Some thoughts on the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act"

In my previous blog post entitled, 'Bishop Warns of Obama's Promise to Implement Extreme "Freedom of Choice Act"', an outrageous possibility was brought to light concerning the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act". Barack Obama promised in a speech for Planned Parenthood that "the first thing he would do as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act."

This so-called FOCA is outrageous in itself, and is laden with hypocracy in more than one way. Aside from the fact that this act denies the freedom and the right to live of the unborn, whose personhood supporters of abortion deny, is that while it promises "freedom of choice" to women to have abortions, it denies freedom of choice to others. In particular the article states that:

"Among those no longer free to choose under FOCA, says the bishop, would be pro-life doctors and nurses, whose freedom of conscience is currently protected under the law. Religious hospitals and clinics would also be forced to perform abortions up until the birth of the baby."

From a party that claims to support freedom of choice, comes an act that would deny that very freedom to people of faith. This is in effect a form of religious persecution, because it would knowingly force people of faith to commit an act that is completely against their beliefs. The govt. would be forcing people of faith to commit acts of murder in religious hospitals; hospitals built on Christian principles of respect for life. This is absolutely intolerable.

Let's be clear about this. This would be no different than forcing people of other religions to go against their beliefs. Yet Barack Obama and other pro-abortion liberals seem to have no problem forcing such an agenda onto people of faith.

What are people of faith to do? What are doctors and nurses of faith who are Pro-life to do if such a thing comes to pass? Can you imagine a society where anyone considering entering the medical field would have to resign themselves to knowing that at some point they would most likely be forced to perform an abortion, because the law requires them to do so? They would not have the freedom to say no. Their choice in the matter would be taken away by the government.

What kind of world are we building? What kind of world does Barack Obama want to build?
America must wake up, and now. Much is at stake!

Bishop Warns of Obama's Promise to Implement Extreme "Freedom of Choice Act"

"The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is a bill introduced in the United States Congress in 2004. It would remove all restrictions on abortion in the United States, both on the state and federal level. "FOCA goes far beyond guaranteeing the right to an abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. It arrogantly prohibits any law or policy interfering with that right," says Bishop Serratelli. This is the "dark reality" kept secret by propagandists for 'choice.'

The bill is strongly supported by presidential candidate Barack Obama, who promised in a speech for Planned Parenthood that "the first thing he would do as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act."

Among those no longer free to choose under FOCA, says the bishop, would be pro-life doctors and nurses, whose freedom of conscience is currently protected under the law. Religious hospitals and clinics would also be forced to perform abortions up until the birth of the baby."

Read the entire article here:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102108.html

Congregation for the doctrine of the Faith - Doctrinal note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life

"John Paul II, continuing the constant teaching of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a «grave and clear obligation to oppose» any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them.[19] As John Paul II has taught in his Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae regarding the situation in which it is not possible to overturn or completely repeal a law allowing abortion which is already in force or coming up for a vote, «an elected official, whose absolute personal opposition to procured abortion was well known, could licitly support proposals aimed at limiting the harm done by such a law and at lessening its negative consequences at the level of general opinion and public morality».[20]" Read more...

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20021124_politica_en.html

Fr. Corapi talks about voting acccording to an informed conscience

Here is a great talk by Fr. John Corapi about the importance of voting according to an informed conscience. If you are considering voting for Obama, then please listen to this. If you are already voting for life, feel free to listen even still. http://www.fathercorapi.com/election.aspx

For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13)

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. See how the unborn baby grabs hold of the doctor's finger, the same way newborns do.

One might ask: Why would God not knit together a baby in its mother's womb in such a way that no operation by human hands would be necessary? But as a result of original sin, sickness came into the world. Yet God brings good out of evil and has given to humanity the gift of healing, and there are those who are called to be physicians; this is a gift from God. And so in His Providence we are given to see in the picture above, a look at the baby in the mother's womb. I believe it is for our sake and the sake of the unborn that we are given this look.

Let us take a good look at that tiny hand grasping onto the doctor's finger, and realize that because of abortion, millions of other tiny hands and other limbs are brutally dismembered in the mother's womb, and it is called a "right." But such a thing is never right.

Psalm 139:13 For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well;
15 my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.
16 Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the
days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Lord, have mercy.

God calls all to repetance. There is hope in His mercy.

Underneath the resistance to admitting that abortion is wrong, is the very reason that it is wrong. People who are pro-abortion say that it is merely a matter of personal liberty that is at issue, but the reality is much more. The reality is about a crime; the crime of murder.

