Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Bishop Robert Vasa: Congress Must Investigate "Evil" Planned Parenthood
Creative Minority Report
This is great to see. A strong statement from Bishop Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California concerning the videos released by the Center for Medical Progress about Planned Parenthood.
In the footage recorded by the Center for Medical Progress, a phlebotomist says, “For whatever we could procure, [Planned Parenthood] would get a certain percentage. The main nurse was always trying to make sure we got our specimens. No one else really cared, but the main nurse did because she knew that Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.”
Said Bishop Vasa, “Each week for three weeks now, we have been exposed to one heinous video after another, each one more shocking than the last. This nurse’s biggest concern in aborting these tiny babies was getting quality body parts because ‘Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.’
“While the very thought that we as taxpayers are complicit with Planned Parenthood in the provision of abortion at all is very disturbing to me, these recordings show an even more grizzly side to the abortion industry.
“It is unconscionable that this land of the free and home of the brave not only tolerates but actively supports such perversity. Congress needs to thoroughly investigate these accusations immediately.
“No public funds should be provided to organizations promoting abortions especially if involved in the marketing of human body parts. An organization committed to such gruesome evil should not get a dime from taxpayers.”
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Women Betrayed Rally at noon July 28th, sponsored by Portland Community College Student for Life
Women Betrayed Rally for Oregon at 12 noon, July 28th, in front of Beaverton Planned Parenthood sponsored by PCC Students for Life.
Planned Parenthood: Beaverton Center
12220 SW First St, Suite 200, Beaverton, Oregon 97005
What We are Doing and why On July 14th and July 21st, the Center for Medical Progress
released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood executives
casually discussing the harvesting and sale of baby body parts. It was
sickening. It was horrifying. In both videos, the abortionists filmed -
Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior
Director of Medical Services and Dr. Mary Gatter, the President of the
Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Medical Directors’ Council -
candidly discuss the harvesting and selling the body parts of aborted
babies and the haggling of prices for these baby body parts. The abortion giant claims they care about women but they don’t – just look at their actions. Planned Parenthood gets over $500 million a year in our taxpayer money and makes more than $100 million in profit, all while having abortion quotas. The organization has been caught covering up statutory rape, double-billing taxpayers, aiding and abetting sex traffickers, scheduling sex-selective abortions and accepting money to abort African American children. Women have been betrayed by Planned Parenthood. Families have been deceived. And the smallest among us have been the ultimate victims of Planned Parenthood's horrific business schemes. Quite frankly, we've had enough. It’s time to relieve Planned Parenthood of our taxpayer dollars. Join pro-lifers across the nation on Tuesday, July 28th to call on state and federal officials to investigate and defund Planned Parenthood, now!
Dear Friends,
Here
is some great news for AFTER the rally!
BREAKING NEWS!!!
Following the rally, from 1 to 2:30, we will be hosting a FREE
networking lunch-in, at St. Cecilia’s near the Planned Parenthood, to hear the
latest news, listen to more amazing speakers, and learn what steps we can take
next to keep this momentum going!
If
you want to come, RSVP to Caleb.knezevich@gmail.com with subject line “RSVP”: the number of people
that are coming.
If you are interested in bringing food, and/or helping with
set-up or clean-up, please Email Caleb (above).
For LIFE!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From Washington.
See www.WomenBetrayed.com. Undercover videos have exposed horrific revelations regarding Planned Parenthood and its sale of aborted baby body parts. It's also known to help human traffickers and abusers by aborting babies of exploited girls. Several states have called for investigations, and some have stopped funding Planned Parenthood with taxpayer dollars, but not Washington State. We must stand up and show that we're sick of being forced to fund this abortion machine. Our local “Women Betrayed” rally is in conjunction with Pro-Life Future and Students for Life of America at 12:45 to 1:15 Tuesday, July 28, in the small gazebo near Slocum House. For more information contact Ann Makar at 910-1907 (amakar1@gmail.com) |
Friday, July 17, 2015
NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS for Archdiocese of Portland
the same order at the University of Portland.
He comes to the Archdiocese of Portland with twenty-three years of experience as a Catholic school superintendent, serving most recently in the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. Prior to Paterson, Brother William served as superintendent in the dioceses of Peoria, Providence, Tyler and Beaumont. He also served as a high school assistant principal as well as a middle school president.
