An All Soul's Day remembrance

On November 1, the Church celebrates All Saint's Day, followed by All Soul's Day on November 2. It is a day where we remember the faithful departed. Through the month of November, I offer readers the opportunity to offer prayers for some of the special people we'd especially like to remember. So feel free to use McLinky to enter the names of the special people who have preceded you in death, along with a brief petition if you'd like. I'll leave McLinky active for the month in order to give everyone the opportunity to remember those who are special to us.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

FOOTBALL CHRISTIANITY, Or Reasons I Stopped Attending Football Games (And Church)

1. Every time I went, they asked me for money.
2. The people sitting next to me didn't seem very friendly.
3. The seats were too hard.
4. The coach never came to call on me.
5. The referee made a decision I disagreed with.
6. I was sitting with hypocrites - they came only to see what others were wearing.
7. Some of the games went into overtime and I was late getting home.
8. The band played songs I didn't like.
9. The games were scheduled when I wanted to do other things.
10. My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.
11. Since I read a book about football, I know more than the coaches, anyhow.
12. I don't want to take my children, because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

Gorgeous Blogger Award

How nice!

Cathy at A Bit of the Blarney was kind enough to give this site a Gorgeous Blogger Award.

Thank you, Cathy!

By accepting this award I am required to tell you six things about myself that you don't know and then award it to six other gorgeous bloggers. Here are some things you likely don't know about me:

1. I was the runner up of the Times Herald spelling bee in 6th grade. I went down on the word knickknack, which, as I NOW know, has 4 K's.

2. When in college, I used to babysit a boa constrictor. He was about 4 feet long, and I used to love to wear him around my neck. Maximum shock value, don't you know...

3. I met my husband at our college coffee shop, The Rat.

4. I play a mean game of Scrabble.

5. I was sent to the principal's office when I was in second grade. My infraction? I climbed over a bus seat.

6. My favorite flower? Daffodils. Lots and lots of daffodils making a huge splash of color in the spring.

And now, here are 6 gorgeous bloggers I'd like to recognize:

1. First off, let me point you to the blog of Georgetown Visitation Monastery. The Visitation sisters are, indeed, gorgeous!

2. Have you had a chance to check out Catholic Chicks?

3. I've recently found Chrysalizing and, I'm glad I did.

4. Heart, Mind, and Strength is another recent find.

5. Guys can be gorgeous bloggers, too. Check God In All Things, the blog of Fr. Eugene Lobo, SJ, for proof.

6. Fr. Jay Toborowski is another example; see his blog, Young Fogeys.

Again, Cathy, my thanks!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

What's that on your face?

An organization called Children of God for Life has issued a disturbing news release (dated 10/27/09 and found here) about an anti-wrinkle cream produced using the cell lines of a male fetus electively aborted at 14 weeks gestational age. According to the article, the pharmaceutical company which produces the cream, Neocutis, focuses on production of skin care products.

Children of God for Life is reported to be a pharmaceutical industry watchdog. A major focus has been to call for pharmaceutical companies to produce vaccines without using cell lines from aborted fetuses. Until recently, they were unable to substantiate concerns that some companies were using cell lines from aborted fetal tissue to produce their cosmetics. The press release indicated that Neocutis openly acknowledged this, however.

Now I admit I was skeptical. I had trouble believing that a company would publicly admit to a production method that utilized cells derived from an aborted fetus. So I went to the website for Neocutis and poked around a bit. I found the following information under the heading of “technology” on the Neocutis site:

NEOCUTIS technology platform relies on the use of cultured fetal skin cells obtained from a cell bank for treating differing skin conditions.

The dedicated cell bank was originally established for wound healing and burn treatments using a single biopsy of donated fetal skin following a one-time medical termination.

The cultured cells can be used to produce skin constructs for wound healing or can be incorporated as cell lysate in a topical carrier for use in dermatology and skin care.

To date, the cultured cells originating from this cell bank are used in research and product development in the following areas:

• acute and chronic wound healing
• eczema and psoriasis, and
• vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis

Having developed a topical preparation for different skin conditions, the use of this preparation for daily skin care became apparent. Today this same cell bank also provides a lasting supply of cells for producing Neocutis’ proprietary skin care ingredient Processed Skin Cell Proteins (PSP®).

If you’re skeptical, too, follow this link.

The Neocutis products that use this technology include Bio-Gel, Journee, Bio-Serum, Prevedem, Bio Restorative Skin Cream and Lumiere. I don’t know how you feel about it, but I don’t want to use these products. I plan to avoid purchasing them (or, for that matter, any Neocutis products).

But the more disturbing question is this: how much do we know about how the products we use? And how can we become better informed?

To learn more about Children of God for Life, see their website.

