Our Holy Hour on the evening before the pro-life march in Cheyenne has typically been led by the bishop. Since we are currently without a bishop I had the privilege of leading this year’s time of adoration. Being in the presence of our Lord is always time well spent.
Saturday morning began with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary, complimentary breakfast in Hartmann Hall, and then it was down to the Historic Depot to prepare for the march to the capitol. (We stopped short of the capitol this year due to construction and finished in the street between the capitol and the state supreme court building.)
Over 400 people endured the cold and wind to participate in the march for life.
Dr. Alveda King spoke briefly to the crowd at the end of the march.
I offered the closing prayer immediately after Dr. King finished her statements. It was cold and windy enough that I didn’t bother to adjust the microphone to the right height. Can I get an “Amen” to brevity when we are enduring the cold and wind?
Dr. Alveda King was the keynote speaker at the evening banquet.
Having a photographer sitting at your table means you get your picture taken. He told Margaret and I to act as if we actually like each other. (I think we pulled it off.)
My thanks to Matthew Potter for all of the photographs above. My thanks to Laramie County Right to Life for all the work that goes into this march and banquet each year. My thanks to the clergy and staff at the Cathedral of St. Mary for assisting in the organization of the Holy Hour and Eucharistic Liturgy on this weekend each year. My thanks to the ladies of the Cathedral Guild who graciously prepare breakfast for us each year. My thanks to the Knights of Columbus for leading the march and providing lunch after the march. Thanks to all who marched. We are making a difference because each of you choose to get involved. Thank you for your support of life from conception through natural death.
There was a good crowd at our celebration of the Eucharist this morning. We had to set up additional tables for breakfast following Mass. We have people present from Cody and Powell who made the seven hour trek to join us. We have people from all across the state and a good contingent of people from northern Colorado as well. We continue to build a culture of life one step at a time.
We pray today for all those participating in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. May their faithful witness to the dignity and sacred value of each human life from conception through natural death be a blessing to our country.
I received the photo above of children playing during recess at one of our Catholic schools in Wyoming. The piled up snow from their playground created a fun space to play. It made me chuckle as I thought back to when I was principal of a school in Missouri. Playground monitors always made sure our students stayed away from any snow-covered areas during recess. It is a different perspective in Wyoming where the mound of snow becomes the ideal place to play.
We have many different perspectives in life based upon our education, background and life experiences. However, I think most of us can agree on the beauty of watching children play and having fun. Their joy and innocence is refreshing.
How can it be that we as a nation still have such a large percentage of people advocating for abortion rights? When the issue came to the forefront following the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade, the assurances from the proponents of abortion rights were that they wanted abortion to be safe, legal, and rare. Compare that to their slogan now of, “Abortion on demand and without apology.” Where does that perspective originate?
It is my hope and prayer that we will someday create a culture of life in which abortion becomes unthinkable. We still have a lot of work to do before that happens.
For my Cheyenne readers– I will be leading a pro-life holy hour this evening (Friday) from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Cathedral of St. Mary. We will have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a Scripture reading with a brief reflection, a rosary, and finally benediction.
Tomorrow’s activities begin at 9:00 A.M. with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary. A complimentary breakfast in Hartmann Hall will follow Mass. The program at the Depot begins at 11:00 A.M. the march begins at 12:00 noon sharp. Lunch is available at the Knights of Columbus Hall following the march.
The banquet tomorrow evening will feature Dr. Alveda King as the keynote speaker. (Tickets to the banquet had to be purchased in advance.)
“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His mercy endures forever.”
My dad’s birthday over the weekend made me stop and pause for a moment to reflect upon his life. He had always said that he wanted to live to be a hundred. He died more than twenty-two years ago so he did not make to that magical number of 100. He would be 99 now if he were still here.
Birthdays are opportunities for each of us to reflect on the graces and blessings we have received from Almighty God. Although life can be difficult at times, if we look for the hand of God in the midst of the sufferings we can see grace at work. I will readily admit that there have been times when I have been in the midst of the struggle and it was quite difficult to see past the darkness of the affliction. Thankfully, God has been patient with me in my slowness to understand and appreciate His grace.
