Blessed Virgin, Faith/Hope/Love, Canadian, Sanctity of Life
Reality Check
A headline caught my attention the other day: “Canada’s worst neighbourhood”. I won’t link to the article, but it got me to thinking that as dangerous and heartwrenching as the location mentioned may be, the fact of the matter is that the magazine got it wrong. The most dangerous place in Canada to be living today is in the womb.
As Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast stated in a recent message: “Where is the most dangerous environment in Canada? The answer is the womb! Since the 1969 amendment to the Criminal Code concerning abortion, over three million Canadian children have been denied the right to life.”
What do we do when faced with such staggering and brutal statistics? Some are specifically called by God for active work in the Pro-Life cause; all of us, hopefully, are called to prayer.
In terms of sanctity of life, we are faced not only with the abortion epidemic, but with human embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, threats to the lives of the mentally or physically-challenged, abuse of the elderly, disregard of the homeless; the list goes on and on. Everyday, as Catholics, we are called to protect and promote the sacredness of life.
One who has recently discerned the call to a more active involvement is Hush, of Mother of the Life Within. Currently in formation as a Lay Missionary of the Gospel of Life, Hush’s blog will undoubtedly bring us many keen insights and beautiful reflections as the sanctity of life is explored, from conception to natural death.
We have all been adopted by the Father. Mary is our Mother. Everyone’s Mother. There are no,
ORPHANS OF GOD
[A beautiful and powerful song. This is not an abortion video.]
20 May 2008 gabrielle
I prefer the Mark Heard song of the same name; different song but also a powerful message. I was so sad when Mark died and I can’t believe that was 16 years ago.
And, more on topic: I spoke at a Catholic Civil Rights League meeting last Wednesday. Before I spoke we heard from the National Director and a local woman who is developing a Pro Life apostolate. Both were excellent.
What an incredible video. I think one of the reasons we all loved Mother Teresa so much was that she wasn’t about to say there were any orphans here, either.
There were X amount of thousands killed in this war, X millions in that one, 100,000 dead in this catastrophe, 300,000 in that one. 3000 dead in 9/11, I don’t know how many in the Katrina horror.. and some or perhaps many of those might’ve been saved, if we’d put a little more love into the world. But we know that the only catastrophe and war that befell the 50,000,000 dead in U.S. wombs these 35 years or so was the catastrophe and the war of Self, and the sin of supporting mass murder. These might’ve all been saved. All it required was a well-placed yes, followed immediately by other yesses.
Where are our yesses?
Satan has been trying to get us to say No! to God for as long as Man has been sentient. We finally did. In so many ways. But we are saying No! to the One Who loves us so much, He gave His only begotten Son to save us. “Father, forgive them..”?? How can we be forgiven..we are deliberately, knowingly, and literally having our temporarily-rented wombs expressly created by God for children, vacuumed out. I don’t know, but I do believe Mary has held back God’s enraged hand for a very long time. Either way, an apostolate begins with one. One God. One love. We must all form an apostolate within, for our littlest, most helpless, utterly voiceless brothers and sisters. And then, we must make it visible, must make it move outward. One of the things that finally jogged me past inexplicable hesitance was reading the Pro-Life Examination of Conscience. It nailed me.
Thank you for the blog mention, Gabrielle. It feels a very pathetic effort just yet, and likely it always will. There are only ten fingers on these two hands.. how to carry 50 million souls on them? But part of my silence went toward part of their killing, and toward the disabled Terri Schiavo’s own horrendous and visible abortion from our midst. I finally said no to death. I finally looked to the one who said “Yes” to Life. She is a large home-school; she can hold us all, and teach us all.
Very powerful words here from all 3 of you. Much to ponder on and more to pray about.
Thank you for the many ways you bring us into contemplation on all that encompasses God and life.
Owen, I’m not familiar with Mark Heard (at least not with his name; maybe I’d recognize some of his music). I think there are a lot of things going on in May in particular to help heighten peoples’ awareness of the sanctity of life. I’m glad you found the speakers to be excellent, and I hope your portion of the talk went well too!
Hush, I am trying to find some focussed time to read everything you have posted thus far, so please bear with me… One thing I didn’t mention in this post but which I know you have spoken of and is very important is “spiritual adoption” of a baby in the womb and his/her mother, and I think this is something each and every one of us can do.
Ann and mc, both of you, like me, have probably discerned that we are called to a life of prayer rather than to a life of visible active service in one particular area, but everything is necessary and all is part of God’s plan for His Body. And even for those who are not called to a dedicated life of prayer, the area of active service is different for so many people - discernment is so important, isn’t it, because there is so much need out there.
My personal Psalter has only a few songs I sing out, badly, over and over– you’ve heard them, so visit others whenever you can.. (But you’re right– I need to speak about spiritual adoption. Thank you. You are often the thinking part of my cerebellum.)
And I must apologize for inferring that action is more important than prayer. To tell you the truth, I don’t think of anything I do as activism, and few would guess that I am, by spiritual nature, an albino Catholic and would actually prefer to be caved and unheard from; God knows, it’d be better than saying the wrong thing and hurting someone with it. I’m sorry. I know that action is given birth only by prayer, and action must return to prayer as to the well, but also, prayer IS action — as Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the better part, ” and “the one thing necessary…”
Oh, I don’t think you inferred that, and neither did I mean to infer that your new calling in any way meant that your prayerlife would disappear! Prayer and active involvement are both of utmost importance - worthy and effective action requires prayer, and union with God through prayer generally manifests in action, although it may remain subordinate to one’s prayer life. And our focus can change during certain periods of our lives. Sometimes this causes internal strife, but I don’t think it needs to.
How incredibly tender, but forthright. How genuine but challenging. Glory be to God!!! Thank you!!!
Cathy, I know you have blogged about (and are involved in) issues regarding the sanctity of life, and you always have a way about you of doing so in an uplifting Catholic-family kind of way. You are one of God’s inspired and inspiring people! Thanks for coming by.