Tagged: pro-life
Pope Sixtus V’s strong words against abortion
It’s a little ridiculous having Latin in a headline blog post title, so I went with this long, nearly-never-ending title.
I’m not apologizing for that.
Effraenatam
In 1588, we had Pope Sixtus V as our Holy Father.
In his Papal Bull, he didn’t mince words against abortion.
Though Roe v. Wade wasn’t decided in the United States until 1973, Pope Sixtus V already strongly condemned abortion.
1588 is WAY BACK. Think, Spanish Armada. In fact, it was in 1588 that the English defeated the Spanish Armada at Gravelines in the Netherlands.
There was no advanced medical technology like today. They had widespread diseases from spoiled food and lack of hygiene. What do you expect?
Who will not abhor the cruelty and unrestrained debauchery of impious men who have arrived into such a state of mind that they procure poisons in order to extinguish the conceived fetuses within the viscera, and pour them out, trying to provoke by a nefarious crime a violent and untimely death and killing of their progeny. Finally, who will not condemn to a most grave punishment the crimes of those who with poisons, potions and evil actions …sterilize women or impede that they conceive or give birth by pernicious medicines and drugs?”
Cruelty, unrestrained debauchery, extinguish the conceived fetuses, violent and untimely death, killing…
It’s clear how Pope Sixtus V thought about this. He was well-known for his pro-life stance, pro-marriage stance, pro-family stance. He was my kind of Pope on those issues.
He also managed many changes in the organization at the Vatican… he also had a revised version of the Vulgate published … and he wasn’t a big fan of the Jesuits. That’s all for another post.
In Effraenatam, Pope Sixtus V wrote:
In the Narrowness of the uterus the hand of god is always at work … Creator of both body and soul and who molded, made and wanted this child and meanwhile the goodness of the Potter, that is of god, is impiously and overly despised by these people (who assist or get abortions).”
He wanted these children. He wanted them to live. He wanted them to bring something to the world, to their parents, to the doctors. He wanted them for something. It doesn’t matter what, God’s plan is above our comprehension. My eyes tear up like crazy when I think about all the babies missing from this world.
It is no small and trivial gift of God to give children in order to propagate mankind. It is a Divine gift.”
A divine gift. Oh, God, please don’t revoke your gifts to us because of our ignorance.
Oh, God, please forgive us for our sins.
Punishment
Besides we want that the monstrous gravity of these brutal, cruel, ferocious and inhuman crimes be punished not only in temporal sanctions, but also by spiritual censures and for this reason we decree that all persons of whatever state, degree, order or condition … who as principal parties or accomplices in order to commit aforementioned crimes have helped, counseled, shown favor or knowingly given potions and/or whatever kind of medicine … automatically excommunicated by us.”
Automatically excommunicated.
Can’t get much simpler than that. Automatically. Excommunicated.
I’m not going to dwell on that. If you someone ended up on this blog and you’ve somehow been… involved in an abortion in anyway, please go see a priest. There is forgiveness.
There is hope if you’ve changed your mind, if you are really truly sorry for what happened. Just, please, please go see a priest. Go now. Call the emergency number at the nearest Catholic Church. That’s your best option.
And take the safest possible way to the church when you set up a meeting. No sense dying when you’re on your way to confession.
Please go.
This week:
Come back Friday for a special edition (they’re all special) Quick Takes where I try to keep my calm during the heat of the moment discussion I’ve already had this week. Yikes, it was intense.
If you’re a new follower from the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, hello! Thanks for coming by! I hope to supply you with helpful information like that throughout the liturgical year.
God bless.
March reading list
Here’s the day-late list of what I read in March, online and in 3-D.
I will not admit to not scanning some of these articles.
Pro-life:
Crossing the Most Dangerous Line: How some bioethicists undermine human value: http://www.apologeticalliance.com/blog/2013/03/03/bioethics-human-value/
Amazed by Wonder:
http://ryandunssj.blogspot.com/2013/03/amazed-by-wonder.html
In Francis, the Catholic Church has a Pope for life:
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/13d69d49e5ae4d42
Discernment:
If Atheists Exist, God Does Not?:
http://www.apologeticalliance.com/blog/2013/03/02/if-atheists-exist-god-does-not/
Hearing God’s Voice:
http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/03/25/hearing-gods-voice-a-guide-to-prayer-and-discernment/
Cleaning up the engine room:
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2013/04/cleaning-up-the-engine-room
Pluralism, tolerance and the Gospel:
http://www.apologeticalliance.com/blog/2013/03/01/pluralism-tolerance-and-the-gospel/
Church fathers/encyclicals/etc.:
Sermon 21:
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360321.htm
Christifideles Laici:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici_en.html
Summi Pontificatus:
http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi12sp.htm
Liberatas:
http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_le13li.htm
Laborem Exercens:
http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02le.htm
Hamanum Genus:
http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_le13hg.htm
Religious books:
Theology of the Body for Beginners – Christopher West
Heaven’s Song – Christopher West (still in the process of finishing this)
Non-religious books:
The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson (this book was so fun to read)
Soon, my boyfriend and I are starting a “mini book club” with The Lord of the Flies.
