On Conscience & Objective Truth
“
Objective truth is foundational to
a well-formed conscience
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Dear Friends for Life,
It is with rejoicing that we finally experience the step-wise re-opening of New York and a gradual return to parish life with attendance at Mass, confession and reception of the Eucharist! At the same time, there is deep mourning for the loss of family members, friends and acquaintances whose parting from us was made all the more difficult by the restrictions under which we have all been living since March.
This has been a time of suffering for everyone, whether directly or indirectly affected by the pandemic. As if this were not bad enough, however, in the last few weeks our already-grieving nation has been catapulted from a state of mandated dormancy to the extreme opposite of widespread civil unrest associated with an equal degree of distress and lamentation—over which there is no dearth of opinions. As these events unfold before us, a prudent forbearance must find consolation in the words of St. Peter: “
But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.” (1 Peter 2:20-21)
So too, St. Paul tells us,
“…where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” (Romans 5:20) What better time to reflect on how we can be vessels of overflowing grace?
One essential way is to better understand conscience and objective truth.
Read complete letter
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Pro-life and PPE Sails Together
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By Fr Abraham Thannickal, St Patrick’s Smithtown
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Nowadays, we are familiar with the abbreviation PPE. Yes, Personal Protective Equipment, which protects those using it against health and safety risks at work. During this corona virus pandemic period, we know our doctors, nurses, health care workers etc. and whoever needs protection and safety wear it. It not only keeps the worker safe, but also the workplace.
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Those wearing PPE, follow proper procedure and training and, along with it, proper supervision to encourage a safe and responsible work place. We all know that essential workers are struggling to keep us and our beloved ones safe. They take many precautions to keep us and themselves safe.
Here comes a question: Why do they want to keep our lives safe along with theirs? Yes, every life has its own value. It is precious. We are now living in a world in which animals have more life value than human beings. We raise our voice and protest to protect animals. Not that an animal’s life has no value, but we are not giving as much importance or value to human beings. Are we doing anything to protect human life; especially an unborn life? What PPE are we using for unborn life? We need to think and act. Is there any
PPE for this voiceless people? Yes, there is. There is a
PPE for such lives....it is
Prayer, Practice, and Encouragement.
Read more
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Heather was on the table--moments away from having an abortion...
...but she couldn't stop thinking about the 40 Days for Life vigil participants praying for her outside the building. So she got off the table and walked out!
Today, Heather's baby is alive and well because somebody decided to lead a 40 Days for Life vigil in her community.
Next 40 Days for Life Campaign will begin on Long Island
September 23 - November 1, 2020.
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Rosary Walk With Our Lady Of Guadalupe For Peace And Healing
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As the news was coming out that there would be protests across Long Island it was unsure that they would all be peaceful demonstrations. So, a group of faithful people took on the mission to counteract anything evil that might not be coming from God. The only way was to take out our spiritual armor to fight against these things: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood; but against the principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” Eph. 6:12
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The only answer was to take out our Spiritual Weapons, the Rosary and St Joseph, Terror of Demons! Not only will the Rosary
bring peace to your personal life, but it is also a powerful tool that can stop wars and bring peace to the entire world.
Read more
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“Of Words and Wit”:
The Origins of the Pro-Bikers for Life
Interview with Thomas M Upshur OFS, President of the PBFL
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Part One
Thomas M. Upshur, O.F.S. is the President of the
Pro-Bikers for Life, an international Pro-Life organization whose mission is “to preserve human life” at all costs through sidewalk counseling, through prayerful witness outside abortion clinics, and through evangelization efforts using social media as well as in-person events. At the crux of their mission, the Pro-Bikers “do everything [they] can to support the Pro-Life cause.” Mr. Upshur took some time recently to answer some questions about his organization and how their work serves to foster a culture of life at home and abroad.
This will be the
first part of a three-part series highlighting the work of the Pro-Bikers for Life through the eyes of their President, Thomas Upshur. This first segment of questions will focus on their humble beginnings, how the organization got their name, and feature some of the many activities they partake in on Long Island.
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My first question for you is who are the Pro-Bikers for Life and what is it exactly that you guys do?
The Pro Bikers for Life (PBFL) are a group of motorcyclists who are faithful to God and believe that every life is sacred. We ride for the unborn in order to help mothers and fathers receive the gift of life. Bikers serve our brothers and sisters both in the mainstream and on the outskirts of society. PBFL members are involved in prayer vigils for the unborn, sidewalk counseling at abortion clinics, and delivering furniture for new and expectant moms, as well as throwing baby showers.
The PBFL have also been invited to speak at high schools, colleges, men’s retreats and Knights of Columbus events to share our challenging but beautiful experiences of being on the front lines with our prayer warriors in our work to counter the choice of death over life. We also were invited to three consecutive World Youth Days in Spain, Brazil and Poland to share our experiences with the youth through images and stories of our encounters with abortion minded moms and dads who, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, chose life for their child.
Read complete interview
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We Need Our Spiritual Father, St Joseph
For Such a Time as This!
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On May 20th, Donna Crean, Assistant Director of the Office Human Life, Family and Bioethics began a spiritual journey with St Joseph. She invited a group of faithful Catholics to join others from around the world with Fr Donald Calloway’s MIC, virtual livestream
33 day Consecration to St Joseph which would end on Father’s day June 21st. Our office recognizes the great need to have recourse to St Joseph for healing of marriages, families, young people, our culture of death and most of all our Holy Mother Church.
