Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 4 - Commodification of Unborn Children and Mothers #EVN2016

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Welcome prolife prayer warriors!

As we recall the gift of the great encyclical from Pope John Paul II - Evangelium Vitae - let us call to mind the great need our world has for prayer.

The spilling of innocent blood through abortion and other atrocities against humanity can only be reparated by the pure and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. With this Novena we contribute our own small effort by petitioning God for the healing of our culture of the following ills.

Contraception * Abortion * Euthanasia * Exploitation (embryonic stem cells, cloning, etc.) * Sex trafficking * Legislators * Clergy * Laity * Chastity

Welcome to Day 4 of our Evangelium Vitae Novena! Please join us in praying for today's intention: an end to the contraceptive mentality which has brought so much chaos into the world. And please remember to pray the daily prayer. God bless you all.

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Daily prayer: Pope Saint John Paul II's Prayer to our Lady.

O Mary
bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause
Look down, O Mother,
upon the vast numbers
of babies not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women
who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of Life
with honesty and love
to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace
to accept that Gospel
as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it
resolutely, in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilisation of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.

Day 4: March 19, 2016 - For an end to commodification of unborn children and mothers

This moral condemnation also regards procedures that exploit living human embryos and fetuses - sometimes specifically 'produced' for this purpose by in vitro fertilization - either to be used as 'biological material' or as providers of  organs or tissue for transplants in the     treatment of certain diseases. The killing of  innocent human creatures, even if carried out to help others, constitutes an absolutely unacceptable act. EV 63

Heavenly Father, You designed conception to take place within the conjugal context of  marriage. Please grant your grace of fortitude to all medical professionals who seek solutions to the problems of infertility. May they reject using immoral techniques when assisting with the creation of new life. We also pray that unborn   human beings will no longer be used for experimentation and that existing frozen embryos will be treated with dignity. Father, please enlighten the world to see that surrogacy is not part of Your plan for motherhood, and help us to end all industries that commodify Your   children.  AMEN

Please share this effort with your family and friends and continue to work toward the hopeful goal of a world that respects all life - from fertilization to natural death. 

Remember to us hashtag #EvangeliumVitae when using Twitter.

You may also join the Evangelium Vitae Novena Facebook event  for daily reminders and the opportunity for interaction with like-minded prolife advocates.

If you'd like a bit of history behind the struggle for the respect of life, check out my column at Catholic Stand.

You can also find the daily meditation graphics for sharing on Facebook on the Designs by Birgit fan page. 

In His Name for Life, BirgitJ

Dr. Ben Carson: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

UPDATE 10-25-15: Since this article was first published, Dr. Ben Carson has apparently progressed in his rhetoric. Although still open to abortion in case of health of the mother issues, he has walked back on his statements accepting abortion for instances of rape and incest. Let's pray this is sincere progress and not pandering.

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With the crowded Republican field, one would assume that someone will surely stand out as the pro-life candidate. After all, most if not all of them have spoken out against abortion. Yet, what appears to be pro-life on the surface doesn't necessarily make the cut once the details come to light.

Dr. Ben Carson: The Good

One example of such a candidate is Dr. Ben Carson. I've had the deepest respect for Dr. Carson for many years. His life story, in movie form, was outstanding. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story showed him to be a hardworking, virtuous man who was a pioneer in neurosurgery after overcoming enormous obstacles.

Later, I began to read his syndicated columns and was usually impressed by his ability to clearly express his morally sound principles. This soft-spoken man was both a genius and a spokesman of moral convictions.

Enter the 2016 Republican campaign. I was overjoyed to see Dr. Carson listed as a candidate. After all, what better protector of human dignity could there be - if not for the presidency, then certainly as vice-president. His respect for life and lack of racial prejudices made him an admirable prospect. Other views he holds, such as the support of marriage, as defined by God, also make him appealing to Christians.

When asked by an NPR reporter why he doesn't talk about race that often, Dr. Carson responded, "Because I'm a neurosurgeon. I operate on the thing that makes them who they are - the skin doesn't make them who they are, the hair doesn't make them who they are. And it's time that we move beyond that because our strength lies in unity. We're not the divided States of America, we're the United States of America."

