Archdpdx and EMO consent to woman's "ordination" ?

Dear Friends of Life and Family,

On July 28, 2007 an Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) Church allowed a mockery of the priesthood by having an "ordination" of Toni Tortorilla. She is well known around the Archdiocese of Portland.

The relationship between Ms. Tortorilla and the Archdpdx seemed to trump the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the responsibility to Oregon Catholics in protecting these teachings by the Archdiocese. Below is the letter Archbishop Vlazny wrote after the Oregonian went public with this story. (my notes are in red)


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Archbishop Vlazny
Catholic Sentinel August 23, 2007

"On Friday, Aug. 17, the Oregonian reported on a religious (religious?) ceremony at Zion United Church of Christ (EMO Church) in Gresham which was described as a Roman Catholic “ordination.” According to the report, we now have the first woman Roman Catholic priest in Oregon.

Most readers, hopefully, were somewhat suspicious about the event when they learned it did not take place in a Catholic church.(This is NOT an option!) Out of respect for those involved in the ceremony (Toni Tortorilla? Is there respect for the Roman Catholic Church?), I had decided to make no public statement. (Silence implies consent.) The Oregonian also said nothing for three weeks.

My main purpose in speaking up now is to assure you that there was no ordination of a Roman Catholic priest at Zion United Church of Christ in Gresham on July 28.(thanks for the assurance? where is the condemnation?) Even though Catholics (in name only) were involved, the claim that it was a Catholic ceremony is wrong but, hopefully, not intentionally disrespectful of a sacrament which we Catholics regard as a precious treasure (The Body of Christ is not a treasure, but the Source and Summit of our Faith..egads. They were totally disrespectful, what else do they have to do?When things are hidden it's for a reason. Even atheists know that woman are never Roman Catholic priests. What Catholics were involved besides Toni? We deserve to know.if they were also employees of ours), one for which we are called to exercise reverent and faithful stewardship.

Our relationships with other churches are sometimes fragile because of differences in beliefs and values. But in all ecumenical relationships Christian churches do their best to respect the diversity in practices and beliefs. I regret the apparent disregard for this understanding."  (Sorry you're in dreamland. You "regret" the "apparent disregard"?}

This seems to be a blatant effort to undermine the Catholic Church. Are we respected by the EMO churches? We give them credibility. We give them money and contacts. We are used to make people think that Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon represents ALL the protestant churches to the Legislature and public at large which is not the case. This relationship with EMO is not true ecumenism



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IMPORTANT

The Archdpdx Griffin Center, on the campus of Christ the King Church in Miluakie, is due to receive $660,000 (20%) of the Archbishop's Annual/Catholic Appeal this year. Toni Tortorilla was part of their Ministry formation to:

"....fulfills the requirement for National Certification Standard 1: Personal and Spiritual Maturity.

Students will devote the weekend to preparing a personal plan for ongoing spiritual development. Her collegues at the Griffin Center were;

Mary Jo Tully, Chancellor;
Rev. Dennis O'Donovan, Vicar General;
Cathy Shannon, Child Protection Director (contact her for questions on new "safe environment" programs; Sister Jeremy Gallet, Office of Worship (for issues of kneeling, contact her);
Ruth Hayes-Barba, Care Ministry;
Sister Maureen Abbott, Griffin Center Director;
Brother Robert Rodrigues;
Rev. Juniper Schneider, on Justice and Peace board;
Sister Catherine Hertel.

Toni Tortilla is on staff for the Northeast Catholic Counseling Center.
"Toni Tortorilla, of Portland, lives with her lesbian partner." Santa Barbara Independent July 26, 2007.
IS HER THEORETICAL ORIENTATION THAT OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PORTLAND?
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Theoretical Orientation of Toni Tortorilla:
"My therapeutic orientation is a blend of trans personal, humanistic and feminist models. I support simultaneous development of psychological and spiritual growth by drawing on various approaches and disciplines. I facilitate healing, awareness and self-understanding through the integration of life experiences. My style is intuitive, creative, compassionate and interactive."


Toni Tortorilla is a psychotherapist and spiritual director in Portland, Oregon with an MDiv from a Jesuit theological school. She has been in the counseling field for 27 years, landing there originally in an attempt to pursue the calling to ordination that had seemed to pursue her relentlessly since she was 5 years old. She completed a B.A. in Theology just after the conclusion of Vatican II, and worked as a DRE during the early transition years. She taught high school religion, got fed up with the hierarchy and its position on women, followed other wise and transformative spiritual paths for 20 years, then came around full circle to the heart of the RC tradition once again. After returning, Toni soon found herself in a parish working with a team of people interested in reaching out to disenfranchised and alienated Catholics. When anti-gay initiatives came before the voters of Oregon she approached a sympathetic priest with the idea for an outreach ministry to the gay and lesbian community. He was enthusiastically receptive, and this pastoral experience became the launching pad for her application and acceptance into seminary. Toni will be ordained a priest this summer on July 28, 2007.

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Be Not Afraid!!

The Catholic Church believes that the laity is necessary for more than money. In fact Canon 212 gives us value we don't often experience :


Canon 212, § 3 . “In accord with the knowledge, competence and preeminence which they possess, the Christian faithful have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard for the integrity of faith and morals and reverence towards their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons.”

The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is one place to have your voice heard. Get to know your Vicarate representative and tell them your concerns. They exist to show that the laity is involved and prevent clericalism.

Mr. Ken Willett (503) 281-2469 Downtown Portland/Southeast Portland
Mr. Clint Bentz (503) 394 3268 Albany-Corvallis/Santiam
Dr. Thom Faller (503) 285-1350 Beaverton Suburban
Ms. Marie D'Agrose Columbia County/Middle Coast/North Coast
Mr. David Mastroieni (503) 653-0793 East Ptld. Suburban/South Ptld. Suburban
Ms. Lois Cersovski (541) 995-6973 Metropolitan Eugene
Ms. Carmen Swan Metropolitan Salem
Mr. John Cooper Northeast Portland
Ms. Sue Klemenhagen (541) 756-2865 South Coast
Mr. Rick Nelson Southern Oregon
Mr. John Mikitka (503) 649-4120 Tualatin Valley
Mr.Gary Stump (503) 636-3737 West Portland Suburban
Mr. Wendell James (503) 829-8694 Yamhill County/Marion County


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For your information and future reference. Please note the protocol
.

When one is writing the Vatican to alert them to
heresy and errors and abuses, the protocol to follow is usually
to send originals letters addressed to each of the following.
(updated 2-28-06)

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI PP.
Bishop of Rome
Apostolic Palace
Via del Pellegrino
Citta del Vaticano
Vatican City State, 00120
phone: 011.3906.6988.10.22
email: av@pccs.va
fax: 011.3906.6988.53.73
(When sending mail to the Holy Father, do not
place the word 'Italy' on the envelope. The Vatican
is an independent nation and Italy's mail system routinely
misroutes mail addressed to the nation of Vaticano.
When the Vatican sends mail back to you, you'll notice
it is postmarked from within the U.S. somewhere. That's because
Italy's mail is so unreliable that the Vatican only uses its own
couriers routinely traveling to the U.S., on a daily basis, to carry
US mail over and mail it within the U.S.)


His Excellency The Most Reverend
Pietro Sambi
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
3339 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008-3687
phone: 202-333-7l2l
fax: 202-337-4036

Most Reverend Celestino Migliore,
Permanent Observer of the Holy See
to the United Nations
25 E. 39th St.
New York, N.Y. l00l6-0903
phone: 212-370-9614
phone voice/data: 212-370-7885
fax: 2l2-370-9622
email: hsmission@holyseemission.org
email: HolySee@un.int
http://www.holyseemission.org/contact_us.html
(the above two are positioned in the U.S. and
are important to notify as they relay news back to
the Holy See. Then, you continue to send copies
to the following Curia or Congregations:)

His Eminence Angelo Cardinal Sodano
The Secretariat of State
Apostolic Palace
00l20 Vatican City State
europe
phone: 011.3906.69.88.34.38
fax: 011.3906.69.88.50.88
(He closely assists the Pope in the
exercise of his supreme function. The Cardinal
Secretary presides over it.)

Cardinal William J. Levada, S.T.D.
Prefect for
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Piazza del S. Uffizio ll
00l93 Rome Italy
phone: 011.3906.69.88.33.57
fax: 011.3906.69.88.34.09
email: cdf@cfaith.va
(He promotes and safeguards the doctrine
of faith and morals in the whole Catholic world;
therefore, those things belong to it which
touch this matter in any way.)


His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect
The Congregation for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments
Piazza Pio XII l0
00l93 Rome, Italy
phone: 011.3906.69.88.43.l6
fax: 011.3906.69.88.34.99
(He pertains to the moderation and promotion
of the sacrfed liturgy, especially the sacraments,
with due regard for the competence of the
Cong. for Doctrine of Faith. He fosters and safeguards
the discipline of the sacraments, especially
what pertains to their valid and licit celebration; he
concedes favors and dispensations for matters which
are not contained in the
facilities of diocesan bishops.)


His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos
Prefect
The Congregation for the Clergy
Piazza Pio XII 3
00l93 Rome, Italy
phone: 011.3906.69.88.4l.5l
Fax: 011.3906.69.88.48.45
(He is concerned with due regard for the
rights of bishops and their conferences and
he examines those things which concern priests and deacons of the secular clergy
with regard to their persons, ministry. This Congregation studies,
proposes and urges the means and aids by which priests strive for sanctity.
This Congregation also has charge of everything which concerns the work
and discipline of the diocesan clergy, especially Preaching of the clergy,
Catechesis, religious instruction of the young and adults.)



Most Rev. Stanislaw Rylko
President
Pontifical Council for the Laity
Piazza S. Calistoly
00l53 Rome, Italy
phone: 011.3906.6988.7322
FAX: 011.3906.6988.7214


His Eminence Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re
Prefect
Congregation for Bishops
Piazza Pio XII 10
00193 Rome, Italy
phone: 011-3906-6988-4217
fax: 011-3906-6988-5303
He oversees the exercise of the bishops
function in the Church. This Cong. provides
also for the naming of bishops, apostolic administrators,
coadjutors, auxiliaries of bishops, military vicars,
and bishops enjoying personal jurisdiction. It is
competent for all things that have to do with bishops
and publsihes norms which provide for the more urgent
needs of the faithful.


