Reclaiming Our Children

The Cross of Christmas

                                                                                                                (2004)

 

The Advent and Christmas seasons can be particularly painful for those are post abortive. Everything around resounds of children .As the Christian world waits in joyful anticipation for the birth of the Christ child; it can become a painful reminder of the children we did not allow to be born. Just looking at the baby Jesus in the manger scene can cause great anxiety. Just the sight of the Christ child often brings darkness, shame, guilt and a paralyzing fear.

 

The secular world can be a strong abortion connector as well. As we are bombarded with the year’s hottest toys, we can’t help but reflect on our children who have been deprived of opening toys on Christmas morning, or the empty place at the Christmas table missing the son or daughter we chose to abort

 

As the world is celebrating and basking in the idea of “Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Men”, many who are post abortive feel nothing but spiritual and emotional isolation void of peace, tormented by their past actions.

 

Do you hear what I hear?

 

In the midst of all this however, is the true joy and message of Christmas…that God sent His only Son – the Word made Flesh, to dwell among us and free us from our sins. Through the birth of the Christ child in the poverty of the manager, the means of our salvation is present and our reconciliation with God, our children and yes, our selves are obtainable. And even though our children are not physically present to us, they share in the joy of the birth of Christ, who came to free us from our sins, even our sin of abortion. They desire our salvation so that we can join them in everlasting life with Christ.

Holy Innocents

For those of you in the NY area...

Monday, Dec. 28^th

Feast of the Holy Innocents

 

Mass 8:00 am – Fr. Benedict Groeschel main celebrant joined by Msgr. Phillip Reilly and other priests:

Church of the Holy Innocents
128 West 37th Street (btn B’dway and 7^th Ave.)
New York, NY 10018

 

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament follows Mass, then people can either remain in the Church to adore our Lord or attend the rosary procession to the local abortion clinic.  Upon return from the clinic there will be a special luncheon.  Please promote this to your friends and keep the spiritual success of this effort for Life in your prayers. 

Prince of Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”   Isaiah 9: 2-7

Often after abortion, we try to find some kind of peace in our lives again. We may look to fulfill ourselves in material possessions, unhealthy relationships, becoming immersed in activities so we do not have to think.

Peace often evades us no matter what we try, as we realize that these methods do not ease the pain of our abortions.

·         For many of us peace has evaded us for years as we have suffered from our abortions…has this changed for you since beginning to address your abortion?

 ·         Many of us were terrified to be in the presence of God because of the guilt and shame we felt…do you think of Jesus as the source of peace or do you still become afraid when thinking of him? (be honest!)

 ·         We are told that the peace of Christ is not a peace of this world…are you aware of the peace of Christ in your life? Do you experience His presence?

 ·         What name for Jesus best describes your experience of Him?

 

Health care bill faces Christmas eve vote

Although I try not to post political things, I could not help but take note of this. A vote is planned for Christmas eve on the health care bill. Ironic, that a bill which has no regard for the sanctity of life in the womb should be voted on Christmas eve...a time when we remember Mary and Joseph finding "no room at the inn".

It seems that America is moving more and more towards "no room at the inn" of our hearts for the unborn. Lord have mercy...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats won a crucial test vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, putting them on track for passage before Christmas of the historic legislation to remake the nation's medical system and cover 30 million uninsured.

All 58 Democrats and the Senate's two independents held together early Monday against unanimous Republican opposition, providing the exact 60-40 margin needed to shut down a threatened GOP filibuster.

The vote came shortly after 1 a.m. with the nation's capital blanketed in snow, the unusual timing made necessary in order to get to a final vote by Christmas Eve presuming Republicans stretch out the debate as much as the rules allow. Despite the late hour and a harshly partisan atmosphere, Democrats' spirits were high.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/21/health-care-passes-key-senate-test/

US commander is threatening soldiers who fall pregnant on active service with jail.

I could not believe it when I read this article.  So, if you get pregnant and are in the military you can go to jail?  we don"t have to think long to know the likely outcome of these pregnancies! And then everyone is trying to make it seem like abortion is a woman's choice!

Then after thinking about it for a while I recognized that at least Major General Anthony Cucolo was up front about it because in fact, this is  what happens in many circumstances, they just do not come out and say it. How many jobs still, without saying it frown about pregnancy, how many colleges pay for abortion but not childcare, how many women are in a situation where they feel they have no choice but to abort....

a sad commentary...

US commander is threatening soldiers who fall pregnant on active service with jail.

A top US commander is threatening soldiers who fall pregnant on active service with jail.

Under the new policy, troops expecting a baby face court martial and a possible prison term – and so do the men who made them pregnant.

And the rule applies to married couples at war together, who are expected to make sure their love lives do not interfere with duty.

Usual US Army policy is to send pregnant soldiers home from combat zones within 14 days.

But Major General Anthony Cucolo, who runs US operations in northern Iraq, issued the new orders because he said he was losing too many women with critical skills.

He needed the threat of court martial and jail time as an extra deterrent, he said.

