| Stan-e5 |
Summary of this Issue
40
Days for Life: the Campaign has started right on schedule on Ash Wednesday…and
the first of powerful witnessing, prayerful and fasting for
an end to abortion is behind us. Read the Archbishop’s Vespers
homily which launched the event spiritually, and some powerful
articles on prayer and fasting dealing with the campaign. So
far, only 10 Parishes have responded to the call of witnessing
prophetically for the Lord in a place where evil is being
done in our midst in the form of a Parish Pilgrimage.
Voice files of how one Ottawa Parish is promoting such a pilgrimage
are provided. Everyone who could is encouraged to see if they
could sacrifice an additional hour this Lenten season in peaceful
prayerful vigil outside the abort facility.
We
have entered into the season of Lent. The Holy Father
has written powerfully and insightfully to help us recapture
the Lenten discipline of fasting. Jeff Mirus adds his reflections
on this Papal document, and a witty Youtube video explains what
a Great Opportunity Lent is.
The
month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph. This Feast Day
is on March 19th, which is also when we’ll have the
mid-point rally of the 40 Days for Life Campaign.
Archbishop
Charles Chaput of Denver was in Toronto last week and created a great
impression. Links to his speeches, as well as interviews are
provided. There is a summary of the recent Abortion Debate
held at the University of Ottawa, which the mainstream
media typically ignored. Also a link to a listing of charities
which support embryonic stem cell research is given.
This
March, new programming is being introduced in Salt + Life
TV, and EWTN.
There
is a heart warming story on the power of prayer from
a doctor serving in South
Africa.
The Youtube video of this issue is about a remarkable
12-year-old girl giving a speech on abortion.
Prolife
Corner –
lots of new stuff ranging from the pro-life message being suppressed
in our universities by Michael Coren, to an online panel
debate features Dr. Margaret Somerville.
A
very timely and very informative Adult Faith lecture
series dealing with various arguments of the modern atheists
was recently delivered by Dr. Tim Lau. Links to his slides
and voice files of the talks are provided.
Some
sound advice on how to raise teenage boys has been repeated. A new
article was added to the series on Fr. Richard Neuhaus RIP.
Links
to Christopher West Theology of the Body videos are
still available.
New
entry on the Lighter
Side………Judas Aspagraug, or the Bible as explained by
a child.
Upcoming
Events of Note:
·
Tuesday
March 10th: Theology on Tap Lecture – Persecution: A Blessing
and Reason to Rejoice?!"
·
March
14th: Special Pro-life Mass for the intention of the
Ottawa Pro-life Centre
· March
20th: a conference dealing with "Freedom of Speech: Restoring Reason, Truth
and Civility to the Public Square " will take
place in Ottawa.
· March
21st: next Men’s Breakfast.
· March
30th to April 1st – Lenten Retreat at St. Augustine
Parish led by Fr. Clement Machado.
· May 4th to
May 16th – Spring trip to Medjugore
· November 27-28th,
Fr. Benedict Groeschl from EWTN comes to St. Pat’s Basilica
|
| John |
"40
Days for Life" Lenten Campaign
Time to Pray, Fast,
Witness…Stand for Life!
This
Lent, from February 25 to April 5, five
Canadian cities will participate
with more than 125 cities across North America and around the world, joining together for the
largest and longest co-ordinated pro-life mobilization in history
-- the 40 Days for Life campaign. The previous campaign in Ottawa from Sep.24-Nov.2, 2008 was
a huge success. We are praying that, with God's help, this groundbreaking
effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion. 40 Days
for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision
to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil.
The central activity of the campaign is a 24-hour-7-days-a-week
peaceful prayer vigil outside of Morgentaler's Abortion Mill on
65 Bank Street. The vigil runs for 40 days, the duration
of Lent. Join us as we advance the respect and
dignity of human life in your city and around the world! God is going
to bring down abortion.
… Read Archbishop Prendergast’s
Vespers homily which was the spiritually launch of the campaign
by clicking HERE .
…Prayer and Fasting are
the foundations of both 40 Days for Life as well as Lent. Click
HERE to read reflections on these important
topics, as well as some appropriate prayers for the campaign.
Included in these is crucial advice on the prayerful disposition
one should have while doing the Vigil outside the abortion mill.
Parish Promotion of 40 Days: many individuals
from most Parishes (not to overlook Evangelicals and other denominations)
are playing an active role in the 40 Days for Life Campaign. However,
from a Catholic perspective, one can gauge Parish involvement
by the number of its members willing to participate in the Vigil
outside the Morgentaler abortion mill. As of Thursday March 5th,
ten Ottawa Parishes have committed to take on the responsibility
to staff the Vigil site for a day (24 hours or less). In order
for Parishioners to be willing engage in such a Parish Pilgrimage,
they have to recognize that being on a vigil is an opportunity
to be a Prophetic Witness for the Lord in front of a place
where evil is being done in our midst. One of the Parishes which
has embarked on such a Lenten pilgrimage is St. Augustine Parish.