Most Reverend Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski
Prefect
The Congregation for Catholic Education
(of Seminaries and Institutes of Studies)
Piazza Pio XII 3
00l93, Rome, Italy
phone: 011.3906.6988.4167
fax: 011.3906.6988.4172
(He's responsible for formation of those who are called
to Holy Orders as well as for the promotion and organization
of Catholic Education, for clerics and laity both. He is
charged with the direction, discipline and temporal administration of seminaries
and whatever touches the education of diocesan clergy and secular
institutes, overseeing Universities, faculties, and any institute of
higher learning which has the name of 'Catholic' including those
directed by religious as well as laity.It watches over Catholic
schools in the dioceses as well.)


His Eminence J.Francis Cardinal Stafford
Prefect
Apostolic Penitentiary
Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Piazza della Cancelleria 1
00186, Rome, Italy
phone: 011-3906-6988-7520
fax: 011-3906-6988-7553
The competence of the Tribunal is concerned with those
matters which pertain to the internal forum, for both
the sacramental and non-sacramental internal forum.
This Department consults that justice may be correctly
administered in the Church, judging matters assigned to
it between the Holy See and the various nations. Also,
specifically handles sensitive questions & indulgences
regarding Sacrament of Confession & Spiritual Direction.


There is an American priest, working for many years in
the Roman curia, who is most sympathetic to matters
of maintaining orthodoxy in the U.S. parishes. His name:
Rev. Msgr. Arthur Calkins
Assistant to President Angelo Cardinal Felici
Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"
Piazza Pio XII 3
00l93 Rome, Italy
phone: 011.3906.69.88.4l.5l
Fax: 011.3906.69.88.48.45
This commissiion regularises canonical situations
of a traditionalist nature; to collaborate with local
bishops with a view to satisfying the numerous groups
of faithful linked to the Latin liturgical tradition with
request a regular celebration of the Holy Mass in keeping
with the l962 rite in their dioceses. The commission can
indicate to the local bishop a way to meet the needs of
the traditional faithful.

You should also contact the Saint Joseph Foundation in San Antonio, Texas. Their
job is to assist Catholics who wish to make canonical appeals.

The St. Joseph Foundation
11107 Wurzbach Suite 601B
San Antonio, Texas 78230-2570
Telephone: (210) 697-0717
Fax: (210) 699-9439
http://www.st-joseph-foundation.org/

Thank you to Barbara who is a wealth of information and devoted to Our Lord.

Barbara Kralis
Jesus Through Mary Foundation
Avemaria@earthlink.net
phone: 903-532-5555
fax: 903-532-6544
919 Harrell Road
Howe, Tx. 75459

Lex orandi est lex credendi, translated into English as
"The law of prayers dictates the law of belief."
In other words, the way you pray shows what
you believe; what you exhibit externally reflects
what you believe internally. As Archbishop Fulton
Sheen once said, "If you don't behave as you
believe, you will end by believing as you behave."

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FOR MEN ONLY

"Lord fill with the gift of the Holy Spirit him whom you have deigned to raise to the rank of the priesthood, that he may be worthy to stand without reproach before your altar, to proclaim the Gospel of your Kingdom, to fulfill the ministry of your word of truth, to offer you spiritual gifts and sacrifices, to renew your people by the bath of rebirth; so that he may go out to meet our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, your only Son, on the day of His second coming, and may receive from your vast goodness the recompense for a faithful administration of His order." Byzantine Rite Ordination Prayer

63,000 Signed Petitions Protecting Children from Sexual Predators

Dear Friends of Life and Family,

The Body of Christ was visible to hundreds of Protestants and Catholics bringing in over 63,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's office yesterday. Everyone did what they could to let Oregonians vote on two issues, "same-sex" marriage and "sexual orientation, behavior and expression" as a protected minority that Governor Kulongoski refers to as "transformational". We will vote in November!!!! If we have enough valid signatures we will vote and if we don't make have enough signatures we will file a two new initiatives!!!

Protecting marriage and family became everyone's priority and it was amazing to have people send petition sheets by Express Mail, driving hundreds of miles, use the Greyhound bus and spend up to twelve hours a day getting signatures. The sacrifices were in lost wages, little sleep and donating their God-given talents to do something that cost other campaigns hundreds of thousands of dollars to accomplish. This Ecumenical movement didn't take millions from collection plate money to hire others to show people how to become what we already are: The Body of Christ.

Unum corpus et unus spiritus sicut vocati estis in una spe vocationis vestrae

One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling. Ephesians 4:4

Immediate Action for Family Life/Justice in Pieces "virtual workshop" coming soon...

Dear Friends of Catholic Family Life, Time is short for the two referenda on family life. They will be handed into the Secretary of State's office on September 26th. Please collect the last of your signatures by September 20th and either send them or deliver them to chief petitioner Janice Bentson - 6495 Windsor Island Road N., Keizer OR 97303. Please read the definitions again of these bills that will be passed into law unless we have enough signatures to be able to LET OREGON VOTE www.letoregonvote in November 2008. This is about the vote of the people, not the legislature guiding our state without us. Green Sheets - Petition #303 is for Enrolled HB 2007 - relating to same-sex relationships. http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/hb2000.dir/hb2007.en.pdf Blue Sheets - Petition #304 is for Enrolled SB 2 - relating to sexual orientations including affirmative action. http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/sb001.dir/sb0002.en.pdf Pope Benedict says traditional family must be defended, helped By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service 2007 VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI turned his attention to the family in early June, encouraging church members to help couples in crisis and reaffirming church teaching that marriage between a man and a woman is the only legitimate basis for family life. Because human beings were created in the image of God, and because God is love, "the vocation to love is that which makes the person an authentic image of God: One becomes similar to God to the degree that one becomes one who loves," the pope said June 6. The pope's speech to the Diocese of Rome's annual convention at the Basilica of St. John Lateran was the most extensive of his three interventions on the family in three days. Pope Benedict told the diocesan convention that contrary to what many people think today marriage is not a "casual sociological construction," but a reflection of the truth about the human person, the meaning of life and the relationship of human beings with the God who created them out of love and for love. A lifelong pledge of fidelity between a man and a woman and the openness to having children also are a reflection of the identity of the human person as an "indissoluble" unity of body and spirit. "Man is a soul which expresses itself in the body and a body that is given life by an immortal spirit," he said. "The body of man and of woman has, then, a theological character that is not simply corporeal, and that which is biological in the human person is not simply biological, but is an expression and fulfillment of our humanity," Pope Benedict said. "Human sexuality is not something that exists alongside our being a person, but belongs to it," he said. When a man and a woman say "yes" to each other, they are pledging their entire being to one another: body and soul, he said. Saying "yes" implies using one's freedom to make a choice and a commitment, he said. "The greatest expression of freedom is not the search for pleasure without ever making a true decision; rather, it is the ability to make a decision about a definitive gift in which freedom, freely given, finds its fullest expression," he said. "The various modern forms of the dissolution of marriage -- like free unions, 'trial marriages' and the pseudomarriage between persons of the same sex -- are expressions of an anarchic freedom," he said. What many people today think of as freedom is a way of acting based on the idea that each person should do whatever he or she wants, whenever he or she wants, paying no attention to what it means to have been created male and female and called to love completely and responsibly, the pope said. Just as understanding the full meaning of human sexuality requires an acknowledgment of the human vocation to love, so the true meaning of parenthood can be grasped only when seen in the light of love, Pope Benedict said. The pope said it is "contrary to human love, to the profound vocation of man and of woman, to systematically close their union to the gift of life and, even worse, to suppress or tamper with the life about to be born." Pope Benedict said the church's obligation to help build strong families must not stop with defending marriage, preparing engaged couples and helping married couples in crisis. The fundamental role of parents to educate their children in the faith, in morality and in good citizenship also is under attack today, he said. "A particularly insidious obstacle to education today," he said, "is the massive presence in our society and culture of that relativism, which recognizes nothing as definitive, leaving as the ultimate standard only the individual and his or her desires." The pope said that without guidance a person's individuality and desires end up "being a prison," rather than freedom. Meeting at the Vatican June 4 with pilgrims from the Diocese of Verona, Italy, Pope Benedict said it was right that concern for the family was at the center of their diocese's recently concluded synod. "In your diocese, as is the case elsewhere, the number of divorces and irregular unions has increased, and this is an urgent call to Christians to proclaim and witness to the Gospel of life and of the family in its entirety," the pope said. Pope Benedict said that, despite the problems all couples face and the "social and cultural conditioning" that currently seems to encourage couples to split, "Christian spouses have not stopped being a sign of the faithful love of God." Also June 4, Pope Benedict confirmed the convocation of the Fifth World Meeting of Families in July 2006 in Valencia, Spain. Pope John Paul II had convoked the gathering. Confirming the meeting in a letter to Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Pope Benedict said the value of the family founded on marriage is "central for the church and society." "The church cannot forsake announcing that, in accordance with the plans of God, marriage and the family are irreplaceable and do not allow for other alternatives," he said. The "Justice in Pieces" workshops were informative and necessary for all people of faith to experience. A "virtual workshop" is being prepared. Stewardship of our collection plates and where the money goes is our responsiblibity. Building up the Culture of Life is our mission. Please pray for the success of the signature collecting and all involved. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "You should rather humble yourself before God than be distressed if He reserves for you the sufferings of his Son, and makes you experience your weakness. You should offer up to Him the prayer of resignation and hope, even when you fail through frailty, and thank Him for all the benefits with which He continually enriches you." Padre Pio VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity OR 97385 www.vocalnews.org Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In-line with the Church, on-line with the world"

Will Sexual Predators Have Minority Status?