In addition to holding a Bachelor's Degree adn three Master Degrees, he received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Dayton, Ohio in 1998. Besideshis administrative experience, he taught English at both the high school and college level. For nine summers, Brother William has taught a graduate course in the Remick Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame.
He has served on a number of boards and committees, in connection with both his religious congregation as well as Catholic schools, including a consulting role with the USCCB Committee on Education, from 2005-2008. He has presented and published on a wide range of school-related topics, including governance, strategic planning and standards. Most recently, he was recognized by the University
Thanks to the Catholic Sentinel for the information.
Welcome Brother Dygert. God Bless you.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Ongoing Pro-Life Prayer Gatherings at Abortion Mills in Oregon and Washington
Summer is the right time to get our children involved in the pro-life movement. The world is trying to take them from Christ. Praying for Life fortifies them for the fight. Take them once, it could start a lifetime of rewards and memories.
Beaverton:
Planned Parenthood Beaverton Center 12220 SW First St., two blocks North of SW Hall Blvd., one block South of SW Farmington Rd., near the Beaverton Library. Nearby school: Beaverton High School. Sponsored by St. Cecelia Catholic Church.
Contact : Marie Barzen : barzenm@frontier.com
Portland:
Lovejoy Abortion Facility
922 NW 25th Ave. at Lovejoy St. Park on the neighborhood streets. Three blocks from Good Samaritan Hospital. Nearest church: St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Planned Parenthood SE 50th:
3231 SE 50th Ave., two blocks north of SE Powell Blvd. Nearby school: Franklin High School. Nearest churches: St. Ignatius Catholic Church; St. Stephen’s Catholic Church; Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.
Wednesdays – 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Sunday mornings – 9 a.m. Hispanic rosaries and prayers
Contact: Janice Donahue
503 475 3646
Planned Parenthood N.E. MLK Jr. Blvd
3727 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Cross street NE Beech St., one block North of NE Fremont St. Nearby school: Jefferson High School. Closest Churches: Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church; Holy Rosary Catholic Church; Life Change Christian Church.
Planned Parenthood Beaverton Center 12220 SW First St., two blocks North of SW Hall Blvd., one block South of SW Farmington Rd., near the Beaverton Library. Nearby school: Beaverton High School. Sponsored by St. Cecelia Catholic Church.
Contact : Marie Barzen : barzenm@frontier.com
Fridays – 8:00 to
10:30 AM
Every Saturday Pro
Life Rosary at 8:50 AM
Portland:
Lovejoy Abortion Facility
922 NW 25th Ave. at Lovejoy St. Park on the neighborhood streets. Three blocks from Good Samaritan Hospital. Nearest church: St. Mary’s Cathedral.
2nd
Saturday of the month— 9:00 3-4 people
4th Saturday of the month—around 9:00 1 person
Some/most
Thursdays and Fridays, 6:30 to 10-ish. Let me know if you want to be contacted
about these (somewhat random) days.
·
Currently, all 40
Days for Life campaigns are held at this location.
·
40 DFL occurs
twice/year. Once in late Sept (~23rd) and again during Lent
·
Contact: Therese Ruesink 503 997 1884
Planned Parenthood SE 50th:
3231 SE 50th Ave., two blocks north of SE Powell Blvd. Nearby school: Franklin High School. Nearest churches: St. Ignatius Catholic Church; St. Stephen’s Catholic Church; Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.
Wednesdays – 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Sunday mornings – 9 a.m. Hispanic rosaries and prayers
Contact: Janice Donahue
503 475 3646Planned Parenthood N.E. MLK Jr. Blvd
3727 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Cross street NE Beech St., one block North of NE Fremont St. Nearby school: Jefferson High School. Closest Churches: Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church; Holy Rosary Catholic Church; Life Change Christian Church.
Wednesdays – 7:30
am – 11:30 am and 1:00 to 5:00 PM
Contact: Therese Ruesink 503 997 1884
** Planned
Parenthood in Vancouvar Center, Vancouvar Washington
5500 NE
109th Court, Suite A
Vancouvar Washington, 98662
Larry (?) is at PP in Vancouver Monday through Friday from 8am to ~ 5pm.
On Thursday the prayer group takes turns
from 7:30am to 5 pm.
On Saturday from 10:15am to 11 am.
Peggy
Girard heads the
prayer group. She doesn't have email. Her phone number is (360) 696-2940.
