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Priests for Life CanadaNewsletter Articles:Year 2001
Many past newsletters are available in printed form. Please contact Priests for Life Canada |
Priests
for Life Canada Registered Charity #87017 3242 RR0001 |
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Priests for Life CanadaNewsletter Articles:Year 2001
Many past newsletters are available in printed form. Please contact Priests for Life Canada |
Priests
for Life Canada Registered Charity #87017 3242 RR0001 |
Articles: by author
Fr. Joseph Hattie, OMI, a Member of the Board of Priests for Life Canada
J. & E., St. Margaret Mary Parish
Fr. Larry McCormick, a Member of the Board of Priests for Life Canada
Deacon Bernard MacDonald, a Member of the Board of Priests for Life Canada
Other by Fr Jim Whalen 2001, Issue 1 Pro-life people advocate the truth that adoption is a viable and obvious alternative to abortion, for those who are not ready to become parents, not ready to raise children. Mother Teresa explains this position clearly: "Adoption is the answer to unwanted children, by making them wanted by loving adoptive parents. Of course, no child is unwanted by God" (Mother Theresa, Pro Life Christians, 1992, p. 85). The Catholic ethic believes in the unique value of the life and dignity of each person, from conception to natural death. There is great wisdom in sidewalk counsellor Monica Miller’s slogan: "When one child dies, the whole world mourns. When a million children die, the world doesn’t care" (ibid., p. 109). The fact of the matter is that if society looked at adoption seriously, most people would not only accept but prefer it over abortion. Pro-abortionists present the falsehood that adoption is nothing less than moral irresponsibility, stating that relinquishing a baby is not a very humane procedure (Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, 1985). They stress that the adoption agencies are inept and riddled with problems. Their neo-feminist principle views the child as property, to be used or disposed of according the will of the mother. The abortuary counsellors in the death mills or clinics are instructed to denounce adoption, for it would mean a loss of business, approximately $600 for each abortion (Henry Morgentaler’s profit per abortion). When profit becomes more important than the person, the culture of death society has reached new heights in the loss of common sense and absurdity. Such blatant secularism points clearly to self-destruction, evident in present massive death campaigns, through sterilization camps and coercive anti-life reproductive programs (International Planned Parenthood Federation, Canadian Planned Parenthood Federation, World Bank, United Nations, etc.). Strangely enough many women accept this eclipse of logic, this anti-life attitude that presents half-truths and bold-faced lies, preferring to kill their children rather than let anyone else adopt them. They cannot stand the thought of someone else raising their children, which reveals that they really do want their pre-born children. Such thought patterns result in a post-abortion syndrome, leaving them burdened with depression and guilt, making them mentally crippled and wounded for life, unable to function or adjust in such a meaningless world, that has stripped them of human value and human dignity. Realizing the potential of adoption, various campaigns, by the National Organization for Women, NOW, and Planned Parenthood, have been launched to convince the public that adoption should not be seen as a possible solution: labelling it as ‘an incompetently handled institution’ (NBC, Roe vs. Wade, 1989); ‘a superficial, sloganistic, hopelessly naive alternative to abortion’, (Newsweek Magazine, May 1989). Some even went so far to say: "If the federal government encouraged adoption in any way, it would amount to coercive behaviour. No one knows better than the woman herself what’s best for her" (i.e. Abortionist David Grimes, Pro-Life Activist’s Encyclopaedia, Brian Clowes, Chap. 35-2). Married couples choose adoption for various reasons: the need of children, infertility, generosity, social commitment, gratitude, etc. Perhaps the greatest reason parents choose to adopt or foster children is because there is a cry for help and charity is what life is all about. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus. In the spiritual realm, Christians are all adopted children of the Father, through Baptism, and adopted children of Mary, as revealed in Scripture: "Behold your son, behold your mother". The whole network of relationships from the smallest cell of society, the family, to the extended family, the parish, the Church, has been given to us in the doctrinal teaching of the Mystical Body of Christ. The process from the decision to adopt, proceeds to choosing the method of adoption, searching for a child, and completing the adoption. The world, as viewed in ‘Family Circus’ cartoon by Bil Keane, puts it in a positive perspective. "We came from Mommy’s tummy, but Joseph is adopted, so he came from his mommy’s heart" (The Canadian Adoption Guide, 1994, Judith Wine, p.1). (See cartoon, p. 4) The average wait to adopt a healthy new-born through the government is almost six years (Adoption in Canada, K. Daly & M. Sobol, 1993, 52). Private adoptions, independent or identified adoption, have a shorter waiting period and requires giving up a certain amount of privacy, as well as demanding considerable time and energy. The average waiting period for a private adoption in Canada is 20-24 months (Adoption in Canada, 52). Private adoption costs vary. The primary costs include: professional counselling services, background information gathering, and legal and administration assistance (between $4,528- $5,873, (Adoption in Canada, 54). Secondary costs, the actual search for birth parents, include payment for advertising and mailings. International adoption waiting periods vary from several months to several years. Higher costs occur in international adoption alternatives, ranging from several thousand dollars to $25,000, and more. The average expenses for adoption from China was $15,000; from Russia. $20,685; from Guatemala, $22,000 (The Adoption Option, 1999, p. 8). The reason for these high costs is because adoption professionals are interested in making a profit and such adoptions often involved a certain amount of travel as well as sponsorship. Most adopters are middle class people. In a recent survey, 1999, 60% of adoptive mothers had some college education or