Dear Life Advocates, Please ask your nearest lawyer if this could be an Oregon reality. See the insert. Will mother's be facing these types in public restrooms? Will children be prey with the blessing of the 2007 Oregon Legislature? Go to www.LetOregonVote.com the new referendum website for definitions of Senate Bill 2, "the sexual orientation, behavior and expression as a minority status". This will become a law to go into effect on January 1st, if not stopped by your signature. Let Oregon Vote SB2 and the "same sex marriage" House Bill 2007 and have them reevaluated by the voters. Archbishop Vlazny and Bishop Vasa have given their okay on the collection of signatures. This is not discrimination of homosexuals, this is a welcome mat to our children...see if your lawyer disagrees. Bishop Vasa gave his testimony on this during the session. As a canon lawyer, he seems to think there are problems that weren't addressed by the legislature and disregarded by concerned Oregonians. The attachment is what the Roman Catholic Church teaches regarding these issues. These things do NOT change with the trends of culture. There is a Natural Law that Christ established that can no more be changed than His law of gravity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cross-Dressing Sex Predator Arrested - Again PORTLAND - A predatory sex offender known for dressing in woman's clothes in order to enter women's restrooms and locker rooms was arrested Friday. Thomas Lee Benson, 35, was recently indicted on one count of unlawful contact with a child. Benson was arrested Friday morning as he entered the Multnomah County Courthouse on an unrelated matter, reports say. He was booked into the Justice Center Jail. In June, Benson was arrested at the Mt. Scott Community Center after witnesses told police that Benson dressed in women's clothing and entered the women's locker room at least two times over a period of several hours. Once inside, he reportedly changed clothing while young children changed into and out of bathing suits. Then, he was charged with invasion of privacy, misuse of a public restroom, and failing to register as a sex offender. Benson is a predatory sex offender as defined in the Oregon sex offender registry, according to reports. Based on information that has since surfaced, as potential victims gave police more than a dozen leads, investigators believe Benson may have gone into women's dressing rooms in other community centers in the past weeks or months. The investigation is continuing. 8/24/2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you need petitions or volunteers to gather signatures, contact the website, or let me know and it will be done, asap. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "Am I my brother's keeper?" Hmmm... Genesis 4:10 VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity OR 97385 www.vocalnews.org Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In-line with the Church, on-line with the world"

What DO Oregon Catholics Pay For? Workshops in PDX, Salem, Bend

Dear Pro-Life Advocates,

Come and find out answers to your questions regarding where our collection plate money goes. Bring your notebooks and questions.

Please bring your friends and take advantage of at least one of these opportunities.

Don't let your money go to fund anti-Catholic organizations that don't support the Culture of Life. Attached are examples of what might be problem areas in the Archdiocese of Portland..

JUSTICE IN PIECES:
Avenues of Dissent in the Church

Portland - Friday, September 7th
Immaculate Heart Catholic Church Conference Room
2926 North Williams Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97227
(across from Emanuel Hospital) http://www.immaculateheartchurch.org/index.asp
Doors open 6:30 PM for "meet and greet"
Workshop 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Optional: Bring a snack to share
(NO AFFILIATION WITH THE CHURCH ITSELF NOR CONTENT INTENDED TO BE)

SALEM - Saturday, September 8th
Salem Public Library - Anderson Room "B" downstairs
585 Liberty St. SE Salem, Oregon 97301
more info and directions http://www.cityofsalem.net/departments/library/Contact.html

Doors open 10:00 AM for "meet and greet"
Workshop 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Optional: Bring a brown bag lunch or something to share.
Restaurants nearby.
BEND -Sunday, September 9th
Deschutes Public Library
601 NW Wall St
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 385-3244
www.dpls.lib.or.us
Doors open at 1:00 PM and meeting starts ASAP ending at 2:30
Food is NOT allowed, but we can go for coffee afterwards.
Our speaker, Stephanie Block is from New Mexico and Director of Los Pequenos de Cristo, Inc. [www.lospequenos.org] and a member of Catholic Media Coalition whose spiritual director is Father Paul Marx noted for his work with Human Life International.

She will speak on, and answer questions regarding, "Faith in Public Life" - and the efforts that lead to abuse of the Roman Catholic Church through different avenues of organized dissent and their funding, including:
Faith in Public Life
Saul Alinsky type organizing and funding
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
MACG - Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good
Call to Action
Pax Christi
Soujournors - Jim Wallis and Father Richard Rohr "Interfaith" affiliations.
THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE. THOSE INVOLVED IN THESE GROUPS ARE ALSO INVITED. WE ASK FOR RESPECT AND A WILLINGNESS TO BE EDUCATED. THIS IS TO BENEFIT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITHFUL AND GLORIFY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Related:

Stephanie Block's writings.
http://www.catholiccitizens.org/search/default.asp?query=stephanie+block&x=0&y=0

http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=10039&t=The+Thomas+Mass+and+Father+Richard+Rohr

http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=9985&t=Faith+in+Public+Life%3A+an+analysis

God Bless you and yours,

Carolyn Wendell, VOCAL www.vocalnews.org
Voice of Catholics Advocating Life
PO Box 458
Sublimity OR 97385

"Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves". Matt 10: 16-20

Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In-line with the Church, on-line with the world"

"JUSTICE IN PIECES" - Sept. 7, 8, 9 Workshops in Dissenting Groups in the Church

Dear Friends, Please pass this on... "Justice in Pieces"....Avenues of Organized Dissent in the Catholic Church Our speaker, Stephanie Block is from New Mexico and Director of Los Pequenos de Cristo, Inc. www.lospequenos.org a member of Catholic Media Coalition. She will speak on and answer questions regarding : "Faith in Public Life" - and the efforts that lead to abuse of the Roman Catholic Church through different avenues of organized dissent and their funding. Some of those avenues: Faith in Public Life Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon affiliations Catholic Campaign for Human Development MAGC - Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good Call to Action Pax Christi Soujournors - Jim Wallis and Father Richard Rohr Portland - Friday September 7th Immaculate Heart Catholic Church Conference Room 2926 North Williams Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97227 (across from Emanuel Hospital) http://www.immaculateheartchurch.org/index.asp NO AFFILIATION WITH THE CHURCH ITSELF NOR CONTENT INTENDED TO BE Doors open 6:30 for "meet and greet" Workshop 7-9 Bring a friend and questions. Salem - Saturday, September 8th Salem Public Library - Anderson Room "B" downstairs 585 Liberty St. SE Salem, Oregon 97301 more info and directions http://www.cityofsalem.net/departments/library/Contact.html Doors open 10:00am for "meet and greet" Workshop 10:30am-3:30pm Bring a brown bag lunch and if you wish, something to share. Food nearby in Salem Bring your questions and a friend. Sunday, September 9th TBA THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE. THOSE INVOLVED IN THESE GROUPS ARE ALSO INVITED. WE ASK FOR RESPECT AND A WILLINGNESS TO BE EDUCATED. THIS IS TO BENEFIT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITHFUL AND GLORIFY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. . Here are some of Stephanie Blocks writings. A power point presentation will start the day and handouts will be available. Also one of her daughters just took final vows in the Dominican Sisters of Mary the Mother of the Eucharist. Information will be available regarding this growing community located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We welcome Stephanie. http://www.catholiccitizens.org/search/default.asp?query=stephanie+block&x=0&y=0 http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=10039&t=The+Thomas+Mass+and+Father+Richard+Rohr http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=9985&t=Faith+in+Public+Life%3A+an+analysis God Bless you and yours, Carolyn VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO BOX 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 www.vocalnews.org Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In-line with the Church, on-line with the world"

VOTING FOR FAMILY LIFE

July 25, 2007 I am honored to be one of the chief petitioners for the two referendums to be put to a vote of the people the bills passed in the 2007 legislature: "Domestic Partnership" and "Sexual orientation as a protected minority status". By collecting enough signatures, the Referendums 303 (same sex marriage - green sheets) and 304 (protected sexual behavior, expression Blue Sheets) Archbishop Vlazny and Bishop Vasa have given their permission for churches to collect these most important signatures. Pastors can call Father Dennis O'Donovan for confirmation info - 503-234-5334. ISSUES are different than CANDIDATES and do not jeopardize tax exempt status. This past 2007 session of the Oregon Legislature, I testified on behalf of pro-life and pro-family bills and have an objective,albeit from my moral perspective, viewpoint that those of us of like mind at the Capitol experienced from our hours of attending hearings. In a nutshell, it was a done deal with the 2007 Legislature to get these bills passed. No matter the testimony, no matter the questions regarding the prudence of these bills, it was just an exercise in futility. The voters had spoken regarding both "domestic partnerships" with same-sex couples having ALL the same rights as married couples and "sexual orientation as a protected minority status" saying NO to both and the will of Oregon voters was ignored. They had the power and used it. We need to collect signatures in our churches and from all our family and friends to be able to vote. Let's see if the people really want these moral changes and if the Legislators were really representing Oregonians. Please run this "definition" past any lawyer and see if the public is protected from objectionable sexual advances, both adults and children alike, because of the wording. At the hearings, these questions were responded to with "we'll just have to let the courts decide". This was the attitude throughout the session. “Sexual orientation” means an individual¢s actual or perceived heterosexuality,homosexuality, bisexuality or gender identity, regardless of whether the individual¢s gender identity, appearance, expression or behavior differs from that traditionally associated with the individual's sex at birth." http://www.defenseofmarriagecoalition.org/pdf/SB2-Highlight.pdf Attached is a past letter from Bishop Vasa on Senate Bill 2 aka Referendum 304. There is a letter from all the Oregon Bishops regarding "same-sex" relationships that I will keep looking for and send out. There are/were also examples of "homosexual/etc. nepotism" that exist but are ignored. It's time to be truly objective and not just believe stories of "discrimination" that we ALL experience, but just don't complain about. For those of you who don't want to collect signatures, that's great. No pain, no gain.:-) Thanks to those who have requested packets. For all....if you want a packet of sheets (10 signatures to a sheet) and information OR complaints, OR would like to ask me a question or have me speak......just let me know. ALSO.....an invitation from the ecumenical Christian community. One of the other chief petitioners is from the Slavic/Russian Evangelical Church. The Russian Churches are praying every Friday night in different venues and would love to be invited to a Catholic church. You must have room for 200-400 people and get ready for a religious experience that shares the love of Christ by many different backgrounds. Many other denominations have joined to pray for all of Oregon and our needs. Let me know if your pastor would like to open up a parish to these events. Let's do this soon!!!! The Russian community has been through persecution and had their government overstepping their bounds. They were very vocal during the hearings but this too fell on deaf ears. So they are now fasting and praying. Let's join them...they want to include Catholics. Collecting these signatures and letting the voters of Oregon speak out AGAIN....will tell our children and grandchildren and those we love that we care and are willing to be inconvenienced and sacrifice for them. From Today's reading "Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; stuck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the Life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the Life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh." 2 Cor 4:7-10

CCHD Funding Illegal Immigration March?

