Dr. Alveda King's Blog

Fetus: What They Think I Am

alv3d@ — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:10:55 +0000

By Bryan Kemper and Andy Moore

Jennifer O’Neill Named Christan Women in Media Award Winner

alv3d@ — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:41:45 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2012

Contacts: Georgette Forney
412-398-7885
Andre Kim
347-286-7277

Staten Island, NY – Jennifer O’Neill, actress, author, and spokesperson for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, has been selected by Christian Women in Media to receive its 2012 Excellence in Communications Award.

Ms. O’Neill, the star of over 30 movies, has for years spoken on behalf of the women and men of the SNMAC, giving her testimony about the abortion she had while in her early twenties and the aftermath of pain and depression she suffered. With this award, she joins leaders such as Joni Eareckson Tada, Anne Graham Lotz, Janet Parshall, and Vonette Bright in being acknowledged by Christian Women in Media for excellence in national media.

“Jennifer O’Neill has always been recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful and talented women,” stated SNMAC co-founder Janet Morana. “This award honors not just her abilities as a communicator, but also her compassion borne of faith. Jennifer is Silent No More because her love for God and her neighbor compel her to speak to and for the victims of the abortion industry.”

“I know this award is important not only to Jennifer, but also to the thousands of Silent No More women and men who have joined her in sharing their abortion testimonies,” added Georgette Forney, another SNMAC co-founder. “Her story is powerful because it dramatically expresses what so many across America have experienced – that the reason for having an abortion fades with time, the pain of an abortion does not.”

Fr. Frank Pavone, Pastoral Director of SNMAC and National Director of Priests for Life, in commenting on the award said, “Jennifer O’Neill’s message resonates not because she’s a celebrity, but because she honestly shares the raw human pain of abortion and the amazing healing of Christ. She could easily spend her days enjoying the fruits of material success, but instead casts aside comfort in service to others. Christian Women in Media has made an outstanding selection.”

Since the launching of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign in 2003, 5,487 women and men have shared their testimonies publicly at over 1,029 gatherings in 48 states and ten countries where more than 110,830 attendees have heard the truth about abortion’s negative aftereffects. More than 10,100 people representing 67 countries are registered to be Silent No More. Raising awareness about the hurtful aftermath of abortion and the help that is available to cope with the pain are two of the Campaign’s goals. The Campaign has over 1,430 testimonies posted here, with over 147 that are shared via video! An additional 2,314 women and 298 men who have not joined the Campaign have registered their regret.

The Silent No More Awareness Campaign is a joint project of Anglicans for Life and Priests for Life. For more information, please visit our website: www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org

BLUE SKIES AND BUTTERFLIES by EARTHA SIMS, NAOMI KING AND ALVEDA KING

alv3d@ — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:20:24 +0000

An A. D. King Foundation Production – www.adkingfoundation.com

Naomi Barber King leads a life of grace and compassion in a world where unsung heroines go unnoticed by many, while touching lives and changing hearts in the highways and byways of communities in need of love. Born on November 17, 1931 to a single mother, Bessie Barber Bailey, Naomi was raised as “an only child” in a sheltered and protected environment. Naomi’s mother was a domestic worker who gave her daughter the best in nurture, clothing, education and spiritual development. Naomi was educated in Atlanta public schools. She was a notable student, winning awards for writing and music. She was active in church and community projects, and was popular and respected by her peers. he also worked part time as a print and runway model. Naomi attended Spelman College in Atlanta for one year prior to her marriage to A. D. Williams King, Sr., youngest son of Martin Luther, Sr. and Alberta King. She later attended the University of Alabama where she studied interior design.

During their marriage, A. D. accepted “the call” to ministry, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Rev. A. D. Williams, his father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., and his brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the wife of a prominent minister, who promptly joined his brother in the Civil Rights Struggle, Naomi blossomed as a mother of five. She advanced in her ministry as first lady of the prominent churches, Mt. Vernon First Baptist in Newnan, GA; First Baptist Ensley, Birmingham, ALA, Zion Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, and Ebenezer Baptists Church in Atlanta, GA, where her husband ministered during his lifetime.

