VOCAL Voter's Guide / Where to go for "40 Days", etc./ Plenary Indulgence for Poor Souls

Dear Advocates for Life, For those of you who have asked and for those of you who are interested, here is a "Votes Of Catholics Advocating Life" voter's guide. The suggestions are from Oregon Right to Life Voter's Guide, Oregon Family Council and Oregon Citizens for a Sound Economy PAC, with my two cents. President - John McCain and Sarah Palin, Vice President Why? What do They support? John McCain Barack Obama Partial Birth Abortion ? NO YES Parental Involvement Laws? YES NO Taxpayer Funded Abortion? NO YES Human Cloning? NO YES Same-Sex Unions? NO YES Gambling Off Reservation? NO YES Decency in Libraries - Internet filters YES NO Reducing Taxes? YES NO Religion - conscience clause? YES YES Education - YES unclear (state licensing of private /homeschool? teachers) US Senator from Oregon - Gordon Smith (we need him in the US Senate) US Representatives from Oregon by District 2 - Greg Walden 3 - Delia Lopez 5 - (I wrote in Kevin Mannix, he's the only pro-life option) Mike Erickson was NOT endorsed by ORTL Secretary of State - Rick Dancer State Treasurer - Allen Alley Attorney General - no suggestions from ORTL, but John Kroger was a bi-partisan pick over the others. There was a major concern over a large contribution from special interest groups that was believed to engage in the very unethical, but currently legal practice of commingling of Political Funds that are gathered at Public expense. (Yes on 64 to end this.) Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries - State Senators by District 1 - Jeff Kruse 2 - Dennis Atkinson 9 - Fred Girod 12 - Brian Boquist 14 - Lisa Michaels 17 - no one 18 - John Wight 23 - no one 25 - Dave Kim 27 - Chris Telfer not against abortion but better on marriage, PRC protection, Conscience for religion, etc. 29 - David Nelson 30 - Ted Ferrioli State Representatives by District 1 - Wayne Krieger 2 - Tim Freeman 3 - Ron Mauer 4 - Dennis Richardson 5 - no one 6 - Sal Esquivel 7 - Bruce Hanna 9 - Al Pearn 12 -? 15 - Andy Olson 16 - no one 17 - Sherrie Sprenger 18 - Vic Gilliam 19 - Kevin Cameron 20 - no one 22 - Tom Chereck, Jr. 23 - Jim Thompson 24 - Jim Weidner 26 - Matt Wingard 27 - no one 28 - no one 29 - no one 30 - Andy Duyck 32 - Tim Bero - no response on pro-life, but yes on PRC/marriage/conscience. etc. 33 - Jim Ellison 34 - no one 35 - Tony Marino 36 - ? 37 - Scott Brunn 38 - ? 39 - Bill Kennemer 40 - no one 41 - Randy Uchytil 42 - no one 45 - no one 49 - John Nelson 50 - John Lim 51 - Linda Flores 52 - Matt Lindland 53 - Gene Whisnant 54 - Chuck Burley 56 - Bill Garrard 57 - Greg Smith 58 - no one 59 - John Huffman 60 - Cliff Bentz County Commissioners Benton - #3 Christopher Nusbaum Clackamas - #4 Dave Mowry Clatsop - #2 Patricia Roberts - questionable on abortion, supports prc/marriage/conscience/no gambling Columbia - #1 Glenn E. Dorschler Crook - #1 Ken Fahlen for abortion but supports prc/marriage/conscience/no gambling Curry - #2 George Rhodes no comment on abortion question? yes on marriage/prc/conscience, etc. Marion - #2 Sam Brentano Gilliam - toss up/both candidates are for abortion but for traditional marriage Jackson - Dennis CW Smith Josephine - #3 Dwight F. Ellis Lane - no one Lincoln - no one Linn - #3 Will Tucker Multnomah - no one Tillamook - Charles J. Hurliman Umatilla - Democrat Glenn Youngman questionable on abortion, supports prc, traditonal marriage, conscience, Republican Dennis Doherty declined to answer OFC questionnaire Union - no one Wallowa - no one Yamhill - #2 Leslie Lewis Marion County Clerk Randy Franke *************************************************************************************** BALLOT MEASURES 54 - YES 55 - YES 56 - NO 57 - NO - This needs to be NO. It is from the Legislature to stop #61 and #62 which will protect us. 58 - YES - English as a second language is big business, this helps move education along and reduces waste 59 - YES 60 - YES - Children's education at taxpayers expense will improve with teacher excellence. 61 - YES 62 - YES 63 - YES 64 - YES - no Commingling of political funds with funds collected at public expense 65 - OFC Recommends NO/ PAC has no opinion This information is great, but the prayers, fasting, vigils and processions for Life and Victory are what will make the difference. ******************************************************** 40 Days for Life Date: Sunday, November 2. Event: Closing prayer vigil and lunch for 40 Days for Life. Time: Prayer vigil begins at 1:00 PM, and lunch is at 2:00. Location: Vigil will be on MLK Blvd, at the location of the future Planned Parenthood there, and lunch will be in the Parish Hall of St. Mary Magdalene Church in Portland. Special Note: Please bring a small snack or side dish to share. ******************************************************** Holy Rosary Catholic Church 327 NE Clackamas St. Portland OR EVERY DAY - Monday, October 27 through Tuesday, Election Day November 4. 11:30 AM - Rosary for Our Lady of Victory begins, followed by The Litany in Response to Abortion. (Parishioners have already signed up to lead the rosary.) 12:00 Noon - Mass God Bless you and yours, Carolyn Indulgences for the Poor Souls Current regulations in force by Pope Benedict XVI I On All Souls' Day (Nov. 2) a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit any parish church or public oratory and there recite one Our Father and one Credo. II On all the days from November 1 though November 8 inclusive, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray even if only mentally for the departed. Conditions for both indulgences: 1. Only one plenary indulgence can be granted per day. 2. It is necessary to be in the state of grace, at least by completion of the work. 3. Freedom from attachment to sin, even venial sin, is necessary; otherwise the indulgence is only partial. (By this is meant attachment to a particular sin, not sin in general.) 4. Holy Communion must be received each time the indulgence is sought. 5. Prayers must be recited for the intentions of the Holy Father on each day the indulgence is sought. (No particular prayers are prescribed. One Our Father and one Hail Mary suffice, or other suitable prayers. 6. A sacramental confession must he made within a week of completion of the prescribed work. (One confession made during the week, made with the intention of gaining all the indulgences, suffices.) www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice Of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".

Message from Our Pro-Life Director/Also "White Privilege" Trial Balloon in Archdpdx.