Dear Friends, Eventhough we are a bankrupt diocese, we have money and the unborn are still not being protected. The Archbishop's Annual Appeal does not have a share of the pie for the unborn, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development does not, and Catholic Relief Services does not. NEW! Although Mary Jo Tully and David Carrier will not divulge the volunteers that make the decisions with Catholic collection money for CCHD, we need to find out who these people. They are the same types of groups only getting more radical. Leaders of VOZ, for example are part of the grantees. We have no pro-life share. The latest "donation" from us is to "Comite Latino". http://pcasc.net/about-us/el-comite-latino, http://pcasc.net/links This group led the March at the State Capitol regarding immigrantion. They have been permission according to "La Lucha Solidaria", (Portland Central America Solidarity Committee Fall/Winter 2006 newsletter, page 2,) to give speeches in Oregon Catholic churches. With this connection Catholics are now funding the no-border policies of the militant Hispanic groups and more. Helping the poor has become big business and Jesus is truly in disguise. The radical groups have lots of sources for money. Unborn children DO NOT. Remember the Students for a Democratic Society? SDS? Well, we are now part of them with our donations to these new groups. The SDS Newsletter attachment highlights PCASC/El Comite Latino. Where is the money for the unborn? Connect your own dots.... http://www.iafnw.macg.org/memberinstitutions/ MACG is part of many of our Catholic churches. Where are the Respect Life Committees the US Bishops wanted for each parish since 1996. We see that they are given to highly organized groups in many cases. There indeed is NO religious affilitation and a blinding omission of them. According to the "spiritual leader" of this movement, Saul Alisky in his book Rules for Radicals......"Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins -- or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer." Good people have been fighting this for many years, just like our involvement with the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. These groups are using this money, in most cases to build up new organizations and use it to change US government policy and direction. This is done through FUNGIBLE FUNDING. For example....From the 2006 Grant doc...attached. Organization: Oregon ACORN* Project: Health Care Reform Contact: Corrine Ball Location: Portland OR Funding: 2006 $25,000; This money the $25,000 can go towards their political type of health care reform, SO. the $25,000 they would have spent on health care can go for something else...something against even our Catholic principles!! *ACORN (The Association of Community Organization for Reform Now) has been given hundreds of thousands of dollars through the years from Oregon Catholics. This is a radical liberal anti-American organization that was started by Wade Rathke, of SDS fame Students for a Democratic Society. We need to be good stewards and educate ourselves in what the Church teaches...listen to the Holy Father and remember...the US Bishops Conference is not the Holy See....We need to go above to them to the words of the Church..which are from Christ Himself in faith and morals. This is a lot to comprehend. There are many Oregon Catholics working to make this a Culture of Life. Be Not Afraid. May we find the courage to speak up for true justice and common sense. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "It is better that scandals arise than the truth be supressed." Pope Saint Gregory the Great.

PDX/EMO - Are Immortal Souls Worth the Connection Anymore?

Dear CMC Family....Please pray for me......Here's what I sent out, today...on my birthday...I spent ALL DAY on this.....I hope it does some good. Love, Carolyn

Dear Friends, This World Net Daily article shows what can happen to the Catholic Church if we are not vigilant and let our reputation as the one True Church and devotion to the "Ultimate Sacrifice" of Jesus Christ falter.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52769 If you cannot get the link....go to www.worldnetdaily.com "Parish cancels 'Catholic' drag queens' bingo games.

The world views of the Roman Catholic church in union with the Holy Father and the Magisterium seem to be at odds with our involvement with the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Oregon parishes and organizations calling themselves Catholic have homosexual components that are not in compliance with Roman Catholic Church teaching.

They continue on, with "Catholic" money, deceiving people with no sense of shame. The most blatant connection is with EMO. Most of the churches listed support abortion "rights" and homosexual unions: the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches www.mccch.org is most visible.

We are an important member of EMO and have our chancellor, Mary Jo Tully, on the Board of Directors. www.emoregon.org for more information. The World Net Daily article involves a Catholic Church less than a mile away from the Metropolitan Community Church.

From these websites we find out something of what's happening at OUR Catholic parishes, etc. * Welcoming Communities www.welcomingcongregations.org.

Who is CWC? "The Community of Welcoming Congregations (CWC) is an Oregon and SW Washington ecumenical ministry and association of religious and spiritual congregations that welcome and affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Our ministry dedicates itself to the full equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersexed and questioning people seeking spiritual home. Through arms of education and advocacy, we reach out in support and affirmation acknowledging the image of our loving Creator in every person."

Catholic Journey Catholic Community Worship Address: St. Stephens Episcopal Church SW 13th and Clay Portland, OR 97225 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 219098 Portland, OR 97225 Pastor Nancy Bannister (503) 323-2406 Contact Person: Ginny Benware npmwest@aol.com http://www.journey-catholic.org/ Koinonia Catholic Community Koinonia has merged with Journey Catholic Community. Contact Journey for worship times. Koinonia Catholic Community - http://koinoniacommunity.org Perform same-sex "marriages"(also a member of Basic Rights Oregon).

A disturbing note on this group. Click on music. Koinonia former directors Tom Conry and Patrick Loomis do music for the OREGON CATHOLIC PRESS. We have come to realize that some songs lack a true Roman Catholic message from other composers as well.

St. Andrew's Catholic Church 806 NE Alberta St. Portland, OR 97211 Fr. Charles Lienert (503) 281-4429 Contact person: Kathy Saunders http://www.standrewchurch.com/

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church 330 SE 11th Ave. Portland, OR 97214 Valerie Chapman, pastoral administrator (503) 232-5880 valeriechapman@qwest.net Fr. Robert W. Krueger rkrueger@hevanet.com

St. Philip Neri Catholic Church Gay and Lesbian Outreach (GALO) 2408 SE 16th Ave. Portland, OR 97214 Fr. Richard Colgan, CSP (503) 231-4955 Contact person: Robert George Robert_Geo2000@yahoo.com List serve: http://groups.msn.com/catholicandgaywelcomehome http://www.stphilipneripdx.org/

Also... http://cclonline.org/ - Resources to Lesbian and Gay-Friendly parishes - click Oregon. These are listed. Koinonia Catholic Community; St. Philip Neri; St. Andrew; St. Vincent de Paul -- Portland

When I shared this information with ArchbishopVlazny a year ago regarding concerns with EMO and these other homosexual connections in light of the scandal and bankrupcy, this was his reply (see attachment).

 Pope Benedict XVI knows we need to pray and dialogue with other faiths...yet he asks us to avoid "syncretism", the fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, "Man's heart, in fact, is the place where God acts....Therefore, together with the 'horizontal' dimension of relationships with other men, of fundamental importance in this matter is the 'vertical' dimension of each one's relationship with God, in whom everything finds its foundation." (see attachment for full text)

Let's keep working to keep Oregon Catholic money and relationships on the right track...
 
Jesus Christ says "Be as wise as serpents as harmless as doves."

Apropos - from my Good Earth teabag. "Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught hell for" Earl Warren
 for." Earl Warren world"

