Please Join the 2nd Annual Evangelium Vitae Novena

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Last year, the Feast of the Annunciation, marked the twentieth anniversary of a prolife gift given to the Church and to the world by Saint Pope John Paul II – Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life). In an effort to bring the light of Truth to the darkness of the Culture of Death, a Novena was created and shared in honor of this powerfully prolife encyclical. This worldwide effort reached all corners of the globe and sought a common prayer to restore the respect for life.

This year, the second annual Evangelium Vitae Novena is at hand – beginning on March 16 – and promises to be an even larger success. Prolife people from around the world have already signed up on the Facebook Evangelium Vitae event page. More will be following along on this blog or on the Designs by Birgit fan page, where daily petitions will be published.

Won’t you prayerfully consider not only joining us yourself, but inviting your friends and family to do the same?

"For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."  Matthew 18:20

What Is Evangelium Vitae?

The encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) sought to bring attention to the innocent blood spilled through abortion and other atrocities against life. The Culture of Death had taken a firm grip on the world and the life-affirming message of Humanae Vitae, by Pope Paul VI was being largely ignored. In addition to abortion, the world had embraced other forewarned evils such as contraception, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and commodification of women as well as children.

We Are Sliding Deeper Into the Abyss

Now, as the depravity continues to build, is a time ripe for a concerted effort of united prayer. Recently it has come to light that Planned Parenthood is selling aborted baby parts, even to the point of harvesting still living preborn to fulfill the ‘orders’ being placed by universities and research labs. Government and surgeons in Great Britain are considering an effort to convince mothers to bring disabled babies to term – not to save their lives, but to use them for spare parts in organ donation.

There Is Much We Can Do

The spilling of innocent blood through abortion and other atrocities can only be reparated by the pure and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. As a plea for healing in our world we share a special Novena here. It was an inspired group effort, initiated by my friend in Australia. Her blog, Light Up the Darkness, shares a treasure trove of prolife information. The meditations were written by her hand and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

  

Each day also brings a relevant excerpt of Evangelium Vitae. The text was approved and foreword written by Father Vincent Edward Mark Bertrand, MA, MDiv, JCL Founder/Director of Marian Advocates for Life.

My part in this endeavor is the creation of the graphics and a bit of publicity.

What Is the Plan?

We will be praying daily for issues relevant to the respect for life. Each day will have a unique intention and excerpt of Evangelium Vitae:

           Petitions (Come back for daily updates):

· Day 1 March 16 - Contraception

· Day 2 March 17 - Abortion

· Day 3 March 18 - Euthanasia

· Day 4 March 19 - Exploitation (embryonic stem cells, cloning, etc.)

· Day 5 March 20 - Sex trafficking

· Legislators

· Clergy

· Laity

· Chastity

For your convenience, I will also be sharing the daily meditations as graphics daily. They will be available both on the Evangelium Vitae Novena Facebook event and on the Designs by Birgit Facebook fan page, as well as on this blog.

How can you participate?

I'm glad you asked! Here are a few suggestions:

·         Please prayerfully consider joining us, these nine days (March 16 - 24), in praying for the strengthening of respect for all life - from fertilization until natural death.  

·         There is an Evangelium Vitae Novena Facebook event you may join 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 this column at Catholic Stand.

·         The text of Fr. Bertrand's foreword and the prayer by Pope John Paul II and daily meditations can be found here and here. 

·         Use the hashtag #EV2016 when tweeting about this Novena or any prolife issue during this time.

·         Use your own social media to share and promote this prolife effort.

Please join us from March 16 until the final prayer on the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25. Thank you and God bless you for your advocacy for LIFE!

 In His Name for Life, 

Birgit J

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2nd Annual Evangelium Vitae Novena was also published at 365 Catholic

The Synod on the Family: Primacy of Conscience and Willful Ignorance

Disquieting words are dripping out of the leaky sieve that surrounds the Synod on the Family. We're hearing things like papal delegate Archbishop Blase Cupich's statement that people need to 'come to a decision in good conscience' when it comes to giving Holy Communion to those who are divorced and civilly remarried. He further adds that the Church has the job to 'help them move forward and to respect that'. Past comments by German Cardinal Kasper, are also making the rounds. To the dismay of many, he has advocated for hot button topics ranging from homosexual lifestyles and communion for those civilly remarried, to acceptance of contraception.

