This is a week of many pro-life activities. Along with my column, in which you’ll find continued reflections on the Our Father, you will see where you can meet me in Washington, DC and San Francisco for the March for Life and Walk for Life.
You will also see how you can join me in my “Vote Pro-life” Conference call on January 25. I’ve also provided information on the special clergy pro-life conference call that same day.
Please spread the word!
Sincerely,
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director
Schedule for March for Life and related events
Thursday, Jan 21, 2010
1:00PM-4:00PM ET: Please visit March for Life conference which is held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan 21- Priests for Life and other pro-life groups will be there to exhibit and help you learn about how you can advance the pro-life message.
4:00PM-5:30PM ET: Fr. Pavone will hold a book signing of his newly released "Pro-Life Reflections for Every Day" as well as" Ending Abortion, Not Just Fighting it" at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at the Bookstore located at the front entrance on the lower level of the Basilica’s west side.
6:30PM ET: Solemn Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Celebrant & Homilist will be Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Chairman of the US Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Friday, January 22, 2010
8:30am-10:15am ET: Sixteenth Annual National Conference for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers featuring Fr. Frank Pavone as the Homilist.
Location: Congressional Auditorium, US Capitol, Washington, DC. Enter at Main Door of Capitol Visitors Center, East Lawn of US Capitol (directly across the street from the Supreme Court). The building will open at 8am. Please arrive early to allow time to get through security clearance. All are invited. For more details see www.priestsforlife.org/eventsnew.html .
12 Noon ET: Rally for the March for Life begins on the Mall. After speeches and songs, the march itself will take place. (www.MarchforLife.org)
The march will be followed by a Silent No More Awareness Campaign gathering at the steps of Supreme Court, at approximately 3pm. You will hear testimony from women and men who bought into the lies that they were told about abortion and regret it every day of their lives. Please show your support and be sure to join them as well.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
8am-9:30pm ET: Students for Life of America (SFLA) conference at Catholic University, Washington, DC. Janet Morana will speak about the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.
11am PT: Walk for Life West Coast, San Francisco, CA. Fr. Frank Pavone will be in attendance at this march. www.walkforlifewc.com
Vote Pro-Life Teleconference, Monday, January 25, 2010, 9-10pm ET.
Register at www.priestsforlife.org/conferencecall
You can join this teleconference either by phone or by internet. Fr. Frank Pavone will be joined by David Barton of Wallbuilders, Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony list and Brian Burch of CatholicVote.org. They will talk specifically about
a) Why 2010 can be a year of significant progress in the political arena;
b) What obstacles the pro-abortion forces are likely to put in the way of the Church and the pro-life movement;
c) Exactly what you can do as an individual, in your pro-life organization, and in your Church to promote political responsibility.
We are forming a coalition of leaders as well as local teams to advance activities like
a) Non-partisan voter registration drives in Churches and through other organizations;
b) Educating candidates and voters about life issues and their critical importance;
c) Informing voters about the positions of candidates on key issues;
d) Getting voters to the polls during early voting and on Election Day, November 2, 2010.
Now is the time to get started, and we need all hands on deck! Join us for an informative and inspiring call on January 25.
Please tell all clergy you know about a 45 minute teleconference on Monday, January 25 at 3pm ET with Fr. Frank Pavone and the Priests for Life team who will give updates and encouragement to the clergy as they work together for a Culture of Life. Register for this call at www.priestsforlife.org/clergy.
During the conference call, which can be joined by phone or internet, the clergy will:
•Hear about why the pro-life movement is winning
•Gain new ideas about how to enrich their ministry with compassionate pro-life advocacy
•Learn about advances in the arena of healing people after abortion
•Understand some of the do’s and don’ts that apply during an Election Year
•Hear about what some of their brother priests are doing nationwide
***
Praise for our work
I just wanted to say to each of you presenters on tonight’s teleconference (Nov 5, 2008) – YOU WERE GREAT! I thought each message was exactly what people needed to hear on a day like today, and I believe that everyone listening was inspired and encouraged! Thanks for your dedication and faithful leadership at a time when our nation so desperately needs it. I am honored and humbled to be working side-by-side with such heroes. David Bereit, National Campaign Director, 40 DAYS FOR LIFE
***
Why the Our Father is a Pro-life Prayer (Part 2)
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
Each line of the Lord’s Prayer gives us insight as to why we are pro-life.
"Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Union with the will of God is the heart of salvation and the essence of holiness. It is also the cornerstone of the culture of life. To say, "thy will be done" is the opposite of saying, "my will be done; it's all up to my choice."
When we see a child living in the womb, we see the will of God. The Lord never makes human beings by accident. Each child exists precisely because God wants that child to exist, no matter what the circumstances surrounding his or her existence.
When we say "Thy will be done," we are expressing confidence that because God says yes to the child, so can we. He will give us all the strength we need to follow his plan.
We pray, furthermore, that his will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven, the angels and saints are perfectly united with God because they see him as he is. One who sees God face to face cannot sin, because it is unmistakably clear that there is no good that surpasses God himself.
Many acknowledge “God” and yet go ahead and abort their children, because here on earth, our vision is clouded and imperfect. Hence in the Lord’s Prayer we ask that we not be misled to think that anything good can come from offending God.
"Give us this day our daily bread." We ask the Father for the provisions we need each day to live and to serve him. We ask him for the spiritual strength to resist the temptations that will certainly come our way, and for the grace to advance his Kingdom.
This also means we are praying for the graces we need to advance the protection of human life. We may be tempted to compromise with the culture of death. We ask for the daily bread of strength to defend life, to speak up for the helpless, to intervene to save the weak. We pray also that those tempted to abort their children because of economic reasons may experience the help of God's people, the daily bread of their generosity.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are asking the Lord to use us as an example of how readily and generously he should forgive our sins.
He is more eager to forgive our sins than we are. This should not only give us confidence, but should help us inspire confidence in those who despair. One of the hardest sins to confess is abortion. And even there, the Lord is ready to pour out his mercy on those who repent.
This column can be found online at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/document.aspx?id=2783
Comments on this column? Go to AskFrFrank.com
Fr. Frank's columns are podcast. See PriestsForLife.org/Podcast
You will also see how you can join me in my “Vote Pro-life” Conference call on January 25. I’ve also provided information on the special clergy pro-life conference call that same day.
Please spread the word!
Sincerely,
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director
Schedule for March for Life and related events
Thursday, Jan 21, 2010
1:00PM-4:00PM ET: Please visit March for Life conference which is held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan 21- Priests for Life and other pro-life groups will be there to exhibit and help you learn about how you can advance the pro-life message.
4:00PM-5:30PM ET: Fr. Pavone will hold a book signing of his newly released "Pro-Life Reflections for Every Day" as well as" Ending Abortion, Not Just Fighting it" at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at the Bookstore located at the front entrance on the lower level of the Basilica’s west side.
6:30PM ET: Solemn Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Celebrant & Homilist will be Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Chairman of the US Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Friday, January 22, 2010
8:30am-10:15am ET: Sixteenth Annual National Conference for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers featuring Fr. Frank Pavone as the Homilist.
Location: Congressional Auditorium, US Capitol, Washington, DC. Enter at Main Door of Capitol Visitors Center, East Lawn of US Capitol (directly across the street from the Supreme Court). The building will open at 8am. Please arrive early to allow time to get through security clearance. All are invited. For more details see www.priestsforlife.org/
12 Noon ET: Rally for the March for Life begins on the Mall. After speeches and songs, the march itself will take place. (www.MarchforLife.org)
The march will be followed by a Silent No More Awareness Campaign gathering at the steps of Supreme Court, at approximately 3pm. You will hear testimony from women and men who bought into the lies that they were told about abortion and regret it every day of their lives. Please show your support and be sure to join them as well.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
8am-9:30pm ET: Students for Life of America (SFLA) conference at Catholic University, Washington, DC. Janet Morana will speak about the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.
11am PT: Walk for Life West Coast, San Francisco, CA. Fr. Frank Pavone will be in attendance at this march. www.walkforlifewc.com
Vote Pro-Life Teleconference, Monday, January 25, 2010, 9-10pm ET.
