The incredible value of one little life

30 Hours from Archdiocese of Denver on Vimeo.

Controlling life or death is only an illusion

Brittany Maynard's tragic death has skyrocketed to the top of news feeds for the past week.  The world waited in suspense as November 2 drew closer.  Would she choose to die or, as one of her final messages seemed to allude to, would she decide to keep on living?  But as we know, she did die.  As one author suggested, though, we will never know if her death was a free choice or one that was horribly influenced by the organization "Compassion and Choices" that hijacked Brittany's situation for their own benefit.

The loss of Brittany is certainly tragic.  The tragedies could continue to mount if people use her story as a catalyst for physician-prescribed suicide.  That's why another young woman with the same cancer shared her perspective on CNN:



Cancer has been in the news in Cincinnati lately.  Bengals' player Devon Still's four-year-old daughter is battling cancer right now.  Lauren Hill, a freshman basketball player at the College of Mt. St. Joseph, has been told she has until December to live.

There has been no talk of suicide pills or control of death for Lauren.  Instead, the entire city has rallied around her as she played her first (as she says, her first, not her last) college basketball game.  

Women like Lauren and Maggie Karner (above) are witnessing how to live, which is also how to die.  They are truly brave in submitting to the reality that we cannot control everything -- not death, nor life.  They are courageous in allowing their immense suffering to transform them and others, rather than to dominate them.

Pray for Lauren.  Pray for Maggie.  Pray for all who are faced with terminal diagnoses -- for the courage to live while dying.  

A beautiful story of life, love and grace

Stories // David William from Church Project on Vimeo.

A bucket list for an unborn baby

(If the video above does not show up, please click here.)

 Little Shane was born, baptized and welcomed home to heaven yesterday.

A very real -- and "pro-choice" -- look at abortion

I don't know that I have the words just yet to process this piece from New York Magazine written by an "abortion doula."  It is the most realistic, riveting, devastating description of abortion I have ever read ... and it is written by a woman who sits in the procedure room every week.  

She says she can't judge and wants to help the women, but she hauntingly describes what it is like to look at the blood and the pieces and to hear the screams of mothers in the midst of an abortion.  

It's graphic and a very difficult read, but one that exposes the reality of abortion far more compellingly than any pro-life literature really can.  You can find it here.

Why is JPII a saint?

Quote book

"In seeking the deepest roots of the struggle between the 'culture of life' and the 'culture of death,' we cannot restrict ourselves to the perverse idea of freedom mentioned above.  We have to go to the heart of the tragedy being experienced by modern man: the eclipse of the sense of God and of man, typical of a social and cultural climate dominated by secularism, which, with its ubiquitous tentacles, succeeds at times in putting Christian communities themselves to the test.  Those who allow themselves to be influenced by this climate easily fall into a sad vicious cycle: when the sense of God is lost, there is also a tendency to lose the sense of man, of his dignity and his life; in turn, the systematic violation of the moral law, especially in the serious matter of respect for human life and its dignity, produces a kind of progressive darkening of the capacity to discern God's living and saving presence." -- SAINT John Paul II (Evangelium Vitae #21)

Meeting Chiara Corbella Petrillo again

Almost two years ago, I shared the story of Chiara Corbella Petrillo, a young Italian wife and mother who, like St. Gianna Beretta Molla, gave her life for her son.  Her story is fascinating and heartbreaking, but little is available in English.  I just came across a new article, however, written by a woman who speaks both English and Italian, and who was present at a recent event with Chiara's husband.  

If you're interested in learning more about how a woman with a modern day Job experience responded with peace and joy, then be sure to read this.

Looking for life in Auschwitz

A story of hope and life in the midst of the devastating brutality of Auschwitz has recently been told in the National Post.

Miriam Rosenthal was four-months pregnant, starving, bone-tired, cold, filthy and afraid when an SS officer in big black boots and a crisp uniform appeared before the barracks in Auschwitz with a loudspeaker in hand.

All pregnant women line up, he barked. Line up, line up — your food portions are being doubled.

“Can you imagine?” Miriam asks. “Even women who were not pregnant stepped forward. I was standing with my younger cousin, but I wouldn’t go. She says, ‘Miriam, what are you doing?’ ”

“Something was holding me back. Someone was watching over me. I feel maybe my mother, maybe God. Two hundred women stepped forward and 200 women went to the gas chamber. And I don’t know why I didn’t step forward.

Read the whole story here.

Not your average middle school football team ...

Having it all ... with or without kids?