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Please go to Conversion Diary each Friday for 7 Quick Takes.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

Sister Maria Restituta

On October 29, the Catholic Church remembers Sister Maria Restituta, born Helen Kafka. The daughter of a shoemaker, she was born in 1894 and grew up in Vienna Austria. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity at the age of 20 and took the name of Maria Restituta, an early Christian martyr.

She began working as a surgical nurse in Austria at the age of 25. When the Germans occupied Austria, she became an opponent of the Nazi regime. They ordered her to remove the crucifixes she had hung in each room of a new hospital wing. She refused to do so and was arrested by the Gestapo on Ash Wednesday in 1942. She was sentenced to death for “aiding and abetting the enemy in the betrayal of the fatherland and for plotting high treason”.

During her imprisonment, the Nazis offered to release her is she would abandon her order, but she refused to do so. She was beheaded on March 30, 1943. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 21, 1998.

Today, as we remember Sister Maria Restituta, let us also read these words, found written on a piece of wrapping paper in the Ravensbruck concentration camp:

Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not only remember the suffering they have inflicted on us; remember the fruits we bought, thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness. – Anonymous.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

A lovely award from a lovely lady!

My cyberfriend Anne at Imprisoned In My Bones: Releasing My Inner Jeremiah was kind enough to give my blog an award! She asks only that I pass it on to 5 other blogs which inspire me.

As with Anne, I found it difficult to narrow my choice down to a mere 5 blogs, but I wanted to share this award with women who make me think, who challenge my faith, and who call me to grow in Christ. Anne’s site (Imprisoned In My Bones: Releasing My Inner Jeremiah) is certainly one, but here are 5 additional sites I encourage you to visit frequently. I pass this award on to:

Ann at Holy Experience

Jill at Altered

Everybody’s favorite nun at Ask Sister Mary Martha

Elizabeth at Elizabeth Esther: Kids, Twins, and Laundry Bins

Sarah at Adventures of a Recovering Basket Case

Thank you, Anne! And thank you to the 5 other lovely ladies whose blogs I follow! I invite you to do the same!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

What about Halloween?

I took a stroll over to Jen’s place (Conversion Diary)) today and found she raised an issue that I was already thinking about. She asks whether her readers celebrate Halloween, and if not, why not. It’s something that’s made me feel vaguely uncomfortable for several years now, and I’d like to hear what you have to say about it.

First off, a bit of background…

Many years ago, when I was just out of high school, I became involved briefly with several people who dabbled in séances and numerology. Frankly, some things happened that scared me away from anything that could even remotely be called “supernatural” or “occult”. In fact, I promised God with all sincerity that I would never dabble in such stuff again.

Perhaps I’ve carried this to a ridiculous extreme, but I’ve kept my promise. I don’t look at the horoscope in the paper. I don’t watch Ghost Whisperer. I refuse to go to movies that might be considered occult. And each year, I struggle a bit at this time of year. I feel very conflicted about Halloween.

I did a bit of Wikipedia reasearch on Halloween the other day, simply because I wanted to see if I was “all wet” in feeling uncomfortable about this holiday. I learned that the celebration of Halloween is deeply rooted in paganism. It started as a Celtic harvest festival, and was called Samhain (summer’s end). The dead would be remembered, and even today it is a custom in some areas to set a place at the table for the dead and to tell tales of ancestors.

Ritual bonfires were lit to celebrate the Celtic new year. All other fires would be extinguished with the exception of the communal bonfire, and each family would then light their own hearth from the common flame; this served to ceremonially unite the families of the village. In some instances, two bonfires would be lit in close proximity, and people would walk between them as a purification ritual.

Samhain was celebrated in western Brittany by baking cakes shaped like antlers to commemorate the god of winter shedding his horns as he enters the Otherworld. The Welsh celebrated the holiday under the name of Nos Galan Gaeaf, which marks the beginning of the “dark half of the year”. Inhabitants of the Isle of Man called the festival Hop-tu-Naa, a celebration of New Year’s Eve. Children dress in scary outfits and sing about Jinnie the Witch; they travel from house to house asking for sweets or money. The Romans identified Samhain with Lemuria, their feast of the dead; ultimately, the night of October 31 became known as All Hallow’s Eve. The festival dedicated to the dead ultimately became the secular holiday of Halloween.

Today’s neopagans celebrate Halloween in a variety of ways, including elaborate rituals to honor the dead and recreations of the ancient Celtic celebration. Celtic lore holds that the boundaries between the living and the dead become thinner at Samhain, thus enabling supernatural to pass through the barrier and socialize with humans. Much of the neopagan rituals are intended to invite spirits to do so.

