In October our church concentrates on Respect Life issues. It is also a month designated to Down syndrome awareness. I wanted to share  story with you about a lovely couple who became a mommy and daddy recently. Their tale encapsulates both themes for this month beautifully.

Dealing with infertility

Stephanie and Joe Palewicz of Vadnais Heights tried for four years to conceive a child. Stephanie said, “Ask anyone that has had trouble getting pregnant and they will tell you how stressful it can be. There were times that I thought I would never get to be a mom. There were also times I thought if one more person tells me, ‘once you stop worrying about it, it will happen’ I was going to scream. I know they meant well, but I’m confident that I speak for pretty much everyone dealing with infertility in recommending that people not say that.”

Which is good advice for us all.

A blessing

Fiona Grace Palewicz

On October 20 Stephanie wrote: “5 years ago I married my amazing husband Joe Palewicz. Today, exactly 5 years later, our lives have forever changed as we welcomed our baby girl into our world. Fiona Grace Palewicz, 7lbs, 7oz, born just after 7 this morning. I am the mommy to the most beautiful, sweet baby girl in this entire world. She is strong and she is a fighter. Fight Baby Fiona, fight. You are amazing!”

Why does this newborn have to fight?

Little Miss Fiona Grace has Down syndrome with a congenital heart defect plus some unexpected complications.

A prenatal diagnosis

When Stephanie was 18 weeks into her pregnancy she went through routine testing. The results for Trisomy 21 came back with a probability of 1:10. “I remember that exact moment, feeling like my heart had just hit the floor 1,000 feet down. The doctor explained that means that 90% of the time everything is fine and that sometimes these tests give false positives. We just needed to do a Level 2 ultrasound. No big deal. Oh, and genetic counseling (whatever the hell that is, I thought).” After their level 2 ultrasound the doctor told them that their baby had a heart defect.

Stephanie recalls in her blog called Life Unexpected, Love Unimaginable:

“I know she said other words following those, but they are blurry in my mind. I remember feeling the instant tears burning in my eyes as I thought of my poor little baby girl. She talked about the defect, that the middle part of her heart didn’t form, she called it an AV Canal defect. She talked about the baby needing surgery after birth. I cried harder. My poor little baby girl on an operating table?… I thought it couldn’t get any worse. Then she told me that this defect was one that was very common in children with Down syndrome. My heart had now dropped so low, it was digging itself a hole in the floor. I asked how this defect increased my chances, she said significantly.”

Stephanie explains very honestly:

“She said they wouldn’t terminate the pregnancy without an amniocentesis. Holy crap, ‘Terminate’? How did we just go there??? Okay, rewind. No way! I tried to clear my mind and breathe. When I received Fiona’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome, I was hardly halfway through my pregnancy. I remember when the doctor used the word ‘termination’ with us at that time and I remember how the thought of it took my breath away. Fortunately for us, although it was spoken of, we were never pressured to terminate and were offered a lot of positive and hopeful information immediately from our doctors and genetic counselor.”

Lifesite News stated that last year a Time magazine article reported statistics pulled from a 2009 edition of the Archives of Disease in Childhood. As a result of more sophisticated prenatal screening, and with nine out of ten babies aborted following the prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, the birth rate for these children has been dropping for decades, decreasing by 15% between 1989 and 2005.

The Palewiczs’ friend and real estate agent, Angela Hames, told me, “They never thought twice about choices, and were shocked at other people’s assumption that they would have done anything differently.”

Feeling hopeful again

less than 3 weeks after the adverse diagnosis the Palewiczs were feeling anticipation again. Stephanie stated, “Thinking positive about our future and letting go of hopeless feelings helps. We are more energized about this pregnancy and our family’s future.”

Something that helped them climb out of despair and uncertainty is that they learned more about having a child with Down syndrome. They did this by connecting with a lot of new people through friends, parent support groups, online forums and communities. These people enriched their lives and brought great comfort and hope for the future.

Baby showers with friends and family helped the expectant couple to share in their joy. Notes of encouragement helped them to sustain that anticipation. Here is a lovely Face Book post from Stephanie’s father:

A Dream Come True, A Second Time

Words cannot describe the emotions I’m experiencing right now. I remember how overwhelmed and thrilled Mom and I were when we welcomed you, our only daughter, into our lives. Now it’s your turn to have a dream come true, to experience the overwhelming joy of Fiona’s birth and to share that joy with Joe, and with family and friends. You can be sure that our first granddaughter will be cherished, and of course spoiled, just like her cousins, Jake, Josh, Joseph. That IS a grandparent’s primary function. Love you and hope the final part of you journey is bearable.

