EGG-straordinary Lenten Rosary Project for your Family

The post, EGG-straordinary Lenten Rosary Project for your Family, was first published on the Catholic Sistas blog in 2012. It came to my attention today, that the link was broken so I am reprinting it here for Lent 2013. Enjoy!

 .

I've been reflecting on Lent for the past week and how I am going to observe this time of penance, alms giving, and prayer. My thoughts then brought to mind the little souls with whom we are entrusted as parents, grandparents, and God-parents. Since my babies are all so young (2 - 6) I thought it would be best to help them in the 'doing' and 'praying' categories. The resulting project reinforces/teaches all of the prayers of the Rosary (most know the Sign of the Cross, Our Father and Hail Mary). This can be a transitional addition to their customary nighttime prayers - reciting a decade of the Rosary, while concentrating on a particular mystery each night.

This simple, inexpensive and effective craft combines reciting a nightly decade of the Rosary with some good actions and creativity thrown in for good measure:

Lenten Rosary Project Materials List:

• Plastic Easter Eggs (1 larger egg for the Our Father and 10 smaller eggs for the Hail Mary)

• Colorful curling ribbon or pipe cleaners 

• Paper and markers/crayons

• Tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks

• Glitter glue, puff paint, stickers or other embellishments

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Lenten Rosary Project construction:

• Thread pre-cut sections of pipe cleaner or small strips of ribbon through the holes on both ends of the small plastic Easter eggs, until you have a chain of 10.

• Tie a knot in the ribbon or bend a 'knot' into the pipe cleaner and hot glue inside each egg to secure.

• Add one larger Easter egg to your chain for the Our Father to complete the decade.

• For the cross, shorten one of the tongue depressors and then form into a cross shape. Secure with hot glue and embellish with a sticker, if desired.

Lenten Rosary Project instructions:

Say one decade of the Rosary each evening using your Easter Egg Rosary and add your offerings (good deeds, petitions, or coins) for that day. This is a good time to discuss behavior, sharing and giving.

• Chose a petition, good dead, or prayer for each member of the family and write/draw on a piece of paper.

• You could also have your little ones earn pennies to share with the poor.

• Place these papers or coins inside a plastic Easter egg.

• On the weekend you may choose to draw or color pictures depicting the mysteries you have prayed during the week and make a booklet to go along with your newly completed Rosary.

At the end of a 5 day week you will have said all five of the respective mysteries and by the end of 4 full weeks you will have said all 4 sets of mysteries...and the COMPLETE Rosary. You should now have corresponding booklets with pictures of the all  20 mysteries.

You may now move on to coloring pages of the Stations of the Cross as your activity. Continue to use the Rosary you have made for praying a decade every evening as a family, as is now your practice. Last year, 3-year old Simon and 1-year old Rachel  learned all of their rosary prayers this way. The family developed a nightly rosary 'habit'.

On the evening before Easter Sunday, parents may wish to fill each egg with a treat or surprise and then hide the eggs for the traditional Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Or you could keep them intact and still fill with treats. Your kids will have had a chance to count down the 40 days and reap a reward for their patience and efforts, seeing a tangible result! Hopefully you will also have enhanced your family prayer habits. God bless you...and may we all have a fruitful Lent.

Let us all pray for one another!

+   +   +

Here are some links to coloring pages for use with your Easter Egg Rosary Project:

Stations of the Cross coloring pages for all of the stations.

Stations of the Cross carousel - a great way to display the colored pages.

Lamb of God Lenten Calendar uses cotton balls on a cute lamb print-out.

Walk the Lenten Path  to countdown the days, put a sticker on each square every day.

Almsgiving Activity for Children During Lent fill this cross-shaped craft with coins.

Catholic Rosary coloring pages to print. Includes Luminous Mysteries and much more!

Catholic Rosary Diagram page to color.

Sign of the Cross diagram and coloring page.

Our Father - prayer coloring sheet.

Hail Mary - prayer coloring page.

.

*Note: you could also do the above project using a paper chain much like those that are made during Advent to adorn your Christmas tree. Each 'link' in the chain could be a Hail Mary and a larger 'link' could be added for the Our Father. You could write on the slips of paper before creating the links.

Pope Benedict XVI to Step Down - The Signs Were There

The historic news of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI came as a surprise to laity and Church leaders alike; he will be only the 5th pope to do so, in the history of the Church founded by Jesus Himself. Faithful Catholics had reveled in the firm yet gentle reign of our German Shepherd as he worked diligently to reform the reform of the Church. The reversion back to a more accurate translation of Mass responses, prayers, and form was met with a tepid response by modernists but those of us who take pride in our ancient practices were heartened to have more solemnity and reverence reintroduced into the living sacrifice that is the Holy Mass. As a German myself, I felt a kinship with Papa Benedict and found myself smiling and nodding whenever he spoke or wrote about all things Catholic.

