Joint Parish Respect Life Committee - Respect Life Blog

Let Us Lift Up Our Hearts

1/15/2021

With all the difficulties facing us as we embark upon the new year, it is well to remember something wonderful beyond imagining that occurred a few months ago. I am thinking of the nomination of pro-lifer Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and her confirmation by a bitterly divided Senate.

This is oxygen for pro-life lungs. But the story doesn’t end here. Barrett is the first mother of young children ever to sit on the Court, and the size of her family speaks volumes. She and her husband have no less than seven children! Two of them were adopted, and the youngest of the biological brood has Down syndrome. Clearly they believe, as we do, that a child made in the image and likeness of God is something very special. They haven’t forgotten that God himself became a child!

The most remarkable part of the Barrett story may be simply stated. With four children under her wing and pregnant with a fifth, she was suddenly presented with the opportunity to undertake a second adoption. The decision was difficult given all that was already on her plate: a family and a professional life. She turned to prayer, and what is interesting is the place she chose for an important conversation with the Lord. She could have retired to her study, she could have gone to her bedroom, or even to a parish church where she might have knelt before the Blessed Sacrament. Instead, she opted for a cemetery where her feet would be firmly planted on the ground and her eyes fixed on the stars.

The Holy Spirit, hovering over the tombstones, swung immediately into action. She was soon reflecting not only on life’s difficulties, but also on how quickly life ends.

The outcome of the graveyard conversation is well known. She chose adoption, much as the Virgin Mary chose motherhood two thousand years ago when she gave her fiat to the angel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy will.” We are fortunate to have the gist of the message Barrett received from on high because she publicized it for all to hear: “If life’s really hard, at least it’s short . . . What greater thing can you do than raise children? That’s where you have the greatest impact on the world.”

Barrett’s selfless choice, along with her courageous testimony, invigorated the pro-life cause in 2020. May it embolden us this year as we continue to make the Lord smile with prayer, fasting, and loving witness to the truth.

Frederick W. Marks, January 15, 2021
Marks is the author of Pro-Life Champion: The Untold Story of Monsignor Philip J. Reilly and His Helpers of God’s Precious Infants.

Those Without Voices Are the Least Protected

12/2/2020

Dear Editor:

With all due respect I found your editorial to be sadly, representative of the confusing rhetoric coming from the very ones who should be, at this crucial time, speaking only the truth (“Why We Don’t Endorse Presidential Candidates,” Editorial, Oct. 31). Too many who identify as Catholics, do not know Church teaching.

I do not, nor ever will, understand the reluctance by those who have the ability to reach vast numbers of Catholics, to speak this truth. We are facing a very real threat, a threat that we have been warned about many times by Our Lady at Fatima. This election is not a time for any Catholic shepherd or journalist to be more concerned about “offending” someone, then speaking the truth to them. This election should not be a “difficult decision” for anyone who is a faithful Catholic.

To knowingly vote for a candidate or political party that is in favor of, or promotes the murder of the most innocent is a grievous sin. Those very same politicians believe that crushing a fully developed child’s skull in order to accommodate the convenience of its mother (who will carry the wounds of abortion forever in her heart) is acceptable. How could anyone actually believe that such a candidate, could possibly care about human life at any stage?

As Catholics, we are called to protect God’s Creation, from the moment of fertilization. We are called to protect the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is not an opinion, this is the objective truth. We should be very skeptical of anyone, whether clergy or otherwise, who tells us differently. It is irresponsible for a publication that calls itself Catholic, to not clearly emphasize the differences in the candidates’ platforms, and which of those candidates would better protect our deeply held religious convictions as Catholics. We cite the numbers of deaths from this “pandemic,” yet the numbers of the unborn are 350,000 a year (that we know of).

The deaths of 20,000 elderly in nursing homes occured on the watch of New York’s Democratic governor. Those without voices are the least protected. May God have mercy on us.

Pamela Menera
Douglaston

Tablet Editor’s note: Based on reports from the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion organization, there were more than 800,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2019.

[Published in The Tablet, November 5, 2020.]