I think perhaps that on a subconscious level pro-abortionists, or some of them, realise that to admit abortion is wrong, is to admit that it is murder, and therefore that they have either committed this crime themselves or have helped others commit it, or simply approved of it.

Uderstandably, no one wants to be guilty of such a crime; no one in their right mind anyway. That's why I think that part of the resistance to admitting to the evil of abortion, is a subconscious awareness of just how serious it is. Often though, people do wrong out of ignorance. The ignorance does not make the wrong acceptable however, and those who have committed wrong are called to repent and seek God's great mercy; remembering that repentance means not only sorrow for sin, but turning away from it.

God's grace can soften hearts and bring to them the awareness of evil and sorrow for, and repentance from sin. But many hearts are hardened and so many people have become so entrenched in the mindset that abortion is merely about individual freedom. To admit they are wrong would perhaps be to abandon not only a comfort zone, but a belief system that they have invested much mental and emotional stock in; an ideology that they have propped themselves up against, and a framework for their idea of freedom and rights that they refuse to abandon. But it is an ideology of death which is maintained at the cost of the lives of millions of babies.

I want to tell people that the prospect of admitting that abortion is an intrinsic evil is not as hopeless for them as they might fear. While abortion is certainly a most grievous sin, it is also true and certain that God is merciful and still loves those who have committed or have helped someone to commit an abortion, or have approved of it. The Lord wants to forgive them, not condemn them. But people must admit and confess the truth in order to receive His steadfast mercy. God can heal them of the inner wounds, though they may not now be aware of these wounds. God is love and is ready to forgive.

Novena for Faithful Citizenship

Election Day quickly approaches. Much is at stake and we Christians must speak up and stand for the truth. We can do this in different ways and prayer is of the utmost importance. May we never underestimate its power. Let us join together in prayer over the next few days. One way to do this is to pray for justice, peace, and life by praying the Novena for Faithful Citizenship beginning on October 26. The text for the Novena can be found at:
http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/docs/FC_Novena.pdf

For those who want to listen along while praying, they can download the Podcast and join Catholics throughout the United States in prayer nine days before the election. To find the podcasts, go to http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org and scroll down to the selection of links under 'Novena Podcasts'.

For women who have had abortions and are in pain because of that choice, there is hope! Jesus loves you and wants to heal you.

There are many women who have already had one or more abortions are suffering because of their decision and often feel there is no hope for them. But for these women, and men, who have been involved in abortion, there is hope. By God's grace they can find forgiveness and healing. Through prayer and putting one's trust in the Lord, they can find peace and even joy in living again.

Organizations such as Rachel's Vineyard (http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/), provide healing retreats for women and men who suffer post-abortion trauma. Here they find a place of compassion and understanding, and a ministry of God's mercy and reconciliation which can open doors for them which they may otherwise have despaired of ever finding again. One's mental and spiritual health need not continue to get worse. There is help, as a woman named Michelle testifies of an experience in prayer one night at a Rachel's Vineyard retreat: "I cannot describe what happened that night. For the first time, I actually pictured children in heaven with God, and with my grandmother who passed away, and they were happy. They were drawing me in to God's love and forgiveness. That night, I knew God existed and that I am not a terrible person, and that I have already been forgiven by God and my children. It was overwhelming. Never had anything like this happened before in my life. I cannot begin to describe on paper, the wonderful sense of peace and love I felt that night. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before."

Organizations such as Priests for Life (http://www.priestsforlife.org/crisis.html) are active not only in the battle to end abortion, but also provide help for those who are considering abortion and think it is their only alternative. They need to know that they are not alone and that for them too, there is help.

Don't despair or be afraid. God loves you, and we also love you. We care about you as much as we care about the baby in your womb. Many in the Pro-Life movement are women themselves and many among them have been through what you're going through. Don't be deceived and exploited by the lies Planned Parenthood tell you, or pro-abortion politicians. They work to further the agenda of the culture of death, while calling it freedom and a mere matter of rights, all the while denying the right to life of innocent children whose very personhood they deny.

God is on your side and so are we. Please put your trust in Him, and protect the child in your womb.

"And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints." (Romans 8:28)

There is help for you. You don't have to be alone in this. Seek God's help and guidance, and Pro-Life organizations that exist to offer help.

If you have already had an abortion, or have assisted someone in getting one, it isn't too late. Seek God's mercy and forgiveness. He is waiting to forgive you and heal you.

22 / 10 / 2008 - PRO-LIFE VICTORY!!! - attempt to force abortion on Northern Ireland fails in Westminster

Thanks and praise be to God! And thanks to all who prayed and signed the petitions in support of the unborn.