I will be focusing on the gift of life in a couple of unique ways tomorrow. I will be attending the Governor’s Symposium on Suicide Prevention in the afternoon and then I will be speaking at a 40 Days for Life kick-off rally in the evening. It is an honor to be included in both of these events being held in Casper, Wyoming.
The afternoon session will provide an opportunity to learn about initiatives to improve outcomes and close gaps in health care. This will obviously include behavioral health. A session will be devoted to the high risk of suicide among our veterans. Another session will look at the ramifications of losing a child to suicide. The event will close with a panel discussion about ways in which we can increase awareness and provide educational opportunities for suicide prevention.
A closing thought on the topic of suicide– If you, or someone you know, is contemplating suicide please seek help. There is no need to walk the journey alone. If you have family support let them know you are struggling. Contact your pastor, counselor, or medical doctor. Let someone know you are hurting before it is too late.
In the evening I will speak to the people preparing to begin the 40 Days for Life campaign on Wednesday. I intend to give a brief rundown of how we arrived at this point in time in regard to life issues–in particular abortion. Here are some of the highlights. (If you are in Casper don’t look.)
In 1968 Pope Paul VI promulgated the Encyclical Letter Humanae Vitae. This document clearly described the slippery slope we would be on if we accepted the contraceptive culture. The publication was ignored by many and ridiculed by even more. Unfortunately, many of those ridiculing the document were prominent theologians and clerics. They convinced a multitude of people to reject the teaching laid out in the encyclical. We are now reaping the consequences of that dissent in a monumental way.
In 1972 the United States Bishops set aside the month of October as “Respect Life Month.” The first Sunday of October was set aside as “Respect Life Sunday.” It was as if they could read the writing on the wall. In January of 1973 we had the Unites States Supreme Court decision Roe versus Wade which gave us abortion on demand. The follow-up court case of Doe versus Bolton made abortion legal through all nine months of pregnancy.
In 1987 Life Chain began in Yuba City, California. There were about 2,000 participants in that first life chain. In 2015 Life Chain took place in over 1,600 cities in the United States. I hope you will participate this Sunday in your local community. Go to www.lifechain.net to find a location near you.
In 1995 Saint Pope John Paul II issued The Gospel of Life. He could obviously see the necessity of proclaiming the sanctity and dignity of each human life from conception through natural death. As our society continues down a path that celebrates abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and euthanasia we need his message of hope even more today. There are examples in the state of Oregon now of where people have been refused by their insurance company to pay for treatments. However, the insurance will pay for physician-assisted suicide. There is something really wrong with that picture.
On September 29, 2000–just a couple of days before Respect Life Sunday–the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the RU-486 abortion pill in the United States of America. The trajectory of our nation continued toward being a culture of death with this disastrous decision.
Finally, in 2007, we saw the first 40 Days for Life campaign. According to their website the 40 Days for Life statistics are as follows:
636 cities 36 nations 4,168 campaigns 700,000 volunteers 11,796 lives have been saved 133 abortion workers have quit their jobs 75 abortion centers have closed
These statistics demonstrate that being a prayerful witness to the sanctity of life is bearing fruit.
I simply close with these thoughts. If you have been impacted by abortion in one way or another, please know that there is help and healing available. I know some individuals struggle for years following an abortion. God’s grace can bring healing and hope. Call your local church or crisis pregnancy center for guidance and help if you don’t know where to turn.
Our culture needs a lot of healing. Each of us can play a part in building a culture of life. How will you get involved?
Watching women jump up and down with glee at the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the 2013 Texas law regulating the safety of abortion clinics was truly disheartening. We have become a society that celebrates the legality and the ease of killing unborn children.
