All posts by Bill James

Pro-Life

December 2012 Pro-Life Report

Council 953 donated $250 dollars recently to Tubman House, an 18-month transitional living program that serves formerly homeless youth and their children in Sacramento. Often, this work involves supporting young women in dire circumstances who choose not to have an abortion, but to keep their baby. Tubman House unexpectedly lost out on a government grant that would have provided funding for several more years, a grant which Tubman House had always received before. Council 953’s emergency donation was doubled thanks to a matching grant by Sierra Health Foundation. Tubman House extends a big “thank you” to our Knights!

The 9th annual Walk for Life will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The Info Faire at Civic Center Plaza will open at 11 am, followed by the main speaking event at 12:30pm, and the Walk at 1:30pm. The Walk will end at the Justin Herman Plaza. Please consider witnessing to the sanctity of life by participating in the Walk. For a bus ride, please contact Gary Hickman at (916) 806-6736. For more information about the Walk, please visit: www.walkforlifewc.com.

In other pro-life news, Catholic World Report warns of eugenics on the rise in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. The story, dated November 27th, describes how a new pre-natal screening test for Down syndrome targeting women in their 12th week of pregnancy and beyond, could push Down syndrome abortions to 100%. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, is quoted thus: “The issue here is artificial selection or eugenics, pure and simple. Is the infernal expression ‘life not worth living’ going to become reality again?” Reaffirming the dignity of persons with Down syndrome, Life Site News on November 28th covers a student-athlete with Down syndrome, denied the chance to play, becoming a state champion. The student-athlete, Eric Dompierre, attends Ishpaming High School in Michigan, where he is a kicker for the varsity football team, the Hematites, and now the winner of Sports Illustrated’s “Underdogs” contest. During the Hematite’s championship season, Eric not only kicked several field goals, but also scored a touchdown!

President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan has written an article entitled, “Looking Back on Election Day.” The article appeared on November 15th in his regular column for Catholic New York. The President of the USCCB writes: “I worry that the Democrats have gone from wanting to keep abortion ‘safe, legal, and rare’ to the party that wants abortion at every stage of pregnancy, with no defense at all of the baby in the womb, completely funded by the government.” Elsewhere the Cardinal writes: “There is no denying that the president and his party are on record in promoting guidelines that gravely intrude upon religious freedom, and in their desire to expand unfettered access to abortion at all stages. These two issues are of towering import to people inspired by the principles of human dignity and the sanctity of life.” To read the article, please go to: www.cny.org/stories/Looking-Back-at-Election-Day,8444

A blesséd Christmas to one-and-all!

William (Bill) James
Culture of Life Director, Council 953

Pro-Life

November 2012 Pro-Life Report

The approach of Election Day has seen a number of pro-life news items.  The California ProLife Council has come out strongly in favor of Prop 32, which would ban unions from forcing employees to pay union dues that support pro-abortion candidates.  Another proposition, Prop 35, which fights human trafficking, has earned the powerful endorsement of the California Catholic Conference.  On October 12, the USCCB issued a statement on the HHS mandate to the effect that the “exemption” does not, in fact, extend to “Catholic Social Services, Georgetown Hospital, Mercy Hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.  Vice-President Joe Biden had mistakenly suggested otherwise during the vice-presidential debate.

An online article in Cal Catholic Daily on October 30, quotes at length newly-appointed Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange, California on faithful citizenship. Bishop Vann writes:  “As Catholics, we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, health care, the economy, the poor, and terrorism…”  The Bishop continues:  “There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them.  These are matters of ‘prudential judgment.’   But let us be clear:  issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils.  No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate‘s unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of ‘abortion rights.'”  In August, Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto got a standing ovation when he agreed with a questioner at the annual Diocesan Respect Life Ministry Meeting that more had to be done to teach the Faithful on the difference between prudential judgment and intrinsic evil.