He was also a staunch protector of the unborn and reiterated time and again the supreme importance of the sanctity of life. As a pro-life advocate, I found myself frequently quoting a never ending supply of his pronouncements on the subject. The poor and forgotten were also consistently championed by him as were all people, regardless of religious affiliation. He worked tirelessly and traveled extensively with no regard for his personal safety or comfort but was greeted with joyful welcome wherever he went. I prayed, on a regular basis, that he would be with us for many years to come, as I saw the Church begin flourishing in renewal under his reign.

What we are seeing in retrospect, however, is that there had been clues to be found, pointing toward this unusual step he has taken. On April 29, 2009, few pundits or faithful took particular notice when Pope Benedict visited the tomb of Pope St. Celestine V in Aquila, Italy. Celestine was a rather obscure medieval Pope, whose reign began in 1294. As was the case with Josef Cardinal Ratizinger (aged 78 at the time of election), Fr. Pietro Angelerio was a devout and holy priest who was also reluctant to become Pope at an advanced age (he was 80). In fact, just a brief five months after his election, Pope Celestine V issued a formal decree that allowed popes to resign. Shortly afterward, he exercised that right.


We can now look back and remember that Pope Benedict XVI prayed and then left his palluim on top of Celestine’s tomb. The leaving of the symbol of his episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome appears to have had significance that was lost on the world at the time. Additionally, he went out of his way to visit and pray in the Cathedral of Sulmona fifteen months later. There reside the relics of the same St. Celestine V. It would be a stretch to attribute these actions as mere coincidence, given today’s news, since they point toward a spiritual journey leading to his decision to step aside. Considering Pope Benedict’s analytical style of thought and his thorough attention to detail gives these actions new meaning in light of the announcement made today. Although the obvious symbolism is not lost to us, we now see a deeper more profound intent come to light. Pope Benedict XVI was signalling his intention to resign and the minor rumors that had arisen a few months prior, bear more weight now that his decision has been announced.


On a very human level I feel bereft, as if some indispensable member of my family is moving far away.This pope, with his gentle yet firm hand, has been one to whom I could relate so well. Our German Shepherd’s words and writings resonated with me as if he were my own Opa (grandfather). I love him with a depth that surprises me and pray that the twilight of his years will be spent in the peace that comes from a job well done. He has served us well and his toil for the people of God will stand the test of time. Well done, good and faithful servant. You have given me the gift of a deeper faith and a stronger determination for serving the Church founded by Christ Himself. ‘And the gates of hell will not prevail against her!’. Vielen Dank und möge Gott Sie segnen*.

‎”After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth. Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church.” (Prophecy of Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837 A.D.) who was Beatified by Pope Bendedict XV in 1920.)

*Many thanks and may God greatly bless you!

This post first appeared on the Catholic Sistas blog.

Tweet with Us at The March for Life in DC - #SistasMFL13

As you may know, I also write for a rapidly growing blog consisting of women from across our great nation. If you already follow the Catholic Sistas blog on Twitter, you've seen us working on some tweets for tomorrow's 40th annual March for Life. With the help of some local friends and Ink Slingers, we will be peppering our account between now and the end of the March tomorrow with various tweets and pics. We will also be posting a live tweet widget just for this event that you can follow on the home page of the website. You can easily follow the party by searching the hash tag #SistasMFL13 as well as including it in your own tweets. We look forward to seeing you over there! Let's make our voices heard for the voices too weak to defend themselves.

My daughter is also an Ink Slinger for Catholic Sistas and is reporting live from Washington DC. Stay tuned for more information as she provides it.

God bless the pilgrims on this crucial ministry!

My daughter and the Social Concerns director.

Crossing the Potomac on a snowy day.

Viewing pro-life exhibits.

The view from their hotel.

Use our Twitter hashtag for the March for Life in DC, 2013. #SistasMFL13 @Catholic_Sistas on Twitter

Hey Abortion Advocates, What do You Mean by Choice?

Oh, that’s right, you don’t like the word ‘choice’ anymore. So how do you plan to label your unconditional support for abortion? Is this new propaganda to relabel yourselves an attempt to muddy the waters so that we don’t know what to call you – to not ‘box you in’? Well, I've got news for you; you've never really been pro-choice anyway because the only choice you advocate is abortion. You run in alarm when a woman chooses birth and mothering or adoption. So your grand efforts to create an innocuous label for yourself has fallen flat and now, even you realize it’s just not very simple to create a favorable tag for yourselves. You've always advocated for one thing – killing a pre-born child in her mother’s womb. It’s really tough to put a favorable spin on that isn't it?