Ignorance and Presumption

When hearing these statements attributed to various participants and observers of the synod one has to wonder what happened to the admonition for continued spiritual formation throughout one's life. Continuing catechesis is the only way to fully seek holiness and to become the saints God wants us to be. Willful ignorance is no excuse, since we have the ability and means to finely hone our consciences.

All care should be taken to refrain from the sin of Presumption, either relying on our own capacities or presuming God's almighty power and His mercy. Hoping to obtain His forgiveness, without allowing for the conversion of our souls or seeking glory without merit, will be of no benefit when it comes to the destiny of our immortal souls. CCC 2092

Is the Devil in the Details?

Sowing confusion among the faithful is further evidence that the devil must surely be in some of the details surrounding the Synod on the Family. Whether the source is those making the statements or those reporting (misreporting) what was said, we may never know. Therein lies the rub. Do we take these reported sentiments at face value and fear for the demise of the Church or is this where an unflinching faith in the Church, founded by Jesus Himself, comes to the rescue? Jesus has given us the answer.

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

Hope, Faith, Love

Lest we allow our faith in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church to succumb to hopelessness, let's give credence to the good also being shared.

Former head of Congregation for Divine Worship, Francis Cardinal Arinze said in a recent interview, "Marriage comes from God, not from human beings so human beings cannot reinvent or redefine it." Speaking of the indissolubility of marriage he continued, "Not even the authority of the Church can break it," he noted. Affirming that “the Eucharist is not something we possess”, Cardinal Arinze further said that “We must look for a way to help the divorced who are remarried, [but] we don’t help them by saying, “Come and receive Holy Communion.”

In his speech to the synod, Robert Cardinal Sarah, spoke of the need to Proclaim and serve the beauty of Monogamy and the Family. In order to accomplish this he said that we must “first promote all that represents a true Christian Initiation of adults, for the marriage crisis is essentially a crisis of God, but also a crisis of faith, and this is an infantile Christian initiation”. Lack of catechesis continues to be problematic for many baptized Catholics. Then discernment of “those realities that the Holy Spirit is already raising up to reveal” will show “the Truth of the Family as an intimate communion in diversity (man and woman) that is generous in the gift of life” – Robert Cardinal Sarah

While acknowledging the nefarious activities of some, it's comforting to know that many of the faithful are still staunchly defending Truth! We must also show love for those who may be straying from the righteous path. In all charity there must be fervent and sincere prayer for all involved.

Truth Will Win

A statement by Father Athanasius Schneider, one of the authors of Preferential Option for THE FAMILY: 100 Questions and Answers relating to the Synod, offers a call to action for those who fear the outcome.

“… Cardinals, bishops, priests, Catholic families, Catholic young people have to say to themselves: I refuse to conform to the neo-pagan spirit of this world, even when this spirit is spread by some bishops and cardinals; I will not accept their fallacious and perverse use of holy Divine mercy and the “new Pentecost”; I refuse to throw grains of incense before the statue of the idol of the gender ideology, before the idol of second marriages, of the concubinage, even if my bishop would do so, I will not do so; with the grace of God I will choose to suffer rather than betray the whole truth of Christ on human sexuality and on marriage."

What Will the Synod Bring?

In conclusion one thing stands out for us to remember about the Synod on the Family. The Catholic Church is not a democracy, nor is she subject to change through the whims of those who purport to speak for her. Jesus founded her; He alone gives the structure of her beliefs.

As Saint Pope John Paul II said in Evangelium Vitae, “No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the Law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church.”

In a presentation to thirty-five American Archbishops (Rome, in March, 1989), Pope John Paul II firmly stated, "We are the guardians of something given, and given to the Church universal; something which is not the result of reflection, however competent, on cultural and social questions of the day, and is not merely the best path among many, but the one and only path to salvation." How pertinent to the issues at hand today!

Keep the Faith

Above all keep the Faith. As Australia’s Cardinal Pell responded to recent questions of apprehension, “One of my concerns is for doctrine, and the Pope has said the doctrine will not be touched.”

Sister Lucia of Fatima offers hope as well. “The final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid…because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue…however, Our Lady has already crushed its head. Sister Lucia dos Santos, of Fatima – in an interview with Cardinal Caffara of Bologna.

Our faith and trust lies in Jesus, through His Church, alone. No mere mortal can upend what we know through His Truth. Pray for those participating in the Synod on the Family, those reporting, and those who live in irregular life circumstances. The narrow path of Jesus' followers isn't always easy, it isn't always straight, but it does always lead to the reward of Heaven.