Bill James, Bishop Soto and Ricardo Saldana praying on sidewalk during 40 Days for Life
Bill James, Bishop Soto and Ricardo Saldana praying on sidewalk during 40 Days for Life

On October 30, during the current 40 Days for Life Campaign, Bishop Soto joined Grand Knight Ricardo Saldana and Culture of Life Director William James of Council 953 in prayer on the sidewalk near the abortion business at 1750 Wright Street.  Brother Knight Dominic Ielati also joined the group, but had to leave before the Bishop arrived.  The 40 Days for Life fall campaign ends on November 4.  So far, by the grace of God, 467 babies nationwide have been saved!  Lastly, just today, October 31, our Culture of Life Director met with Emilia Calderón and Juan Ramón Chico of Sac State’s Students for Life at the Newman Center, giving them for their pro-life car wash fundraiser a $250 check and $40 in cash.  The three also said a decade of the Rosary together in English and Spanish for the end of abortion.

Fraternally in Christ,

William (Bill) James
Culture of Life Director
Knights of Columbus
Council 953

Council, Pro-Life

Culture of Life Report for October 2012

Since our last pro-life report, SB 623 was unfortunately passed by the Senate and signed into law by Governor Brown. As you’ll recall, SB 623 will continue a pilot program sponsored by Planned Parenthood allowing non-physicians, including midwives, to perform first trimester abortions. Some 8,000 pre-born babies have already been killed under this program, a program which now will claim the lives of even more innocents.

On September 20, KXTV News 10 reported on Holy Family Catholic Church in Citrus Heights. The news story concerned a large sign on the front lawn that reads: “Don’t support abortion with your vote. Vote pro-life!” Despite allegations to the contrary, the report found that the sign does not violate Holy Family’s tax-exempt status because it does not endorse a candidate, but rather expresses a viewpoint on an issue. The full story may be found here:

www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=210291

Beginning on September 26, the 40 Days for Life campaign is now well underway. We have been blessed already with the conversion of one mother, who told 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers on the sidewalk outside of the abortion business at 1750 Wright Street that she had changed her mind and decided to keep her baby because of them. The abortion business is now closed on Saturdays, which had formerly been one of the killing days. Wynette Sills of 40 Days for Life has asked for prayer volunteers to cover every hour at 1750 Wright Street, from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Friday. Volunteers are asked to refrain from bringing their own signs and to please use the signs provided by 40 Days for Life instead. They are also asked to read and sign the Statement of Peace. Bishop Soto has been extremely supportive of 40 Days for Life. For more details, including how to sign-up, please see:

www.40daysforlife.com/sacramento/

In even more recent news, the California Catholic Conference has issued a statement in support of Proposition 34, the initiative that will end the use of the death penalty in California and replace it with life imprisonment without parole. The statement comes immediately before the observance of October as Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church throughout the United States. By coinciding with the first time that a major political party has removed from its official platform any reference to the Author of life, this year’s forty-first annual Respect Life Month is uniquely poignant.

Fraternally in Christ,

Bill James
Culture of Life Director
K of C Council 953

Pro-Life

Culture of Life Report for September 2012

It is a busy time for the pro-life community. Here in California, on 8/30, our State Senate will vote on SB 623, which would continue a pilot program sponsored by Planned Parenthood allowing non-physicians, including midwives, to perform first trimester abortions. Since 2007, about 8,000 abortions have been performed under this program. As you may recall from July’s Pro-Life Report, the Assembly Health Committee passed SB 623 along a strict, party-line vote, 13 to 6. As expected, SB 623 went to the full Assembly in August, where it was approved 46 to 24 on a mostly part-line vote. It is now before the Senate. The California Catholic Conference opposes SB 623, and provides an “Action Alert” link where we may email our legislators on SB 623:

