by Frank Tinari, Ph.D., Life Education Council Board of Trustees
This Month: Vote and Give Thanksgiving to God
Bishops Cite Life as Critical Voter Issue
Protection of human life from conception to natural death is stated by U.S. bishops as the pre-eminent issue of our time. Here is what they wrote: “The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed.” (USCCB, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 28, www.faithfulcitizenship.org)
For us voters, we must set aside party labels when we vote. Instead, vote for candidates who promote respect for the dignity of each person, the core of Catholic social and moral teaching. “A candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support.” (FCFC, 42)
As individual citizens, voting with a moral conscience helps to promote the common good. We thank God for the privilege of voting in a democracy.
Thankful for Quality Films
- The documentary, Mother Teresa: No Greater Love, had such great success in early October that it’s coming back with encore showings in early November.
- The Chosen, Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2, will be shown only in theaters, Nov.18. A crowd-funded project, the first two seasons have attracted more than 380 million views, depicting a personal side of Jesus and imagined conversations with his Apostles and others. The actresses shown here have all been touched by the dramatization, and many viewers say they have been deeply affected by the show.
- Blonde (Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe drama) – Debuted on September 28, the film is a fictionalized version of Monroe’s life, based on a book by Joyce Carol Oates. Unlike in the film, Monroe’s three pregnancies ended either in miscarriage or were ectopic. What is accurate, however, is a CGI depiction of what an unborn child looks like when Marilyn discovers she’s pregnant, including the baby’s beating heart. Visiting her mother, she talks about how her unwed mother bravely chose
life. The language becomes powerfully pro-life as she points out there would be no Marilyn if her mother had chosen abortion. After becoming pregnant again, she imagines her baby talking to her from the womb, asking her not to hurt him/her. (Dawn Slusher, Planned Parenthood Outraged by Powerful Pro-Life Scenes in Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe Drama, www.LifeNews.com, 10/3/22)
Why Continue a March for Life in DC?
(Jeanne Mancini, President, https://marchforlife.org)
With the wonderful blessing of Roe v. Wade being overturned, a goal we have marched for since 1974, some say there is no longer a need for the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. But the fall of Roe means the battle for life must be fought on two fronts now: state and federal. At the March on January 20, 2023, we will present the strategic plan for building a culture of life in this moment in time. We will now march to the steps of
the United States Capitol. And we plan to be in all 50 states soon because we understand the power of unified, joyful masses of pro-life marchers who send a loud and clear message to legislators: Protect life!
We must tirelessly build a culture of life on Capitol Hill, and advocate for the advancement of federal pro-life policies. And we must also march in our state capitols, urging our state legislators to pass life-saving protections for the unborn. Last, we must continue to increase the safety net for moms and babies, especially by supporting pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes that provide love, compassion, and resources to women, children, and families.
Already, pro-abortion politicians in the U.S. House and Senate have voted in favor of the most radical expansion of abortion in American history, a bill deceptively named the Women’s Health Protection Act. If passed, this extreme bill would nullify existing pro-life state laws, prevent the passage of future state laws that protect the unborn, eliminate parental-consent laws, and force taxpayers to pay for abortions nationwide up until birth. Neither can we leave hard-fought victories like the Hyde Amendment vulnerable to attack. This longstanding policy limits government funding for abortion in appropriation bills, protects taxpayers and saves lives.
Pro-life pregnancy centers provide assistance such as education, support services and essential medical care to over 2 million people every year, offering millions of dollars-worth in medical, education and support resources. Maternity homes provide shelter and support for the first several years of the baby’s life. Pregnancy resource centers have saved more than 800,000 lives since 2016 and are favored by the vast majority of Americans. Everything they do is driven by love for the women who walk through their doors and a deep desire to see them realize their dreams without sacrificing their children.
Thanks to the incredible dedication and passion that you, our marchers, have shown throughout the years, we are emboldened to take these next steps in carrying out our mission to promote the beauty and dignity of every
human life by working for an end to abortion.
Aaron Judge Thanks His Adoptive Parents After Hitting Home Run #62
“Some kids grow in their mom’s stomach; I grew in my mom’s heart,” Judge said. “She’s always showed me love and compassion ever since I was a little baby. I’ve never needed to think differently or wonder about
anything.”