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So I continue to feel conflicted about Halloween. I don’t want to be the neighborhood grouch, refusing to open my door to tiny teletubbies and little leprechauns. But I struggle a bit when I think of the pagan origins of Halloween.

What about you?

Does Halloween make you vaguely uncomfortable, or are you able to join wholeheartedly into the fun?

And what about me?

In light of my earlier promise to God, am I wrong in opening my door to costumed children and giving them Snickers bars?

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here (even though I have some conflicts about Halloween)

This week's photo caption contest has a Halloween connection...

Can you come up with a caption for this picture? Use McLinky to submit your ideas. The names of the winners will be posted next week.






And here are the winners for last week's contest. By the way: Marion mentioned that no one outside the U.K. would understand her submission. I think she may be right!

...that they may be one as we are one

Approximately 450 years after King Henry VIII split from Rome, the Vatican has paved the way for allowing disaffected Anglicans to join the Catholic Church. As a convert to the Catholic faith, I'm delighted to hear this news.

According to Wikipedia, there are 38,000 Christian denominations. I find that absolutely astounding. I can't even begin to fathom 38,000 non-negotiable ways to disagree with other Christians, can you?

Read the words of St. Francis de Sales.

Is Jesus Christ divided? No, surely, for he is the God of peace, not of dissension, as St. Paul taught throughout the Church. It cannot then be true that the Church should be in dissension or division of belief and opinion, for God would no longer be its Author or Spouse, and, like a kingdom divided against itself, it would be brought to desolation. As soon as God takes a people to himself, as he has done the Church, he gives it unity of heart and of path: the Church is but one body, of which all the faithful are members, compacted and united together by all its joints; there is but one spirit animating this body: God is in his holy place: who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house (Ps. Lxvii:7); therefore the true Church of God must be united, fastened and joined together ion one same doctrine and belief.

St. Francis says it quite clearly: God is not the source of division within his universal church. When the Church was established by God, he gave it "unity of heart and of path". Each time we break away from the Body of Christ, we defy him.

Don't believe me? Then believe our Lord:

My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

John 17:20-23

"Attitude is Everything"

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed Him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry Was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes it is," Jerry said.

Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

- Francie Baltazar-Schwartz

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here
I'm planning on holding one every Wednesday - I've had fun seeing your creative ideas!

Rachel's Challenge

Those of us who were old enough to follow the news coverage won’t soon forget the tragic events which took place at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. 12 students and one teacher were killed, and 23 others were injured before the two students who engineered the massacre took their own lives. It is hard to imagine the devastating impact this had on the survivors and the families of those who lost their lives, including both the families of the innocent victims as well as the perpetrators of the slaughter.

The first victim to die at Columbine was Rachel Scott, then 17 years old. Rachel had vowed to be kind to others, particularly those who were disabled or who didn’t “fit in” with the popular crowd. She strove to be a positive influence on those she met.

While sorting through Rachel’s belongings in the months following her death, her parents found her journal. In it she had begun to put forth some ideas she had about starting a “chain reaction of kindness”. She said, in part, “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness will go.”

Rachel didn’t have grandiose ambitions. She simply wanted to be kind, one act at a time, to one person at a time, in hopes that kindness would prove to be contagious.

Rachel’s parents decided to make Rachel’s dream come true. They started “Rachel’s Challenge”, an organization which aims to end violence, promote good citizenship, and put in motion Rachel’s “chain reaction of kindness”. Today, Rachel’s Challenge presents programs in schools and communities, fostering the message of positive change.

When Rachel was 13 years old, she traced the outlines of her hands on a piece of paper and wrote these words: "These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of people's hearts."

If we accept Rachel’s Challenge, we can prove that she was right.

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For more information read this article or go to the Rachel’s Challenge website.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here
I'm planning on holding one every Wednesday - I've had fun seeing your creative ideas!

Harmony

Oh, I hear music in the air -
The arias of birds so fair,
The babbling of a little brook,
Squirrels chatting in a sheltered nook,
The chirping sound of insects nigh,
A waning breeze's wistful sigh,
Droning tunes of bumblebees,
A cricket with staccato tease,
A gander's honking from above,
The gentle cooing of a dove.
How all of Nature fairly sings,
In rhythmic tones an opera brings.
If one but listens quite intent,
There's harmony that's Heaven sent.

- Virginia Borman Grimmer

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here
I'm planning on holding one every Wednesday - I've had fun seeing your creative ideas!

Laugh along with the little guy!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here
I'm planning on holding one every Wednesday - I've had fun seeing your creative ideas!

Lessons from the lagoon

May be you have heard about the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef.

On one tour, a traveler asked the guide an interesting question. "I noticed that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," the traveler observed. "Why is this?"