"Precious Life claim victory after the proposal to extend abortion to Northern Ireland failed to be debated in the Westminster Parliament. We are absolutely delighted. It was Precious Life's "pro-life tidal wave from Northern Ireland" that forced the government to effectively scrap the proposal. "

Read the entire artcle here: http://www.preciouslife.com/?va=1&vc=318

The great importance of this election. Vote for life!

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the unborn, pray for us!

This coming American election is crucial. As a country, we are faced with forces of evil within and without. But evil often does not present itself as such, but disguises itself as good. Such as when evil calls itself "freedom of choice", when in reality that "freedom" would see a child in its mother's womb destroyed and disposed of as an incovenience. Those who support such a notion of freedom say such things as, "Surely you want freedom to choose? You wouldn't want to take away that right from someone else?" Freedom of choice is their battle cry. But they remain mostly silent about the fact that the so-called freedom they propose means the killing of a baby in the mother's womb. And if they acknowledge the baby at all, it is to say that it isn't a baby but a "fetus" or "mass of cells"; not a person. Similar dehumanizing ideas have been applied other peoples who have been killed so that the oppressor may take possession of land and resources. To deny the humanity or personhood of another can make it easier to kill them, such as when Indians and other peoples have been dehumanized by those who sought to conquer them.

Today, the unborn are dehumanized by many, and the most brutal, cruel and savage acts are carried out every day in the name of "freedom".

People must come to understand just how serious this is. To understand just what abortion really is. It is a cruel and vicious attack on life, and many support this monstrosity believing it to be a good cause. Abortion is murder, and murder is not a right. Abortion is not freedom in any sense of the word. Whatever rights a woman has to her own body does not extend to killing someone else. The baby in the womb is a person, and she does not have the right to kill another person. The baby in her womb is not her body; it is omeone else's.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, is the foundation of the American dream. Yet the most vulnerable among us, the unborn, are denied all of these by much of society. This atrosity is not a dream but a nightmare that has become a deadly reality. Remember the saying: "To live and LET LIVE." That includes the unborn.

It is important that all remember these things when voting this election. As stated in the following article entitled:

"No Compromises: Kansas State Bishops Declare Voting for Abortion Candidate is "Evil" By Peter J. Smith"

"The bishops observe that "voting is a moral act" and that in some matters of morality, such as immigration, universal health care, and affordable housing, "the use of reason allows for a legitimate diversity in our prudential judgments." Other acts, regardless of the motive or circumstances, always "involve doing evil" and must be opposed: "These choices include elective abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, the destruction of embryonic human beings in stem cell research, human cloning, and same-sex 'marriage.'" Read the article in is entirety: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08081207.html

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will be voted on the 22nd of October 2008 in the House of Commons.

A Mhuire an Chnoic, a Bhanríon na hÉireann, guigh ar na leanaí i mbroinn.

Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, pray for the unborn.

As Anita, who is herself lives in Northern Ireland posted in her comment, "The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will be voted on the 22nd of October 2008 in the House of Commons. This Bill is at risk of resulting in changes to the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland to legalise partial birth abortion."

So there is still time to sign this petition:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Anti-Abortion/

Please also sign this postcard petition:

Stop Abortion threat to N. Ireland from Westminster. Sign a POSTCARD PETITION to Northern Ireland Secretary of State. http://www.preciouslife.com/?va=40&vb=41

"Extending the Abortion Act is against the wishes of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland."

Right to Life in Northern Ireland

I just learned of this recently from a friend of mine who lives in Northern Ireland. The situation is apparently still of concern, and so I wanted to post this in case any good may come even at this late hour.

Although plans to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland are said to be shelved, N. Irish Pro-Life organization, "Precious Life" remain cautious. Please sign this petition if you are a citizen of the UK. If not a UK citizen, please forward this to anyone you know who is.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Anti-Abortion/

To read more about this concern please see: http://www.preciouslife.com:80/?va=1&vc=307

"Extending the Abortion Act is against the wishes of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland." Stop Abortion threat to N. Ireland from Westminster. Sign a POSTCARD PETITION to Northern Ireland Secretary of State.http://www.preciouslife.com/?va=40&vb=41

10/10/2008 - Attempts by Westminster to force legalised abortion onto the province of Northern Ireland could spark a constitutional crisis, say MLAs. Assembly Member, Pat Ramsey (SDLP), called it "outrageous that British MPs are attempting to impose abortion against the clear wishes of the people of Northern Ireland." http://www.preciouslife.com:80/?va=1&vc=306