**
This info might not be current.
SALEM AREA
From David:
I would like to add the following (excerpted from the bulletin of St. Joseph Church in Salem):
PRO-LIFE PRAYER for an end to abortion (outside Planned Parenthood facility,corner of Coral and Wolverine NE) every Friday, 9:00 a.m. and 2nd Saturdays 8:00 a.m.(Prayer Group), as well as 1st Saturdays 9:00 a.m.(Knights).
SALEM AREA
From David:
I would like to add the following (excerpted from the bulletin of St. Joseph Church in Salem):
PRO-LIFE PRAYER for an end to abortion (outside Planned Parenthood facility,corner of Coral and Wolverine NE) every Friday, 9:00 a.m. and 2nd Saturdays 8:00 a.m.(Prayer Group), as well as 1st Saturdays 9:00 a.m.(Knights).
If you know of other opportunities to Stand for Life please let us know.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Catholic dioceses nationwide hold teachers to faith and moral standards.
Good news. Look at the West Coast Archbishop/Bishops who are standing for the Church. God Bless them. They need our prayers.
June 26, 2015 (CardinalNewmanSociety)
-- In two eye-opening reports, education reform experts at The Cardinal
Newman Society have compiled and analyzed employment documents from
more than 125 Catholic dioceses in the United States, showing evidence
in the Church of a broad and substantial movement toward high standards
for Catholic school teachers with regard to faith and morals.
In the past year, several dioceses have announced new “morality clauses” and other improvements to teacher contracts, handbooks and other employment documents, ensuring that teachers are aware of expectations that they model Catholic values and beliefs both inside and outside the classroom. A firestorm of criticism has engulfed Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone in San Francisco, who proposed similar changes to local teacher agreements.
But an important study by The Cardinal Newman Society’s Dr. Jamie Arthur, released a couple days ago, shows that Archbishop Cordileone and his fellow bishops have only been implementing standards that the Vatican has required for several decades, wholly consistent with the Church’s vision for Catholic education.
And now two new reports from the Newman Society—authored by Dr. Denise Donohue and Dr. Dan Guernsey, deputy director and director respectively of the Society’s K-12 education programs—clearly demonstrate that the several bishops whose updated teacher standards have been reported by news media are not alone in their efforts. Instead, there appears to be a national consensus among Catholic bishops that faith and morals clauses are needed in teacher agreements.
“The work of these researchers provides valuable support to Archbishop Cordileone and the whole Church,” said Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society. “Not only do these reports dispel false claims that the bishops who are implementing strong teacher standards are out of touch with the rest of the Church, but these reports also will help bishops and school leaders engage in a national conversation about the essential role of faithful Catholic teachers and collaborate in strengthening the Catholic identity of America’s Catholic schools.”
In their reports, Drs. Donohue and Guernsey find much diversity in how dioceses articulate their faith and morals standards, and with what sort of employment documents the standards are presented to current and prospective employees in Catholic schools. But some dioceses have been collaborating on specific language, and there are clear themes that run through the standards, with apparent concern for hot-button moral issues that are most likely to cause friction between Catholic schools and teachers who do not fully embrace Catholic values.
The Newman Society authors identify and analyze several outstanding examples of diocesan policies in their paper, Faith and Morals Language in Catholic School Teacher Employment Documents: Best Practices Brief. “Best practice in invoking a faith or morals clause involves ensuring the teacher understands and participates in the school’s religious mission and is aware of areas of potential moral concern,” write Drs. Donohue and Guernsey.
The “best practices brief” draws upon a much longer, 67-page compilation of sample language from more than 125 dioceses in the United States.
Among the model documents is the “pre-application statement” for teachers in the Diocese of Sacramento, chosen because it includes “a narrative on the mission of the Church and the expectation of employees to share in that mission and give public witness to the Catholic faith through their life choices,” the authors explain.
Provided to prospective teachers before they even apply for a Catholic school position, the Sacramento statement is very specific about Church teaching on issues like marriage—an especially important point given the redefinition of marriage in California and the Supreme Court ruling on marriage expected tomorrow or Monday.
