January 5, 2004
Dear Friends,
What follows is our January-February issue of the Priests for Life newsletter.
Past newsletters can also be found on our website at
www.priestsforlife.org/newsletters/newsletter.html
May I extend to you a personal invitation to join me for two events in
Washington
DC on January 22. Before the March for Life, I will lead a memorial service at
9:30am at the Senate Office Buildings and present a new pro-life award. Dr.
Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. will be present. This is the
largest
indoor pro-life event on Capitol Hill. Admission is free. (The exact room for
the
event is still to be announced.)
Then, after the March, I will gather at 5pm in front of the Supreme Court with
Jennifer O'Neill and the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. Women hurt by
abortion will share their testimonies and hold signs saying "I Regret My
Abortion". Singer Melba Moore will grace both events with her music.
Please join me. You can get more information about both events by visiting
priestsforlife.org.
With prayers,
Fr. Frank Pavone
Priests for Life Newsletter
Volume 14, Number 1
January - February 2004
"Suspect" and "Illusory"
Pope and American Bishops have strong words for Pro-abortion
politicians
"Indeed, the failure to protect and defend life in its most vulnerable
stages renders suspect
any claims to the 'rightness' of positions in other matters affecting the
poorest and least
powerful of the human community" (US Bishops, 1998, Living the Gospel of
Life, n.23).
"Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human
rights -- for
example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture -- is
false and illusory
if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of
all other
personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination" (Pope John
Paul II, 1988,
The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World
(Christifideles Laici), n.38).
Those are clear and strong words. The Vicar of Christ has spoken them to the
entire
world. The Successors of the Apostles have spoken them to our entire nation. Now
it is
time for us as priests to echo them to every corner of our parishes, schools,
and other
avenues of ministry. It is time to echo them in our parish bulletins, our
publications, our
homilies, our talks, our counseling, and our private conversation.
We are on solid doctrinal, moral, and legal ground. These are words spoken by
those to
whom we are accountable. It is difficult to go wrong when we are quoting our own
bishops and Pope!
Yet often we tiptoe in an embarrassed and over-cautious silence when it comes to
pointing out the contradiction inherent in the positions of candidates for
public office. Let
us not confuse moral teaching with political endorsement. We are not called to
say, "Vote
for John Smith." Yet neither are we called to be silent when "John
Smith" tramples
underfoot the law of God and the very principles of civilized society by
defending the
slaughter of children in the womb.
The Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern
World
states, "...At all times and in all places, the Church should have the true
freedom to teach
the faith, to proclaim its teaching about society, to carry out its task among
men without
hindrance, and to pass moral judgment even in matters relating to politics,
whenever the
fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it" (GS 76).
In the case of abortion in America, the "fundamental rights of man"
certainly require that
we speak. Let's examine why.
Abortion is not, and never has been, simply an "issue." It is, rather,
the most radical
break with civilization that history has ever seen. The legal reason this is
true becomes
clearer when we realize that Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion throughout
all nine
months of pregnancy for any reason or no reason, never denied that the unborn
child is a
child. The Court instead declared that this question was beyond its competency
to
answer. "We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins.
When those
trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are
unable to
arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of
man's
knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer"(Roe, at
159).
Yet just three paragraphs earlier, Roe declares, "[T]he word
"person," as used in the
Fourteenth Amendment, does not include the unborn" (Roe, at 159).
Had the Court said, "We have concluded that the unborn are definitely not
human, and
therefore we can legalize abortion," at least it would have preserved the
principle that
government cannot authorize the destruction of the innocent. But the Court
failed to do
that. Instead, the Court asserted that although unborn children may well be
human beings,
government can authorize their destruction anyway.
That's the stuff of which holocausts are made. The Court, in fact, declared a
new kind of
government -- the kind that has mastery over life and death. If a government
claims that
kind of mastery, there's no reason to limit its use to one group of people over
another.
Either all our rights are subject to the government, or we have some rights that
no
government can touch. If government can take away the very right to life, then
obviously
that right does not come from the mere fact that we are human. Instead, it comes
from
criteria set by others. And if others can set the criteria for life and death,
they can set the
criteria for any other right as well, since we can possess and exercise our
rights only if
we are alive.
This is why the bishops can say that when a public servant cannot stand up for
the right to
life, his stand for other human rights is "suspect". It is suspect in
its very foundations,
even if the motives for such a stand are pure. It is suspect in its logic and
also in its
efficacy. If one tries to build a just society while tolerating the most
fundamental
injustice, or tries to welcome the poor and weak while ignoring the poorest and
weakest,
one builds on sand.