Whether you call us anti-abortion, pro-life or radical right wing extremists, it’s not difficult to know what we stand for. We respect the lives of all people – born and unborn. Our love extends to the pre-born baby, mother, father, siblings, grandparents, cousins, and friends of each and every human person. The love we feel is not limited to the perfect, healthy, holy, churched, saintly, modest, young or old – it encompasses them all. Where you have unconditional support for abortion; we stand for unconditional support and love.

In case you’re still here reading this post I’ll share some examples of our brand of love with you:

We love the  woman and her baby when she has been diagnosed with cancer while pregnant.

We love the baby who endangers the mother's life.

We love the baby who is a product of rape.

We love the baby with a serious diagnosis of ‘imperfection’.

We love the baby  mourned due to miscarriage.

We love the woman who aborted her baby.

We love the aged.

We also love you, abortion proponent. We pray for your conversion and change of heart daily and fervently. We long to embrace you and share the joy we feel in living out the admonition given to us all directly from Jesus which commands, ‘Love others as you love yourself’. His love is the most unconditional of all. Won't you join us in seeking that type of perfection?

This post first appeared on the Catholic Sistas blog on 1-21-2013

Become a Pro-Life Advocate - It Couldn't be Easier!

Abortion is a scourge on our nation; yet there are millions of faithful pro-life citizens across the land. Recent statistics have shown that, even after the reelection of the most rabidly pro-abortion president in history, our nation remains firmly in the corner of Life. In fact, the numbers of those who are pro-life are on the rise. Yet there is much frustration among the faithful. The recent mass carnageat an elementary school in Newtown, CT illustrates the duplicity exhibited by our government, when it comes to the value of Life. In an address concerning this horrific event, President Obama spoke these words.

“If there’s even one step we can take to save a child, then surely we have an obligation to try.

“Are we really prepared to say that we’re powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?”

The irony of Obama’s obtuse statement didn’t escape the millions of citizens who honor the sanctity of all Life – in fact it further fueled their frustration. Yet this is exactly what we are up against and why we must solidify our efforts. There are legions of us and together we can be the difference that swings our country back to a Culture of Life.

So why is it that so few people seem to be willing to fully commit to the issue? That is a question I ponder daily. Each new day finds me doing my best to focus on my Catholic faith and, by extension, furthering the pro-life movement. I’m quite bold about my positions on both counts and it would be difficult to mistake where I stand. Consequently there are also many like-minded people in my life – both locally and across the nation. Yet much pro-life advocacy support comes in private. I find that many people are still hesitant to take a strong public stand. Although I receive countless private messages of encouragement and agreement, I find that public support is somewhat timid.

pro-life activism 101

So what can be done?  

Go to the Catholic Sistas blog to find out how to easily make a Pro-Life difference!

Go to the Designs by Birgit fan page to see over 80 Pro-Life posters like the one above!

Source: catholicsistas.com via Birgit on Pinterest

Hobby Lobby - Crafting Religious Freedom

As a group of crafty Catholic women, joining Pinterest was a no-brainer for many of the Catholic Sistas Ink Slingers. As an Art Major, former Catholic school art teacher, homeschool mother, and now homeschool Nana this was certainly true for me.  Therefore, this past Advent and Christmas season brought me to Hobby Lobby more times than I can count. They have always had my respect as a Christian- owned business that closes on Sundays  “the day most widely recognized as a day of rest, in order to allow our employees and customers more time for worship and family”. So what’s not to like?

ObamaCare Enters In

Conversely, Hobby Lobby  hardly seems like a name that would appear in the same sentence with the HHS Mandate – yet here we are. It appears that the insidious HHS Mandate has encroached even into the world of Christian, crafty, self-made entrepreneurs.  At first glance, ObamaCare appeared to be a virtuous idea to some, even as others struggled with the strangle hold it would have on every citizen in the nation. That topic alone would garner a several part series for another day. The portion of ObamaCare that is more easily isolated and agreed upon is the portentous HHS Mandate, which will force – as of January 1, 2013 - businesses, organizations, and institutions to provide contraception, sterilization, and abortion inducing drugs to all of their employees – free of charge.

What about Freedom of Religion?

Read the rest of Hobby Lobby - Crafting Religious Freedom where it first appeared on Catholic Sistas.

Salvation Army: Bells for Abortion?

Ring-a-ling-a-ling goes the bell as stalwart souls stand in the cold, next to the familiar red kettle beseeching passersby to give alms every Advent. Looking into their faces you can see kindness and dedication to a cause in which they fervently believe. Their expression is joyful and they banter with anyone who is willing to donate to their cause – the Salvation Army (SA). Yet there is, as Paul Harvey would say, ‘the rest of the story’. Are we really free to sacrificially give and then go merrily on our way with a placated heart and soul? Not so fast!

