:  Rally against an ad showing a traditional family with mother and father, arguing the “Modern family” is unlikely to include married couples and their children.

VI  Miscellaneous and Updates from Eileen

40 Days for Life – The Gospel of Life started its vigil, Stamford PP, 1039 E. Main St, every Wed 7-10:30.

Young Lives:  Has a new director, Anneke Brown, needs volunteers for upcoming
                      ==>  Club dates:  Mar 27, Apr 24, May 22, June 12  -- call 203 803 3030.

Call for billboard donations by parishes – need more billboards up.

Call for donations for Gospel of Life – ads to get more members.  As we have grown, thanks to all of you, we have been able to attract great speakers and play a more vital role in CT Pro-life legislation.

VI. Closing Prayer

MINUTES___________________________________________________________________________________________March 8, 2008

I      Opening Prayer
II     Minutes from last meeting
III.  Review of Evangelium Vitae,  No. 25, by Fr. Greg Markey:  In reviewing the passage, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground” Fr. Markey pointed out that it not only refers to the murder of Abel, it also  pertains to certain types of sins that also cry out to God for justice such as the murders of innocent babies, the sexual deviations by the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, the robbing a laborers of their wages, and bondage of any kind.  A covenant of God must be ratified by the spilling of blood (life source).  In the Old Testament days, the blood of animals was used.  Today, the covenant is sealed with the blood of Christ “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Mt 26:28)   This blood is different – it not only requires “justice”, it l also implores mercy,  it makes intersession for the brethren before the Father, is the source of perfect redemption, and is the gift of new life. The Apostle Peter reminds us “You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers… with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pt 1:18-19).  Fr. Markey shows us that now that we are ransomed, we are to imitate the mission of Christ which is the sincere gift of self, and weare  strengthened to do this by the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  Whoever drinks this blood and abides in Jesus (cf. Jn 6:56) is drawn into the dynamism of his love and gift of life, in order to bring to its fullness the original vocation to love which belongs to everyone (cf. Gen 1:27; 2:18-24).  So, though we have inherited the murderous ways of our fathers, it is from the blood of Christ we draw the strength to instead commit ourselves to promoting life.  And, it is this blood (Sacrament) that is “the most powerful source of hope …certitude that God’s plan life will be victorious….and death will be no more”.

 IV    Speaker: Tim Jaccard, Safe Haven
There is a Safe Haven law of sorts in all states, said Tim Jaccard, author of the original Safe Haven bill passed in New York State in 2000. Jaccard, a medical officer at the Nassau County Police Department in New York, said he got tired of finding so many newborns dead.  After finding 16 dead babies in CT in 10 months, he did some research and found 13 in Houston, 12 in Mobile, or 41 babies murdered in the same 10 months in just 3 states!  He wondered how many babies were killed yearly across the US.  In 1991 there was 21,000 newborn deaths; by 1998 it had risen to 30,800 deaths.  Further investigation showed that many were Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – where the girl did not know how to deal with it or could not deal with it.

With information from the CDC, Tim drafted the first bill, called “Baby Moses Bill”,  which was signed by Pres. George Bush (while he was still a governor).  The other governors and politicians were afraid to push a pro-life movement bill.  To make this bill more saleable, Tim emphasized that it is not part of a movement but merely a bill to save newborns.  Another step that helped was to change the term “legal abandonment” to “legal relinquishment”.  He hopes to get the last bill, for Wash. D.C., signed by George Bush, giving him a legacy – he signed the first and last bills.

The Safe Haven Act in CT allows a parent or guardian to legally abandon (relinquish) a newborn infant – 30 days old or younger – to a designated mergency room employees at a hospital, without facing criminal prosecution.  In CT, a mother cannot take her newborn to a fire department or police station (as they can in other states) – only to an emergency room personnel in a hospital. Unfortunately, there are no registered hospitals in CT.  He needs help to schedule appointments with CEO’s of hospitals to make the legal arrangements.  I was thinking of calling St. Vincents and Mary Piccirillo suggested Norwalk as there is a new CEO there – If any of you can help, let me know. Tim is also in need of volunteers to help with the below. 

mothers may schedule times to drop off of their babies

once the baby is dropped off, it must be cared for

arrangements must be made either for:

the baby to be officially relinquished

a parenting plan to be put in place to help the mother keep the baby

the mother to relinquish the baby – no questions asked (in which case it goes to an adoption agency)

Typically, plans are solidified within 30 days working with the Dept of Children & Family Services (ACF) who takes custody of the baby during the process.  Volunteers can also help with a lot of the behind the scenes with procedures such as investigating the newborn’s parents,  if child is kidnapped, terminating parental rights to the child, arranging for legal adoption, etc, and volunteers are needed for he could use volunteers to help with this.  In NY, Tim has 162 volunteers. 

V      Legislative    (visit the CT Catholic Conf site for up-to-date  of legislations a  ccc@ctcatholic.org          

CT     General Assembly site:    http://www.cga.ct.gov/
Catholic Awareness Day:  Was March 6.  There were approx. 175 people there – need 825 more! However, Gospel of Life made a decent showing with about 22-25 of us there -- coming from parishes across CT (St. Rose, St. Aloysius, Assumption, St. Mary-Norwalk, Norwalk, Lady of Fatima, St. Lawrence, St. John’s, etc) A bishop focus was Parental Notification, decreased safe-sex contraceptive education, and increased Abstinence Ed. Gospel of Life members, especially Mary Piccirilli, Irene Gifford, and Augusto  Cabrera helped with registration and were invited back next year to do the same!  Please join us next year & bring friends – I’d like to have at least 150 of us there. Also, next year, I will make appointments for our group, as a whole, with several key legislators -- to introduce us!
R.B. 5499:  An Act Concerning the Required Age for Counseling – Public Hearing was Feb 26 with the Select Committee on Children (KID).  The hearing was to determine whether to modify the statutory age (from 15 and under to 17) related to the counseling of teens by abortion providers, prior to receiving an abortion.  We did well. (From our side:  Bill O’Brien, Pres, CRLC, Bob Muckle, VP CRLC, Eileen Bianchini, Board Member CRLC and Gospel of Life Chairperson, Dave Reynolds, CCC Legislative Liaison, Michael Culhane, CCC Executive Director, and Peter Wolfgang-FIC Exec Dir).   The opposition did poorly.  2/29, this bill went to the Public Health Committee http://www.cga.ct.gov/PH/ for their review.  URGENT. There, they may modify the bill.  Please write committee members ASAP and ask them to make these modification à 1) that the counselor cannot be an employee of the clinic, 2) what the counseling should include, 3) specify a 2-4 day deliberation period to give a teen time to investigate other options (pregnancy centers and adoption agencies).   (See attached testimony by Eileen.)  This was one of the bills we had been focusing on to pass. We need several  wins in CT to impress legislators that CT is a state in transistion from Pro-Choice to Pro-Life.    
JB5591 amd SB461 S.B. No. 461 (Raised) An Act Concerning Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programs) These  are two similar bills active by the Education Committee and Public Health Committee that ask for a $1 million grant to fund more safe-sex education in our schools by the abortion-contraceptive industry.  Note: the government gives that industry $12 to conduct education for every $1 given for abstinence education. With the numbers of abortions and teens getting STDs rising, it is clear that education has not worked.  We want more funding for abstinence education. It is URGENT that you write legislators on this immediately – decisions are being made as you get this. If you have a computer, See CCC for bill descriptions:. http://www.connecticut.nasccd.org/bins/connecticut/templates/splash.asp?NC=232Xhttp://www.ctfamily.org/
            Otherwise, see attached letter by Eileen --feel free to edit it and use any part or all of it. Please write legislators ASAP.
            SB-266: An Act Establishing A Task Force to Study the Causes of Fatherlessness in CT, also passed by the Select Committee on Children (KID). A key bill – it will help give visibility to the damage that is done to children when the father is not engaged in their lives, absent, or abusive. Very important. Articles to come.  Please write repeatedly on this.     
            H.B. No. 5703 (Raised) An Act Concerning The Issuance Of A Certificate Of Birth Resulting In Stillbirth On Request Of A Parent. This is another incremental – confirms the fetus is a baby.  We want this.  Please write repeatedly on this.     

Federal:
Legislation to allow adopted children, once they reach 21, to find out who their birth parents are (Opposing It):  is being explored again. Watch for it.  The CCC and National Council for Adoption opposed it in past because it would  eliminate the privacy rights of young mothers who choose to place their children up for adoption. leaving abortion or Safe Haven as the only options for mother who require privacy. The Governor vetoed similar legislation in 2006.
Top Gay Activists Admit:  HIV is a Gay Disease – see attached flyer.

VII       Miscellaneous:  
The Children’s First Foundation presented Tim with a $1,000 donation from the sale of the CT Choose Life License Plates. If you do not have one, please consider a purchase as monies go to worthy causes that we know.

VIII      Updates from Eileen

40 Days for Life – CRCL - sponsors news signs and drafted handouts  – see attached.  Think we saved a baby.  Frank Carpanzano reminder -praying in front of PP could be the “sign” a girl is looking for to not abort.

Young Lives – Volunteers and donations for summer camp needed. 
Gospel of Life Web Site – Check it out!  http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/   It has photos now (of you throughout!)  More to come!  Be sure to look at the projects section, click off the table at tope of page.

Call for donations.  We solely rely on your generous donations to handle operating expenses (mailings,  printing,  books, gas to Hartford hearings, ads, signs, etc.) – all giving us the exposure we need to attract top speakers..
Upcoming Speaker:  Apr 12:  Dr. L. Watson, MD – leading NFP family doctor, Creighton Model, New Jersey.

IX.      Closing Prayer

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   April 12, 2008

I          Opening Prayer
II         Minutes from last meeting
III        Review of Evangelium Vitae, 26, by Fr. Greg Markey.   In the preview para. Reviewed, #25, Pope John Paul II told us that we obtain strength to promote life from the blood of Christ, and it is from this that we also have our hope to be victorious over sin. There are signs of our victory over sin, but as pointed out in para. 26, it is difficult to see these signs in a  Culture of Death environment -- they are not supported by the media.   The media give a one-sided picture which can lead to sterile discouragement. 

            Yet, as Father Markey pointed out, there are all around us initiatives by good people reaching out to help the weak and defenseless – look at our own Gospel of Life Society!  (Addition to minutes by Eileen ---à and Malta House, Carolyn’s Place, our Birthrights, Young Lives,  and the many other pregnancy centers in CT–  with all of their hard working volunteers – what a wonder to behold!)  Pope JPII says “Look at these and all the efforts of so many individuals, groups, movement and organization of various kinds!”  He also suggests we ‘notice’ the many married couples who, with a generous sense of responsibility, are ready to accept children as “the supreme gift of marriage”. We are also asked to keep our eyes on the good medical breakthroughs -- the many new cures for babies, the suffering and those in an acute or terminal stage of sickness.  In group discussions afterward we all agreed that in this Culture of Death it is very easy to get a wrong perspective and develop damaging patterns of thought, emotions, and  behaviors due to it. Not only is bad news all around us, but it is like we too become programmed to dwell on the evil.  We must be watchful of ourselves and loved ones.  Lets know the evil in the world to be wise and prudent,   but dwell on the good.  

IV        Guest Speaker:    Dr. Leonie S. Watson, M.D.
                                               
            Dr. Watson is a graduate of Georgetown University Medical School and is a certified FertilityCare Medical Consultant.  She is one of New Jersey’s leading advocates for a natural family planning technology developed at Creighton University Medical School, an approach proven effective in thousands of patients nationwide.  Dr. Watson talked to us about the most scientific form of Natural Family Planning, the Creighton Model, and why it has proven in studies to be more effective than the pill in delaying pregnancy (without the pill’s risks) as well as techniques that can also be used to give meaningful help with female difficulties such as cramp, infertility, and irregularities.  

            Dr. Watson also emphasized the over-reliance and prescribing of the “pill” by most doctors.  She also pointed out that if you are Pro-life and opposed to abortion – then you must be against birth control pills which may causes abortions:  that the pills are supposed to prevent ovulation but sometimes they do not work and a new embryo could be formed.  In the presence of the pill, the new embryo would not be able to implant and so an abortion occurs”.  For women, there is a lack of knowledge, and there is no informed consent on their part.
            IUDs too have abortive action. 

            Also discussed was the declining morality among young people due to the over availability of contraceptives – readily prescribed by doctors to everything from birth control to cramps and irregularities.  This gives the young people the impression that intercourse before marriage is okay – or other forms of intimacy.  The same doctors who prescribe these contraceptives, also fail in another area.  They neglect to fully disclose of the young women what all of the risks are (such as clotting in the heart, brain, or legs which can be fatal) or to tell them what symptoms to look for, leaving them totally unarmed to combat anything that could develop.  Then, to compound all this, if a women complains, they just switch her pill. How nice!  The most insidious part of this is the depression and loss of libido. 

            What is the alternative?  Natural Family Planning.  But beware.  For every misplaced claim for the efficiency of the pill, there is an equal (and wrong) misplaced claim that NFP does not work.  It is time to change this. We need to educate doctors, priests and all who counsel women.  There are three methods of NFP.  They are: Couple to Couple League, Billings Ovulation Method and the Creighton Model Fertility Care System.    (Additional to Minutes from Dr. Watson’s brochure “An Innovative Natural Approach to Reproductive & Gynecologic Care”.  Of the three models,  the Creighton Model is the most scientific.  It is NOT the Rhythm Method.  It is a medical approach to natural family planning that is based on observation of cyclical changes in the woman’s body.  It is based on the ongoing research of Dr Thomas W. Hilgers, MD, OB/GYN, director of the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the only research facility in the US which seeks to work cooperatively with the body’s natural reproductive system to find causes and seek solutions for reproductive disorders.)

            The Creighton Model may be used to family plan (to delay or have children), but also for other reasons – it is the model to deal with infertility, chronic miscarriages, ovarian cysts, irregular hormone problems, PMS, effects of stress, breast feeding, pre-menopause, post-pill complications, etc.  Women’s fertility is cyclical and expressed by signs they can recognize. They teach the ladies how to chart cycles – watching mucus.  Interestingly, mucus plays as important role.  A type of mucus at a certain stage in a woman’s cycle serves to prevent sperm from getting through.  It can also protect a fertilized egg.  If a woman does not have regular cycles – this could be corrected, and she can then resume her family planning with reliability.   Dr. Watson urges other doctors to investigate NFP which is a win-win for doctors and patients!  Doctors, nurses and OB/GYNs are invited to attend to investigate NFP.  

            Key Answers:

Yes, there is a correlation between the pill and breast cancer.  See  works by Dr. Chris Kahlenborn.  (Addition to Minutes:  Try  http://www.omsoul.com/ThePillandBreastCancer-ChrisKahlenborn.php   or http://www.lifeissues.net/writer.php?writerID=013www.a)

Yes, infertility is epidemic now.  Dorothy said the number of infertility clinics is growing in relation to the increase in birth control, STDs, and abortion.  Couples on pill delay pregnancy, and then they encounter fertility problems.  Interesting.  Is the contraceptive-abortion industry also opening infertility clinics.  Vested interest?

Yes, IVF children could have more problems that go with being premature (such as ADD, learning disabilities, slower growth, etc).

Yes – there may be loans available for fees for Natural Family Planning training from St. Augustine.  There may also be money from the Knights of Columbus.  Also, the Christian Medical & Dental Society may have a list of benefactors.

Good books:  Women Healed, Jean Blair Packard (testimonies on Creighton Model), Natural Family Planning, Fletcher Doyle (19 true stories), Fertility Cycles & Nutrition, Marilyn M. Shannon, Begotten, Not Made, Steven Bozza (for couples experiencing infertility – pastoral care).             

V            Legislative:
CT:  May 17 and 18 is Signup Sunday for the CT Catholic Conference.  Everyone is asked to sign up online.  ccc@ctcatholic.org   Contact information: 134 Farmington Avenue,  Hartford, CT 06105,  860-524-7882
860-525-0750 fax
Federal:  A national problem -- waterways polluted by contraceptives -- influencing sex of water life.  
VII       Updates from Eileen

New Tri-State Medical Committee – We cannot convert the youth to chastity and abstinence if doctors readily give contraceptives.18 GOLS people signed up including three doctors, and 5 nurses.  We decided to hold meetings 4 times a year, after the Gospel of Life Meetings (from 12:00 to 2:00), and would schedule speakers on those days to from the medical industry.  Immediately, we will need help -- secretarial, telephone work from home, referral work, letters, rides for the girls to doctors (mostly Stamford and Norwalk area for now), database, mailings, other. If you have not signed up and wish do, please contact me (also identify what type of work you can do to help).  We have already gotten four calls from Birthright and Sisters of Life for referrals to doctors, rides and for a psychiatrist (does anyone know a Catholic dr who can do free charity work???).

Young Lives:Taking girls to camp in August.  Needs donations and people help.  A great way to have a vacation and help too!

Call for donations.  If you are pleased with what we are doing, please continue to donate to support all of our projects and tasks as well as our new Medical Committee.

Upcoming Speaker:  June 14 - Michael Culhane, Exec Dir, CT Catholic Conference who will discuss the role of  laity and lobbying with us as well as the need to be legislatively proactive.          Closing Prayer








MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   May 10, 2008

I          Opening Prayers
II         Review of April Minutes
III        Review of Evangelium Vitae, #27
Armed with the “strength to promote life from the blood of Christ (#25)” and witness of the atrocities of a Culture of Death, God’s people go forward with faith that we will be victorious (#25).  In this faith, and in “view of laws which permit abortion and which here and there have been successful to legalize euthanasia, Pope John Paul tells us in #27, that “movements and initiatives to raise social awareness in defense of life have sprung up in many parts of the world”.   Pope John Paul also points out that as a result, “such movements act resolutely, bit without resorting to violence, by promoting a wider and more profound consciousness of the value of life, and evoke and bring about a more determined commitment to its defense”.  The teams strongly agreed and gave testimony that in their own lives this is true – that the worse the world gets, the more determined they become in their pro-life work.  They further shared that they witness this across wider spectrums, such as other faithful Catholics, Christians, and other religious persons, groups and  organizations. 

In this paragraph, John Paul further says that this is a sign of hope that God will be victorious, and point out other signs of hope:

 All those daily gestures of openness, sacrifice, and unselfish care which countless people lovingly make in families, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the elderly, and other centers or communities which defend life

 The entire Church, which, allows “herself to be guided by the example of Jesus the “Good Samaritan” (cf. Lk 10:29-37)” and “has always been in the front line in providing charitable help”

The spread at many levels of public opinion, of a new sensitivity ever more opposed to war as an instrument for the resolution of conflicts between peoples, and increasingly oriented to find effective but “non-violent” means to counter the armed aggressor.

The growing attention being paid to the quality of life and to ecology, especially in more developed societies, where people’s expectations are no longer concentrated so much on problems of survival as on the search for the overall improvement of living conditions

All this gives hope, but the group agreed, that because the media emphasize the negative, it is our task and challenges to “see the good in the world and maintain our faith” – be aligned with the attitude of Pope John Paul II.   
The group welcomed this guidance and summed it up in their own words – that it is wise to know the evil but to dwell on the positive --  for a “balanced” awareness and mental health -- to cooperate with God’s grace of hope and joy.