Connecting the Sodomy Dots - Disney and Campbell's

Screenshot from Campbell's Star Wars/gay parent ad

Well, it didn't take long to get here - we can now connect the sodomy dots. Disney has bought the rights to Star Wars and a new Campbell's soup ad features Johnny and his 2 fathers - both of them saying, "I am your father". This, of course, is an almost universally known line from Star Wars.

Time to Chuck Out the Campbell's Soup and Star Wars?

My husband and I first saw the commercial two or three nights ago. We looked at each other and he said, "it's time to throw out the soup". That might seem like a knee-jerk reaction but let's take a closer look.

• We've already established that the minority of sodomite rights activists are in our schools, through Planned Parenthood, which is largely in charge of sex education. 

• Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have both acquiesced to active homosexuality as well. 

• Let's not forget that the Supreme Court of the United States of America has made sodomite 'marriage' a right - against the will of the vast majority of the people and state laws. 

• Books encouraging same sex experimentation at worst and acceptance of homosexual behavior at best, are commonly sponsored by libraries and schools. This is true from kindergarten on.

• Characters in long-standing comics, children's shows, and animations are 'coming out'.

• Sadly, even a homosexual faction of deviant shepherds of the Church are making their perverted preferences known, in the wake of the Synod on the Family.

Little by little, the carefully crafted parental barriers protecting the morality and immortal souls of our children are being destroyed. Connecting the dots is becoming more and more simple. With a government that insinuates its morally bankrupt views into even how parents raise their children, we are quickly reaching the edge of the moral cliff. 

How Is This Happening?

Wringing our hands and crying, 'the sky is falling' will not net appreciable results. It's well past time to get up and do something. Put on the Armor of God. Beseech Saint Michael the Archangel for protection, and take command of the moral direction your family will take.

It's no longer an option to stand idly by and think that your kids won't notice. Marketing doesn't work that way. The immoral minority knows that too. They know that the way to drastically change societal thinking is to attract the children. The ease with which this can be done should be evident to any parent who has ever heard even their youngest children request toys, meals, or clothing by brand name. It's easy for our children to connect the dots - we must make it our duty to connect them first.

Ever popular movies, like Star Wars, have had lasting appeal for generations - with fans both young and old. Once a child is conditioned to desire collections of memorabilia and other Star Wars products, they are owned by the brand. When they see their beloved characters associated with sodomy or any other form of immoral behavior, they will begin to tolerate the deviant message. Before long, tolerance is followed by acceptance, and eventually the deviant behavior will become normal.

What to Do?

This is where proactive parenting comes in. Be ever vigilant. As parents, we all know that the little souls in our charge are like thirsty sponges. They absorb whatever they are exposed to. Think about the many ways they mimic our worst moments of speech or action. Do you really want to take a chance on something so much worse being absorbed by them as well?

Let's do something! Don't buy into the consumerism that distorts our wants into needs. That happy meal or soup or cereal or clothing you buy for your children speaks to them - and to everyone they encounter. Our actions and appearance are sometimes the only evangelization someone receives. We should be a part of the solution instead of joining the conspiracy to normalize the sinful. Refrain from collaborating with those who spell death for the souls which have been entrusted to us.

Let's pray for each other; let's pray for the children.

Author's Note: I was asked a great question in one of my Facebook blogging groups. It's shared below, with my answer. Feel free to chime in - we're in this together!

• Question: I saw this commercial and I quickly told my husband to shut it off because my children were in the room. We can boycott Campbells and Star Wars. We can get rid of TV. What can we do to stop this?

  Like · Reply · 2 mins
• • 

    Birgit Atherton Jones The answer is for all parents to do what you are doing - be aware. The answer lies within each domestic church - the family. In addition share the information, write to the offending companies to express your concern, and pray mightily. This has gone too far for us to stop this on our own. With God, however, all things are possible.

5 Reasons Why Abortion is Still Legal and What We Should Do About It

Forty-two years later the ill-conceived legal right to abortion still targets the most innocent members of our society. Despite fervent prayer, educational efforts, transformative heart-softening pleas, and untold numbers of legal attempts, the beast of abortion lives on.

To be noted in our quest for human dignity for all, is the heavy price paid by society. The cancer that is the Culture of Death, hides in the cavernous, dank recesses of the netherworld. Its tentacles reaching ever further into the very fiber of a guileless society, so empowered by selfish greed, it no longer has an identifiable conscience.

Instead of repeating the abortion advocate's mantra of ‘it’s not really a life’, we now hear them say, ‘it’s a life and I don’t care’.