Archd of PDX David Carrier/John Kerry Timed perfectly

Dear Friends, With many Oregon Catholic men and women in the armed forces sacrificing themselves in Iraq and the families who are praying for their safety, it would have been kind and prudent for something like this to NOT be sent. This happened at the same time as John Kerry's statement on our troops during war time. Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is closely linked to homosexual, anti-war and pro-abortion groups. www.emoregon.org We know that we cannot get away from the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and their liberal agenda...we have been bound for thirty years. Their "ecumenical" member churches include the International Metropolitan Community Church, pure homosexual. Mary Jo Tully , Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Portland is on their Board of Directors and said to me that they need help with the AIDS Daycare program, that's a reason we still stay. When I first met David Carrier, our new Justice and Peace director, not knowing what VOCAL was, he invited me to invest in some building projects...(this could be the new ones we see in the PDX areas). During one of our conversations, I even went so far as to tell him what Oregon really needed was a Pro-LIfe Director. but Providence Hospital offered a grant. As we talked about the war, I asked him "If Oregon was being invaded, would you defend us?" His answer was "no". Now this is fine...I once was a Quaker...however, as a Catholic I know that we have "prudential judgment" as to the war, but NOT, abortion or homosexual marriage/promotion. Therefore, the emphasis should be on Pro-life activties and family unity, not the environment or the war. We follow the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church. It would have been nice for the Justice and Peace Ministry to support something tangible that we all could benefit from - Yes on Measure 43 as Archbishop Vlazny has requested. From: Carrier, David [mailto:dcarrier@archdpdx.org] Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 12:17 PM To: justiceandpeace@archdpdx.org Subject: Please act to support peace in Iraq <> Dear concerned Catholic; I am sure that you are as disturbed as I am about the violence in Iraq. The magnitude of the tragedy was really brought home for me with the news last week that the first scientific analysis of likely casualties in Iraq estimated the death toll to be upwards of 650,000 people (90% of sample respondents had death certificates for the victims). This issue is not about politics. It cannot be dismissed that easily. As followers of Christ we are obligated to support life, create peace, and care for our brothers and sisters who are victims of the violence. We must do all we can to bring about a transition to peace so Iraqis can resume normal lives as soon as possible. If you were an Iraqi citizen, what would you ask us to do? What would Jesus want you to do? Over the summer, a group of faith leaders and I met with Senator Ron Wyden to express our concern about the violence in Iraq and the need to develop a concrete strategy for a transition to peace. Senator Wyden suggested that the most effective way for the faith community to bring about a change in U.S. policy is to convey to our Congressional delegation our own thoughts on what that transition should look like. With that in mind, we have written the attached letter in conjunction with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, outlining a plan for a responsible transition to peace in Iraq. The letter has been signed by Archbishop Vlazny, the bishops or executives of several other Oregon faith communities, and over 80 churches throughout Oregon. I urge you to please ask your pastor or other religious leader to sign on to the letter. All you need to do is have them email or call me and let me know that they wish to be a signatory. Please ask them to include their full name and title, and community affiliation. In some parishes, the Pastoral Council or Social Ministry groups are also making the letter available to parishioners to sign after weekend masses. In this case, provide a separate sign-up sheet that refers to the EMO letter, and provide space for a signature, printed name, and full address. That way you will receive a follow-up letter from the Senators. Please note on the last two pages of the attached letter that we have not heard from a lot of pastors that would probably be in agreement. If your own parish is not listed, please talk to your pastor this weekend. We will be delivering the letter to members of Congress immediately after the fall elections. There will be a press conference and visits to the offices of our Senators and Representatives soon after that. So please notify me of your pastor's response, and return the letter with parishioners' signatures to me at the Office of Justice and Peace, by Sunday November 5. I would appreciate any help you can offer to circulate this letter to the appropriate people in your parish or community. With the collective signatures of people from all faith traditions we will send a strong message that our religious convictions compel us to speak out against the continued violence. We must not remain silent as this continuing conflict claims hundreds more lives each day. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. In the peace of Christ, David Carrier David Carrier Office of Justice and Peace Campaign for Human Development Archdiocese of Portland 2838 E. Burnside St. Portland, OR 97214 503-233-8361 www.archdpdx.org/justice_and_peace * One life * One world * One human family We are one Body in Christ. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn VOCAL We believe that the foundation for a Culture of Life starts with the beginning of life: at conception, when God breathes life into His people. To circumvent this puts man in our Creator's role and can only fail causing a domino effect that leads to a Culture of Death. Poverty, war, racism, hatred, and violence all leads from this event: when man thinks he knows best. Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO BOX 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-767-3333

OCTOBER - Respect Life Month/Our Lady's too!/Dept ofEducation legal reminder

Culture of Life Calendar ~~~ Saturday, September 30th Please join us for a MASS FOR LIFE on Saturday, September 30th at 4:30 PM at Resurrection Catholic Parish. 21060 Stafford Road, Tualatin, Oregon. This Vigil Mass will be sung in Latin by Cantores in Ecclesia, an award-winning choir under the direction of Dean Applegate, which was established in Portland in 1985 with the intention of providing Gregorian chant and sacred polyphonic music for the Mass. During the year Cantores in Ecclesia participates in services at St. Mary's Cathedral, Mt. Angel Seminary, the Immaculate Heart Church, The Grotto and Holy Rosary. The participation of Cantores in Ecclesia was arranged by the Parish Knights of Columbus and the Celebrate Life Committee. The U.S. Conference of Bishops has designated Sept. 30/Oct 1st as Respect Life Sunday. ~~~~~~ Sunday, October 1st. Life Chain 2:30-3:30pm on Lancaster Dr., Salem Info - Call 503-585-7856 Meet at Academy Square for Signs and directions. ~Yes on 43 Bumper Stickers and Brochures also available here.~ ~~~~~~ Learn how you and your children can become involved... Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 6, 7, & 8 Pro-Life Events - Local, National and Worldwide World Apostolate of Our Lady of Fatima Sanctity of Life Day/One World Praying The INTERNATIONAL APOSTOLATE is making it a three day event this year. Friday is focused on children's Eucharistic Adoration; and Saturday on prayer to Our Lady; and Sunday the goal this year is One BILLION prayers. SANCITITY OF LIFE DAY - SUNDAY OCT. 8 The Meaning of the Day: http://www.wafusa.org/events/sanctity_life/about.html > scroll down Speakers include Alan Keyes, Fr. Apostoli: http://www.wafusa.org/events/sanctity_life/prolife.html EWTN Television Broadcast Times: SPECIAL LIVE EVENT - The CHILDREN'S ADORATION is an international event and the main US location, the National Basilica at Washington, DC, will be televised on EWTN. The focus of the children's prayer is in support of our Holy Father which is especially poignant in light of recent events. WORLD APOSTOLATE OF FATIMA: "ONE WORLD PRAYING" WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY, USA (450:00) Sunday October 8, 2006 10:00 AM Eastern Time Sunday October 8, 2006 7:00 AM Pacific Time SPECIAL FOR CHILDREN Our local Portland group does not have enough members to put on a children's event on the Friday of these three days of prayer -- but we hope many local Catholic schools may be able to organize a children's Holy Hour at their school or parish. This is in union with people all over the world dedicating three days of prayer in support of the pro-life cause and for world peace. Information and a suggested program for the children are available at http://users.ifriendly.com/pjostermann4/children/program.pdf. More information for the children's day is also located on the national website http://childrenoftheeucharist-waf.org/ JOIN US! Portland's WAF division www.wafpdx.org Our local World Apostolate of Fatima division is sponsoring a Candlelight Rosary Procession on Saturday, October 7th at St. John the Baptist Parish in Milwaukie; and a prayer service on Sunday, October 8th at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Portland. More details on these events as well as information on our apostolate is available at www.wafpdx.org . We would appreciate any help you can offer in heavily promoting especially the Candlelight Rosary Oct. 7th. All of the details of the Sunday event at St. Joseph the Worker are not decided yet but I should have this in a day or two. It will involve prayer and be at 7:00 pm with at least some pro-life groups attending. Of course, you are welcome to have an information table if you wish. Information on national events - including the times of EWTN's live broadcasts all three days - is at www.wafusa.org . If you would like any additional information please feel free to contact my wife, Marie, or myself at 503-288-2040. In Christ and His Holy Mother, Paul Ostermann World Apostolate of Fatima - Portland The World Apostolate of Fatima is an International Public Association of the Faithful approved by the Vatican. Our local division is listed as Blue Army (the former name) on the archdiocesan website. The international apostolate is making it a three day event this year. Friday is focused on children's Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday on prayer to Our Lady and Sunday the goal this year is One BILLION prayers. The children's adoration is an international event with the main US location, the National Basilica at Washington, DC, being televised on EWTN. The focus of the children's prayer is in support of our Holy Father which is especially poignant in light of recent events. Our local Portland group does not have enough members to put on a children's event on the Friday of this three days of prayer but we hope many local Catholic schools may be able to organize a children's Holy Hour at their school or parish. This is in union with people all over the world dedicating three days of prayer in support of the pro-life cause and for world peace. Information and a suggested program for the children are available at http://users.ifriendly.com/pjostermann4/children/program.pdf. More information for the children's day is also located on the national website http://childrenoftheeucharist-waf.org/ Our local World Apostolate of Fatima division is sponsoring a Candlelight Rosary Procession on Saturday, October 7th at St. John the Baptist Parish in Milwaukie and a prayer service on Sunday, October 8th at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Portland. More details on these events as well as information on our apostolate is available at www.wafpdx.org. We would appreciate any help you can offer in heavily promoting especially the Candlelight Rosary Oct. 7th. All of the details of the Sunday event at St. Joseph the Worker are not decided yet but I should have this in a day or two. It wil involve prayer and be at 7pm with at least some pro-life groups attending again. Of course you are welcome to have an information table if you wish. In addition information on national events, including times of live broadcasts all three days on EWTN, is at www.wafusa.org. If you would lke any additional information please feel free to contact my wife, Marie, or myself at 503-288-2040. In Christ and His Holy Mother, Paul Ostermann WAF Portland The World Apostolate of Fatima is an International Public Association of the Faithful approved by the Vatican. Our local division is listed as Blue Army (the former name) on the archdiocesan website. ~~~~~~~ Elections are close at hand. Yes on 43 will save the lives of over 600 unborn babies killed each year to teen mothers without their parents notification. We can no longer allow our schools to be part of the pickup and delivery system to abortion mills in our state. Schools are for teaching, not for keeping secrets from parents. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn Oregon Department of Education Statute: 336.067 Instructions in ethics and morality. (1) In public schools special emphasis shall be given to instruction in: Honesty, morality, courtesy, obedience to law, respect for the national flag, the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Stae of Oregon, respect for parents and the home, the dignity and necessity of honest labor and other lessons that then to promote adn develop an upright and desirable citizenty. VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition - "Inline with the Church, online with the world" If you prefer not to receive these messages, please reply and put "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

As Bob Castagna exits the Oregon Catholic Conference - the Laity needs to enter political realm!