were college graduates and post graduates (National Centre for Health Statistics). In Canada, in 1998, there were 1,400 children adopted domestically, and 2,222 adopted from abroad. In Ontario, there were between 210 and 230 new-born adoptions annually. (The Adoption Option, p. 501-502). There are over 50,000 children in Canada in foster care, with about 17,000 of these children that are being adopted. Unfortunately, many remain in foster care. "We keep better track of used cars than we do of our children, and that's a disgrace" (Judy Grove, Executive Director of Adoption Council of Canada, 1999, The Adoption Option, p.503). In Ontario, there are about 1,232 children free for public adoption, but they are not being moved through the system. The largest public agency in Ontario is Toronto Metro Children’s Aid Society. It had 1, 831 children in its care at the end of 1997. During that year, 79 children were placed (The Adoption Option, p.504). An estimated 16,000 couples are seeking adoption annually in Canada. ¤ by J. & E., St. Margaret Mary Parish 2001, Issue 1 Like most young couples during their engagement, and the first years of marriage, we dreamed of and planned for our children whom we assumed would soon arrive. Through the months and then years of disappointment and the pain of childlessness, we would often kneel together begging God through our tears to bless us with a child. Finally, those indescribably wonder days arrived when each of our children was placed in our arms. We were a family and the beautiful way in which we became one was through adoption. We have three children by adoption. Each child was a new-born when adopted and each birthparent chose us as parents. Each of our children has a unique adoption story which they love to hear again and again. From our perspective as adoptive parents, we can certainly say that adoption is not a passive ‘giving-up’ of one’s child or a shirking of one’s responsibilities towards the child they brought into this world. Rather, it is a courageous decision, a loving and conscious plan made for that child in order to provide a more hopeful future for him or her than the birthparents have provide at that particular time in their lives. Our children’s birthparents are definitely our heroes, who under very stressful circumstances, thought not only of themselves and their own situations, but made great personal sacrifices to give life to their babies and to seek a family for them. There is no doubt that single parents also make great sacrifices and work diligently to raise their children, we know many such families personally. And, of course, there are no perfect families, we all must deal with our own struggles and limitations. But in our experience, both as children growing up and in raising our own family, we believe that the best place for a child to grow up is with both a mother and a father to call his or her own, with parents committed to a lifelong marriage with their hearts and home already prepared to welcome children. We have noticed over time that our secular society often portrays adoption in a negative way, whether in sensationalized news stories or Hollywood style movies about delinquent children and family tragedies, the root of the problem being a history of adoption. Because of this, perhaps, it seems that the prevalent attitudes about adoption are either an, "Oh, I could never do that", or the terribly twisted thinking that somehow it would he better for the baby to die by abortion than to live and be adopted. Yet, adoption happens every day and there are plenty examples of happy adoptive families. Adoption is a positive and life-giving choice, both for the baby and the birthparents, as well as for the adoptive parents and their children. From time to time, we reflect upon the fact that our children’s birthparents gave them three very precious gifts. First and foremost, they gave them their life. Second, they gave them their family. And third, they gave them their faith. In His mysterious way, God planned each child ftom eternity to be raised in a particular family. Our children’s birthparents wished for them to be raised in a practising Catholic family. It is impossible to express in words the joy we felt in knowing this because we realize that our Catholic faith is the best thing we can pass on to our children. Adoption has shown us that God is able to take our suffering and difficult circumstances and work them to our good - for the good of the birthparents, in the knowledge that their child will be loved and cherished in the kind of home they wish they could have themselves provided; for the adopting parents who desire with all their hearts to have children and to be a family; and, most importantly for the child him or her self who will know that he or she is twice loved, by birthparents as well as adoptive parents. After several years of married, we did eventually conceive a child. This was a joyful surprise for all of us and brought great excitement to our children as they anticipated the arrival of their "family baby". Holy Scripture teaches us that children are a blessing from God and we know that we have been incredibly blessed. We firmly believe that it is God who creates families, and He does so in two ways: by birth into a family or by adoption into a family. It is our hope that our story will encourage others to see adoption as one of God’s many plans for happiness on earth for a time, and in Heaven for eternity. May God bless you all. ¤ J. & E., St. Margaret Mary Parish THE MIRACLE, GOOD MESSAGE AND JOY OF ADOPTION
by Fr. Larry McCormick - Priests for Life, Canada - Member of the Board 2001, Issue 1 The past century has been an era of extraordinary human progress and spectacular technological achievements, but at the same time, the world has been darkened in the last 30 years by the shadows of an unimaginable tragedy - abortion. The killing of one’s own child, once seen as an act of desperation and last resort, is now promoted by a secular society as good and as a right. What is worse is the irrational climate of acceptability that has settled in the public mindset that abortion is part of our lifestyle of choices. In North America, since the early l970s, over 40 million babies have been killed in the U.S.A. and Canada combined, with over 35 million in the U.S.A. alone. This is a human tragedy of epic historical proportion - and these figures do not include the rest of the world total. Only God knows, that among those millions of aborted babies, there may have been other historical