Priests for Life Newsletter
Volume 15, Number 3
May-June 2005
Table of Contents:
Bishop Permits Fr. Pavone to Found New Society
Church sign posting: do it today!
Deacons' Corner
Powerful New DVD about the Abortion Procedure!
Priests for Life Mass Cards Available
Prayer Campaign to End Abortion prayer cards
Prayer Intentions
Priests for Life Broadcasting On Television, Radio and Internet
Bishop Permits Fr. Pavone to Found New Society
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, officially announced
that he is founding a pro-life community dedicated to the formation and training
of priests, deacons, brothers and seminarians who will devote themselves fully
to the proclamation of the Gospel of Life. This initiative will be based in the
diocese of Amarillo, Texas, under the authority and stewardship of Bishop John
W. Yanta, Bishop of Amarillo.
"It has been a dream of mine for over a decade to form a community that can
accept seminarians who want to devote their entire ministry to the defense of
the unborn," said Fr. Pavone. "While it is true that a few religious orders have
pro-life work as a dimension of their activities, the Church has no
‘institutional’ society of men whose primary charism is to protect innocent
human life from the tragedy of abortion and euthanasia. It is time for such a
community. I am grateful to Bishop Yanta for allowing me the opportunity to make
this dream a reality."
Bishop Yanta, who has served on the Priests for Life Episcopal Board of
Advisors since 1998, and who has been particularly devoted to the pro-life cause
throughout his priesthood, has already offered several buildings in his diocese
that will serve as the center for the new apostolate. "I am excited about
supporting Fr. Pavone in venturing forth, with and through the Holy Spirit, in
the establishment of a Society of Apostolic Life for priests and seminarians
dedicated to pro-life ministry—an immense need at this time in history," said
Bishop Yanta today. "The Lord has provided several vacant buildings that once
served as a Christian Brothers High School with boarding facilities, a chapel,
gym, and spacious grounds. The Diocese of Amarillo is happy to make these
available (at no cost) to Priests for Life and the proposed Society of Apostolic
Life."
This community, while drawing on the spirit and mission of Priests for Life,
will be a completely separate entity. Priests for Life will continue to exist as
a not-for-profit association of the faithful under Canon Law. Fr. Pavone will
continue to serve as the National Director of Priests for Life. In order to
initiate the historic formation of this pro-life community of priests, deacons,
brothers and seminarians, Fr. Pavone has officially become a priest of the
diocese of Amarillo.
"This is a pivotal moment in time," said Fr. Pavone. "Throughout the history
of the Church, God has intervened in times of great moral crisis and has raised
up within His Church the charisms necessary to address those crises. I have long
been convinced that God is raising up numerous disciples ready to devote their
entire lives to ending the tragedy of abortion, which the bishops have
identified this as the ‘fundamental human rights issue of our day.’ I have no
doubt that we will see a tremendous and immediate response to this initiative."
Church sign posting: do it today!
Parishes throughout the country bear witness to the sanctity of life by means
of signs posted prominently on their property. Why not do it at your parish?
Deacons' Corner
Believe, Teach and Practice
By Deacon Keith Fournier
© Third Millennium, LLC
"Receive the Gospel of Christ, Whose herald you now are. Believe what
you read, Teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."
Bishop's Charge to the Newly Ordained Deacon
As Deacons we were ordained to serve by being
configured to Christ the Servant. We are charged to continue his redemptive
mission. One of the unique aspects of the diaconal vocation is the call to
charity and social justice. Working to end what Pope John Paul II rightly
labeled the "culture of death" and to build what he has called a new "culture of
life" and "civilization of love", flows right from the heart of our ordained
vocation. When we were handed the Book of the Gospels, the Bishop called us to
believe, teach and practice. That Gospel is, in the words of Pope John Paul,
a "Gospel of Life".
Many of us are married. We are called to believe, teach and practice
everything that the Church teaches concerning marriage and family as a vocation
and call to holiness. We are to make our families a "domestic church", fully
living all that the Church teaches concerning the openness to life that is the
heart of the nuptial mystery- and to model that openness to life to others. We
are also called to believe, teach and practice the full treasury of the Catholic
Church concerning marriage and family without confusion or compromise.
Many of us are engaged in careers or jobs. These are not something we do
"outside" of our diaconate. Upon the imposition of hands by the Bishop we
changed "ontologically", as good sacramental theology teaches. We are deacons in
everything that we do now, not just those things that seem somehow "spiritual."
Thus, in all of our work we are called to be both evangelistic and prophetic,
living the faith that we proclaim from the ambo, and witnessing to its truth and
relevance in every segment of life.
The Early Christian Fathers referred to the Church as the "world reconciled."
One Orthodox theologian I am fond of writes of the world as being "in the course
of transfiguration." We are called to carry on the redemptive mission of Jesus
Christ through His Body, the Church, in the real world. Most of us stand at the
intersection of faith and culture, and we are called to be instruments for
transformation in the current age.
Through our diaconal service, some of us also serve in ecumenical
environments. This positioning gives us opportunities to present the full truth
about life to our Christian friends in other communities and put into practice
the Catholic Church’s teaching on authentic Christian cooperation. The pro-life
movement is one of the greatest ecumenical efforts of our lifetime. As Deacons
we are called to be at the front lines of this movement.
"Deacons in the Service of Life" (www.DeaconsForLife.org),
an outreach of Priests for Life, is committed to assisting Deacons in their work
of building the new Culture of Life through their diaconal ministry. Our mission
is to help Deacons believe, teach and practice the fullness of Catholic teaching
on life and to instruct, assist and challenge others to do the same.