“First Lady,” as Naomi was affectionately called by the faithful flocks, assisted her husband, Dr. Alfred Daniel Williams King “first and foremost by helping to raise our children.” Her mastery of the social graces cause this trend setter to be remembered and sought after for her cooking, A-1 hostess presentations, and event planning. Along with being the anchor in the home while her husband “risked his life to fight for the freedom of the oppressed,” Naomi also sang at concerts to raise funds for the “Movement,” served as a “Women’s Day Speaker” at churches to which she was invited, and organized “teas and prayer circle activities” which helped to stabilize the communities. A. D. and “Neenie” shared a life of trials and triumphs, which she fondly remembers as “a love story.” Dr. A. D. King was a “victim of the racism of the times. Working closely with his brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, A. D.’s home and church were bombed, and he experienced many death threats. His death remains an unsolved mystery.” Naomi King is currently a consulting producer for a theatrical documentary and feature film regarding the life and legacy of her heroic husband.

Her professional accomplishments include Citizens Trust Bank, Bank of Louisville, interior decorating and design, managing the King Center gift shop, and serving as a “devoted and privileged traveling companion to my sister-in-law, Mrs. Coretta Scott King.” Mrs. King holds awards and special recognition, such as recipient of the S. C. L. C. Rosa Parks Award, King for America Truth Finder Award, featured in the AARP documentary “Voices of Civil Rights, and holds memberships in NAACP, SCLC, Priests for Life, Women of SCLC, SCLC Women, and American Bridge Association. She is a recognized author and is noted for her devotion to her God, her family and her church.

Mrs. King is the mother of Dr. Alveda King, Alfred King (deceased), Rev. Derek King, Darlene King (deceased), and Rev. Vernon King. She is currently grandmother of 16 (5 deceased); and great grandmother of 6. She is a lifelong member of Ebenezer Baptist Church. “I love the Lord with all of my heart, soul, body and mind – when troubles rise, I hasten to His throne where I find safety and peace in His loving arms! Amen and Amen.”

EARTHA SIMS has an extensive commitment and involvement with Gospel, Jazz, and R&B music recordings, and performances, including concert stages andcabarets nationally and internationally. She is a gifted Actress & Vocalist, Assistant Manager and Artist USO and European Tours, Manager/Director/Playwright/Lyricist/Instructor, Founder & First President of Alpha Gamma Omicron Theatre HonorSociety, APO, and Event Planner.

Eartha was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a musically literate AWARD WINNING and PERFORMING family, AND SINCE THE AGE OF FIVE HAS RECORDED AND PERFORMED ON STAGE WITH GREATS LIKE AL GREEN, ISAAC HAYES, THE ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH MR. ROBERT SHAW, THE S.O.S. BAND, ARISTA RECORDS, MOTOWN AND MANY OTHERS. She attended the internationally known Spelman College as a Vocal Music major and graduated from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in Theatre Performance Studies and Musical Theatre.

EARTHA’S TRAINING FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN SPELMAN COLLEGE GLEE CLUB AND KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY INTENSIFIED HER ARTISTRY IN PERFORMANCES SUCH AS DUKE ELLINGTON’S SOPHISTICATED LADIES AND MANY MORE MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCES.EARTHA SIMS HAS CHOREOGRAPHED, performed, and co-managed THE EURO-SUPREMES, THE SOUND OF THE SUPREMES, AND THE DIVAS OF MOTOWN FOR TEN YEARS TRAVELING EUROPE AND ASIA. AFTER RECEIVING HER B.A. IN Theatre Performance Studies and MUSICAL THEATRE, SHE IS NOW PRODUCING PLAYS and Independent Short Films LOCALLY IN THE ATLANTA AREA.