In early October, the 30-year-old Yankees slugger, who was adopted as a newborn, broke a six-decades-old record when he hit his 62nd home run. After the game, he told reporters that his family was at the front of his mind as he ran around the bases. A Christian, he has been open about being adopted as a baby and the incredible blessing that his parents, Wayne and Patty Judge, have been throughout his life. “The guidance my mom gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff. She’s molded me into the person that I am today. I was about 10 or 11 and we really didn’t look alike, so I started asking questions and they told me I was adopted and answered all my questions, and that was that. I was fine with it. It really didn’t bother me because they’re the only parents I’ve known.”
Judge said he knows that God brought them together — his parents say their son has been a huge blessing in their lives. (Micaiah Bilger, www.LifeNews.com, 10/5/22)
Dear Frank, your newsletter continues to be among the best I receive. Thank God for your faithfulness. Judie Brown, American Life League
Teen Fights to Stop Transgender Surgery
At a moment in which most politicians and media outlets lack the courage to speak out, 18-yr-old Chloe
Cole, a self-described “former trans kid” who de-transitioned after undergoing years of puberty blockers and an irreversible double mastectomy at the age of 15, is leading the fight. Traveling across the nation, she shares her story to raise the alarm about gender transition procedures on children, a growing trend she calls “child abuse” and “medical experimentation.”
Cole was just 11 yrs. old when she was first exposed to gender ideology through online platforms. It didn’t take long before medical professionals fast-tracked her into medically transitioning from a girl to a boy, a trend she says has exploded among children. Cole was put on puberty blockers and testosterone at age 13. She continues to experience joint pain from weakened bone density, a known side effect of puberty blockers, as well as certain allergies and ongoing urinary tract infections. But this pales in comparison to the double mastectomy she underwent at age 15. “I wasn’t really thinking. I was a kid, just trying to fit in, not thinking
about the possibility of becoming a parent.”
(excerpt from Edie Heipel, Meet Chloe Cole, www.CatholicNewsAgency.com, 9/24/22)
Some “Experts”: Marriage is an outdated institution, a relic of a patriarchal past
A 2019 article in the Atlantic sought to inform readers of “What you gain when you lose a spouse,” while the
New York Times explored an America “Beyond Marriage.” A recent story in Bloomberg assured us that “women who stay single and don’t have kids are getting richer” than their peers who are married with children.
There’s just one problem with such anti-nuptial and anti-natalist reporting: It’s completely false. In fact, the Bloomberg story uses data only from single Americans, meaning there is no basis for comparison with married women. Married mothers ages 18-55 have a mean household income of $133,000, compared to $79,000 for childless, single woman 18-55, according to data from the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey.
Thirty-three percent of married mothers ages 18-55 say they are “completely satisfied” with their lives, compared to 15 percent of childless women 18-55, according to the American Family Survey. Single, childless women are about 60% more likely to report feelings of loneliness compared to married mothers. Living for ourselves & our jobs is a dead end for most of us, whether we are a man or a woman, something that’s pretty obvious to most people.
Meanwhile, giving of ourselves to others, especially to our spouse, kids, and community, is the path most
conducive to a meaningful and generally happy life. And because marriage allows couples to pool income and assets, it also leads to a heck of lot more prosperity for the average Joe and Jane.
The happiest women in America today are those least likely to be following the profoundly self-centered and anti-family catechism of our ruling class. To be a happy and prosperous woman, be open to the gifts of marriage and children and look for opportunities to embrace family life as a key part of a rich and meaningful life. (Brad Wilcox and Alysse ElHage, Newsweek, 10/4/22)
OB-GYN Dr. William Lile Speaks Out
“It’s now possible to operate on babies while they are still in the womb. The umbilical cord of a baby can be transfused with donated blood as early as 18 weeks gestation to treat severe anemia in babies. Babies are patients and deserve legal protection like the rest of us.” Nicknamed the Pro-Life Doc, he says: “All patients, including preborn babies, have rights. It’s time to stand up and fight for the rights of the Pre-Born.” (https://www.prolifedoc.org)
This free monthly newsletter is used by dozens of churches as a bulletin insert, and since 2013 has had over 30,000 readers. To receive each month’s issue in your inbox, email Frank Tinari, Ph.D. at tinarifr@shu.edu