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves, and storms — surges of power. It has to fight for survival every day of its life. As it is challenged and tested, it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces."

Then he added this telling note: "That’s the way it is with every living organism."

That’s how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow. Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness . So, you have problems? No problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again!"

Remember,
A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.
- English Proverb.

God Bless You!

- Shamelessly taken
from the blog of
Fr. Eugene Lobo S.J.,
You can find it here

Be sure to visit there – it’s a great site!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest!
You can find it here.
I'm planning on holding one every Wednesday - I've had fun seeing your creative ideas!

Is it crazy to be Christian?

The October 25, 2009 issue of Our Sunday Visitor contains a brief opinion piece entitled, “Is belief in God sign of ‘dementia’?” It includes a reference to the New York Times and says that the Times had included reference to the possible “dementia” of the new director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins.

No,” I said to myself. “Surely the Times wouldn’t say such a thing!!”

So I did a web search and found the article in question: a profile of Dr. Collins, an evangelical Christian, published on October 5, 2009.

In this article, the Times speaks of several controversies surrounding the NIH director. It says, “First, there is the God issue. Dr. Collins believes in him. Passionately. And he preaches about his belief in churches and a best-selling book. For some presidential appointees, that might not be a problem, but many scientists view such outspoken religious commitment as a sign of mild dementia.”

You've got to be kidding.

At any rate, apparently Collins didn’t always profess a belief in God. Some years ago, a patient asked him what he believed, and it struck him that this was a question that merited consideration. He explored the question for a period of years and ultimately came to believe in God.

The Times goes on to say, “Critics like the physicist Robert L. Park contend that the moment was nothing but a hormonal rush. That a man with a medical degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry failed to diagnose the problem and instead gave it higher meaning ‘is enough to cause concern,’ said Dr. Park, a professor at the University of Maryland noted for his attacks on ‘voodoo science.’”

Another scientist who was concerned about the possible impact of faith on Dr. Collins’ ability to lead the NIH was Dr. Irving L. Weissman, director of the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Ultimately some of his fears were allayed when Dr. Collins promised him “not to let faith interfere with scientific judgment”.

In fairness, the remainder of the New York Times article (found here) doesn’t focus on the problem of merging faith and science. Rather it mentioned such key issues as the mode of transportation chosen by Dr. Collins and his predecessor (a motorcycle and a bicycle, respectively).

Aat any rate, fter the first 1/3 or so of the article, the Times finally begins to focus a bit on factors other than whether Dr. Collins’ faith is the result of either dementia or raging hormones. Ultimately the Times does spend a bit of time considering Dr. Collins’ scientific record.

As a Christian, I resent the insinuation that my faith may be the result of either mental illness or hormonal imbalance. As a Christian, I object to the Times putting Collins’ faith at the head of the list of reasons to be concerned about the suitability of Collins for his position.

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Don't forget to visit Jen's place for Friday's 7 Quick Takes. You'll find her here.

And don't forget to enter this week's photo contest, which you can find here.

Seeking balance

Have you ever noticed that some people are committed to their church but are rather reluctant to talk about God? And some people are even more reluctant to talk about Jesus. Some of these folks seem to consider involvement in church activities to be the sum total of what is needed. In some instances, it seems that their faith is contained within the physical confines of the church building itself and limited to the time they actually spend inside that building.

And then there are folks at the other end of the spectrum… people who say, “I don’t need to go to church to be a good Christian. I can pray just as well walking in the woods and seeing God’s creation as I can in a church.” Some of these folks don’t feel a need for Christian fellowship, and some are so “turned off” by past experiences with church that they avoid it altogether.

There are times when it’s hard to strike a balance between the two extremes. I don’t claim to have it all figured out, so I ask you:

Do you find yourself closer to one end of this continuum than the other? Do you think you’ve been able to achieve some balance between the two extremes? Do you have some advice for others who are striving to maintain the proper equilibrium?

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And don't forget to enter this week's photo contest, which you can find here.

A few thoughts on health care reform

I suspect that the majority of people who read this blog strive to conduct their lives according to Christian principles. Not that we do it perfectly, but we nevertheless make an effort to allow our faith to influence our thoughts, words, and actions.

This is easy to do when it comes to some of the “big stuff”. Most of us could list the 10 commandments.. Most of us know the greatest commandments… to love God with all one’s heart and soul and mind, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:38-40). And we all know the Golden Rule.

But there are countless issues where it is possible to find well-meaning Christian people who disagree despite wanting to follow God’s leading in the issue. Take several examples just off the top of my head: the death penalty, gay marriage, the provision of services for illegal immigrants, use of birth control, etc. One of the more contentious topics of debate recently is health care reform.