So what brought us here, to the edge of the precipice? Was it simply the natural progression of a world doomed to fall into the abyss of cataclysm or is there an identifiable culprit? A look at the historical fall into the Culture of Death might help us delve into the unvarnished truth.

Ignoring Humanae Vitae

When Pope Paul VI admonished the faithful in his historic encyclical, Humanae Vitae, he made some dire predictions. The faithful, already in the throes of upheaval due to abuses of the Second Vatican Council, largely chose to ignore his ominous warnings. Unlike the internet resources we enjoy today, the faithful of that era depended almost solely on word of mouth – some of which came from those who wished to project their own, personal desires for reform onto the true meaning of the council.

Due in part to poor catechesis or selectively abridged reporting, the family in the pew soon found themselves disobeying Church teaching – either by naiveté or willful dissent. An entire generation largely missed the enormous impact this would later have on society as a whole – until it was too late.

Allowing Contraception

In ignoring both Church teachings in general and Humanae Vitae in particular, a path of destruction for marriage and family was chosen. It might even be said that contraception was fatal to the Church in that respect. Although the full impact took years, even decades to show, the die was cast. In weakening the nuclear family – the foundation of a healthy society – culture had nowhere to go but down. The moral fiber of individual citizens was soon to follow.

Instead of maintaining the core belief that contraception was immoral, many clerics advanced the notion that sometimes contraception was acceptable. It was a matter of envisioning an end game without acknowledging the illicit path taken.

Up until the Lambeth Conference of 1930 all of the faithful, Catholic and Protestant alike, adhered to the dogma that contraception was sinful – always. As the Protestant churches began following an easier, albeit sinful path, the Catholic Church became the sole follower of this aspect of natural law. Unfortunately, many in the Church began to follow the path to disobedience.

Facilitating Promiscuity

As the natural result and purpose of physical intimacy was overridden, great temptation set in. No longer accountable for the natural repercussions of sexuality, promiscuity became an easy trap. When the consequence of pregnancy could easily be circumvented, marriages and well as single relationships began to devolve and suffer. The nuclear family continued to pay the price – as did society as a whole. Increased divorce, rampant cohabitation, weakening of respect for women, rudderless children, same sex 'marriage' and a focus on selfish sexuality all came to pass.

Science Gone Mad

With rampant promiscuity now a norm for a large portion of society, the masses sought even less accountability. Should contraception fail, a failsafe was called for. Abortion came into play, first in the form of doctors doing the unimaginable in dank clinics or rooms under the cover of night, then legalized as a phantom right to privacy after the inception of Roe vs. Wade.

IVF, cloning, surrogacy, and embryonic research soon followed. If the preborn child was an inconvenience to so many, why not use the body that had been cast aside for some imaginary good? That the end never justifies an immoral means was not considered.

As the value of the human species became more and more debatable, their use as a commodity became the next logical step. Soon inhuman experiments were advocated – vaccines using aborted fetal cell lines, rats implanted with human organs, and finally the sale of unborn baby parts to the highest bidder by abortion giant Planned Parenthood.

Accepting Abortion Exceptions

The commercialization of the human being soon created varying classes of persons – some worth more than others. If a wanted child was worthy of limitless cost, the unwanted child was not – simply on the merit of desire or lack thereof. That the only difference between the two was the ambiguous opinion of someone, with no right to make the distinction, fell to the wayside. Value was determined by the desire of the beholder – not by the Author of Life.

Still, the prolife movement didn’t stand idly by. Marches, prayer vigils, and educational efforts abounded. Yet, there was a chink in the armor of the prolife warriors – exceptions. In their fervor to advance prolife legislation, a system of classes for the unborn was accepted. “If we can’t save them all, at least we can save most of them”, became the rationale. The majority didn’t anticipate the unforeseen consequence of this line of thought. By casting some unborn children as expendable, the security of the whole of their number became endangered.

In the eyes of Almighty God, the Author of Life, each person is immeasurably valuable. There are no favorites. There is no one human who is more beloved than another. Opening the gate to that type of distinction has held us back for all of these years. For, in admitting by our openness to exceptions, we weakened the whole of our argument. If one life is worth saving while due to the circumstances of conception, another is not, we are on shaky ground.

What Can We Learn From Our Mistakes?