Below are two audio clips demonstrating how the promotion of 40
Days is being conducted in this Parish:
Listen to Cynthia Millan (our Pro-life Rep) aided by Fr. Richard
promote Parish participation in the 40 Days for Life campaign
by clicking HEREHERE .
Listen to Fr. Richard encourages involvement in the 40 Days for
Life vigil during the homily on the 1st Sunday of Lent by clicking
HEREHERE .
…For much more information on the Campaign (including Vigil Calendar and Registration)
click on: http://40daysforlife.com/ottawa/
…. or contact your 40 Days for Life Parish Rep. With so many snowbirds away to warmer climes at this time
of year, we’re having difficulties filling all the vigil shifts.
So please verify the Vigil Calendar on the above link, and if you can spare an hour,
please
register!! )
…For riveting Ground Zero reports of spiritual warfare at the vigil
site, click HERE .
Other key dates :
March 19th ..Mid Point
Rally: … March 19 is the Feast of St .Joseph . . .more details
to follow.
April 5th ….Closing Rally
Celebrate.. another successful 40 Days Campaign on Palm Sunday
with an Ecumenical Service….more to follow.
Time to Pray, Fast,
Witness…Stand for Life! |
| Stan-e5 |
Lent
- "Fasting
was ordained in Paradise,” and “the first commandment
in this sense was delivered to Adam” ….St. Basil, Church Father. Read
more in the powerfully
insightful Pope Benedict XVI’s Lenten Message, which
deals extensively with fasting …to help us recapture the deep
spiritual meaning which our present materialistic culture has
lost.
Also Read:
·
Do what you are doing - Father George William Rutler
: Lent is a time to increase the power of perception .
·
History of Lent - Father William P. Saunders: What are the origins
of Lent? Did the Church always have this time before Easter? |
| Jeff
Mirus |
The Month of March 2009
Overview of month including
Papal intentions
The month of February is dedicated
to the St.
Joseph
….for
details click HERE.
The Lord has put his faithful
servant in charge of his household. |
| Scott
M |
Archbishop
Charles Chaput of Denver in Toronto last week
Revealing
Life site News interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput
dealing with Pro-choice Catholic politicians and other topics
du jour– Read: A Conversation with
Denver Archbishop Chaput
A
related article,
see summary of talk given by Denver Archbishop Charles
J. Chaput delivered at St. Michael's College to a
near capacity audience. “It was likely the most forthright and
challenging presentation on Catholic political responsibility
ever given in Canada by a bishop” – Read: Denver Archbishop
To Toronto Audience: "We Can't Build a Just Society With
the Blood of Unborn Children"
Abortion
Debate:
a well organized abortion debate took place at the University of Ottawa on February 27th.
Dr. Andrew Sneddon, University of Ottawa philosophy professor and specialist in the
philosophy of ethics, defended the pro-choice position.
Defending the pro-life position was renowned pro-life speaker
Stephanie Gray, the Executive Director of the Canadian
Centre for Bio-Ethical. As one would expect in these “enlightened
times” there were no reports from any major media outlets of
this well attended event. But thankfully for the internet, a
blogger reported: “The lecture hall in the Arts Building, which nominally
seats 200, was packed out to overflowing. The opening and closing
comments by the organizers acknowledged that a crowd of this
size, eager to hear a debate, proved that abortion in Canada is not the settled
issue many of its advocates claim it is. …” – To read more. Click HERE….and
for comments, Click THERE.
Canadian
charities and embryonic stem cell research. LifeSiteNews.com has often been
asked if certain Canadian charities support embryonic stem cell
research - which causes the death of human persons at their
embryonic stage of development. This is pertinent information
for Catholics and Catholic organizations when deciding to donate
their hard earned charitable contributions. Read: List
of Canadian Charities Which Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research
|
| Graham
C |
The
full text of two talks given by in Toronto by Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver
in February 2009: The Catholic Political Vocation (on
how Catholics should live out their faith in the public sqare):
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=93968
History is a record of the encounter between character and
circumstance (Text
of an address delivered today by Archbishop Charles Chaput of
Denver, Colorado, to a group of business leaders in Canada): http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=93967
---------
Salt
+ Light TV Update - March 2009 - The following bulletin provides details of programming
on Salt & Light TV during March. Programs include "On the Road to Jerusalem"
a six-part Lenten series with Archbishop Terrence Prendergrast (it was
originally aired in 1996) that will shown on Tuesdays
at 8:30
pm and repeated
on Fridays at 8:30 pm. As well Salt and Light will be providing
coverage of the Pope's visit to Africa from March 17 to 23 For details,
click HERE.