I’ve worked as a nurse for more than 30 years, and I’ve seen clear-cut evidence that there are inequities in health care. I don’t think that’s debatable. But although I doubt any reasonable person would contest that, there is more than enough room for reasonable people to disagree after that.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has stated the position of the Catholic Church on Health Care Reform, recognizing the importance of “offering accessible, affordable and quality health care that protects and respects the life and dignity of all people from conception until natural death”. Specifically, they call for the following:

• A truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity
• Access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants
• Pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options
• Restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers

While these points are considered by the Church to be vital, it is equally important in the eyes of the Church that funding for abortion not be included.

In his June 17, 2009 letter to Congress, Bishop William Murphy, Chairman of the United States Bishops’ Committee for Domestic Justice and Human Development, said the following:

As we renew our longstanding support for reforming our nation’s health care system, we must also be clear that we strongly oppose inclusion of abortion as part of a national health care benefit… No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for the destruction of human life, whether through government funding or mandatory coverage of abortion. Any such action would be morally wrong. It also would be politically unwise. No health care legislation that compels Americans to pay for or participate in abortion will find sufficient votes to pass.

(The complete text of Bishop Murphy’s letter can be found here, and a more complete discussion of the Church’s position on this issue can be found here. )

Once again, the Church’s unwavering pro-life position ahs put us at odds with some of the more vocal elements of the mainstream. To quote from a New York Times article which may be found here:

The nation's largest private provider of health care, the Roman Catholic Church, finds itself of two minds when it comes to new health care legislation. It desperately wants universal coverage. But it cannot live with a provision that many legislators are likely to insist on including: guaranteed coverage for abortion. As a result, the church finds itself pursuing a lobbying strategy that is at the least exceptionally complicated and at the worst paradoxical.

I don’t see much that is “complicated” or “paradoxical” about the Church’s position here. To me, it would be complicated and paradoxical for the Church to try to incorporate abortion into a system of “health care”. For as Catholics we believe that life begins at the very moment of conception.

Read these excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Then tell me how it would be possible for the Church to craft a position that allows for the unchallenged inclusion of abortion as a “health care benefit”.

2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person -- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.

2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.

2272 Formal co-operation in an abortion constitutes a grave offence.

2273 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:

2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.

I'm proud of my Church for standing firm on the issue of abortion.

Do you want to get a concept of the magnitude of the issue? Look towards the bottom of the sidebar on the right-hand side of this page. It will let you know how many abortions have been performed since you clicked on this site.

It's a sobering thought.

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And don't forget to enter this week's photo contest, which you can find here.

Here's the latest photo caption contest!

Here's this week's photo caption contest. Please suggesta caption, and submit it using McLinky.





McLinky is easy to use, and it’s free, but if you prefer, you may submit your entry as a comment at the bottom of this post.

Thanks for joining the fun!

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And here are the winners for last week’s photo contest:

Life is a Series of Problem-Solving Opportunities

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life.

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you. Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you. People are like tea bags... if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.” James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you. Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something... health, money, a relationship... by losing it. “... It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.” Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you. A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...” Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you. Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. Gods far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. “We can rejoice when we run into problems... they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.” Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point: God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it's much easier & profitable when you cooperate with Him!

- Author unknown, article found here

A joyous occasion!

My dear friend Sister Mary Roberta, VHM, celebrated her solemn profession as a Visitandine Sister on October 16, 2009. I had hoped to be there in person, but family illness intervened. Fortunately, a YouTube video of the event is available. For those who, like me, have been unable to witness such a ceremony, please enjoy this, and praise God for those who serve us as priests and religious.

Congratulations, Sister!

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Learning to walk in the kingdom of God

In her autobiography, Story of a Soul, St. Therese de Lisieux said:

One of the novices, greatly discouraged at the thought of her imperfections, tells us that her mistress spoke to her as follows:

“You make me think of a little child that is learning to stand but does not yet know how to walk. In his desire to reach the top of the stairs to find his mother, he lifts his little foot to climb the first step. It is all in vain, and at each renewed effort he falls, Well, be like that little child. Always keep lifting your foot to climb the ladder of holiness, and do not imagine that you can mount even the first step. All God asks of you is good will.

From the top of the ladder He looks lovingly upon you, and soon, touched by your fruitless efforts, He will Himself come down, and, taking you in His Arms, will carry you to His kingdom never again to leave Him.

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Thankful

Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels.
If we take the time,
no matter how crazy and troubled we feel,
we can find something to be thankful for.

- Terry Lynn Taylor

Recently a member of my family experienced a health crisis... one that is not yet completely resolved but that no longer merits the word "crisis"... thank God. The kindness of others during this time was a large part of what kept us going. A number of people who read this blog are among those who prayed for and encouraged us when we felt "crazy and troubled".