Dear Advocates for Innocent Human Life, There is so much going around in this campaign. Some of these things we hear have a "racist overtone" to them. This is just a little sidebar, but very important for you to know. We know that there is an attempt to create class envy from the last email on "Let's Play the Candy Game", we would hope that this wouldn't be an issue with so many other things we have to deal with. What a way to get votes. Here is a recent homily from our Director of Pro-Life Ministries, Father John Cihak (sigh-ack). He has no budget, has no office in the Archdpdx no staff. Yet, has the responsibility to educate Oregon Catholics on REAL Life issues. The Office of Justice and Peace who would hijack the term "pro-life" so their various projects will be funded have a bucket of money of $100,000 or more. The ads, salaries, perks, benefits, "expenses", travel, meetings, handouts, etc. are not as important as innocent human life, or the Saul Alinsky-based "Catholic"Campaign for Human Development that is starting it marketing now for the November collection. Let us spend some time to hear Father John Cihak's words for us, since he has no other way to get to large numbers of folks during this time. Also..here are some videos... Native Oregonian Video...Go Oregon Go!!!! http://www.americaschoicenow.com Bella star - "Heartthrob" in more ways than one...English and Spanish. http://www.obamamustsee.com:80/ "Harvesting and Voting" 25th Sunday in OT (A) Sacred Heart-St. Louis Parish, Gervais, Oregon September 21, 2008 Fr. John Cihak, S.T.D. It seems that now most of the harvests are in. Since this is my second summer as pastor here in French Prairie, I am beginning to learn the order of the crops. Something that has impressed me about the harvest is the beautiful technology that is the combine. As I understand it, a combine has a series of sieves, the first of which eliminates the largest and most obvious refuse, kicking the chaff back onto the field for baling. The rest goes through the other sieves until you have mostly seed. Now I also understand that even after combining the seed still needs to be taken to a plant and cleaned until there is a certain percentage of pure seed. The combine is truly a marvelous, though expensive, invention. (I'm also amazed at the sheer amount of cash that goes into farming. One farmer recently told me that during harvest has was spending $1,000/day in diesel fuel!) Well the harvest season is over, yet we find ourselves in the midst of another season, an election season. This is a season where we find people yelling at their televisions and it's not some sporting event. In this election season, I think the image of the combine can help us sift through the issues and candidates of the complex political field, to help separate out the issues and candidates in order to produce good seed. Today St. Paul tells us, "Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ." In everything we think, say and do, we are to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ – in how we live, how we spend our money, how we raise our children, and how we vote. We are about to cast our vote for a new president. As Catholics, our allegiance to Jesus Christ and His Church is always first, yet because we love our country, we seek to enflesh His law in the laws of our country. Such a task reveals the heart of a true patriot – that our republic, this great experiment in democracy, would be enbued with the truth of natural law revealed through human reason and the revealed law revealed through faith. The first thing we should be doing for the election is engaging in the necessary spiritual work. In other words, this is a season where we Catholics should be praying and fasting for the good of our nation. We can accomplish no good deed without the help of divine grace, and prayer and fasting help to open up channels of grace in the world. We Catholics can obtain many graces for the good of our country. Because we live in a democratic republic, our vote is also important. It may not seem like much, one vote among so many millions, but it is our exercise of political power and it is a sacred duty – not one to be taken lightly. This exercise of political power is not for ourselves or for special interest groups, but for what is objectively good for our country. Therefore, we don't vote according to our pocketbooks, and we don't vote simply based on party affiliation. We vote according to the Truth as thinking human beings who follow the dictates of reason (natural law) and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (revealed law). As thinking Catholics we approach a political scene which does not completely reflect the Catholic position. Moreoever, two very prominent Senators who identify themselves as Catholics have greatly misrepresented the Church's teaching in the media. And the bishops of the United States have responded to these misrepresentations in a statement by Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop Lori of Bridgeport. The Supreme Knight, Carl Anderson, has also published an open letter in many secular newspapers across the nation to one of those senators calling him to task for his position on abortion. How are we to navigate through the issues in voting for a new president, and how as your pastor can I help to clarify some of the political issues? Well, I think the image of a combine helps us. Through human reason, we can set up some "sieves of logic" which can filter the issues and candidates, and help to identify a candidate who most closely resembles the truth of the natural law and our Catholic faith for this would be what is objectively good for our country. There are two basic sieves, or categories, of issues. Not every issue holds the same weight as others. The first sieve screens the candidates on issues having to do with life itself; the second sieve screens the candidate on issues having to do with the quality of life. The first and most important category contains those issues having to do with life itself: that human life has an inherent dignity given by God from the moment of conception until natural death and would receive equal protection under the law. We cannot begin to talk about the quality of human life until we have first established life itself. To disregard the issues regarding life itself and to go directly to issues concerning the quality of life doesn't make any logical sense. It is also important to remember that the issues that form the filter of the first sieve come to us from the natural law and are reinforced in the revealed law. In other words, we can know the truth of these matters through our human reason. It doesn't matter whether we are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, humanist or even atheist. If we exercise our rational capacity, we can come to know these non-negotiable issues having to do with life itself, and in the current political scene they are five: 1) Abortion; 2) Euthanasia; 3) Embryonic Stem Cell Research; 4) Human Cloning and 5) Homosexual "Marriage". Why are they non-negotiable? Because they involve intrinsically evil acts that are never, under any circumstances permissible. So the issue of abortion is part of the mesh of that first sieve. Abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human life. In this country on average, more than 4,000 children are killed everyday by abortion. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I must tell you that even Hitler and Stalin cannot claim such numbers. Just to give you an idea, every day more children are killed in this country than in the 5-year war we've had in Iraq, as terrible as it is (about 4,200 US lives lost to date). War is always terrible, and I think most everyone believes we should be seeking a way to end it as justly and safely as possible. I have a stake in the war myself. I have a friend who just finished his third tour in Iraq; I know of another who in his first tour was clearing mines for a civilian area and things went terribly wrong. He never came home. War is terrible, but sometimes it can be justifiable, especially to stop on unjust aggressor. Abortion, euthanasia and the destruction of innocent children in the name of research (embryonic stem cell research) is never justifiable. Without the first category of life itself, we cannot guarantee any of the issues having to do with the quality of life. That first sieve must clear out the obvious stuff before reaching the second sieve. Life must first exist and receive protection by the law before any other rights are guaranteed. The second sieve has to do with issue of the quality of human life, sometimes called "social justice issues" (although we should recognize that the right to life is the first right and issue in "social justice"). Once there is human life, then we talk about the important issues that help human life to flourish. These are important issues like immigration, health care, education, employment, fair trade, economic exploitation, the environment and other similar issues. Notice, however, that they have to do with the quality of human life. They flow from the first category; they presume that life already exists and is protected. Logically these issues cannot supercede the issues of the first sieve. As a thinking human being and as a thinking believer, these are the two logical sieves to help us sort through the issues as a thinking person and as a follower of Jesus Christ. With these sieves we can help to identify the candidate that most closely resembles the truth of the natural law and the revealed law among the available choices. The USCCB has issued voting guidelines in a document called Faithful Citizenship which is available online, and will be provided in the back of church. Like any document, it is open to interpretation. Recently the other bishop in Oregon, Bishop Robert Vasa, gave a talk at the national Catholic Leadership Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, in which he clarified two important aspects of Faithful Citizenship. He noted that according to the document, a pro-abortion stance would disqualify candidates from consideration by faithful Catholics. He said, "When we were working on the document 'Faithful Citizenship', and the issue of whether or not a person's adamant pro-abortion position was a disqualifying condition, the general sense was 'yes that is a disqualifying condition'." However, during the discussions mention was made of the letter written to the US Bishops by then Cardinal Ratzinger just prior his elevation to the pontificate which noted that Catholics may in good conscience vote for a politician who supports abortion in the presence of "proportionate reasons". Bishop Vasa explained the notion of proportionate reasons. He says, "The conditions under which an individual may be able to vote for a pro-abortion candidate would apply only if all the candidates are equally pro-abortion." He added: "And then you begin to screen for the other issues and make a conscientious decision to vote for this pro-abortion candidate because his positions on these other issues are more in keeping with good Catholic values." In that case, he said, "It doesn't mean that you in any way support or endorse a pro-abortion position but you take a look in that context at the lesser of two evils." Notice, however, how a "proportionate reason" works. It only comes into play if the candidates are equally pro-abortion. But what about the relationship between abortion and another important issue like the war in Iraq? Let us reason it through with Bishop Vasa. "If we had a candidate in favor of a war in Iraq in which we decimate the entire population and we kill as many civilians to impose as much terror on everybody as possible, if that was in opposition to a pro-abortion person then we would have a real conflict of conscience. Why? Because you would have a direct and intentional killing of innocent persons on one hand and the direct and intentional killing of persons on the other hand. But we do not have that issue with capital punishment, and we don't have that issue with the war in Iraq. In this election we do not have candidates with equally pro-abortion positions." Through this logic, the logic of reason and the logic of faith, the first sieve would eliminate pro-abortion candidates from our consideration. Their position would not make it through the first sieve because these non-negotiable issues have to do with intrinsically evil acts. Abortion is always the direct killing of innocent human life. It is the defining issue for a rational person who understands the natural law; it is the defining issue for a Catholic who knows Jesus Christ and His revealed law. Certain acts and political positions are always wrong, and no one may deliberately vote in favor of them. Those with a direct vote (legislators) may not support these evils in legislation or programs. Those who elect politicians (citizens) indirectly support these evils if they vote in favor of candidates who propose to advance them. Abortion is the taking of innocent human life, and to support that and to vote for those who support it and promote it means that one takes at least indirect responsibility in the deaths of those children. Back in the last election in 2004, our own Archbishop Vlazny also clarified the issue of pro-abortion candidates and the reception of Holy Communion. He writes, "Let me say this. Catholics who publicly disagree with serious church teaching on such matters as abortion or same sex marriage should refrain from receiving Holy Communion. These women and men need to understand that what the reception of a sacrament means in the life of the church. The reception of Holy Communion is a sign that a person not only seeks union with God but also desires to live in communion with the church. Such communion is clearly violated when one publicly opposes serious church teaching. Reception of Holy Communion by such public dissenters betrays a blatant disregard for the serious meaning and purpose of the reception of the Eucharist." If you are struggling with these words, pray for illumination; pray for conversion. So we have our two basic "sieves of logic" to help us sort through this election and every election. We are rational persons who can know and follow the natural law, and we are Catholics who know, love and strive to follow the Lord Jesus. We have our rational combine to cut through and sort the political landscape. Jesus tells us today that it doesn't matter whether we come to the harvest at the very beginning or in the twilight of the day. He wants us working there nonetheless, and will reward us with the "daily wage" he longs to give us, eternal life. I think we now live in a time when we have to choose. We have to choose between being a Catholic in communion with Christ and His Church and supporting a pro-abortion position. This I know is difficult for some people because some Catholics have never before been explicitly asked to choose. But now we have to choose between those two. We cannot adhere to both. St. Paul tells us that there is nothing in common between Christ and Belial. Now the request that we choose is an invitation to conversion. I don't know about you, but the pro-choice position will not bring me to heaven. Jesus Christ will bring me to heaven. When we go to vote in November, I would ask that you think of final judgment that will determine our eternal destiny. We will be judged according to our deeds in this life. How do I want to stand before God and the millions of little children in His arms? I know when push comes to shove, I want to be where Jesus Christ is because for me "For me life is Christ." Sources: Cihak, John, excerpts from a previously preached homily at St. John the Baptist, Milwaukie (23 May 23 2004). Vasa, Bishop Robert. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/sep/08091203.html Vlazny, Archbishop John, "Public Dissenters Should Themselves Refrain from Communion," Letter of May 6, 2004 [ecolumn@sentinel.org]. Vlazny, Archbishop John, "Political responsibility among Catholics", Catholic Sentinel, 15 August 2008 (http://www.sentinel.org/node/9327). Portland Archdiocesan Pastoral Council Meeting Regarding White Priviledge One of the goals of the APC in developing the racism materials was to raise awareness of the issue. The eyes of the council were opened to the problem through a study of “white privilege”. The “white privilege” angle was a great entrée into the topic of racism for the council, and it was hoped that this experience could be duplicated at the parish level through the materials that were developed. Unfortunately, however, because of copyright permissions and cost issues, the whole concept of “white privilege” had to be removed from the materials that were developed. As a result, the extremely effective “white privilege” approach to the topic could not be used as a hook to get people interested in discussing the issue of racism. Three of the people listed as resources in the racism materials are still willing to help the archdiocese and the APC if it is decided that more should be done to address the topic. Their names are Marie Langenes, Frances Portillo, and Susan Helzer. In addition, it is likely that the racism materials can be posted on the multicultural web pages that are being developed for the archdiocese. The recent movie, “Crash”, which is set in Los Angeles, addresses the theme of latent racial prejudice in human relations. It is a critically acclaimed movie and while raw in nature, the movie deftly exposes some of the existing racial prejudices that affect daily life in modern American society. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "Be Not Afraid....I have overcome the world."