Dear Friends, The Body of Christ in Oregon will have to step out of their comfort zones even more as Bob Castagna leaves the Oregon Catholic Conference. For over twenty years he has been in charge of Oregon Catholic political life, advising the Bishops and lobbying in the Capitol. We wish him well. The laity will also have to take a more pro-active role as the ax falls on programs throughout the Archdiocese. Many people are already seeing the changes taking place. We are still spending a million dollars a month on attorneys because of the sex-abuse scandal and the "climate" where this was allowed to flourish has not diminished. Even with Pope Benedict's call to purity, we still have to deal with open rebellion: "welcoming" parishes, and our membership with the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and their leanings with pro-homosexual and pro-abortion-minded member churches. We need to do our own research into groups with the title "Catholic" allowed to be attached for a start. For example, "Koinonia Catholic Community" been around for decades in Oregon, their name changed since last year, to Journey Koinonia Catholic Community. www.journey-catholic.org You will be able to connect the dots yourself with EMO member churches and see how deep the "climate" is. www.basicrights.org will also help with these homosexual/abortion connections with churches, businesses, and political leaders in Oregon. These are not easy things to tell you, but they need to be told. Our Holy Father said that we will probably be a smaller Church, but we can keep our priorities straight and help eachother reach our Eternal Home. Let us pray for the groups that have lost their way. May they find the Divine Authority given His Holiness and the Magesterium a source of true freedom and not something to fight against. God grant us the gifts of the Holy Spirit - Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, and Piety, as we get more involved with the political and spiritual needs of our Oregon home and change the climate of our Church. May God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "Facts are stubborn things...our wishes, the dictates of our passions...cannot alter the facts and evidence." John Adams VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503.767.3333 Member of the Catholic Media Coalition - "Inline with the Church, online with the world" If you prefer not to receive these messages, please reply and put "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Archbishop's Challenge to PROTECT OUR TEEN DAUGHTERS

Dear Friends, Oregon's Catholic priests have received a letter from the Archbishop and the Oregon Catholic Conference for a go-ahead to have petitions signed and collected for the Parental Notification Ballot Measure at all parish functions and on church property. The grassroots movement is depended on to get the needed qualified registered voters, so that this measure can be put on the November ballot. Some have considered working on this an extension of Lent, where we have to keep ourselves focused on this issue to PROTECT OUR TEEN DAUGHTERS and LIFE that God Almighty created. The PROTECT OUR TEEN DAUGHTERS COMMITTEE needs your help to contact your pastor, make sure that he has received the packet and encourage him to speak from the pulpit regarding the collection of signatures. Then we need folks to have petitions signed before and after masses, make it a family, bible study, Altar Society, YLI, CDA, Knights of Columbus, etc., project. Contact your friends in and out of church too. What about the library? We need to move outside of our comfort level and collect those signatures. Set a goal, 50,100, 200 or a competition to see who gets the most. There are lives at stake! Attached is the letter from the Archbishop for you to see, if you haven't already had the opportunity. It is encouraging. Let's help the Culture of Life grow. If you need petitions, table signs, explanations, ANYTHING to help you in this effort to stop the trafficking of our/your teen daughters by the pro-abortion efforts supported by our tax dollars, PLEASE let me know, or call the campaign at 503-390-3645. The abortion lobby wants to make money from abortions and baby body parts. The destruction is left to the parents, grandparents and people who love them. Let's put some sanity back into Oregon. Almost thirty states have parental notification laws. This safeguards girls in abusive families, so a judge is involved if is parental abuse, instead of letting the girl back into the situation; it safeguards girls involved with older men who are guilty of statutory rape and as Archbishop Vlazny states in the attached letter "allows parents to be an integral part of their daughters' lives at a most crucial moment." If we all work together we can get this on the ballot and into law. The deadline for signatures is June 15th. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." - Mother Teresa- VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition - "Inline with the Church, online with the world"