Dr. Ben Carson: The Bad

Unfortunately, there have been some troubling disclosures since the time that I was fully enamored with Dr. Carson. The good thing for those of us who thoroughly research our candidates before giving them support, can be a really bad thing for them. As heartened as I was by his performance in the first Republican debate, these weren't his first words on some of the major topics.

The first glimmer of doubt came about when a research group found that Dr. Carson's name had appeared on a medical research paper that used fetal tissue from aborted babies. There was a prompt reply on Dr. Carson's Facebook page that quelled some of my unease:

I wanted to use our time tonight to directly deal with an attack launched on me today by the left and the media. A couple questions came in on this subject, so I want to address it head on.

Today I was accused by the press as having done research on fetal tissue. It simply is not true. The study they distributed by an anonymous source was done in 1992. The study was about tumors. I won’t bore you with the science. There were four doctors' names on the study. One was mine. I spent my life studying brain tumors and removing them. My only involvement in this study was supplying tumors that I had removed from my patients. Those tissue samples were compared to other tissue samples under a microscope. Pathologists do this work to gain clues about tumors.

I, nor any of the doctors involved with this study, had anything to do with abortion or what Planned Parenthood has been doing. Research hospitals across the country have microscope slides of all kinds of tissue to compare and contrast. The fetal tissue that was viewed in this study by others was not collected for this study.

I am sickened by the attack that I, after having spent my entire life caring for children, had something to do with aborting a child and harvesting organs. My medical specialty is the human brain and even I am amazed at what it is capable of doing. Please know these attacks are pathetic attempts to blunt our progress.

This explanation eased my troubled mind - until the next shoe fell. There's nothing like your own words to convict you.

In his defense of the use of aborted fetal tissue, Dr. Carson had this to say:

"To not use the tissue that is in a tissue bank, regardless of where it comes from, would be foolish. Why would anybody not do that?"

and then this . . .

"If it were the only way to do something and there was no other way, there might be an argument. But under these circumstances, there isn't a legitimate argument."

Dr. Carson also shows a lack of regard for parental rights. His support of mandatory vaccines demonstrates this fact. The fact that many standard vaccines contain aborted baby cell lines, making them morally repugnant, also doesn’t appear to concern him. Below you have the opportunity to hear him discuss his views, beginning at around the 1:57 mark.

Dr. Ben Carson: The Ugly

As troubling as I find mandatory vaccines to be (perhaps a topic for another day) because they usurp the God-given authority parents have over their children, this last bit of information eliminated Dr. Carson from my list of fitting presidential candidates. In addition, many standard vaccines are derived from aborted fetal stem lines, making them all the more troubling.

In the video below, Dr. Carson shares his support for the abortion pill, RU486, as well as admitting rape and incest exceptions to his purported pro-life position. He further goes on to say something that sounds as if he's okay with killing an unborn child 'as long as their heart isn't beating' - which would make that child between 18 and 20 days old.

As I lay out my priorities, when it comes to putting support behind a candidate for any political office, abortion and aborted fetal tissue use rises to the top. Other major issues would certainly include parental rights - especially at a time when they are being threatened from many directions. The fact that Dr. Carson agrees with other important, albeit lesser moral issues, falls to the wayside in light of these revelations. My conscience simply doesn't allow such tradeoff.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  A recent news story brought to light that Dr. Carson has referred women for abortion. Furthermore, his pro-life stance is shown to be a bit muddled when it goes beyond his personal stance.


Dr. Ben Carson: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly was first published at Catholic Stand.

10 Years a Breast Cancer Survivor - I Don't PINK

Ten years a breast cancer survivor - yay me! Yet I don't succumb to the need to PINK my life. The reason may surprise you!

Cancer, A Devastating Diagnosis

Cancer is always a devastating diagnosis; a genetic makeup showing a propensity for the BRCA 1 defect brings an outlook even more overwhelming. Ten years ago my cancer diagnosis featured this arguably most dreaded form. BRCA 1, triple negative breast cancer grows and spreads quickly, all the while being statistically high in recurrence. Seeing my oncologist shake his head when perusing my chart unmistakably brings home the reality of mortality at each visit.