"Deacons in the Service of Life" is ready to help all deacons to believe,
teach and practice this "Gospel of Life."
Deacon Keith Fournier is a Deacon of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. He
is a graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, the John Paul II
Institute of the Lateran University and the University Of Pittsburgh School Of
Law. A human rights lawyer he has appeared as co-counsel four times at the
United States Supreme Court. He has authored seven books.
"See For Yourself" -
Powerful New DVD about the Abortion Procedure!
Listen to and watch former abortionist Dr. Tony Levatino take actual
instruments that were once used to kill thousands of babies, and describe how
the abortion procedure is done, using fetal models to illustrate it. This
program is guaranteed to wake up all but the most hardened consciences! Then, on
the same DVD, watch Dr. Byron Calhoun comment on actual aborted babies whom he
examined -- and see the babies in detail. Order "See for Yourself" below.
Priests for Life Mass Cards
Available
Our Mass cards continue to be available, and you can request them from us in
any quantity free of charge. Then, when you want to enroll a deceased friend or
loved one, you can use the card, and the person will share in the benefit of all
the prayers and Masses of the Priests for Life Association worldwide.
We are in the process of producing Mass cards for the living, and if you
want to place an advance order for those, please do so -- but please be patient
as we finish the production!
Prayer Campaign to
End Abortion prayer cards
We are asking all Christians to make a commitment to say a special prayer of
commitment each day for an end to abortion, and to indicate that they have
joined this effort by going to
www.PrayerCampaign.org
to sign up. You may obtain prayer cards from us, in quantity, with this prayer
on them.
Order Form
Please mail your order to: Priests for Life P.O. Box
141172, Staten Island, NY 10314
Or fax it to (718) 980-3853 or
Email: orders@priestsforlife.org.
Name: ___________________________________
Address: _________________________________
City: ____________________________________
State/Zip: ________________________________
Phone: __________________________________
Email: __________________________________
___ I have made my check payable to:
Priests for Life.
___ I have donated online at www.priestsforlife.org/donate
___ Please charge my contribution to my credit card:
Card Type:_______________________________
Card #:__________________________________ Exp:____/_____
Signature:________________________________
___"See For Yourself" Abortion video: product #1763
Quantity_______ @ $. Each for total $______
___Mass Cards - In Remembrance of the Deceased: product #1708
Quantity_______ (Free)
___Mass Cards - For the Intentions of the Living:
product # 1732
Quantity_______ (Free)
___Prayer to End Abortion prayer cards:
product #1670
Quantity ____25; ____50; ____75;____100; _____other (increments of 25)
@ $.10 Each for total $______
___ Additional Donation $__________
Total Donation $___________
Can you make a gift to enable us to send this newsletter to every priest in
your diocese? Call Jerry at (718) 980-4400
General Intercessions for every Sunday of the
year: www.priestsforlife.org/prayers.
The US Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro-life
Activities calls for a pro-life petition at every Mass. Now you can find, in
English and Spanish, a suggested set of General Intercessions for every Sunday
of the Liturgical Year. Go to
www.priestsforlife.org/prayers.
Prayer Intentions
You are encouraged to remember the following intentions as you pray the
Liturgy of the Hours:
May intention: That the unborn be remembered at graduation ceremonies
nationwide.
June intention: That post-abortion ministries may be successful in their
efforts to reach more and more people with compassion and healing.
Oración para abolir el aborto
Dios Padre, te agradezco por el
obsequio de mi vida,
por las vidas de todos mis hermanos y hermanas.
Sé que no hay nada que destruya la vida más que el aborto,
y me regocijo al saber que Tu has conquistado la muerte
con la Resurrección de Tu Hijo.
Estoy listo para poner de mi parte en la lucha para abolir el aborto.
Este día me comprometo
a nunca más quedarme en silencio,
nunca más quedarme pasivo,
y nunca más olvidarme de los no nacidos.
Me comprometo a ser activo en los movimientos pro vida,
y nunca dejar de luchar por la vida
hasta que todos mis hermanos y hermanas sean protegidos,
y que nuestra nación sea de nuevo una
nación con libertad y justicia
no solo para algunos, sino para todos,
Por Cristo Nuestro Señor. Amen!
(Please promote this as a daily prayer! People can join our prayer campaign
at
www.PrayerCampaign.org
and download this prayer in English and Spanish.)
Priests for Life Broadcasting On Television, Radio
and Internet
Tune in to see 13 new, powerful and informative Defending Life
shows!
The 10th Season has just begun on EWTN. Wednesday, 5 AM and Friday, 10
PM (all times Eastern).
Visit
www.ewtn.com for more information.
Listen to Defending Life on the web at
www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/intro.asp and search on "pavone."
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We also produce the program Gospel of Life, which is
geared to an interdenominational Christian audience. It airs on
the "Angel One" channel on the Sky Angel Satellite System - Monday at 3:30am,
Thursday at 8:30am and Saturday at 7:30pm (all times Eastern).
Visit
www.skyangel.com for more information.
Listen to Gospel of Life episodes
on the web at
www.gospeloflife.com/tv.
You can call us with questions and we may have your question on the air! Call
888-735-3448, ext. 301
********
Hear Fr. Frank's daily radio spots,
as heard on EWTN Global Catholic Radio, and on the
Bott Radio Network, by clicking on
http://www.priestsforlife.org/audio/audio.aspx?audio=dailyspot
Please pass this information along to your friends and Pastors!