Inasmuch as human history has tragically proven that deviating from the narrow path brings chaos, it would be wise to adhere to the hard truths. Abortion is wrong, period. Each and every individual has a birthright, granted by an Almighty God. No mere human has the right to proclaim otherwise. Shortcuts or partially adhered to commands from our God stem from a lukewarm faith. It is ours to bring respect for all life back into the forefront. Fervent prayer, unshakable proclamation of the Gospel, the holy witness of the domestic Church (family), and adherence to the natural law will be our weapons. In order to maintain the respect for every life, we must put on the armor of God and follow the entire Truth – no matter the price!

Keep Calm and Catholic On!

The feed on Facebook has lit up with Skittles colors and Papal flags. Sides have been drawn and we are left with the rubble. In answering someone on my Designs By Birgit fan page, I formulated my thoughts in a few simple sentences. That is what I want to share with you today:

Marriage isn't some sort of club that we want to keep people out of - it's a covenant, designed by God and spoken of in Genesis and in the New Testament. 

Marriage is a facet of natural law. It speaks to the physical nature of men and women - different, yet complimentary - and the family that they build through the physical action of their love (children). 

This true description of the sacrament of marriage can't be changed. Others may have relationships, but if they deviate from one man and one woman (for life) it's simply impossible for that relationship to be true marriage.

As we battle mightily to bring God's Truth to the hearts and souls of our loved ones and our country, let's always be mindful of love. Love, the Great Commandment. We, Catholic Christians, aren't called to be hateful, vengeful, or even caustic. We are called to speak the Truth as given to us by the Word, Our Lord Jesus Christ - and to speak it in love. 

We're also not here to convince - the grace to make the righteous, moral decisions comes from God. What we are called to do is to share Truth - even if it finds us carrying one small fragment of His Cross. He was hated yet He lived only love - blameless and compassionate, He died for the sins of the many. Surely we can do our small part to walk in His footsteps. We can never fill them, but in following them, He will lead us Home!

Stay strong and Catholic on!

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Not Your Parents' Scouts

This isn't your parent's scouting!

As if it's not bad enough that the Girl Scouts of America are in cahoots with abortion giant Planned Parenthood, enter the push within the Boy Scouts of America for openly homosexual leaders. As it is, they already accept openly gay scouts into the fold.

But now we have more, deeply troubling developments in the world of scouting.

The Girl Scouts have decided to embrace cross-dressing children into their club. So if your little girl doesn't want to share her troop with a boy in girl's clothing, too bad!

The Boy Scouts, on the other hand, have decided to show their feminine side. Not to appear overly male, their leadership has decided that water guns can be forbidden! That's right, it's too violent to point a colorful plastic toy, containing water, at a fellow scout. Not to be forgotten are the equally enlightened parameters for water balloons - they must not be larger than a ping pong ball.

What are we to make of this trend to turn the world of scouting upside down? It looks a lot like an outright assault on Christianity and the family. The normal gender characteristics of yesterday are being shamefully turned topsy turvy.

Boys in girls' clothing are sharing your little girl's scouting troop, while the boys' troops are being feminized. This blurring of gender lines isn't exclusively being carried out by deviant adults, lurking in the shadows. Today's radicalization is being thrust into the once innocent world of our children by formerly wholesome clubs.

Meanwhile, children are also being force-fed an overly sexualized and homesexual agenda. All the while, girls are selling cookies that benefit close associates of abortion giant, Planned Parenthood. Additionally, more and more homosexual characters are appearing in entertainment on a regular basis - even though same sex attracted individuals make up less than 2% of the general population.

Tragically, this sexual trend feeds right into the business model of Planned Parenthood, where children are groomed for promiscuity at younger and younger ages. You may be surprised to find that the sex ed programs in most school systems are created by Planned Parenthood. And they're teaching children about all types of sexuality - as early as kindergarten.

This means that by the time our young, sexually active girls become pregnant, they are offered the morbid 'solution' of abortion. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood is raking in the big bucks. The plan is simple: teach sex, provide inferior condoms, and they will create 'customers' for their abortion mills where the butcherous doctors kill innocent babies and maim their mothers.

Boys fare no better because valor and chivalry are no longer encouraged. Instead, they are conditioned to seek nothing more than animalistic gratification. This affects the relationships formed between the genders and doesn't bode well for a grace-filled outlook on the sacrament of matrimony. Men no longer emulate the masculine characteristic of protector and provider.

On their part, girls often fail to fully develop their uniquely female characteristics of nurturer and the loving mothers of children. In the lack of gender-specific role models, they grow up with a muddled image of self.

Also affected is the sanctity of  Holy Matrimony, which becomes nothing more than a temporary rite of passage all too often. Of those marriages that do survive, far too many become mechanical and sterile. This leaves children out in the cold, with no one after whom to model themselves.