My diagnosis wasn’t the first for a forty-something woman on my maternal side, but my survival for a full decade is a first. At least three generations before me – mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother – shared this gene. They died at 58, 42, and 40-something – one of them just two weeks after diagnosis, while my mother survived for almost five years. Our 28 year old daughter didn’t escape either, even though she was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her diagnosis.

As they say, life marches on. This October marks my tenth cancer-versary, a term coined by those counted among the unwilling souls who are in the Cancer Club. Had my younger sister not berated me for my unwillingness to resume an annual mammogram, my outcome would most likely have been as poor as those who came before me. Although not my first checkup, it was the first in a few years. Fear of what seemed like the inevitable kept me from scheduling.

All of the prerequisite trials, pain, and fears are not the story though. Along the way a fuller faith, less dependence on this world, and unreserved love from my husband have been found. That our daughter was also subject to the same experiences – chemo, surgeries, the inevitable testing, and a guarded hope for long life – has brought us even closer than we were before. And the one shining jewel of our shared experience is faith. Until you’ve stared death in the face and acknowledged the reality of the mortality of the human body, you aren’t as keenly aware of the little things that wind up being the big things in your life.

Cancer, Family and Others

Until you’ve been humbled by being bald, nauseas, and physically weak you can’t fully experience the unconditional love of family. A husband, and daughter, who are willing to give assistance with the most personal of hygiene aspects of the human condition speak louder than mere words ever could. Family members who do mundane household chores, send inspirational books, and become chauffeur to chemo – these are the champions of which you might never have been aware. It’s easy to say, “I love you”, and heartwarming to hear. Yet the sacrifice of time and the effort family during the endless months of living the life of an invalid are like glittering jewels in memory.

Those outside the family bring their own gifts of love during the trials of cancer. Recovery from a sixteen hour surgery is not for the faint of heart. Neither is care for the patient. Yet the countless doctors and nurses helped make this past decade of my life possible. M D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX will be forever held in high regard. Modern medicine is, indeed, a miracle and God’s fingerprints can be seen in the great strides that have been gained. It’s difficult not to wonder if my mother would have survived had she had the same care.

Cancer Brings Faith and Hope

A priest I barely knew played an important role as well. The fear that prevented me from getting an annual mammogram for all those years, had me convinced that I had been handed a sure death sentence. Convinced of my certain demise, treatment seemed fruitless. With the sureness of his faith, Father Baker swiftly convinced me to abandon hopelessness and to live up to my responsibility to family. That day, in the Presence of Jesus in the monstrance, my faith was awakened. No longer satisfied to wring my hands in despair, the trip home found a more resolute and enlightened me.

Plodding along, first with recovery from lengthy surgeries and then six months of chemotherapy, hope was restored. Life began to take on a new sweetness. Love was more pure. Things formerly taken for granted became miraculous. The love of family was made more complete and felt more deeply. This new beginning was the culmination of a cycle that began with hopelessness and ended in unfettered hope. Death no longer felt like a thing to fear. It became a friend. For if life was lived faithfully, walking in step with God, Eternal Life was something to which one should look forward. As odd as it may sound, the thought of death can at times bring a lift of joyful anticipation to the heart. In human weakness, however, suffering is still a dreaded foe.

Human Capital: Don’t Kill So I Can Live

As much as we seek to live when we are faced with an uncertain future. As much as we will do everything possible to survive and flourish, we must always keep in mind that no promised treatment is worth the life of another. Modern science can seem truly miraculous at times, yet even as they seek to lengthen and improve life, some aspects of research are morally bankrupt. We need look no further than the recent exposure of Planned Parenthood. As if killing unborn children isn’t heinous enough, it’s been proven that their organs are being harvested and sold for profit. Embryonic stem cell research, though unproven, continues to be used in scientific experiments for cancer cures. Even if these studies produced hope for cancer and other deadly diseases, their use would be morally objectionable. No one should die so that others can live.