You’re Invited to a Maafa21 Screening

alv3d@ — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:10:25 +0000

You are invited to a public screening of the documentary Maafa21, which exposes the purpose and history of Planned Parenthood and its founder Margaret Sanger as advocates for the population reduction and eventual elimination of the black population in America. You and your guests are invited to attend. Please publicize this fully on any media outlet accessible to you. We will have two area locations for this screening (see below).

This event is sponsored by Martin Baker for Congress. (martin@martinbakerforcongress.com)

Date: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012
Time: 1:00pm
Location: St. Louis Public Library – Buder Branch
4401 Hampton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109

Date: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012
Time: 1:00pm
Location: St. Louis Public Library – Cabanne Branch
1106 Union Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63113

Facebook censors pro-life image, allows DIY abortion instructions

alv3d@ — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:39 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 17, 2012

Contact: Andre Kim
347-286-7277

Facebook has apologized for censoring a post by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts in which she gave instructions for a do-it-yourself chemical abortion. The popular social media site decided it was OK for the international abortion provider to teach women and girls how to do an abortion themselves at home using Misoprostol, even telling them to lie to a pharmacist to get the necessary drugs.

But Facebook has removed a graphic that shows the aftermath of an abortion: An eight-week fetus torn limb from limb and decapitated.

This week, Bryan Kemper, Youth Outreach Director for Priests for Life, and Andy Moore of abortionwiki.org created a version of the popular “What They Think I Do” graphic that have been going viral on Facebook. Their graphic was entitled “Abortionist,” and the final frame was a photo of a baby killed in an early abortion.

This image received thousands of shares and comments in a matter of hours. But this morning, Kemper found a message from Facebook explaining that the image was removed, and ordering him to remove it from any other place he had posted it on the site.

“It amazed me,” said Kemper; “Facebook will allow girls to learn how to do an abortion themselves at home with no doctor’s supervision, and encourages them to lie when obtaining the drugs necessary. But they will not allow them to see what an abortion looks like.

“I guess it is only considered censorship if you censor the pro-choice side; it’s perfectly fine in our culture to censor the pro-life message.”

Kemper has posted the image on his website at http://bryankemper.com/2012/02/15/abortionist/ and has given permission for anyone to repost it on their blogs or websites.

He also is urging all pro-lifers to contact Facebook to protest the site’s lopsided censorship. https://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=ui_other

Click here for the DIY abortion instructions. https://www.facebook.com/womenonwaves

“I have long said that America will not end abortion until it sees abortion,” said Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life. “But those who support and profit from abortion work very hard to make sure America does not see abortion.”

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit Priests for Life.

Priests for Life Associate Director is Arrested Outside White House

alv3d@ — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:39:25 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 16, 2012

Contact: Andre Kim
347-286-7277

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Father Denis Wilde, OSA, associate director of Priests for Life, was among six people arrested today during a peaceful protest outside the White House.

Father Wilde was representing Priests for Life at an organized protest of the HHS contraception mandate that violates the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion. Priests for Life yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Obama Administration that seeks to permanently block the implementation of the mandate because it imposes clear violations of conscience upon any American citizens who morally object to abortion and contraception.

Father Wilde and the other protesters, including the Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, were cited for “Failure to obey a lawful order” as they knelt in prayer in front of the White House. They each paid a $100 fine and were released from custody.

“Occupy Wall Street protesters have been occupying federal property for months, but when we kneel in prayer, the police are called in and we are arrested,” Father Wilde said. “We knew that was the risk when we gathered today, and we will do it again regardless of the risk. What people of faith – of every faith – need to do now is stand with us.”

Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, said the New York-based organization remains committed to battling the HHS mandate because it forces Americans to become morally entangled in practices they find objectionable.

“As an organization of Catholic clergy, as a corporation that employs 60 people of various religious backgrounds, and as a ministry whose very purpose is to protect and promote the pro-life teaching about the specific practices at issue in the HHS mandate, we are particularly well-positioned to fight against this intrusion of conscience,” Father Pavone said.