Recently, TIME Magazine's cover featured a couple enjoying their childless life at the beach, with the headline, "The Childfree Life: When having it all means not having kids." I haven't read the article, but I can imagine what it says. Still, I can't directly comment on the article until I read it.

So, I was grateful to come across John-Mark Miravalle's take on the article, along with his own calculation system to determine whether children fit into own one's personal goal of "having it all."

Source

I think the first thing to notice about this system of measurement is that nobody applies it once kids are actually in the picture. No one would say to a mother, “Suppose I offered you some great opportunities in exchange for little Timmy?” Somebody who went around making those kinds of offers would be reported to the authorities. Why? Probably because we know Timmy’s not the sort of thing that can be exchanged for goods, services, luxuries or career choices. Timmy’s not like other resources or consumer options, and it’s sick and wrong to pretend otherwise. But if suggesting we trade a KID for COMPETING GOODS is sick and wrong after the kid is born, why is it not sick and wrong before the kid is born?

Of course, the folks at TIME aren’t actually making that offer. They’re simply reporting that couples without kids seem to have a richer experience of life than couples with kids. Apparently (“And we’re just neutral observers,” they say) kids are cost-inefficient when it comes to happiness.

Well, I think we need a little more rigor in our analysis. I think we need some sort of scientific, absolutely reliable system of measurement that can accurately predict whether or not a kid will be an overall contribution or diminution of your own personal happiness as a couple (assuming, of course, that you’re capable of bearing and caring for a kid). And the good news is that I have invented such a calculus, and am hereby sharing it with the world. It will infallibly determine whether kids will make you happier or less happy. It consists in the following question:

Find out the question by reading it here. It's really a great article.

What's really going on in Texas?

The other day I spent significant time listening to the Texas House's debates regarding "HB2," the pro-life bill on the table.  Along with listening and watching the livestream, I also monitored Twitter reactions to the issue at hand.  Right now, the Texas Senate is debating passage of the same bill, which the House passed.


I've been involved in pro-life work for more than a decade.  So, I have seen and experienced pro-abortion arguments, strange logic and even abusive treatment.  I've seen the signs and heard the chants.  I've also had meaningful conversations that stepped away from debate and soundbites and really engaged the issues at hand -- sometimes issues that were far below the surface.


But observing the HB2 debate in Texas has been nothing less than draining.  I have friends who have been in the Capitol building and outside at the rallies.  I'm just at home.  Nevertheless, listening to the arguments used, and monitoring the stack of tweets that bashes the bill has been a bit deflating.  


When HB2 was on the House floor a few days ago, amendment after amendment was presented by those who disagreed with the bill in order to stem its affects.  One amendment said women who are victims of rape or incest should be able to abort past week 20.  One said that young women who have not had good sex education should be able to abort past week 20.  One said if abortion clinics in Texas are closed due to higher standards, then the state should pay for the transportation costs of those who are impacted.  


One representative decorated the microphone with a wire coat hanger, while other representatives stood around her holding the same.


Arguments were made about women's rights to control their own bodies.


The representative with the wire coat hanger told the story of her own daughter who found herself unexpectedly pregnant.  After her mother (the representative) told her about all of her options, the young girl eventually decided to give life to her son.  The representative shared that her grandson is now 30 years old and has given her a great grandson.  Yet, she said that if she could go back in time she would still want her to daughter to have access to either choice -- to give birth to her son or to abort him.


I couldn't help but wonder if her grandson was watching and what he could be thinking.  "So, you don't care if I'm alive or not?  You wouldn't stand up for me?  My son -- your great grandson -- is just a matter of choice to you?"


It was chilling.


There was a lengthy conversation about matters of rape and incest.  Certainly, these are horrific situations.  But the representatives argued that a woman who is the victim of rape or incest would be punished every day of her life is she gave birth to a child conceived as a result of one of these horrific experiences.  The example of the three young women who were recently released from years of kidnapped captivity in Cleveland, Ohio was given.  One of the representatives said that if one of these young women were pregnant when she escaped, then surely an abortion would be a desirable way to terminate the pain.


I couldn't help but think of those children who are alive today who were conceived as a result of rape or incest, including the child of one of the young women from Cleveland.  What about their inherent dignity?  How do they feel when someone tells them they should not be alive, that every breath they take is a punishment to their mother?  Perhaps some day I will share on the blog a conversation I had with a woman who was conceived in rape.  It's a story and a perspective that more people need to hear.


Meanwhile, Twitter explodes if a man says anything in favor of HB2, because clearly he just "hates women."  And if a woman is in favor of the bill, then she is dumb.