As with any aspect of our Christian lives, it behooves us to become well catechized before we act. When we donate to a large organization it isn’t the same type of faithful giving as giving the man on the street corner your last $20 because he is hungry. That act is done out of faith – on an individual basis. Sure, you don’t know this man and he could take your gift and buy himself a bottle of cheap bourbon – but the onus is on him because you have given out of true charity and a clear conscience. When it comes to organizations, however, we have the ability – and duty – to delve a bit deeper into the mission and moral standing of the recipient. There are pertinent questions to be answered before a wholesale submission of a gift is given.

Click the link to read Salvation Army: Bells for Abortion? in its entirety.

See more pro-life graphics by Designs by Birgit by clicking here.

Advent – Don’t Rush! It’s not Christmas Yet!

It’s not Christmas!

A friend recently bemoaned her inability to ‘get into the Christmas spirit’. Her discomfiture was painfully evident and brought to mind the necessity of a properly observed Advent. We humans have been an impatient bunch from the very beginning – always looking for a shortcut. In fact, throughout the ages the virtue of patience has had a rough ride. Holy Scripture is filled with admonishments for patience thus demonstrating that we are not alone in our lack of it. I don’t think that lack of patience is ever more evident to me than when Christmas is hustled into the forefront all too soon. This year appears to have been the worst in memory. Even before all of the Halloween merchandise had been marked down for clearance, the Christmas décor and songs began. What a dizzying debacle it was! Ghosts, witches, Pilgrims and turkeys joined Santa and Christmas ornaments on store shelves – all at the same time.

Follow for the rest of Advent - Don't Rush! It's not Christmas Yet! 

Advent - a Time of Waiting Craft

Happy Advent!

A pet peeve of mine during the season of Advent (and before), is that the world we live in doesn't like to wait. Patience is not a virtue that gets a lot of notice. How then, are we to teach our little ones about the benefit of waiting? How can we demonstrate that sometimes the sweetness of the attained goal is intensified by preparation and patience?

This really home with me on a trip to a local department store. Here it was, barely October, and yet Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas were keeping company on the shelves! My resolve to make Advent relevant in the eyes of my family was solidified that day. So here we are, the first of December, and I'm hoping to share this simple little project to spread the word - it's not Christmas!


Let's resolve to sweeten this beautiful yet low key and penitent season. After all, good things come to those who wait!

This is one of those projects that has something for everyone. The adults have control of the overall look achieved - so those who tend to be OCD (ahem, me) can micro manage as much as we like. Even the youngest child can finger paint and older ones can help at their own level, so no one is excluded. So let's get started.

MATERIALS

Wooden clothes pins
Finger paints
Paint brushes
Small paper plates
Sharpies: black and silver
Glitter
Journey to Bethlehem picture
Nativity picture
Mod Podge - I used glossy
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Pipe cleaners in matching or accent colors

READY to CRAFT

Count out the required number of clothes pins and clip them to one of the paper plates, adjusting spacing as evenly as possible.

Using the silver Sharpie, color the gaps between the clothes pins - filling them in completely after marking the spaces. Next, use the black Sharpie to number the spaces.


Let the kids paint the clothes pins in your predetermined colors. We chose red, green, and yellow because they appeal to the younger set to which I am catering. With older kids I would have gone with white and yellow with silver and gold accents or perhaps the liturgical color of purple.

While allowing the clothes pins to dry you can begin to work on the art.

The artwork can be something that you have available or you can do what I did and Google 'Nativity' and 'Journey to Bethlehem' for suitable pictures. I went with a black and white print for the journey to drive home that Advent is a low key season.

Print out your art and trace a circle the size of the *inside* of your paper plate. Carefully cut out and glue to the bottom of the paper plates.

After the glue has dried, paint a top coat of Mod Podge over the entire picture(s) - all the way out to the edge of the paper plate.



I waited for the first coat to dry (just a few minutes) and then applied a second, heavier coat for added sheen.

While the second coat was still wet, I sprinkled glitter over the entire paper plate - picture, edge and all. Set aside and allow to dry.

Now comes the individualized part. Come up with a list of people or intentions for prayer. This is something that should be done as a family so that everyone can offer ideas. You will need as many petitions as you have clothes pins. Write them on one side of the clothes pins using the black Sharpie.

On the other side of the clothes pin, write an activity. It can be drinking cocoa, coloring a picture and mailing it to someone lonely, reserving pennies to give at Mass or any other meaningful or fun activity your family members can come up with.