http://capwiz.com/cacatholic/issues/alert/?alertid=61764626&PROCESS=Take+Action

On Saturday, August 25, I was privileged to attend the diocesan Respect Life Ministry reunion at St. Anthony’s on Florin Road. His Excellency Bishop Jaime Soto spoke brilliantly on religious freedom and building a Culture of Life, even quoting from de Toqueville’s famous “Democracy in America.” Speakers from the Sacramento Life Center, Rachel’s Vineyard, and the California Catholic Conference also addressed the gathering of about 200 volunteers, with some from parishes as far away as Alturas. Director of Evangelization & Catechesis for Sacramento Diocese Steve Patton moderated the event and made a DVD on Natural Family Planning available to us for a one-dollar donation. The talk given by Ashley and Lisa of the Sacramento Life Center on sexual purity was especially powerful. Bishop Soto received a standing ovation for praying with 40 Days for Life on public sidewalks outside of abortion businesses. Wynette Sills, our local 40 Days for Life leader, addressed us as well, highlighting the importance of cultivating empathy in order to make opponents our friends. In the words of Bishop Soto, legislators and their staff “are not smarter than us” and we should not be shy about talking with them in person about respect for life issues, which the Bishop strongly encouraged us to do.

Bishop Soto will celebrate the 40 Days for Life Opening Mass on Tuesday, September 25, at 6:30 pm at St. Philomene’s Parish, 2428 Bell Street, preceded by the Holy Rosary at 6 pm. This year’s 40 Days for Life vigils will again take place at the public sidewalk in front of the abortion business at 1750 Wright Street. Volunteers will pray there and offer assistance to women, Monday–Saturday, 7 am to 7 pm, from Wednesday, September 26th through Sunday, November 4th. Please keep this peaceful, life-saving ministry in your prayers, and sign-up as a volunteer at: www.40daysforlife.com/sacramento/

Fraternally in Christ,

Bill James
Culture of Life Director
K of C Council 953

Council, Pro-Life

Culture of Life Report for August 2012

It is an honor to serve as your new Culture of Life Director. Contemplating the nine years of service of Dominic Ielati, our former Director, both humbles and inspires me. Please join me in thanking Brother Dominic, who, happily, will continue making entries in his pro-life blog for our Council.

I’d like to begin my first online report with an especially powerful quote from Archbishop Chaput’s homily at close of Fortnight for Freedom: “We live in a time that calls for sentinels and public witness. Every Christian in every era faces the same task. But you and I are responsible for this moment. Today. Now. We need to ‘speak out,’ not only for religious liberty and the ideals of the nation we love, but for the sacredness of life and the dignity of the human person – in other words, for the truth of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.” It is in the spirit of these words that I wish to conduct my directorship.

Sadly, August began in the aftermath of a pro-life tragedy. On the morning of July 20, 2012, Thomas Aquinas College student Andrew Moore was struck and killed by a passing vehicle while participating in the Crossroads Pro-Life Walk Across America. Andrew was killed while praying along the roadside in Indiana. He was from the Bay Area. Please remember this pro-life hero and pray for his family and friends.

Simultaneously and incredibly, a different Andrew Moore in Dallas, Texas, also appeared in pro-life news. On July 13, this Andrew Moore was questioned by two FBI agents for over an hour in his home about his pro-life activities. Even though he was never charged with a crime, the agents insinuated that a felony conviction would lead to his deportation back to New Zealand and separation from his wife and baby son. On July 25, the Life Legal Defense Foundation sent a letter to the FBI protesting its “gestapo tactics” and warning of a lawsuit if the illegal harassment of Mr. Moore did not stop.

On a lighter note, I’d like to close by reminding my brother Knights of 40 Days for Life, which will begin in October. This peaceful sidewalk prayer vigil held outside of local abortion businesses has been graced by Bishop Soto, and all Knights are encouraged to participate. As October draws nearer, more details will follow.

Visit the 953 Culture of Life blog
If you haven’t checked out the blog, open your browser and head over to:
http://kofc953sacramentoprolife.blogspot.com/

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..” –  Constitution of the United States of America, Amendment 1 (part of the “Bill of Rights”)

Bill James
Culture of Life Director
prolife(at)kofc953(dot)org