To see the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, on Wednesday, click here: http://www.priestsforlife.org/hhsmandate/priests-for-life-v-sebelius.pdf

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit Priests for Life.

Getting Throught the Tough Times

alv3d@ — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:03:27 +0000

New DeStefano book and my daughter’s letters are both encouraging reads on a rainy day. All of Anthony DeStefano’s books are highly recommended.

My daughter blessed me with this email message today. She does that sometimes… As I read the message of 75 things of 75 Reminders for Tough Times, three Bible verses come to mind. They don’t make the 75 things untrue, but make me stronger in walking them out. Also, reading 1-4 before reading the 75 shifts life’s perspectives. By the time the other 75 are read, we most likely will be breathing a whole lot easier. Be blessed.

1. “Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:8
2. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and don’t lean on or trust your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge G-D and HE will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5
3. “…but seek first God’s kingdom, and all these things [everything people work and slave so hard to attain] will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (It might be good to read this whole chapter today! I will!)
4. “For God so loved the world, that God gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) so that whoever believes on HIM will not perish, but will have everlasting life.” John 3-16

75 Reminders for Tough Times

When life gets stressful, we often forget the things we should remember, and remember the things we should forget.

Here are 75 reminders to help motivate you when you need it most.

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

1. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.
2. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
3. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
4. Nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect. Nobody has it easy. You never know what people are going through. Every one of us has issues. So don’t belittle yourself or anyone else. Everybody is fighting their own unique war.
5. Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive and full of potential.
6. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying. (Read Unstoppable.)
7. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
8. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Let it go.
9. Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now.
10. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
11. Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart.
12. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
13. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
14. You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.
15. Give up worrying about what others think of you. What they think isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
16. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
17. When other people treat you poorly, keep being you. Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the person you are.
18. You have to accept that some things will never be yours, and learn to appreciate the things that are only yours.
19. Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s struggling, who’s frustrated, or unsatisfied, or barely getting by. But that feeling is a lie. And if you just hold on, someone will find you and help make it better. Because we all need a little help sometimes – someone to help us hear the music in our world. To remind us that it won’t always be this way. That someone is out there right now.
20. Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to lose.
21. Sometimes we accidentally allow small problems to escalate and dominate our lives. If we get overcharged a few cents, it is irritating, but don’t let it ruin your day. There will always be small issues that irritate us; the secret is to be able to give them the miniscule level of importance they deserve.
22. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go. (Read The Dip.)
23. Ask yourself whether each of your relationships drags you down or lifts you up. Surrounding yourself with positive, loving people is half the battle of living a happy, successful life.
24. Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to impress.
25. There are few joys in life that equal a good conversation, a good read, a good walk, a good hug, a good smile, or a good friend.
26. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future for too long. Right now is life. Live it.
27. No matter how cautiously you choose your words, someone will always twist them around and misinterpret what you say. So just say what you need to say.
28. In order to be creative, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
29. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of good luck.
30. To be great does not mean you have to dominate others. It means you have to dominate your own potential.
31. If you are passionate about something, pursue it, no matter what anyone else thinks. That’s how dreams are achieved.
32. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
33. Forgiveness is one of the primary keys to happiness.
34. The best revenge is happiness, because nothing drives your adversaries more insane than seeing you smile.
35. Stay positive when negativity surrounds you. Smile when others frown. It’s an easy way to make a difference.
36. If a person wants to be a part of your life, they will make an obvious effort to do so. Don’t bother reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.
37. Don’t regret intimate relationships that don’t work out. Because they will only help you find the right partner for you, and better appreciate them for everything they do and everything they are.
38. What lies before us and behind us are tiny matters when compared to what lies within us.