IV        Speaker:

Linda Gabriele, Director of Malta House, 5 Prowitt St, Norwalk, (203) 857-0088, shared a great deal of information about Malta House, a shelter for homeless pregnant women and their newborns.   We asked her to focus on the services they provide and the many reasons for their tremendous success.  Note:  Malta House is part of the Order of Malta, a worldwide religious order of the Catholic Church that has been serving the sick and poor for over 1,000 years.  In various localities, Malta delivers a wide variety of services.  For example, in some areas, Malta sponsors a mobile clinic for the poor, and in other parts of the country Malta takes the poor and sickly to Lourdes.  Here in Norwalk, Malta House helps moms through and beyond their baby’s birth (up to 18 months after birth), helping them to become financially capable (earn more than minimum wage) and to learn homemaking, parenting, appreciate others, and do time management -- ensuring that when the young women leave, they can be self-sufficient for themselves and their children. For example the girls are required to adhere to certain rules which will prepare them to succeed in the world.  They must:   get up at 7 A.M. daily (Linda bangs on their doors to wake them saying “Good morning. Let’s go!  You will never have this day again!” pay attention to their babies learn to manage time and money get their GED and then go to the Norwalk College to get a certificate in a particular skill that will enable them to be hired for a higher paying job Linda said, “Doing this and having a graduation is a huge experience for them”.  In everything, the girls are given continual guidance and help. And, they are influenced to stop thinking just about themselves, and start thinking about their babies too, the people around them, their future, and have hopes for what they can be and do for their family.  Linda said, “This is different from the typical TV message – that it is ideal to have and lean on a boyfriend – that they need to rely on men and without a man they cannot do much for themselves”.   Currently, they have 8 babies in house and they go through 1,000 diapers per week.  To help girls deal with reality, they  are reminded of the costs of living in Norwalk (ie, just a studio is now $900/mo in Section 8 housing with a 2-3 year wait, etc.). The girls appreciate the research done on their behalf, truthfulness, and foresight. Malta is now taking this training and help further by beginning a program to assist the girls after they leave Malta House  – to reinforce teachings and love, help them get a job, child care (typically $140/wk), transportation, drivers license, money for a bus to look for a job, etc.   They, naturally are almost always full.  Currentl, as of May, they only had one opening.  Not a surprise!  Please consider volunteering.  Linda is very interested in bringing in people to help, but also to be role models for the girls.  They can learn a lot from us.

               
V          Legislative:                                                      
CT:  May 17 and 18 is Signup Sunday for the CT Catholic Conference.  Everyone is asked to sign up online.  ccc@ctcatholic.org   Contact information: 134 Farmington Avenue,  Hartford, CT 06105,  860-524-7882  860-525-0750 fax            

VI         Miscellaneous

VII        Updates from Eileen

Medical Committee – 18 GOLS people signed up including three doctors, and 5 nurses. From them, we have some key volunteers -- that we need immediately -- a secretary to take minutes, a person to maintain a database, and a referral hotline.  If you have not signed up and are interested, fill in the second signup sheet going around this week.

Billboard – in Bridgeport was taken down after having been up much longer than we expected (with the last few months being free to us).  If we put another one up, we will probably put it in the same location on Main St.  The pregnant girls see it on their way to the abortion clinic and become receptive to talking.  It helps to save more babies.

Safe Haven – we are in communication with Norwalk Hospital  -- the CEO has all the material.  Seeking to schedule a fact-finding  appointment with Tim Jaccard, President.  Though all hospitals are by law automatically safe havens, none of our CT hospitals are trained yet. 

Call for donations.  If you are pleased with what we are doing, please continue to donate to support all of our projects and tasks.  Now that we have a Medical Committee, we must fund it too; including providing help to doctors and nurses who take the Creighton Model Training.  Doctors take the medical consulting program and non-doctors the practitioner program. Some of the lecture sessions are slightly different for each.. Fees for either are $2,750 + $900 for books. Every $50 helps. We may also be able to get some help from Catholic hospitals and other organizations.    

Upcoming:

June 7, Protest the Pill Day:  National event.  Just rally outside abortion clinics with a sign stating “Protest the Pill Day” (Promoted by the ALL). For information on how the pill kills babies, Dr. Watson’s explanation in these minutes is the best. Also, see http://www.thepillkills.com/

June 14 - Speaker:  Michael Culhane, Executive Director, CT Catholic Conference

July 12 Speaker:  Nina Bell. Nina is the Field Development Coordination, Concerned Women for America – a national organization.  Here is a powerful rap video on abortion from Nina for viewing by Birthrights, Malta House, pregnancy care centers, youth groups, and university pro-life groups – take a look!  Touching with high impact.   If you do not have a computer, have you grandchildren show it to you – they will totally enjoy it too.  It is just a couple of minutes and has a good ending – ok for younger children. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdOCwd9EttE 

Update on Work with  Youth & University Students  (St. Francis of Assisi parish, UConn, Sacred Heart, Yale) -  a Sept 17 speaking engagement is scheduled at SH on chasity/abstinence.

July 25 – 40th Anniversary Celebration of Humanae Vitae – At St. Mary – A High  Mass at 6:30 P.M. & following reception.  See:
/www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

 

Closing Prayer

 




 

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________  June 14, 2008

I           Opening Prayers
II          Review of April Minutes
III         Review of Evangelium Vitae, #28

This is the passage by John Paul II that motivated the design of our banner, which includes portions of it.  Here it is in its entirety. “This situation, with its lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the “culture of death” and the “culture of life”.  We find ourselves no only “faced with” but necessarily “in the midst of” this conflict:  we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life”.  But, as Fr. Markey pointed out, it continues to deliver an important warning….””See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil….I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live” (DT 30:15, 19).  The group discussed the truth and power of this message.
           
IV Speaker:  Our speaker was Mr. Michael C. Culhane, Executive Director, CT Catholic Conference. Mike discussed each of the key points below from a Final Report on legislative issues, as of May 14, 2008:

Sex Education and Teen Pregnancy Prevention:  This bill was $1 million and then reduced in the Public health Committee, and then all money bills were disappeared.  We can expect to see it again next year. The abortion industry is trying to blame parent’s poor sex education of children for the great increases of abortions and STDs.  In fact, it is because of their school education on the normalness of free sex, and wide distribution of condoms and contraceptives that there are significant increases.  Birth control does not protect against STDs, and the pill does not work effectively to prevent conception --- for many reasons – for example, if a girl is taking antibiotics and other teen medicines and products – that is why pills and IUDs must also be abortifacients…..if they fail as contraceptives, they double as abortifacients to kill the embryo. (Read how in the attached flyer).
Open Adoption:  Planned Parenthood people opposed this.
Same Sex Marriage:  this is a long-term strategy begun years ago supposedly to prevent discrimination in housing, then it was expanded to credit, and now, in 2008, we are fighting to maintain a definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.  CT is targeted.  On this subject, Pope Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger, wrote, “Such support, or even the semblance of such support, can be gravely misinterpreted.  Special attention should be given to the practice of scheduling religious services and to the use of Church buildings by these groups, including the facilities of Catholic schools and colleges.  To some, such permission to use Church property may seem only just and charitable; but in reality it is contradictory to the purpose for which these institutions were founded, it is misleading and often scandalous.”
Gender Identity:  supports transsexuals – very persistent.
Abortion Counseling Bill 5499: The opposition had been promoting that abortions are safe and young mothers do not need formal counseling, beyond what Planned Parenthood ives anyway, no matter what their age is.   Currently, it is mandated that girls 15 and under receive counseling.  This bill requests that girls of up to 18 receive counseling.  The bill moved through the Children’s Committee.  In that committee, Senator Meyers wanted to redefine counseling, but it was suggested by our group to let the bill go as it is.  Sometimes, when you ask for too much, the bill dies because committee members cannot agree.  There is a strategy, called the “incremental strategy” which suggests it is better to minimize what you are asking in a bill to get it out of committee and passed. You can always return to it to enhance it.  The bill next went to the Public Health Committee where the women there were so distraught over it, they did not even want the bill to be discussed.  The bill died. T.R. Rowe re-introduced it, but too few knew about it.  It will be re-introduced in 2009. Be ready.

Mike also discussed a chart showing abortions performed in CT rose from 12,908 in 2000 to 14,534 in 2007, according to the CT Dept of Public Health.   Because of lax or non-existent regulations, not all abortions are reported; nor does this include chemical abortions, or abortifacient contraceptives (see attached definition). We also lack factual information on the ages of girls who have had abortions and the percentage of minors. 

To help the CCC, Mike said it is very important to regularly visit ccc@ctcatholic.org  --  where you may review topics of interest and be sure to sign up to be a part of the CCC Advocacy Network. Fr. Markey confirmed the importance of this and next year Gospel of Life will host a CCC Advocacy Network Weekend to motivate more of our parish to do this.  Mike also shared frustrations about the small numbers of Catholics who show up for Catholic Awareness Day.  Gospel of Life had about 22 people there, but hundreds more were needed.  Legislators look at our small numbers and conclude that Catholics are not pro-life in action, only in lip service.  Mike said this does not help him or other lobbyists to be effective and he requested fuller support during next year’s event and other rallies and marches to show we ARE pro-life!  He said that our presence at these events and our physical visits to legislators, any time, mean a lot.  Also, he suggested we keep writing, and when we do, make our letters educational, logical and polite – to win attention and influence.

V          Legislative:                                                      
CT:  Reminder: May 17 and 18 was Signup Sunday for the CT Catholic Conference.  Everyone was asked to sign up online.  ccc@ctcatholic.org   Contact information: 134 Farmington Avenue,  Hartford, CT 06105,  860-524-7882  860-525-0750 fax            

VI         Miscellaneous

Young Lives:  Summer camp is August 6-11, taking young moms and their babies for the best week of their life.  Donations are still needed for 24 more girls to go ($450 camp costs per girl).  Please pray for the success of this trip. Call Anneke to donate or help at  (203) 803-3030.

Apologetics for the New Evangelization:  Mary Taylor, is teaching this course for the diocese on July 19 and 26th. It is six modules presented on two Saturdays from 9-1pm. at the Catholic Center right off the Merritt Parkway in Bridgeport. (See attached flyer.)


VII        Updates from Eileen

The CT Right to Life Corporation (CRLC) continues to help us:  To directly fight abortion.

Jenny Story Billboard (hear her story at http://www.ct4women.com/) and CT4Women Web site.  (In July’s board meeting, it was decided to put the $1050/month billboard back up in August to take advantage of school shopping at the nearby mall.)

Abortion Clinic Posters:  $280 was contributed to print 2 sets of 4 posters, for use in Stamford & Bridgeport. Janet Torres is handling the distribution of posters.  (Your donations paid $105 for 3 additional posters of the Jenny Story billboard).

“List of Preg Centers” handouts: Monies are being contributed to pay for the printing and distribution of thousands.

NFP Brochures:  $500 was contributed to keep an inventory of brochures and books for distribution, as required, to doctors/nurses investigating the Creighton Model and training.

Tri State Medical Committee  –  now up to 21 members and multiple committees: still open for signup:

Secretary:  Kim Whitmore and Mary Piccirillo will take Medical Committee minutes.

Customer Service manager:  Kim Whitmore will manage the hotline to answer questions about the committee, processes, training, prices,  books, courses, etc.

Promotion & Fulfillment Manager:  Kathleen Joyce, will assist in the design and implementation of campaigns and distribute pamphlets & books to GOLS members for their doctors

Sr. Creighton Model Coordinator for CT:  Cortney Davis will guide doctors/nurses planning to investigate  pro-life and Creighton Model.

Doctor Referral Service:  Dorothy Dugandzic will manage this hotline to refer girls to pro-life doctors.  Call her at  (914) 476-4858.

Driver/pregnancy Center Referral Service:   Angela Marchetti will manage this, 203 327-1134.  The objective is to help unwed mothers find a pregnancy center that meets their needs.  Most centers have their own drivers. We will drive to doctors or hospital clinics only when the PC is unable to.  (Note:We need women drivers with insurance.  If you call Angela and let her know what days and hours work for you  she will put them on her master schedule).

Medical Committee Web site & Database Designer:  Paul  McLaughlin.

Call for donations.  We thank you for all your donations which support these key projects. 

Upcoming:

Update on Work with  Youth & University Students  (Rachel’s Vineyard people are being called back by St. Francis of Assisi parish to talk to more of their parents.  And, atSacred Heart -  we are scheduled to speak on Sept 17 on chasity/abstinence.July 25 – 40th Anniversary Celebration of Humanae Vitae – At St. Mary – A High  Mass at 6:30 P.M. & following reception.  See attached flyer.


 



MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   July 12, 2008


I        Opening Prayers
II      Minutes from last meeting
III     Review of Evangelium Vitae, #29   
This paragraph begins with “The life was made manifest, and we saw it” (1 Jn 1:2): with our gaze fixed on Christ, ‘the Word of life’ ”.  John Paul II points out that “Faced with the countless grave threats to life present in the modern world, one could feel overwhelmed by sheer powerlessness”  He continues that at such times, “every believer is called to profess with humility and courage its faith in Jesus Christ, “the Word of life” (1 Jn 1:1).   

Fr. Markey shared that the Gospel of Life is concrete and personal.  It is not a social group, and we are Christians -- not because we believe in its core principles --  but because we have a personal relationship with the Lord and direct access.  When we are working for the Culture of Life, we are working for Christ.

Jesus made Himself known to us when He said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6).  Jesus also made it clear to us that “He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26).  Our Lord equates Himself with life. Pope John Paul II says that “Through the words, the actions and very person of Jesus, man is given the possibility of “knowing” the complete truth concerning the value of human life.  From this “source” he received, in particular, the capability to “accomplish” this truth perfectly (cf. Jn 3:21), that is, to accept and fulfill completely the responsibility of loving and serving, of defending and promoting human life.  In Christ, the Gospel of Life is definitely proclaimed and fully given.  This is the Gospel which, already present in the Revelation of the Old Testament, and indeed written in the heart of every man and woman, has echoed in every conscience “from the beginning,” from the time of creation it, in such a way that, despite the negative consequences of sin, it can also be known in its essential traits by human reason.  Fr. Markey pointed out that Christ is with us to raise us up from sin and death – Christ is our hope in sickness and in death --  to life eternal. 

IV        Legislative:   

V      Updates from Eileen

CT4Women.com is educating young women! Visitors to this Web site have steadily increased. Visitors are primarily from CT, but also  all over the United, especially Texas and California, and other parts of the world including UK, Canada, Germany, China, India, Philippines, Israel, Sweden,  Australia, South Africa and Mexico.  Pages visited most are -- pregnancy centers, parenting, abortion, baby development,  contraception, men hurt too, adoption, media, pregnancy tests  – in that order.  50% of those who visit pregnancy centers also visit parenting, abortion and baby development.  30% visit men hurt and adoption (for adoption – this is good),


Medical Committee – volunteers are needed to help with PR.  If interested, call Eileen.

Promotion Committee – We started work.  We have a preliminary PR Plan for the Medical Committee with the help of Kathleen Joyce, Chair.

Life Chain Committee -  Will be Oct 5.  Location TBD.

Abortion Clinic Vigil Successes –  Many in Stamford and Bridgeport.

Upcoming Events & Speakers:

July 25 – 40th Anniversary Celebration of Humanae Vitae – Mass and Meeting
/www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

Aug 9 Speaker:  Dr. R. Scanlon Aug 9 Medical Committee Meeting:  12:00 – 2:00 pm

FIC - Sept 28 Rally for Marriage!  Please plan to attend to promote traditional marriage, to distribute our Pregnancy Center Flyers.  Logistical info to come. St Mary will have 1 or 2 buses for car pooling.

Oct - Thomas Strobhaur – ProVita Advisors - Financial – Morality of Investing – Avoid Abortion Partnering

VII.  Speaker:  Antonina (Nina) Bell, Field Development Coordinator, Concerned Women for America, Washington, D.C.  CWA is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization with a rich history of helping our members apply Biblical principles to all levels of Public policy.  CWA has been working to protect and promote Biblical values among all citizens for 30 years.  Nina refers us to their brochure, “Biblical Support for CWA’s Core Issues” which states support for a basic Judeo-Christian worldview which “once served as the bedrock of Western Civilization”.  It continues that “In recent times, Western Civilization has willingly chosen to exchange the faith and logic of a Biblical worldview for an irrational secularism based on an unthinking and cruel relativism….and “CWA affirms the Bible’s unmistakable standard that there is right and wrong; that God is the Authority who established right and wrong… that He has sent a Savior, Jesus Christ, to free us from our sin…”

Nina shared some vital information with us and invited us to continue to network their CWA to our common good.

The ACLU and Abortion Industry Apply Money Against Pro-Life:  Has hundreds of millions of dollars to spend to promote their view on issues -- fighting against Pro-life.  Currently, they are working hard with the Abortion Industry to take away parent’s rights.  One of CWA’s six core issues is to fight for parent’s rights.

The ACLU and Abortion Industry also Apply Tactics Against Pro-Life:  For example, they discourage children from communicating with their parents by saying “your parents do not understand”.  To deal with this, and other tactics, the CWA snds material to every church having a CWA chapter to educate them, ask them to pray, and take action (ie, talk on college campuses, start chapters on college campuses, rise up young women and prepare them to take over, and give help to students who are Pro-life and are coping with a great deal of peer pressure.

The ACLU and Abortion Industry work hard to get supporting bills and fight against opposing bills.  For example, they teamed up to cause funding for Abstinence to be rejected. 

The CWA works against the ACLU and Abortion Industry and their methods with a strong faith in God as their source of supply and strength.

The CWA recognizes

God is in the business of saving lives – each and every life is important to Him.

We are facing Goliath just as David did, and that we too have the power of the living God who is still in control.

The CWA, Gospel of Life and all Pro-life People Should be Commended
They face the giant:

With faith in God’s ability to break strongholds and assist us to push forward. 

Not by hanging back, but like David, running toward the enemy – fighting immorality on all levels and wherever it is – in schools, the media, the movies, etc.

With our prayers and rosaries as well as our actions – a balance of both!  This is what causes abortion clinics to close – the prayers and rosaries. Catholics have been forerunners of prayer vigils.  Prayers are more responsible for victory than those on the battle field.

And yet there is wisdom to realize that the strategy should not be to change the whole world at once, but to change one person at a time, change our immediate environment, and to be persistent. 

VIII.      Closing Prayer

 

 

 

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   August 9, 2008

I         Opening Prayers
II       Minutes from last meeting
III      Review of Evangelium Vitae, #30
In Fr. Markey’s review of the last paragraph, he pointed out that in a Culture of death, it is through Christ, with whom we are all graced with a personal relationship and can rise up from sin and death.  Now, in this new paragraph, Pope John Paul II gives more explanation and asks us to “keep our attention fixed on the Lord Jesus…to hear from him once again ‘words of God’ …about human life“. Pope John Paul II explains that the heart of any meditation on human life is taken up by the Apostle John in the opening words of his First Letter, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes…touched with our hands….was made manifest ….which was with the Father and was made manifest to us ----- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. 