It is critically important to point out how the father-wound in all aspects has permeated and affected our whole world. We need to include St Joseph to have a truly completer Holy Family, in order to heal families, which are Sanctuaries of Life. We are inviting everyone to consider Consecrating to Our Spiritual Father, St Joseph.
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As Fr Calloway states in his book: We need the spiritual fatherhood of St Joseph to help us protect marriage and the family. Marriage and family have always been under attack, but in modern times, the threats have reached extraordinary heights. There is greater confusion than in any previous era in human history. The Servant of God Sr Lucia dos Santos, the longest lived visionary of Fatima apparitions, knew the seriousness of the times and made a powerful statement about this issue. She wrote:
The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and the family.
To combat and overcome Satan’s deceptions, the Church needs St Joseph. His example and protection are the only way out of the confusing mess we are in. Who else can we turn to who can help us understand what marriage and family are all about if not the Head of the Holy Family and Terror of Demons?
We are no longer fatherless with our wonderful Spiritual Father, St Joseph.
Go to Joseph! Ite ad Ioseph!
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Happy and Blessed Father's Day
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The book "Consecration to St. Joseph:
The Wonders of our Spiritual Father" was published on January 1, 2020. It is a 33-Day preparation for consecration to St. Joseph. It is for individuals, groups, and parishes, and initiated the first worldwide movement of consecration to St. Joseph. Listen to Fr Calloway speak about the book before it was published:
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The Gift of Saint Joseph
A remedy for our time
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I have found a gift in the Catholic Faith that has been a bit overlooked. I don’t mean to sound presumptuous at all. Many people, I am sure, will readily admit that they already know about this gift. But do we really? When you bring up the name Saint Joseph almost every Catholic,
particularly over the age of 70, will say very adamantly that they have ‘great devotion’ to him. But has it really been clear to us as Catholics what a gift Saint Joseph is? Who is he and what is his role in salvation history?
Recently, I was invited by Donna Crean, Assistant Director of the Office of Human Life, Family and Bioethics to join in with a group getting ready for consecration to Saint Joseph with Father Donald Calloway, MIC. Since the entire country was in shut down, he had the unusual opportunity to lead a worldwide group via Livestream every night at 7:30 pm.
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See below for a list of current issues for you to learn more and to take action.
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See below for a list of current issues for you to learn more and to take action.
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Sylvia and Serena Alvarez share the inspiring story of Deacon Sal Alvarez -- how he fought for justice throughout his life, working for farmers' rights, advocating for access to health care for Latinos, and -- near the end of his life -- fighting against assisted suicide.
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They then call upon viewers to join them in continuing his fight for access to authentic health care, no assisted suicide.
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POST-ABORTION MINISTRY
Project Rachel Hope After Abortion
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Do you know someone who is suffering abortion loss? Project Rachel is a ministry about finding hope and healing after abortion.
For more information, visit the Project Rachel Hope
After Abortion
website
, call the Respect Life Office's confidential phoneline: 1-888-456-HOPE(se habla espanol) 1-516-766 2538, email
projectrachel@drvc.org
to begin healing after abortion loss.
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Next Opportunity for Prayer and Healing
Day of Prayer and Healing for Women
Saturday, November 7, 2020
All reservations and information will remain confidential.
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If you need help please call our help line and someone will be happy to give some counsel over the phone to calm any fears or anxieties.
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The Gianna Center of Long Island and New York City. Providing care for women's and families via Telehealth during coronavirus outbreak.
For more information:
631-376-3232
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The Gianna Center of Long Island for Women's Health & Fertility offers a new approach to women's health care. Our highly skilled team provides preventive and specialized women's health and infertility care. Named after St. Gianna Beretta Molla, the Center features two unique women's health services-the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System and Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM), both of which allow us to provide women with a natural, restorative, scientifically-based approach to improving health and fertility.
The center has been recognized as a FertilityCare™ Center of Excellence by The American Academy of FertilityCare™ Professionals for providing the highest quality of care to patients and the community in need of restorative women's health and fertility care services. There are 340 FertilityCare™ Center affiliates in the U.S., and the Gianna Center is one of six to earn this distinction.
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Contact Us:
Long Island
631-376-3232
661 Deer Park Avenue, Babylon, NY 11702
Manhattan
212-481-1219
15 East 40th Street, Suite 101, New York, NY 10016
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for the latest updates and news.
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Bilingual Fertility Awareness Educator Wanted
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Are you a woman who is passionate about Theology of the Body? Have you thought about becoming a Fertility Awareness Educator to teach couples women’s health & natural family planning?
Are you bilingual? The Gianna Center would love to talk with you!
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Gabriel's Courage
Catholic Health Services
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Is your doctor recommending a abortion or termination due to adverse prenatal diagnosis? You are not alone. We are here to help. Abortion is not your only option.
Support, information & encouragement for carrying your baby to term with an adverse prenatal diagnosis. There are few things more frightening in life than finding out your baby may not be healthy. The fear of the unknown and the pressure to terminate can be intense. You are not alone.
More information
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Perinatal Mood Disorders
Catholic Health Services
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Supporting mothers who are coping with depression or anxiety during pregnancy or after the birth of her birth. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorder is the leading medical complication related to childbearing.
For more information contact
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Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
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Lisa A. Honkanen
, M.D. – Director
Donna Crean
– Assistant Director/Program Coordinator
Patricia Fox
– Project Rachel Coordinator
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50 North Park Ave. Rockville Ctr., NY 11570
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Additional Informational Websites
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED MISSION TO SERVE LIFE!
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