Priests Emails to Let Your Voice Be Heard!!

Dear Friends for Life,

"The Christian faithful are free to make known their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires to the pastors of the Church." (Canon 212, P2)


"In accord with the knowledge, competence and preeminence which they possess, they 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 toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons." (Canon 212, P3)

Here's a little gift for you. The emails of all the Archdiocese of Portland priests. You have a lot to say and I pray that you will use these well, with charity and prudence. Just copy and paste.

Our Church is in such confusion that I feel that we all need to let our voices be heard.

"Let's Play the Candy Game" - USCCB Educate? Our Kids on Charity & Justice.

Dear Advocates for Life (Who Wonder What's Going On), It seems even our children aren't safe from the inadequate, confusing, and in my opinion, quasi anti-Catholic "Faithful Citizenship" propaganda in our Churches. According to the Archdpdx this is the only material allowed in the churches when questioned. Concerned Catholics just want to educate their brothers and sisters in Christ about the the moral issues that are very much in jeopardy during this election. What's going on when good Catholics are treated like intruders in their own parish? When Vatican documents and pro-life material l is unwelcome in a Catholic Church? When staff suddenly acts uncharitably towards Church teachings and their messengers? Who are these people? What are they doing to our children? Is this what the Catechism teaches? Part of the Truth is Not the Truth it is brainwashing. We have to question these "games". BEFORE YOU GET TO THE CANDY GAME......REMEMBER... Here are some activities that Catholics can attend for relief. Catholics for McCain/Palin meets: * SUNDAYS from 1 - 3 pm at the Washington Co. GOP Office in Beaverton...3800 Cedar Hills Blvd. #272. The last meeting had a large group of "almost" 20 awesome Catholics who believe in the Teachings of the Church, without excuses. Contact - Kevin Hoar -503-644-6075 * TUESDAYS at 3pm. There is a rosary for Life...this is held at St. Cyril's Catholic Church in Wilsonville..All are welcome, this is NOT a Catholics for McCain group, but centered on prayer for Life of the Unborn. Contact Karen Duchien - for more info * SATURDAY, November 1st. at 10 am "MARY".. Rosary for Babies and for Peace! Outdoors, so dress accordingly. 13011 NW Springville Rd. Portland. Contact Olive and Herb Plep - 503-297-2459 for more info. ******************************* http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/teachers/games/candy Do you See the Face of Christ in this Game or Political Brainwashing? *********************************** Justice, Fairness, and Changing the Rules: Candy Game _ TEST Learning Objectives * Understand the difference between charity and justice. * Identify the key concepts of social justice. * Understand that we should share our gifts with others because God created us all and has blessed us with gifts. * Affirm that God has distributed talents equally. * Understand that as a result of God's creation, each person enjoys special dignity. The purpose of this introductory activity is to provide students with background knowledge of social justice, and to understand that there is a difference between charity and justice. Preparation 1. Prepare the materials for the lesson. You will need: * A deck of playing cards * 12 small bags of bite-sized candies, with 36 in each bag (Note: It is also possible to play the game with beans or any other small object that can be put in the bags in place of the candies.) * As many envelopes containing prizes as there are face cards being used (Prizes can be real prizes, like movie tickets, a cool gel pen, or snacks like cans of soda or candy bars. You could also use fake prizes, like a picture of a bicycle, but using real prizes will make the game more realistic for students.) * A bag with a number of candies equal to two times the number of number cards being used * An empty bag 2. Count out the playing cards, one per student. 3. For a group of twenty or more, use ten face cards (which will be given to ten students) and number cards for the rest of the students. 4. If you have fewer than twenty students, use only eight face cards, and number cards for the rest. 5. If you have fewer than fifteen students, use only six face cards, and number cards for the rest. 6. Copy the homework assignment. 7. Meet with the outside presenter (if applicable) to touch base on the lesson. The Lesson The teacher should begin the lesson by introducing the outside classroom presenter, and telling the students that he or she wants to play a game with them. Allow some time for each student to introduce him or herself to the presenter. You may want to consider having the students wear name tags. (If no outside presenter is available, the game can also be facilitated by the teacher. However, having an outside presenter may help the students enter the new reality and rules of the game.) Instructions for the Presenter 1. Pass out a playing card to each student, giving the following instructions: "I am going to give each of you a card and you may not look at it until I tell you to." 2. After you have passed out the cards, tell the students to look at their cards. Then arrange the desks into two rows so that those with a face card are on one side of the room, and those with a number card are on the other side of the room. 3. Tell the students that those with face cards are "the royalty" and those with number cards are "the lowly number people." 4. Initiate discussion. For example * "What is it like to be a poor person?" Amplify and affirm responses. For example, if a student says, "They probably don't get many toys at Christmas," respond by saying, "That's a good answer. Our parish does a toy drive each year for kids who otherwise wouldn't get any toys." * "What do you think of when you hear the words 'poor person'?" Amplify and affirm responses. Anticipate that students may describe a dirty, drunken, homeless man. 5. Pass out the candies. Give two pieces to each poor person, and a whole bag to each rich person. Tell the students not to eat the candies or open the bags until you tell them to. 6. Tell the students about the prizes: "Each of these envelopes contain a prize. You can buy these prizes, or 'gifts' from me today." Tantalize the students by telling them the contents of some of the envelopes. Help them picture themselves enjoying the gifts. After they see the value of each gift, ask the students what they think they will use to buy the gifts (the correct answer is "the candies") and how much they think each gift will cost. 7. Explain the rules of the game: * Each gift costs 18 candies. * Since the lowly people have only two candies, tell them they will have a chance to get more candies by asking the royalty to share with them. "Don't worry, you'll get a chance to get more candies. You will be asking the royalty to share with you. You need to start thinking of reasons why the royalty should share their candies with you." * Tell the royalty, "You can do whatever you want with your candies. You can eat them, take them home, share them or use them to buy prizes. When they, the lowly numbers, come begging, it is up to you to decide whether you listen to them or not. * When the lowly numbers ask the royalty to share, they must get on their knees. (This simulates the indecency of poverty.) * Explain that gifts cannot be split between the lowly and the royalty. (It's possible that someone on the poor team is a good friend of a person on the rich team. They may say, "Give me yours and we'll split the gift certificate to the movies." However, in the real world, the rich are not taking the poor out to a movie.) * The rich team may buy a gift at any time. Explain: "You don't have to wait for the poor people to beg you for candies. Buy what you want, when you want." 8. Tell students not to open the envelopes until all the gifts are purchased. 9. Be ready to begin handing out the envelopes as students come forward with 18 candies. Give the class a signal to begin. Have a bag ready, as students will "pay" for a gift by placing 18 candies in the bag. 10. After all the gifts have been purchased, ask the students to return to their seats. Tell them, "That's the end of the game." Then, initiate discussion: * Ask, "What were the messages of this game?" Listen for: "People only share after they get what they want, not need." "God decides which families we are born into." "It hurts to beg." "Some have more than others." "The rich have easier access to gifts." "It's a game about sharing." "It's a game about greed." * Ask the students to describe the type of sharing that did take place. What you are listening for is a description of "leftover sharing," that is, we tend to share with the poor after we have made sure all of our needs and wants have been fulfilled. Tell the students that "leftover sharing" is often how adults share. People usually do not donate to the point that they no longer have enough money to go to the movies or out to eat. "Leftover sharing" describes what probably takes place when schools or parishes conduct food drives. * Ask the questions: 1. "Should those with more share with those who have less?" Most students will say "yes." 2. "Why should those who have more share?" Note: This is a critical question. It is disarmingly simple, but even adults can have a hard time answering this question. 3. This question is looking for motives of giving. Many people, when pressed for an answer, will disclose their motive as one that is self-serving or in their self interest. For example, some have said, "It makes me feel good to give." Or, "I might be poor one day, and if I help a poor person now, maybe someone will help me." Another motive for giving is religious in content. For example, "God made us all." "Because Jesus said we are to share." "We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God." 11. Throughout the program you will want to emphasize with the students the proper motive for sharing or helping others. Unfortunately, in many of our schools we teach children to do the right thing but for the wrong reason. For example, we conduct a food drive in our school, but the children are told if they bring in food, they can wear jeans on Friday. That is teaching them the motive of self-interest and not the motive of other-interest professed in the Gospels. We should bring in food for the poor because they are our brothers and sisters. 12. Ask the children to hold up their cards. "See how we are different? Some of you are black fours. Some of you are red sevens. Some of you are kings and queens." 13. Talk about social differences. Racial and economic groups tend to "hang around" their own kind. We often judge by appearances. 14. Direct the students to show the back sides of their cards. "What do you see?" Listen for "We are all the same." "God doesn't see color or rich or poor. He only sees sons and daughters." 15. Ask the students who you represented at the beginning of the game when you passed out the cards. They should guess, "God." And that's right. Explain that passing out the cards at the beginning of the activity symbolizes that God decides where, how, and to whom we were born. None of us gave God input as to the station of our birth. 16. Ask the students "What were the rules of the game?" You might even write them on the board. Then ask, "Were the rules fair?" They should say, "No." Ask, "How could the rules be more fair?" Listen for: "Change some of the rules." "Give everyone the same amount of candies." 17. Explain and emphasize the two ways the Church says we can help people * Charity. Direct assistance, such as giving the poor people more candies. Explain how charity is like a food drive. * Justice. Changing unjust rules, such as lowering how much the prizes cost or redistributing the candy allotment so that those with the fewest have more. * Explain that this program is about justice, about learning how to help people change unjust rules. 18. Pass out the homework assignment. Ask the students to illustrate the three concepts from this lesson. The three concepts are: (1) a poor person, (2) an act of charity, and (3) an act of justice. Anticipate that most students will have a hard time illustrating an act of justice, because it is a concept that most Catholics are not familiar with. You might need to brainstorm some ideas with the students: Justice is helping to change the laws in some way to make all more equal. What can students do to help change laws they think are unfair or could be better? ***************************************** We have to question what the motives and agendas of those in charge at this level of authority in the Church. Faithful Citizenship.. JustFaith... Quest... Renew....Praesidium (sex education in our Catholic schools and churches) Theology on Tap, Office of Justice and Peace, and Catholic School Curriculum is a partial list that needs lay investigation because of the increase of "progressive spiritual" thinking. These various shades of gray do NOT promote Divine Justice or the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth...but man thinking he is God. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn Justice - "It is a moral quality or habit which perfects the will and inclines it to render to each and to all what belongs to them ." Catholic Encyclopedia Jesus Christ says: "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's render unto God what is God's." and "You cannot serve Two masters." We belong to Christ and have the indelible marks to prove it. It is TRUE JUSTICE to listen to Christ, who died for our us. Quid est Veritas? VOCAL www.vocalnews.org Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World"

USCCB - NO to FOCA: SO.. NO TO OBAMA!