The Diocese informs applicants that “the notion of ‘gay marriage’, and the adoption or placement of children in anything other than a traditional family setting, secularism, the paring back of religious freedom rights, or the restriction of… liberty of conscience, anti-Catholicism, or anti-Catholic biases, [and] the abuse of alcohol or the use of illegal narcotics or other controlled substances” are opposed to Catholic morality and faith. Anyone who is unwilling to “authentically witness the Catholic faith by their lives may wish to reflect and seek pastoral guidance before applying for employment or ministry in the Church,” the Diocese warns.
Other examples of teacher employment documents include stand-alone faith and morals statements, witness statements, belief statements and oaths, employee handbook policies and “safe environment” policies that protect against child abuse but also require teachers’ moral behavior in other respects.
Drs. Donohue and Guernsey note that in addition to explaining particular points of moral concern for the Church, many dioceses will also instruct teachers to consult the Vatican-approved Catechism of the Catholic Church on all moral and faith questions.
“Direct reference to the entire Catechism is a best practice, because it not only solves the potential legal question of where to find authoritative, clearly articulated, and binding theological and moral norms for use in adjudication, but also has the added benefit of addressing a much broader scope of possible flashpoints in a deeper context than can be addressed in an employment document,” the authors advise.
“This helps clarify two important legal questions in a termination related to morality clauses,” they write. “Was the employee aware of what was expected (did they know that their behavior violated expectations), and how is immorality defined or understood in particular instances so as to avoid an arbitrary enactment of the clause by the employer?”
The Newman Society authors also have praise for the Code of Ethics for the Teacher in a Catholic School issued
by Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, because while it is
necessary that such documents be “legalistic,” Bishop Vasa takes great
care to also ensure “pastoral sensitivity, instruction and clarity.”
The Code explains that “as human beings, we are called by God to a life of holiness. We recognize that, without diminishing our freedom, this call orients us to heed God in our thoughts, words and deeds. We further recognize that this call is all the more compelling for us since, in our lives and vocations as teacher/administrators in a Catholic school, we have been entrusted with the task of helping students ‘arrive at the fullness of the Christian life’ (Canon 794, § 1).”
Therefore, the Code states, it is essential that Catholic school teachers and leaders model an “exemplary life both personally and professionally”—words that also appear in the Diocese’s employment contracts. “Thus, whether we are at school or outside of school, our public behavior is to be in conformity with Church teaching as expounded in The Catechism of the Catholic Church.”
While teaching in a Catholic school can be an extraordinary experience for the faithful Catholic teacher, the authors note that disputes with teachers who run afoul of diocesan standards can be “painful, emotionally and socially charges, and potentially litigious.”
“Charity, clarity, humility, and justice will all need to come into
play in aiming for a peaceful resolution with the employee,” the authors
advise, citing the Diocese of Davenport’s termination policies as
exemplary in their avoidance of scandal and promotion of “mutual
respect, personal integrity and freedom of conscience.”
What the two reports demonstrate, the authors conclude, is that:
The Cardinal Newman Society.
In the past year, several dioceses have announced new “morality clauses” and other improvements to teacher contracts, handbooks and other employment documents, ensuring that teachers are aware of expectations that they model Catholic values and beliefs both inside and outside the classroom. A firestorm of criticism has engulfed Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone in San Francisco, who proposed similar changes to local teacher agreements.
But an important study by The Cardinal Newman Society’s Dr. Jamie Arthur, released a couple days ago, shows that Archbishop Cordileone and his fellow bishops have only been implementing standards that the Vatican has required for several decades, wholly consistent with the Church’s vision for Catholic education.
And now two new reports from the Newman Society—authored by Dr. Denise Donohue and Dr. Dan Guernsey, deputy director and director respectively of the Society’s K-12 education programs—clearly demonstrate that the several bishops whose updated teacher standards have been reported by news media are not alone in their efforts. Instead, there appears to be a national consensus among Catholic bishops that faith and morals clauses are needed in teacher agreements.
 | |
| Archbishop Cordileone, San Francisco |
“The work of these researchers provides valuable support to Archbishop Cordileone and the whole Church,” said Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society. “Not only do these reports dispel false claims that the bishops who are implementing strong teacher standards are out of touch with the rest of the Church, but these reports also will help bishops and school leaders engage in a national conversation about the essential role of faithful Catholic teachers and collaborate in strengthening the Catholic identity of America’s Catholic schools.”