The Kermit Gosnell scandal prompted this law to be passed. Apparently, five un-elected justices of the U.S. Supreme Court think they know what is better for the people of Texas than the elected legislators and governor of Texas. Actions like this should concern all U.S. citizens as state’s rights are trampled upon by the federal government once again.
We cannot continue to turn our backs on God without consequences. There is a need for serious prayer and fasting for our nation. Learn the faith. Study the Sacred Scriptures. Grow in holiness. Allow God’s love to permeate every aspect of your life. If chastisement comes upon the earth may each of us be found with joyful hope watching and waiting in fervent prayer!
I am scheduled to be at St. Margaret’s Parish in Riverton on Saturday for a pro-life fundraiser. The Knights of Columbus are raising money to purchase an ultrasound machine for the local pregnancy care center. They are hosting a banquet on Saturday evening and I am scheduled to be the keynote speaker. It is always an honor and a privilege to share the message of life at events like these.
Unfortunately, our county is under a winter weather advisory again. The forecast for snow ranges from five to eight inches in lower elevations and as much as 12 to 15 inches in higher elevations between Thursday at 6:00 P.M. and Friday at 6:00 P.M. We have a chance for snow every day from Thursday through Monday. Seriously? It is the end of April. I am starting to think we have the possibility of being the third year in a row to get snow on Mother’s Day.
Please pray that I can make the trip to Riverton on Saturday. May the snow end on Friday afternoon, the winds remain calm, and let the snowplow drivers be effective in their snow removal endeavors. Note to self–stop scheduling events during the month of April.
It was 55 degrees and only light winds. It doesn’t get much better than that in January in Wyoming. Nearly 300 people from all across the state came to Cheyenne to stand up for life. We also had a few guests from Colorado and Nebraska join us as well.
I walk away from these events with two emotions generally prevalent. The first is a sense of gratitude for all of the faithful who continue to stand up for life after 43 years of repercussions from a horrendous U.S. Supreme Court decision which trampled upon the unalienable rights of the unborn child. The second emotion is a sense of sadness. Why do so few join us in being a witness to the sacred dignity and value of each human life?
Cheyenne is not a large city and Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. However, getting less than 300 people to attend an event like this is truly disheartening. The fear that takes abode in my heart is that we have become a church that is complacent and apathetic to the plight of the unborn. There were numerous Christian denominations present at the march, and I am grateful to each church that promoted the event and encouraged members of its congregation to get involved. I saw people from all four corners of the state and many towns in between as well, plus the few folks from out of state. Why do I mention this? It begs a simple question. Where were the people of Cheyenne?
I would estimate that there were a minimum of 100 people present from outlying areas. Thus, that would give an estimate of about 200 people from Cheyenne in attendance. The three Catholic parishes in Cheyenne average nearly 3,000 people each week that participate in the Sunday liturgy. That is not how many registered members there are. This is the actual number of people who actually show up on a weekly basis. It represents about 30% of the entire registered parishioners for the three parishes. Even if there were no participants at the march coming from different Christian denominations, one would think we would have greater attendance just based on the number of Catholics in the city. There was no great distance to travel, no snow, no ice, and no excuse for a significant portion of Christian believers.
Matthew Kelly has suggested from the research at Dynamic Catholic that about 7% of Catholics are actively involved in their faith. I was shocked when I took my calculator out and divided 200 by 3,000. The result is 7%. Some of these people at the march from Cheyenne were not Catholic. Thus, we had less than 7% of Catholics participate. Remember, this number reflects 7% of actual weekly church-goers. If we divided 200 by the total of all registered Catholic households it would be an even more dismal number. Are that few of registered Catholics in Cheyenne truly pro-life and willing to take a public stand and declare their pro-life position? Obviously, some people have health issues and other legitimate reasons for not marching. However, that is a small percentage of the group. My heart is grieved at the lack of response. There is a lot of work to be done in building a culture of life.
This is the Mass held at 9:00 A.M. on Saturday morning to kick-off the events of the day. Next year, let us fill those empty pews to the brim!