In this month of October, the pink month, a moral duty presents itself. Aware that Susan G Komen and the American Cancer Society cooperate with Planned Parenthood, we are bound to share their unholy alliances with those around us. Both of these organizations also cooperate with embryonic stem cell research. The color pink has become associated with groups that prey on unborn victims while portraying themselves champions for cancer victims. Don’t fall for the sentimentality that partners with evil. Think Before You Pink.

Ethical Cancer Support

Cancer victims need our support. While we make ourselves aware of emotional traps set by unethical organizations our moral duty begs that we inform others. Let them know of morally sound ways to help those suffering from cancer. Drive, clean, cook, visit, and console. Show love and offer prayer. Then make those around you aware of groups such as Polycarp Research Institute, Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, and National Breast Cancer Foundation® who do research in tangible, moral ways. Donate to an individual patient or to these groups.

Caring for the sick is a Corporal Work of Mercy. Making sure this is done in a virtuous way is the responsibility of each individual. This October, let’s make it a point to show our love of one another by extending the love of Christ to everyone – the cancer victims and the voiceless unborn.

Where are the Prolife Heroes?

Gruesome videos have come to light. They prove that the unconscionable acts of Planned Parenthood (PP) go far beyond limits the public perceived – only the straightforward killing of babies by abortion. PP isn’t just killing babies and harvesting their parts; they are birthing intact babies for ‘better’ experimental specimens. Why isn’t the American public more aware? Many, maybe the majority, still don’t know the facts. Perhaps that explains the lack of mass public outrage.

The News Matters

If you are in the prolife trenches you may be asking yourself, how can this be? Regrettably there’s a simple answer: because those who make the news don’t want us to know. That the main stream media tilts drastically to the left is irrefutable, but another heart-rending fact is that they aren’t in the news business alone. Our legislators, church leaders, and celebrity personalities have the power to make news as well.

Yet we don’t see much commentary going on. There are no mainstream press releases or press conferences on the subject. Our legislators and presidential candidates are strangely silent, unless they are asked a direct question. When they do give a pittance, their responses are buried in the hysterical pages of pro-abortion publications, where we hear a screed by delusional pro-abortion activists. They concentrate on reporting imagined threats (by prolifers) to end ‘women’s’ rights.

Animals over Humans

Contrast this media blackout to the killing of Cecil – a single African lion. We’ve all heard, ad nauseam, about Cecil, his mates, and his offspring as well as the male lion who will most likely take his place in the pride. Each story is accompanied by photos of a picture perfect specimen of lionhood, his ferocious, flesh-eating nature carefully concealed. After all, he’s just a big, fuzzy, powerful cat, right?

The puzzlement of the affected African people is also carefully concealed. They ask, “What’s the big deal about one lion? Don’t the Americans know that another lion gone is one less threat to our very lives?” It seems they recognize the twisted sense of primacy.

Don’t misunderstand; I’m not arguing for big game hunting, just wondering at the skewed sense of value – one lion over tens of millions of babies.

The same tactic is used for the animal cruelty infomercials that accost us with pitifully staged pet cats and dogs, accompanied by cloying music – all to raise our shame and tug at our hearts. Again, as a lover and owner of pets, I’m not arguing against the obligation we have for their humane care. I do, however, fail to understand the priorities displayed.

The news cycle and commercials are further filled with diatribes from celebrated actors, the rich and famous, and other adulation seekers. There are murmurings of pity and outrage for myriad causes – all except the demise of our littlest brethren – all for the sake of unethical research, product taste testing, and cosmetics. Their fate is not popular. It doesn’t raise the ire of the masses, nor does it inspire repeated marches on cities and outraged interviews.

Even when an effort is made and a half million people attend the annual March for Life in Washington D. C., the public must make the effort to watch the incredible outpouring of support for the unborn on the Catholic cable channel, EWTN. Not a peep is made from news agencies – only silence.

Where are the Pictures?