When you have finished writing on both sides of the clothes pins you can add a top coat of Mod Podge and allow the kids to sprinkle glitter for an added sparkle. Now it's time for assembly.

NOW IT'S COMING TOGETHER

Gather all of your components and begin assembly.

Take a pipe cleaner and fold in half, then twist the ends to form a loop. This will become your hanger. Using hot glue attach to the top of one of the paper plates on the *inside*. Now place the paper plates together - pictures out - and run a bead of hot glue all around their circumference, joining them together. While the hot glue is still sticky, place a pipe cleaner into the glue to fill in the gap making sure that your hanging loop remains in the proper position.

ALL SET AND READY TO BEGIN THE COUNT DOWN

Each day you will pin a clothes pin onto the appropriate number. The person or petition written on it will become your prayer focus for that day. The activity on the other side is what you will do for that day's Advent observance. In this way you will not only count down until the long awaited feast of Christmas comes, but you will be actively participating in a meaningful observance of Advent.

Happy Advent - hope it's holy!

Life Smiles Sunday - No. 8

Welcome to Life Smiles Sunday. Every week I will share one of my Designs by Birgit pro-life posters with you. They are to be shared freely as long as you give credit where credit is due by leaving my 'signature' intact. I hope you have a blessed Lord's Day!

Last week's Life Smiles Sunday - No. 7

Remember that all of my Life Smiles posters can be found on my Designs by Birgit Facebook page and on the 
Designs by Birgit website.

This Election is So Important - Don't Dismiss Your Faithful Citizenship

As a whole, elections are always contentious - especially in some circles. Emotions run high and things are said - things that perhaps don't fit into polite society. When faced with the political cycles that are inevitable, it's best to keep this in mind. We are also presented with a great opportunity to ponder words before they are spoken, to pray for guidance for what is right instead of fueling the need to be right, and to look deeply into the needs of the most vulnerable instead of our own selfish needs.

2012 is certainly no different. We are at a crossroads - as a nation, as a people, and as children of God. We face what is arguably the most important election of our lifetime - even for those of quite some advanced age. Old loyalties must be laid aside and clear thinking must be fostered. We must do our best to think with the mind of God - with goodness, with grace, and with the weight of heavy responsibility. I noted in a previous post that there is serious deception going on. Our present president and vice-president are not playing in a fair manner. This fact has been brought to light over and over again - even to the point of a reprimand from the USCCB.

As Catholic Christians it behooves us to look at the priorities taught by Holy Mother Church. While there are many important-sounding issues, we are clearly instructed that some issues far outweigh others. As Catholics (or other Christians) we are obligated to process information with a godly mindset. The top priorities deal with intrinsic evils - evils so vile that the actions that carry them cannot be excused under any conditions. At the upper levels of this list lies the Right to Life. Without life, no other right matters - no other issue compares. While there might be legitimate, moral discourse and disagreement concerning other issues such as care of the poor or just war or the death penalty, there can be only one position when it comes to abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, cloning or the godly model of marriage - one man and one woman.

As is persistent in these times, however, there are citizens who are spending much time pontificating about the faults they find with one party (Republican) while totally ignoring the horrific flaws in the other (Democrat). The Democrat party sanctions all of the intrinsic evils listed above while they pander to those who they keep beholden to them from a welfare state. On the other had, the Republican platform is free of any semblance of intrinsic evil - a bishop recently stated just this fact. You might disagree with a Republican candidate about war or poverty, but again, the answers to these issues are morally debatable among the people of God.

I am dismayed to note that there are Catholics out there besmirching others and casting dispersion and confusion. Might I suggest that they peruse the Catechism of the Catholic Church in order to establish a foundation of the most basic teachings that they are denying and betraying - thus leading fellow citizens down a path of sin? A Catholic or other Christian, simply cannot vote for the Obama administration. To do so would go against fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ Himself. As bishop Paprocki recently wrote,

 “...a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy.”  

I've also written a post with extensive references to the CCC. You can find it on the Catholic Sistas blog here. If you're still not convinced, simply begin reading the CCC. The answers are all there! And unlike other sources of information, the content cannot be disputed because the writings contained therein stem from Scripture, Church Fathers, and other Sacred Texts. God bless, and may righteousness win out!

Are you frustrated that some of your brethren seem to have a misunderstanding of what it means to be a Faithful Citizen? Got Questions? Need sources?

Promulgated by Blessed John Paul II, the CCC draws on scripture as well as works of the Church Fathers and other official Church documents to illustrate the Four Pillars of the Catholic Faith. In it you will find the richness of our faith and a faithful guide to Catholic Christian living. It is a great go-to source of education on how to approach our lives and such issues as guiding our vote.