Signs are helpful to maintain order, ensure safety, and to provide pertinent information. I am wondering if my calendar has the adjacent sign implanted into my schedule. There hasn’t been much down-time this week.
I spent the holiday on Monday at the Abbey of St. Walburga with the administration, faculty, and staff of St. Laurence O’Toole Catholic School for a day-long retreat. Only a couple of the people had ever been to the abbey prior to this gathering. It is an amazing opportunity to pray with the sisters.
On Tuesday I headed to Casper for the annual Clergy Institute. We had Sherry Weddell for our presenter from Tuesday through Thursday. Her insights into forming intentional disciples gave us plenty of information to digest and ponder.
Today, I am back in Cheyenne preparing for the Holy Hour this evening at the Cathedral of St. Mary plus all of the activities tomorrow. Unlike Washington D.C., it appears that our weather will be quite cooperative for the march. We don’t gather thousands of people in Cheyenne, but we attempt to make a statement with a few hundred. Wherever you are, I hope you will get involved in building a culture of life.
The United States Bishops decided in 1972 to set aside the month of October as Respect Life Month. The first Sunday of October is Respect Life Sunday. As you are probably aware, it was in January of 1973 that the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe versus Wade legalized abortion in our country. Since then, nearly 60 million lives have been taken through a procedure referred to as healthcare. It was almost as if the bishops could read the writing on the wall in 1972 as to what would follow the next year. We are a nation that should weep.
The impact of abortion has been immense. In addition to all of the children who won’t see the light of day, think about how many moms, dads, and grandparents have suffered from these decisions for many years after the fact. I have met with some of them. Their pain is real and deep. Thankfully, healing and forgiveness can be found in Christ Jesus. The mercy and love of our Savior knows no bounds. If you have been touched by abortion in any way, please know of God’s healing touch. Seek help if you are struggling to overcome the pain and grief.
The fall campaign of 40 Days for Life is going on right now. Life Chain also takes place this Sunday. These are ways we raise awareness and also pray that all may recognize the sanctity of each human life. I hope you will consider getting involved.
The “Respect Life” umbrella is a huge one. Obviously, 60 million deaths since 1973 through abortion puts that issue in the forefront. It will be difficult to get the other issues right until we protect the most helpless and vulnerable among us. Let’s take a look at some of the other issues.
The sale of fetal body parts has been in the news since the release of the undercover videos from the Center for Medical Progress. Embryonic stem cell research, reproductive technologies, and surrogate pregnancies also add some moral dilemmas to the mix.
Child abuse and child neglect are huge areas of concern in the United States. Some statistics show that a report of child abuse comes through about every 10 seconds. Over three million reports per year in the United States involving over six million children demonstrate a real problem in our country.
Education and formation may not seem like a life issue at first glance, but it is. Indoctrination can be very much a part of the educational system. What is being presented to our children, adolescents, and young adults in regard to the formation of their value system? As a parent, do you approve? Did you pay thousands of dollars for a college education for your child only to see him/her completely abandon the value system you had tried to instill as a parent? How was that for a return on your investment of tuition dollars?
Poverty, shelter, food, healthcare, and the other basic necessities of life are not as accessible to all as we would like. How do we as Christians respond to these needs? What role does the Church have in meeting these needs? Is this only a problem for the government?
Environmental stewardship has been thrust in the limelight with Pope Francis’ On Care For Our Common Home. Are we being good stewards of what God has entrusted to our care?
Labor rights have been in the spotlight recently as well. Just wages and safe working conditions are essential. Does this mean that a $15.00 per hour minimum wage is the answer? What is the role of the Church in this issue? What is the role of the government?
Immigration issues are in the news daily. At first it centered on our southern border. Now, the Syrian and Middle East refugee crisis will impact our nation. How do we as Church respond?
Human trafficking continues to be a major issue although it doesn’t get as much media coverage as other issues. How can we as Church better protect the vulnerable among us to keep them from being enslaved?