A picture is worth 1,000 words. We can all agree to that proven public relations fact. Photos

humanize. They give a tangible subject to visualize with empathy and care. That’s why those who deal in garnering sympathy for Cecil or puppy mill products show us the most poignant photos they can find. The human baby, however, receives no such visual aid. They remain as unknown entities, hidden in the darkness of the womb, who have no way to protect themselves and too few heroes.

Where are the heroes for the babies? If our legislators and candidates are truly prolife, why don’t they use their coverage to expose the evil perpetuated by Planned Parenthood and in scientific laboratories all over our country and the world? Why doesn’t every church, cleric, and lay person publish announcements, write letters, and share truth in their words?

Good Things Have Happened

Some developments have given us hope. Prolife advocates across the country have worked tenaciously to keep the prolife momentum going.

• Catholic Stand has published Selling Baby Body Parts: What a Difference a Video Makes, which gives updates of states defunding Planned Parenthood, criminal investigations, and other positive results of the videos exposing the pure evil of Planned Parenthood.

• Colorado State University has halted doing business with StemExpress, over their use of tissue from aborted fetuses.

• Indiana governor, Mike Pence, has signed a bill mandating that aborted babies are either buried or cremated.

• Dr. Stacy Trasancos PhD has also written a powerful piece that gives us insight into the sordid world of fetal experimentation. She exposed that, even before Roe vs. Wade, infant formula companies were already experimenting on living fetuses who were then killed and dissected.

We are the Heroes for the Unborn

As we become painfully aware that the powers that be are distressingly unwilling to take a stand and awaken the public to the truth, it becomes our job. We, the people, are the ones who must take up the gauntlet and battle mightily for the babies. God has given us the ability to inform and persuade. With prayerful consideration we can become the heroes for the unborn by sharing information, praying, and encouraging others to do the same. We must also hold accountable all those who have the public soapbox at their disposal. The power of God’s people lies with their faithful adherence to His Word – His call to go out and do for the least.


"And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me." Isaiah 6:8

Keep Calm About the Laudate Si Encyclical

Even before the release (or the leaked release) of Pope Francis' eco-encyclical, people from all corners were speculating, voicing fears, and even condemning the pontiff's motivations. I surely won't lie and say I didn't share some of those misgivings - especially for those of us who look at the global cooling, global warming, climate change issue as an unadulterated hoax - perpetuated by ecological hypocrites.

I also have to admit guilt in allowing myself to be riled up by the misreporting concerning this pope. I guess I wasn't as cyber-connected when there were tales being wagged around about the other two popes during my adulthood - Benedict XVI and Saint John Paul II. There were a couple of times I got my dander up when they were misquoted, but I 'got' them. Pope Francis and his way of thinking are, admittedly, a bit foreign to me. 

The youth-loving attitude of Saint JPII was at the heart of the time in my life when our children attended World Youth Day in Colorado. As a German myself, Papa Benny spoke to my heart and to my soul. His logical, professorial way of leading/teaching his flock appealed to me on a personal level. He was my spiritual Opa.

Pope Francis is different. He's far from reserved - a German trait to which I ordinarily relate - and displays a tendency to dismiss ceremony, which speaks to my intellect as well as my pedantic side. So I'm often challenged to understand just what he is saying/doing.

I do want to reiterate that, while we owe allegiance and respect to the words Pope Francis has shared with his flock, we are under no obligation to take it as infallible. As in many other circumstances, we are to make a sincere effort to digest the words but are free to pattern our behavior in relation to them with our own, informed conscience.

In the mean time, as the world digests the words of our Holy Father, let's keep calm and rely on grace, guidance from the Holy Spirit, and an (continuing) informed conscience.

Sources about the Laudate Si Encyclical

Laudate Si (Blessed Are You), the much anticipated encyclical by Pope Francis was released this morning. It's said that the name takes inspiration from the Canticle of the Sun by Saint Francis. 

Rather than ramble on about my own take (I honestly have only read parts of it), I share with you 11 Things You Probably Won’t Hear about Pope Francis’ Encyclical, from The Stream.

1. Creation has a Creator, and is more than just “nature-plus-evolution”:

(75) A spirituality which forgets God as all-powerful and Creator is not acceptable [...]

