Category Archives: Pro-Life

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

Church, Community, Pro-Life

Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty

O God our Creator,
From your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
gathered in your Church
in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome – for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,
and all who come after us—
this great land will always be “one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Pro-Life

Culture Of Life Report July 2012

HHS Mandate – Updates
As you have heard by now, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Patient Care and Affordability Act (AKA The Health Care Act and ObamaCare).  This means that the HHS Mandate, forcing religious organizations with an employee health plan to provide coverage that includes contraception (which often acts as an abortifacient) and sterilization procedures.  This goes into effect on August 1 of this year.  The US Catholic Bishops are continuing to speak and act against this, as should we as practical Catholics.  Below are updates on some recent events that have occurred in support of religious freedom locally.

I, along with about 450 others, attended the Rally for Religious Freedom on June 8 at the west steps of the State Capitol.  The Sacramento rally was one of 140 similar rallies across America held that day.  Several speakers at the local rally addressed the concern and desire to protect our religious freedom.  One of the speakers, Dr. Anne Marie Adams, an OB-GYN who practices in Carmichael, summed up the effect of the HHS Mandate on her practice by telling those gathered that “I shouldn’t have to be a religious institution to be able to exercise my religious freedom.”  More info on the rallies from across the country can be found at:
http://standupforreligiousfreedom.com/ .

On the evening of June 9, I, along with at least one other Knight of our council (I hope more of you were there and I missed seeing you), joined Bishop Soto and approximately 1,000 other Catholics on the Walk for Religious Freedom/Eucharistic Procession that followed the Saturday vigil mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.  There were three prayer stations along the 1.8 mile walk – two federal buildings and our final destination, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  A nice synopsis of the procession by Margaret Bengs of Carmichael can be found here:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/16/v-print/4566032/somber-mood-of-march-reflects.html.

Finally, as I write this, we are in the Fortnight for Freedom that started on the vigil of the feasts of St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More and runs through July 4, Independence Day.   Concretely, our Bishops are calling for a “special period of prayer, study, catechesis and public action” to emphasize “our Christian and American heritage of liberty.”  If you haven’t already, please take some time to understand what the Church teaches about religious freedom.  We should also make extra prayers and fasts for this cause.  For more info on this teaching and about the US Bishop’s direction to help us defend our religious liberty, go to http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/.  Additional journalism can be found at www.stophhs.com.

Thank you
I have been the Pro-Life/Culture of Life Director since July 2003 and I will be transitioning out of my role.  Brother Bill James (the newer member of our council with that name) will be taking over this director position.  Brother Bill has enthusiasm for the position, which is the key to fulfilling with excellence any of our council director positions.  Please give Brother Bill your full support.
It has been my honor during these last 9 years to provide the members and families of our council with timely and useful information regarding the life issues.  It has also been my honor to walk and work alongside many of you at life events and gatherings such as Walk for Life-San Francisco and our Chili Cook-Off.  So, many, many thanks and blessings to each of you for your support of our council’s pro-life program.
Vivat Jesus!
Dominic

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”)

Dominic Ielati
Culture of Life Director
prolife(at)kofc953(dot)org

Pro-Life

Culture Of Life Report June 2012

Culture Of Life Report

Rally for Religious Freedom / Walk for Religious Freedom / Fortnight for Freedom
Brothers and families, there are (3) upcoming events in which we should participate, if at all possible.

1. On Friday June 8 at noon on the west steps of the State Capitol will be a Rally for Religious Freedom.  I encourage you to go and listen to the speakers.  The local rally is only one of about 140 similar rallies occurring all over the nation.  The more people who attend these rallies, the more likely that local and national media will bring attention to our concerns.  More info on the Rally can be found at http://standupforreligiousfreedom.com/locations/.

2. On Saturday June 8, Bishop Soto will lead a Walk for Religious Freedom following the 5pm vigil mass.  This walk will be a Eucharistic procession from the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe through the streets of Downtown Sacramento.  Bishop Soto is encouraging as many people as possible to participate.  More info on the Walk can be found at www.diocese-sacramento.org.

3. The US Bishops are calling on all American Catholics to observe a Fortnight for Freedom the vigil of the feasts of St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More, to July 4.   Concretely, they are calling for a “special period of prayer, study, catechesis and public action” to emphasize “our Christian and American heritage of liberty.”
To learn more about the efforts to defend religious liberty, go to http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/ and www.stophhs.com.

Pray for our nation, candidates, officials & judges
It is probably not repeated enough in this election year, but please remember to include in your prayers the good of our nation, the candidates who are seeking office, all current office holders, and all judges.  You can even pray for them by name and there are a few saints whom you might ask to intercede for them including St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More among others.  If we pray for God’s will for our country, our officials, and judges, then we won’t be disappointed.

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/

“To claim the right to abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom: “Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin” (Jn 8:34).” –  Evangelium Vitae, 20 – Blessed John Paul II

Dominic Ielati
Culture of Life Director
prolife(at)kofc953(dot)org