EWTN
TV will be airing a number of new series starting in March. (See link below
for a list of all of the new series) …."Catholic Canvas"
(30 min.) is a new series following salvation history as seen
throught the art of the Vatican museums. It will air on Sundays at 5
pm, Thursdays
at 11 pm and Fridays at 2
pm…."The Fulfillment of All Desire" (30 minute), presented by Ralph Martin, draws
on the teachings of the saints on how life is meant to be a journey
to God. It will air on Mondays at 4 am and Thursdays at 10 pm.
http://www.ewtn.com/series/index.htm
Recent
article by Anne
Conlon
is managing editor of The Human Life Review….click on Life
in the Time of Obama…..For
too many more, it may be far too short.
|
| Tim |
Isaiah 65:24
This
is a beautiful story written by a doctor who worked in South
Africa
…
click
on Isaiah
65:24
|
| Marek
Z |
|
| Barb |
Pro-life Corner
·
Calgary Herald says CPSA
must protect pro-life doctors' freedom to practice according to
conscientious/religious beliefs ….. click HERE
·
Critics
say new rule would infringe on doctors' rights. Click on
Abortion
policy under fire.
·
Michael
Coren:
Canadian universities do their best to suppress pro-life message.
Read Abort
this debate?
·
Margaret Somerville's
article, "The Search for Shared Ethics," published
in the Globe and Mail on Tuesday, has generated a lot of interest. Lots
of commentary from angry atheists. See: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM...
….It might be a good idea to try to balance these comments with
some calm, reasonable ones.
·
Also
look
at this very interesting online panel debate hosted by the
Globe and Mail. Guest panellists include Margaret Somerville,
Lorna Dueck, Rabbi Ed Elkin, and JustinTrottier: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Website to stay up to date with latest
Pro-life/ Pro-family developments: http://www.lifesitenews.com/
Best Blog Sites:
|
| Stan-e5 |
ADULT FAITH EDUCATION SERIES: THE GOD DELUSION
and other errors in logic.
By Dr. Tim Lau
These ADULT FAITH EDUCATION lectures were
given at St. Augustine Parish on Thursday
February 5th, 12th & 19th: The series investigates the following questions:
Is the belief in God a delusion? Is religion the reason
we go to war or the root of all evil? Does evolution exclude
God? Is God a ‘blind’ watchmaker? Are we nothing
more than cells in the service of some ’selfish’ genes? What
does it mean to be human?
View slides and listen to voice file
of all three sessions by
clicking HERE
|
| Guy |
Some sound advice for raising teenage boys....
Seven
Things Teenage Boys Most Need: An Interview with a Spiritual
Director of
Adolescents
Interview With Spiritual Director of Adolescents
WASHINGTON, D.C., JAN. 13, 2009 (Zenit.org).-
Being the parent of an adolescent boy is legendary for its difficulty.
But according to one priest who acts as a spiritual director
and confessor for high school boys, just keeping in mind seven
points can make for a better relationship with adolescent sons.
Legionary of Christ Father Michael Sliney suggests the following
seven necessities for parents of adolescent boys:
1. Clear guidelines with reasonable consequences from a unified
front; cutting slack but also holding boys accountable for their
actions.
2. Reasonable explanations for the criteria, guidelines and
decisions made by parents.
3. Avoiding hyper-analysis of boys' emotions and states of mind:
avoiding "taking their temperature" too often.
4. Unconditional love with an emphasis on character and effort
more than outcome: Encourage boys to live up to their potential
while having reasonable expectations. To love them regardless
of whether they make it into Harvard or become a star quarterback.
5. Authenticity, faith and fidelity should be reflected in parent's
lifestyles.
6. Qualities of a dad: Manliness, temperance, making significant
time for family, putting aside work, and being a reliable source
of guidance.
7. Qualities of a mom: Emotional stability, selflessness, loving
service and extreme patience.
|
| |
Richard
John Neuhaus, 1936–2009
Many
are just discovering the impact of this leader and giant…
New
article:
·
Richard John Neuhaus, who passed away January 8, 2009, delivered
these comments at the July 2008 convention of the National Right
to Life Committee….click
on We Shall Not Weary,
We Shall Not Rest
Numerous
great obituaries (including one by
Fr. Raymond de Souza ) indicating the impact
Fr Neuhaus had. Also, links to audio/ video files of
some of his talks as well as the books he wrote can be obtained
via the following link: http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=5312
Recent in depth Ignatius Insight interview
with Fr Neuhaus: "I'm
Not Optimistic, But I'm Hopeful"
Fr.