Life Smiles Sunday - No. 7

Welcome to Life Smiles Sunday. Every week I will share one of my Designs by Birgit pro-life posters with you. They are to be shared freely as long as you give credit where credit is due by leaving my 'signature' intact. I hope you have a blessed Lord's Day!

Last week's Life Smiles Sunday - No.6 

Remember that all of my Life Smiles posters can be found on my Designs by Birgit Facebook page and on the 

Designs by Birgit website.

More Than Passionate Efforts: We Need Divine Intervention

I had anticipated last night's vice-presidential debate with glee. After all, the pressure is certainly less than with the presidential debates and I knew that Joe would just be Joe and that Ryan was strong on the issues at hand. I made all of the customary jokes, 'bring on the pop corn, it's gonna be quite the show'. And then I settled into my favorite, over-sized chair to watch and yell at the TV (with hubby) and pontificate on Facebook with all of my very funny, clever friends. I was not disappointed. It was the circus we all knew it would be. Biden with his buffoonery and enameled, condescending smile was just as inept as I'd anticipated. His many lies elicited a firm response even from the USCCB. The comments on my wall often made me LOL. The massive number of interruptions by both the vice-president and the moderator were more frequent than even I had though possible. There just doesn't seem to be much class any more - manners are a forgotten art.

Then there was Paul Ryan. His smiles were genuine, his math added up, and he maintained a gentlemanly demeanor. The ability to remain unflustered at what was a 2 on 1 debate at times, showcased his style and abilities under pressure. I could see him in the Oval Office some day and surely he would make a great Head of State. While I am high on most of what Ryan said, there was one area that I did not, however, feel complete satisfaction. When he began his reply to the abortion question, he started off as I knew he would - both faith and science confirm his strong pro-life stance from conception on. But then he veered. His statement that a Romney administration would be pro-life with exceptions (rape, incest, life of the mother) dampened by spirits. While I hoped that this was gamesmanship  because he was, after all speaking of the administration (not himself), there's a huge part of me that is so tired of the political slight of hand we are forced to endure. I wonder what Santorum would have said - of course, he wouldn't have made the cut for VP in a Romney administration anyway. I just long for someone who will keep to the straight and narrow...a man willing to be a martyr for his strongly held beliefs.

Having said that, however, I'm still pleased overall. Last night's debate spotlighted huge differences, both in these two men and in the two platforms. Ryan is a prince among men when it comes to today's public servants and I pray that his personal, wholly Catholic beliefs will have a profound influence on a Romney White House. I sincerely doubt that he holds to the exceptions of which he spoke. I say, let them be elected and then groom him for the presidency down the road. Let him influence and pray and sway. My heartfelt prayers go with him as he traverses the winding roads that lead a Dancing With the Stars type of society back to the real world. A world where one day the 'folks' won't worship a leader who shirks his international duties to glad-hand with late night talk show hosts. 

This society is at a cross roads and we are in much more trouble than just the election of the next leader of our dear nation. We are in need of a societal conversion and revolution. This can only be accomplished with the aid of our King of Kings, the Almighty. Without prayer, fasting, and evangelization, our most passionate efforts will be in vain. What are your thoughts? How can we join together and be a part of the conversion of our country?

Interfaith Novena to Stop the HHS Mandate

A Variety of FREE Pro-Life Images to Share

Paul Ryan and Joe Biden were asked about abortion. Here are there answers! - Transcript: Joe Biden and Paul Ryan abortion remarks at 2012 VP debate

USCCB Re: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Preventive Services

File Code No. CMS-9968-ANPRM  

The PINK Month - a Year in Review

October is, among other things, noted for Respect Life Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you've been following me or my daughter, Erika, you will know that we are intimately familiar with both topics. As a reflection of the past year of blogging, I will share links to some of our more popular posts about Life and Cancer. If you take anything useful from these testimonies of ours, we encourage you to share with others. Thank you!

Pink Betrayal  (Pro-LIFE Alternatives to Komen)

I'm a cancer survivor. It's a point of pride for me - and a badge of honor. All of the scars I bear, both physical and mental, were earned in hand to hand combat with an evil monster of a disease. This monster took my grandmother at 42, my mother at 58 and tried to take both my 28 year old daughter and her unborn child in 2009! Yet I, and many others like me, am not willing to find treatments or a cure at the cost of others' lives.