Baby Fiona’s first days have been rough…that’s why she’s fighting

The new mother wrote: “Fiona is truly a gift from God and a gift that was meant especially for us.  On her 2nd day of life, she became very ill with necrotizing enterocolitis and a blood infection. On her 4th day of life, she had emergency surgery to repair 2 bowel perforations, but instead she had 4 sections of bowel removed and now has 4 ostomies. We are currently in the NICU at Children’s Hospital Minneapolis. When I watch this happen, I am in terrible physical pain myself. I feel so horrible for her. I wish I could take her pain away and give it to me.”

Father O’Gara from Assumption Church in St. Paul came to the hospital to perform Fiona Grace’s baptism. As I wrote this story at noon on October 30, the wee child was recovering from surgery to place a central line. It went well! I would like to echo what her mother said on the day she was born: “Fight Baby Fiona, fight! You are amazing!” (Please pray for the family.)

(Some suggested websites:

http://www.ndss.org/ (National Down Syndrome Society) An advocate for people with Down syndrome and Baby Fiona’s Caring Bridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/fionapalewicz)

This well-done video came my way from a high school friend. Please pass it on.

Let’s think about what’s best for children & society, and  NOT redefine marriage!

I was upset to read in the St. Paul Pioneer Press  this morning that a priest in northern Minnesota  contributed $1000 to the “vote no” campaign. Last week I attended a church (not my parish) at which the priest gave a very wishy-washy homily on why he will not speak out in support of marriage being between one man and one woman. Why are these two men of the cloth not speaking as representatives of the  Magisterium? No wonder some Catholics are confused!

Bishop Paul Sirba of the Duluth Diocese has been asking Catholics in his area to uphold the Church’s teaching. “We have also taken this cultural moment as a ‘teachable moment’ to reinvigorate our catechesis on the fullness of Catholic belief about marriage and the myriad threats to it stemming from a culture that increasingly embraces divorce, contraception and cohabitation.” (SPPP)

What are some of these threats? Minnesota for Marriage has this to say:

“When marriage ceases to have its historic meaning and understanding, over time fewer and fewer people will marry. We will have an inevitable increase in children born out of wedlock, an increase in fatherlessness, a resulting increase if female and child poverty, and a higher incidence of all the documented social ills associated with children being raised in a home without their married biological parents.

Ultimately, we as a society all suffer when we fail to nourish a true, thriving marriage culture founded on the truth experienced by virtually every civilization in every nation since the dawn of time – marriage is the union of one man and one woman.”

The Archdiocesan prayer below helps to guide us during this time of elections. Perhaps you have seen it in bookmark-form in the back of your church. Please recite often and pass it on. And remember to vote YES on November 6!

Heavenly Father,

Through the powerful intercession of the Holy Family, grant to

this local Church the many graces we need to foster, strengthen,

and support faith-filled, holy marriages and holy families.

May the vocation of married life, a true calling to share in your

own divine and creative life, be recognized by all believers as a

source of blessing and joy, and a revelation of your own divine

goodness.

Grant to us all the gift of courage to proclaim and defend your

plan for marriage, which is the union of one man and one woman

in a lifelong, exclusive relationship of loving trust, compassion,

and generosity, open to the conception of children.

We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever

and ever.

Amen

Eric and Kathy Schneeman in Chile

1.  We love each other

Duh, right? This is the #1 ingredient for making a good marriage.

My father-in-law told us about love when we were engaged, “Do a lot of nice little things for each other.” St. Therese of Lisieux, “The Little Flower,” became a saint by doing for others what my father-in-law suggested. Her “Little Way” teaches us to do the ordinary things in life with extraordinary love. Eric and I apply this to married life. As husband and wife, we not only practice our faith together, but we are also asked to bring each other closer to God. We can do this by expressing our love in small, selfless ways: getting the coffee & tea ready (when we’d rather sleep in), mixing a whiskey sour just right (when we’d like to dive into our own glass of Cabernet), changing the baby (when we could pretend to be asleep), driving the teenagers to school in our PJs (when we could be answering emails), giving a back rub (when we’d rather read our novel). The smallest action, done with love, is more important than great deeds done for personal glory or gratification. Such is the power and presence of grace, and this grace strengthens marriages.