Pope John Paul II adds that the “Word of life”, God’s eternal life is thus proclaimed and given….for God’s earthly lifeis in fact the end to which our living in this world is directed and called. In this way, Gospel of Life includes everything that human experience and reason tell us about the value of human life, accepting it, purifying it, exalting it and bring it to fulfillment”.  Fr. Markey explains – “Christ came to earth and we got to see him, a regular person.  What is less apparent is that by God’s becoming man, we all are sanctified and a special value is attached to human life.”  Father says that “when we understand and accept this, it purifies our lives”.  The group talked about saying “yes” to God on a daily basis -- whenever He asks – even when it is hard, expensive, inconvenient, or when you are too pressed for time.  

IV      Miscellaneous
V       Legislative

40 Abortions a Day in CT -- Statistics Chart handed out.

Bush Seeks to Forbid Fed Aid Discrimination against Pro-Life Health Care Professionals

VI   Updates from Eileen

Jan 17 Tri-State Medical Seminar –  Invitations to doctors and nurses are going out in Sept through the mail and newsletters (Sisters of Life, medical associations, Right to Life orgs in NY, NJ, CT, PA, RI, LI, etc. 

volunteers needed to help create mailing lists and do mailings.  Easy - no experience necessary.

Pregnancy Center Promotion Committee – Circulating are the new flyers.  We will give these out at every meeting, rally, march, etc  CT Right to Life is sponsoring flyer production.  Flyers wil be handed out at the Sept 28 FIC Rally for Marriage and Oct 5 Life Chain.

Promotion Committee – need volunteers to do a lot of  varied promotional work for all of our committees.

 
Life Chain -   Will be Oct 5.  Catholics, Christians, and like-minded. Location TBD – committee considering Wilton, Westport, Norwalk, Stamford. Is your parish interested? Call Tim Dineen at 203 762-7674

FIC - Sept 28 Rally for Marriage!  Please plan to attend to promote traditional marriage, to distribute our Pregnancy Center Flyers, and bring your families. Review below family benefits.  St. Mary, Norwalk, will have a  bus  - leaving from St. Mary’s parking lot at 12:30.  Contact Erlinda to sign up for a seat (866-5546).  First come, first serve.  There is no charge.   Also contact Erlinda if you care to donate water or munchies for the ride.

Upcoming Speakers Sept - Fr. DiMarco, St. Maurice, Will discuss the “Value of Pro-Life Events to Families”.  For example:   Pro-life events with parents give children a comfortable way to approach sexual subjects and ask questions These events are quality-time – they do not just entertain but give children and parents ways to learn more about each other and love each other Children who participate in these events do not think of abortion.  If an unscheduled pregnancy should happen, they will do adoption. Oct - Thomas Strobhaur – ProVita Advisors - Financial – Morality of Investing – Avoid Abortion Partnering Nov – Alexandra and Paul McLaughlin, will review the Creighton Model with us for discussions with our doctors. Dec -  Ellen Luczun, Natl. Assoc of Pro-Life Nurses – Ellen is a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse at St.Vincent’s School of Nursing, Staten Island, NY.  She also serves as a therapist for Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat weekends.

 

VII.  Speaker:

Dr. Robert Scanlon, M.D., OB/GYN, Natural Family Planning, Creighton Model -- Dr. Scanlon is a dedicated Pro-life, OB/GYN, provider of NaPro Technology services.  He shared that throughout his medical schooling, he was never exposed to Pro-life or even using alternative natural products to cure female problems.  (Addition to minutes:  when I took the Creighton Model Training Course for Practitioners, this week, the doctor-trainers said they, too, never learned any aspect of NaProTechnology in their schooling – not even the simple cures that involve giving a hormore.  Female reproductive system was not a scheduled subject.) Dr. Scanlon said his exposure came through Pro-life people who sought him out and gave him material from One More Soul.  Currently, he is a director of three pregnancy centers on Long Island, does volunteer medical work in West Africa, and maintains a successful OB/GYN practice in Huntington into which he brings his new training and God.  Dr. Scanlon cares about the unwed mothers who come into his office wanting an abortion and to kill their babies.  He says, “I help them realize this is not a humane choice for them or their babies”.  He tells them they “Will never b e able to look at children again without reliving the pain of the abortion – loss of their baby”.   He said, “These women usually do not do abortion.  There is joy in this, and it all about love.  When we do what we do with love – there is joy.   The FertilityCare Creighton Model supports a philosophy under God’s moral law. It respects women – it is a well prepared body of knowledge, diagnostic methods, and treatments that are standardized and have predictive qualities of a true science – something you can be proud to introduce to your own doctors.  It may be used to help women plan or post pone pregnancies.  For example, it assists women to become more aware of their personal cycles, manage their cycles to help ovulation, cervical mucus, and chances of pregnancy.  There are actually many ways available to help a woman get pregnant by enhancing fertility,  curing causes of infertility or maximize fertility, protect mothers and babies from miscarriages, etc.  And abilities to post pone pregnancy have a high effective rate (as high as the pill without the risks of the pill).   But it is much more than that.—through this technology most chronic problems such as Polycystic ovary syndrome, PMS or too much bleeding can be easily cured, and cancers can be detected in time, even before women are aware of any symptoms.  And, all this can be done without turning off the woman’s cycle (as the pill does). One would think women would be shouting for greater accessibility to something like this.  Or, maybe doctors have not been telling women about alternatives…. Dr. Scanlon points out, “The Church is fractured…..It was already damaged  when Humanae Vitae came out and now it is worse…From the OB/GYN’s perspective, what I see is widespread Pre-Cana sessions that do not talk about Pro-life, couples living together for many years before seeking the blessings of a sacramental marriage, couples who live together but do not talk together because the SPICE has gone out of their marriage or, worse yet, they never had it, and surgeons who do not know how to do surgery or to learn this new technology and so they give the pill or do IVF --  which takes God out of the equation….. And when, due to IVF, there are unnaturally five children in the womb, these same doctors will help the mother decide which two children to kill because her womb is too small and cannot support five.  This, they would rather do that learn a new technology that would make their patients fertile.  This is un-Godly and inhumane. Yet I do get calls from others whose daughters are away at college, have PMS, and doctors there put the girl on birth control pills – the unnatural, risky way to implement a cure.  Is deception of self and others and non-love what we want for our children?  No.  We want them to walk with God and to experience love of God and love of others. Dr. Scanlon advises – “If you want to convert your doctors and try to do so using medical science as your reason – you will run into trouble.  You must do it on moral grounds.  We have got to get to a place where the doctor understands the role of God and wishes to work with God.”

VIII.  Closing Prayer –  plus the “GOLS” Prayer for parishes.                             

 

 




MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   Sept 13, 2008

I          Opening Prayers

II       Minutes from last meeting

III      Review of Evangelium Vitae, #31  

In this paragraph, Pope John Paul II speaks about the fullness of the Gospel message about life which was prepared for in the Old Testament especially in the events of Exodus – where Israel discovered the preciousness of its life in the eyes of God.  More importantly, that its destiny was not at the mercy of a Pharaoh, but Israel’s life is the “object of God’s gentle and intense love”. 

We see here that freedom from slavery could mean the gift of an identity, the recognition of an indestructible dignity.  This is demonstrated in the story of Joseph who was sold by his brothers and later became a trusted advisor to the Pharaoh.  His brothers did not recognize him at first and when they did, they become fearful, remembering what they had done.  But Joseph reconciled with them. 

History then rewarded Joseph and his descendants – they were treated well by the Pharaoh, lived well, and multiplied.  The then Pharaoh became concerned about the possible power of the Israelites…and so they became discriminated against and persecuted.  Today, we have population control through abortion, sterilizations, and Euthanasia.  When we encounter such challenges, we too, like Israel, are to turn to God who says, “I formed you, you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me” (Is 44:21).  

IV      Miscellaneous

V       Legislative

40 Abortions a Day in CT -- Statistics Chart handed out.

Bush Seeks to Forbid Fed Aid Discrimination against Pro-Life Health Care Professionals

VI   Updates from Eileen

Jan 17 Tri-State Medical Seminar –  Invitations to doctors and nurses are going out in Sept through the mail and newsletters (Sisters of Life, medical associations, Right to Life orgs in NY, NJ, CT, PA, RI, LI, etc. 

volunteers needed to help create mailing lists and do mailings.  Easy - no experience necessary.

Pregnancy Center Promotion Committee – Circulating are the new flyers.  We will give these out at every meeting, rally, march, etc  CT Right to Life is sponsoring flyer production.  Flyers wil be handed out at the Sept 28 FIC Rally for Marriage and Oct 5 Life Chain.

Promotion Committee – need volunteers to do a lot of  varied promotional work for all of our committees.

Life Chain -   Will be Oct 5.  Will be in Stamford for Catholics, Christians, and like-minded.

FIC - Sept 28 Rally for Marriage!   St. Mary, Norwalk, will have a  bus  - leaving from St. Mary’s parking lot at 12:30.  Contact Erlinda to sign up for a seat (866-5546). There is no charge.   Also contact Erlinda if you care to donate water or munchies for the ride.

Upcoming Speakers   Oct - Thomas Strobhar – ProVita Advisors - Financial – Morality of Investing – Avoid Abortion Partnering Nov – Alexandra and Paul McLaughlin, will review the Creighton Model with us for discussions with our doctors. Dec -  Ellen Luczun, Natl. Assoc of Pro-Life Nurses – Ellen is a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse at St.Vincent’s School of Nursing, Staten Island, NY.  She also serves as a therapist for Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat weekends.

 VII.  Speaker:

Fr.Anthony DiMarco (who can be seen in video #33 on http://www.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/face-of-pro-life/  Fr. DiMarco spoke in general about the value of parental participation in the pro-life movement (at the level of Life Chains, vigils, marches, and rallies).  It improves the respect children have for their parents who they perceive to be willing to act on their moral conscience, and it lends credibility to parental advice as they see that their parents and care enough to take the time to be well-informed. It also increases the effectiveness of parental communications on abstinence and chastity (especially when parents also teach the value in the world and morals of self-discipline).  Farther says that these children generally do not use contraceptives or get abortions.  If there is an unscheduled pregnancy, they pursue adoption.  Father DiMarco also coached us on how we can implement a successful 40 Days for Life in 2009.  First off, he advised that with any big project, the key is to NOT get intimidated, but to cut it down into parts.  For 40 Days, for example, 2 reps must first get the Bishop’s approval in a letter which can be sent to pastors. Next, personally follow-up with pastors, and just ask --  “Did you get the letter?  If NO, “Here it is”. Each parish should attempt to cover one or two 24-hour days at ONE LOCATION (Stamford or Bridgeport).  Each parish’s sponsor is that parish’s focal point. Someone creates and maintains a schedule – listing every parish and their 24-hour days.  Once a parish signs up for a 24-hour day, it is up to them to find the volunteers to stand outside the abortion clinic and cover the 24 hours.  If you cannot cover all 24, that’s okay.  Do the best you can. \ Generally, it is best to have the men do midnight to 8 am, sr citizen for 8am to 6pm, and young people do 6 pm -10pm adults 18-40 –3 pm to 10 pm -- though busy in their careers, they can do this.  They do not go to Mass as much as the retired. Here is a chance to make a difference. If we can only do 12 hours instead of 24 – that’s okay. It will build over the years. The idea is to not to let it overwhelm you, and JUST DO IT!!!!  This even, like the Life Chain, gives results.  There are some demons, that only intense praying can drive away!!! THE TEAM WAS SO FIRED UP, 8 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE.  They all liked Fr. DiMarco, felt he could be talked to, and would like him to come back!

 VIII.  Closing Prayer –  plus the “GOLS” Prayer for parishes.                         

IX:  Call for Donations.

 

 

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Oct, 2008

I          Opening Prayers

II       Minutes from last meeting

III      Review of Evangelium Vitae, #32

The emphasis was on the love of God toward his sons and daughters and dignity of humans.  Pope John Paul II says that “Just as God who ‘loves the living’ (cf.Wis 11:26) had reassured Israel in the midst of danger, so now the Son of God proclaims to all -- who feel threatened and hindered that their lives -- too are a good to which the Father’s love gives meaning and value…The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them” (Lk 7:22).  Jesus makes his mission clear that “all who suffer because their lives are in some way ‘diminished’ thus hear from him the ‘good news’ of God’s concern for them, and they know for certain that their lives too are a gift carefully guarded in the hands of the Father (cf. Mt 6:25-34). Pope John Paul II further says that Christ showed us that our faith in this is well founded.  

Fr. Markey emphasized that all who participate in the Culture of Death – which includes the full range of sins including same sex marriages -- are themselves reducing their dignity.  This goes against what Christ wants for us – full dignity.  Christ came to restore our dignity in any way that we are lacking or poor.  The group agreed that with Christ’s presence and help, we can scrutinize ourselves and more clearly see where we habitually error in our thinking, approaches, ways of dealing with challenges, or in our life styles and adjust and repent, thus giving ourselves the opportunity to be healed. 

John Paul II says, “Only those who recognize that their life is marked by the evil of sin can discover in an encounter with Jesus the Savior the truth and authenticity of their own existence” -- can repent and be healed.  Jesus himself says as much, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. 

IV      Miscellaneous

V       Legislative

A great video sent by many of you for all of you!   

http://deacbench.blogspot.com/2008/09/prepare-to-be-stunned.html

Request for your 50,000+ Votes from Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (Attached) – UN will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dec 10.  The abortion industry is planning to deliver a petition of 50,000 votes calling for a right to abort.  Please sign our petition and help us get more than 50,000 votes to protect the unborn baby’s right to life. 

(Also attached is the latest report – as of Oct 6, we have 15,000 votes!)

VI   Updates from Eileen

Same Sex Ruling.  It Passed in CT Though Sept 28 FIC Rally for Marriage – Successful. Over 2,800 people there!  Good job! St. Mary, alone, had about 70 people there! Our people also rallied to put signs out to vote YES on #1 and stand outside polls to collect signatures.

Oct 5 - Life Chain  - Successful.  On Oct 5, More than 1,300 cities had one or more Life Chains in America. 135 people turned out for our Life Chain, Atlantic St and Tresser Blvd in Stamford, holding signs-- including adults, youth groups, older people, Sisters of Life, priests – was wonderful.  Sign up for advance notifications on the 2009 Life Chain; call Tim Dineen at 203 762-7674

 

VII  Speaker Today:  Oct - Thomas Strobhar – ProVita Advisors - Financial – Morality of Investing – Avoid funding Abortion! (513) 298-8125   Tom pointed out that to change the Culture, we must change the laws such as Roe vs Wade and other laws enacted to support Planned Parenthood – a group that is determined to rid the world of undesirable races. Large companies donate large sums and influence the course of world history. The problem is that most stockholders do not know what charities their company funds.  Even when you go to stockholder meeting, it may not be visible information. How does this happen?  What can we do?  1)  You can try buying some stock in the company and go to executive meetings, and bring up the topic.  Major corporations give out to hundreds of groups without a lot of thought.  Answers may not be readily available. Yet, it may be a top issue.  For example, at an American Express board meeting, they were concerned about contributing to population control because it made people in India very uncomfortable. 2)  Track some of the big investors like Warren Buffet.  He is worth 50-60 billion, and contributes to population control (which you know is forced abortion and sterilization in other parts of the world). Bill Gates is another. 3) Notice state and govt policies and procedures – it is cheaper to pay for abortions than to raise children of unwed mothers. 4)  Living wills are popular now with interpretations that to “Not resuscitate” means to not give food and water.  It is cheaper to kill a dieing person earlier than wait for natural death.  Replace your living will with a “loving will” from American Life League and have it notarized with two unbiased witnesses. 5)  Check out pornography too.  It really contributes to “low dignity”, yet it is a $10 billion industry.  More money is spent on pornography in the US than on sporting events.  Hotels too are involved – they market their porn videos – it is a good portion of their revenue. 6)  Another issue is marriage.  There are benefits to living together – even though it goes against moral law. 7)  Insurance companies too pay for abortions because it is more cost effective. 8)  What funds does your 401K or Church invest in?  Many support corporations that profit from human weakness, such as the drug companies that market contraceptives.  Check this out and pull your money out of these investments. 9)  You can boycott companies that produce immoral products or fund immoral social behaviors. To act:  Get a list of such companies.  Go to www.fightpp.org (540) 631-0380 – ask for the “Boycott List” Or for information:  ProVita Advisors (513) 298-8125

 Upcoming Speakers:

Nov – Alexandra and Paul McLaughlin, will review the Creighton Model with us for discussions with our doctors.

Dec -  Ellen Luczun, Natl. Assoc of Pro-Life Nurses – Ellen is a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse at St.Vincent’s School of Nursing, Staten Island, NY.  She also serves as a therapist for Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat weekends. 

 




MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   November 8, 2008

GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY
Nov 8 Minutes, 2008
I       Opening Prayers
II    Review of Evangelium Vitae, #33
Pope John Paul II points out that in Jesus’ own life, from beginning to end, he suffered – his experienced uncertainty, rejection on the part of a world
which was hostile and looked for the child in order “to destroy him (Mt 2:13)”, was indifferent, was unconcerned about the fulfillment of the mystery
of this life entering the world, and made no room at the inn.  From the beginning, his life was in jeopardy from opponents, but life’s contradictions and
risks were fully accepted by Jesus.  He was willing to suffer to be born among us and bring us new life and graces.  By his poverty we have the opportunity
to become rich.  Fr. Markey pointed out that this means that we too must be willing to suffer.  Our suffering is to speak out on uncomfortable issues (such
as same sex or abortion), be willing to become alienated, or to be perceived as in the minority.  Father said “We cannot follow Him and be Country Club
Catholics!”  Father further counseled that we must be persistent in our speaking out -- that there are some things worth saying even if poorly.  On election
day, Nov 4, our opposition tried to make us appear intolerant.  But, they’re in favor of murder and persistent in what they do.  They are still killing 4000
babies a day in America and 35 babies a day in Connecticut. We cannot sit silently by.  Fr. Markey advised that when we remain silent we support
Pro-Choice. Father said that “Part of our job is to always be ready with the proper words and to speak the truth.  We do not have to say a lot – just stick
to the truth. The Catholic faith will grow only to the extent the masses are willing to become poor.

III    Miscellaneous: 
Discussed the wonderful truths shared in the Janet Smith CD, Contraception: Why Not?  

IV    Legislative At the  http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/ site, the legislative page was introduced.   including the sites listed under “Pro-life Legislative
Issues – Research Tips” and Upcoming Bills/Actions Requiring Action which includes a petition against FOCA.

Recommended Action-Alert Sites  &  Research Tips

Let's be Clear on This:  Separation of Church & State – For Religious Freedoms!

Pro-Life Events - Updates

Actions Required for Upcoming Bills -- Partial Birth, FOCA Petition, Others

Encouraging Stories of Political Wins & Persistence

Restoring Our Republic - Why and How

Data & Updates on the Definition of "Human" - Across the Globe

Help Prevent U.S. Funding of Global Population Control

V   Updates from Eileen

Pregnancy Center Promotion Committee:   Carol Zukowski did a wonderful talk at CT Right to Life Convention to promote our Pregnancy Centers. 
Carol passed out the attached Pregnancy Center Flyer for those there to distribute in their communities. Please post it on your parish bulletin boards.   