Catholics Need to be Informed and Defend Life

10/22/2020

Dear Editor:

God bless Father Michael W. Panicali (The Tablet, Oct. 3, 2020) for stating that a properly formed conscience can make the right determination and defend life by not voting for a pro-legalized abortion candidate. He also stated that it is "imperative that [the] Catholic hierarchy and media form consciences that place the defense of life and the eradication of legalized murder in its appropriately preeminent place."

All Catholics, lay and religious, should be obliged by their informed consciences to vote for the party that stands up for life and religious freedom. All Lives Matter from the womb to the tomb.

Father Panicali gave a wonderfully informative lecture on all Pro-Life issues including end-of-life (allowing assisted suicide) on May 5, 2019, at Holy Family Parish. This program was sponsored by the Joint Parish Respect Life Committee. I am on the board of the New York State Right to Life Committee, Inc.

Madeleine Santangelo-Palumbo
Sea Cliff, NY

Note: This letter was submitted to the editor of The Tablet but never published.

Prayer Vigil in Jamaica, NY, October 17, 2020

10/19/2020

On October 17, 2020 I was blessed to be a participant at the Helpers of God's Precious Infants prayer vigil originating from Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Jamaica, New York. The vigil was led by Fr. Victor Bolanos, the pastor of Presentation Church and about 50 people from the parish and other Helpers attended.

We processed praying the rosary to Choices abortion facility and we noticed immediately that there were about 7 escorts outside the clinic. Shortly after our arrival, several women who had made appointments appeared, escorted by the escorts. In fact so many came that due, I am sure, to COVID - 19 restrictions, the ladies were asked to stand outside and line up. It was one of the saddest sites I have ever seen, 7 or 8 women standing outside wanting in line to kill their children. Fr. Bolanos, after leading a decade of the rosary, handed his microphone to one of his parishioners and walked across the street to attempt to talk to the women in line. I do not think he was successful in convincing any of the woman to keep their babies, but he did make the effort.

As St. Mother Theresa has taught us, God did not call us to be successful, but to be faithful. Fr. Bolanos certainly evidenced his faith in a most moving way.

Kevin Moore

Regarding Bishop DiMarzio

7/5/2020

When I received the letter from the Brooklyn Diocese office sent by Bishop DiMarzio I was shocked, angered, and disappointed. First of all the Bishop has lead this Diocese for almost seventeen (17) years, until the so called “look back” legislation was enacted I have never heard any indication against his impeccable credentials.

While I disagree with the Bishop in some areas regarding his policy and items he should be focusing on, his character speaks for itself. When legislation was passed, it was contemplated that people looking to “ strike it rich” would come out of the woodwork, out worst fears have come to fruition. The lawyer representing both clients is seeking $40 million dollars which tells me a lot. First of all in America we are presumed innocent until proven guilty, while this sounds like a noble position it is flawed. Once accused even when innocent a person’s reputation (especially high profile people) is tarnished forever. Experts on pedophilia indicate that the recidivism rate for this crime is high, where are the other accusers?

Thomas Murawski

The Priest in the Streets

6/28/2020

See this powerful, short, video about Msgr. Philip Reilly, the founder of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants.

Boris Musich

Food for Thought

5/9/2020

We have lost over 60 million American children to abortion since it was legalized in 1973. There is no way to calculate the repercussions! Many of those who were aborted would have given life to their own children.
Over 2 million couples are waiting to adopt a child including those of any race or those born with special needs. . . but we lose 1 million children a year to abortion.
Some websites will say an embryo “becomes” a fetus at the 9th week of pregnancy...if there really is a differentiation between an “embryo” and a “fetus” (and I would argue there is not), why do our laws permit abortions throughout pregnancy? You know the answer: Abortion is a big business; well-funded lobbyists are working hard to keep abortion legal; some women want the “convenience” of abortion when contraceptives fail.
A society is judged by how it treats the weak and defenseless. At 10 weeks, the tiny developing human person in the womb feels pain.

Know, Learn & Share the FACTS about Life. Be sure you and your loved ones are making informed decisions. Education is critical, in fact 94% of women regret their decision to abort. See The Facts About Baby Development.