The good news is that I will be able to return home tomorrow... at least for the time being. In the near future, surgery will be required, and I'll return to help out at that time. But for now...

Thank you! Your prayers and concern were a lifeline for us!

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"Sex Offender Arrested for Going to Church"

The other day, that headline caught my eye. I read the article and found out that the story involves a 31-year-old man (let’s call him “John Doe”) who had served a bit over six years in prison after being convicted twice of indecent liberties with a teen girl as well as another conviction for attempted second-degree rape.

Mr. Doe says that he found God while in prison, and after his release, he found a Baptist church in a small North Carolina community. He says that the pastor welcomed him with open arms. “God is the one that helps me progress to be a better citizen. He was open, giving me a second chance,” he said. And that’s where the story gets complicated…

According to a recently passed North Carolina law, sex offenders may not come within 300 feet of any place intended for the use, care or supervision of children. In all, there are 36 states which establish zones where sex offenders cannot live or visit.

Moncure Baptist church has regularly scheduled programs for minors as well as a nursery. So several months ago, Mr. Doe was arrested in his home after attending church services. “I cried. It hurt me so bad because that (is) the only thing I found in this world that gives me hope,” Mr. Doe said. He has trouble understanding why he was arrested: "I was constantly around adults. I was never left alone with minors at all."

But he was arrested and spent an additional 6 weeks in prison. After his release, he went to a different community and found another church that has no day care. But people complained that he and his fiancée were living in a tent in an abandoned building. The sheriff of that community says Mr. Doe needs a legitimate address. “For me to okay a sex offender living on private property, I’m just not comfortable with that.”

So Mr. Doe moved once again in quest of a church he could attend legally. And his attorney has filed a motion challenging the law banning his client from attending Moncure Baptist.

I frankly don’t know what the right answer is. Certainly we want to protect our children from predators. But to ban someone from attending religious services? Can that be right?

What do YOU think?

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And be sure to visit 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

A lesson from the woodcutter

One day a woodcutter took his grandson into the forest for his first experience in selecting and cutting oak trees. These they would later sell to the boat builders. As they walked along, the woodcutter explained that the purpose of each tree is contained in its natural shape: some are straight for planks, some have the proper curves for the ribs of a boat, and some are tall for masts.

The woodcutter told his grandson that by paying attention to the details of each tree, and with experience in recognizing these characteristics, someday he too might become the woodcutter of the forest.

A little way into the forest, the grandson saw an old oak tree that had never been cut. The boy asked his grandfather if he could cut it down because it was useless for boat building – there were no straight limbs, the trunk was, short and gnarled, and the curves were going the wrong way. “We could cut it down for firewood,” the grandson said. “At least then it will be of some use to us.” The woodcutter replied that for now they should be about their work cutting the proper trees for the boat builders; maybe later they could return to the old oak tree.

After a few hours of cutting the huge trees, the grandson grew tired and asked if they could stop for a rest in some cool shade. The woodcutter took his grandson over to the old oak tree, where they rested against its trunk in the cool shade beneath its twisted limbs.

After they had rested a while, the woodcutter explained to his grandson the necessity of attentive awareness and recognition of everything in the forest and in the world. Some things are readily apparent, like the tall, straight trees; other things are less apparent, requiring closer attention, like recognition of the proper curves in the limbs. And some things might initially appear to have no purpose at all, like the gnarled old oak tree.

The woodcutter stated, “You must learn to pay careful attention every day so you can recognize and discover the purpose God has for everything in creation. For it is this old oak tree, which you so quickly deemed useless except for firewood, that now allows us to rest against its trunk amidst the coolness of its shade. “Remember, grandson, not everything is as it first appears. Be patient, pay attention, recognize, and discover.”

H/T to God in All Things

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A new photo caption contest!

Can you think of a caption for this photo? Use McLinky below to submit your idea. Winners will be announced next week.

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And the winner for last week's contest is Cathy of A Bit of Blarney. Thanks, Cathy!

Recognizing the positive impact of others

The September 2009 issue of Guideposts magazine features an article by actor Denzel Washington. One particular quote from this article struck me:

Anyone with a spiritual base understands humility. When you start using the words "I" and "me" too often, you get into trouble.

I was struck by Washington's recognition that much of his success can be credited to the example and encouragement of others. He could have credited his accomplishments to innate ability or hard work. Instead, he said the following:

Show me a successful individual and I'll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don't care what you do for a living—if you do it well I'm sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way.

I bet we all have folks like that in our lives... people who would be delighted to know that they've had a positive impact in our lives.

Irena Sendler: A true story, verified on Snopes.com

There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' ... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.)

Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids..) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

Irena recruited 10 friends, all women, to help her in her effort to save Jewish children. During her time of doing this, she and her friends smuggled children out in boxes, suitcases, sacks, and coffins. In all, they managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught and tortured. The Nazi's broke both her legs and feet and beat her severely.

Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Irena was not well known until 1999, when four Kansas students wrote and performed a play called "Life in a Jar". In 2007, Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected; Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming. In April 2008, Irena died in Warsaw at the age of 98.

Let us not forget her courage and compassion.

What's your outlook?

I ran into a little booklet by Norman Vincent Peale the other day. He made quite a splash at one time with his philosophy about “the power of positive thinking”. I hadn’t heard anything about him for quite a few years, and decided to do a web search on the phrase “power of positive thinking”, just for kicks.

I didn’t go so far as to open up all the 9,960,000 articles that were called up by this quick search. I didn’t go past the first page of search results. In fact, I did such shoddy research on the subject that I simply looked at the three lines of text under each entry on that initial page. And even with that skimpy glimpse into the literature, I found the following benefits attributed to this line of thinking:
• Help build self-esteem
• Energy increases
• Help with stress management
• Can improve your health
• Can change and improve your life
• Things seem to go better
• Reach your goals
• Will drive you into success and happiness
• Restore faltering faith

Frankly, some of this sounds like exaggerated claims for the power of positive thinking, at least to me.

But just for a moment, consider the power of negative thinking. In a sense, it leads to:
• Depressed mood
• Suspicion of the motives of others
• Lack of confidence in one’s capacity to be successful, to attain goals
• Sapping of energy
• A conviction that one’s glass is never half full, always half empty
• A loss of faith

I’m not claiming that the key to happiness and success is reciting happy thoughts and posting affirmations around the house. But I firmly believe that a positive outlook is far kinder to mind, body, and soul than a negative one.

It reminds me of a story I heard long ago…

Some psychologists decided to perform a study of optimism versus pessimism. They found two young boys: one the eternal optimist, the other the eternal pessimist.

They filled a room full of marvelous toys of every description –everything a little boy could possibly want. They put the pessimistic boy in the room and gave him full reign – permission to play with anything he wanted for as long as he wanted. And he moped around, never smiling, never enjoying this tremendous opportunity. They asked him why, and he said, “I know they’re going to take it all away from me. I’ll never be able to keep them.”

So much for pessimism.

They then took the second boy – the optimist – and put him in a room full of horse manure. Up to his knees. Ugh. And the little guy, after a moment’s hesitation, picked up a shovel and started tossing the stuff around. He stayed there happily at his task for the longest time, til finally the psychologists removed him from the room to interview him. They wanted to know if he had enjoyed the experience. “Sure,” he said. “With all of this horse poop, I figured there had to be a pony in here somewhere!”

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When in the midst of worrying,
remember a positive outcome
is just as likely as a negative one.

- Anonymous

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What is that?

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Don't forget to enter this week's photo caption contest, found here.

A baseball lesson

This story has floated around cyberspace for some time, but the message is well worth remembering.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all that attended.

After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. “Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son Shay cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God's plan reflected in my son?” The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. “I believe,” the father answered, “that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself and it comes in the way people treat that child.” Then, he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they will let me play?”

Shay's father knew that the boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, “We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning.”

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.

Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first, run to first.”

Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, “run to second, run to second!” By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.

Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “run to third!” As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, “Shay! Run home!” Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero for hitting a “grand slam” and winning the game for his team. “That day,” said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, “the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world.”

We all have dozens of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan. So many seemingly trivial interactions between people present us with a choice; do we pass along a spark of the Divine love that God gives to us every day? Or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the world a bit colder in the process?

- Author unknown

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Ban the bells?

Phoenix, Arizona has a noise ordinance forbidding the ringing of church bells (which register about 67 decibels). It allows the ringing of the bells on ice cream trucks (which chime in at about 70 decibels), however.

Three churches – St. Mark Catholic Parish, Christ the King Liturgical Charismatic Church, and First Christian Church – have filed suit against the city in hopes of being allowed to resume ringing the bells. Perhaps they were reluctant to defy the ordinance in light of the fact that the pastor of Christ the King was issued a suspended jail sentence earlier this year.

Please note that the sound of normal conversation ranges from 60-70 decibels.

I wonder if it will next be illegal to even talk about one’s faith?

If this isn't bad enough, read this story on Fallible Blogma.

The United States - "one nation under God"?

At least we used to be.

Early Christians were once forced to worship in secret "house churches" and in the catacombs to avoid persecution by the authorities of their day. Are we reverting to such an era?

Enjoy the church bells while you can!