"Live Baby Good, Dead Baby Bad", J. Folger/U of P and homosexuality

Dear All, I had the pleasure of attending each of the college talks given by Janet Folger. A couple of insights, before you experience the events through the eyes of expert observers and writers in their fields: two adults and two students. I admire the students in attendance. Their questions showed what they're dealing with in their respective universities and the Culture of Death in particular. Questions to Janet included, the typical "Why do you eat meat and are against abortion?" to the more disturbing "How can you tell if something is human?" Kudos to the Freethinkers of Reed College who are challenging their administrators by asking non-politcally correct speakers to their gatherings. We thank Sara Thompson and Fr. Ron Wasowski for their faithfulness to Life at the University of Portland, and prayers and thanks go to the two new pro-life groups at PSU and OSU. These young people are modern martyrs and great examples to the older generation. Here's a virtual thermometer on the Culture of Life our children/grandchildren/children we love, are experiencing. LIFE IN OREGON Sunday, February 12, 2006 David Reinhard The Oregonian "Live Baby Good, Dead Baby Bad." Oh, this was going to be good. Not only was Janet Folger coming to Oregon, but America's liveliest pro-life champion would be at college campuses in a state that uniquely embraces the culture of death from pre-cradle to pre-grave, with its wide-open abortion laws and doctor-assisted suicide. I'd seen the then-legislative director of Ohio Right to Life in front of a friendly crowd years ago. She was the spunky life of the pro-life movement. But the crowd wouldn't be any too friendly at Reed College, Oregon State University, Portland State University and the University of Portland. There was a chance for real fireworks. Yes, this would be good. And it was -- but not in the way I expected. I caught her last week at Reed and PSU. She was everything I recalled -- fast-talking, well-informed, passionate -- and more. The president of Faith2Action and author -- "True to Life," "What's a Girl to Do?" -- is still a great storyteller and public-policy comedienne. She tells of being at a table with a fetal model and being harangued by an abortion-rights advocate over her use of the term "unborn" baby. While the woman was telling her "fetus" would be a better term and Folger was noting it means "unborn child" or "young one," the woman's 3-year-old ran up and said, "Look, Mommy, babies." No word on how long it took the abortion-rights mom to "re-educate" the child, Folger noted. She told of one legislator who recognized a model 8-week-old fetus sucking its thumb from an ultra-sound but felt we should get "government out of the issue." On the legislator's desk was a framed Jefferson quotation that read, "The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government." Folger believes human life begins at conception. She challenges the students to go to their libraries and find embryology textbooks that say otherwise. It's a baby. She reads statements of abortion-rights fans who now acknowledge this (they just don't care, says Folger) on her way to setting out her mantra: "Live baby, good. Dead baby, bad." Folger has a gift for making the pro-life position at once accessible and compelling. Aren't there more important issues? Isn't it out of whack to be a single-issue pro-life advocate so with many other issues around? Folger asked the PSU audience to list those many issues on one side of a chart and the right to life on the other. She, then brought up contestants for a "Let's Make a Deal" game show. Contestants could select their dream desires from the first column -- a Harvard education, a million-dollar annual income, a lifetime of unlimited health-care -- but they would forfeit their right to life. Her point: "Life is a prerequisite to every issue we have. It's a fundamental basic right." And she doesn't discriminate based on the age or address (womb or nursery) of that life. They all deserve protection. She makes this point with a mock trial of man who's murdered his 3-year-old. His defense lawyer, Folger, offers up a litany of mitigating circumstances that abortion-rights advocates give for women having abortions. It's devastating. I had seen this Janet Folger before. What was new, for me at least, was the Janet Folger who engaged the abortion-rights champions, young and old, in the audience. She was unbending, often confronting, but took up their often edgy challenges with a charming, even loving, directness. In the end, the only fireworks were the fire of her pro-life witness. Also striking were the students themselves. At Reed and PSU -- and, I'm told, the other campuses -- they were respectful and interested. Folger appealed to their sense of tolerance, and they responded. They listened, often quietly, as she described the often unknown facts of fetal development and the brutality of abortion. They laughed at her stage capers and wisecracks. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. Folger likely had something to do with this. But maybe it also has something to do with the fact that longitudinal polls now show young people have become more pro-life over the last decades. Maybe they'll be able to answer the question she thinks future generations will one day ask parents and grandparents in revulsion -- a question Folger has answered for herself and is helping more folks to answer: "Where were you when they were killing babies?" David Reinhard, associate editor, can be reached at 503-221-8152 or davidreinhard@news.oregonian.com. ©2006 The Oregonian -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Janet Folger: Passionate, Powerful & Fearless At Reed February 7, 2006 If you ever wanted to see and hear someone who was sold out to Jesus Christ, His purpose and message on the earth, and fearless...like Stephen in the Book of Acts, you need to attend a presentation by Janet Folger of Faith2Action! Profile in Courage One of America's premier pro-life, pro-family Christians and March 3-4 Restoring Northwest America Conference Speakers, Janet spoke in Portland and Corvallis, Oregon yesterday at both Oregon State University and Reed College. Having experienced attempts on her life in the past because of her pro-life and biblical commitment to follow and honor Christ, several of us attended her presentation at Reed last night to provide support. In an effort to bring balance to the college where President George Bush and Secretary of State Condolezza Rice have been called 'fascists' by members of the faculty, Janet was invited by the Reed College Freethinkers . In a standing room only meeting hall, Miss Folger courageously and fearlessly presented irrefutable evidence and proof of the humanity of the child in the womb and the gross inhumanity of taking innocent human life while in the mother's womb. She argued without refutation the necessity of reversing Roe v. Wade and protecting our right to speak out as Christians on the important issues of our day. While not rude, the question and answer session which followed was scintillating, and clearly demonstrated our young are torn between the liberal bent of their teachers and professors (who didn't have the courage to show up) and existing facts about partial birth and late term abortion as well as proof that human life begins at conception. Miss Folger, who will speak at the Restoring Northwest America Conference in Tualatin, Oregon both Friday, March 3rd and Saturday, March 4th, speaks twice again today at the following locations in Portland: Portland State University Tues., Feb. 7th, 12:00 pm Smith Bldg. Rm. 329 Info: 503-705-0938 Sponsored by: PSU Students for Life University of Portland Tues., Feb. 7th, 7:30 pm Buckley Center Rm. 163 Info: 503-285-1150 Sponsored by: UP Voice for Life Janet has debated Planned Parenthood president, Gloria Feldt, National Organization of Women (NOW) president, Kim Gandy, former NOW president, Patricia Ireland, Jack Kevorkian, as well as spokespeople from the ACLU, The Human Rights Campaign, NARAL, GLSEN, and Atheist Organizations. She has appeared on 20/20, Hannity and Colmes, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Inside Politics, Nightline, CBS This Morning, Hard Copy, and Extra. David Crowe Executive Director The Restoring Northwest America Conference, March 3-4, 2006 in Portland, Oregon, is the most important Conference of its kind in Oregon history. Copyright © 2005, Restore America. All Rights Reserved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- email: dcrowe@restoreamerica.org http://www.restoreamerica.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY - VANGUARD Anti-abortion student group emerges on campus New group Students for Life jumpstarts membership by inviting noted Christian speaker By Christie Toth February 09, 2006 A new anti-abortion student group has formed at Portland State, and though it is small, it is also active. Although Students for Life has only held two meetings so far, they have already brought a high-profile anti-abortion speaker to campus in conjunction with the College Republicans. Groups supporting abortion rights such as Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX) have been active on Portland State’s campus for several years, but until now an organized anti-abortion group has not been a major presence at PSU. Not surprising for a group addressing one of the most politically charged debates in the country, though not all students have reacted positively to the new group’s appearance. “We’ve encountered a lot of support, but some hostility,” said Nathan Sheets the group’s founder and president. “Most people who don’t agree with us don’t say anything, they just give his disapproving glances. Someone crumpled up a flyer and through it in my face once.” Students for Life sponsored the appearance of Janet Folger, a national Christian radio celebrity, “family values” activist and one of the major forces behind Ohio’s partial-birth abortion ban, which led to the national restrictions on partial-birth abortion in 2003. A highly controversial national political figure, Folger has been alternately described as “the adrenaline in the body of Christ” (Craig Roberts, KFAX San Francisco) and a “hate-mongering homophobic Christian bigot” (skeptictank.org). Folger addressed an audience of more than 60 people at Portland State on Tuesday, many of them from the larger community. “We had one or two challenging questions, but the PSU audience was pretty friendly. The audience was much more hostile at Reed,” Sheets said. Sheets, 20, has been a pro-life activist since he was 16. He is well-known in online activist communities for several blogs that he maintains, which deal primarily with his Christian faith, anti-abortion activism, and experiences as a self-described “ex-gay follower of Yeshua.” According to its mission statement, the group “exists to educate Portland State students about abortion, support women who are pregnant and promote diversity in the pro-life movement.” In order to reach out to the student body, has been tabling in Smith Center and posting flyers about campus. “We’ve gotten a good response from the flyers,” Sheets said, “The pro-life people are showing up. At our first meeting, I was surprised at the number of people who showed up.” The fledgling organization currently has 15 members, and is officially nonpartisan. “Not all of are members are Republican,” Sheets said, “and we don’t want them to be ... part of our mission is to break the stereotypes that people have about pro-life activists.” One of Students for Life’s major objectives on campus is to create an alternative to the Women’s Resource Center. “We’d really like to get a pregnancy resource center on campus. We have the Women’s Resource Center, but the literature I found there is very pro-abortion,” said Sheets. “We want women to be presented with all the options, because we feel that women will choose life ... there are many resources in the community for those who have just given birth. We want to hook students up with those resources.” Aimee Shattuck, coordinator for the Women’s Resource Center, disagreed with Sheets’ characterization of the WRC. “The Women's Resource Center has a wide range of resources and options to share with students, including adoption services, health care, childcare and parent groups,” Shattuck said. “We believe in access to health care, resources and options for pregnant women and mothers; and that given options, they will make the decisions that are best for them. A large number of the staff and volunteers are mothers, and the coordinator will be giving birth soon, neither of which we suspect [Sheets] will be doing in the near future.” “Bridge Gorrow, the coordinator of the returning women students program, went to midwifery school, and we have two volunteers who coordinate peer support for student parents,” Shattuck explained. “For these reasons, we feel that we are in a great position to go over resources and referrals with a student and would respect their beliefs and decisions regarding their bodies.” According to Sheets, he was “yelled out of the office” of Josh Gross, editor of the leftist alternative student monthly, The Rearguard. “We handed him a flyer for Janet Folger's lecture in case he would be interested in coming to the event. The flyers say ‘“Choice” is a Euphemism for “Abortion,”’ at which point he proceeded to yell at that ‘Life is a euphemism for ignorance.’ It was disappointing that, while we showed him respect he couldn't show it to us. I thought it was rather unprofessional.” Gross remembered the encounter somewhat differently. “I didn't yell at him in the slightest. He, and another girl that was with him wanted me to advertise for their ‘choice is a euphemism for abortion’ speaker, and I laughed at them. And then I think I said something to the effect of ‘Life is a euphemism for you're an asshole.’” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND - THE BEACON Pro-life speaker inspires, divides with views by Jana Jorgensen Thursday, February 09, 2006 Despite many challenges and much intense opposition, Roe v. Wade has stood the test of time for over 30 years. As one of the most controversial decisions ever handed down by the Supreme Court, the abortion issue remains at the forefront of every political debate since 1973. Every cause has its warriors, and Janet Folger is at the head of the pro-life’s defense. Folger, a nationally renowned author and radio-show host, lectured at the University of Portland Tuesday night, drawing a very energetic and divisive crowd of 75 to 80 students, faculty and community members. Brought to UP by the Voice for Life group, headed by senior Sarah Thompson, Folger gave a two-hour speech filled with a mock game show, trial and a question-and-answer session. The center of her discussion focused on the validating principles behind the pro-life agenda and on her contention that the pro-choice agenda is immoral and murderous. “We are going to win because we have the truth,” Folger said. “The other side is beginning to realize that, and we are going to win.” As the author of Criminalizing Christianity and the host of the daily radio show “Faith to Action,” Folger lobbied for the nation’s first partial-birth abortion ban and helped to remove funding for abortions in Ohio. Folger engaged her audience with stories of how she snuck into various pro-choice events and disrupted a filming of former Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, and mocked the words of her opposition in detest. Though most cheered during these “war” stories few around the room sat with blank faces or looks of disgust. “Folger cannot be reasoned with- her position on abortion is cut and dried- absolutely no abortions,” junior political science major Eric Zimmerman said. For her interactive bit, the pro-life lobbyist played her version of “You Bet Your Life” by drawing a line down the center of a flip chart and labeling the two sides curtain number one or curtain number two. Behind curtain number one was the right to life. Behind curtain number two were various other rights protected in the Constitution. Along with curtain number two, Folger threw in a trip to Hawaii, free U.S. health care and a car for good measure. As she asked the audience to vote on which curtain they chose, she informed them that those who had chosen curtain number two would then have to be killed. “Life is a prerequisite to all these other issues, what good is health care if you’re dead?” Folger asked. After the game show, the tone continued on its comical note as she put one of the audience members on trial for the murder of his three-year-old girl. Though no reasons were given for the murder of the three-year old, Folger had the rest of the audience list some reasons why women choose abortions such as age, financial circumstances, failure of birth control, and disability. Folger skirted the issues of rape, incest and the threatening of the physical health of the mother but promised to return to the issue later in speech. After listing off these issues she then refuted these claims and had the audience vote guilty or not guilty, the audience voted guilty. Despite declaring that she has no party affiliation, there were a number of obvious ties to the Republican Party in her speech, such as her support of George H.W. Bush in 1988 and her disgust with President Clinton. She stated that the democratic party is not open to diverse views. Folger named Clinton the “most pro-abortion president ever and the reason why Justice Ginsberg and Justice Breyer are on the Supreme Court.” This, according to her, explains Roe v. Wade’s continued existence. Throughout the speech Folger spoke to her opposition, stating that pro-choice supporters care do not care about women, only about abortions and that “pro-aborts” hate life. Her most basic argument for the imminent success of the pro-life agenda based on the fact of numbers. Because pro-life supporters are not engaging in abortion they will always have more support on their side. “Blue states kill their babies and Red states have their babies,” Folger said. Folger then turned the discussion to religion, citing Psalm 139 as part of her foundation for her pro-life view. Pslam 139 states that God has a plan exceedingly and abundantly greater than anyone could dream of and a result we as humans should not interfere with God’s plan. “I see my life as a movie – God is the producer and the director of my life, he has also written the script.” Folger said. Folger was met with tough questions b y both pro-cvhoice and pro-life supporters. “I was excited to hear her talk because I’m pro-life,” said Morgan Harkins, a sophomore Spanish and political science major. “But due to her hypocrisy, I was disappointed. She wasn’t open to any other viewpoint.” While Folger’s subject is a sensitive one, it is an important one and one that will continue to be debated in the foreseeable future. Being the bearer of hope for some and an ominous vision of the future for others, Folger is committed to her faith and as long as there is a war like abortion there will always be warriors like Janet Folger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At two of the campuses, Reed and U of P, questions of homosexuality arose. It is becoming clear that there is a definite pro-abortion / pro-homosexual alliance that was evident at these two schools. Case in point, Metro-Pro Life was unable to get a pro-life ad in The Beacon until the administration got involved. We are spending approximately one million dollars a month in lawyers fees from the bankruptcy due to homosexuality issues and our only "Catholic" university has homosexual propaganda on bulletin boards and homosexual lifestyle newpapers in the cafeteria lobby. The adults in control at U of P are failing in their job to protect their students and Catholic Church teachings removing this from the school.. Parents of University students should see what their money is going to promote. We have to believe that the U of P is indeed a homosexual friendly place as posted on the www.catholiclesbian.org website. Where are the truly caring priests and administrators? This seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. Posted on bulletin board at Buckley Hall. The University of Portland GLBTQ Confidential Group A safe group for students who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning. We are a confidential group that supports students who are exploring or living alternative sexual identities. We are dedicated to celebrating individuality and personal growth within a safe community Why are we confidential? We in no way wish to convey a sense of shame around issues of alternative sexual identity. We recognize that in our current societal climate, many do not feel safe being open to all about alternative sexual feelings. We are not an advocacy 9rouP. We recognize the need for advocacy and education in the wider university community. Advocacy can compromise confidentiality, so we see it as an activity separate from this group. How is confidentiality preserved? Prospective group members must first meet with one of the faculty/staff group coordinators before membership to the group can be granted. How is community created? Meetings are generally held in places where the atmosphere is fun and conducive to conversation and getting to know one another. We want to provide an alternative to the bar scene and provide the opportunity for students to mentor one another. What kinds of activities do we do? First and foremost, we have fun. Examples of past activities include: .:·Movies ·:·Dinner .:.Barbeques ·:·Coffee ·:·PSU Queer Week (lectures, etc.) ·:·Networking with GLBTQ groups on other Portland campuses ·:·Confidential online campus chat room and calendar What do GLBTQ students have to say about participatina in the 9roup? "The group has been a safe place to visit and meet people who face similar issues ... everyone in the group is considerate and respectful of people's level of openness. If you are looking to meet people without the risks of losing confidentiality this is the place to do it." --Student member Faculty/Staff Coordinators Anissa Rogers: Anissa teaches in the Social Work Program; one of her main interests is in promoting a more welcoming and equitable world for GLBTQ and other minority groups. rogers@up.edu 943-7304 Tim Crump: Tim is a Nurse Practitioner at the University Health Center. He enjoys being part of the GLBTQ group for the student contact that it allows. He hopes for a world for his children where they will not be afraid to be the person they feel inside of them. crump@up.edu 943-7134 Resources http://www.hrc.org (anti-Church propaganda) http://www.pflag.org/ (homosexual "marriage") http://www.binetusa.org (Bi sexual) http://www.hrc.org/local/ port land/ supporthrc.asp http://www.iustout.com/ www.pridefoundation.org Pride Foundation connects, inspires and strengthens the Pacific Northwest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in pursuit of equality. We accomplish this in rural and urban areas by awarding grants and scholarships and cultivating leaders. http://www.glaad.ora/ "Always our children: A pastoral message to parents of homosexual chi Idren and suggestions for pastoral ministers." (1997). A statement of the Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family, National Conference of Catholic Bishops. 1-800-235-8722 or www.nc:cbusc:c.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also at the University of Portland, a student spoke of a Jesus that we would not recognize. This "passive, fearful to offend" Christ, is unrecognizable. This e-letter from Bishop Vasa was too timely not to use. For those who would like to get his e-letters, to go vasa-ecolumn@sentinel.org Bishop Robert F. Vasa February 17th. CHRIST IS REASSURING AND HUMBLE, AS WELL AS POWERFUL, MIGHTY BEND -- We live in an age which places a very strong emphasis on tolerance, mutuality, and acceptance. I have heard repeatedly over the years that "Jesus never judged, condemned or excluded anyone." I wonder if Peter would agree as the words of Jesus, "Get behind me you Satan," rang in his ears. I wonder if the Scribes and the Pharisees would agree as they rankled at being called whitened sepulchers or broods of vipers. I wonder if those who heard Jesus say, "Whoever leads one of these little ones astray, it would be better if he had a millstone tied around his neck and be cast into the sea," nodded approval and said, "He is so tolerant and accepting." This verse is included, virtually verbatim, in each of the three Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. I certainly have no qualms about the image of Jesus as kind and gentle, or with Jesus' own description of Himself as "meek and humble of heart." I see and appreciate the great appeal of one of the most recent devotions fostered so powerfully by our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, that of Divine Mercy. Each of these attractive and reassuring aspects of Jesus needs to be remembered. These are aspects of Jesus that we cannot afford to forget and to which we can and must cling. At the same time we do well not to forget that the Lord is also a "God of power and might." Jesus stood up to the guards who came to arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He stood courageously before Pilate. He bore His cross with noble, unflinching determination. He is not a God of weakness. He is strong and He defends His people. This accounts for the strong language used when the "little ones" of His flock are put at risk. In our "compromising age" we are loath to name something too strongly. If we do, we are accused of harshness, judgmentalism, perhaps arrogance, certainly intolerance and possibly pharisaism. While it is always necessary to speak the truth with love, the Church also believes and teaches that it is also necessary to speak the truth with strength. It is necessary to defend truth and not be too quick to rationalize, justify or excuse misleading teachings or teachers. There is a point at which passive "tolerance" allows misleading teachings to be spread and propagated, thus confusing or even misleading the faithful about the truths of the Church. There is a very strong word, which still exists in our Church, which most of us are too "gentle" to use. The word is "heresy." We perhaps think that heresy is a thing of the past. We think perhaps of the Arian heresy or the Pelagian heresy or the Manichaen heresy. We might even maintain that there are no longer any heretics because that conjures up images of inquisitions and burnings at the stake. I do not, in any way, seek to validate or justify any kind of "vigilante" theology, but we do need strong words to combat erroneous and fallacious teaching. As a point of information, the present Code of Canon Law does include a couple of canons on heresy. Canon 751 defines heresy as "the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt, after the reception of baptism, of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith. . . ." There are a number of teachings of the Church that must "be believed by divine and Catholic faith." We must believe, for instance, that Jesus is true God and true man. To deny or doubt this, with obstinacy, is heresy. We must believe the God exists in Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We must believe that Jesus rose from the dead. We must believe that He ascended into heaven. These phrases will all be familiar because they constitute the Creed that we recite each Sunday. It may come as a bit of a shock, but there are a number of Catholic theologians who now seriously call into question these basic teachings, these Creedal tenets. There are also moral teachings that constitute a part of the deposit of faith that must be accepted and adhered to, "firmly embraced and retained." Canon 750 concludes: "therefore, one who rejects those propositions which are to be held definitively is opposed to the doctrine of the Catholic Church." It is certainly necessary to exercise a great deal of caution and care in arriving at a founded conclusion that someone accepts or teaches heresy. There is something terribly harsh about calling a person a heretic. This is not something that is ever done lightly or capriciously. Nevertheless, there are those of the household of Faith who obstinately deny some truth that is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith. There is some question, for instance, about whether those who openly profess to be "pro-choice" are, in fact, holding to a heretical position. The teaching of the Church in the area of life is clear and unequivocal. Human life must be respected and protected from conception to natural death. Those who maintain that any and all decisions about the disposition of pre-born human beings are exclusively the right of the mother or the parents, at least implicitly, reject the clear and consistent teaching of the Church. The truth is that God charges each of us with the duty to protect and defend innocent human life. This is clearly stated in the Fifth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill. In our society, this attempt to protect innocent human life is done through legal legislative processes and is accomplished, or fails to be accomplished, by those whom we elect. It would not be proper to imply that anyone who votes for an anti-life politician is denying some truth of divine and Catholic faith. Yet, if that candidate receives the vote precisely because he maintains that he has no duty to protect or defend innocent human life in the womb, then a vote cast for him is a type of declaration that the teaching of the Church, indeed the validity of the Fifth Commandment itself, is rejected. One brave soul has termed this present rejection of responsibility for one's pre-born brother or sister the right-to-murder heresy. When our Lord said it was time for Him to go to Jerusalem, there to suffer and die, Peter contended with Him quite strongly and rejected this intention of his Lord. For this Peter incurred the blunt and definitive, "Get behind me, you Satan. You are thinking as man thinks and not as God thinks." Our kind and gentle Lord will certainly receive us and help us when we cry out to Him for He is "meek and humble of heart," but I suspect he will likewise not mince words with those who reject His Way and His Truth. ************* May we have the courage to persevere, all for the Love of God. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." - Mother Teresa- VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition - "Inline with the Church, online with the world"

