February 2023 Newsletter

THANK YOU FOR WITNESSING TO LIFE

Roe v. Wade may have been overturned, but the legal protection of innocent pre-born children is not guaranteed across the United States. By deconstructing the false premise that abortion is implicitly protected by the Constitution, Dobbs v. Jackson merely returned the authority to regulate abortion back to the people and their elected representatives at the state level.  Still though, there are attempts to codify abortion rights at the federal level (e.g., Women’s Health Protection Act) and other regulatory attempts at the national level to hamper individual states’ protection for the pre-born (e.g. the Executive Order on Securing Access to Reproductive Other Healthcare Services and FDA permission for some retail pharmacies to dispense the chemical abortion pills). And so, there still is the need to advocate for life at the federal level—and, therefore, the mission of the March for Life endures. 

Many, many thanks to all those who made the annual March for Life pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. in January (and to all those hosting and participating in local activities). We celebrated the sacredness of pre-born human life, witnessed to the unending need to protect it, advocated for just laws that affirm life and strengthen families, and rejoiced in the small but extraordinary victory of the Dobbs case. But still, there is much work ahead of us.

We are especially grateful to those who continue their daily, weekly, or monthly commitments to defend the innocent pre-born life in prayerful witness, side walk advocacy, counseling, and providing material aid and other pregnancy support. As well, many of you commit to ceaseless prayer and tireless efforts to educate others about the inherent value and inviolable dignity of life—at school, work, or in the legislative offices of our elected officials. You are the builders of the “authentic civilization of truth and love” to which Pope St. John Paul II implored us in Evangelium vitae.  We are honored to walk alongside you.

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Not even three weeks have passed since we celebrated the massive and historic 50th March for Life, the first post-Roe March! The enthusiasm of the enormous crowd of young marchers was palpable and contagious.

In the words of one of many people that attended, “It was the best March for Life ever!”  

There has always been wonderful speakers at the March for Life, but this year they inspired our Marchers like never before!

I’d love to share a powerful quote with you from Jonathan Roumie, the actor who portrays Jesus in the popular television show, The Chosen: 



“God is real, and He is completely in love with you, because you are all here today. History has been made; Life has triumphed in an extraordinary way, and the Light of the world who is Jesus Christ, the Author of Life, His light has burned so very brightly within each and every one of you irrespective of your specific beliefs, compelling you forward for one reason or another to stand together today and flight the noblest and worthiest cause possible, which is to allow the unborn the right to enter into the world and defeat those earthly forces that wish to destroy the very evidence of them.” 

March for Life 2023: Full speech of Jonathan Roumie, plays Jesus in The Chosen | January 20, 2023 - YouTube

2023 March for Life - YouTube

Our Lady of Guadalupe School at Sts Cyril and Methodius Church: Our Lady of Guadalupe held a special Mass for the unborn and the students participated in a small Life Rally. Thanks to Fr Gius and Respect Life Leader Margie Reilly for organizing alongside of Religion Teacher, Salvatore Giorlando. 

Hundreds of Catholic High School students in the Diocese of Rockville Centre participated in the Rockville Centre based Youth for Life Pilgrimage.  

The one-day pilgrimage for high school teens blended prayer, catechesis and witness as an alternative to the annual March for Life in Washington DC. The Youth for Life Pilgrimage enabled students to express support of life closer to home in the Diocese of Rockville Centre.  

Thanks to all who made this possible!

This past January, on the 50th anniversary of the fatal Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, we as a nation went on pilgrimage to Washington D.C. to participate in the first post-Roe March for Life. There were many of us who questioned why go to Washington if Roe has been overturned? Is abortion now out of the hands of the federal government? Should we now focus on the state level? Many have answered this question in different ways, people of whom are far more educated than I in both politics and in law. However, I believed it was important to still go on pilgrimage to Washington D.C. for the March for Life because the soul of the country is on the line. If this is the case, I believe the place we must go to unite together as a nation is at the heart of our nation, at our nation’s capital.

Due to Martin Luther King Day always falling days before the March for Life, King is often on my heart while on this annual pilgrimage. Let us recall when King gave his famous speech which has become known as his I have a Dream Speech at the Lincoln Memorial, King was not going to Washington to have a particular federal law changed. Rather, we as a nation in 1963 went on pilgrimage to the heart of our nation because the soul of our nation was on the line. While we have made great strides in our flight against racism, the soul of our nation is still on the line.

When we as a nation pin mother against child and call that choice, what real choice is there? The soul of our nation needs conversion. Some will say, our country, our people are too divided to even have a rational conversation on abortion. Others will say, let us take small steps, let us focus our efforts on making it illegal to have an abortion in the third trimester and then go from there. Read More

Ours is a world of choices. Every day, we can be barraged by persons offering us a numberless variety of “goods”, most of which do not deserve to be called ‘good’. But choice is a gift of God. He made us with the freedom to choose. And as Sirach says, if  you choose, you can keep the commandments and they will save you. If you trust in God, you shall live. He goes on to sound out some basic choices: life and death; good or evil. Whatever you choose, you can have. But the eyes of God are upon us and to none of us does he give the license to sin.

That is pretty strong, but it is true and we need to recognize that the eyes of God are on us. What precisely does this mean? Two weeks ago, we heard the Beatitudes as Jesus offered what we call the Sermon on the Mount. He taught us the kinds of commitments that make us blessed. Last week, he went further and challenged us, saying to us You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world! Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. A tall order but a wonderful promise!

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In recent years, a number of US states have legalized a new way to process human corpses that some have called “dissolving the dead.” Its technical name is “alkaline hydrolysis,” but it is also known as biocremation, aquamation, green cremation, and resomation. 

The basic process involves placing a body in a heated, pressurized metal chamber and hastening its decomposition by adding lye (water mixed with a small quantity of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide) to break down proteins, fats, DNA, etc. This rapidly digests the tissues of the body and reduces it to skeletal fragments. The procedure, which some claim is merely an accelerated version of what happens if you’re buried, requires 3 to 4 hours.

Afterwards, the dissolved tissue, a brown soup comprised of simple organic materials like salts, sugars and lipids is released from the machine into a drain, then into the sewer system before it makes its way to water treatment facilities. The leftover bone fragments inside the machine are collected, ground up and, as in standard cremation, pulverized into a powder (colloquially and imprecisely termed “ashes”), which can be given to the family in an urn. Read more

Project Rachel is a ministry about finding hope and healing after abortion.

It’s normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by abortion. It can form a hole in one’s heart, a hole so deep that sometimes it seems nothing can fill the emptiness.

You are not alone…

This retreat is not only for women. Men, grandparents and siblings are welcome to come and receive God’s Grace, Mercy and Healing!

• Pregnancy Support
• Prayers