It's just mind boggling to me that this whole debate is happening.  Texas is trying to pass a bill that would ban nearly all abortions after 20 weeks (which amounts to less than 400 annually) and would give stricter guidelines to abortion providers.  Yet, the promoters are considered anti-woman for wanting more safety regulations to be in place.  And they are pulling out wire coat hangers as a symbol of the future, when thousands of abortions in Texas would be considered legal, just as they are today.


It used to be argued that abortion should be "safe, legal and rare," but the arguments against this bill only appear to be concerned with the legality.  


There is even an outrage over the idea of following the FDA's guidelines on distribution of the RU-486 abortion pill.  


The old arguments for abortion are being dropped in the dust, while the debate around HB2 unveils the real arguments -- the idea that babies of any age and stage are nothing but parasites on women, that the right to abortion is the ultimate right, that women are autonomous, self-determining individuals who live in the isolated world of, "My body, my choice."


Things have been getting radical in Texas.  Part of the radicality is not so much the arguments in and of themselves, but the fact that they are being championed, celebrated and broadcast so widely.  "Safe, legal and rare" has been trampled by, "Control, power and privacy" or by, "Me, myself and I."  And it's all on display.


This already lengthy post could probably be much longer, but let's just pray for Texas and for all those involved in this debate -- not only for a pro-life bill passage, but also for all of us to become loving, selfless people who live our lives "for" others. 

A pro-life inspiration

Brandon Vogt shared this interview with nine-year-old Giovanni, a pro-life blogger.  Here he shares his work of making duct tape wallets with pro-life messages to raise funds for pro-life organizations.

 

You can read about his wallets and his donations thus far at his blog.  It's also where you will find more information about how to order a custom wallet.

"Dear mom with a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis"

This is a beautiful, heartfelt letter from Lauren to all mothers expecting a child with Down Syndrome.  The beginning ...

Dear mom who just received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis,

I know how you feel.

Except — unlike you, I was holding my new baby, Kate, in my arms when I found out. She was wrapped in a blanket, looking up at me as I cried, listening to the Neonatologist on staff tell me — only minutes after she was born — that she had Down syndrome. And what that meant.

He said that it meant she had an extra chromosome. And that she would have learning delays. He said that it meant she was significantly predisposed to certain medical conditions, including congenital heart defects — and that we should get her heart tested right away. He said that it meant she had low muscle tone and may not be able to breastfeed. He said that it meant she would do things on a different schedule than other kids.

And in those first few days, after hearing those statistics, talking to doctors and researching online, I thought I knew what it “meant” to have a child with Down syndrome. And quite frankly, I was devastated.

And so it is with you.

But let me tell you — from one mother to another — those facts are not what it means to have a child with Down syndrome.

Many of those facts may not even apply to you. Some might, but many might not. I’ve learned this with all of my children. And I never allow generalizations to set my expectations. (For the record, Kate breastfed like a champ and continues to break stereotypes.)

What those facts didn’t tell me about Kate is that — along with almond eyes and slightly lower muscle tone — she would also have my thick, blond hair and full lips. That she’s a Daddy’s girl. That she loves peanut butter waffles and rocking her baby doll to sleep. They didn’t tell me that she’s a nurturing big sister, a doting little sister — and the star in the room wherever we go.

It's definitely worth the read here.

Saving lives on the Golden Gate Bridge

Defending the gift of life can take many forms and occur at various stages. Kevin Briggs saves life in an incredible way:

 

Happy Mother's Day!

"Thank you, women who are mothers!  You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail.  This experience makes you become God's own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child's first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life." ~ Bl. John Paul II in "Letter to Women"

Happy Mother's Day to all spiritual and physical mothers!

An encouraging moment for a culture for life

I'm not in the habit of sharing grocery store commercials, but have you seen this?  It's a beautiful depiction of motherhood, the dignity of the unborn child and the simplicity of family life.

Unbelievable

Live Action just released a new video in their Inhuman campaign.  I'm still in shock at the casual way that this 23 week old baby is described and handled.  It truly is inhuman.  

 

Stuck

This looks like a fascinating film about international adoption.I have only watched the trailer,but I believe it is worth sharing.

(Just click on the play button below and switch to full screen viewing.)

Is Gosnell alone?

Live Action is at it again.  This time they they have undercover investigated late term abortion clinics.  Kermit Gosnell, the late term abortionist in Philadelphia, is currently on trial for killing one woman and several newborn babies.  Anyone who has even cursorily followed his case knows that incredibly gruesome things were happening at 3801 Lancaster.  

But we have to ask -- is Gosnell alone?

In reality, 3801 Lancaster was not the only site of inhuman treatment toward babies and their mothers.