giants to equal Abraham Lincoln, Sir John A. MacDonald, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and Albert Einstein, to name only a few – and just maybe, the medical scientist who would have finally given the world a permanent cure for cancer, which has plagued the human race since pre-biblical times. Only God knows! But our faith assures us that God will never abandon us, and as the source of all wisdom and grace, He has given us a wonderful and blessed pro-life alternative to considering abortion - and that is to choose life - by choosing ADOPTION. Adoption is God’s Grace in the Time of Need In the ‘Gospel of Life’ (Evangelium Vitae), Pope John Paul II states that Catholic families should be living symbols of our conviction that human life is always God’s greatest gift. We must teach our children to respect life from conception to natural death, and pray for an end to the evil of abortion, which destroys the helpless and the weakest in society. We are asked to reach out to women in need who are pregnant, and to families in emotional or financial difficulty, and we are asked to stand with those in solidarity who choose life - with hope, service and encouragement. For a young woman in a crisis pregnancy, it is a time of intense emotional pain, and the need for compassion and support, and the need for God’s healing grace in her life. Also, this includes married couples, who desire to have a family, but are facing infertility. They, too, face similar emotions which can take on a grieving process. The question is: What are the moral choices for a teenage or 30-year-old single mother with a child? The Church’s Role in the Adoption Process The Church potentially can be a great resource of assistance to advise women about adoption, but without an organized message from the parish level, it is not surprising that few make the adoption choice. By getting out the good message about adoption, parishes can make known the miracle of adoption available to a young girl faced with an untimely pregnancy, or advise on the possibility of adoption for infertile married couples who desire to raise a family. The miracle of adoption is realizing that God’s grace is always there for those in time of need. At the appropriate time (i.e. Pro-life Sundays), the homily is an excellent way to extol the blessings of adoption. As believers that we belong to the adopted family of God, a homily on adoption can be very spiritually life-affirming for the whole parish. Adoption is another blessed way in God’s formation of families. We are all asked to rise to the challenge of the ‘Gospel of Life’, and to assist young single women in pregnancy crisis, and by welcoming them with compassion and informing them of the opportunity to choose a future of hope for their babies and themselves through adoption. A birth-mother can be confident that her adopted child will become part of the creation of a Christian family, as God creates all children in His image and likeness to be fully human and to share in His life. The Roots of Adoption in Biblical Tradition We see the first images of adoption in the Bible, not as a contract, but as a covenant. The ancient Hebrews believed that a covenant superseded a contract. They believed that the formation of personal relationships was by a covenant, a sacred promise that is both the foundation of kinship and family, and the basis of God’s relationship with His people. They believed that the strongest families were those bound by covenant. The Hebrew belief in the covenant of adoption can be seen in the Old Testament and stands in contrast to the common contracts found in the cultures that did not believe in God. Our foundation for the sanctity of life and the foundation of the family, including adoption, are both found in the Scriptures. The classic account of the adoption covenant in the Old Testament is the story of Moses who became the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, after she finds the infant in a reed basket on the Nile River. Jochebed, Moses’ birth-mother, had set him adrift after she feared that Pharaoh’s soldiers would kill him. God’s plan for Moses was secured by the faith, love and sacrifice of these women, Jochebed and Pharaoh’s daughter, and provided Moses with a safe and secure childhood. In the New Testament, Jesus’ adoption by Joseph is the most profound example of adoption in the Scriptures. Mary and Joseph both overcame their fears and made a covenant with God and each other to raise Jesus. As Christians, we are all reminded that we are God’s children, and parents are entrusted by God with the duty to care for His children. Mary and Joseph fulfilled their covenant with God by educating, protecting, loving and caring for His Son. Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Our Adoption Covenant Model The most important aspect of a married couple’s adoption covenant with God is that the child will be treated as an individual made in the likeness and image of God. When this concept of adoption as covenant is integrated with professional adoption services, a good model of Catholic adoption becomes apparent. God’s plan for children integrates their experience of physical, emotional and spiritual security in a covenant of love with their mothers and fathers, whether through family birth or adoption. The foundation for the strongest possible marriage is a covenant relationship between husband, wife, and God Himself, and any adopted children will certainly flourish spiritually and emotionally when nurtured and raised in a family that imitates the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. With the Holy Family as our model, the ‘Gospel of Life’ challenges each of us to always defend the right to life of every person from the moment of conception to natural death. In addition, we are asked to comfort both single women in need of pregnancy crisis counselling, and those married couples who experience infertility, by informing them of the good message of one of God’s miracles - the Joy of Adoption. ¤ ——–000——– Fr. Larry McCormick is a second-career vocation priest, with 30 years experience in the public affairs and communications sector, and holds a B.A. and M.A. degree in Political Science. He completed his seminary formation at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary near Boston, MA, where he received his Master of Divinity Degree. Ordained in 1999, Fr. McCormick is a diocesan priest with the Archdiocese of Ottawa. Priests for Life, Canada, welcomes Fr. Larry as a newly-elected Member of the Board.