Starfish Story / Children +++ He would have died for even one.

Dear Friends,

When does pro-life become pro-abortion? That was the subject line of my last letter. The comparision was to point out that, in some cases, being scrupulous could be a matter of life and death. It's like the starfish story.

*****

It needed to be pointed out that Mary Starrett, no matter how well meaning and pro-life she is, testified against good pro-life bills with pro-choice arguments. The pro-aborts don't want any movement away from their "no compromise, no excuses" view on abortion either. BOTH KEEP THE STATUE QUO in Oregon and still more unborn children will die.

It also needed to be pointed out that Ron Saxton does have pro-life values and is being misrepresented by the opposition. I'm sure that politics did play a part of him looking into our world. He changed his heart and mind not just with talk, but with action. To say he is being untruthful is an unfair judgement call.


When I was grappling with the question if I could vote someone not 100% pro-life, I asked Bishop Robert Vasa. He suggested reading #8 of Father Pavone's new booklet "Ten Steps to Voting with A Clear Conscience." It reads in part: "In this context, the question also arises as to whether one is required to vote for a third candidate who does not have a strong base of support but does have the right position. The answer is, no, you are not required to vote for this candidate. The reason is that your vote is not a canonization of a candidate. It is a transfer of power. You have to look concretely at where the power is really going to be transferred, and use your vote not to make a statement but to help bring about the most acceptable results under the circumstances."

The entire booklet can be downloaded or you can order copies (see attachment) http://www.priestsforlife.org/vote/votingwithclearconscience.htm#choosing copy or cut and paste.

Voting for a candidate is a prudential judgment and as Catholics we make our decisions with an informed conscience. I would only ask those who feel that by voting for a third party candidate it would send a message to a political party, etc. To THINK again. Think of the babies lives they are gambling with.

Christ is coming back. Will we stand before Him and say, "well, I thought it would work". Will we see the faces of the children whose lives were lost because of the gamble of our vote or not voting at all?

By the Grace of God, abortion rates are dropping in Oregon. Hearts and minds are softening and lives are being saved. It will many years to get back to the point where "Catholic" was synonymous with "pro-life". (That's what I thought when we joined the Church in 1984) But, to paraphrase a wise Bishop, "Incrementally evil was added in and incrementally it is being removed." In our Church and State.
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The Starfish Story
The old man awoke just before sunrise, as he often did, to walk by the ocean's
edge and greet the new day. As he moved through the morning dawn, he focused on a faint, far away motion.

He saw a youth, bending and reaching and flailing arms, dancing on the beach, no doubt in celebration of the perfect day soon to begin. As he approached, he realized that the youth was not dancing to the bay, but rather bending to sift through the debris left by the night's tide, stopping now and then to pick up starfish and then standing, to heave it back into the sea.


He asked the youth the purpose of the effort. "The tide has washed the starfish onto the beach and they cannot return to the sea by themselves," the youth replied. "When the sun rises, they will die, unless I throw them back into the sea."

As the youth explained, the old man surveyed the vast expanse of beach, stretching in both directions beyond eyesight. Starfish littered the shore in numbers beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the youth's plan became clear and the old man countered, "But there are more starfish on this beach than you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely you cannot expect to make a difference."
The youth paused briefly to consider my words, bent to pick up a starfish and threw it as far as possible. Turning to the old man, he said,
"I made a difference to that one."

God Bless you and yours

"He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name" (Psa. 147:4)
"and even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matt. 10:30)