2.  We complement each other

Yes, we compliment each other, too: “Honey, you look hot in that dress!” or, “Wow, your muscles look bigger than yesterday!” and “You grilled that steak just right!” (Everyone likes to have his or her feathers ruffled.) But now on to complementing  each other without getting into anatomy 101 too much…

It’s obvious that man and woman were made for each other. For instance, “… He created male and female in His image so that they might become one body and might be fertile and multiply…” (See Genesis chapters 1 and 2). This Biblical passage goes hand in hand with the Natural Law. It just makes sense that we complement each other because the marriage bond is procreative. Human sexuality is sacred. Within marriage, it fulfills its purpose as an expression of deep, faithful and exclusive love that is open to new life (ForYourMarriage.org). Family arises from marriage, which in turn, forms the “Domestic Church.” Marriage between one man and one woman is the building block of society.

With nine kids whom we are raising to be good, Catholic leaders, I feel like my husband and I are doing our share in creating a hopeful future, and so are a lot of our friends and family. Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, says, “The long-term success and economic prosperity of societies depends upon the health of intact families.” The findings of the social sciences confirm that the best environment for raising children is a stable home provided by the marriage of their parents. (Please read my blog Six reasons kids do best when raised by married parents)

3.  We keep the romance alive

This is the fun part, but it ain’t easy. As you know, couples who are happily married work at it. And they work at it VERY HARD! My husband and I stay faithful to our vows. Eric travels a lot for work and when he is in difficult situations (like when someone he knows goes to a strip club) he leaves temptation behind. We have a friend who is a celebrity and has women who flirt with him. He told us, “I just flash my wedding band.” Exclusivity is paramount to a successful marriage.

To keep our hearts pitter-patting my husband and I make time for each other. Eric calls me a lot throughout his day. We travel. We run together. We pray together. We have mini dates in the pub area which we built in our basement–and we tell the children, “This is Mommy and Daddy time so…scram!” (They usually get a smile on their faces and then exit quickly–they’re glad their parents want to spend time together.)

Which brings me to…

4.  We witness our vocation to others

Oftentimes when Eric and I are sipping on cheap wine down in this “pub” (It’s cheap because we have to pay for college and Catholic high schools–not necessarily because my husband is cheap), our kids’ friends come over for a visit. Many of these children come from single-parent homes. They appreciate seeing a married couple enjoying each other’s company, and we are more than happy to let them know about the many blessings of a faithful, loving marriage. Our kids tell us that their friends have commented on this subject and remind them about how lucky they are to be raised in a stable home. Our sons who have left the nest (and who now appreciate their parents), will actually say to us, “Thanks for giving us a ‘normal’ home, and for being good role models.”

And we often say to them (after we get over our shock), “Remember, it’s the little things that make marriage work.”

Vote YES!

What if marriage is redefined? right now, according to Minnesota for Marriage, there is a court case pending in Hennepin County through which same-sex couples are asking judges to redefine marriage. I believe that the people–not the judges or politicians–should determine what the definition of marriage should be. Today a television ad was introduced by Minnesota for Marriage which will educate us and challenge viewers to really think. It will also encourage Minnesotans to VOTE YES on the Marriage Protection Amendment on November 6th.

Look for more ads to come in this series.

Thanks to Minnesota for Marriage for their hard work and dedication. And once again, I’m grateful to Kalley Yanta for sharing her news casting talent (I love your new hair style, Kalley!)

(Please view my other posts on theis subject: Marriage: 1 Man and 1 Woman, Marriage=1 Man+1 Woman, 6 reasons kids do best when raised by married parents, A joke: (But if it comes to this, it’s not funny) )

This came my way from our pastor’s file. Someone handed it to him…

Licensed under Creative Commons (Vectorportal)

A scene in City Hall in San Francisco:

Judge: “Next!”

“Good morning, we want to apply for a marriage license.”

Judge: “Tim and Jim Jones?”

“Yes. We are brothers.”

Judge: “Brothers? You can’t get married.”

“Why not? Aren’t you giving marriage licenses to same gender couples?”

Judge: “Yes, thousands. but we haven’t had any siblings. That’s incest!”

