The Manhattan Declaration

Please take a look at The Manhattan Declaration and sign it. It is a declaration regarding the following:

"Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life
2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. "

It is a movement for all who are tired of having abortion, stem cell research, euthanasia and other atrocities crammed down their throats. It is time to stand together and speak up. It is time to defend the principles upon which this country was founded.

Aren't you tired of thinking about your tax dollars paying for abortions?

Dissenting Nun is in Desperate Need of Prayers

Sister Quinn, an ardent supporter of abortion and all things non-Catholic, heretically says that the Blessed Mother was one of the first women in the New Testament to express choice. This train of thought is beyond shocking.

Please pray for this woman who has strayed so far from the faith and has created her own where she says, "Faithful and respectful dissent is vital to the life of the church. It enables the church community to think, to deliberate, to debate and to grow in relationship to one another and in relationship to God. We cannot afford to let our dissenters be silenced. They are a gift to our church."

Distorting church teaching is not a gift, it is destruction and evil. Portraying the Mother of God as a proponent of abortion is incomprehensible. Abortion, at the root, is about selfishness and ease of life. Mary, in her fiat, accepted all the difficulties and hardships that being the Mother of God would create. She in no way had an easy life. She received incomprehensible joy, being so close to Jesus but also had unbearable agony as well. Where in her life does she take a selfish, easy path? Mary is the antithesis of abortion.

O Mary, conceived without sin, intercede for Sister Quinn. Ask the Holy Spirit to engulf her heart with the truth and a true love of your Son. Pray for us sinners.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the bottom of the lifenews article there is contact information for Sister Quinn's Prioress. Please contact the Prioress regarding Sister Quinn's actions and ask her to lovingly correct the errant nun. I did.

Fascinating People

Barbara Walters did her show regarding the most fascinating people of 2009. Ffffttt, please! Celebrities and sports figures should automatically be exempt as should people married to political figures. What has Michelle Obama done that makes her fascinating? Woo, she married Barack; big sorry deal. Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert? Two confused young people who exploit themselves and shock in order to retain attention. What happened to real talent? So, in disgust I came up with my own list of living people who are fascinating to me.

1. Pope Benedict XVI
2. Mary Jo Copeland
3. Sarah Palin
4. Catholics who live and practice their faith
5. Those who have or are serving in the military and their families
6. Women who regret their abortions and courageously speak out about it.
7. John McCain
8. Former atheists who have found the true faith
9. Faithful bishops: Burke, Dolan, Chaput
10. George W Bush

and an honorary mention goes to the guys at Hillbuzz for this post about George W Bush; their support of Sarah Palin and because they see Obamanation and Oprah the Devil for what they are.

Whom do you find fascinating?

Attacking Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin has been subject to relentless attacks on her intelligence, her abilities, her personality and traits as well as attacks on her family ever since her name was released as a candidate for VP of the United States. She has been so vilified by the media that they will take anyone's word as authority. Levi Johnston (aka Ricky Hollywood (gag)) was on Entertainment Tonight or the Insider - one of those sensationalist rags- saying Mrs Palin is a diva who puts herself first before anyone else. It seems to me that a woman who chooses life for her downs baby as well as works hard, demanding jobs, hunts and fishes is anything but a diva.

Why is she so feared and hated? She appears to be a woman of common sense, a rare thing these days. She appears to be a woman of integrity, faith and morals who cares more about doing a job right than toeing the party line. She does what she says she will do. She is gracious and positive in the face of the barrage of insulting garbage that has been flung at her.

The United States could have done worse. We certainly have worse now. We are the ones who lost the election, not Senator McCain and Governor Palin.

Faithless women

Anonymous wrote : Can someone PLEASE talk about women who cheat on men....... As I write this there is a man living in the house God allowed me to purchase for my family...... The agony is unbearable...... Please pray for me that I can endure this cross......

The stereotypes are of the home-wrecking tart and the straying husband, but women cheat, too. Is it more shocking then when a woman is unfaithful? I think so. The woman is the heart of the home, and by extension the family, in most cases. She is the one who creates a comfortable refuge for her loved ones. That is not a stereotype, it is the way we are made.

Unfaithfulness destroys. It is a completely selfish act.

I know one man who went through unbearable agony and suffering when his wife cheated on him. He was willing to forgive her, especially for the sake of their children. He wanted to repair their lives, and their marriage. He went through a tremendous transformation because of it. He now says that he had to go through that; it was God's way of preparing him for something better. He is back in communion with the Church and is much happier now.


Anonymous, I am so sorry for your pain and suffering. I will pray for you. Please try the Divine Mercy chaplet. The closing prayer is so comforting, I hope you find it so. It says,

Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless, and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us, and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments, we might not despair, nor become despondent, but with great confidence, submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy Itself. Amen.