CARING FOR THE AGEING: THE YOUNG-OLD by Fr. Jim Whalen 2001, Issue 2 The negative stereotype of ageing as a period of decline is universal in today’s world. The fact is many people live longer and enjoy good health much longer than in the past. More than twenty-five million North American families provide physical and emotional assistance to their ageing parents or relatives. Reaction to ageing is varied, ranging from resignation to rebellion, to rejection and to despair. Growing older does not necessarily mean dependency on others or a loss of quality of life. What is needed is a realization that we must "confront it not only with serenity and dignity, but as a time of life which offers us new opportunities for growth and commitment" (The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and in the World, Pontifical Council for the Laity, 1998, Chap. I, par. 2). The meaning and value of older people begins with the meaning and value in the lives of children. Pope John Paul II’s address to the UN World Assembly on Ageing (Vienna, Austria, from 26 July to 6 August 1982) proclaims this truth: "Life is a gift of God to man who is created out of love in the image and likeness of God. This understanding of the sacred dignity of the human person leads to the appreciation of every state of life. It is a question of consistency and justice. It is impossible to truly value the life of an older person if the life of a child is not valued from the moment of its conception. No one knows where we might arrive, if life is no longer respected as something inalienable and sacred" (Pontifical Council for the Laity, The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and in the World, 1998, Chap. I, par. 5). Certain underlying principles in caring for the ageing can be helpful in guiding us in our treatment of individual concerns or issues: 1. Love and Respect: Honour in a different challenging manner (Honour your father and mother). 2. Self-determination: We are to assist, not take over. 3. Normalization: maintain same lifestyle when possible with gradual help when needed. 4. Communication: Plan ahead and open dialogue on even difficult subjects to avoid crisis-hopping. 5. Support: Family, friends, neighbours, parishioners, peer group systems, professional helpers. 6. Ongoing process: New challenges must be faced in the ageing process - roles change, fluctuate and reverse. 7. Solutions: No simple answers. Temporary answers, reworking answers, reviewing answers as needed. (Paraphrasing of Caring for Your Ageing Parent: A Guide for Catholic Families, 1997, p. 8). The modern world is blessed with many older persons who can contribute greatly to making our society and culture more human and meaningful. This gift can be promoted and encouraged by fostering the particular charisms associated with ageing persons. The wisdom of experience has much to say to our young generations about lifestyle and decision making. A senior vision of life fosters acquired values: simplicity, a sense of responsibility, faith in God, friendship, patience, inner conviction and respect for creation and the Creator, and peacemaking. Interdependence of the people of God is highlighted by the lives of the older generations. In exchanging gifts, the third age people bring religious and moral values that are a bounteous blessing on the life of Catholic families, communities, and the entire world. Their faith, prayer, devotions, scriptural familiarity, liturgical celebrations and sacrifices contribute greatly to the overall colourful tapestry of the Militant Church. Their witness of life is of paramount importance today with the constant threats to the unborn, the handicapped, the vulnerable poor, and the chronically ill. Pope Paul VI indicates that the "modern man listens more willingly to witness than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, # 41). Whether it is through instruction of the younger generation, direct discussion with peer group members, or renunciations, or sufferings (in spite of persecutions), the third age, by its steadfastness and courage, manifests the true way to be apostles of faith. Who can forget how the Catholic faith persevered in the Communist block in the 20th century, or how the Russian ‘babushkas’ kept the faith alive for centuries in the midst of oppression? Pope John Paul II exhorts young-old people in their original and specific task in the Church today: "… the expected retirement of persons from various professions and the workplace provides older people with a new opportunity in the apostolate… They must always have a clear knowledge that one’s role in the Church and society does not stop at a certain age at all, but at such times knows only new ways of application… Arriving at an older age is to be considered a privilege: not simply because not everyone has the good fortune to reach this stage of life, but also, and above all, because this period provides real possibilities for better evaluating the past, for knowing and living more deeply the Paschal Mystery, for becoming an example in the Church for the whole People of God" (Christifideles Laici, #48). Certain areas that are especially evident and lend themselves to the witness of the third age are: charitable activities, apostolate of catechists, liturgical role, contemplation, devotion to the weak and suffering, and commitment to building ‘a culture of life’. The pastoral ministry of the Church to those in the third and fourth ages should include concrete means to achieve certain definitive objectives such as: raising consciousness, becoming aware of the needs of the ageing, counteracting attitudes of withdrawal, mistrust and indifference, promoting integration into the Christian community, fostering the development of the capacities and services of older people in the community, becoming involved in the sacramental life of the Church, and providing spiritual care at all stages, including palliative care, religious assistance and human comfort. It is important to affirm the rightful place of the third age in society, maintaining communication with the ageing in residences and intergenerational solidarity (The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and in the World, pp. 42-46). ¤ PALLIATIVE CARE OF THE AGING by Deacon Bernard MacDonald, Board Member of Priests for Life, Canada 2001, Issue 2