It's time for us to take back the responsibility of parenting. Too many outside forces are having a detrimental impact on our children and families. God gifted us with children so that we could teach them to know, love, and serve Him. He gave us the faithful partnership between husband and wife as the sacrament of matrimony. In this way, He intended the nuclear family to be a shelter from the stormy world of secular life.

Tough decisions must be made. What good is membership in an organization, if their leadership betrays our faith? When parents relinquish the upbringing of their children to the world, their children will become of the world. This endangers their eternal souls. That's not the intent and purpose of the godly institution of family.

With a renewed commitment to prayer, the sacraments, and the God-given role of parents, we can ensure a faith filled future for ourselves and our families. Isn't that worth our very best effort?

Homosexual Madness - Is It Affecting the Church?

Campaigns supporting the homosexual lifestyle and 'rights' seem to be all the rage these days. In a world gone mad, this biologically and morally repugnant type of 'relationship' is being touted as just another type of loving union. Yet we, of the Catholic faith, have always had an unbroken line of teachings that prompt us to love the sinner but hate the sin. We are encouraged to make judgments, every day, about actions - all the while not judging the souls of others. So what's going on with some prominent figures in the Catholic landscape?

It has just been announced that the LGBT crowd will be allowed to march under a banner, for the first time in the 250 year history of the St. Patrick's Day parade in NYC. Although these groups have never been prevented from marching, the fact that they are now able to further, and ever more obviously, flaunt their deviant lifestyle is abhorrent. It's small comfort that pro-life groups will also be allowed to march under a banner as well. Yet Catholic League's Bill Donohue seems blasé.

"Never in the history of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade have homosexuals been barred from marching, anymore than pro-life Catholics have, but in both cases they were not permitted to have their own unit. I have been assured that the rules have been formally changed to allow both of these groups, as well as others, to march under their own banner. That being the case, there should be no controversy. One would hope that all the new entries will conduct themselves in a manner that honors St. Patrick, lest another round of controversy emerges."

Since when are the LGBT advocates and pro-life champions of equal moral heft?

Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York appears to be unconcerned as well. He will carry out his plans to act as Grand Marshall of the parade.

I found encouragement, however, from the reaction of Monsignor Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington. He penned quite the post on the diocesan website, concerning both the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner. Sadly, and rather discouraging, his piece was promptly taken down. It was fortunate that he had given LifeSiteNews permission to share his piece as well. Along with a screenshot of the original entry, BuzzFeed also shared his words. And faithful words they were!

Concerning the Al Smith Dinner he lamented, “...we are being asked to raise toasts and to enjoy a night of frivolity with those who think it is acceptable to abort children by the millions each year, with those who think anal sex is to be celebrated as an expression of love …”

He added, ‘...the St. Patrick’s Parade is becoming of parade of disorder, chaos, and fake unity. Let’s be honest: St. Patrick’s Day nationally has become a disgraceful display of drunkenness and foolishness in the middle of Lent that more often embarrasses the memory of Patrick than honors it.’

His admonition to 'cancel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner and all the other “Catholic” traditions that have been hijacked by the world’ is sound on the face of what they have become.

Catholics, faithful to the teachings of Holy Mother Church gain sound advice as he added, "Enough now, back to Church! Wear the purple of Lent and if there is going to be a procession, let it be Eucharistic and penitential for the sins of this age."

What we appear to have here, is a failure to communicate Christ's true teachings, on the part of some, and the silencing of those who seek to uphold it. Perhaps I'll wear purple this Lent - especially on Saint Patrick's day. It's only right to offer reparation for the sins of this mad, hypersexualized world.

As Msgr. Pope ended his thoughts, "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!"

UPDATE: Msgr. Charles Pope addresses the question,  What happened to the St. Patricks Parade Post?

Screenshot and quotes from Msgr. Pope's article.

"I Love You Anyway" - When a Gay Friend Expects Approval

I have a friend. She struggles with same sex attraction (SSA). Today, she wrote another excellent post; this time addressing those who 'come out' and expect across the board approval. Take a look and you'll realize that it's acceptable, even demanded, to love our homosexual brethren - but not their actions toward these tendencies. Drawing the line at an active homosexual lifestyle is the proper Catholic Christian response. "I love you anyway"

"No, today Christians are expected to actively celebrate homosexuality or we’re branded a “hater” or “bigot.”" ~author

This excellent and Catholic approach to an SSA friend can be found here: An Open Letter to My Gay Sister