All troops under his command are covered by the extension to the military’s legal code – the first time the US Army has made pregnancy a punishable offence.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1237333/Serving-U-S-troops-face-prison-fall-pregnant-active.html#ixzz0aKFecUOG

Those People affected by Abortion

Check it out here:

http://abortionrecoveryinternational.org/home/ThosePeopleVideo/tabid/403/Default.aspx

Responding to "Pro Choice" Clergy

Two articles, the first written by a clergy member:

Clergy Back abortion care in any Health Care reform

http://www.lohud.com/article/20091213/OPINION/912130332/1076/OPINION03/Clergy-back-abortion-care-in-any-health-reform

 

And my response. As is often the case, much of it was left out and so I am posting the link and the original article. I found it interesting a lot of  the responses online take the opportunity to bash the Catholic faith which was never mentioned in the article. In fact, many of the women who have taken part in our work are Jewish, Muslim and other denominations.

The other lie that is apparent in the responses is that we instill "guilt". I think any one of the women who have come to us can quickly attest to the fact that this is far from true. Like I state in the article, the lies can keep on coming but we stand in truth and no one can take that away from us.

Clergy who suppport abortion aren't helping women

http://www.lohud.com/article/20091219/OPINION/912190310/1076/OPINION03/Clergy-who-support-abortion-aren-t-helping-women

Clergy are Doing women No Favors By Supporting Abortion

I am a post abortive woman who has been working with other women suffering from a past abortion for almost twenty years. In this day and age, everyone knows someone who has had an abortion, and, if most people were honest, they would admit they know the suffering e gone through as a result of that “choice”.

With all the hype in the news today with health care reform, the public is once again being fed the lies of abortion. The lie that all women freely choose to abort, instead of the truth that they are very often coerced by boyfriends, parents and husbands, or even pressured by careers or the desire to finish school, or the big lie that abortion is a simple and safe procedure and that it does not cause psychological, or physical problems (tell that to the hundreds of people I hear from each year).

Perhaps the biggest deception and lie however, is the ‘support” of clergy. Clergy who women trust to lead them spiritually . There is nothing more devastating than to come out of the trauma of abortion to recognize the evil of having participated in the death of your child with clergy person there to “baptize” and sometimes bury your dead baby (Tiller did this all the time. Nothing so terrible as to have a “clergy” person next you while your child is being aborted, telling you, “God and understands and forgives you”. Yes, God can understand why we abort and He certainly can forgive, but that does not mean it is right or that we are not going to suffering greatly for our actions.

The most heart wrenching stories I have heard over the years are from those in all denominations who went to their clergy for guidance and were told it was ok to abort, only to find out that taking the life of your child is never ok.  Imagine, having your aborted baby buried as if it had died naturally.

Perhaps this statement by one of the women in our ministry says it best,  “Burying my daughter was a shameful experience.  I felt dishonest.  I perceived myself as a phony, a fake.   While I appreciated each and every kind gesture, I felt unworthy of such sentiments. I kept thinking, “Are these people crazy, I killed my baby!”  When I wasn’t chastising myself, I would try to allow all the good wishes and sentiments of others legitimize what I had done.  I could fool myself for a while, but not forever.  I lived with that guilt and shame for a long time. “

Women from all nationalities, races and religion come to us because of the devastation of abortion and are angry and outraged with the clergy who made it seem like what they were doing was right. Many go back to confront them r. Unfortunately, there are not too many post abortive women who speak out publically”, and even those of us who do, often are blacked out in the media. But this is changing as personal experiences are bringing the truth to light. A big reason, I believe the tides of abortion are changing.

Clergy in support of abortion? They are not doing women any favors.

Theresa Bonopartis

 

 

Live Nativity

Blogging will be very sparce the next few days as I do my Christmas cooking and get things ready for a visit from my son and his wife. It really isa blessing to have everyone home for Christmas!

Anyway, if you are in the NY area and we don't get snowed out before 2pm, The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal have an awesome live nativity this afternoon. Don't miss it..it is wonderful!

St. Crispin Friary
420 E. 156th Street
Bronx, NY 10455
(between Melrose & 3rd Ave.)

Info: (718) 665-2441

December 19, 2009
2 p.m. Dress Warm!
Hot Chocolate Reception follows in the basement of the church.

Meditation

The Nativity of Our Lord

According to St. Luke

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.

Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

No room at the Inn

 

At the time of our abortions, there was no room at the inn of our hearts.

 

Name some reasons that there was no room at the inn of your heart.

 

What pressures were you experiencing?

How did others around you react to your pregnancy if they knew?

What feelings were you experiencing?

What feelings do you think Mary was experiencing?

Do you think there are any similarities?

What gave Mary the courage to do what we were not able to?

 

How can you make room in the inn of your heart for Jesus this Christmas?

 

What behaviors can you change?

 

What things can you do?

 

Write them on your heart….

 

Pro Life Division

An interesting post on the divisions in the pro life movement:

Newsflash! Hold on to your seats, folks...ready? (Breathe easy, now.)

There's division in the right-to-life movement.

There. I said it.

Actually, there has been for many years. Imagine that. And while it may not be productive to dwell too much on said division, I do think it's worthwhile to address — or, more accurately, re-address — the issue now and then.

One area of disagreement is over the use of graphic abortion photos. Some pro-lifers believe they have a place in the movement (I fall into this category, if you're wondering), but others, like Sister Anne Flanagan, a Daughter of St. Paul, don't.

Read the rest here: http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34&idsub=158&id=24432&t=Pro-Lifers+are+a+House+Divided

I personally always go back to this for the reason; from Dave Reardons book "The Jericho Plan", (and this is not exact but you will get the picture)

"Abortion will not end until we in the pro life movement learn what we are meant to learn, namely, greater compassion for sinners".

what do you think?