(77) “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Ps 33:6). [...]

2. Human ecology means recognizing and valuing the difference between masculinity and femininity:

(155) Human ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment. [...]

3.  Jesus sanctifies human work:

(98) Jesus worked with his hands, in daily contact with the matter created by God, to which he gave form by his craftsmanship. [...]

4. Look up from your phones and encounter each other:

(47) When media and the digital world become omnipresent, their influence can stop people from learning how to live wisely, to think deeply and to love generously. [...]

5. Save the baby humans:

(120) Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. [...]

(136) [I]t is troubling that, when some ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to human life. [...]

(91) A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. [...]

6. Helping the poor requires more than just handouts:

(128) We were created with a vocation to work. The goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. [...]

7. Overpopulation is not the problem:

(50) Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate. [...]

8. True ecology requires true anthropology and respect for human dignity:

(118) There can be no renewal of our relationship with nature without a renewal of humanity itself. [...]

(65) The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). [...]

9. Real change requires a change in culture, not just politics:

(123) We should not think that political efforts or the force of law will be sufficient to prevent actions which affect the environment because, when the culture itself is corrupt and objective truth and universally valid principles are no longer upheld, then laws can only be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided.

(211) The existence of laws and regulations is insufficient in the long run to curb bad conduct, even when effective means of enforcement are present. [...]

10. The Church does not presume to settle scientific questions, and we need an honest and open debate:

(60) Finally, we need to acknowledge that different approaches and lines of thought have emerged regarding this situation and its possible solutions. [...]

(188) There are certain environmental issues where it is not easy to achieve a broad consensus. [...]

11. Stop with the cynicism, secularism and immorality:

(229) We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it. [...]

A link to the official text of the Laudate Si Encyclical can be found HERE

To watch a video about the intitial impression of Laudate Si, go to Papal Encyclical: A First Look

More insight can also be found at Good news about the new encyclical Laudato si’ – #PopeForPlanet and Pope Francis: Climate Change and Abortion Are ‘Interrelated’

Evangelium Vitae Novena - Closing Prayer

Happy 20th Anniversary of Evangelium Vitae and Feast of the Annunciation!

Thank you so much for joining us in prayer for an end to the ill effects of the Culture of Death. As Saint John Paul II taught us in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, all life is immeasurably valuable and beloved by God. During these past nine days we have invoked the intercession of a saint who had great love for life and showed the world an example of a holy death. May Saint John Paul II continue to be a protector of all people - from fertilization until natural death. As the faithful people of God and brethren of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we have a duty to continue to put on the armor of God and protect those who are spurned.

Daily prayer: Pope Saint John Paul II's Prayer to our Lady.

O Mary

bright dawn of the new world,

Mother of the living,

to you do we entrust the cause

Look down, O Mother,

upon the vast numbers

of babies not allowed to be born,

of the poor whose lives are made difficult,

of men and women

who are victims of brutal violence,

of the elderly and the sick killed

by indifference or out of misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son

may proclaim the Gospel of Life

with honesty and love

to the people of our time.

Obtain for them the grace

to accept that Gospel

as a gift ever new,

the joy of celebrating it with gratitude

throughout their lives

and the courage to bear witness to it

resolutely, in order to build,

together with all people of good will,

the civilisation of truth and love,

to the praise and glory of God,

the Creator and lover of life.

Closing reflection: March 25 - The Feast of the Annunciation.

On this Feast of the Annunciation, let us reflect on the gift God has given us, the great gift of His heavenly Mother. May she always be our model of purity, holiness and motherhood.