 

URGENT Jan 17 Tri-State Medical Seminar – Only 1 nurse is registered. Saturday, Jan 17, 2009, 10:30 Optional Mass, 11:30 am - to 4:30 pm atthe Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat Center,159 Sky Meadow Dr.,  Stamford,  CT, 06903. At this point, we have an emergency.  We have received the names of only 4 names of personal doctors, 8 names of other doctors in the same clinic, and we have only one nurse registered for the seminar.  Please immediately send Kathleen the name of your OB/GYN, internist, family doctor or nurse practitioner.  Attendees who work on Sat’s and need time to switch days with other doctors.  Four weeks notice is not much time. Please send information in this order:    Name,   Title,   Medical Facility or Hospital,   Address with zip,   Phone with area code,   and   email.   Not necessary to use the Doctor Information Form if you follow this format.  Thanks!  Email to Kathleen Joyce, kgrass@yahoo.com – or -- Mail to  Kathleen at 537 Lake Drive, Guilford, CT 06437.

 

VII Speakers:  Alexandra and Paul McLaughlin                                               Creighton Model, FertilityCare Alexandra and Paul, CrMS Practitioners, highlighted key points of this system: It is all natural.  For couples, it provides a natural, inexpensive way to plan or postpone pregnancies in accordance with the Catholic and Christian beliefs. It is easy to learn, can adapt to any couple,  respects the dignity of each couple, and it enhances marriages. Men are always fertile.  Women are mostly infertile and their reproductive organs are on the inside of their body involving the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and the cervix with cervical crypts that produce mucus Phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle could be regular or irregular with ovulation in the center.  The Rhythm Method did not work because it assumed all menstrual cycles were the same.  Also, pregnancy can occur during menstruation. Ovulation takes place in the ovaries.  Pre-ovulation involves the generation and release of estrogen. Post-ovulation involves the production of progesterone. A woman’s uterus changes during pre and post ovulation depending on the presence of hormones. The miracle of ovulation is that it occurs only once – 1 day – during a cycle and the egg lives only 12-24 hours if it is not fertilized. Fertility depends on:  good sperm, eggs, and mucus!!!! Estrogen stimulates the cervical crypts to produce mucus. In mucus, sperm can live 3-5 days.  The mucus also provides tracks or channels for sperm to travel toward egg. When progesterone is generated, after ovulation, mucus production stops, the tracks made by mucus dry up, and the sperm cannot progress.  Four days before ovulation, the cervix is closed.  On the “peak” day, the cervix opens. As soon as a sperm penetrates the egg, no other sperm can penetrate. The embryo immediately starts development – a baby is conceived. The embryo moves up the fallopian tubes to the uterus where it will implant.  Menstruation  is the sloughing off of the lining. Charting involves:  examining mucus to notice its qualities which change,  During ovulation it is easy to tell because the mucus suddenly become clear, stretchy, lubricative.  Alexandra reviewed three menstrual cycles for the same women to show how drastically they can vary. The most interesting cycle involved a double peak where stress in the woman’s environment or body caused a second ovulation – which would never have been detected without charting. A woman is fertile during the day of ovulation plus three days (a total of 4 days). Better than the Pill! Without the Risks of the Pill! To postpone pregnancy or become pregnant, charting enables complete accuracy.  In the June 1998 issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, a large use-effectiveness study of the CrMS revealed that this system  has a method of effectiveness (perfect use) of 99.5%, a use-effectiveness (typical use) of 96.8% when used to avoid pregnancy. On the other hand, when used to achieve pregnancy in couples of normal fertility, the effectiveness is 76% in the first cycle of use and 98% by the sixth cycle. Charting also enables the proper diagnosis and treatment of known female problems, especially the more complex problems that most OB/GYNs typically have difficulty with – such as infertility, miscarriages, and enables the early observations of signs that could indicate cancers, such as cancer of the uterus or cervix.    Better than IVF!  Less Costly Too!  The success rates are 85% vs 35% for IVF.  Why do women still IVF? They and their doctors do not know about NaProTECHNOLOGY. That’s precisely why we are having our Jan 17 seminar  Doctors who do IVF do not know about how ovulation varies, variants in cycles, precisely when a particular woman’s estrogen is released or her progesterone is released, if she had a double ovulation – not knowing, they give the pill or do IVF -- use old technology. Alexandra and Paul would like to talk to student groups about this.  If your parish is interested, please let us know.  For further information on this technology and the Pope Paul VI Institute, see http://www.popepaulvi.com/about.htm and the links on http://www.popepaulvi.com/links.htm


VIII:  Donations Report:  Oct $280. Please send your checks to St. Mary Church, 669 West Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850.and specify in the lower
left box that the money is for Gospel of Life.   IX:  Closing Prayer

 

MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________   December 13, 2008


I       Opening Prayers
II     Review of Evangelium Vitae, #34

Fr. Markey pointed out that there is a big difference between animals and humans.  Squirrels do not get to go to Squirrel Heaven to be judged!  Fr. Markey shared that we are told to fill the earth and subdue it – have dominium over it.  This does not contradict other places in the Bible where it tells us to respect animals.  They do not have the sane dignity that we have.  We are a completely different kind of creature.  We have an eternal soul! So, beliefs that animals will evolve to humans are incorrect.   Yet, some movements protest the rights of animals, which is good, but, on the flip side, they do not equally protest on behalf of slaughtered unborn babies.  In this paragraph #34, Pope John Paul II says that “The life which God gives man is quite different from the life of all other living creatures, inasmuch as man, although formed from the dust of the earth, (cf. Gen 2:7, 3:19; Job 34:15; Ps 103:14; 104:29) is a manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his presence, a trace of his glory (ct. Gen 1:26-27; Ps 8:6). 

“Man has been given a sublime dignity, based on the intimate bond which unites him to his Creator; in man there shines forth a reflection of God himself”.  “Everything in creation is ordered to man and everything is made subject to him.”  In biblical narrative….only the creation of man is presented as the result of a special decision on the part of God, a deliberation to establish a particular and specific bond with the Creator”. Thus man has “not only dominion over the world but also those spiritual faculties which are distinctively human, such as reason, discernment between good and evil, and free will: ‘He filled them with knowledge and understanding, and showed them good and evil’ (Sir 17:7).  Man “alone is capable of knowing and loving his Creator”.  Pope John Paul II continues, “The life that God bestows on us is much more than mere existence in time. It is a drive towards fullness of life; it is the seed of an existence which transcends the very limits of time; “For God created man for incorruption, and made him in the image of his own eternity” (Wis 2:23). 

III   Miscellaneous
V    Legislative


ACTION ALERT FROM CT RIGHT TO LIFE CORPORATION, Waterbury, CT

Please read and forward widely to Connecticut pro-lifers: The Department of Health and Human Services in Washington recently issued guidelines, soon to go into effect, which would protect the conscience of health care workers from having to be involved in any way with abortion. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has announced plans to try to overturn these new regulations, because they over rule Connecticut's new law mandating that all Connecticut hospitals, including hospitals run by religious organizations, provide Plan B.  If you, or someone you know, are a health care worker (i.e. - physician, nurse, technician, etc.) who works in a Connecticut-based hospital emergency room who has religious or conscience based concerns about providing Plan B to patients,  please call me immediately at 203-879-9272. Thank you - Bill O'Brien – President , Connecticut Right to Life Corporation

 

March for Life:  Jan 22, 2008 – St. Mary buses leave at 6 AM, after the 5 AM Mass.   We need donations to sponsor seats on buses for those who cannot afford the $55 fee. In conjunction with other parishes, we are making a big push to get a lot of people to Washington this year, after those awful elections.  Please contribute to send more people.  You can send checks to St. Mary Church, 669 West Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850.and specify in the lower left box that the money is for Gospel of Life.

Updated info on the Freedom of Choice Act FOCA:  Go to http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/ and click on the “Legislative” box in the table at the top of the page. Select Election Issues.

VI   Updates from Eileen

Taped for AirMaria, Face of Pro Life.

Jan 17 -  Creighton Model, FertilityCare Seminar, By Doctors for Doctors, Nurses & Patients This seminar offers a one-a-year chance and dynamic introduction to the new  “all-natural”, “all-green” system of care for female reproductive problems and a natural way of family planning that is consistent with our religion. It is to the benefit of the Gospel of Life and the Church here in CT that as many of you know this technology as possible.  Please sign up!  The seminar introduces doctors and nurses to a natural alternative – for the treatment of the wide spectrum of woman’s health issues and for pregnancy control for teens and couples.  The teens tell us that easy access to contraceptives makes free sex too available and puts too much pressure on them.  When on the pill, the artificial hormones do not duplicate the hormones the body creates and cause havoc with bodily functions, like a poison.  Typical symptoms are decreased immune systems, weight gain, fatigue (needing 10 hours of sleep which is not natural), lack of concentration, brain fog and, after a prolonged time, lack of confidence and self-esteem. Some continue to endure these symptoms after they have stopped taking the pill because their bodies had decreased production of their own hormones and hormonal imbalances had been created.  All of this can generally be healed. Left unattended, or masked by the pill, hormonal imbalances can lead to more severe problems such as cysts, infertility, and miscarriages. What are we doing to our women in the world? Please help us stop this poisoning of our teens and women.  If you cannot come to the seminar, consider making a donation to help enlighten people.



Pregnancy Centers Are Promoting the Jan 17 Medical Seminar!: 
Carol Zukowski is inviting pregnancy center personnel to invite the doctors
they work with to the Jan 17 seminar.  The Coalition of Pregnancy Centers,
NYC, which has 12 pregnancy centers, already did this.

Medical Committee – Planning Meeting:   today from 12 – 2 pm.  Join us!

VII  Speaker:  Mary Ellen Luczun, APRN, BC, Natl. Assoc,  of Pro-Life Nurses.  Mary Ellens Presentation, “Freedom at a Price”, Part 1          , is spectacular presentation with illuminating illustrations to match word messages. Following is a word summary.   We are told and see that the use of contraceptives has risks -- causes damage .  When we explore, we see damage means to injure or impair.  What?  The female.  Her mind, body & soul through contraceptives & abortifacients, the sexually transmitted diseases that contraceptives make her more susceptible to and the abortions that contraceptives lead to when it fails to work (up to 30% of the time).. 

Mary Ellen reviewed the various types of contraceptives spending a great deal of time on the Oral contraceptive – the Pill.  Mary Ellen reported that it is: composed of synthetic forms of the hormones estrogen and progesterone that suppress ovulation, causing a thickening of the cervical mucus (to prevent the sperm from traveling to the egg and penetrating it).  If the sperm nevertheless penetrate the egg, the pill also acts to prevent implantation of the fertilized egg (human embryo) into the endometrial lining of the uterus, which kills it.  This makes the pill an abortifacient.  Surprisingly, there are many other contraceptives that are abortifacients such as Depo-provera and Lunelle Intramuscular Injections  (the presentation provided a list of contraceptives with descriptions) and  http://www.ct4women.com/contraception.html.

Mary Ellen also reviewed the STDs and shared that girls are much more susceptible because of the location the outer cervix and its “transforming zone” which is a place where cells are constantly changing.  The pill increases risks because it increases the size of this zone. Mary Ellen also covered some of the unknown but more extreme problems from STDs.  For example, that Chlamydia, which is often asymptomatic, can silently lead to infertility as does Gonorrhea.  

The group enjoyed all of Mary Ellen’s talk, especially her discussion of psychological damage by interfering with the satisfaction of basic human needs -- such as the need for safety, love and belonging, self esteem (based on a sense of accomplishment and self pride),  growth and development, and self-actualization.  How do contraceptives (which infuse poisons into the body) contribute to the damage here?  Some symptoms are lowered immune system, fatigue, inability to concentrate, brain fog, nausea, headaches, etc – how can a young girl, even one who is in a loving and totally functional family, accept herself and others as they are, feel happy and affection for others, discriminate between good and evil, problem solve, pursue interests and realize self-actualization if she is pumped daily with synthetic chemicals and suffers the associated symptoms – not to mention risks to the body that also drain her, including hormonal imbalances, infertility, miscarriages, cancers (breast, cervical, lung), heart disease & stroke to name a few. 

When contraceptives fail and a baby is aborted, the unconscious memory of the abortion often results in severe guilt turned back on the mother which manifests as poor academics, rebellion, anger, repressed grief, eating disorders, anxiety, lack of trust in a permissive world, post traumatic stress disorder, possible suicide, and other self-abusive habits.  Later in life, when married and trying to care for her family, new symptoms arise involving the inability to fully give herself in love to her husband or children, child abuse, parental estrangements, and other relationship problems.

It is interesting that when men, who have participated in an abortion, later have their children, they manifest the guilt and associated problems which cause them to also have difficulty with relationships.  In these cases, the man’s past experiences and inability to be close or trust in a world that supported the killing of his child damaged him, his marriage, and his family.  The spiritual damage to men and women is as horrifying and can also include alienation from God, feelings of detachment, abandonment, that one is never forgiven, self-destructive behaviors,  and despair that can lead to suicide.  Some are more resilient than others.  Some deny their feelings and become workaholics and /or other holics. Most will suffer the rest of their adult lives.  What to do?.  We need to have a two-pronged approach.  We need to build massive programs and projects to prevent the causes and heal the damage.

Mary Ellen spent some time discussing teenagers and their levels of maturity. 

THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN n   Did you know that adolescents find it more difficult : n   to interrupt an action under way (stop speeding, stop intercourse) n   think before acting n   Choose between safer & riskier alternatives n   Resist social pressure THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN: Still Under Construction n     Beginning at puberty the brain is re-shaped and its circuitry is not mature until they reach their early 20s n    Links between the area of judgment & the reward system—where addictive drug & romantic love exert their powers—are underdeveloped n    Connections between areas of judgment and emotional & impulse control are among the last to be fully established

Notice the lack of certain biological links that contribute to immature decisions and the common youthful attitude “Oh  - it can’t happen to me!” up to the early 20’s.  This explains a lot and backs up many parents who intuitively realize that their children under 22 or 23 are beautiful in their hearts but are not fully mature enough yet, can make wrong decisions, especially when under peer pressure or the influence of alcohol, and they still need parental involvement and management.

Now let’s focus for a moment on the girl teens who are put on the pill by their parents.
Like the boy teens, they have difficulties enough with brains that do not let them be as mature as they would like.  Add to this the symptoms associated with taking contraceptives and what do you think life is like for these girl teens?. 

For additional info on stds, see http://www.ct4women.com/contraception.html  

VIII: Call for Donations.

IX:  Closing Prayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes


2007




MINUTES ____________________________________________________________________________________________ JAN 13, 2007

I.  Open:  We opened with the Litany and Prayer for Life by Pope John Paul II.

II. Encyclical - #97:  Fr. Markey began by stressing that one can have a conscience but it could be an erroneous conscience and contribute to poor judgment and behaviors.  It is our responsibility to form our conscience.  Pope John Paul emphasized the role of education in the formation of one’s conscience and particularly about the “Value of life from its origins” and that “The trivialization of sexuality is among the principal factors which have led to contempt for new life.  Only a true love is able to protect life…an education which involves training in chastity as a virtue which fosters personal maturity and makes one capable of respecting the ‘spousal’ meaning of the body”.  Such education, he specifies must include “The training of married couples in responsible procreation”. Fr. Markey pointed out that when the conscience is properly formed couples give a “gift of self” to each other – having reserved themselves for each other to enable this self-gift.  And, it is a full gift of self that covers their spectrum of daily living.  If the  conscience is malformed, couples may behave more like individuals who are using one another for pleasure rather than loving each other. Parents are encouraged to be the first educators of their children, particularly in these areas marriage.  Unfortunately public schools often infringe and provide sex education not approved by parents. Parents are advised to manage this with their Church. Fr. Markey then introduced Natural Family Planning, which offer methods that support true love, and our speakers.   

III.  Speakers:  Alexandra and Paul McLaughlin, St. Mary, on Natural Family Planning (NFP).
Alexandra and Paul shared that Alexandra is in a program to become a  “fertility care practitioner”, certified through the Am. Academy of Fertility Care professionals. They opened with some key statistics: 

America has a 2007 divorce rate of nearly 50% (the highest of any country in the industrialized world) compared to 12% in 1957.

 Now there are 1.3 to 1.5 million yearly abortions and the National Right to Life estimate 47 million+ induced abortions since Jan 1973 when Roe v. Wade legalized abortion.  This does not count abortions from contraceptives.

20 years after the FDA’s approval of the pill in 1960, the divorce rate increased nearly 150%!  

NFP is family planning that clearly differentiates itself 1) giving ways to achieve or avoid pregnancy (not just avoid).  2) involving the close and caring communication between the husband and wife that enhances marriages significantly with a divorce rate of only 1%.  Further, (3) the Creighton Model is a Fertility Care System which is scientifically sound, accurate, precise and effective.  It is therefore effective for women who have been on the pill for years and may have fertility problems.  It  can be used also to evaluate infertility, repetitive miscarriage, abnormal bleeding, recurrent ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, premenstrual syndrome, transitioning into menopause, etc. some of which are actually masked by the category of pills, call contraception pills.  It does in a way which cooperates with a woman’s fertility, respects the dignity of women and the integrity of marriage. 

In addition to the Creighton Model, there is the Couple to Couple League and Billings Ovulation Method --  all finding acceptance because they are scientifically grounded and proven. All NFP methods are:

useful to achieve or avoid pregnancy, and completely natural -- no drugs or chemicals

99% effective – as effective as the birth control pill. 

free of abortifacient action and completely consistent with God’s design for human sexuality.

Also check out “Women Healed” ,2004, with testimonies of women & husbands healed.

As NFP has been transforming America, family by family, please plan to help get the word out.

Key Sites: NFP Outreach http://www.nfpoutreach.org/ Creighton Model http://www.creightonmodel.com/ CCL Website http://www.ccli.org/ Billings OM http://www.woomb.org/bom/index.html Pope Paul VI Institute http://www.popepaulvi.com/ Our Goal:  To introduce NFP to CT doctors.  Go to http://www.aafcp.org   to order brochures ($.35 for <100, $.25 for >100) for your  doctors, friends, and parishes -- for their brochure shelves.  If you only need a couple make arrangement with Alexandra (203) 254-2771

IV. Updates from Groups:

It was shared that at one of the high school gay and lesbian promoters were allowed in but not pro-life groups, and without the permission of the parents.  A team member wanted more information on this in order to take action. This may be a pattern.

Kathy Waters is starting a Young Lives group in Danbury.  Needs volunteers and donations, (203) 722-9576 .

Bella Movie:  It is Pro-Life. Some of us plan to promote it.   

V. Legislative:

CT:

CT General Assembly has convened Jan 3, adjourns June 6, 2007

Connecticut Catholic Conference – “Sign up Sunday” Pro-life parishioners in every   parish are requested to sign up.  Go to http://www.connecticut.nasccd.org

Thurs, Mar 22, 2007 is CATHOLIC CONCERNS DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

Federal:

U.S. House of Representatives voted on Thursday, 1/11, in favor of extending federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.  The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 3) would allow federal funding on research involving stem-cell lines derived from embryos at fertility clinics as part of the process of in-vitro fertilization – Bush plans on a veto.  (Addition to minutes:  to read the White House document, “Advancing Stem Cell Without Destroying Life”  that provides Bush’s arguments in favor of adult stem cell research only: http://www.whitehouse.gov/stemcell  or look at the Gospel of Life Society Library Folder.) 