“Incest? No, we are not gay.”

Judge: “Not gay? Then why do you want to get married?”

“For the financial benefits, of course. And we do love each other. Besides, we don’t have any other prospects.”

Judge: “But we’re issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples who’ve been denied equal protection under the law. If you are not gay, you can get married to a woman.”

“Wait just a minute. A gay man has the same right to marry a woman as I have. But just because I’m straight doesn’t mean I want to marry a woman. I want to marry Jim.”

“And I want to marry Tim. Are you going to discriminate against us just because we are not gay?”

Judge: “All right. All right. I’ll give you your license. Next.”

“Hi. We are here to get married.”

Judge: “Names?”

“John Smith, Jane James, Robert Green and June Johnson.”

Judge: “Who wants to marry whom?”

“We all want to marry each other.”

Judge: “But there are four of you?”

“That’s right. You see, we’re all bisexual. I love Jane and Robert, Jane loves me and June, June loves Robert and Jane, and Robert loves June and me. All of us getting married together is the only way that we can express our sexual preferences in a marital relationship.”

Judge: “But we’ve only been granting licenses to gay and lesbian couples.”

“So you’re discriminating against bisexuals!”

Judge: “No, it’s just that, well…the traditional idea of marriage is that it’ s just for couples.”

“Since when are you standing on tradition?”

Judge: “Well, I mean, you have to draw the line somewhere.”

“Who says? There’s no logical reason to limit marriage to couples. The more the better. Besides, we demand our rights! The mayor says the constitution guarantees equal protection under the law. Give us a marriage license!”

Judge: “All right. All right. Next.”

“Hello. I’d like a marriage license.”

Judge: “In what name?”

“David Deets.”

Judge: “And the other man?”

“That’s all. I want to marry myself.”

Judge: “Marry yourself? What do you mean?”

“Well, my psychiatrist says I have dual personalities, so I want to marry the two together. Maybe I can file a joint income-tax return.”

Judge: “That does it! I quit! You people are making a mockery of marriage!”

On November 6 we vote to uphold traditional marriage. Our church is supporting efforts to pass a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Many people–including this blogger– are praying for the graces needed to foster, strengthen and support faith-filled, holy marriages and families. And I know that when it comes time to fill in my ballot for the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment, I will mark “Yes” with an affirmative stroke in order to promote the well-being of children and the common good. (Remember: a non-vote is a NO vote. Dinner guests at our home recently had a hard time believing this fact.)

We are blessed to have Fr. Michael Creagan as our pastor at The Church of Saint Joseph in West St. Paul. He granted me permission to share with you one of his bulletin articles on this subject. Father touches on some important points and pulled a lot of his information from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Please pass this on.

Marriage: 1 Man and 1 Woman

by Fr. Michael Creagan

In the past few years there has been a move to change the laws concerning the definition of marriage. These laws have been changed in countries such as the Netherlands and Canada (and in some parts of the U.S.A) to allow marriage between same-sex couples. The movement away from the traditional teaching on marriage can also easily open the doors for a variety of other relationships including polygamy. Canada is already experiencing the effects from its unfortunate decision.

The definition of marriage has quickly become a topic of discussion in our culture. The Catholic Church continues to teach that marriage is only between one man and one woman. It is important for us to have a brief understanding of this teaching. From time to time we may be involved in a discussion with someone who does not understand our teaching, and it is up to us to offer a clear answer delivered with great patience and charity. Sacred Scripture is filled with teachings and images concerning marriage between one man and one woman. This brief column does not present enough space to examine each of them, but I think most are familiar with these biblical teachings. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 1639 and following) speaks of the natural structure of human sexuality that makes a man and woman complementary partners for the transmission of human life. Husband and wife are called to give themselves totally to each other in their masculinity and femininity (CCC1643). They are equal human beings, but different as man and woman fulfilling each other through this natural difference. This unique complementarity makes possible the conjugal bond that is the core of marriage. It is true some couples struggle with infertility or other issues, but the intent and beauty of this complementary gift are still present. A union of two men or two women can never allow for this conjugal gift and, therefore, it is wrong to equate it with marriage.