Register at www.priestsforlife.org/
You can join this teleconference either by phone or by internet. Fr. Frank Pavone will be joined by David Barton of Wallbuilders, Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony list and Brian Burch of CatholicVote.org. They will talk specifically about
a) Why 2010 can be a year of significant progress in the political arena;
b) What obstacles the pro-abortion forces are likely to put in the way of the Church and the pro-life movement;
c) Exactly what you can do as an individual, in your pro-life organization, and in your Church to promote political responsibility.
We are forming a coalition of leaders as well as local teams to advance activities like
a) Non-partisan voter registration drives in Churches and through other organizations;
b) Educating candidates and voters about life issues and their critical importance;
c) Informing voters about the positions of candidates on key issues;
d) Getting voters to the polls during early voting and on Election Day, November 2, 2010.
Now is the time to get started, and we need all hands on deck! Join us for an informative and inspiring call on January 25.
Please tell all clergy you know about a 45 minute teleconference on Monday, January 25 at 3pm ET with Fr. Frank Pavone and the Priests for Life team who will give updates and encouragement to the clergy as they work together for a Culture of Life. Register for this call at www.priestsforlife.org/clergy.
During the conference call, which can be joined by phone or internet, the clergy will:
•Hear about why the pro-life movement is winning
•Gain new ideas about how to enrich their ministry with compassionate pro-life advocacy
•Learn about advances in the arena of healing people after abortion
•Understand some of the do’s and don’ts that apply during an Election Year
•Hear about what some of their brother priests are doing nationwide
Praise for our work
I just wanted to say to each of you presenters on tonight’s teleconference (Nov 5, 2008) – YOU WERE GREAT! I thought each message was exactly what people needed to hear on a day like today, and I believe that everyone listening was inspired and encouraged! Thanks for your dedication and faithful leadership at a time when our nation so desperately needs it. I am honored and humbled to be working side-by-side with such heroes. David Bereit, National Campaign Director, 40 DAYS FOR LIFE
Why the Our Father is a Pro-life Prayer (Part 2)
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
Each line of the Lord’s Prayer gives us insight as to why we are pro-life.
"Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Union with the will of God is the heart of salvation and the essence of holiness. It is also the cornerstone of the culture of life. To say, "thy will be done" is the opposite of saying, "my will be done; it's all up to my choice."
When we see a child living in the womb, we see the will of God. The Lord never makes human beings by accident. Each child exists precisely because God wants that child to exist, no matter what the circumstances surrounding his or her existence.
When we say "Thy will be done," we are expressing confidence that because God says yes to the child, so can we. He will give us all the strength we need to follow his plan.
We pray, furthermore, that his will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven, the angels and saints are perfectly united with God because they see him as he is. One who sees God face to face cannot sin, because it is unmistakably clear that there is no good that surpasses God himself.
Many acknowledge “God” and yet go ahead and abort their children, because here on earth, our vision is clouded and imperfect. Hence in the Lord’s Prayer we ask that we not be misled to think that anything good can come from offending God.
"Give us this day our daily bread." We ask the Father for the provisions we need each day to live and to serve him. We ask him for the spiritual strength to resist the temptations that will certainly come our way, and for the grace to advance his Kingdom.
This also means we are praying for the graces we need to advance the protection of human life. We may be tempted to compromise with the culture of death. We ask for the daily bread of strength to defend life, to speak up for the helpless, to intervene to save the weak. We pray also that those tempted to abort their children because of economic reasons may experience the help of God's people, the daily bread of their generosity.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are asking the Lord to use us as an example of how readily and generously he should forgive our sins.
He is more eager to forgive our sins than we are. This should not only give us confidence, but should help us inspire confidence in those who despair. One of the hardest sins to confess is abortion. And even there, the Lord is ready to pour out his mercy on those who repent.
This column can be found online at www.priestsforlife.org/
Comments on this column? Go to AskFrFrank.com
Fr. Frank's columns are podcast. See PriestsForLife.org/Podcast
(And don't forget SMG's trip to DC for the March- there are still seats left! For those unable to attend, there is a 1:22pm Rosary in our main church.)
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