Dear Advocates for Life and Others, This is to inform your conscience. NOW YOU KNOW. You don't have to FEEL it to be in obedience to Christ. You just have to Trust Him and NOT COOPERATE WITH INTRINSIC EVIL WITH YOUR VOTE OR by CENSORING OTHERS TO THE TRUTH. You can download this bulletin insert that is from the USCCB. Please pass it around and send it around. NOTE - it is at left side of this site. [OBAMA, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act," Obama said in his July 2008 speech to abortion advocates worried about the increase of pro-life legislation at the state level.] www.youtube.com/watch?v=0__ctD48nfQ OBAMA supports infanticide....we are looking into Oregon "Catholic" hosptials that have "induced abortions" which you will learn about from Jill Stanek... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRpIf2F9NA&feature=related ***************************************************************** The confusion with Faithful Citizenship has been trumped by Church teachings from the USCCB. The simple fact that to elect Barack Obama would be to vote for "A new, very serious threat to human life.... ...The Freedom of Choice Act." (FOCA) According to the USCCB handout...."October is Respect Life month, when the U.S. Bishops call us to prayer and action. This year, your support is needed more than ever. Abortion rights groups and their allies in Congress are promoting a radical bill called the "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA). If this extreme measure is enacted, widely supported and constitutionally sound abortion regulations will be knocked down nationwide. If passed into law, FOCA will impose upon the entire country an abortion regime far worse than anything brought on by Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. And the current level of 1.1 million abortions a year will go up, not down. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard to contact the offices of your Representative and two Senators: 202.224.3121. Urge them to oppose FOCA. For more resources, see www.nchla.org. (National Committee for Human Life Amendment) FOCA eliminates - regulations that protect women from unsafe abortion clinics FOCA forces - taxpayers to fund abortions FOCA requires - all states to allow "partial birth" and other late-term abortions FOCA subjects - women to abortions by nonphysicians FOCA violates - the conscience rights of nurses, doctors, and hospitals FOCA strips - parents of their right to be involved in their minor daughters' abortion decision ******************************************************************* The bulletin insert has all this information and more. Also... * Catholics for McCain/Palin MEETING - I will have Voter's guides from Oregon Right to Life at the Washington County GOP office 3800 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. #272 Beaverton. 503-922-3233. The meeting starts at 1:30 pm each Sunday. Come meet and greet your friends.... * If you need Voter's Guides from Oregon Right to Life please contact me. * If you need McCain/Obama comparison piece to pass out...Just down load from the attachments. * If I have forgotten anything, please pray for me and just ask... PS...We are going to have a "Summit for Life"...after the election. We are going to make sure that Catholics are staffing Catholic positions and believe Catholic teachings. This is part of Church teachings, Canon 388, so it has the Holy Spirit behind it for Authority. It is part of the Natural Law written on our hearts. Even though some Cathiolics in Name Only are in power NOW, they will not have a free ride for long and the there WILL Be spiritual and financial transparency. God Bless you and yours, May the Lord have Mercy on us and Hear our Prayers. Let's not forget ACORN and Campaign for Human Development that we've spent hundreds of thousands on just from Oregon.... " Additionally, the sturdy backbone of most of these networks is still the Catholic Church, which is now much embattled and also rigorous in its posture on political action around abortion and similar issues. Nonetheless this is a place to start and should be part of the equation." Wade Rathke...ACORN Founder.. Carolyn www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".

ALINSKY, ACORN, ARCHDPDX : "The Chickens Have Come Home to Roost....."

As we enter the home stretch of a crucial presidential election...Catholics are fighting for Life on many fronts:

Catholic churches throughout Oregon we are told that it is "preferred" by the Archbishop to only use confusing USCCB "Faithful Citizenship" material.

Priests are "allowed" to do anything they want, this limits the options of many priests, so IRS Friendly info is censored.

Catholics have recently had their "Sanctity of Life" group disbanded by their priest.

VOCAL asks WHY THE CENSORSHIP?

Catholics are feeling like they aren't getting True Church teachings.

The Office of Justice and Peace, led by liberation theology follower Cat Willett is posting anti-Catholic "Platform for the Common Good" ...which is part of anti-Catholic Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and NETWORK  were just in the Archdpdx.  Also "Father"Roy Bourgeois  VOCAL had the liberal "nun" and priest Fr. Bourgeois http://www.archdpdx.org/justice_and_peace/maryknoll-election-guide.pdf who's part of Call to Action aka women priests, married clergy and homosexual promotion..VOCAL asks, Why are THESE ALLOWED AND NOT VATICAN ARTICLES ON VOTING AND LIFE?
Catholics feel like an outsider in their own churches. VOCAL asks ARE CHURCHES SERVING GOD OR MONEY? ACCORDING TO THE ARCHDPDX WE SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN "ECONOMIC JUSTICE" What about Catholic Collection Plate Justice?

Did Jesus become man and die for us for that the Church staff could continue to have their salaries, super benefits and Union representation?

BUT HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!! WE are going to have a Summit for Life...and address these issues. We are going to ask that CANON 833 be implemented to save Western Oregon Souls....Eastern Oregon has already implemented Canon 833 Read it and thank God that He has given the Body of Christ the answer. http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/teach/cdfoath.htm

We thank the Archbishop for faxing Governor Kulongoski with his displeasure at him attending the NARAL gala. We hope that Canon 915 (refusing pro-abortion Catholic politicians from receiving Holy Communion) will also be implemented.

We hope that the Archbishop will encourage the priests to speak out from the pulpit about the destruction of abortion without worrying about the backlash from liberal parishioners.

We hope that this means that the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Ministry will finally get funded, realizing that Cat Willett and the Office of Justice and Peace has, I believe, close to $100,000 a year in salaries, benefits, travel (she just went to the Holy Land), perks, retreats, and more....She is going to Churches pushing the US Bishops Faithful Citizenship.

HOWEVER, Oregon Catholics STILL remember how in the 2004 elections the, Oregon Catholic Conference, Bob Castagna and Anthony Granados had the Saul Alinsky group "Faith in Public Life", Interfaith Committe for Worker Justice, come into certain Portland area churches to do voter registration to targeted social, economic and racial groups. The same thing ACORN is doing in Ohio now...pushing the Democrat party, we believe....why else would they come in here wil the SAME NAME "FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP"... if not to go under the laity radar screen. Handouts available gladly......

We are so happy that Stephanie Block has been in Oregon last year to educate us as to the way Catholic money is continually being used to fund Alinsky groups that undermine the Catholic Church.

Thanks Stephanie...we thank you for your dedication to Holy Mother Church.
+++++++++++++++++++

THE CHICKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST.....

Obama, ACORN, and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development

By STEPHANIE BLOCK

For nearly 40 years, The Wanderer has followed the Catholic Campaign for Human Development's funding of radical, left-wing political organizations, many of them car­rying the brand of Saul Alinsky. The Wan­derer

also covered the first Call to Action

conference — the months of " hearings" leading up to it, its orchestrated structure and contrived demands — and Wanderer reporters commented on the Alinskyian nature of it, not merely in its tactics but in its outcomes. In hindsight, we can see that organized dissent in the Church was a product of organized parishes, filled with Alinskyian-trained laity.

The Catholic Campaign for Human De­velopment is responsible for that.

It is also responsible, in some part, for the fact that almost 40 years later, we have a virulently pro- abortion, pro- homosexual presidential candidate whose principal po­litical training has been in Alinskyian orga­nizing. While he — Barack Obama — was lead organizer in Chicago for the Develop­ing Communities Project, it received a $ 40,000 Catholic Campaign for Human Development grant in 1985 and a $33,000 grant in 1986.

While he was in Chicago, Obama was trained by the top Alinskyian organizers. One mentor was the ex- Jesuit Greg Galuz­zo, lead organizer for Gamaliel. The Devel­oping Communities Project operated under the Gamaliel Foundation, a network of Alinskyian organizations that receive 4%­5% of all Catholic Campaign for Human Development grants each year.

The Developing Communities Project, which hired Obama as lead organizer, was an offshoot of Jerry Kellman's Calumet Community Religious Conference. Kell­man, another of Obama's mentors, was himself trained by Alinsky. The network of community organizations Alinsky founded, the Industrial Areas Foundation, receives about 16% of all Catholic Campaign for Human Development grants annually.