Some people may think, Well, that is okay for the Catholic Church, but what is wrong with changing the laws? The USCCB wrote:

“Across times, cultures, and very different religious beliefs, marriage is the foundation of the family. The family in turn is the basic unit of society. Thus, marriage is a personal relationship with public significance. Marriage is the fundamental pattern for male-female relationships. It contributes to society because it models the way in which women and men live interdependently and commit, for the whole life, to seek the good of each other. The marital union also provides the best conditions for raising children: namely the stable, loving relationship of a mother and father present only in marriage. It is true that some single parents have nobly and beautifully provided for their children, but the normative situation remains the best. The state rightly recognizes this relationship of husband and wife in marriage as a public institution in its laws because it makes an essential contribution to the common good.”

The teaching on marriage between one man and one woman is not meant to discriminate against anyone, rather, it is meant to uphold marriage in its fullness and for the common good. What are we to do as Catholics? First we must pray for a great understanding of marriage as between one man and one woman. Sometimes we may be called to patiently and charitably witness our faith in conversations. Other times we may be called to vote in support of marriage or encourage candidates to defend the definition of marriage as one man and one woman. Married couples themselves will be the best of teachers through their faithful witness. This is not an easy topic to understand. It requires a comprehension of both scriptural teaching and an understanding of natural law. The new Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great resource. Current speakers such at Dr. Janet Smith have also offered helpful information.  For further information on this teaching visit the USCCB website at http://foryourmarriage.org/marriage-resources/why-marriage-matters/

St. Joseph, pray for us! ~Fr. Michael Creagan

(Blogger’s note: Thanks to Father Creagan for sharing this article. If readers would like more information, visit this site: http://www.mncc.org/advocacy-areas/marriage-and-family/marriage-amendment/ And for an article written by Archbishop Nienstedt on the subject see http://thecatholicspirit.com/that-they-may-all-be-one/marriage-speaking-the-truth-with-love/.)

A very brave man!

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, is my hero. He more or less went into the lion’s den and delivered a pro-life and pro-family prayer. Aren’t we blessed to have him leading the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)? I have a feeling the vulnerable, and all of us, may be safer with him at the bow guiding us through the rough, unpredictable waters of these times. Let us pray that the ears, hearts and souls of the convention-goers were open to his evangelization.

My favorite parts of his prayer were:

“Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask Your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected.”

And:

“Strengthen our sick and our elders waiting to see Your holy face at life’s end, that they may be accompanied by true compassion and cherished with the dignity due those who are infirm and fragile,”

For USCCB articles on Cardinal Dolan click here.

Don’t you just love driving along a highway and seeing those billboards of cute babies? They immediately grab my attention–and yours, too, I’m sure–which is exactly what they were designed to do. Some babes pictured are newborn; some have dimpled smiles or chubby faces; some are wearing ball caps; and my favorites feature young ones with Down syndrome. These photos sport such sayings as:

• Our hearts were beating 18 days from conception
• The point is…you had fingerprints 9 weeks from conception
• Look…I’m the future! Babies’ eyes develop 14 days from conception
• Grandma says: I’ve got my daddy’s eyes! Unique DNA at conception
• Adoption…We can live with that! 2,000,000 couples wait to adopt
• Did you know?…I could smile and suck my thumb before I was born?

I personally appreciate their positive perspective. The babies on the billboards tug at my heartstrings, making me long to hold and protect them. Often, I have small children in the back seat of my truck, and when we zoom by these advertisements they’ll say, “Ahh, Mom…did you see that sweet little baby’s face?” Yep…that’s a baby alright! A volatile human being. Created with dignity. Worthy of life. This is the reaction that “The Billboard People” hope to gain with their campaigns.

PROLIFE Across AMERICA is the mastermind behind these powerful advertisements. It was founded in 1989 by Mary Ann Kuharski who is the Executive Director and founder of this non-profit organization. From the get-go they had a mission through billboard, TV, radio and newspaper ads to educate people who may not be reached in any other way. Today they continue being committed by encouraging people to choose life for the pre-born. They bring positive, persuasive messages by use of their hot-line number which is on all ads. This number offers information on abortion-alternatives, adoption and post-abortion help.

And it’s working!