We’ll see how that goes.
He doesn’t read as much as I do, so I might get ahead of him.
Process on researching and writing about women in the church is going well.
I have broadened it a lot, and I think I may try to publish it as a work of non-fiction.
I think that might be my sticking point in trying to submit to all these competitions. I just can’t get myself to sit down and write fiction, though reading and writing about women in the church is amazing. I could do it all day (and I do!).
What I’m reading
An epic list of things that have caught my eye in the past month or so…
Pro-life
The Hunger Games: The Atheist’s Utopia Revealed
Declaration on Procured Abortion
Clarification on Procured Abortion
Church and state
The Government is not Our Father
Women
Papa Benedict XVI & Conclave
My Favorite Benedict XVI Quotation
10 Books by Pope Benedict You Should Know About
3 Things I’ve Learned from Pope Benedict XVI
Journalism
How newspapers can still grow in hard times
This list isn’t all inclusive. I try to keep track (nearly everything is in Evernote) but sometimes I just get too much in my Google Reader and end up clicking… “mark all as read.”
I did finally clear out my email inbox today, which means I’m all caught up with reading the Catechism readings that Flock Note sends every day. I love that.
I’m also reading The Master and Margarita, and I am heading to my RSS feed right after I post this.
God bless.
Rice bowls and the pope
CRS rice bowls
I don’t know if they do these everywhere, but I see them everywhere I go to Mass during Lent.
You know, those paper/cardboard… piggy banks, I guess you could call them. I picked up two this morning: one to keep at work, one to keep at home.
Because I’m sticking with my abstention from complaining. So far, I have contributed 5¢. It’s a start.
I took this photo this weekend, the day after my birthday (I like to talk about my birthday).
The next day (Sunday), it rained like crazy and all the snowy woods are gone.
I’m so glad I stopped. It was one of those times where I didn’t really want to stop my car, didn’t really want to take the extra two minutes to get out of my car, adjust my lens, all of that. But look at what came out of it.
I find that I skip those little things a lot because I’m in a hurry, I don’t have time, it’s too far (not really, just out of the way). These little excuses make me miss taking photographs of beautiful things.
That road, that photo, so beautiful. Worth the 45 seconds. I swear.
This was that same day, out on the frozen lake. That is some man ice fishing. Or trying to.
Most liquids freeze from the bottom up because the colder material is denser. Not so with water and ice. The frozen water is less dense and is at the top. If this didn’t happen that way, fish would not survive.
God planned that. How amazing.
I was going to say something about the pope.
But I really have nothing to add.
I love Pope Benedict XVI, and I trust the College of Cardinals will choose another great leader for our faith.
I hope he’s in good health and that his faith isn’t wavering. God bless that man.
Lent so far
I know it’s only day 1, but I got up early and did a little personal prep time with the Lord.
I wrote down which Rosaries I’ll do on which days, which days I’ll go to a daily Mass, my Stations of the Cross schedule.
I am a compulsive scheduler like that, but now I know what I need to do and I’ll make time for it.
I went to Mass this morning. Beautiful.
The students were there, too.
Picked up the rice bowls and did a Rosary with the group. So far, so good. And it’ll stay that way, I hope.
How are your plans coming? What did you abstain from?
How’s the fast today?
God bless. Happy Lent.
Remember, Remember the 22 of January
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, “In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.” (No. 373)
On Monday, I was thinking about what I could do to observe this day.
I’ve always been strongly pro-life. I support Pro Life Wisconsin and have been to vigils and prayer services.
I own a Rosary for the Unborn.
But I don’t think I’ve ever fasted on the day.
The day, of course, is the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
Is fasting enough? Is prayer enough?
I think the best answer to that is yes, with faith.
We can move mountains with God.
We can change the world. We can stop abortion.
With fasting, yes. Prayer, yes. Faith, yes.
By teaching our kids, our friends, our family the truth. Have faith that these things work. They do.
God is on our side in this.
Learning Mass 