39. The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists. It rewards people who get things done. And the only way to get things done is to be imperfect 99% of the time.
40. Never lie – not even a white lie! When you steer away from the truth, you steer away from your soul. Be honest, be real and tell the truth. This awareness forces you to make better choices and be a stronger person.
41. Feelings, good and bad, always come and go.
42. Don’t get caught up in wasted potential from years past. Potential is all we ever have.
43. We are not alone. No matter how bizarre or embarrassed or pathetic we feel about our own situation, there will be others out there experiencing the same emotions. When you hear yourself say “I am all alone,” it is your mind trying to sell you a lie so you will continue to feel sorry for yourself.
44. It is okay to be angry. It is never okay to be cruel.
45. Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.
46. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
47. Money is a renewable resource. If you lose some money, don’t sweat it. You can always make more. However, if you spend valuable time stressing over money, or lost opportunity, you’ll never get that time back. Time is more valuable than money – time is the greatest constituent of life.
48. Never let people know that they got to you. Ignore them. Hold your head up high and pretend all their negative remarks don’t even phase you, and someday they actually won’t.
49. There is nothing to hold you back except you. And there is only one question to ask yourself: “What would you do if you were not afraid?” Think about it.
50. Life is way more enjoyable when you stop trying to be cool and simply focus on being yourself.
51. It’s often hard to tell just how close you are to success.
52. When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create things you don’t want.
53. No matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
54. You must see things how they are instead of how you hoped, wished, or expected them to be.
55. Even when you feel like you have nothing, someone else likely has far less. Find them and help them. You’ll see why.
56. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often. Find the humor in whatever situation you’re in.
57. If you want to feel rich, just count all the great things you have that money can’t buy.
58. Forgiving yourself is far more important than getting others to forgive you.
59. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
60. You can press forward long after you can’t. It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.
61. It’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance. You’ll rarely be 100% sure it will work. But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Sometimes you just have to go for it!
62. If it were easy everyone would do it. This is why get rich quick schemes will never be true. If it was so quick and easy then everyone would be millionaires. Accomplishing great things is hard work, but well worth it.
63. Notice and cherish life’s surprises. Just because it’s not what you were expecting, doesn’t mean it’s not everything you’ve been waiting for.
64. Be vulnerable. Allow yourself to feel, to be open and authentic. Tear down any emotional brick walls you have built around you and feel every exquisite emotion, both good and bad. This is real life. This is how you welcome new opportunities.
65. You must create and look for opportunities. Opportunities rarely ever come knocking on the door of someone who’s not seeking them. You have to create and seek opportunities for yourself. You have to take the initiative to get the ball rolling and the doors opening.
66. If it’s out of your control, why fret about it? Concentrating on things you can control is how you make good things happen.
67. Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities. (Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.)
68. No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible. Or they may incessantly suggest that the idea or dream as a whole is utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares. When you come across these people, don’t try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only waste your time and energy.
69. If you spend 80% of your time focusing on the problem and only 20% on the solution, what do you think is going to happen?
70. No matter how badly you think your life may be going, or how messed up you think you are, there is at least one thing you are doing right in your life or you wouldn’t be alive reading this.
71. A problem is a chance for you to learn.
72. The greatest struggle is to be something different from what the average man is.
73. In times of great stress, it’s always wise to keep busy, to plow your anger and frustration into something positive.
74. One thing is for sure: Regardless of the situation, life goes on.
75. Everyone wants a perfect ending. But over the years I’ve learned that some of the best poems don’t rhyme, and many great stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end. Life is about not knowing, embracing change, and taking a moment and making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next.

Oh, and…
You wanna know who’s awesome? Read the first word of this line again.

Lawsuit Against ObamaCare and HHS Mandate Filed in Federal Court Today on Behalf of All U.S. Employers

alv3d@ — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:59:11 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 15, 2012

Contact: Leslie Palma
347-286-7277

Washington, D.C. — Priests for Life, a New York-based international pro-life organization of Catholic clergy and laity, today announced the formal filing of a lawsuit against the Obama Administration, seeking to permanently block the implementation of the HHS mandate that imposes clear violations of conscience upon any and all citizens who morally object to abortion and contraception.