The efforts are gaining ground

Mary Ann states on her website, “Our ads and 800# Hotline are changing hearts and saving babies’ lives.” They receive nearly 200 calls a month as a result of their billboards. Here are some examples of the comments people have made:

•  “I’m sending a photo of my grandchild. You can show others if you wish. It’s a small way of saying “thank you” for those billboards. My grandson is here today because my daughter saw those ads and made the decision for life” (Minnesota)
• “I hate to admit that I’m nearly six months along and still was uncertain on what I was going to do. I’m so glad I saw your ad. I truly believe adoption will be best – for the baby and me.” (Springfield, Missouri)
• “Abortion was never an option after I saw that first billboard and learned my baby already had a beating heart (18 days after conception). I wanted life for my baby. My baby will have a future too.” (Roswell, New Mexico)
• “Someone gave me your number and said that you would help me.” (Brooklyn, NY)
• “Thank you! Thank you for recognizing the preciousness of babies with Down syndrome! We have a brother [with Down's] who is such a blessing to our family!”
• “My daughter (18) was just preparing to go off to college when she discovered she is pregnant. She is leaning toward adoption. Can you steer us in the right direction?” (St. Paul)
• “I had an abortion several years ago. I can’t get over the greif I feel. Is there some kind of help for me?” (Austin, TX)

Mary Ann told me, “We have hundreds of billboards across the United States that are there in response to requests by donors. In 2011 PROLIFE Across AMERICA sponsored 6500 Billboards in 42 states. We did the same (6500 in 42 states) in 2010 as well. I just spoke to someone from Florida who is solely responsible for a Billboard we will post for 6 months at $500 per month.” The organization’s goal for 2012 is to have 7000 billboards erected across the nation that would promote life and family, plus spotlight the vital role of fathers.

Proof that God has a sense of humor in the cause for Life

An email from Mary Ann stated: “Who would dream that a simple road sign billboard would work to change hearts and save lives? God can use anything to reach the hearts of those He loves.”

Mary Ann Kuharski

And what does Mary Ann say was God’s joke? “He used a housewife with NO advertising background or skills to help launch this outreach!” And she talks about how this outreach was started around a kitchen table–which I’m assuming is a mighty big kitchen table. Mary Ann, who was adopted as an infant, and her husband John have 13 children, six of whom are adopted and of mixed races with “special needs.” And the grandbabies keep coming (“God’s reminder of His love,” she wrote).

The Kuharskis are parishoners at St. Charles Borromeo in Minneapolis and active members of the Knights of Columbus. Mary Ann has been the recipient of many awards including The Catholic Spirit’s “Leading with Faith,” The Catholic Daughters of the Americas’ “Catholic Woman of the Year” and “The Inspirational Award” from The United Catholic Music and Video Association. Mary Ann is a speaker and author, and she also writes a popular column about family life issues in The Catholic Servant.

Examples of beautiful fundraising efforts

In 2011 PROLIFE Across AMERICA raised over one million dollars. Where does the funding come from for these life-saving billboards? Mary Ann explained:

• High schoolers in Des Moines did a fundraiser to bring PROLIFE Across AMERICA billboards to Des Moines.
• Annandale/Maple Lake, MN – a group of Homeschoolers came to our office to present a check. The entire amount went for Billboards in that area.
• Witchita, KS.–There is a teacher there who encourages his class to do a fundraiser every year. It’s the only one in the area – up for a entire year – thanks to those students.
• Nativity School, St. Paul – every year teacher Ginny Sullivan sends money from her students to sponsor a billboard. I believe they did a lemonade stand one year. (Through the Archdiocese, Mrs. Sullivan was named a “Champion for Life” recently.)
• St. Paul, MN – the billboard located near the new Planned Parenthood abortion building is entirely sponsored by one anonymous donor and Church group.
• Robbinsdale, MN – the billboard there is also sponsored for an entire year (as is the one above) thanks to Sacred Heart Church, CCW and individuals from that area.

Thanks Mary Ann and the staff and volunteers at PROLIFE Across AMERICA for the beautiful work that you do by educating all of us. Obviously, these billboards are successful in helping people to embrace life. For more information about the organization, or for information about donating to “The Billboard People” please visit their website.

Which issues stand the test of fire?

Some points in question  are non-negotiable. Marriage should be reinforced not redefined. Protecting life from conception until natural death is paramont. Forcing the church to buy insurance that goes against her teachings is a violation of religious rights.

“When the government tampers with a freedom so fundamental, one shudders to think what lies ahead.” (Cardinal Dolan)

Watch Test of Fire–Election 2012… and then share this influential ad:

(Thanks to my uncle, Bill McMahon, for alerting me to this wonderful ad.)