This is also why the Pope can call the outcry for human rights "false and
illusory"
without the right to life. Such an assertion is not a hollow denunciation or a
sectarian
imposition. Rather, it reflects what our Founding Fathers asserted by calling
our rights
"inviolable."
The Founding Fathers knew the difference between Divine law and human law, and
wrote about it clearly. Alexander Hamilton, a signer of the Constitution, wrote,
"[T]he
law...dictated by God Himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any
other. It is
binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times. No human laws
are of any
validity if contrary to this" (The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, Vol. I, p.
87).
James Wilson, another signer of the Constitution and a US Supreme Court Justice,
wrote,
"All [laws], however, may be arranged in two different classes, 1) Divine.
2)
Human...Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that
law
which is Divine" (The Works of the Honourable James Wilson, Vol. I, pp.
103-105).
In short, to allow legalized abortion is an attack on the entire moral orderIf
abortion is
not wrong, nothing is wrong. If it is wrong, civilization will not survive
unless it is set
right.
Silent No More Awareness Campaign Continues to Grow
"I Regret My Abortion." These four simple words confirm the growing
doubt in the mind
of the American public that abortion is any kind of benefit. More and more women
are
holding signs with this very message, as they come into the public square
repenting of
their abortion, proclaiming the mercy of Christ, and reaching out to their
sisters, lest they
make the same mistake.
The Silent No More Awareness Campaign is a project of Priests for Life and NOEL,
and
is an ecumenical effort to bring healing to those who have had abortions, and to
enable
them to teach others that abortion hurts women.
Actress and model Jennifer O'Neill is the National Celebrity Spokesperson for
the
campaign. On January 22, she will again join dozens of other women at the steps
of the
Supreme Court. They will share their testimonies publicly. Similar events will
be held
across the country, and you can sign up for such events at the campaign's
website,
www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org.
Singer and Actress Melba Moore has also joined the campaign. As a post-abortive
woman, she too has found the forgiveness of the Lord through the Church, and now
assists the pro-life movement with her gift of song.
After public rallies during the month of January, we call upon Churches to have
special
healing services in February for those wounded by abortion. Our web site has
suggested
formats. Please tell all those you know who have had abortions about the Silent
No More
Awareness Campaign. They will be grateful for the special fellowship this
campaign will
provide.
National Day of Prayer (May 6): An Interview with Shirley Dobson
Mrs. Shirley Dobson has served as chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task
Force
(NDP) since 1991.
1. How and when did the National Day of Prayer start?
The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage and actually predates
our
Constitution. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental
Congress asked
the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has
continued
through our history. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation call
for a day of
"humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In 1952, a joint
resolution by Congress,
signed by President Harry Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer In
1988,
the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan, permanently setting
the
day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a
proclamation,
encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state
governors plus the
governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
2. Is this an event for all religions?
The annual National Day of Prayer is a day set aside by Congress and the
President
asking all Americans to celebrate their faith through prayer, regardless of
their religious
perspective. However, the National Day of Prayer Task Force is the
Judeo-Christian
expression of the annual National Day of Prayer.
3. What kind of events occur on the National Day of Prayer?
Thousands of local volunteers and coordinators organize a variety of activities
ranging
from prayer breakfasts, Bible reading marathons, concerts of prayer, rallies,
church
prayer vigils, student flagpole gatherings and observances held in sports
stadiums. The
sizes of the events vary from something as small as a group of co-workers
gathering to
pray during their coffee break to events with as many as 20,000 participants
4. How can Christians observe this Day in their own homes and Churches?
We receive reports each year about events in the public square as well as prayer
vigils in
homes and churches. Some churches will open its sanctuary during the
midday hours so
people can stop by to pray during their lunch hours. All the while some
churches will
hold observances in the evening so the congregation can pray corporately.
As for homes, we've received reports from some families who invite their
neighbors to
their house for dessert and prayer time. And, some families will take a
walk through their
neighborhood and pray for the people who live in the area.
5. In our day, attacks on the sanctity of life are unprecedented, and the
prayers of all are
urgently needed. How do you see the National Day of Prayer meeting this
need?
As a nation, we see immorality masquerade as authority. God said,
"Thou shall not
murder." Yet, for over 30 years, we have been entrenched in a Culture
of Death. Since
Roe v. Wade, more than 41 million babies have been murdered. However,
prayer
realigns our will with God's will and brings His standard of morality back into
focus.