One part of the lawsuit seeks injunctive relief from the “forced speech” aspect of the controversial Health and Human Services ruling. According to the HHS regulations, virtually all U.S. employers will not only be forced to pay for 100% of an employee’s prescription for abortion-causing drugs, but also be forced to instruct the employee on how to obtain these morally-objectionable prescriptions and get them for free.

“This falls under the forbidden rubric of ‘forced speech’—a corollary violation of every citizen’s right to free speech under the Constitution,” says lead attorney Charles LiMandri.

The Obama Administration has received significant backlash against the HHS ruling because it requires employers to pay for abortion-related and other morally objectionable services.

“No matter what religion someone professes, requiring them to instruct their employees how to obtain abortion-inducing drugs — whether this instruction is given by them or someone they hire —is an outrage not to mention an egregious violation of civil rights and constitutional protections. We will not allow the Obama Administration to get away with this,” says Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life.

The so-called “accommodation” offered by the Administration does not solve the moral or legal problems employers face, and against which Priests for Life is objecting. Moreover, these “accommodations” have not been translated into policy. At this point, they are simply a Presidential speech.

The Priests for Life lawsuit, the first to be launched subsequent to the announcement of the “accommodations,” addresses policy as it currently stands.

This new lawsuit seeks injunctive relief from the HHS rules – first on behalf of Priests for Life, and then extending universally since all organizations and companies will be affected by the tyrannical HHS decree. Priests for Life is particularly well placed to pursue this litigation because its primary purposes are to promote and protect life whereas the primary purposes of the abortion/contraception/sterilization mandate are to prevent and destroy life.

According to Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, “It has been suggested by the Administration that some groups have an extension of a year before the mandate goes into effect, so they can adapt to it. We don’t need a year, we don’t need a moment, because the mandate is unjust. You don’t adapt to injustice; you oppose it. Hence we’re launching this lawsuit. ”

Priests for Life has retained noted civil rights attorney Charles LiMandri of San Diego to represent them in their lawsuit against Obama. LiMandri achieved national distinction by saving the famous “Mt. Soledad Cross” – a historic war memorial that had been erected on public property many decades ago, which local atheists sought to have torn down. He has also fought for the rights of San Diego firefighters who were forced to participate in a vulgar “gay pride” parade against their will or else face termination. He was also the General Counsel for the National Organization for Marriage–California during the Proposition 8 Campaign to save traditional marriage.

LiMandri remarks, “This is the first time in history any administration has used brute force to compel someone to violate his conscience or moral convictions. It’s unheard of. It’s also antithetical to the core American principles of religious liberty and freedom from invasions of privacy. We intend to fight the ill-conceived HHS edict and challenge it on constitutional grounds. This case could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. And we’ll be happy to take it there if need be. We will stand our ground, and we won’t back down.”

Priests for Life is the largest Catholic pro-life organization in the United States. It is a private association of the faithful and an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit educational corporation. Under the Obama Administration’s new HHS rules, it is treated like any other corporation and therefore must comply with these new conscience-violating mandates, decrees, and punitive measures.

Priests for Life applauds the members of Congress who have introduced legislation to address the HHS policy, and will also support the efforts of the Church, and many other groups, to pass such legislation.

Further details of the lawsuit will be forthcoming.

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit Priests for Life.

National Prayer Novena in response to HHS Mandate

alv3d@ — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:46:52 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 14, 2012

Contact: Leslie Palma
347-286-7277

Washington, DC — A national webcast on Wednesday night, February 15, will launch a national prayer campaign in response to the unjust mandate of President Obama’s HHS, which violates the conscience and religious freedom of countless Americans.

The webcast and prayer effort have been organized by Priests for Life, the world’s largest Catholic pro-life ministry.

From 9 to 10 pm ET on Wednesday, people can join by phone or online to listen to experts like Congressman Chris Smith and Douglas Johnson, Federal Legislative Director for the National Right to Life Committee, explain exactly what the President has done and exactly what we can do to stop him.
Registration for the webcast is at www.priestsforlife.org/webcast.