See also these sites:

Extracted from an article by Melinda Rabbia, Chair, St. Joseph R.C. Respect Life Committee, Oradell, NJ.

Looking at the Facts

5/9/2020

People are pro-life because they believe life begins at conception/fertilization. Let’s look at the biological facts:

─ 18 days a baby's heart begins to beat
─ 43 days brain coordinates movement
─ 7 weeks a baby can hiccup
─ 8 weeks organs can function
─ 9 weeks has permanent, individual fingerprints
─ 10 weeks can feel pain
─ 12 weeks a baby can smile, suck his thumb and make a fist

At what point do we call the embryo “a human being”? It is difficult to pick a point where the embryo suddenly becomes human, isn’t it? It would be arbitrary. Many young women on seeing an ultrasound decide not to abort the baby. Seeing the image makes it very clear - the child is human!
See: <http://prolifeacrossamerica.org/baby-developmental-facts/>

Every human is created in God’s image; as such, life is sacred and valuable whether the person is young, old, has disabilities, etc. Pro-Lifers fight for the unborn in the same way that abolitionists fought to ban slavery. . .because we see it as a grave injustice.

Both Locke and Jefferson referred to a “right to life” as part of “natural law”. Pro-lifers know the aborted baby girl or boy is not the only victim of abortion. America has lost over 60 million children to abortion since it was legalized in 1973. There is no way to calculate the repercussions! Many of those who were aborted would have given life to their own children.

Financial problems are often given as a reason to abort an unborn child. Abortionists take a life, earn income form the “procedure”, and the young woman is left with years of misery following the abortion. Women who have had abortions have higher rates of depression, suicide, drug use, etc. Pro-Lifers are called to love the mother as well as the child. <https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abortion-leads-to-increased-risk-of-suicide-death-depression-study>

Extracted from an article by Melinda Rabbia, Chair, St. Joseph R.C. Respect Life Committee, Oradell, NJ. Bergen County Right to Life

Waiting for It

4/1/2020

Glendale: I've hard many people state and joke that since there is a stay at home order, with no sports, etc. , that we should be ready to have a baby boom around Christmas. What no one is saying is that abortion facilities such as Planned Parenthood are counting on more "unwanted pregnancies" and, of course, more abortions. I am sure Planned Parenthood and others in this business are salivating at this prospect. How sad.

Thomas Murawski
(Reprinted from the New York Daily News, March 27, 2020)

Feast of the Holy Innocents

3/26/2020

On December 28, 2019 I attended the Mass being celebrated at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan which also included a Pro Life procession to an abortion facility. I had never attended this church and did not know what to expect. The day represents not only the Feast of the Holy Innocents but would have been my maternal grandmother’s birthday.

Due to a delay on the L train I arrived at the 8:00 AM Mass a few minutes late. Upon entering the church, I was surprised at the full house that was also attending the Mass. Upon sitting down in a pew, I admired the stained-glass windows in the church. However, I noted that on the left side the lighting on the windows was mostly blocked by the adjacent building, while the windows on the right were unobstructed and the sun was able to display their brilliance.

While I am a practicing Catholic, I was not familiar with the significance of this holy day. It is celebrated to remember the male children under two years of age slaughtered at the direction of Herod the Great in the vicinity of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus‘ birth due to Herod’s jealousy of the newborn king. The homily explained the significance of the holy day.

When it came time to receive Holy Communion, I received while kneeling at the railing which was still intact in the church (most churches have the railing and accompanying keepers removed). Receiving communion in this manner brought me back to my childhood. My childhood church, St. Margaret’s in Middle Village, had the railing removed during a renovation in the 1970’s.

After Mass I participated in the procession to an abortion facility, Park Med at 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue. During the procession members utilized handheld walkie- talkies dispersed throughout the crowd so that the background noise would not impede the Rosary being prayed. The procession to and from the abortion facility went off without any incidents (there were many tourists from out of town celebrating the Christmas holiday). At the facility the crowd prayed the Rosary in remembrance of the unborn babies which were slated to be slaughtered in the name of choice.

Upon the conclusion of the procession a luncheon was held at the church.

Thomas Murawski