True pastoral care for the dying must involve an awareness of their dignity as having been ‘made in the image and likeness of God’. True pastoral care for the dying also involves an awareness of the reason that God sent His only Son. Finally, true pastoral care for the dying means to make available every possible grace for those near death. As Catholics, we believe that the redemptive act of Jesus provides us with special graces through the sacraments. In the case of the dying, the sacrament of the Eucharist, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick are available. The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is uniquely suited for the dying as it "has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age" (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1527). This means that while we must care for the body, trying to alleviate the suffering as best we can, we cannot forget our responsibility towards the soul. It is my belief that every Catholic has the right to see a priest when he or she is dying, in order to say yes or no to the sacraments. Sometimes this may disturb those in the family who have little or no faith. Yet those who do have the faith should have the courage to realize that a soul is worth more than a little criticism. I remember several years ago being with a man who was dying. He and his wife had discussed his condition and proper arrangements had been made for his burial. Although he was a Catholic, a priest or a church funeral were not included. In talking to him, I asked if he wished to see a priest. He did not want this because he felt that, having left the faith many years ago, asking to see a priest now would brand him a hypocrite. I then called the nearest Catholic priest and told him the situation. He said that he would drop in and see him. A few days later, this individual passed away. Because I was interested in what had transpired during the priest’s visit, I called him. He told me that when he went into the room, the man did not object to receiving the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. When his family found out they were upset because they felt that this was not his wish. They did not understand that he had the freedom to change his mind. Having said this, we must always keep in mind the great gift of free will given to us by God. If He does not force us to come to Him, who are we to force others? Therefore, although I knew that the dying man did not wish to see a priest, I felt that his final decision should be made to a priest. In no way was his free-will compromised. Finally, even though we would like every Catholic to receive the final sacrament, it is good to keep in mind that while we are confined to the Sacraments, God is not. No matter how obstinate a person may be, God’s mercy is always available. We must continue to pray and never lose hope. ¤ ---------- Teach us to count up the days that are ours, and we shall come to the heart of wisdom. (Ps 90:12) PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE ELDERLY by Fr. Joseph Hattie, OMI 2001, Issue 2 To "grow old gracefully" is a hope of most people who have passed their half-century birthday. To be able to do so usually means learning to adjust to a number of new realities which affect one’s life. For many, the first adjustment is to the reality of the gradual lessening of the body’s energy levels. A bit of humour and the ability to smile at oneself will be a big help in making this adjustment. These are also particularly helpful in adjusting to the realities of a slowing down of the quickness of the mind and its recall ability. The latter is often experienced in what is frequently called "having a senior’s moment". For many, it also means adjusting to the realities of retirement and to the new leisure time and the opportunities it provides for doing the things which one had not had the time to do before, whether as an individual or as a couple. One will also have to adjust to how others would like you to use your new free time. It may be suggested that you could help look after the grandchildren, that you could do more for an ageing and failing parent, do more volunteer work at the church, etc. In these situations one must learn to be prudent with the use of one’s declining energy resources. Some will have to adjust to being role models, teaching the younger generations in the family ‘the art of growing old gracefully’. The young are most willing to learn this when they see the older members of the family praying, and when they often hear them giving thanks to God for the many blessings which they have received to that point in their lives. The temptation, however, is always there to complain about having to give up some of those blessings (for example: good health, quickness of recall). For some, it will mean learning to adjust gracefully to living on a reduced income or of letting go of one’s driver’s licence, to cite two examples. With each letting go comes another opportunity to grow in one’s trust in God, in His love and His divine providence and thus in the quality of one’s spiritual life and in the sense of one’s innate dignity as a person, made in the image and likeness of God, and redeemed in the image of Christ. For many, there will come a time when they will have to adjust to the loneliness brought on by the death of a spouse. This absence and loneliness usually necessitates making a readjustment in the meaning of one’s life. For example, someone may feel that ‘the meaning of my life has been wrapped up in loving my spouse into heaven. This was the special way by which I loved God and neighbour. Now that she is in heaven, I must focus on loving God and neighbour in other ways, making all the adjustments necessary to attain that goal’. More and more today, elderly people have to deal with the confusion created by a culture of death, which has redefined the meaning of usefulness, quality of life, and dying with dignity. According to these new definitions, one is useful only when one is productive in some way or other. So when a person is made to feel that he is a burden to others, because of age or illness, it is easy for him to begin to think that it would be better and even useful to simply end one’s life, by oneself, or with the help of another. Elderly parents can be quite susceptible to these kinds of suggestions from their adult children. Likewise, quality of life in a