Then, at the conclusion of the call, Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, will launch the prayer effort.

“We have composed a special novena prayer to be said from February 16 through the 24th, and it is available at www.PrayerCampaign.org,” Father Frank explained. “There will also be an additional prayer composed for each day, and posted on that prayer site. We urge individuals, families, schools, and Churches to join in this prayer effort and to let us know they are joining in by means of the form they will find at www.PrayerCampaign.org.

“This is a moment of profound significance, when we are defending the very principles for which martyrs died and our Founding Fathers established the nation. This is a moment of direct attack on our freedom of conscience and religion. Prayer is essential for us to know what to do, and to have the strength to do it,” Father Frank concluded.

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit Priests for Life.

Happy Valentine’s Day! – The Legend of Saint Valentine

alv3d@ — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:33:26 +0000

“Now abide faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love… LOVE NEVER FAILS!” I Corinthians 13

Holidays are a blessing, Valentine’s Day included. So, dearly beloved, Happy Valentine’s Day. In the midst of all the commercialization of the flowers, candy, jewelry, lingerie, sexual innuendos, etc., remember that love, real love is the message. A young woman told me the other day, “I hate Valentine’s Day.” People assumed it was because she didn’t have anyone to give her candy or something. The contrary was true. She said it this way: “When I was little, they made us (school mates) hand our cards and candy. It was all so fake, because the next day, people started cussing each other out all over again.” So the question is, do we really LOVE when we pass out the cards and candy and all the other red embossed gifts? Again, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY. Do something good for someone today, including a stranger.

THE LEGEND OF SAINT VALENTINE

The story of Valentine’s Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian martyr. The emperor was Claudius II Gothicus. The Christian was Valentinus.

Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship state religion’s idols, and he had made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians. But Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ, and not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs.

During the last weeks of Valentinus’s life a remarkable thing happened. One day a jailer for the Emperor of Rome knocked at Valentinus’s door clutching his blind daughter in his arms. He had learned of Valentinus’s medical and spiritual healing abilities, and appealed to Valentinus to treat his daughter’s blindness. She had been blind since birth. Valentinus knew that her condition would be difficult to treat but he gave the man his word he would do his best. The little girl was examined, given an ointment for her eyes and a series of re-visits were scheduled.

Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might also be brought to Valentinus for lessons. Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind. Valentinus read stories of Rome’s history to her. He described the world of nature to her. He taught her arithmetic and told her about GOD. She saw the world through his eyes, trusted in his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength.

“Valentinus, does GOD really hear our prayers?” Julia said one day. “Yes, my child, He hears each one, “he replied.

“Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night? I pray that I might see. I want so much to see everything you’ve told me about!”

“GOD does what is best for us if we will believe in HIM,” Valentinus said.

“Oh, Valentinus, I do believe,” Julia said intensely. “I do.” She knelt and grasped his hand. They sat quietly together, each praying.

Several weeks passed and the girl’s sight was not restored. Yet the man and his daughter never wavered in their faith and returned each week.

Then one day, Valentinus received a visit from Roman soldiers who arrested him, destroyed his medicines and admonished him for his religious beliefs. When the little girl’s father learned of his arrest and imprisonment, he wanted to intervene but there was nothing he could do.

On the eve of his death, Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia – knowing his execution was imminent. Valentinus asked the jailer for a paper, pen and ink. He quickly jotted a farewell note and handed it to the jailer to give to his blind daughter. He urged her to stay close to GOD, and he signed it “From Your Valentine.” His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D., near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory.

Crocus Flower

When the jailer went home, he was greeted by his little girl. The little girl opened the note and discovered a yellow crocus inside. The message said, “From your Valentine.” As the little girl looked down upon the crocus that spilled into her palm she saw brilliant colors for the first time in her life! The girl’s eyesight was restored! A miracle!

He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It is said that Julia herself planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. In 496 Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as Saint Valentine’s Day. On each Valentine’s Day, messages of affection, love and devotion are still exchanged around the world