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The Loving Search for God

When I took my solemn vows as a Trappist monk I meditated long and hard over my reasons for making such a commitment.

After 10 days of this in our little community hermitage out in the woods, I decided that I was becoming a monk because I loved God and was so caught up in the pursuit of that love that I had no time for other things... even good things...

St. Augustine said, "Do whatever you want, as long as you love." He meant that if you are a loving human being wholly given to the loving search for God, for others, and for yourself, there need be no concern that you will fall into sinful activity.

So let love be your first concern, indeed your only concern, and everything else will fall into place.

This is how you should pray. Simply love God. Be in God's presence in that love.

From The Loving Search for God:
Contemplative Prayer
and the Cloud of Unknowing
- Fr. William Meninger

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Our God Reigns!

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Don't forget to enter this week's photo caption contest, found here.

New picture caption contest... sorry about the last one!

I posted a different photo for the contest earlier, and my dear friend Marion let me know that the picture was too small to see. THAT'S NOT FAIR, IS IT?!

Thanks, Marion!

So here's another...

Can you think of a caption for this picture? Winners announced next week!

Use McLinky to enter the contest:

My posting may be erratic over the next few days as we're in the midst of dealing with a family illness. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers, and thanks for your patience!

And here are the winners for last week:

Hard truth from a gentle saint

St. Francis de Sales has been described as "gentle", but he's very firm about some things. One of them is slander, or gossip. Read what he has to say about it.

No man can enter heaven in possession of another man's property, and of all external goods a good name is the best.

Slander is a form of murder. We have three kinds of life: spiritual, which consists in God's grace, corporeal, which depends on the body and soul, and social, which consists of our good name. Sin deprives us of the first kind of life, death takes away the second, and slander the third.

By a single stroke of his tongue the slanderer usually commits three murders. He kills his own soul and the soul of anyone who hears him by an act of spiritual homicide and takes away the social life of the man he slanders...

St. Francis uses strong words here. To refer to slander as an act of triple homicide seems to be a bit "over the top", and quite uncharacteristic of his usual style of writing. But gossip and slander can cause deep wounds which last a lifetime. Believe it or not, it even wounds God:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:29-32

Mary Ann Glendon: Proudly Pro-Life

Mary Ann Glendon has long been known in legal circles. She taught at Boston College Law School from 1968 to 1986, and has been a visiting professor at the University of Chicago Law School and the Gregorian University in Rome. She has received honorary doctorates from numerous universities including the Universities of Chicago and Louvain. She was elected President of the UNESCO sponsored International Association of Legal Science in 1991.

She writes and teaches in the fields of bioethics, human rights in international law, comparative constitutional law, property, and legal theory. She won the Scribes Book Award given by the American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects for Abortion and Divorce in Western Law, a comparative study that was featured in Bill Moyers' "World of Ideas" series. She was also awarded the Legal Academy’s highest honor, the Order of the Coif Triennial Book Award, in 1993 for another comparative study, The Transformation of Family Law.

Dr. Glendon headed the Holy See’s delegation to the Fourth United Nations Women’s Conference in Beijing in 1995. Pope John Paul II appointed her to the Pontifical Academy of Social Science in 1994, and she became its first female president in 2004. She was awarded the National Humanities medal in 2005 and later served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 2007- 2009. The National Law Journal named her one of the "Fifty Most Influential Women Lawyers in America" in 1998, and she currently serves as the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard University.

But the name of Mary Ann Glendon became a household word for many of us earlier this year when she was selected by the University of Notre Dame to be the 2009 recipient of the Laetare Medal. At about the same time, the university invited President Obama, a vocal proponent of pro-choice policies, to be the commencement speaker and to receive an honorary degree. After consideration, Dr. Glendon wrote the following letter explaining her decision to decline the Laetare Medal:

Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame's most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.

Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.
First, as a longtime Consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the President an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. Bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that "talking points" issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

"President Obama won't be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former US Ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal."

"We think having the President come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the President and for the causes we care about."

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame's decision--in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. Bishops--to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church's position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the Bishops' guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame’s example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.

It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.

In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

Yours very truly,

Mary Ann Glendon

In a sense, it is peculiar to mention Dr. Glendon in conjunction with “Support a Catholic Speaker Month, which is being hosted by Matthew Warner at Fallible Blogma. After all, most of us know her because she ultimately declined an offer to speak at Notre Dame. But by doing so, the words of the letter she wrote to Notre Dame explaining her decision become more powerful.
Dr. Glendon has since been selected by the National Right to Life Committee’s Educational Trust Fund to receive the 16th Proudly Pro-Life Award at a ceremony to take place today, October 6, 2009.

Congratulations, Dr. Glendon. May God bless you and all who are willing to stand firm.