VI. Miscellaneous

Pro-life Celebration – Sunday January 14 with a Prayer Service by the Sisters of Life and a 3:30 pm Mass celebrated by Bishop Lori

Rev. Dr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk at St. Aloyisius – Jan 21, 7:00 pm

Rally January 22, 12:00 to 2 pm, Federal Court House, Bridgeport

 VII. Closing Prayer:






MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Feb 10, 2007

I.  Open:  We opened with the Litany, Prayer for Life by Pope John Paul II, and introductions.

II. Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No.7: 
Fr. Markey shared that “God did not make death, and he does not delight in death of the living.  For he has created all things that they might exist….God created man for incorruption” and that “death came into the world as a result of the devil’s envy and the sin of our first parents.  And death entered in a violent way, through the killing of Abel by his brother Cain”.   The group lingered on the fact that envy is still the cause of much individual and worldly troubles. That, humans, as a race, are still murdering for the same reason.  Fr. Markey then pointed out that when God questioned Cain, Cain did two things that we also still do – he lied “”I do not know” and in the same breadth he relinquished responsibility for his  brother “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  The Encyclical relates these sins to today specifying that they include “The lack of solidarity towards society’s weakest members  -- such as the elderly, the infirm, immigrants, children – and the indifference frequently found in relations between the world’s peoples.” Fr. Markey added that a major contributing cause is that the consciences of many today are numbed.  (We will cover No.8  next  month.)  Fr. Markey opened discussions:

The group agreed that our real hope is the upcoming generations…if they are provided with good  family environments and strong Pro-life educations.  

Many agreed that we should depend less on schools to educate children, and some mentioned a growing trend to home school.

It was suggested that we help Brian, of the Family Institute of CT, to support candidates who support the family and Pro-life in CT.

  Updates from Groups: Though we have been volunteering, Kathy Waters, Young Lives, needs still more volunteers to baby sit for teen mothers during monthly meetings March 8, 22, April 12, 26, May 10, 24. There are also needs in Danbury, Bridgeport and Port Chester. Camp at Lake Champion is in Aug. To volunteer call Kathy ASAP at 203-722-9576.   

Legislative:

A. Connecticut:

Feb 21, Ash Wed, “Let the People Decide” rally/lobby day at the state capitol regarding same sex marriage.  To support Feb 21 and in addition to it, we all agreed it was a good idea to write letters to editors of key papers on why we are against gay marriage. Brian, of the Family Institute of CT http://www.ctfamily.org/about.html sent out a CD with 10 reasons why which I will get. 

March 22, Catholic Concerns Day starts  9:30 AM at Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford, procession at 10:30 AM, meetings w legislators 11:30-2:00 - http://www.connecticut.nasccd.org

Life Chain:  This was suggested as an easy and effective event by several members.

B. Federal:

March for Life.  Uplifting. See Commentary & photos in Feb-10 Fairfield County Catholic. Just before  next year’s march, the group suggested a multi-parish event to accentuate it. 

Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas R, reintroduced the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, requiring pain info be given to women contemplating an abortion at 20 wks.

Unborn Victims of Violence Act – passed Senate 61-38. If a crime against a pregnant woman results in harm to the child in utero, persecution would be for two crimes rather than one. 

Informed Choice Act – by Cliff Stearns – give govt. grants to pregnancy-resource centers for ultrasound equipment enabling clinics to provide it as a free service.  Please write many letters to legislators on this one.  It is key to discouraging abortions and PP is fighting to take machines out.  

Senate Bill 1343 --An Act Concerning Compassionate Care For Victims of Sexual Assault”, would require Catholic Hospitals to provide emergency contraception (commonly known as Plan “B” or the “morning after pill”) to rape victims is being rescheduled from Mar 6. (Note:  This might be another good one to write letters to editor on to help our Catholic hospitals.)    

V.    Miscellaneous:

Lynn Haffey in hospital yet.  But, out of ICU.  Please continue prayers. Paul and  Alexandra McLaughlin had their first NFP training session. Rev. Dr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk DVD on embryonic stem cell and cloning is available. Diocese clergy to do a study on stem cell. From Cable network, can get “Face of Pro-Life” videos.  Will send them to us.  Planned Parenthood Awareness Day – full page ad in Fairfield County Catholic (FCC).
 
VI.   Update from Head of the Gospel of Life Society, Eileen Bianchini:
A near-term strategy -- reflecting brainstorming with Fr. Markey and group feedback.  Everyone agreed that these were valuable initiatives:

Create political lines of communication:   with CT lobbyists and legislators.



Education Program: 

Educate legislators –  Unfortunately they often relay on institutions for their information with conflicts of interest such as the pharmaceuticals looking to maximize profits and the universities seeking the largest sources of govt. funds, such as embryonic stem cell research.  See http://www.mercatornet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=310 and  http://66.195.16.55/bio1933.html  and CatholicsUnitedforLife site, http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:gIErOvkLihYJ:www.nplac.org/newsletter/VerbumVitae5.pdf+CatholicsUnitedforLife&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

Educate parishes and Non-Profit organizations -- Distribute monthly  “Did You Know” releases backed by highly reliable sources. 

Create a GOLS library (Online and Hardcopy): Scientific articles that we can send to legislators, monthly minutes, news releases, legislative bills, etc.



Work with CT and Iowa Right to Life's: to put Jenny’s Story (PP Lies!) on a CT billboard and publicize it in ads, news releases, and in church bulletins and non-profit Pro-life organization news letters CT. Need a team of volunteers-call me.  To read story, http://www.irlc.org/pp/jennifer.htm and to hear it go to:  http://www.irlc.org/audio/jennifer.mp3.  Then we help other states to do same.

Work to increase press coverage for March for Life 2008:  Eileen to do.  

Establish relations with more pro-life parish organizations and non-profits: Invite top speakers and plan joint events with multiple parishes. (Carolyn’s Place tentatively to come May 12, 2007). 



Schedule a presentation: By Fr. Markey on Abortion & Stem Cell.



Continue to Monitor bills as a Group, Write Letters to Editors, Post Card Drives, etc.



Share successes of bills already passed: For example, Unborn Victims of Violence Act – passed and successfully used in a Texas case at à http://www.lifenews.com/state2046.html



GOLS participants to write letters of praise to legislators working for Pro-life., such as Cliff Stearns, fighting for the Informed-Choice  Act since 2003. Let’s give encouragement.

VII.    Volunteering Roundtable:  General sharing included visits to abortion mills and Young Lives.

VIII.   Call for Donations: For more ads, posters, cover March for Life bus fees, etc.-- very  successful. 

IX.      Closing Prayer

 

 

 

 



MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________ March 10, 2007

I.  Open: 

II. Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No.8  - We once again reflected on the story of Cain and Able in Genesis 4. God then admonished Cain, reminding him that the malevolent force of sin “lies in wait at the door of his heart, ready to leap on its prey” and not to underestimate this force.

Fr. Markey invited us all to ponder this – being tempted by such a force, that lies in wait at the door of our hearts.  What do we do to invite it to prey on us????  Envy?  Anger?  We met these sins in Encyclical #7 also. #8 further shares,  “Scripture reveals the presence of hate and anger in man, consequences of original sin, from the beginning of history”.  Because of it “Man has become the enemy of his fellow man”, and that often the violence is between flesh and blood, as with Cain and Abel, in abortion, or when in the wider context of family or kinship, euthanasia is encouraged or practised...a sad witness.  “Man’s revolt against God in the earthly paradise is followed by the deadly combat of man against man”. 

The group anticipated Pope John Paul’s next thoughts when they pointed out that the combat may be through omission as well as through violent action – as when we do not help another person, group, or the most vulnerable among us.  Pope John Paul adds that indifference  is “Frequently found in relations between the world's peoples even when basic values such as survival, freedom and peace are involved.”

During discussion, the group added that indifference can take many forms.  It could also involve indifference to another’s need for love (the food of soul), need for care giving, or indifference to another’s basic needs for acknowledgement, recognition, and to be valued --  as when women are not valued for their role as mother or wife, when the efforts of children are overlooked,  when knowledge of elders is not recognized, or when there is indifference toward a spouse (for any reason -- due to anger, lack of tolerance, or habits such as pornography, alcohol, and lusting after others). But, the good news is that despite the evil one’s influences on us to do combat, Pope John Paul II believes we can overcome it, and says that the bottom line is we “must overcome it.”. 

III.  Updates from Groups: 

Birthright’s greatest need for volunteers is for people to sit at the desk for a few hours or more.

Hopeline – check it out – they do good work and evangelize at the same time, but they may be too pushy with their evangelization.  (Bishop Sheehan offers good advise  --  to quietly evangelize by helping people, giving real charity, and building relationships). 

Nurses Kit and Cortney discussed desires to educate nurses and doctors on Pro-life and especially the difference between extraordinary care and not giving food and water.

IV.  Legislative:

A. Connecticut (With Inputs from Groups):

Mar 13:  Hearing on Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault (Plan B) was discussed.  Pro-life groups, such as Concerned Women for America, consider emergency contraception an abortifacient because it can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. STOPP International, another pro-life group, says Planned Parenthood’s top goal for the next 25 years is to push its agenda of “promiscuous sex everywhere in our society.” It also accuses PP of covering up for rapists and child predators by giving the means to prevent minors from getting pregnant. Here is another situation where an Act that seems to care about rape victims, actually would serve as an enabler.  Some of our folks attended this. Addition to Minutes – we were not well prepared at this hearing and lost.  We are now trying to work out a compromise.

Mar 22:  Catholic Concerns Day. The CCC and Family Institute are trying to get large numbers of people to come up to Hartford on March 22 to combat an anti-Catholic agenda by the press and  legislators.  Addition to Minutes:  I hear from folks who attended this that there was not a good showing with only 150-200 at the most. This did very little to convince legislators that Pro-life as a burning issue that would win them more votes.  We lost ground in CT. Now, the pressure is on to make sure there is a major effort and showing at all future Pro-life legislative events.

Apr 27: Information Hearing on Parental Communication. 45 minutes – only invited persons can debate/testify on the pros/cons of parental notification for abortions.  But, the CCC and CT Right to Life are asking everyone to show up to change the opinions of legislators. (Note:  The CT Right to Life is looking for case studies where girls experienced life-threatening danger which would have been avoided had their parents been told. More information will be provided in the April 14 meeting.  Addition to Minutes:  Please go the extra mile to try to locate such cases.  I was told that one of the major reasons we lost the Plan B was because we did not have any case studies – where a rape victim regretted taking the contraception or a story of a child born to a rape victim who is living a normal life.  Whereas, PP and others had many cases to the contrary.) 

B. Federal: No Updates.

Miscellaneous:  

Prayer Requests:  The group requested prayers for presidential candidates who are Pro-life  -- to get all of our prayer chains working on this on an ongoing basis.

New Vaccine by Merck:  For girls, age 9, in CT, against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), an S.T.D.- .  It only protects against some types of HPV’s, not all.   Downside – it can be given without parental warning (several cases) and promotes idea that sex is safe. 

Lobbying Arm for CT?  Yes. the CT Catholic Conf. We need to help them represent our needs. 

V.   Update from Head of the Gospel of Life Society, Eileen Bianchini:

Jenny’s Story – really coming to CT.  Need volunteers.

National Council for Adoption.  Majority of pregnant teens still feeling they would rather kill their baby than put it up to adoption.  Need volunteers to be on a committee.

Fund Adoption License Plates – needs reps in parishes to sell license plates

Young Lives also needs more help. August summer camp coming up, volunteer now.

Life Chain (4 parishes interested, Eileen to continue to fact find, Lisa DeFelice, St. Theresa, investigating why a Florida chain so successful, and we have 2 volunteers so far for committee

Volunteering Roundtable:  General sharing included visits to abortion mills and Young Lives.

VI.  Call for Donations: For ads, posters, Pro-life brochures, etc.— again successful. 

VII. Closing Prayer

 






MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________April 14, 2007

I..  Opening Prayer 
II.  Minutes from last meeting

III. Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No. 10 & 11:  

Here, the Lord questions Cain “What have your done?”.  Pope John Paul II points out that this question is also directed at the people of today – pertaining to our attacks against life.  God’s intent with this question is to make us realize the many ways we have attacked life now and throughout the history, and areas of culpable indifference (the sin of omission).  This would hopefully motivate changes in behavior.  The many examples of permitted threats to life range from poverty to immoral sexual activity that leads to murder of the most vulnerable by abortion.  Fr. Markey mentioned that there are sins so grave that they cry out to heaven: “the blood of Abel (murder), the sins of the Sodomites (homosexual acts), the cry of the people oppressed in Egypt, the cry of the foreigner, the widow, and the orphan, and injustice to the wage earner” (Catechism, 1867).  We also reflected on how murderous attacks against innocent in-womb babies are tolerated by society, without the masses of people fighting to stop this holocaust, and how there are no out cries for young girls who have had abortions become damaged psychologically and physically.

Fr. Markey said that as we let the pressures of life harden our hearts, and conscience becomes weak, that faith dwindles.  We pondered the converse – that the lack of faith makes people vulnerable to greater suffering during times of hardship and to the hardening of the heart and then to weakening of conscience.  All this is justified by accepting the well-promoted philosophies based on “relativism” and “respect of diversity”.

We also discussed some of the prevalent types of prejudices against the pro-life people.  For example, thinking of them as fanatical or outwardly showing disgust and indifference toward big families (4 children or more).

In conclusion, the group discussed the need for a reliance on the sacraments, tradition, orthodox Church teaching, community, and prayer to give people of less faith something to lean on in times of hardship, to carry them through,  and to help them develop and maintain a strong conscience.   We thoroughly discussed the role community plays as one of the wonderful ways that God talks to us through other like-minded Catholics.  

Adelaida Anderson will share with us two good books on conscience
by two Popes which also cover the need for community.

IV:  Sisters of Life:  Sr. Mary Clare and Sr Mary Louise Concepta

From the start of their talk, the sisters shared very interesting new information as they told us about their history, mission, current work, and need for volunteers.   The Sisters of Life was started by Cardinal O’Conner who felt so strongly about the Pro-life movement that he said, “If all of the marches, prayers, encyclicals, and other work we do saves but one life, ….the work bears fruit.”  Prior to forming the Sisters of Life, it was noticed that there were so many people doing good things and yet the Culture of Death grew.  Cardinal O’Conner stated that this kind of evil only comes out with prayer and fasting(especially the Holy Mass and the rosary).  As a result, the Sisters of Life mission involves doing good works supported by Mass and abundant prayer. 

The sisters run the Villa Marie Retreat Center in Stamford, and run a number of houses which help promote the culture of life by giving retreats to many different groups, including helping women in a crisis pregnancy, or helping women who have had abortions.  The sisters  shared that the moms they work with are all ages, from teens to twenties and thirties and older, and that most of the women who have had abortions shared that their deepest desire was to have the child but they felt overwhelmed by the pressures of life. In a study, by the Elliott Institute, of 100 women, 90 said they would have chosen differently if they knew they had other resources.  According to the sisters, only 1 or 2 out of hundreds will consider adoption.  In an identity crisis, such as unexpected pregnancy, adoption is a much harder choice.   But, the sisters said that this is also the most heroic act of self sacrifice and motherly love – which usually requires great maturity or a good parental support system – which most girls do not have. 

The group discussed the need to run chastity programs to get to the route of the problem – and help girls avoid having to make sinful or very hard decisions.  Someone mentioned that there is a new Theology of the Body for teens – Dolores is looking into this. 

For the young moms, the sisters provide plenty of resources – from free doctors and lawyers to homes to stay in, clothes and supplies, and prayers to combat evil.  The volunteers needed are Local Coordinators who help gather local resources to help a pregnant woman in crisis through the various stages. The front of their brochure reads,

“The test  came out positive. 
I’m pregnant  and my life is over.”

The inside of their brochure lists the many resources available and affirms: “You are not alone”….  “Take the first step. Call us. If you would like to volunteer services or items for the moms, please call 212 737-0221 or 877-777-1277 (toll free).

It is requested that parish Pro-life groups hold a Annual Mother's Drive for Supplies for Moms and Babies.  Please contact the sisters to find out what is needed 212 737-0221 or 877-777-1277 (toll free).

V.  Updates from Groups: 
                                                                                                                                                          
- Rachel Torres O’Leary shared news of a recent Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat, at the Catholic Center, which helped bring healing to several women who cried as they shared their grief and pain.  (There will be a retreat in Spanish in Oct.  Please pray for its success and do recommend anyone you know who may have had an abortion and could use some healing help.)

VI.   Legislative Alert – CT Catholic Conference is a good source of information  (www.ctcatholic.org)

A.    Connecticut (Attend or Write Legislators):

Apr 27 Information Hearing on Parental Communication:  Information was provided and all encouraged to attend. (Note:  Those who did said our speakers were better prepared and more factual than the opposition. We also thought there were more of us.  It was a good experience – thanks to Dave Reynolds, CCC, and the CT Right to Life team who organized it.) 

H.B. 7279 - Funding For Long-Term Health Care At Home : We discussed the dire need for this.  

Repeal of The Death Penalty Everyone was asked to write your legislator. 

H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality - would make same-sex marriage legal in the State of Connecticut. We are thinking about doing a post-card drive in opposition to this one. Also, individually write your legislators (letters count more than post cards) and urge they oppose same-sex marriage and support traditional marriage.  

B.    Federal

Stem Cell:  The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) urges us to write legislators ASAP who are deciding on the appropriate stem cell bill to support. Urge them to vote No on bill S.5 for embryonic stem cell research (which has not “yielded one single clinical benefit) and to vote Yes on bill 3.0 for adult stem cell research (which is morally acceptable and yielded hundreds of cases of clinical successes).

VII       Miscellaneous & Updates from Eileen

The CT RTL   said they would do the “Jenny Story” billboard. Please consider being a volunteer to help on this project.

Young Lives – a video will be show, Mary 12 meeting, about Aug camp – need volunteers for this.

VIII.       Closing Prayer

 

 



MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________May 12, 2007

 I.   Opening Prayer 

II.  Minutes from last meeting

III. Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No. 86:  
Discussion opened with Fr. Markey emphasizing the giving of ourselves as we love others, our world and God – the Self Gift. Pope John Paul II referred to the Self-Gift repeatedly in writings. The group moved conversation to aspects of the Culture of Death, which are the opposite of Self-Gift, such as when terminal or older people are helped to die prematurely to free up a bed or for the convenience of other family members (for example, through unnecessary pain killers that weaken the heart).  Or, when good and unsuspecting organ donors offer their organs only to have their body parts removed while still alive (read “Vital Organ Removal – What you don’t know can kill you!” American Life  League). And, we discussed the many circumstances in this culture that force women to work – some from childhood to help their families financially, to put their husbands through college, to help with college tuition or carry the financial load for a sick husband, and some because they are divorced or widowed. We shared some stories of women who became mothers late in life and realized that loving and responsible parenting is challenging, internally meaningful, and to their greatest surprise, emancipating  -- because they are being true to their selves.

