by Fr. Frank Pavone

Remarks by Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal-elect Raymond Burke in recent days have caught the attention of media outlets as we approach Election Day in the United States. Essentially, these Church leaders have told the faithful that the position of a candidate on abortion matters more than other issues, and that they cannot vote for those who support abortion without betraying the very nature of democracy.

Perhaps the first thing to be said about these statements is that they say nothing new. They reflect teachings of the Church as found in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical The Gospel of Life (1995), and in the documents of the Second Vatican Council. If these statements seem new, it’s probably because they aren’t spoken as clearly and frequently as they should be.

Read more

The Birmingham Letter Project, a four day event, began Wednesday morning with a small group of prayerful pro-lifers crossing a street. It probably looked like a small act to any uninvolved bystander, but, to the people of the Birmingham pro-life community, it was an act of immense courage, a miracle of God, and a moment of brilliantly shining hope.

The street that was crossed lies directly in front of the New Woman All Women abortion clinic. For thirteen years there has been a sign posted in front of that building which states that any pro-life person stepping within 20 ft of the property will be arrested and prosecuted by a federal court. This means that anyone in the pro-life community who has come to that abortion clinic to pray for the preborn, to peacefully protest against the lawful killing of children, or to sidewalk counsel women who have been told that their only option is abortion, has been forced to do so from a distance. For thirteen long years, not one group advocating for Life has planted their feet on the concrete and grass beside that clinic and made a stand for the babies being murdered behind closed doors. Until Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, around nine o’clock, the Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust (a youth-based pro-life group from California) led by Jeff White, and accompanied by Rev. Pat Mahoney, Bud Shaver, Pastor Walter Hoye, and long-time local pro-life advocate Fr. Terry Gensemer boldly crossed the street to the clinic to pray a liturgy for the preborn. The police were present and the enraged director of the clinic stood in her parking lot demanding their arrest, but the group remained untouched by local law enforcement and unwavering in their decision to stand in front of that clinic. Because this group knew something that has long been covered over with intimidation and deception: they knew that the sign in front of the clinic was a direct violation of their first amendment rights–a thirteen year old lie–and they were not going to allow the community of Birmingham to be bullied by it any longer.

Read more

Tonya is 36 weeks pregnant today. That is further along than she carried Amalyah, Cale, or Caius. We both assumed that Anastasha would have been born by now, but the Lord apparently has other plans. We are at 2 cm and holding. So we wait…

Throughout this pregnancy, I’ve been particularly drawn to read about how Jesus himself handled trial and suffering. What did His emotions look like? Was He stoic or emotionless? Did he stand above the emotional roller coaster that many people experience during trials? How did He relate to His Father during these trials? I know He did not sin in these times, so I am particularly curious what the range of His emotions were.

“He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. Mark 14:33-34 (Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane)

“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ”’Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came into this hour. Father, glorify your name!” John 12:27-28 (Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane)

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” John 11:33 (Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus)

Read more