After Obama went to Harvard Law School, he returned to Chicago and taught Alinskyian organizing to ACORN staff. Al­though ACORN has a different structure than other Alinskyian networks, its tactical philosophy and worldview are formed by men who were trained by Alinsky, in a sort of diabolical apostolic succession. Obama ran ACORN's 1992 voter-registration drive, Project Vote, and in turn received ACORN's endorsement for Illinois senator. ACORN annually receives about 5% of Catholic Campaign for Human Develop­ment grants. (VOCAL - ACORN has received thousands of dollars from Oregon Collection plate money through CCHD until YOU got involved, still a lot of loose money around)

This translates into millions of dollars of Catholic money over the last four decades going into Alinskyian community organiz­ing. Catholics generously gave their mon­ey to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development collection because they were told it would "help the poor."

Relatively little from the Catholic Cam­paign for Human Development collection goes to " help the poor." Alinskyian net­works are political. They work closely with politicians — such as Obama — and other organizations that are fighting for abortion and homosexual " rights." ACORN's " Peo­ple's Platform" has nothing in common with Catholic social justice teaching and ev­erything in common with socialism. Gam­aliel and the Industrial Areas Foundation teach liberationism, a form of " Christian­ized" socialism, among their members.

This has serious ramifications for Cath­olics. The Alinskyian networks operate ec­umenically and include numerous Catholic parishes. The Catholics involved in the ex­tensive trainings these networks offer are not catechized in Catholic principles of so­cial activism or political analysis but in Marx­ist analysis and praxis. Their worldview is marred by visions of class struggle and per­petual revolution. They are systematically trained to renounce moral truth in favor of consensus- based " values."

Catholics trained in Alinskyian thought become confused about the comparative moral weight of the issues they encounter in the public arena. They also become con­fused about the legitimate authority of the Church, frequently imagining they can ap­ply consensus- building strategies to doc­trines and moral truth. They are the same Catholics who people the dissident Call to Action chapters around the country. (Call to Action...protected in Oregon by Church staff, VOCAL)

Ironically, they learned these confused ideas in their parishes, through Church- sponsored "educational" programs such as the Catholic Campaign for Human Develop­ment's liberationist "Poverty and Faithjustice." Because of this confusion, Catholics, who ought to be a powerful, consistent voice for moral values in society, are fragmented and ineffective. The Catholic Campaign for Hu­man Development bears much of the respon­sibility.

A few bishops understand exactly what the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is and approve what it funds. Most, howev­er, swallow the concept of its "helping the poor" and have probed no deeper. Busy about the Lord's work of minding their dio­ceses, they've trusted others to run the "so­cial justice" offices. ( Justice and Peace Office...too much power, too much money...VOCAL.)

In this sense, the nomination of Barack Obama has been a great blessing. Even the politically naive are fascinated by the pejora­tive dismissal of Obama as a "community or­ganizer" and his campaign's rebuttal that to disrespect community organizers is to disre­spect Catholic Action. Obama isn't Catholic. Catholic thought hasn't subtly filtered into this ecumenical movement. Amoral Alinskyian thought, on the other hand, has clearly fil­tered into Catholic circles — to such a degree that some people confuse one for the other. Obama's nomination is a window of op­portunity to explain — starting with the bish­ops — the difference between Alinskyian prin­ciples and Catholic Action. They and other Catholics should find materials about Obama's Alinskyian roots quite interesting. We need to be sharing those materials.

After 40 years of funding the bad guys, it's time to stop.

Editor's Note: We would urge every reader to contact his or her bishop and inform him of the contents of this editorial. In our estimation, it is the solemn duty of a bishop to inform his flock about the serious discrepancy between the official image of CCHD as an instrument to help the poor and the unfortunate reality that, too often, CCHD funds are used to promote secu­larist and Marxist-inspired political activism. — A.J.Matt, editor.)

"Why not deny Communion to politicians and laity who support the death penalty and the Iraq war?"

Answer: The Church has never taught, and does not teach now, that the death penalty and war are evil in all instances. But, the church has always clearly condemned abortion, sodomy, euthanasia, cloning, and embryonic stem cell research in all instances. Canon 915

OR Catholics Alert!! www.catholicsformccainpalin.blogspot.com

Dear Friends, To help you get information out and feel connected go to www.catholicsformccainpalin.blogspot.com There you will find county chairmen and information on what's going on at the grassroots level. As State Director of Catholics for McCain/Palin. I want you to know how many wise, courageous laymen and women are in this Archdiocese. We are fighting a battle to be truly Catholics in our own Churches and not feel that we are in an "enemy camp". By putting Faith above Funds, it truly is a movement of the Holy Spirit. We can't lose. I am speaking tomorrow at the Washington County GOP office at 1:30pm. Look at the blog to see address. Just doing as much as I can in this election. If Barack Obama is elected he will wipe away all pro-life standards and institute a Federal Freedom of Choice Act. This will even affect the Catholic hospitals and conscience clauses to the best of my knowledge. I'm attaching some great handouts from Dr. Richard Thorne from Redmond, Deschutes Co. Chair..on * Conscience as the Church teaches. An informed conscience is not one of opinion or one of our own choosing. * Brief Summary of Moral Law for Faithful Catholics. Where Church authority truly comes from...Not USCCB * Principles of the Cooperation with/in Evil. Why voting for a pro-abortion candidate when there is a viable option is cooperating with evil. Tell any Eastern dabblers....karmic debt. Not a good thing, if Hell doesn't do it. If we belong to the Catholic Church that Christ started, these are great tools to keep referring to. Just for fun..remember the www.americancarol.com is going to open in theaters on October 2nd. American Carol is a comedy that balances things a bit...great fun. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." Abraham Lincoln's Cooper Institute Address, February 27, 1860. www.catholicsformccainpalin.blogspot.com www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholc Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".

Continued...Stop the Insanity.Pro-gay hires but Why No Pro-Life Catholic Speakers? Sr. Simone Campbell, NETWORK, Darling of Archdiocese

Dear Advocates for Life...

Many of us are working together to bring a "Summit for Life" to Oregon, where practicing Catholics can work out a stratedgy that follows the teachings of Christ. We have been silent for too long. If you'd like to be involved, just let me know. We can't have these meetings at a Catholic Church however, more insanity.

Thank you Diana R. Walters (Oregon Catholic Citizens) and Stephanie Block (Los Pequenos de Cristo) for helping with these articles.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find Out About .NETWORK.don't be in the dark.

Be sure to read all about NETWORK; Find information and links at bottom of this email)
Faith Alive: Catholic Social Teaching, Spirituality
and the 2008 Election by Sr. Simone Campbell
Promoted in  the bastion of  pro-homosexual St.Andrew Catholic Church (Cat Willett,Director of the Office of Justice and Peace. Sunday Bulletin, 9/21/08, the Catholic Sentinel

Theresa Willett Memorial Lecture
at All Saints Church (Claire Willett, confirmation teacher, soulforce Scandal Unopossed  )
Monday 9/22/08 at 7:30 pm
"Sister Simone Campbell, a gifted and faithful witness for justice and peace and a national and international leader for advocacy and reconciliation, will be this year's speaker. The time with Sister Simone should assist all of us in integrating our rich Catholic Social Teaching with the decisions we will soon make in the November election."

St. Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church, Porltand
Tuesday 9/23/08
For more information, or comments contact: Catherine (Cat) Willet, Director of Archdiocesan Office of Justice and Peace, Parishioner St. Andrew Catholic Church: cwillet@archdpdx.org, or phone: (503) 233-8361

#######

So, Who is Sister Simone Campbell and What is NETWORK?

Please read: Obama: Orthodox Christians are hijackers, 6/25/07: Insight Scoop - Ignatius Pres

Excerpt:

"Which is not to say that good people, including Catholics, cannot hold differing views on many of these issues. What I wonder is simply this: how many people really buy into this sort of rhetoric, which is transparently self-serving, confused, and condescending?

Specifically, when Obama mocks those Christians who abhor abortion based on a traditional Judeo-Christian understanding of moral basics (that is, killing innocent people is wrong), does this really expand his appeal? I'd like to think it doesn't, but that is obviously the approach he's taking. And it seems to mesh, more or less, with the approach embraced by many "progressive" Catholics who are pro-abortion but would rather emphasize how committed they are to the poor, to women, to social justice, etc., as a June 24th U.S. News and World Report article, titled "Democrats set their sights on winning back Catholics," explains:

A Roman Catholic nun who leads a social justice advocacy group called Network, Simone Campbell rarely got a phone call from Capitol Hill before the 2006 election. Campbell, based in Washington, D.C., says she "wore her knuckles bare" fruitlessly knocking on lawmakers' doors, particularly those of Democrats who should have been natural allies on issues like raising the minimum wage and comprehensive immigration reform.

Then came last year's midterm elections. Campbell joined a new Catholic voter-turnout operation working to reverse the wilting Catholic support Democrats had seen in 2004. After her efforts helped elect Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Bob Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania, her phone began ringing. Campbell's group is now regularly invited to meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a recent conference call about immigration with other religious activists, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York announced at the last minute that she wanted to jump on. Campbell was asked to give the closing prayer at a big Democratic National Committee meeting last winter. "I stopped being a pariah," she says. "Now, I'm value added."

What are the beliefs of Sister Simone and Network? According to the Network site, "NETWORK is a progressive voice within the Catholic community that has been influencing Congress in favor of peace and justice for more than 30 years." The site also states that issues are analyzed according to "Principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospel Message," as well as "A feminist/womanist/mujerista perspective that ... respects the diversity of women's experiences in moving from oppression to liberation..." In other words, Sister Simone gives lip service to Catholic teaching but is pro-abortion. Therefore it's no surprise that she has ties with another, better known "progressive" group, Call To Action.

NETWORK  one more time...

NETWORK is a Catholic social justice lobby, founded in 1971 by 47 Catholic sisters from several orders around the country to influence the federal government on various policy issues.