Bald, Pregnant, and Living 

 "You have breast cancer," the surgeon deadpanned. I glanced at my husband & then my mom, and waited for the punch-line. It never came -- the doctor was deadly serious. He had just performed a biopsy (that amounted to a lumpectomy) with me wide awake and all-too-aware of the hole dug into my left arm-pit/breast area to remove the 2.5 cm tumor. The lack of anesthetic was due to my other condition: I was 20 weeks pregnant with my 6th, but only 2nd live, child (the other 4 pregnancies ended at various stages as miscarriages). I was only 28 years old -- 20 years younger than my mother at her diagnosis.

Lady Ribbon's Entry into our Lives 

How a Catholic Pro-life, Breast Cancer, Rosary image came into being. We are Taking Back the PINK from Komen and other organizations who donate money to Planned Parenthood and support embryonic stem cell research. We ask that you, too, 'Think Before You PINK'!

Abortion Kills Children: the Language of the Pro-life Movement 

What are some of the ways pro-life advocates go about their mission of winning hearts, minds and souls for Life? There is a plethora of tactics from soft sell to graphic. What's your take?

When Pro-Life Except Really Happens 

What happens when a 14 year old rape victim becomes pregnant? Is abortion the answer or is there some sort of saving grace for all involved? This was my intimate, horrific introduction into the world of life.

Life Smiles Sunday - No. 6

Welcome to Life Smiles Sunday. Every week I will share one of my Designs by Birgit pro-life posters with you. They are to be shared freely as long as you give credit where credit is due by leaving my 'signature' intact. I hope you have a blessed Lord's Day!

Last week's Life Smiles Sunday - No. 5

Remember that all of my Life Smiles posters can be found on my Designs by Birgit Facebook page and on the 
Designs by Birgit website.

PINK Betrayal - Think Before You PINK!

I’m a cancer survivor. It’s a point of pride for me – and a badge of honor. All of the scars I bear, both physical and mental, were earned in hand to hand combat with an evil monster of a disease. This monster took my grandmother at 42, my mother at 58 and tried to take both my 28 year old daughter and her unborn child in 2009! I’ve been to the bowels of hell and back. I have fought the good fight and, for the time being, I have won! My enemy surrounds me, though, and he is never far from me. He lurks in the corners of my subconscious and seeks to destroy me – if not by eating away at my body, then by eating away at my life of calm control over who I am. He honors no boundaries and his hunger for victims is unquenchable. This formidable foe never sleeps.

A small consolation of having cancer, however, is a certain sense of ‘belonging’ to a highly specialized Club. It is truly not a Club one would voluntarily join. It is a Club whose ‘hazing’ is difficult to survive – a life or death struggle. But once you are ‘in’ you are a Star! I truly love my brothers and sisters in cancer with a love that is strong, vibrant and true. We cling together. When one suffers, we all suffer. When one dies, a little piece of us dies with them. And when we battle, we battle hand-in-hand, careless and free, with not a single worry of how we look to the ‘outsiders’…we are a family and our numbers make us strong!

For me, however, there is also a very personal pain associated with membership. This pain is one of seclusion and exclusion. It haunts me and propels me at the same time. I want to share my thoughts but often find myself shunned, even by my fellow Club Members. As much as I seek camaraderie and unity, I simply cannot compromise my principles to join the ‘Inner Circle’ of this crowd. I’ve been blackballed…excluded by none other than the Susan G Komen foundation, and others like her*. She proclaims to care about us – the victims, the survivors, the dead. But she is a Wily Lass and has deceptive ways. She talks the talk of healing and of the ‘cure’ but she lies. Her ways are not my ways. Her god is not my God. She worships at the table of public pride and seeks the monetary reward of donations and status.

She also has ungodly bedfellows. Even as she proclaims to fight for a cure she sashays around, hand-in-hand, with Planned Parenthood. PlannedParenthood receives a large share of her ill-gotten gains. Komen is a traitor! How can she support Planned Parenthood and still claim purity of intention? Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion – a procedure which is known to vastly increase breast cancer – is given donor money even though they do not provide a single mammogram – ANYWHERE in the nation. Planned Parenthood, who cannot and does not help any who are in the clutches of the demon, Cancer!

Pro-lifer people simply can't support Komen until they are morally sound!

Ironically I’ve had the honor of having my name written on a jersey of someone who ‘raced for the cure’. This created an awkward situation for me. The well-meaning friend was chagrined to learn of the Komen/PP connection. I hated to cause her hurt – after all, she was being considerate and ‘honoring’ my daughter and me. But you can’t be squeamish with your principles and so I had to take a stand.

It is heartening that there are more stories exposing this uncomfortable truth out there this year, however, sharing details of this illicit relationship. More people are becoming aware of how blatantly we Cancer Fighters are being used as a commodity. There are now Bishops in the United States who have come through by asking the parishes in their diocese not to promote or donate to Komen. There are stories all around the pro-life community and a medical journal article has recently been published showing the abortion/breast cancer link. This is great news!