Prayer is the process that God uses to help us understand what is healthy and
what is
unhealthy. Without prayer - without seeking the Lord's guidance - it
becomes difficult
to recognize immorality for what it is. The National Day of Prayer
provides us the
opportunity to corporately come together, repent of our wrongdoings and ask for
the
Lord's intervention.
More info: www.nationaldayofprayer.org
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her request of Priests for Life
-- Fr. Frank Pavone
In June of 1994, I visited Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and discussed the
strategies
of the pro-life movement. Four months earlier, Mother Teresa had given her
powerful prayer breakfast speech in Washington, DC, in which she declared,
"[T]he greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war
against
the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself.
And
if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other
people not to kill one another?"
I thanked her for that speech, and told her many Americans saw it on television.
But she wanted to reach those who had not seen it, and brought me a copy of it,
typed out by a rather primitive typewriter. She asked if I could spread it to
more
people, and I promised that through Priests for Life, we would spread it far and
wide.
We have been doing so for the past ten years, completely free of charge. You,
too,
can help fulfill her request. Contact us for copies of this powerful speech for
your
parish, school, prayer group, Bible study, family, and friends! (Priests for
Life, PO
Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314, Phone: (718) 980-4400, ext. 237; Fax: 718-
980-3900; Email: orders@priestsforlife.org).
A Double Invitation from Fr. Frank
You are invited to the largest indoor pro-life gathering on Capitol Hill! On
January 22,
starting at 9:30am, the annual National Memorial for the Pre-born and their
Mothers and
Fathers will take place in one of the Senate buildings in Washington, DC. Clergy
and
laity from all denominations will participate. You and your family are welcome,
free of
charge. Fr. Frank Pavone will preach the sermon and also announce a new national
pro-
life award. For more details, call (718) 980-4400.
Also, on March 2-3, Priests for Life will offer a clergy briefing in Washington,
in
conjunction with David Barton of WallBuilders. Meetings with key members of
Congress, and a special tour of the Capitol explaining the spiritual foundations
of our
nation, are included. Space is limited. If you are a priest and would like an
invitation, call
(718) 980-4400, ext. 271.
Calling all parish respect life coordinators
Dear Friend,
Priests for Life would like to know how to contact the respect life coordinator
for
your parish. As we interact with priests from coast to coast, we learn many
effective pastoral programs, and we want your parish coordinator to be aware of
them. Kindly fill out the form below and mail or fax it to us. Thank you!
Name of Parish: __________________ City _________ State _______
Parish Respect Life coordinator ________________________________
Coordinator's Mailing Address _________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________
Fax: _______________________________
Email: ______________________________
Mail to Priests for Life - Dept. J, PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314
Or fax to 413-803-0092. Thank you!
Our Latest Product for 2004!
Don't miss this simple tool by which you can teach your people what our bishops
have taught about the political responsibility of Catholics. It is a study guide
to the
bishops' 1998 document Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American
Catholics. The discussion questions and additional documentation you will find
here will aid your preaching, provide material for the bulletin, and give adult
education classes a valuable item for the curriculum. Or you can just make it
available for personal study. Order it by calling 888-PFL-3448, ext. 239, or by
fax
at 718-980-3900, or email orders@priestsforlife.org
Prayer Intentions
January: That in this election year, believers may take their political
responsibility
more seriously and build a culture of justice and life, we pray to the Lord...
February: That the criminal justice system in our nation may be reformed in ways
that accord with the dignity of our brothers and sisters who have done wrong, we
pray to the Lord...
We welcome priests to work with us
Many priests feel the call to devote more time to pro-life activity. If, with
the
permission of your ordinary, you can devote a year or more to working with
Priests for Life, give us a call! (718) 980-4400
Partial-Birth Abortion: Priests for Life rejoices in the ban on Partial-birth
abortion signed by President Bush. Since 1993, when Priests for Life first came
into possession of the medical paper by Dr. Martin Haskell, we have been
preaching about this horror in pulpits across America. We will continue to
defend
the ban as it is challenged in courts that are out of touch with the will of the
American people. For more info, visit www.priestsforlife.org/partialbirth.html
Elections: Want to know what you are and are not permitted to do in your parish
regarding this year's elections? Visit www.priestsforlife.org/elections
In Spanish: Prayer and educational material in Spanish: See
www.priestsforlife.org/spanish
Sponsor our newsletter for your diocese or state: Call Jerry, 540-785-4733
Email us at mail@priestsforlife.org,
Priests for Life, PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314;
Tel: 888-PFL-3448, 718-980-4400; Fax: 718-980-6515; web: www.priestsforlife.org