They believed that in addition to charitable services for the poor, the Church must also work to change unjust systems that perpetuate economic inequity. To this end, they formed a "network" of sisters to lobby for federal policies and legislation that promote their understanding of economic and social justice.

In addition, NETWORK has produced educational resources and programs related to public policy. The NETWORK Education Program (NEP) is designed to provide issues analysis, skills development for responsible citizenship, and faith reflection on political ministry. To address these issues, NETWORK activists – lay and religious – are asked to familiarize themselves with the talking points, backgrounders, and sample letters supplied by the organization for writing and phoning legislators and media.


NETWORK has a liberationist approach to its policy recommendations. According to its literature, the organization analyzes issues from "a feminist/ womanist/ mujerista perspective that," among other things, "respects the diversity of women's experiences in moving from oppression to liberation."

The group has been highly influential in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), assisting the Conference in its formulation of its own public policy positions. It is referenced in a number of "official" USCC[B] documents and programs, such as the "Communities of Salt and Light: Parish Resource Manual" and CCHD's adult education program "Poverty and Faithjustice."

NETWORK is a Call to Action "church renewal group" supporting Catholic Church 'reform." [See Call to Action]. It has been involved at Call to Action conferences for many years and its national coordinators, past and present, are on Call to Action's "Speakers and Artists Referral Service" listing.

Issues supported by NETWORK over the years have included normalizing US relations with communist Cuba, pushing for federally funded "universal" health care, closing the US Army School of the Americas, increasing availability of public housing, child care, and transportation for low income workers, and lobbying for global governance. Its well-connected leadership has also worked for homosexual and abortion "rights," population control, and within the Church, for women's ordination.

References:

Conner, Laurene, Sustainable Development: A Global Agenda Structured on Population Control, Wanderer Forum Foundation, 1997.

Network website: NETWORK

Steichen, Donna, Ungodly Rage: The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 1991.

8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.

9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself. Ezekiel 33

Stop the Insanity! Archdpdx Pro-homosexual hires, Why No Pro-Life Catholic Speakers? ....to be continued

There is a battle for the souls of Oregon Catholics. In feedback I've received from Catholics that are trying to get IRS LEGALLY acceptable information voting information into Oregon Catholic churches, there are roadblocks set up by many priests and church staff. This information and education are censored.

Conversely, the Obama pushing Catholics that work within the Archdpdx and have all the power/money are having a field day with getting their points across. Cases in point, the Catholic Voters Conference. (one to go in Oct) and the welcoming of dissident priests Fr. Richard Rohr and Father Roy Bourgeois just recently and now Sr, Simone Campbell, SSS with Saul Alinsky/Faith in Public Life affiliated NETWORK.


At the Fr. Roy event staff from the Archdiocese was seen helping out in the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon parish where it was held. So..the Pro-Obama/anti-McCain message (no fear of IRS here), pro-women priests (two of whom were there, Toni Tortorilla and Ruth Broeski), pro-homosexual, pro Call to Action and the generally progressive Archdiocesan position was alive and well.

NOW we have more Obama promoting under the banner of the Office of Justice and Peace's Cat Willett, and her St. Andrew Parish Sr. Simone Campbell Parish (where these things originate) a new lecture series named after her mother.

This latest pro-Democrat meeting will be held at All Saints Church where another Willett, Claire, who teaches confirmation, goes to church. Here is a YouTube of Claire Willett who mentions her sister Cat in her opening sentence. I found this in July of 2007 and have sent emails and a letters to the Archbishop with no response. I chose not to be really public with this video in respect for Mrs. Willett until after she died, even though chances are she saw the YouTube video of her daughters. A guy will speak first and then Claire Willett will speak, about her sister and herself. This is part of Soulforce. Fr. Roy Bourgeois is involved in this too.
Scandalous Message From Her Own Lips about her Lifestyle - No comment from Archdpdx.

No money for the unborn, elderly or strengthening of families. Only strengthening of anti-Catholic values with these latest speakers and the voters conference giving a platform for dissent.

We declared bankruptcy because of homosexuality, we have St. Andrews, and All Saints Church involved in Gay Pride parades with no end in sight to this insanity. Connect the dots.

Hiring just liberal staff to push the liberal agenda is unjust, and obviously planned for this election. The Archdpdx doesn't give money for pro-life speakers and can't get a budget or staff for Pro-life work. We are shut down at the parish level and can't get Catholic Teachings on Life handed out at no cost. Let's stop the insanity.

Bishop Vasa: Pro-Abortion Candidates are "Disqualified" - Clarifies "Faithful Citizenship"/ NEW BLOG!!!

Dear Advocates for Life.... Here's our other Oregon Bishop. Thank you for speaking out. Bishop Vasa: Pro-Abortion Candidates are "Disqualified" - Clarifies "Faithful Citizenship" By John-Henry Westen CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, September 12, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - During the opening day of the Catholic Leadership Conference yesterday, Baker Oregon Bishop Robert Vasa clarified the teaching of the US Bishops Conference regarding voting in favor of pro-abortion politicians. The question of whether Catholics may remain in good standing with the Church while voting for pro-abortion politicians was raised. Bishop Vasa responded referencing the document of the United States Catholic Conference titled "Faithful Citizenship", noting a pro-abortion stance disqualifies candidates from consideration by faithful Catholics. LifeSiteNews.com spoke with Bishop Vasa after the session. Describing the deliberation among US bishops over the "Faithful Citizenship" document, he said: "When we were working on the document 'Faithful Citizenship', and the issue of whether or not a person's adamant pro-abortion position was a disqualifying condition, the general sense was 'yes that is a disqualifying condition'." However, during the discussions mention was made of the document by Pope Benedict just prior his elevation to the pontificate which noted that Catholics may in good conscience vote for a politician who supports abortion in the presence of "proportionate reasons." Bishop Vasa explained the notion of proportionate reasons, saying, "The conditions under which an individual may be able to vote for a pro-abortion candidate would apply only if all the candidates are equally pro-abortion." He added: "And then you begin to screen for the other issues and make a conscientious decision to vote for this pro-abortion candidate because his positions on these other issues are more in keeping with good Catholic values." In that case, he said, "It doesn't mean that you in any way support or endorse a pro-abortion position but you take a look in that context at the lesser of two evils." Speaking of politicians with a pro-abortion stand he said, "When we have someone who has that stand on a disqualifying issue, then the other issues, in many ways, do not matter because they are already wrong on that absolutely fundamental issue." Only when taken to a level of insanity could a 'pro-war' candidate be considered on par with a pro-abortion candidate in the Bishop's view. "If we had a candidate in favor of a war in Iraq in which we decimate the entire population and we kill as many civilians to impose as much terror on everybody as possible to make sure . . . If that was in opposition to a pro-abortion person then I'd have a real conflict of conscience because you'd have a direct and intentional killing of innocent persons on one hand and the direct and intentional killing of persons on the other hand, said the Baker Bishop. "But we don't have that issue with capital punishment, we don't have that issue with the war in Iraq we don't have that issue with the present Administration," he added. Bishop Vasa explained that as a man from the Midwest, the analogy of a combine worked well to describe how a sifting of candidates could be undertaken. He described a combine as having a series of sieves, the first of which eliminates the largest and most obvious refuse. In the analogy the first screen would eliminate pro-abortion candidates, "to weed out the greatest evil," he said. He concluded saying, "Abortion needs to be in our country a defining issue and we ought not be afraid to make it a defining issue because when we do that we will have an end of abortion in this country." http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/sep/08091203.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ There is also a new blog for Oregon Catholics for McCain. We will fight for the Culture of Life and know that Our Lord has already won the REAL BATTLE for us. Join your brother and sister Catholics that are banding together to fight this battle. www.catholicsformccainpalin.blogspot.com God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. " Our Lord's words in Matthew 7 www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholc Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".

Coming Attraction: Fr. Richard Rohr - "the boy (male psyche) always gets naked."

Dear Advocates for Life,

The subject line is not something that I prefer to do, however this shows what type of man is being welcomed into the Archdiocese of Portland and time is short!! I wanted to use, 'Everything the Catholic Church offers in the way of its sacramental rituals and moral and doctrinal teachings is an obstacle to having a relationship with God.' Another statement of his but it was too long. You'll find this and "the boy always gets naked" in the fourth article below.

Seemingly in cahoots with dissidents in the Oregon Catholic Church, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) affiliated Holy Trinity Episcopal "Cathedral" will host Fr. Richard Rohr from New Mexico, since he wouldn't be allowed in Catholic Churches. No problem, EMO churches are always available for "womens ordinations" and allowing folks like Fr. Rohr to spew forth their anti-pope , pro-homosexual agenda. The Archdiocese of Portland has seemingly no control over this dissident priest or EMO churches. If you want to protest this fiasco, Holy Trinity is close to our Cathedral,  the contact information is:

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral - 147 NW 19th Ave. (corner of NW Everett  - NW 19th) 503-222-9811

Lecture/Workshop Weekend with Fr. Richard Rohr
September 12 th 13, 2008
Friday Evening Lecture: Silence in the City
7:30 – 9:00pm, Trinity Cathedral
Cost: $15 general, $10 Trinity members, $5 students, free to Diocesan Clergy

Saturday Workshop: Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality
9:00am – 3:00pm, Kempton Hall
Cost: $50 general, $35 Trinity members, $25 Diocesan Clergy, $15 students
Fr. Rohr is smooth-talking and it seems the uncatechised welcome the lack of moral compass he offers. He is "forming their consciences" into pretzels. This will lead them astray: will they ever hear the voice of the Good Shepherd? It would be interesting to see what Archdpdx employees will be at these "workshops"

The Archdiocese of Portland works with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) closely in the Legislature, with them in the Gay Pride Parade; and give these progressives credibility (being linked with the Catholic church) And their ecumenical ministry to US? they protect dissident activities. The "ordination of two women" was in an EMO church and one of their "Member Congregations" is the Metropolitan Community Church: a homosexual church. What in the world is this bankrupt Archdiocese doing?