One of these days, I will be able to join the Elite Club. I’ll be able to walk or run or race for the cure. That high that one gets from being a participant publicly – a survivor – will be mine! In the mean time, I will continue to cringe reflexively whenever I see the pink bedecked masses. I will feel that feeling of being on the outside looking in. My Membership will be denied and although I will feel the private joy of having come this long seven years with no recurrence, I will not be a part of that particular Pink Parade. I will not sell out, I will not pretend, and I will not foolishly be lead down the Pink Primrose Path when there are evil alliances colluding to take the ‘pink’ money and use it for evil. Until then I will encourage everyone I meet to ‘rethink the PINK’. The wish of myself and others like me is to ‘Take Back the Pink’ for breast cancer research that is morally sound. Won’t you join us in spreading the news?

+ + +

* In addition to donating to Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society also supports research using Embryonic Stem Cells. These are cell lines derived from aborted babies. The ACS is therefore also on the illicit organizations list.

Pro-life ways to donate to the Breast Cancer Cause:

Directly to a Cancer Victim: At age 28, Erika was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She was also 20 weeks pregnant. On October 28, 2011 she is scheduled for her 5th surgery!

The Polycarp Research Institute (TPRI): TPRI performs high-quality medical research & serves as a resource center. Research areas: Abortion – Breast Cancer, Oral Contraceptive – Breast Cancer, Postfertilization effect of Emergency Contraception, Postfertilization effect of Oral Contraceptive.

Breast Cancer Prevention Institute Home Page: Our website is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date and accurate information to medical professionals and the general public on how to prevent breast cancer. Our on-line publications, as well as our list of other resources, are all designed to provide you with knowledge of practical, risk-reduction strategies.

National Breast Cancer Foundation® Official Site – Information, Awareness & Donations: Breast cancer information, facts, statistics, symptoms and treatments, early detection, mammography screenings, and breast cancer research from the official non-profit source offering charity donations and corporate sponsorship opportunities for breast cancer.

PINK Betrayal first appeared on Catholic Sistas

Faithful Citizen: Vote with a Well Formed Conscience

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen seems to have been a prophet before his time. His quotes appear to resonate even more today than they did during his lifetime. They certainly belie an almost otherworldly understanding of what the citizens of today will be facing when they vote. We would do well to note that Sheen, like the Church herself, had much to share that simply does not go ‘out of style’. As we approach one of the most ominous election cycles I have experienced during my 55 years, it is also good to examine what Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), has to say about our duties of forming a Catholic conscience when it comes to civic responsibility.

The Church teaches us that we, as the people of God, have duties as faithful citizens. Among these is the obligation to vote. This duty is not to be taken lightly, especially since the line in the sand has been so clearly drawn in relation to the five non-negotiable issues presented by our Holy Mother Church, and there have been alarming developments in all five areas during the past several years - especially during the current administration.

1. Abortion is being pushed to new and ever deadlier limits – at home and abroad – all the way to infanticide. It was also just announced that 13 schools in New York City will distribute the abortifiaciant Morning After Pill to students without parental knowledge or consent!
2. Euthanasia: With the dawn of Obamacare, the fears of ‘death panels’ and denial of care loom over the elderly and those with terminal illnesses.
3. Embryonic Stem Cells: Although there have been no positive outcomes from many years of embryonic stem cell research, this Frankensteinian experimentation is being pushed further and further. Conversely, morally acceptable adult stem cell therapies are curing many illnesses and are a resounding success.
4. Human Cloning is another form of ‘weird science’ that seems to be a grave temptation for today’s scientific community. As one popular meme states, ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’, yet there are reports of human cloning being eminent if not already occurring.
5. Gay ‘Marriage’: The homosexual friendly environment of today has also forced its way into our reality. Not only are ‘tolerance’ initiatives making a mockery of the true definition of the word, the explicit lifestyle surrounding sodomy has imposed itself into schools, Girl Scouts, and even 'Catholic organizations, as well as prime time television shows and movies.

Are we to lose heart in all of this? Heaven forbid. Even surrounded by such perverted justice, let us remember that ‘with God, all things are possible’ and our choices are really quite clear cut when viewed with a well formed conscience. Here’s where the non-negotiable issues make our voting options very clear. These five issues represent areas for which there can be NO COMPROMISE. Unlike other topics such as just war, poverty, the death penalty, and immigration – there is simply no alternative but to completely oppose them!  Under the danger of grave sin - they are to be at the top of our list of issues!

All other issues have two (or more) sides, if you will. Good Catholics can disagree about how to [...]

Faithful Citizen: Vote With a Well-Formed Conscience first appeared on Catholic Sistas