In their reports, Drs. Donohue and Guernsey find much diversity in how dioceses articulate their faith and morals standards, and with what sort of employment documents the standards are presented to current and prospective employees in Catholic schools. But some dioceses have been collaborating on specific language, and there are clear themes that run through the standards, with apparent concern for hot-button moral issues that are most likely to cause friction between Catholic schools and teachers who do not fully embrace Catholic values.
The Newman Society authors identify and analyze several outstanding examples of diocesan policies in their paper, Faith and Morals Language in Catholic School Teacher Employment Documents: Best Practices Brief. “Best practice in invoking a faith or morals clause involves ensuring the teacher understands and participates in the school’s religious mission and is aware of areas of potential moral concern,” write Drs. Donohue and Guernsey.
The “best practices brief” draws upon a much longer, 67-page compilation of sample language from more than 125 dioceses in the United States.
Among the model documents is the “pre-application statement” for teachers in the Diocese of Sacramento, chosen because it includes “a narrative on the mission of the Church and the expectation of employees to share in that mission and give public witness to the Catholic faith through their life choices,” the authors explain.
Provided to prospective teachers before they even apply for a Catholic school position, the Sacramento statement is very specific about Church teaching on issues like marriage—an especially important point given the redefinition of marriage in California and the Supreme Court ruling on marriage expected tomorrow or Monday.
The Diocese informs applicants that “the notion of ‘gay marriage’, and the adoption or placement of children in anything other than a traditional family setting, secularism, the paring back of religious freedom rights, or the restriction of… liberty of conscience, anti-Catholicism, or anti-Catholic biases, [and] the abuse of alcohol or the use of illegal narcotics or other controlled substances” are opposed to Catholic morality and faith. Anyone who is unwilling to “authentically witness the Catholic faith by their lives may wish to reflect and seek pastoral guidance before applying for employment or ministry in the Church,” the Diocese warns.
Other examples of teacher employment documents include stand-alone faith and morals statements, witness statements, belief statements and oaths, employee handbook policies and “safe environment” policies that protect against child abuse but also require teachers’ moral behavior in other respects.
Drs. Donohue and Guernsey note that in addition to explaining particular points of moral concern for the Church, many dioceses will also instruct teachers to consult the Vatican-approved Catechism of the Catholic Church on all moral and faith questions.
“Direct reference to the entire Catechism is a best practice, because it not only solves the potential legal question of where to find authoritative, clearly articulated, and binding theological and moral norms for use in adjudication, but also has the added benefit of addressing a much broader scope of possible flashpoints in a deeper context than can be addressed in an employment document,” the authors advise.
“This helps clarify two important legal questions in a termination related to morality clauses,” they write. “Was the employee aware of what was expected (did they know that their behavior violated expectations), and how is immorality defined or understood in particular instances so as to avoid an arbitrary enactment of the clause by the employer?”
 | |
| Bishop Vasa, Santa Rosa |
The Code explains that “as human beings, we are called by God to a life of holiness. We recognize that, without diminishing our freedom, this call orients us to heed God in our thoughts, words and deeds. We further recognize that this call is all the more compelling for us since, in our lives and vocations as teacher/administrators in a Catholic school, we have been entrusted with the task of helping students ‘arrive at the fullness of the Christian life’ (Canon 794, § 1).”
Therefore, the Code states, it is essential that Catholic school teachers and leaders model an “exemplary life both personally and professionally”—words that also appear in the Diocese’s employment contracts. “Thus, whether we are at school or outside of school, our public behavior is to be in conformity with Church teaching as expounded in The Catechism of the Catholic Church.”
While teaching in a Catholic school can be an extraordinary experience for the faithful Catholic teacher, the authors note that disputes with teachers who run afoul of diocesan standards can be “painful, emotionally and socially charges, and potentially litigious.”
 |
| Bishop Barber, Oakland |
What the two reports demonstrate, the authors conclude, is that:
…there are different options for Catholic leadership to approach the presentation and enforcement of faith and morals clauses for Catholic school teachers. In seeking to implement faith and morals clauses, it is prudent for the school to ensure that 1) it has properly highlighted the fundamental religious nature of all of its efforts, 2) it has made all teachers aware of their responsibility to advance the religious mission of Catholic education, and 3) it seeks to ensure that the teachers understand the scope of faith and morals transgressions that might result in termination of employment.Both reports—the best practices brief and the full compilation of diocesan materials—are posted online at The Cardinal Newman Society website.
The Cardinal Newman Society.
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