The second saddest thing, next to the loss of souls, of course is the loss of unborn lives. We, through the Archdpdx give to EMO, at least $20,000 a year, while the Respect Life Office has no budget, just a website with links. The well-provided for Office of Justice and Peace gets a minimum of $70,000 and spends money on advertising for EMO activities while unborn Catholic children are aborted. It might be "justice" to give the Office of Justice and Peace a web page with links for a while and the Respect Life Office the $70,000 but I digress.

Stephanie Block who was here last year with our "Justice in Pieces" workshops on Saul Alinsky's Faith in Public life, community organizing through Catholic Campaign for Human Development (an arm of the Justice and Peace Office), is well aware of Fr. Rohr. He lives in New Mexico where she is from. She has been reporting on him since the 90's.

Please look into these links, we need to educate ourselves. Some in high places have seemingly lost their way. Let us pray and fast for an end to this injustice.

New Mexico Member Catholic Media Coalition -Stephanie Block
The Pepper Issues on Richard Rohr

Catholic Media Coalition
Dissidents from Our Lady's Warriors

Cal Catholic on Richard Rohr

Renew America-Matt Abbott on Richard Rohr

"When men have come to the edge of a precipice, it is the lover of life who has the spirit to leap backwards, and only the pessimist who continues to believe in progress".
G.K. Chesterton

Saul Alinsky Alive and Well at the Catholic Voter's Conference? / My Reply to CVC Leader

Dear Advocates for Life, Tuesday, September 9th from 7 - 8:30 pm, the Catholic Voter's Conference will hold its third meeting at St. Clare Church in Portland. www.saintclarechurch.org Some might say, Saul Alinsky, who's he and what does this have to do with the Archdiocese of Portland? Saul worked closely with Catholics in Chicago decades ago to form community organizing that would be funded by the Catholic Church: Using "moral garments" to change Church teachings and fund anti-Catholic groups with Catholic money. In fact, most of these groups would wither away without the constant watering with Catholic Collection plate money. (Free "virtual workshop" CD's on this available) The speakers for this month are listed below with information on these Catholic employees. As we rebuild our bankrupt Western Oregon Catholic Church we need to be mindful that our collection plate money is used wisely. Jeanine Boucher-Colbert Catholic Relief Services Maryknoll Missioner (one year in Brazil, I believe) Saint Andrews Parishioneer FYI - Alert! Look at the attachments from Oregon Catholic Citizens. It has to do with a Maryknoll priest, slated to speak at St. Andrew's Church. "Fr. Roy" has "concelebrated" with a "woman priest ordination" and the Maryknollers are awaiting a disciplinary decision from the Vatican in Rome. (These are just a coincidence with Jeanine and not meant to insinuate that she invited Fr. Roy to St. Andrew. Or that she even knows about this. VOCAL) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Anthony Granados Catholic Charities, Parish Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator Member of Archdiocesan Pastoral Council for many years. In 2004 election worked with Bob Castagna and Oregon Catholic Conference when Saul Alinsky's Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) affiliated group Interfaith Workers Justice .www.iwj.org to do voter's registration in targeted Portland area Catholic Churches under the same name "Faithful Citizenship" used by US Catholic Bishops. Director of Office of Justice and Peace at Archdiocese of Portland 2003. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Francisco Lopez - Coordinator or Director CAUSA Oregon Immigrant Right's Coalition Catholic Charities - El Programa Hispano VOZ Hispanica Newest member of the Oregon State Housing Council, named by Gov. Ted Kulongoski to a four-year term. * El Programa Hispano * Headed up Voter's registrations to targeting the Hispanic Community: * Quoted in Socialist blog: http://willamettereds.blogspot.com/2008/04/promoting-latino-voting-chavista.html The recent Pew findings do not come as a surprise to Francisco López, the director of the Woodburn-based nonprofit Voz Hispana's voter registration campaign. "The anti-immigrant rhetoric that many in the Republican Party have used is now having an adverse impact on them," López said. "Now, many U.S.-born Hispanics with families of mixed immigration status are expressing their preferences in favor of the best candidate they believe will resolve the immigration dilemma in this nation, and that's Obama." * Catholic Charities of Western Oregon's new Latino services program manager, overseeing the El Programa Hispano offices in Canby and Gresham since January. * CAUSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Basic Rights Oregon - Homosexual promotion Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC) Juventud Faceta Latinos Unidos Siempre (LUS) Mano a Mano Family Center Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas OCIMO Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) Rural Organizing Project Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality - Homosexual promotion UNETE Voz Hispana Causa Chavista CAUSA CONNECTED TO OREGON ACTION recipient of grants from Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) Starting up advertising program now. Oregon Action is a member of... * Affordable Housing Coalition * America Votes * Jobs With Justice * National Campaign For Jobs and Income Support * Northwest Federation of Community Organizations * Oregon Campaign For Economic Justice * Oregon Health Action Campaign * Oregonians For Health Security * Progressive Action Network * USAction Oregon Action works with... * ACORN Saul Alinsky affiliation * American Civil Liberties Union - Oregon * AFL-CIO - Oregon * Basic Rights Oregon * CAUSA * Community Development Network * Ecumentical Ministries of Oregon * Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network * Fair and Clean Energy Coalition * MoveOn.org * Oregon Food Bank * Oregon Human Rights Campaign * Oregon Revenue Coalition * Oregon Rural Action * Oregon Trial Lawyers Association * OSPIRG * PCUN * Rural Organzing Project * SEIU Local 503 * Sisters In Action * VOZ CCHD recipient by itself * Alinsky, was the principal mentor for Cesar Chavez. We STILL advertise for VOZ with through the Office of Justice and Peace and have given money from Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) to this organization as well as others connected to them. We still don't know who's on the board of CCHD to make decisions on these picks. AND there is STILL no priority, no money for the Unborn. http://www.westernstatescenter.org/region/oregon.html http://www.archdpdx.org/justice_and_peace/september2008EventsUpdate.pdf http://www.archdpdx.org/news2004/nov04/cchd2004-projects.html More Information found here: VOCAL ARCHIVES www.vocalnews.org November 19, 2005 Oregon Catholic Money Used Unjustly? March 10, 2007 CCHD Funding Illegal Immigration March? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Here is the letter from Mike Ashland to me (highlighted in bold blue) with my reply inserted. This is to bring you up to date on the events at the Catholic Voter's Conference last month. Mike, WOW! was my the first response to your email. I will answer you this way.. "At the CVC we had a discussion about the Bishops statement Faithful Citizenship. Neither you, nor any of the people standing with you and "debating" with me, had read it. But you made the statement that the Holy Father, the Vatican, had repudiated this statement. I asked if you would send me something that documented that and you promised to do that." Actually, I have read the statement from the USCCB and told you that. It is very vague and long- winded and I believe that it confuses folks. When we wade through it though, it actually does say bottom line - That Catholics with a well-formed conscience cannot vote for a pro-abortion candidate when there is a pro-life candidate whose beliefs don't trump other foundational issues. So we can't vote for Obama...nothing trumps this. NOTHING. This is what the Church teaches and the Bishops statement echoes. "I don't recall any discussion about Obama saying that babies were "punishment" and, having watched your YouTube video, it puzzles me even more. We did not discuss this and--stranger-than-strange--I agree with the man! I have three precious children. None should be "punished" because of a crime committed by someone else. My daughter, if she were raped, might choose to take the "morning after" pill, "Plan B." I believe you would have it made illegal and certainly would judge her a sinner. That is a difference between us. Neither of our opinions makes us a better Catholic. But we didn't talk about that." The statement about Obama was one of the things that caused alot of emotion. I don't know how you missed it. Obama would have his grandchildren aborted, "so his daughter wouldn't be PUNISHED with a child"..rape wasnt brought up. For you to agree with his statement in either case shows you don't have a deeply formed conscience. Which is dangerous to your soul when you are teaching kids. I do think that "Plan B", the abortion drug should be illegal and have lots of information on what it does to children and their mothers. Plus it's against church teachings darn right I think it should be illegal. BUT, there is a difference and our opinions do make us a better well formed Catholic in this instance, I'd encourage my daughter to give birth to the baby, my grandchild. Although I believe that my girls would come to this conclusion on their own. It isn't the baby's fault and they value their Faith and wouldn't bail out on a hard thing. Wow...you think I'd call someone a sinner...you are delusional. You are being judgmental, you don't even know me. How prejudiced are you. Egads, Mike open your eyes. Before it's too late. "I would ask you to read Faithful Citizenship and then indicate where the Holy Father, the Magisterium, the Vatican, has repudiated this statement. The Magisterium is the living tradition of our church, versus Holy Scripture. I'm going to win no arguments with you, of course, but the very fact of tradition presumes cultural change. Peter was married. Todays priests may not. One day soon they will. What of the Magisterium?" I go back to the how confusing FC is. It does support Church teaching and that we can't vote for a pro-abortion candidate especially Obama. He's a real bad dude for babies. You are very confused about big T tradition and small t tradition. Like priests marrying, small t tradition can change if it's in the best interest of the Body of Christ. However, big T Tradition cannot change and it's in the Deposit of Faith. Like Women in the priesthood. God doesn't change. We need these to hold us close to Him. I don't know what you know of the Magisterium. Are you asking a question or making a statement? You can win arguments with me when you know what you're taking about. "You make a good point about ExCathedra statements. It's a very poor debating tool and you're right, all things that are "truth" are not ExCathedra. Nor are all things truth in Holy Scripture, or recorded by a Bishop, a Cardinal or a Pope." Use Truth as a debating tool? Also be careful about saying things about Holy Scripture and the Popes. That's what happens when people aren't challenged and are insulated like at St. Clare. Truth seems like fiction. Truth has to be censored. When you have MACG at your church it's all over for big T truth. "I think you're a great talent, Carolyn, and you could do much to change the word and culture. You're articulate, learned about the things you feel strongly about and agree with, and you have a decent sense of humor! I hope you will either quit this charade of Catholics for McCain or actually get behind, commit to, and learn about the real policies of Senator McCain." Did you see the Saddleback Church debate..hmmm Whoops there it is...in other words you're going to vote for Obama? Whose life is a charade? Infanticide/partial birth abortion...good policies to get behind. "Or, conversely (and I do mean conversely), become an agent of change in our church and culture to turn away from recreational sexuality and save lives through sexuality that doesn't transmit lethal disease or generate unwanted pregnancy and which never places a woman in the position of having to even choose." What kind of "sexuality" doesn't transmit lethal disease. Abstinence? I'm all over it. But I almost don't want to know what You mean. Catholics who think the Church needs "change" in many cases really mean to open His Body to the Culture of Death. Abortion/Homosexual activity. I would challenge you to teach on the four Last Things. Don't worry so much about sex. This will help more. "Abortion is surely a scourge. So is war and Aids and hunger and poverty and injustice of all kinds. The answers are tied together in JUSTICE. Exactly what Jesus in His wisdom and Godhead brought to the people of His time. Would that you and I could be so just, so merciful and so forgiving." The answers are really tied together in "Divine Justice". Justice owed to our Maker. And it starts with believing that Jesus is God and God is our Creator and the Creator knows what He's doing and that Each life is Planned by Him. And when we interfere with this, WE think WE are HIM and things get all out of proportion so that...then the Intrinsic Evils are watered down, (a ploy of Satan) with other evils. When you equate Abortion with hunger, etc. The Church teaches to end Evils with our vote, we need to end Abortion....which is the Mother of all Evils. Meditate on this. "Thanks, mike" Thanks Mike, for inviting me to the Catholic Voter's Conference. I'm sure you've kicked yourself about it. I'm planning to have a "Justice in Pieces" workshop again soon on Saul Alinsky and Faith in Public Life aka MACG and EMO. It's a subversive type meeting, all about the Truth. God Bless, Carolyn ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I KNOW that this is one headache of an email. Remember, I'll have it on my blog to refer to. Saving Souls and the Unborn are All our responsiblity. Mike Ashland said truthfully, that there are better ways to say what I do, and I agree with him. And told him so. However, these things that allowed to take away from our Dear Lords' priorities so there's no money left for the unborn need to be addressed no matter HOW the message is delivered. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "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" Saul Alinsky dedication in his book "Rules for Radicals" www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholc Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".