All this being so, Fr. Markey wondered why motherhood is not valued, and the group felt this is the case in homes where the mother does not take responsibility for religious education, witnessing for God, and setting an example of Gift of Self – where the mothering is more secular, less intuitive, more superficial, and self-oriented.   (Minutes Addition:  Pope John Paul II, in the “The Way to Christ”, defines what quality mothering is. “A woman is first and foremost a mother.  A mother is the person who generates, which means bringing up – a bringing up  not only children – with love and intuition.  Her basic task is that of educating and when she shares the responsibility for it with men she cannot be simply an object for them.  It is noteworthy that Jesus…allowed himself to be educated by a woman, his mother…” 

Fr. Markey said that those wives and mothers who ‘mother’ and make a gift of themselves (whether they work or not) are unsung heroes.   Pope John Paul II says, “These heroic women do not always find support in the world around them…. We thank you…for your invincible love! We thank you for your intrepid trust in God and in his love.  We thank you for the sacrifice of your life…”  He comforts those who mother, saying that …”In the Paschal Mystery, Christ restores to you the gift you gave him.  Indeed, he has the power to give you back the life you gave him as an offering”. 

“What does it profit my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works?”
(Jas 2:14): serving the Gospel of Life.

IV:  Carolyn’s Place, Waterbury:  Ellen Cavallo (203-597-9050).
Ellen discussed how Carolyn’s Place was started and some of the success they have had.  In 15 years:  Ellen and her staff have saved 844 babies from abortion by doing approximately 600 presentations, spending 138,000 volunteer hours, answering 32,000 calls for help, providing a loving environment, well thought out birth-mother training, and services, . Ellen has been invited to speak to Pro-life groups, at conventions, and before legislators in CT and other states.  Carolyn’s Place is the only non-profit pregnancy and resource center that operates in five public schools – having been “invited in”!  where other non-profits cannot get in at all.  Ellen provides weekly seminars in the schools and opens Carolyn’s Place to the students and pregnant moms giving a place to group, watch videos, study quietly, take courses, or find friendship. 

So, we asked, how is it that Carolyn’s Place is so successful????  The success of Carolyn’s Place has been due, in large part, to the continued support of all the volunteers.  They provide 24-hour phone support, in-office assistance, parenting and life skills training, mentoring services, pre and post-birth support, fundraising and education.  Pregnancy services provided include:  pregnancy testing, education of fetal development, factual information on abortion, help arranging financial/legal/medical aid, housing referrals, social service referrals, childbirth delivery support (often times going to the hospital with the girls), life skills and parenting skills training (which the girls must take to get free supplies and referrals), maternity clothes, baby clothes and supplies to age 3, and adoption information (Ellen has been trained in the new adoption methods by the National Council for Adoption).  Key components of educational programs include fostering a culture of responsibility, understanding the health risks of sexual activity, coping strategies, establishing healthy dating relationships, and recognizing abstinence as a choice.  Clients, who include teens and young adults from all different economic and social backgrounds, respect the programs which go the extra mile to keep them safe and help them establish fruitful lives.

Like most Pro-life organizations, Carolyn’s Place is a non-profit ministry.  As such, the advantage is that it is not subject to government regulations (for example, the government cannot forbid the teaching of abstinence – as is a recurring threat in the USA --  or force the distribution of contraceptives).  The downside:   Carolyn’s Place is totally dependent on donations from individuals, businesses, and religious groups.  Consider being a volunteer (Ellen uses a telephone diverter to enable phone volunteers to be anywhere in the US), donate supplies, or make a contribution:  Contact Ellen at Carolyn’s Place, 656 Congress Ave, Waterbury, CT 06708, (203-597-9050.

V.  Updates from Groups: Wes Wensek showed a video on the wonderful, life-changing experience Young Lives gives to teen moms and their babies during their yearly camping trip to Lake Champion, August 17-23.  Wes will show it again after the June 9 meeting – from 11:30-12:00.  Camp is in Aug – need volunteers for this and donations for supplies.  Consider being a volunteer.  If you cannot perhaps you might like to provide a scholarship for a volunteer. The cost for each camp child care worker volunteer is $400.  Or, checkout their baby registry at Target.com. Wes said it is amazing how much equipment is needed by 1 infant – multiply that by 100….Help!
                                                                                                                                                         
VI         Legislative Alert – CT Catholic Conference is a good source of information (www.ctcatholic.org)

Connecticut (Attend or Write Your Legislators):

Apr 27 at 10:00 Hearing on Parental Communication. Update –

May 23 Rally Opposing Same Sex H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality - make same-sex marriage legal and also give gay couples the right to state funded IVF / host pregnancies. See the act at http://cga.ct.gov/2007/TOB/H/2007HB-07395-R00-HB.htm.   House Democrats at 800-842-8267, House Republicans at 800-842-1423. Senate Democrats at 800-842-1420, Senate Republicans at 860-240-8800.  

Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault Plan B.  The CT Right to Life ask us to continue writing to Gov Jodi Rell asking for a veto; stress the bill is unconstitutional (murders humans and violates religious freedom).

Federal:

Passed Around “Protect Unborn Babies Petition” Against HR 1964 and S 1173 – When the Supreme Court of US issued a partial-birth abortion decision, the House and Senate liberals cried foul. Rep. Nadler & Sens Clinton, Schumer and Boxer introduced the Freedom of Choice bill.  A petition was passed around. 

VII       Miscellaneous & Updates from Eileen

Adoption Committee: Need a chair and volunteers from non-profits and parish Pro-lifes to 1) learn about the new adoption processes (as Ellen did) – at no charge -- sponsored by Elizabeth Rex, Children’s First Foundation, and 2) share information with high school, college, and parish youth groups).  For this, teens and young adults are most welcome.

Parish Committee:  Need 1 volunteer to maintain a master list of parishes and sponsors as we grow.  For each parish, we need to obtain the name of the Pro-life contact, DRE, Youth group coordinator, pastor, priests, etc.    

Jenny Story Billboard – We have a great design for the Web site to be referred to on the billboard – it will differentiate itself from other Web sites by giving only CT resources to teens in pregnancy crises, giving many more resources, and giving a wider variety of resources. The billboard is scheduled to go up in late Aug, early Sept.  Please consider being a volunteer to help on this project.  Call me.

Life Chain:  A committee is formed with Wes Wesnek as chair.  Planning one in Norwalk or Stamford, probably October.  Please check with your parish to see if they are interested in participating.  We have 5 parishes so far. Need 5 more at least. We want to keep this an all Catholic event to show CT Catholics that there are many Catholics who are Pro-life enough to organize and participate in such an event. A wake-up call.

The NY Right to Life may be interested in partnering with us and the CT Right to Life. 



VIII   Call for Donations (we are again in great need for donations to place ads, buy  signs for the Oct Life Chain and Abortion Mill Rally, and start saving over $5000 for the Jan March for Life – 2 buses,  etc.)

IX     Closing Prayer

 

 



MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________June 9, 2007


Opening Prayer 

Minutes from last meeting

III.  Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No. 18:  In this paragraph the Lord questions, “What have you done?” Pope John Paul II points out and Fr. Markey emphasized, today’s massive evils against life (from abortion to Euthanasia) “are cultural, social and political”.  They are sinister because they are done in the name of “individual freedom, being treated as actual rights”.  Fr. Markey suggested that we clearly differentiate between freedom and license.  Freedom is not license (to do whatever you want).  Pope John Paul ended this section with words about governments and states who act selfishly.  He says, “Shall we not question the very economic models often adopted by states which, also as a result of international pressures and forms of conditioning, cause and aggravate situations of injustice and violence in which the life of whole peoples is degraded and trampled upon?” 

Discussion gravitated to Eugenics and the leading role played by the United NationsPopulation Fund (UNPFA) and America’s part in spreading false fear of population explosions and funding forced abortions and sterilizations in China and other countries (http://www.lifenews.com/nat3193.html).  (Addition to Minutes:   The Eugenics Society, started by Francis Galton, approx 1883, cousin of Charles Darwin, is the science of improvement of the human race through reproductive methods and better breeding. For a clear definition and history see www.all.org/abac/eugen02.htm . The below two sites clarify the myth of “ worldwide over-population” used to disguise and justify Eugenics.) The group agreed  that:  1)  It is a myth  -- that there are too many children in the world and not enough food or opportunities for quality life.  They shared that poor territories are prevented from obtaining food, being schooled properly, or from decent work opportunities due to politics, governmental inefficiencies, and greed.  They discussed specific areas where people are not being permitted to even grow their own food. They also agreed that in any case 2) Poor quality of life  is not a justification for mass abortions and murder.   Bob Muckle, VP, CT Right to Life, suggested we monitor the www.pop.org to track Eugenics.

            http://www.pop.org/main.cfm?id=310&r1=15.00&r2=2.00&r3=0.50&r4=0.00&level=3&eid=1096
            http://www.pop.org/pdf/China_25-Year_One-Child_Policy.pdf

In summary, Deacon Tom referred us to Paragraph 93, in which Pope John Paul reminds us that “serving the Church’s Gospel of Life means that the family, particularly through its membership of family associations, works to ensure that the laws and institutions of the State in no way violate the right to life, from conception to natural death, but rather protect and promote it.”  The group agreed with the call to serve the Gospel of Life and that we must do works, but also warned that works must be backed by prayer, union with God, and faith.          

IV.  Speaker:  Deacon Tom Davis, a Deacon of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Newton, Saint Ann Church, Danbury.  Rev. Deacon Tom Davis continued the conversations above.  He said we must be deeply committed to Gospel of Life (Culture of Life).  To motivate us, he shared his perspective and described our greatest enemy.  He said that our greatest earthly opponent is not particular persons,  industries, states, governments or organizations – it is the whole earthly culture!  It is a culture of death!  Those who drive it “with opposing agendas are in all of the major institutions and segments of society, and they are entirely hostile to us – so hostile that they demand we remain silent…..For example, at a state level, Catholics are not invited to participate, but are told to stay out of debates.  “We have seen the agenda, peeked beneath the agenda…many would like to see the Catholic Mass and Catholic Church to go away. …in 1800 Catholics could not own land in CT… society today pretends to be for the common good, but targets the Catholic Church – when addressed, they claim not to know. 

He advises that we can win, if we continue on our path to increase our numbers to 1) educate our parishes, pastors, pro-life groups, school boards, council members, town, schools, clinics, etc. 2) to continually influence the legislators who have been betraying us.  They speak Pro-life but vote Pro-choice. and 3)  to participate fully in the battle where it is taking place – which is wherever people and groups meet (in sports, swim clubs, restaurants, meeting rooms, schools, local organizations, clubs, etc.)

Why is this necessary?  Because the opposition is extremely well organized and well funded – and the Culture of Death is on their side.  (Addition to minutes: As you read some of the Eugenics resources provided, you will discover how very effective these organizers are in driving their aspects of the overall Culture of Death.  They plan 50-100+  years in advance; influencing through the full spectrum of media -- art, musicals, opera, TV shows, commercials,  movies, magazines, some of our best literature and plays, news, etc.  And the messaging is focused on the same themes such as “poor people have no quality of life”  “the only way for lower classes to improve their station is by being a professional – doctor, lawyer, CEO, etc.”, ‘non-professionals must work very hard just to have enough money to take a vacation”,”do you really want to bring more children into this world”,  “poor people have too many children – creating hardships for others” “there is over population in poor countries and in poor parts of the US”,” too many people drain governments”, “need for more government controls on population”, “benefits of socialism” ,etc. Their organizational outreach stretches to key industries and the pharmaceuticals, insurance companies, and the medical doctors and nurses who perform the abortions.)

On various local CT issues, Deacon Tom Davis shares that Parental Notification should have been an easier win.  We  were not asking for parental consent – just parental notification to give a female the chance to have proper help and advise.  Yet, we were not successful.  Not surprising. There was a law to inform girls of the risks of abortion formed 14 years ago – it never got out of committee.  On Plan B, we have not heard the end of story.  There could be law suits against the Catholics Church because doctors cannot treat the patients as they want to, or Catholics may sue.  On same sex, we did well due to Brian Brown of the CT Family Institute, but much more work yet to do to protect marriage. Same sex has a broad coalition that includes the AFL-CIO, educators, legal, etc. Watch out for a transgender sex bill. Go to http://www.ctfamily.org/ and click on “Protect Marriage”.  On all issues, even if there is doubt, must error on the side of life.  Monitor the CT Catholic Conference which is the lobbying arm of the Catholic Church in CT (www.ctcatholic.org). If we run into opposition in the schools, we have to educate them.   Become familiar with the Department of Children & Families http://www.ct.gov/dcf/cwp/view.asp?a=2556&Q=316956.  Sometimes it means a lot of work – such as reading hundreds of pages of medical journals.  And, lastly, speak up and fight for religious freedoms.  The opposition is driving the idea that faith has no place in the public square…..

V.   Legislative Alert –

A.  CT Catholic Conference is a good source of information   (www.ctcatholic.org)

Connecticut (Write Your Legislators),http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/Townlist.asp House Democrats at 800-842-8267,House Republicans at 800-842-1423. Senate Dems at  800-842-1420, Senate Republicans at 860-240-8800.

Same Sex H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality – the bill passed the Judiciary .We can expect opponent campaigns. See the act at: http://cga.ct.gov/2007/TOB/H/2007HB-07395-R00-HB.htm.   
Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault Plan B.  This was signed into law by governor Jodi Rell on May 16. Very concerned about this -- the law demonstrates a legislative ability to override religious beliefs for the so-called common good. We hope, in ongoing discussions with CT  lawmakers, that this issue will be revisited.


B.   Federal: We passed around the “Protect Unborn Babies Petition” again and sent it in.  It is against the new HR 1964 and S 1173 – When the Supreme Court of US issued a partial-birth abortion decision, House and Senate liberals introduced the Freedom of Choice bill.  Please keep writing legislators on this one too.

VI.  Update from Eileen

Jenny’s Story – progressing. Join the Web site naming contest to come!  Check your emails. Need volunteers to 1) sponsor parishes in your area and establish Pro-life contacts, and 2) a volunteer to create a spreadsheet of parishes and contacts

Adoption campaign –  Desperately need a 2-person committee to call  parishes Pro-life groups, youth groups, and non-profit pregnancy crisis centers in CTs to become trained in the new adoption processes (free) and spread the word in schools, colleges, and parish youth groups. You would work with Elizabeth Rex and the National Council for Adoption which is well funded. Also, non-profits who send volunteers will be eligible to receive donations. Call me.  

Young Lives- needs volunteers and donations for Aug summer camp.

Life Chain –  Had their first meeting, only 3 people but good ideas.  Summers are difficult.  They need your participation to do something in Oct. Call me to sign up.

Carolyn’s Place:  Needs phone help desk volunteers.  Work from home.  Ellen will train.

Call for donations – need donations for a new ad in – FCC, papers, and parish bulletins.

VII.  Closing Prayer

 

 



MINUTES ____________________________________________________________________________________________July 14, 2007

Opening Prayer  / Minutes from last meeting

Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No. 19:   Fr. Markey opened conversations talking about cultural models and the error of models that “carry the concept of subjectivity to an extreme and even distorts it.” An example of subjective rights – where one can impose personal wishes on others – is Roe vs Wade.  “The theory of human rights is based precisely on the affirmation that the human person, unlike animals and things, cannot be subjected to domination by others.” Yet, our society is indeed taking advantage of and murdering the vulnerable – the unborn and the elderly. We are not respecting human rights, and humans most apt to be abused at those who cannot speak up for themselves.  The group agreed we tend to equate power, human-ness, or even human value with the ability to communicate. But what if some cannot communicate, like the aged with dementia? Does this mean we can disregard them!  This, Fr. Markey said, is a “false definition!”. It is utilitarian – if someone is not useful, this society assumes the right to be indifferent or, worse, to extinguish them.   Further, the Pope points out hat our acts of murder are “sometimes marked by a mistaken sense of altruism and human compassion”.  This is manipulation of the weak by the strong, who promote license to murder as freedom – the freedom  to “have an abortion” or as the group shared, “die with dignity”. Fr. Markey said there is no truth here.  Freedom that is not based on truth is not freedom at all (as promoted) but really is slavery, barbarism in disguise – it is the license of the strong over the weak, and as Pope John Paul II called it “selfish interest and whim”.  Fr. Markey pondered how different this is from a state where the silent communication of affection is respected, where everyone’s rights are defended, or a society that operates to Mother Theresa’s model where the measure of a family or culture is how it treats its most vulnerable members.
        
         The group discussed the Smith-Stupak bill.  It supports the continued Mexico City Policy
         (MCP) which denies federal funding to promote massive forced abortions and sterilizations,
         as in China’s 1 child only policy.  We all agreed to keep writing legislators to support this
         bill – we said we will create a “thunder of letters”.  Please join us in this effort.  Help stop
         our global exporting of lies, pain and sin.   

Speaker:  Cortney Davis
Cortney,  a nurse practitioner in women's health for 16 years,  spoke about her journey from being pro-choice to pro-life emphasizing that in all her years of nursing she never had any education on abortion or birth control and this was not uncommom.  As she wanted to become involved in women’s health, she joined Planned Parenthood.  She learned that there was also an overall lack of knowledge about women’s health.  When asked to examine girls just before abortions to determine how many weeks they were pregnant, she said she started the slipper slope.  Cortney also shared that “I do believe there is a devil, who is very deceptive, waiting to help shove us down that slope”.  We were told it was not a baby – just a “tangle of thread” – 8 months as big as an orange, 10 like a grapefruit, and 12 like a small melon.  Cortney also learned that
PRO-C…. IS ABOUT PROTECTING WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND IS NOT ABOUT CARING ABOUT THE WOMEN!

Also, power is on the side of Pro-C with many doctors and nurses keeping quiet to keep their jobs.  Most women going through abortions cried, especially when the suction cup started.  God started sending Cortney messages – many more from the women themselves who inwardly felt the were doing something wrong; no one gave these women choice points – a moment to pause and really reflect on this decision to abort.  As Cortney got more involved, she witnessed more abuses and packaged lies.  They were trained never to use the word abortion, baby, not to let women see their ultra sound or anything.  When asked if the baby feels pain, they should pat the girl’s arm and say “Of course not honey”.  

Cortney shared that most females aborting at between the ages of 21 and 35.  There is funding from the government.  If a girl does not have insurance, large foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, sponsor the abortion.  Abortions are promoted by large foundations as part of an overall Eugenics program to re-engineer the human race by minimizing births of humans more likely to carry undesirable traits and maximizing births of those with desirable traits (as is done through IVF). Cortney also confirmed that breast cancers are associated with abortions, and, contraceptives kill humans by preventing fertilized eggs in the fallopian tubes from entering the uterus. 

Updates:  From Callista – Center for Disease Control – 34 children aborted in CT each day!  