Confession of a bad wife

I am a bad wife. I don't cook or clean my house very often. I don't take care of my husband the way I should, certainly not the way he'd like. I didn't start out that way. When I was a single mom, my house was always clean and neat, I cooked and fed my daughter the way a mother should. I had no one else to rely upon so I did what I needed to do.

Then I got married with dreams of sharing household duties, working side by side with my husband who dreamed of a wife like June Cleaver. Why should I have to do everything when we both are working full time? Gradually resentment, stubbornness, pride, disordered priorities, too little humility and too much love of self led me to where I am now.

But, I want to change my ways. Can I get a hallelujah? I will have to start out slowly because I know if I try to change overnight, that's not going to happen. So here's my plan ( and you'll probably think "duh!"): I'll do what I should before what I want; clean the kitchen, do the dishes before getting on the computer or reading a book. That simple. I'll start to plan meals again. I'll start to live like I did when I had no one else to rely upon. I'll do what I need to do and I won't wait for my husband to jump in and help or feel resentful if he doesn't.

How's this for a huge poke from God? One of the books I purchased at the Graced & Gifted conference is called Graced & Gifted, biblical wisdom for the homemaker's heart. I hadn't realized what it was about when I bought it. I picked it up by mistake thinking it was a different book. I know from Whom the desire to change came and I am thankful.

Please pray that I do my task with love and change my ways.

O Mary, conceived without sin, you were a homemaker. Please bless all the wives and mothers who struggle sometimes to take care of their loved ones.

Gifted and Graced with Kimberly Hahn

Kimberly Hahn is speaking at a nearby church tomorrow. It is a conference for women only called Gifted and Graced . I am so excited to go! I think it is so necessary for women to get together to talk, pray and celebrate being women. Same goes for men. I think it is wonderful for men to get together in faith.

Kimberly Hahn is the wife of Dr Scott Hahn. Their conversion story is in a beautifully written book called Rome Sweet Home.

Parting Words

"Do you really want that to be the last thing you say to me and the last thing I hear?" This is a question I often asked my daughter when she would try to storm out of the house or to her room after an, "I hate you!" or some other hurtful phrase. I'd say, "What if this was the last time you saw me or I saw you? Is that what you'd want either of us to remember?" She often felt I tried to "guilt" her by asking this. I wasn't. I've just learned you never know when is the last time you will see someone or they you.

An acquaintance's husband collapsed and died the other day. Collapsed without warning, as far as I know. I hope they parted that morning with loving words and loving feelings. I hope they both felt appreciated and cherished. We don't know the day or the hour.

Always let your parting words be loving.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for the young woman in her grief and for the repose of her husband's soul.

Forgiving Infidelity, Part 2

What would it take to forgive infidelity? According to my stat counter, many people are searching for the answer and found my harsh stance. Hardly helpful, so I started thinking.What would it take? I think it takes commitment, strength, humility, vulnerability, forgiveness, and selfless love. Lots and lots of all those things, not to mention prayers, support, maturity and hard work. All the opposites of the act of infidelity itself.

My friend Shelby's husband cheated on her and then divorced her. She was willing to forgive and work on their marriage. He was not. She has never said a bad thing about him, ever. She loved him unselfishly. He was too in love with himself to love her. She is so strong and full of courage.

My other friend Leah's husband is an alcoholic, a pathological liar who is verbally abusive, violent without a work ethic or manly pride in supporting their family. He is a waste of skin. Yet there is something in him she loves and so is willing to work at their marriage. She puts them in front of herself. She is strong and loves unselfishly and without reservation or conditions.

I used to think it was strong to sever a relationship with someone who hurt me. Now I know that it is weak and cowardly. Not forgiving is easy. Pride and self have primacy of place and bar the way to forgiveness and truly loving another. I admire my friends for their strength and maturity. I want to learn from their examples and put others ahead of myself. I want to love even when it hurts and it would be easier to give up.

For anyone suffering from infidelity, you have my prayers, support and admiration for seeking a way to forgive.

I Knew You

I saw a bumper sticker today that said, "Before I knit you in the womb, I knew you". It made me think about the stir Nancy Pelosi caused quite a while ago saying that she has studied the question of when the soul enters the body of a child and believes that only recently has it been thought by the Catholic Church that it is at conception. She, of course is grossly mistaken. Life begins at conception.

"I knew you". Unlike motor companies and other manufacturers, God doesn't need models, concept sketches or prototypes (unless you count Adam. Just kidding!). How could God know us unless our soul existed before we were created physically? "I knew you". He knows us because He created our souls. Body and soul are put together at conception. How cool is that: "I knew you".

Please pray for the conversion of Nancy Pelosi and other abortion supporters.