Singer Andrea Bocelli Telling a Story About His Life

Insight Into Hatred Felt by Some Pro-choicers

I recommend an excellent article by Jennifer Fulwiler, The Two Lists, published on the Inside Catholic web site.

Jennifer begins,

Of all the things I remember about the Texas March for Life in Austin last January, the memory that stands out the most is the look on the faces of the counter-protesters who followed us along Congress Avenue and down to the capitol that frosty morning. When I glanced over to see the source of the epithets that were being screamed at us, I met the eyes of one young woman wearing a black bandana over the bottom half of her face. She happened to look over and meet my gaze, and in her eyes I saw one thing: hatred.

I was caught off guard when my gut response to her rage-filled glare was one of sympathy. In fact, I realized as she turned away to continue yelling angry pro-choice slogans that I knew the source of the rage behind her eyes and had even felt it recently. [see here for full article]

 She offers an insightful understanding of how our culture has gotten to a place where some women can look with rage upon others who want all human life to be cherished and protected.

Photographs of the March For Life, 2010

Here are various pictures from the March for Life, January 22, 2010, that I took with my camera yesterday at the March in Washington, DC.

Update: to see examples of media coverage of the event as well as video taken by individual people at the March, see Jill Stanek's blog.

May the day come soon when we no longer choose to destroy precious human lives in the womb. And please may we pray often for spiritual and physical healing and reconciliation of women who have had abortions and are suffering. To learn about how abortion has affected the lives of women (and men) who have lost children through abortion, see the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.

All photographs taken by Scott D. Johnston, copyright 2010. Permission granted for use with attribution.

Lastest ultrasound technology reveals life in the womb; saves lives

Below is a short video clip from a show produced by National Geographic. It talks about ultrasound imaging of babies in the womb.

Ultrasound technology has made incredible progress in recent years. The newest type of ultrasound imaging is "4D." This type produces moving 3D images of unborn children.

If you would like to donate money in a way that will make a big difference in saving the lives of unborn human beings, one of the best things you could do is to find a pregnancy resource center that does not have an ultrasound machine and that wants to begin using one but doesn't have the financial resources to make the purchase. Help them buy an ultrasound machine (or, help a PRC that has an older, 2D ultrasound to purchase a newer, 3D machine). You will be helping to save lives in a very direct way.

"Choosing Thomas" video; beauty of a fragile life

[Update: The mother in the video below, Deidrea Laux, emailed pro-life blogger Jill Stanek in response to Jill's posting their video about Thomas on her blog. Read Deidrea's note here.]

What follows is an inspiring witness to the reality that the only response worthy of a human person is love.

This video has quickly become a hit with many folks I know on the internet. And for good reason. But, just in case anyone has not seen this, please take a few minutes to watch this. And be ready for some emotion. It is a powerful, heartbreaking and also beautiful witness to the dignity of life and the nobility of a mother and father's love for their child.

The video, "Choosing Thomas," chronicles a husband and wife's decision to allow their newborn son to experience their love even though it would mean pain for them, even though they would only have a few days with him.



This would be great to show teenagers. If you are involved with a teen youth group or religious education/CCD, etc., you might want to download this video and show it to the kids. And then have a discussion about the value of life and about how precious it is to experience deep love even if only for a short time.

Notre Dame Commencement--Pro-Life Seniors Witness to Life

Wow. This is something. A group of pro-life graduating seniors at Notre Dame invited Fr. Pavone (of Priests For Life) to come to the ND campus on their upcoming commencement day to lead them in an alternative event:

Fr. Frank Pavone announced today that next Sunday, May 17, he will be present on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Members of the senior class who have decided not to attend their own graduation have invited him to lead them in prayer at the Class of 2009 Vigil for Life, which will start at 2pm, the same time as the commencement ceremony in which President Obama will be honored.

The Class of 2009 Vigil for Life will take place at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary will be prayed and Fr. Frank will give five-minute meditations prior to each decade.

[See the full PFL press release here]

This involves a sacrifice by these seniors. I commend them for their integrity in realizing that the commitment all children of God have to witness to the sanctity of human life no matter how young must come before an understandable desire to participate in their commencement.

Any Catholic university presumably takes seriously the obligation all men of good will have to protect the innocent, the weak, and the vulnerable--to come to the aid of the defenseless. What Catholic college would seriously consider inviting to campus as an honored speaker someone who
advocated infanticide as a way to "spare" disabled children from suffering? What Catholic college would warmly invite to their campus a politician who had said that very sick elderly should not be treated, but allowed to die, as a way to prevent the burden that they might become for others? What Catholic University would eagerly honor a person who was of the opinion that battered women should not be given any special help or protection? What about someone who thought slavery justifiable in some situations? Or who held that Jews really are somehow inferior? No. Appropriately, such people--no matter what their religion, political party, or particular position of leadership--would be considered unfit, unworthy, to address an auspicious gathering of new graduates. Such people would be considered by decent society disqualified from any and all public honors, no matter the occasion.

President Barak Obama (regardless of his largely empty rhetoric) has shown repeatedly--by his actions--that he supports the taking of innocent, vulnerable, defenseless human life while still in the womb. Thanks to him, the United States is once again spending tax dollars to enable people to commit abortions in foreign countries; it took him all of three days in office to overturn the Mexico City Policy.

No one, not even the President of the United States, who thinks it is OK to destroy helpless tiny human beings in the womb deserves to have any sort of public honors. This should be just as clear as it would be for the examples above. Basic decency and respect for the equal dignity of all human life should, without a moment's hesitation, come before the prestige of hosting a U.S. President.

I pray that many of the Notre Dame Class of 2009 will have the courage and heart to make the sacrifice of not attending their tarnished commencement, and instead make an honorable stand for life by attending the Class of 2009 Vigil for Life.

[HT: Jill Stanek]