Legislative Alert – This is not a quiet summer.
(www.ctcatholic.org)

Connecticut
Same Sex H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality Supporters of the act have decided to no longer pursue it for the 2007 legislative session. We are being asked to keep writing legislators; tell others; do not let up on this issue -- which could put marriage and the family unit in jeopardy. See the act at: http://cga.ct.gov/2007/TOB/H/2007HB-07395-R00-HB.htm. 
Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault, Plan B.  Signed into law by governor Jodi Rell on May 16. Hopes this law which tramples on religious freedom  will be revisited –as has happened in other states.  Please keep writing your legislators on this one too.

Federal:

 Title V abstinence-only funding temporarily EXTENDED through Sept. 30. See article attached, “July 4 recess delays abstinence…” In the interim, several legislators are lobbying for abstinence only. See attached article or go to http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=25993 .  Also see  http://blog.thehill.com/2007/06/06/dont-touch-abstinence-education-rep-john-boozman/  You can help these legislators with your letters. Tell friends. We do not want abstinence-plus which is 95% contraceptives and sex training.  

 Smith-Stupak bill – supports the continued Mexico City Policy (MCP) which denies federal funding to promote massive forced abortions and sterilizations, as in China’s 1 child only policy. Abortionists -- trying to overturn this. Go to your CT Catholic Conf site to contact legislators or call them. www.connecticut.nasccd.org/bins/connecticut/templates/default.asp?_resolutionfile=templatespath|default.asp&area_2=Newsletters%20and%20alerts/Alert%20-%20Mexico%20City%20Policy

 “Protect Unborn Babies Petition” against HR1964 and S1173 – The Supreme Court of US issued a partial-birth abortion decision.  Then, House and Senate liberals introduced the Freedom of Choice bill to override it.  Go to  the below to obtain and send the petition and call your legislators. https://www.aclj.org/Petition/Default.aspx?&ac=1&Zip=*Zip&sc=3267.

 
Global:

 Canada parents want Unborn Victims Act like US already has – see LifeSite News -- article attached.

 Threat to Human Justice -- July 07 – Attempt thwarted by AM Center for law & Justice to prevent Creationism Education http://www.aclj.org/TrialNotebook/Read.aspx?id=502

 Fairness Doctrine_not fair for Pro-life Broadcasters. ACLJ fighting.  See: http://www.aclj.org/TrialNotebook/Read.aspx?id=500

 
Miscellaneous -- Volunteering roundtable – updates from everyone

Update from Eileen

Jenny’s Story – progressing. Join the Web site naming contest!

Need volunteers to 1) sponsors for  parishes, and 2) a volunteers to maintain a spreadsheet of parishes and contacts

Adoption campaign – On Hold until we get some volunteers.  If interested, call Eileen.

Life Chain – postponed until Oct, 2008. Not enough time to do it well. Wes Wensek and Kathy Jennings will continue planning for this.  They need more volunteers.  To sign up, call Wes 203 834-0675.  

Call for donations – Look for our next ad in Fairfield Country Catholic. Thank you for your donations toward this.  Donations toward ads in parish bulletins, and scholarships for St. Mary students to go to Wash D.C. in Jan. Closing Prayer

 


MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________ August 11, 2007


Opening Prayer 

Minutes from last meeting.
Change to “contraceptives kill humans by preventing fertilized eggs in the fallopian tubes from implanting in the uterus.” 

Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae – No. 20:  

Fr. Check read Paragraph 20 and centered discussion on Catholic Moral Theology (the Principles of Moral Law): that whereas “sin is slavery, truth will set you free”.  Moral law is the pursuit of truth and freedom.  When we sin, we hurt ourselves.  This is why sin is abhorrent to God – because it hurts us who He loves! Everything the Catholic Church teaches in moral sense is not just Catholic – such as abortion and contraception.  For example, all churches originally taught against contraception.  Abortion is an outgrowth of the use of contraception.  The Principles of Moral Law are:

Do good, avoid evil. ///////////Life is good – our moral life and spiritual life.  We have a soul and it knows the difference between right and wrong. ///////////The heart of spousal love is procreation & education. If life is good, then it is to be shared with children and education by example, role and word is key. /////////// We are social.  By our nature. We learn how to be closely social through our natural family relationships – our parents, siblings, aunts, grandparents, cousins, etc. We are born to be close with each other and to share. This is part of our existence. ///////////  Truth.  We are made for truth. There is something in us that makes us want truth – even if it is hard to know. We have a deep appetite for it.

The group asked whether there were tight relationships between the moral laws, and Fr. Check said there is.  If you break one moral law, your ability to implement the others becomes damaged or weakened. The same is true of the virtues too.

Father Check continued. We are now in the grip of a “dictatorship of relativism” – where people assert their right of self will and are willing to protect their will even if it means discriminating, damaging or killing other groups as in the Nuremberg Trials’ and crimes against humanity.  Then, people, as today, people were passive and we socially moved toward a dictatorship of relativism and then toward a state of total Aryanism and tyranny. Note:  The oath we take as US citizens does not require we surrender our conscience to the state.  Even priests do not surrender their conscience to their Bishops – only to God. In spite of Hitler, many had a strong conscience.  But his officers followed a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” philosophy – they should have resigned. The group added that this is exactly what  Pro-Choice politicians are doing today.  They are more loyal to their party and its position than they are to truth and their constituents.

Pope John Paul writes that today, at the level of politics and government, “The original and inalienable right to life is questioned or denied on the basis of a parliamentary vote or the will of one part of the people…The State is no longer the “common home” where all can live together on the basis of principles of fundamental equality, but is transformed into a tyrant State, which arrogates to itself the right to dispose of the life of the weakest and most defenseless members, from the unborn child to the elderly, in the name of public interest which is really nothing but the interest of one part…This is death of true freedom:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (Jn 8:34).

 Speakers:  Clarissa Cincotta, Director of Rachel’s Vineyard for the Diocese of Bridgeport, and Rachel Torres O’Leary .  Clarissa described the long range damage and effects of an abortion on most women – unaware of God’s great mercy and forgiveness – which included the constant expectation that God will punish them to the same magnitude of their sin (such as the death or birth defect of their next child, their second child, their third child, or their husband or themselves;  the scorn or fear of loved ones and friends; compulsive self-hate and self-destructive practices such as alcohol, drugs, or a second or third abortion).  When Rachel spoke, she told of her own experiences, and pointed out that abortion was a symptom of an existing self-destructive behavior which then became exaggerated after the guilt of the abortion. The group agreed that we should be reaching out to female teens at young ages who demonstrate any of the self-destructive habits and try to help them before they become involved in free sex, contraceptives and abortions. There was a great deal of understanding and empathy by the group for all females caught in this cycle.  One of the group asked about men and if they suffer in a similar way.  The answer was yes, but that they hide it better.  One man in the group said the ladies were so courageous in telling about their abortion stories and hardships, that he wanted to tell of his and confirm that “men also suffer”. He said he participated in an abortion when he was 24.  He is now 70 and has felt guilty ever since. Clarissa told him where to go to get help, and after the meeting the other men surrounded him and nurtured him through discussions about the Gospel of life projects they were working on.  People called me afterward saying what a wonderful session this was, and how thankful they are for the Gospel of Life Society which feeds their soul.

Legislative Alert Connecticut (www.ctcatholic.org).

Defend Marriage & Liberty Rally on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 on the east steps of the state capitol at 10:00 a.m. in Hartford (Same Sex H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality) sponsored by the Family Institute of CT. The same sex  coalition is well funded and broad including the AFL-CIO, foundations, educators, legal, etc. Please plan to turn out in numbers – tell parishioners, priests, etc.  Place the attached flyer on bulletin boards and wherever possible. We must show, through our numbers, that the majority of people favor traditional marriage and a society based on it and God. Gospel of Life will be there, //////with our 9’ banners///////we will car pool from St. Mary at 7:00 am. Call Eileen and leave a message if you are coming (203) 847-5727, need a ride or can give a ride. Go to http://www.ctfamily.org/ and click on “Protect Marriage”.  Keep writing legislators on this issue. (See Attached Flyer for parish bulletin boards, libraries, post office, schools, etc.)

Passage of S.B. 1109 made sexual orientation a protected class (opposes freedom of speech for all other classes).  This enables the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to investigate discrimination complaints. See video at http://www.afa.net/play/index.html  

Bill (S.B.1044), attempted to provide transgender persons protections against discrimination, passed the Senate, but died in the House.

Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault, Plan B.  CT Right to Life team sponsored a meeting with Senator Caligiuri (Cheshire, Southington, Waterbury) who talked on Plan and that the logical next step would be for Catholic Church to sue.  If the state feels threatened, a compromise might be struck. In the interim, we are told to keep sending our letters to legislators and Gov. Rell.

Repeal of the Death Penalty Bills:  There were many introduced to abolish the death penalty in CT, during this last session, but none were acted on. 

VI. Update from Eileen

Jenny’s Story – Billboard going up on Main St. in Trumbull on Oct 5!  We have selected two potential new names and are checking to make sure they are free. Both are great!  We will let you know at the next meeting.   

Adoption campaign – Put on Hold until we get some volunteers to become trained in the new adoption processes (free) and spread the word in schools, colleges, and parish youth groups..

Danbury Life Chain – Sunday, Oct 7, 2007, 2:30-3:30 pm, Main St, Danbury – across from the library (corner Main & West Sts).  Signs will be provided.  Invite your family & friends to join in.  We need to learn how to do this - Next year we will do our first all-Catholic Chain.  For info, 438-6123 or 748-2938.  Please encourage your parishes to send the youth groups.

Call for donations – Donations toward ads in parish bulletins, dedications,  scholarships for St. Mary students to go to Wash D.C. in Jan. (need $3,000) 

Gospel of Life Society – Preliminary Web Site Home Page is up!  Needs some fixes, but is there! Check it out!  

VII. Closing Prayer

 

 





MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Sept 8, 2007


 I             Opening Prayer
II             Minutes from last meeting
III            Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae #21  Fr. Markey read and discussed this paragraph which profoundly described the consequences of distancing ourselves from God.  It results in a breakdown of our moral fiber, which causes us to become hardened and loose respect for human life, which then distances us from God further.  An so it is, as Fr. Markey put it before us – a vicious cycle.  “It is only before the Lord that man can admit his sin and recognize its full seriousness”. 

IV            Speaker:  Bill O’Brien, Pres, CT Right to Life, Waterbury.  Bill reviewed his personal story, the history of CT Right to Life  and it current role as part of the American Life League to educate and lobby for CT.  Yearly, they hold conventions, take people on the March for Life, conduct rallies, and in various ways lobby.  In general, we can improve our effectiveness with legislators if we write more letters to the editor (thousands of people will see the message which may include legislators), turn out in massive numbers to rallies and events, including Pro-life Masses (a small number of people hurts us), and support their lobbying efforts.  To do this, Bill suggested the Gospel of Life Society especially focus on the below three bills in our communications with legislators. Problem: In determining whether CT is Pro-Choice or Pro-Life, legislators in Washington D.C. look at the number of Pro-Life bills that were passed for CT.  Since we do not have any, they conclude CT is Pro-Choice and vote accordingly.  We must pass several bills.  To accomplish this, Pro-lifers in CT must focus their  efforts.  Please spread the word.  Cut and paste this into your private email distribution lists – send to all friends and loved ones. The bills we must concentrate on  were selected because they are both critical to the Pro-life movement and should be easier to pass:
 

H.B. 5807, An Act Concerning Parental Notification

An Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault, Plan B  Check out the National Right to Life site to become quickly informed on the details:  http://www.nrlc.org/Unborn_Victims/Statehomicidelaws092302.html,

http://www.nrlc.org/Unborn_Victims/,    http://www.nrlc.org/Unborn_Victims/keypointsuvva.html  I still am looking for “research volunteers” to be on the “Legislative Research Committee” to keep us all informed of atest information and arguments for these three bills – from the CT Right to Life,  ALL, C Catholic Conf, US, USCCB, Fr. Frank Pavone,  Family Institue of Am, and Fr. etc. and other sources -- that we might use in communications with legislators.  Please contact me if you have any interest to discuss it further.  These volunteers only need to be comfortable with the issues and able to use the computer.

VI            Other Legislative -  Connecticut        ccc@ctcatholic.org
Same Sex Rally, Hartford. H.B. 7395 - An Act Concerning Marriage Equality - The Family Institute of CT sponsored a Defend Marriage & Liberty  Rally on Sept 12.  About 250-300 people participated.  Some press and several legislators also participated. The spirit of this rally was high and the event was positive and hopeful.  The Family Institute of CT would like our support on this bill.  Please keep writing legislators on this and the two associated bills that are still active:

S.B. 1109 made sexual orientation a protected class (opposes freedom of speech for all other classes).

See video at http://www.afa.net/play/index.html   

Bill (S.B.1044), attempted to provide transgender persons protections against discrimination (such as dress discrimination in classrooms, churches, etc).

CT awarded funding of $20 million to UCONN in Storrs, UONN Health Center in Farmington, Yale, and Wesleyan Unv’s.  The Hartford Courant reports that researchers intend to obtain embryonic stem cells using fertilized eggs created by in vitro fertilization. In at least one funded project, UCONN will involve cloning human beings from the fertilized eggs and then kill the cloned humans to take their embryonic stem cells.  
Legislative – Federal

S.51, The Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy Enhancement Act of 2007 and HR 322, The alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Art of 2007–  are still active.  Please write your legislators – we are against them.  They would expand the number of embryonic stem cell lines available for federally funded research.  They were referred to Senate committee in Jan 07, and then to Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. Read them at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.51:.     http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.322:   and     

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.362:  and http://www.lifenews.com/bio2218.html human/animal cloning

Am Center for Law & Justice: Should the Government define What Constitutes Religious Worship? In Texas, Florida, Tennessee and countless other states and cities, the ACLJ have defended churches that have had their local tax exempt status denied by govt because of the definition of religious worship.  If same sex is passed, some are concerned religious orgs and non-profits would be denied tax exempt status if they do not adhere to gay practices. Let’s track this – write legislators – there are enough Catholics in CT to get their attention on this as a same sex act could be a direct threat to freedom of religion of the Catholic Church.

Global

Europe says American scientists relying on embryonic stems cells to cure diseases are very out of date – by decades.  Only adult stem cell is bringing cures.  See video on spectacular things being done already in other parts of the world --   http://www.globalchange.com/stemcells2.htm    Send to legislators!

Video on Myth of Population Explosion which was fabricated to Justify Contraception & Abortion (Human Life International, Rev Thomas J Euteneuer, Pres), see video at:  http://viditalk.com/hli/4/  

For global info on  Eugenics, also  see www.all.org/abac/eugen02.htm  and read the para. “Second New Field: Population Control” to see how the same group of Eugenics folks transitioned to mainstream by remarketing their cause as population control – which justifies the continued promoting of contraceptives, abortion, and sterilizations.

VII           Miscellaneous

Beata Solowiej – a new member and physician from Poland in training to become a psychiatrist would like to invite others to call here to discuss participation in the “Hope Alive” training program and post-abortion methods by Dr. Philip G. Ney, M.D., a Canadian born child psychiatrist, trained at McGill University and University of London.  At the Mount Joy College site http://mtjoycollege.com/history.htm, he states that Hope Alive is only offered to pro-life, pro-family Christians who are dedicated to fulfill Christ’s mandate to heal and spread the good news. Training centers on healing women whose abuse (physical, psychological or indifference) as a child led to dissociation from self and God – a state that more easily cooperates with coercion from others to abort (Interesting how this matches EV 21 discussed above). Training sessions are one week, with the training scheduled for October.  They need 6 more people to run it.  If interested in discussing it, contact Beata at (203) 753-0880.

The Children First Foundation --  and CT Catholic Conference with the Diocesan Pro-life offices sponsored a “Drive for Life” Campaign to sell Choose Life license plates throughout CT parishes.  Monies will go to non-profit pro-life organizations, and in particular the Pregnancy Crisis Centers which do such good work and are not state funded.

VIII         Updates from Eileen

Jenny’s Story – Billboard on Main St., Trumbull, up  on Oct 9!  We have a CONTEST WINNER!!! Congratulations Elizabeth Rex for the winning name:  CT4WOMEN  !!!  Thank you – all of you who participated for great names you sent in  -- we wished we could have used them all!

Reminder:  Danbury Life Chain Sunday, Oct 7, 2007, 2:30-3:30 pm, Main St, Danbury – across from the library (corner Main & West Sts).  Signs will be provided.  For info, 438-6123 or 748-2938.  If you are on the Life Chain committee, please try to attend this so we can all learn about it.

Respect Life, Archdiocesan Pro-Life Mass, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hartford, 2:00 PM

Call for donations – Donations toward ads in parish bulletins (Fr. Markey and I just created a really nice ad with LOQ picture on it), dedications, monthly mailings, scholarships for St. Mary students to go to Wash D.C. in Jan. (need $3,000), AND ADS, ADS, ADS.

Nov 4 - CT RIGHT TO LIFE CORP. invites us to participate in a demonstration against demonstration
against cloning/embryonic stem cell research, UCONN Health Center, Farmington 2:30 - 4:00 PM.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. (Fr. Tad) Director of Education, The National Catholic Bioethics Center, will talk about the “Science of Ethics and Cloning”, this Sunday, Oct 14, St. Mary School Hall, 183 High Ridge Ave, Ridgefield, call Jack Gilchrist 438-4753                 

IX.   Closing Prayer

 

 


MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Oct 13, 2007


I.  Open:  With Prayer.

II.  Discussion by Fr. Markey of the Connecticut Bishops Statement On Plan B and Catholic Hospitals, Issued Sept 27, 2007 (attached). The church teaches that though the Sixth Commandment states that we shall not kill, a woman has the right to self defense in a rape situation. She also has the right to protect herself from the harm of a rapist even after the act of rape.  The sperm is considered an unjust aggressor (meaning that it is not present within the woman because of unity of mind and through self-giving in a loving conjugal act – but through the force of a rape). She could opt to prevent pregnancy by taking Plan B if  testing (pregnancy and ovulation tests) showed that ovulation had not yet taken place (that an egg had not traveled from the ovaries into the fallopian tube and become fertilized by a sperm).  Plan B would then act solely as a contraceptive to prevent ovulation.  Note:  The Catholic Medical Association in a LifeNews article in May, 2007, shared that Plan B may only work to halt ovulation 50% of the time.  Thus fertilization may occur even after the pill is administered. 

This testing is important to determine if fertilization had taken place.  If a new human life is present, Catholic Bishops are concerned that there are evidences that a secondary effect of Plan B is to chemically act as an abortifacient by preventing the new baby from implanting into the womb.  The difficulty is that the new bill passed by the Governor does not permit the ovulation test, and pregnancy tests cannot accurately detect a pregnancy at fertilization but only after implantation which takes more than a week after a new life is formed. The Pro-life movement, with its universities and scientists, has not provided the Bishops with any scientific proof that Plan B can act as an abortifacient.  Without this proof, they were told by their lawyers that they did not have a legal case – to force the state to allow ovulation testing. At this point, there is only evidence that Plan be “may” be abortifacient which does not equal “will” be an abortifacient. The Church is braced to legal action the moment we have proof that Plan B will act as an abortifacient,

The group responded with the same disappointments they had shared outside the meeting through conversations and emails. There was concern from our nurses about the slippery slope, questions about why we must give rape victims Plan B when they can buy it, questions about who determines whether a “rape” has actually taken place, and why the Church’s course of action is subordinate to science. The group also wondered if a Catholic nurse or doctor refused to give Plan B, would they be forced to?  Some shared that at Norwalk Hospital, a Catholic would not be forced.  A number of people asked we think very hard about being willing to close Catholic Hospitals as there is a growing population of elderly Catholics now who count on being able to go to Catholic hospitals where they can get the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing, on the premises.   