Censored at "Catholic" Conference/Supreme Court, here we come

Dear Life Advocates, The Catholic Voters Conference www.catholicvotersconference.com on Tuesday night at Saint Clare Church was a new experience for me. I was at a speaker's table sitting between two young people, a gal for Obama and a guy for Merkeley. The panelist for Gordon Smith didn't show. Asking the questions was host, Bill Gallagher, news manager from KPAM radio and a Saint Clare parishioner. About fifty? people showed up. There were some friendly faces that gave me strength, as did your prayers. Thank you. The first speaker for this conference in July was Fr. Claude Pomerleau who is a liberation theology proponent. This "theology" is condemned by the Church. Here is a great article by then Cardinal Ratzinger. http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/ratzinger/liberationtheol.htm The questions for the panel were written by the people who attended Fr. Pomerleau's talk. Saint Clare Justice and Peace committee sponsoring the conference is part of the Saul Alinsky/Faith in Public Life - based Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good (MACG). So, the questions were lopsided: more on "war" than "questions on "life" probably 10/1. In fact the categories were really called: Iraq, Social, International. (Forgot what "Faith in Public Life" is? Get a FREE CD from last years' JUSTICE IN PIECES workshop with Stephanie Block that explains the great persecution and drain of money from Catholics in the pews due to the control that Faith in Public Life/EMO groups have in our Catholic Church...contact me.) The TRUTH has a RING to it, that's why there is censorship in the Church. During the Question and Answer period...pro-life warrior, Dr. Russell Sacco, noted for a picture of him holding precious ten-week old unborn feet between his fingers, got many people there riled up. Flashing symbolic "stop it right now" blue cards (in case speakers were rude or off topic) the doctor's explanation of abortion procedures created this panic. He did get a few gruesome truthful descriptions in...a quick pro-life education where none would have been. Thank you Dr. Sacco. My comments were "censored" three times by having my microphone shut off and flying blue cards again. It seemed that stating facts of Obama's record on abortion and the firmness on Church teachings were seen as "rude" . I later asked the conference leader if this response was just "consciences being pricked" and not rudeness. But, he said he was going to have to give me a bad report to the McCain Campaign anyhow. As long as my "report" to Christ the Lord is in union with His Will I am at peace. As I said that night and I'm sure John McCain would agree, I'd rather have the Truth out there and save Souls (hopefully) than get votes for McCain by being silent. To continue with the meeting....the "faith formation" teacher from Jesuit High School used as an expert on the "seamless garment", said that Cardinal Bernardin's theory was "Magisterial teaching" when asked this by a practicing Catholic in the audience. His answer showed his lack of knowledge on this issue. (This is NOT Magisterial teaching.) The Earth Charter is taught at Saint Mary Academy and Bernardin's theory as Magisterial teaching taught at Jesuit: these teachers need our prayers. Bill Mizia, Catholic School Superintendent. (see www.vocalnews.org for contact info) The meeting was cut short by fifteen minutes even though many people had their hands up. This seemed to be another aim at censorship. After the talk, a man with his teen daughter confronted me on the aborted innocent child versus the innocent Iraqi child killed in combat. He understood the difference by the answer: MOTIVE : Abortion is ALWAYS the INTENTIONAL KILLING of innocent human life, whereas, the US Military does NOT intentionally kill Iraqi children. Warnings are given so the innocent are able to flee, if at all possible. Protecting the innocent civilians is US Military policy anything else is punished. Whereas, the terrorists use children as suicide bombers. He understood and our conversation ended happily. Things can get confusing. Next month there is the third talk of the series of four. This one is on Immigration and the Economy, with a gal from Catholic Relief Services. It would be healty to have some questions for her and see where she stands. In my opinion, the people in authority at this conference have rarely, if ever, been challenged. They are making a living with Catholic money so they should live the Catholic life. I am still "debating" the leader of the conference via email. One statement he made to a group of us afterwards was that if something wasn't "Ex Cathedra" from the Chair of Peter, then belief in it was up for grabs; he brought up Humane Vitae, out of the blue. When challenged, he said "You make a good point about ExCathedra statements. It's a very poor debating tool and you're right, all things that are "truth" are not ExCathedra. Nor are all things truth in Holy Scripture, or recorded by a Bishop, a Cardinal or a Pope." hmmm He went on in his note to me... "I hope you will either quit this charade of Catholics for McCain or actually get behind, commit to, and learn about the real policies of Senator McCain. " (what about abortion/marriage policies of Obama, what policy of McCain's is of more severe proportion? VOCAL) He continues...."Or, conversely (and I do mean conversely), become an agent of change in our church and culture to turn away from recreational sexuality and save lives through sexuality that doesn't transmit lethal disease or generate unwanted pregnancy and which never places a woman in the position of having to even choose." What kind of sexuality? I'm almost afraid to ask. I don't think that Catholics for McCain is a CHARADE.. I don't think that being an advocate for unborn life is a charade. I don't believe the that Church teachings are a charade. I do believe John McCain when he says that he'll be a pro-life President. (google Saddleback church/McCain) His actions in the past have shown him to be an honorable man. He supports unborn life and traditional marriage something that Obama is against. Even if you think it's a charade...help me. The plan is to have someone for each county. This is a way to get to know people of like mind. It's just until Nov. I'll have things to send you that the Archdiocese allows to have in churches, issue pieces, and church teachings to help us all have informed consciences and defend our beliefs with TRUTH. WE can have FREE CONFERENCE CALLS and get togethers. The McCain campaign will pay for some nice meetings for us. That would be a treat. Usually it's all volunteer. We don't have any budget for pro-life ministries in Oregon. Justice and Peace has at least $80,000 to help support Saul Alinsky groups through advertising and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon "ministries"...like Climate "Justice". Knowing how hard these election cycles can be, thank you to those priests/Bishops who support the Church and Her Teachings and need our prayers in this battle. By standing firm on the foundational issues of Life and Family, the Ship will stay on course, even though the rudder might be hard to control. We need to pray for all priests and Bishops that they may be standards for Christ. He Will Come Again. This election may not have the perfect candidate for us..however, in the case of the fundamental issue of life and saving marriage between one-man and one-woman, we need someone who will pick Supreme Court justices that don't legislate from the bench. These are fundamental issues that take top priority. They keep us grounded, on the narrow path. Sad to say, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the people of Oregon regarding Measure 303 Domestic Partnerships. Now it must go before the Supreme Court. We know first hand about this movement of liberal judges to have our society made in their image. www.worldnetdaily.com "Court Trashes Right to Vote" Thanks again for your prayers. Let's play charades for Life. God Bless you and yours, Carolyn "It is not slavery to surrender to Christ, for only the Truth can make us free. In ardent charity, tempered by humility and understanding, with no taint of animosity or of prejudice, let us beg the Holy Spirit to teach us all truth, to show us the established and secure road to the eternal vision of God, which is the eternal destiny of every soul." The Signs of the Times...Understanding the Church since Vatican II by Fr. Richard Gilsdorf, page 24. www.vocalnews.org VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 503-769-4767 Member of the Catholc Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on-line with the World".