The "woman clothed with the sun" - the Book of revelation tells us - "was with child" (12:2). The Church is fully aware that she bears within herself the Savior of the world, Christ the Lord. She is aware that she is called to offer Christ to the world, giving men and women new birth into Christ's own life.But the Church cannot forget that her mission was made possible by the motherhood of Mary, who conceived and bore the One who is "God from God", "true God from true God." Mary is truly the Mother of God, the Theotokos, in whose motherhood the vocation to motherhood bestowed by God on every woman is raised to the highest level. EV 103

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Previous Evangelium Vitae Meditations:

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 1 - Contraception

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 2 - Abortion

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 3 - Euthanasia of the Elderly and Disabled

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 4 - Commodification of Unborn Children and Mothers

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 5 - Sex Industry

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 6 - Legislators

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 7 - ClergyEvangelium Vitae Novena Day 8 - Laity

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 9 - Chastity

Evangelium Vitae Novena 20th Anniversary - Closing Prayer

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Reflections on my Cancer-versary

It's been 9 years since my younger sister badgered me into resuming my annual mammograms. I had been in fearful denial for several years. It's also been nine years since my diagnosis with hereditary BRCA-1 breast cancer - the worst possible scenario. A look at my family history tells the grim tale.

My great-grandmother died in her 40's, my grandmother at 42, my mother at 58. I was diagnosed the very year my sis urged me - one more time - to get another mammogram. Even my 28 year old daughter joined the 'party' when she was 20 weeks pregnant. Our prognosis as part of the BRCA-1 'club' is not good. Agressive breast cancer, a propensity for ovarian cancer, and a life expectancy that is far from ideal. Yet life goes on.

I was lucky (blessed) to have learned from my dear departed mother's demise. It's foolish not to go to the best possible cancer treatent center - in my case, MD Anderson Cancer Center, where they're working to 'make cancer history'. The forward-thinking doctors there know better than to fool around. They take this monster at face value - it's a killer. They are on the cutting edge of science, spot on for personal care, and wonderfully spiritual in their support.

All of this inside baseball information brings me to a couple of important points for those reading this.

1) Awareness and vigilance is vital. Go have that annual checkup for whatever may ail you. It may just save your life.

2) No one should die so that another can live! Before you get lost in a filmy cloud of PINK awareness, find out how to best serve those who struggle with breast cancer. Susan G Komen and the American Cancer Society are NOT the answer. Their use and advocating for embryonic stem cell research and acceptance of abortion for pregnant cancer victims, disqualifies them. To find out more, check out Six Things to Consider During the Pink Month for the details and ethical alternatives.

So happy 9th Cancer-versary to me! God has blessed me with another year and a loving sister. May I use my remaining time on earth to His Glory!

The Cold, Hard Facts About the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

It seems many people still don't realize that the ALS Association (ALSA) condones and uses Embryonic Stem Cell research - and thus negates the ALSA as potential recipients of our charitable efforts.

Last week I authored a piece, Throwing Cold Water on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, over on Catholic Stand. As it was shared in Facebook-land and other social media, it spurred quite the reaction. Some comments were expected, others came as a surprise. All in all the responses have been good.

There are a couple of things that I hope readers will take away from my presentation of the facts surrounding the charitable assistance owed to all of those who suffer from ALS or any other debilitating, life threatening disease - an ethical cure should never come at the expense of the life of another.

Here are the Cold, Hard Facts about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in a nutshell: 

• The ALS Association (ALSA), which initiated the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, supports Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

• Embryonic Stem Cell Research kills tiny human beings, who were created for experimentation. 

• This is considered to be one of the intrinsic evils by the Catholic Church.

• ALS victims deserve our compassion and research to end this horrible disease is a worthy cause.

• There are ethical alternatives to the ALSA, such as the John Paul II Medical Research Institute.

• The John Paul II Medical Research Institute does NOT support or use Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

• If you choose to accept the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, please designate your donation to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute or another moral/ethical organizations.

• American Life League has a vast list devoted to informing readers about the morality of most large charities. You might be surprised at which ones (and how many) are unethical.

• Catholic bishops, from dioceses such as the archdiocese of Cincinnati, are accepting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and publicly spotlighting their support for the ethical research being done by the John Paul II Medical Research Institute. They are alerting their flocks to the moral repugnance of Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

As Catholic Christians, we are morally bound to practice morally discerned charity. It's our duty to know the moral stance of those to whom we donate. A little bit of research or asking a pro-life organization, such as American Life League, will easily give you the answers you need. Whether you choose to give privately or via a public event, always remember to care enough to make sure your giving is morally sound.