 Guest Speaker:  Dr. Judith Mascolo:

Dr. Mascolo  discussed her challenges as a Pro-life family doctor (71 White Ave, West Hartford, CT 06119 (860) 570-0201) and shared her perspective on Plan B and the current status of the “Culture of Death” in all aspects of life from birth to end of life issues.  Regarding Plan B, most doctors do not acknowledge that life begins at conception including those that consider themselves to be Pro-life.  For example, most Pro-life doctors respond in shock when they hear that she refused to commit a pro-death act – such as refused to give a contraceptive”. 

Dr. Mascolo said she converted to Pro-life when she saw the atrocity of abortion at 8-10 weeks.   God stepped in.  A ER nurse dropped an aborted baby in her hand; it was not a blob but a fully developed baby.  Yet, God had to wise her up further because when women had unplanned pregnancies, she was still sending them to Planned Parenthood.  In this next intrusion by God, she realized how the Culture of Death had implanted itself and was influencing people unable to morally make proper decisions – resulting in Eugenics, IVF, contraceptives, infertility, aborted normal babies, aborted Downs Symdrom, etc.  During her second pregnancy, she was told her baby was a possible Downs, but her daughter was born normal.  However, when pregnant with her fourth child, she was again told of the possibility.  This time, God seemed to draw her near and nurture her. For the next few weeks, she kept seeing Downs children – living and bringing joy to those around them.  At Mass, a priest told her of a case where parents had a Downs  child and their great happiness with their decision to have the child despite Culture of Death pressures to abort.  (Due to Eugenics movements, 9 out of 10 babies with Downs Symdrom are aborted.)  When she had her Downs baby, God gave her the courage to speak out for Pro-life; face the loss of friends, jobs, courses, etc.  

Dr. Mascolo says the Culture of Death is so implanted that all Catholics need to actively speak out, to teach our youth about the dangers of contraceptives (Pamphlets by One More Soul were recommended) and abortion, and we need to we need to help our lobbyists.  If we do not take an active part, and keep leaving it to everyone else, we will not win this war.  For example, one of the opponents on the Parental Notification Hearing this year, had many practices in the area that do abortions (a lot of abortions are done in private offices).  The general feeling was that vested money in or from the industry or was being protected.  No one on our side addressed this. Who knew about the various conflicts of interest, shared this type of key information, empowered the team?  We are relying on too few people to do too much.

Legislative:

Connecticut

Plan B - Help Governor Rell to realize that the Catholic people in CT are strongly against her signing of this bill; this may help minimize the costs of litigation at a future date.  Spread the word wherever possible (email networks, universities, corporations, etc).

Legislative – Federal

State Department/Foreign Operations appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 2764) -- USCCB – Sept 2007 -- faulted the Senate for promoting abortion as a method of family planning http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-140.shtml

Senator Brownback – Oct 10 – spoke up for pro-life on many points:  We killed 40 millions plus babies – that means we victimized approx 90 million humans (the dead babies and their damaged moms).  http://www.lifenews.com/nat3371.html 

Global

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Pope Benedict XVI – Sept 2007 -- in response to a request by the USCCB, has reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on providing nutrition and hydration to patients in a persistent “vegetative state.”  http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-143.shtml

October 7, Cardinal Justin Rigali noted widespread confusion on life issues – from embryonic stem cell research and partial-birth abortion to euthanasia by starvation – and called upon Catholics and all people of good will to “witness to the truth about the incomparable dignity and right to life of every human being.” – not just among yourselves – we need you to start doing  more work than that; actively evangelize! Cardinal Rigali is Archbishop of Philadelphia and Chairman of the Committee for Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-149.shtml

V.  Updates from Eileen

Jenny’s Story Billboard is up!  Refers to www.CT4Women.com. The “Birth Control” section was just added to the site; next the “Abstinence” section!  The Billboard is off the Merritt, take Exit 48 toward Bridgeport, on Main St – it is between the Trumbull Mall and St. Vincent’s Hospital. 

Call for donations – We want to thank you again for your great generosity last month.  We have invested some money in some booth items, a poster, and a small assortment of Pro-life pamphlets to hand out at events.  We will begin placing ads in parishes we have sponsors in.  Being Nov already, we need to start putting serious money aside for the two buses for the Jan March for Life and scholarships (need $3,000+). 

VI.  Closing Prayer

 

 


MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________Nov 10, 2007


I.  Open:  With Prayer.

II.  Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae #21 continued.  Fr. Markey pointed out several a key understandings – that without the creator the creature disappears, and that we are all made in the likeness of God with free will and we are Eternal (our souls).  It is important to understand this to understand man.  To the extent that our understanding of this become diminished, so does our dignity.  Said another way, we differ 100% from animals; we differ in kind; we have everlasting souls, they do not.  Though there may be a ceiling on what we are capable of, we are called to greatness, animals are not.   As man emphasizes technology and things, the meaning of mankind become distorted – more aligned with animals and their object-oriented reality.  What this leads to is less morality – the mind set that says if science can do it, we should do it -- rather than stopping to consider morality and the effect on society (which animals do not do).  As an example, this is what is being done by the scientific community that says if we can do embryonic stem cell and cloning, we should for the sake of “..(they offer justifications)..”.  We have come to a sense of freedom without law, and, just as bad, law without freedom (where we create the laws of nature that override laws of man; not permitting us to have authority over nature that God gave us but locking us into laws that are not necessarily aligned with God – under God.).  In this, we loose the mystery of what we are, our beauty, our capabilities, and the mystery of us and God. 

III.   Guest Speaker:  We were honored to have as our guest speaker Dr. James Sherley, Sr. Scientist, Programs in Regenerative Biology and Cancer, Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Watertown, Mass. Dr. Sherley thoroughly covered embryonic stem cell research to help convert some of the misinformation that is out there, especially deceptive scientific disclosures, based on a philosophy that the ends justifies the means.  He made the strong point that human life needs to be safeguarded against attack by untruths regarding embryonic stem cell and cloning.  Read the attached document “

THE BIGGEST LIE OF ALL:

We do not need to have a cell that can be anything –  pluriponent cells (which are descendants of totopotent cells) -- we just need to have the type of cell for the disease to be cured.  Reason:  cells are constantly changing and dividing, differentiating and able to cure defects in adult tissue. In fact, in a life of 80 years, we will make new cells throughout our body about 80 times. Adult stem cells, are special root cells, that help all cells go through their changes, phases, cycles.  We can pull out some adult stem cells , multiply them, and replace.  Here’s the benefits:

no killing of an zygote

we can get informed consent from the patient

the body will accept its own cells

no defects because the cloned involve lack of all human traits

no tumors or cancers due to the use of embryonic stems cells that are in not evolved enough in their cycles to change and maintain adult tissue

we can use God’s own design – in a way that God can applaud

When scientists realized that embryonic stem (ES) cells could not do what they wanted, they said they would then use the funding to learn about genetic diseases – but they could not.  So they said they would use Theraputic Cloning because it was morally okay and gives better results, but it is not morally okay -- it kills human cells.  And it does not give better results --  those cloned cells will be defective (read the attached). Well, they said we can use IVF cells – but these could be defective depending on the frequency of live births, early childhood diseases, etc. In addition, if they harvest from women, they will put women at risk. 

So why not use natural adult stem cells?  They can use multi-potent adult stem cells which can produce cells of a closely related family of cells.  For example, e.g. hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, etc.) and can be used to cultivate new bone marrow. That’s fine.

Please write to the Institutional Review Boards of your hospitals – every hospital has one – to influence a strong and fast change in direction (before the govt gives out more funding for embryonic stem cell to universities.

 

AGENDA ADDENDUM
Strategy to Support our CT Lobbyists (Ongoing), USCCB, & Susan B Anthony List:

      The Gospel of Life Society and friends are asked to schedule time to
write, call, or meet with a variety of legislators at least once per month on these issues (select 4 or 5 that your feel most comfortable with. An easy way is to send copies of the same letter to multiple legislators.).

A)  CT
Objective: To help CT lobbyists get 2 or 3 or  Pro-Life CT bills passed to help Washington stop perceiving CT as a purely Pro-Choice state and start giving more Pro-life support.  Increase legislative communications on the following bills.  

H.B. 5807, An Act Concerning Parental Notification An Act Concerning Compassionate Care for Victims of Sexual Assault Plan B (When  science proves Plan B is abortifacient, we may go to court -- writing you do now will help), Fetal Homocide, Unborn Victims of Violence Act H.B. 7395 - Act Concerning Marriage Equality (same sex marriages, gay adoption, gay ceremonies in churches)   S.B. 1109 (if sexual orientation becames a protected class – could limit freedom of speech, see video at http://www.afa.net/play/index.html) The Catholic Conference reports that they “Established legislative intent during the Senate debate to insure this bill would not override current exemptions for religious institutions”. Bill S.B.1044 (supports transgender dressing in churches, schools, universities, pre-schools, etc.).  This bill died in the House.  Watch out for it to reappear as part of another bill.

 B)  Federal
Here is the objective is to let Washington see focused communications from CT on the below Federal bills to help prevent these bills, but also to send a visible message that CT people are also actively promoting Pro-life at the Federal level.  

S.51, The Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy Enhancement Act of 2007 HR 322, The alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Art of 2007  They would expand the number of embryonic stem cell lines available for federally funded research.  They were referred to Senate committee in Jan 07, and then to Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions.

C)  Global
Here our goal is to write Federal legislators – to show that CT people are astute on global issues too and will hold them accountable. 

Promote Adult Stem Cell.  Europe says American scientists who are relying on embryonic stems cells to cure diseases are very out of date – by decades.  Only adult stem cell is bringing tremendous cures.  See video on spectacular things being done already in other parts of the world –  view these videos; send to legislators!   Two videos by Dr. Patrick Dixon describe the cures and wonders of adult stem cells and that Am is behind the times focusing on embryonic and cloning at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yU99-QlDLc  and at http://www.globalchange.com/stemcells2.htm Read an older article but good explanations of embryonic vs adult stem cells http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/winter01/stem_cell.html The National Right to Life sites 1,229 clinical trials and 0 with embryonic at   http://www.nrlc.org/news_and_Views/January07/nv011007part1.html Why pharmaceuticals are using adult stem cell at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17047-2004Aug19.html Poke holes in the Myth of Population Explosion which was fabricated to Justify Contraception & Abortion (Human Life International, Rev Thomas J Euteneuer, Pres), see video at:  http://viditalk.com/hli/4/   Fight against Eugenics and their programs promoting contraceptives, abortions, and sterializations in foreign countries.  For global info on  Eugenics, also  see www.all.org/abac/eugen02.htm  and read the para. “Second New Field: Population Control” to see how the same group of Eugenics folks transitioned to mainstream and won much support from everyday people by remarketing their cause as population control.  They justify population control (massive initiatives to give contraceptives, abortions, and sterilizations) by claiming that it is over population that keeps countries like China and India from being a strong, independent global powers.  To realize the dangers these practices present to females, visit the CT4Women.com site – see “Thinking About Aborting” and “Birth Control” as well as “Healing Resources” and “Men Hurt Too”. The Susan B Anthony List and US Conf of Catholic Bishops and Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman – Nov, 2007, ask us to KEEP WRITING LEGISLATORS in support of the Mexico City Policy  -- the poor  need equality, and our Pro-Choice legislators want to give them abortion programs!  The poor need help providing for their children, not eliminating them.  Please keep writing for a variety of  legislators of this one; once per month if possible!

 

Note:  Of the Susan B. Anthony List, is a group dedicated to electing pro-life women, http://www.sba-list.org/ and a critical group to support with your encouragements, letters to legislators on issues they are addressing, and especially with your national-level donations – they are not as well funded as their opposition with Clinton – called Emily’s List.  Please, it is key that if you do contact them, let them know you are from the Gospel of Life Society – St. Mary Church, Norwalk as we will be contacting them too and endeavoring to work directly with them (just as we are working with the CT Right to Life).

 

 


MINUTES____________________________________________________________________________________________ Dec 8, 2007 

I            Opening Prayer
II         Minutes from last meeting
III        Review of Evangelium Vitae, #23 by Fr. Greg Markey.

            Fr. Markey emphasized that Pope John Paul II said would happen is indeed happening today.  As we loose more and more sight of God, all things become more and more materialistic.  “The values of being are replaced by those of having”. In such an environment, no value is placed on suffering – it looses its purpose.  The logic goes that ‘If life has nothing to gain by suffering, then why endure suffering’, and so our society has come to support various forms of euthanasia. In this environment, attitudes toward the body are also degraded.  The body is no longer seen as playing a special role in the sharing of relations with others, spouses, and God.  Instead, it is reduced to a compilation of parts. Sexuality, too, has become more materialistic, from being a form of rich self-giving and love to a way of satisfying a need or asserting. The two purposes of the conjugal act (unitive and procreative) are denied – rejected – and in doing so the marriage itself is devalued and betrayed.  Procreation becomes the enemy and interpersonal relationships become seriously improverished.  Thus, this all gives forth to the massive use of contraception which enables the use of another person for one’s own selfishness.  But the selfishness in the bedroom goes outside the bedroom where fertility is often looked on as a curse. 

            The first to be harmed by this materialism are the women, then the children, and then the sick or elderly. The criterion of personal dignity – which demands respect, generosity and service is replaced by the criterion of efficiency, functionality and usefulness:  others are considered not for what they are but for what they have, can do, or can produce. This is the supremacy of the ‘perceived’ strong over the ‘perceived’ weak.  This is what happens when God is left out. The team totally enjoyed this talk and agreed pointing out that in this environment, relationships are not as deep.  Knowledge of another’s good qualities does not exist.  Instead, there is stereotyping.  Many people and whole populations are misjudged by the dim-witted and unholy. Discussion also focused on the teaching of contraceptives in schools and concluded that many of the health education educators are not really qualified – not versed on issues surrounding the distribution of contraceptives and how this leads to more abortions, not less.

IV        Speaker: Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is the author of several books centering on the role of women, motherhood, and  the spiritual world of women.  Her latest book is called Prayfully Expecting:  A Nine Month Novena for Mothers-to-Be.  Check out her Web site. 
           
            Donna-Marie joined in the talks above and discussed the Culture of Death battle we are all fighting and the need to put on our armor – to become as holy as possible.  This is really a spiritual battle.  Donna-Marie reminded us, and she also reminded us that we are all called to become saints. But, the place to start, is first with the self.  Above all, we should surrender our will to God.  Donna-Marie told some stories about Mother Theresa and Mother’s attitude toward love.  Mother Theresa said it takes sacrifice to love each other and God.  The greatest destroyer  is abortion.  If a mother can kill her child, how can we persuade anyone to sacrifice.  Yet, God said we are carved in the palm of His hand – us and the unborn child.  God will never forget us.  We need to go in love and respond in love. 
            Donna talked also about the need for families to spend more quality time together, and to include Jesus in more of the things they do.  This is the best gift they can give each other and God.  But, sadly, the devil has been working on womanhood, like he worked on Eve.  And, he has turned women against this – they have as a whole lost their sense of vocation, value as mother and wife.  Our focus in our Gospel of Life activities should also be to have women re-align with their God-given calling.

            The group agreed with Donna and appreciated the time spent – saying her words were truth and beautiful.  They felt like they were on a mini spiritual retreat – very refreshed.  Ready to gift themselves and God.

V          Legislative –  CT

Plan B – in the National Catholic Register.  We are asked to continue to write on this.

Other legislation in attached addendum:  continue to communicate with you legislators on these too.                  

Legislative – Federal

National Organization for Marriage, N.J.,  Brian Brown reports on the successful launch of a  billboard & radio campaign exposing legislators who pro-life and vote pro-choice.  (see article attached).

International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, hosted by Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Canada(EPCC) on Dec 4 – brought together people with a variety of concerns and ideas (Article attached).

Operation Rescue Truth Trucks:  With images of aborted babies, had a truck wrongly stopped & impounded. OR is asking pro-lifers to back that that the obscenity laws should not apply to aborted baby images. (article attached)

Global-Vatican

American Catholic League:  In a Dec 5 article (LifeSiteNews.com) shared their belief that the pedophilia crisis in the Catholic Church was a myth – it is really a homosexual crisis in the priesthood all along”. (Attached) They ask that we globally  replaced the word ‘Euthanasia’ (which has a caring connotation) with ‘imposed death’.

A new Encyclical on Hope from Pope Benedict XVI (signed Nov 30) – hoped based on knowledge of God’s mercy.  Pope Benedict XVI  shares that our God, loves us, unconditionally, with great understanding --  giving unlimited mercy on repentance.  This gives us good reasons to have hope for the future of the world and mankind. He further equates hope with faith; pointing out that the strength of our hope is dependent on the strength of our of faith. “AdXVI.http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html   The next encyclical will be on a social theme.

Message on the Occasion of the 94th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2008 (Oct 18, 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI) asking us to understand that migrants generally have strong responsibilities and alliances at home which explain their inability or reluctance to totally integrate in.  They are different from people or leave their countries to live here.  We should take this into consideration and assist them to integrate as much as possible.

VII       Miscellaneous

Boycott Golden Compass – the Movie reflects a disdain for a so-called senile God ultimately leading to the killing of God by characters who represent Adam and Eve.   Interesting, that the real Adam and Eve broke God’s heart by kicking off a trend of murder that we are still dealing with, and now we have a movie that kills God.   Thank God for his mercy which gives us hope.

Lynn Haffey gave out information on vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue which included a chart listing  diseases and the vaccine, manufacturer, fetal cell line, etc.  We will scan this into the computer to distribute it online. Or, call Children of God for Life, 615-898-1070

VIII      Updates from Eileen

Jenny’s Story Billboard attracting Blogs!

Jan 22 is the March for Life!  Let’s start signing people up. 

Call for donations – need desperately for scholarships for youth bus rides to Wash D.C. for the March for Life.

IX.      Closing Prayer





VIDEO BY AIR MARIA ON:


GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY

Note:  meetings are not the third Sat. of every month as mentioned in the video.
I was nervous. They are actually the Second Sat.)

 

 

THANK YOU FOR VISITING US! 

 

Donations Are Gratefully Accepted!!! The Gospel of Life Society has made it a decision to operate solely on your donations.  There is no funding from the Diocese, Vatican or government agency of any kind. Please sponsor one or more of our projects with an automatic monthly donation. Make checks payable to ST. MARY CHURCH.  Send to 669 WEST AVE, NORWALK, CT 06850. 203-866-5546 Specify that it is for the GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY and the project to apply your donation to.   To review our projects, click on the 'Projects' off the Navigation Table on the HOME page.   Help us get the information into the right hands at the right time.  Thank you for your heart and good wishes!

 

 


Eileen Bianchini, SFO
Gospel of Life Society, Chairperson
(203) 847-5727
Saint Mary Church
"The Mother Church of Norwlk"
Pastor: Rev. Greg J. Markey