Violent crime and juvenile delinquency are social problems that never go away. The frightening component is the decreasing age of the perpetrators committing heinous crimes. How can young children commit such horrendous acts of violence as has been depicted on the news?
Imprisonment issues and the death penalty have been discussed for years. Since 1976, there have been 1,415 executions in the United States.
Mental health issues and the rights of persons with disabilities needs to be kept in mind as well. Mental health issues impact many people in a way that leads to homelessness, addictions, and other difficulties. How can we as Church better serve those in need of our loving attention?
End of life issues are growing more prevalent with each passing year. The killing of nonfunctional individuals is a growing concern. They may call it “mercy” killing, but euthanasia does not serve society well. Likewise, physician-assisted suicide may have been made popular by Brittany Maynard, but it is a slippery slope that will also not serve society well.
As clergy members prepare to preach this Sunday on the issues of life, they also prepare for the criticisms and push-back they will receive because of it. Some people feel like the preacher enters into the realm of politics when these issues are addressed. Please recognize that these issues are first and foremost MORAL issues. They are politicized to be sure. However, regardless of what the culture and society would have us believe, they are essentially moral issues. Our politics simply reflect our culture. At this point in time we are obviously a society geared toward a culture of death.
My prayer for each of us is that we recognize our intrinsic value in the eyes of God. In Jeremiah chapter one we read, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” In 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 we read, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”
My encouragement to you today is simple. Be grateful for the gift of your own life. Thank God for the many blessings you have received. Life may not have always been easy, but it has been blessed by God’s grace. Secondly, help others understand the sacred value and dignity of each human life. We are each a temple of the Holy Spirit. How differently would our world look if we each understood that a little more fully.
Finally, keep in mind the Scripture verse we see touted at the football games. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16
You never know what might pop up on your social media pages. Last night I received a link to an article on Facebook and was asked to comment. The article appeared on www.dailykos.com and was written by Leslie Salzillo entitled, Catholic Nun Explains Pro-Life In A Way That Will Stun Many (Especially Republican Lawmakers). The article goes on to quote Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. after a lead in sentence to let everyone know Sister Joan is going to expose the hypocrisy of the pro-life movement.
Sister Joan said, “I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don’t? Because you don’t want any tax money to go there. That’s not pro-life. That’s pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.”
The author of the article then adds to Sister Joan’s comments with words like “anti-choice extremist” and referring to “misogynist laws.” No bias in this article, right? Sister Joan is lauded near the end of the article highlighting her accomplishments. She is the author of 50 books, holds a Ph.D., and has appeared on many major television shows. Sister Joan certainly has an impressive resume and is well-known for her stance on women’s issues. One thing the article didn’t point out is that Sister Joan also writes for the National Catholic Reporter. This is a publication which many have asked to please drop the word Catholic from its title because it frequently promotes agenda items clearly in defiance of Church teaching. Knowing this bit of information may assist in putting Sister Joan’s comments in larger context.
The paragraph-long quote from Sister Joan assumes many things and makes some generalizations that are simply not the reality of my own lived experience. My work and cooperation with pregnancy care centers has shown me that many people are striving to feed children, house them, and provide other material necessities to support parents in need of assistance. To make the assertion that these people in the pro-life movement have a “morality that is deeply lacking” is quite judgmental and inaccurate. The hours of volunteer work provided by well-formed Christians not lacking in sound moral judgment is phenomenal. Their direct financial support of these institutions reaching out to women in difficult pregnancies is also amazing.
How did Sister Joan reach her conclusion about people being pro-birth and not pro-life? Simply stated, “Because you don’t want any tax money to go there.” I have one question for Sister Joan. Why is the government viewed as the answer? We have all witnessed government waste and the ineffectiveness of government bureaucracy. Over a half billion dollars a year going to Planned Parenthood is not exactly providing the kind of help that feeds a child, houses a child, and educates a child. Why would Sister Joan believe that the only logical response to caring for children and families is through the institution of the government with direct handouts to anti-life organizations like Planned Parenthood? Where is the morality in that?
