Greetings,

On January 22nd, we observe the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. The landmark decision by the Supreme Court of our Great Country that made abortion legal on demand. I believe that it would be safe for me to say that most of us believe abortion to be wrong. I think the disagreement most often comes in the desire to or not to make it legal.
If I may briefly share some of my thoughts on why I think that abortion is wrong all of the time and should be made illegal. First of all, coming from a biblical perspective… In Genesis, the husband and wife are called to leave their mother and father, come together and join in a union of the flesh that will make them one. This beautiful union between man and wife can be so powerful that a third human being can be created. Thus, the husband and wife can become co-creators with God in the making of a new life. Humanity is then called to go out and be fruitful (another argument against same sex marriage). Also biblically speaking, we understand that God knows us even as we are being formed in the womb. At conception, a new life begins. When and how would we ever decide when that life becomes human if not at conception? Advancements in technology continue to push back the viability of the baby’s ability to live outside of the womb. And if we say it is a human, then it (the baby) absolutely has every right that you and I have.
I believe that prayer is the answer to our ability to see clearly. The more we pray from our hearts, authentically, genuinely, sincerely… the more graces and blessings God will pour down on us. It sounds very simple. The more prayer from the heart, the more graces from God. Sounds simple but very hard to do. Living a virtuous and prayer filled life will bring clarity in our quest to live moral and upright lives. Remember that if the pro-life movement has it right on this one, then to promote pro-choice causes is to promote the ability to kill a human baby at its most vulnerable moment in life. Please spend some really good quality prayer time with this issue. To get it right may mean either life or death.

Peace, Fr. Tom

Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Responds to Haiti Earthquake

Greetings,

I would like to share our local churches desire to help in relief services for natural disasters. The following is an email to all of us priests received this past week. Please feel free to respond in whatever way the Holy Spirit moves you…

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, of Saint Paul and Minneapolis today called on the priests and people within the 12 counties of the Archdiocese, to contribute to relief efforts underway for victims of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti. “Our own people are coping with financial challenges today,” the Archbishop said, “but that has never halted the generosity of Minnesotans when it comes to helping others in dire need. This tragedy has befallen a country where 80 percent of the population already lives in poverty.”

He announced that the Archdiocese’s 217 parishes will take up a second collection for Haitian relief efforts.

“Death tolls, while staggering, have not yet been determined,” Nienstedt added. “At least two of our parishes have sister parish relationships with Catholic congregations in Haiti. Priests and lay people from this area have travelled to Haiti to help these parishes in many ways. We’ve heard that one such parish and school is still standing but another report says the Cathedral, all the large churches and all the seminaries there are destroyed.”

Among those killed in the quake was Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port au Prince whose body was found under the rubble of his residence.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is among the first-line responders to disasters and is already working in Haiti. The Archdiocese is collecting contributions on the agency’s behalf. Online donations may be made beginning Jan. 14th at the Archdiocese’s web site, www.archspm.org. Donations may also be made sending checks to:

The Archdiocese of
Saint Paul and Minneapolis

CRS Haiti Relief Efforts
226 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55104

Peace, Fr. Tom