Neuhaus who had been suffering from cancer for some time, wrote
an article on dying…click on Born Toward Dying
Don’t
miss
a compelling Youtube video (done by the CBC (incredible!!)) where Fr. Neuhaus voices his
opinion about Canadian politics and the Canadian Church…click HERE
. He was a priest who was not afraid to call
a spade a spade, and to dialogue with the secularist milieu
in its own territory. Despite the fact that he became American,
he always loved Canada and always spent
six weeks every summer in the Eastern Townships with his family.
|
| Jim Meuse |
Theology of the Body
A
few months ago we completed the 8 week series about Theology of the Body by Christopher West entitled
" Created
& Redeemed " at both Annunciation &
St. Augustine parishes.
Below
is a link to video # 7 of the series called, " A Living Morality ", which
we believe, pardon the pun, is where the rubber hits the road.
We
hope you will be blessed when you view this important teaching.
http://dev.annunciation-ottawa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=853&Itemid=154
This
video is 58 minutes in length (48 minutes if you exclude the Q's
and A's). IMHO, the teaching should be mandatory from Senior High
School onwards in order to be able to confront the prevailing
culture where narcissistic indulgence is the norm. Everyone regardless
of his or her age group can profit greatly from it.
The
whole series of eight DVD lectures is available for a limited
time on the following site: http://dev.annunciation-ottawa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=22&id=114&Itemid=154 |
| |
|
| Ray
Duplessis |
Tuesday,
March 10, 2009 Theology on Tap. Speaker: Father Michael Kwiatkowski
J.C.O.D., Holy Spirit Seminary, Ottawa will give a talk entitled : "Persecution: A Blessing and Reason to
Rejoice?!" A look at the often-shocking persecution
of the Christian-Faithful under various regimes – especially in
the 20th century. What similarities link these times of persecution
and what are the impending signs and the consequences? Are these
signs visible today? Prior to the year 2000 the great contribution
of Christ’s Martyrs was recognized in various documents and ceremonies.
However, Pope John Paul II and now Benedict XVI have also alluded
to the extraordinary witnessing that would mark the 3rd Millennium.
Is this poetic language or a prophetic observation? …….click HERE for details. |
| Rene |
Saturday March 14th at 10:00 AM, Special Pro-life Mass
at Queen of the most Holy Rosary Church (20 Grant Street), the intention that the proposed
Ottawa Pro-life
Centre, which is still in its concept form will
soon become a reality…..The proposed Centre in Ottawa will be
staffed by Pro-Life Doctors and will have Pro-Life teachings on
Natural Family Planning and the Theology of the Body. Click HERE for details. |
| Amy |
Friday
March 20 - The Ottawa-based Neeje Association for Women and Family is hosting
an event aimed at professionals in the National Capital Region
on, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Chateau Laurier. The
event is entitled "Freedom of Speech: Restoring Reason, Truth
and Civility to the Public Square ".
This panel of excellent speakers will explore the elements that
work for - and against - the advancement of a healthy and civil
society. …. Come and hear Barbara Kay, Robert A. Kenedy, Nicole Scheidl,
Tarek Fatah and moderator Brian Lilley in this panel
discussion.
This
event is open to both men and women. The target audience,
but not exclusively, professionals, business people, academics,
senior civil servants, policy makers, parliamentarians and their
staff, etc… . Participants can register online at www.neeje.ca/march2009conference
or by mail using the information in the attached
material. |
| André |
SATURDAY,
MARCH 21ST - 08 :00
to 10:00 AM in the Church basement:
Men’s Breakfast at St. Augustine Parish. Come
and hear an inspiring talk by Tim
Kennedy,
a father of seven, a consultant and recent Catholic convert.
The title of his talk is: “Our Living Sacrifice: The Transformation of our World
by the Renewal of Our Minds.” This
should be an exciting presentation, so encourage a friend to come.
For details, please click HERE. |
| |
From
Monday March 30th until Wednesday April 1st
at 07:30 PM
Parish
Lenten Mission at St Augustine Parish led by Fr. Clement Machado
(Click HERE
for details). The theme for the mission is “ Victory in Christ” . Fr Clement, who is Canadian
by birth (Click
HERE
for CV),
and
previously served in the Ottawa Archdiocese will also give the
Sunday Homilies at St. Augustine the weekend of March 28th
- 29th. |
| Tim Dooling |
Spring 2009
Trip to Medjugorje:
May 4th to May
16th
Tim Dooling,
Pilgrimage co-ordinator
Our Pilgrimage
to Medjugorje this May, includes Mother's Day,
For more information
please contact Tim at:
613-722-9594, or
timdooling@rogers.com
Thank you and God
bless you! |
| Fr.
Lindsay |
|
|
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