culture of death is determined by the level of active participation and social interaction one has in life. Many elderly people are, unfortunately, encouraged to prepare for the possibility of losing this level of social interaction by drawing up a ‘living will’, the main purpose of which is to state one’s desire to die if the ability for social interaction and active participation in life around them is lost. Also, the term ‘dignity’ has come to mean the ‘degree of control that one has over one’s life, health, movement, and decision-making’, and thus, ‘the degree of independence one has’. When that control and independence are at a high level, then one is considered to be ‘living with dignity’. When that control and independence are diminished, so is the person’s quality of life. For example, when control and independence are lost through serious dementia, then the person’s dignity is considered lost. Many elderly people in the early stages of dementia are vulnerable to suggestions that they would be wise to end their life before they lose their total dignity and control of their lives. The suggested way of dealing with this kind of threat to their dignity is to take ultimate control of their lives by deciding when they will terminate their own lives, so that they can die with dignity. A ‘culture of death society’ forgets that one’s true dignity comes from ‘being made in the image and likeness of God’. This is a given dignity, which no one can take from a person regardless of his or her physical or mental health. In that society, one also loses sight of the fact that true acquired dignity comes from living a good moral life. To die with dignity is to die in the state of grace. To end one’s life, or have it ended, in order to die with dignity, is to do the very opposite. It is to die without grace, and thus, to die without one’s true acquired dignity. From our Christian perspective we know where that could lead. Christ and His Blessed Mother did not have to deal with the adjustments and problems of 'growing old gracefully’. They knew the true meaning of dignity, both given and acquired. The elderly will, therefore, benefit greatly from loving Christ and His Blessed Mother more deeply and walking ever more closely with them. They will help the elderly to grow old gracefully and to both live and die with the dignity of sons and daughters of God. ¤ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION APPEAL by Fr. Jim Whalen
2001, Issue 3
When our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, personally opened a chapel for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on December 2, 1981, he was showing us how to put our faith into practice. He was making us aware of the fact that there is a need for more intensive prayer involvement in the spiritual warfare between the ‘culture of life’ and the ‘culture of death’. He was stating clearly that time for Eucharistic evangelization is now. If we truly want to make a difference, to build a civilization of love, to increase vocations to the priesthood, sisterhood and married life, and to have peace in the world, we need, as in times past, a divine invitation. If we really want to bring about a radical change in our parishes, personal sanctification, openness to the transmission of life and respect for life at all stages, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (PEA) is a proven, powerful prayer for priests and people of God: "The witness which we give to the people of God in celebrating the Eucharist depends in large part upon our own personal relationship with the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, Holy Thursday Letter to Priests, 2000). At the 45th International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain, June 1993, he called upon every parish to have Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration with exposition: "I hope that the fruit of this congress results in the establishment of Perpetual (continual) Eucharistic Adoration in all parishes and Christian communities throughout the world". At a recent retreat for priests of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, Bishop J. Faber MacDonald of the diocese of St. John, NB indicated that his diocese has seen a tremendous increase in new vocations since Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration was initiated there. Bishop MacDonald is to be commended for initiating this effort. Mother Teresa of Calcutta echoed repeatedly that the answer to our needs for conversion, to the present crisis in faith and to respect for life is a return to adoration and prayer. "What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Hours of prayer. The Eucharist involves more than receiving. It involves satisfying the hunger of Christ. When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now". We are called to a personal relationship with Jesus, our Saviour, in the Blessed Sacrament. Without coming before Him in quiet moments of prayer, we diminish our faith in His real presence. If we take time out to be with Him in the Blessed Sacrament, our relationship with our Lord will increase and grow and blossom. In going before Him in the Blessed Sacrament, we go before Him who is with us in person. Perpetual Adoration helps build community. A culture of life makes us more personally involved with Christ and His Church and the people of God. Through personal love, we come to grasp what it means to be one with the whole Body of Christ. Every Holy Hour draws the world and everybody in it closer to Christ. We come to understand and respect all of life, from conception to natural death. When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, we stand on behalf of that one person in the world in most need of God’s love and mercy, whether it is the unborn child, the pregnant mother, the abortionist, the handicapped, or the chronically ill. By our Holy Hours of Prayer, we can contribute to the radical transformation of the world. At this stage in our history, we have reached a stage which is beyond human remedy. We need divine intervention. This is possible through the Blessed Sacrament. When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, we touch the heart of Jesus with our faith and release His power, His healing love, His graces and blessings upon the whole world. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque heard Jesus say to her: "I have a burning thirst to be honoured by men in the Blessed Sacrament". Our Lord’s own words cry out for our attention, our presence: "Could you not watch one hour with Me?" (Mt 26:40). Mother Teresa describes the effectiveness of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration: "We cannot separate our lives from the Eucharist. The moment we do, something breaks. When we started Holy Hours in 1973, our vocations doubled. The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth". Bishop John Magee of Cloyne, Ireland, reports that vocations tripled since he started Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. In 1990, there were sixteen vocations to the priesthood; in 1993, the number had risen to forty-five. Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Ceba, Philippines, said, "Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the solution to our problems of declining vocations". Today we are in a great crisis: abortion… divorce… abuse… contraception… euthanasia… lack of vocations… to name a few. There are repeated attacks on the unborn, the family, youth, mothers, and fathers. There are concerted efforts to infuse relativism into our education systems, and the Sacrament of Marriage is constantly under threat. Jesus looks to us to come to Him and return love to Him. This is difficult. Sacrifice is the language of love. The spirit of sacrifice is the spirit of all Christians. Jesus pleads for an hour of friendship, not activity, an hour of being present with Him. We share in the work of redemption, making reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. (Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Cenae, Ch. 1, Sec. 2). We are called to be prayer warriors for peace, to reject the culture of death and evil, and build a culture of love, life, and justice. Peter Kreeft helps us to understand the great forces released in perpetual adoration of the Eucharist: "Adoration is more powerful for construction than nuclear bombs are for destruction". The prayer taught by Our Lady to the children of Fatima is to the point: "O Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee. My God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament". Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is the perfect fulfilment of the requests for prayer, penance, and sacrifice for which Our Lady has asked. At Mass, the sacrificial and communal aspects of the Eucharist are emphasized. "Communion only reaches its true depths when it is supported and surrounded by adoration. The Eucharistic Presence in the tabernacle does not set another view of the Eucharist alongside or against the Eucharistic celebration but simply signifies its complete fulfilment" (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy, 2000, p. 90). In Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, the Real Presence is emphasized - the presence of the whole Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity and Humanity. He gives Himself completely and personally to us. Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. "Our communal worship at Mass must be together with our personal worship of Jesus in Eucharistic adoration in order that our love may be complete" (Pope John Paul II, Phoenix Park, Dublin Ireland, September 29, 1979. The reasons for Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration are many. Mother Teresa reminds us: "We cannot underestimate the power of prayer and the difference it will make in our world. The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth". St. Peter Julian Eymard pointed out clearly: "Let us never forget that an age prospers or dwindles in proportion to its devotion to the Holy Eucharist. This is the measure of its spiritual life and its faith, of its charity and its virtue". In the past two decades, over 1500 chapels of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration have been established world-wide in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. In Canada, churches in Toronto, Kingston, Belleville, Hamilton, Windsor, Sudbury and Combermere, among others. have been established recently. The newest Chapel opens its doors at St. Margaret Mary’s Bilingual Parish, Cumberland, Ontario, in the Diocese of Ottawa, on September 14, 2001. This adoration is possible with the cooperation of neighbouring parishes of St. Edith Stein and Holy Trinity. Other parishes are also being approached to become involved, with a special challenge to the Legion of Mary, Catholic Women’s League, and the Knights of Columbus. Fr. Jim Whalen, pastor of the parish, and national director of Priests for Life, Canada, recognizes the appeal by the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. The need for more intensive perpetual prayer in building a culture of life is especially critical for the new Priests for Life, Canada pro-life centre opening in Ottawa on September 29, 2001. This work must be supported by strong prayer warriors if we are to make any progress. We need to encourage pro-life vocations to the single life, family life, priesthood, diaconate, sisterhood, and brotherhood. Special thanks are extended to the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, who have been very helpful in providing spiritual support, assistance and resource materials for Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (www.acfp2000.com for more information in English, French and Spanish ). Thanks are also extended to the Congregation of Notre Dame Sisters, Ottawa, for their prayers and support in setting up the chapel, as well as to the committed members of the Perpetual Adoration Chapels whom we have approached for prayer and assistance. We ask for your prayers and support in this new endeavour. We hope and pray that all bishops and priests will accept the appeal of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, that all parishes establish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. ¤ A Review by Fr. Jim Whalen 2001, Issue 3 Our prayer lifestyle is very personal and of utmost importance in pro-life commitment and service. Jesus prayed spontaneously at times, such as at the Last Supper, but always directed His His prayer towards His Father. Jesus, His mother, Mary, and the Apostles, associated their prayers with daily life. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord". "My soul magnifies the Lord". "They have no more wine". "Behold your Son… behold your Mother". "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit". As pro-life warriors, we would do well to imitate their example. Lord, give us the strength to persevere. Father; teach us how to change hardened hearts. Help us always to choose life. Grant us the graces to protect all human life today. Have mercy and forgive all who promote a culture of death. Lord, open the eyes of all to your truth. Archbishop Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan draws our attention to the last stage of continuous prayer, when we become prayer. He points out Isaac of Niniveh’s description of one who lives this way: "Whether one eats, drinks, sleeps or whatever other thing one does, and even in the most profound sleep, the perfume of prayer rises without fatigue from one’s heart. The purified movements of the heart and of the intellect are voices full of sweetness with which men never cease to sing in secret to the hidden God" (Enarrations in Psalmos, 85, Testimony of Hope, p. 121). He calls upon St. Augustine to reveal the whole essence of prayer, "Orat Pro Nobis Ut Sacerdos Nostros; Orat Un Nobis Ut Caput Nostrum; Oratur A Nobis Ut Deus Noster": "It is Jesus Himself who prays for us as our priest, prays in us as our head, is prayed to us by our God" (Enarrationes in Psalmos, 85, Testimony of Hope, p. 121). ¤ Recommended reading (Best Book of the Year): Testimony of Hope, The Spiritual Exercises of John Paul II, 2000, Pauline Books and Media, p. 223). by Fr. Jim Whalen 2001, Issue 4 Many claim to be peacemakers but few are peacekeepers. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, is both. When He first came to us few recognized Him, few accepted Him, and few followed Him. Today, he is recognized but many still do not accept Him or follow Him. Not only did He bring us the gift of peace, He also gave us the means to be peacemakers and peacekeepers. He came to share His life with us. He was born to die for us. He came to bring us the gift of life the gift of peace, to show us how to be pro-life peacekeepers. The second Person of the Blessed Trinity, Jesus Christ, God, became man, came to be one of us in all things except sin. Divinity arrived. The Prince of Peace arrived. "The word was made flesh" (Jn 1:14). God was given a body; a heart that began to beat in His mother's womb, a head with two eyes, two ears and a mouth. He was alive in the womb of the Virgin Mary - floating, kicking and growing. The Scriptural prophecies were fulfilled: "The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son and they shall call Him Emmanuel" (Mt 1:23). From that moment in time, the world and all history began to revolve around the child of Mary - Jesus, the Prince of Peace. "Glory to God on high and on earth peace to men of good will" (Lk2: 14). Peace on earth is possible only if the order of the Prince of Peace is observed and followed. The order that should exist among all humans is based on a foundational principle: every human being is a person with a nature that is endowed with intelligence and free will; with rights and duties which are universal, inviolable and inalienable (Pacem In Terris, 1963, p.9, cf. Pope Pius XII & Pope John XXIII). Pope John XXIII outlined these rights clearly: the right to life and a worthy standard of living; the rights of moral and cultural standards; the right to worship God according to one’s conscience; the right to choose freely one’s state of life; economic rights; the rights of assembly and association; the rights to emigrate and immigrate; political rights. All these rights are necessarily linked with respective responsibilities and duties, finding their source and sustenance and inviolability in natural law (peace on earth). The reality exists that these rights and responsibilities are not always recognized or adhered to. Accordingly, we have the world caught in a cycle of violence. It begins with poverty while the basic needs of people are ignored or dismissed. "When freedom is used to dominate the weak; to squander natural resources and energy; and to deny basic necessities to people, we will stand up and reaffirm the demands of justice and social love" (Pope John Paul II, Washington, DC). This denial of justice is paramount in the neglect and rejection of the needs of the unborn, the handicapped, the chronically ill and the elderly. This results in a demand for basic rights for all: the right to life for every human person from conception to natural death, the right to sanctity of life and the dignity of every human being. There follows fear of the loss of privilege by the powerful and, consequently, there is violent repression of the poor through false overpopulation propaganda, insufficient world food resources, compulsory unnatural family reproductive planning, birth control pills and abortifacient chemical pills (IPPF). ¤ PRO-LIFE HEALING: LIVES AND NATIONS By Fr. Jim Whalen 2001, Issue 4 Pro -life healing happens both individually and universally. It offers very convincing evidence to people that God is with us. He is not out there beyond human compassion. Many Christians maintain that God helps those who help themselves, limiting healing to what medicine can achieve. They explain that what used to be accomplished primitively through prayer can now be accomplished through medicine. Others practise a co-ordinated ministry of healing, combining medicine and prayer. Others object to the response of healing individuals when there is a greater need to heal broken relationships, a broken society and a world tormented by institutional injustice and wars.We need both the pro -life healing of the individual and the pro-life healing of society. The greater pro-life issues in society like injustice, poverty, peace, respect for human rights, respect for life at all stages, treatment of the handicapped and care for the elderly are helped when individuals in society themselves are made whole (i.e.: healing emotionally enables one to enter into healthy relationships). Praying for the healing of the inner person will help substantially toward the creation of a just society.This is not an either /or question. We need to work at healing at all levels and by all possible means such as prayer, medicine, education, economics and politics. Suffering humanity demands that we exert our best efforts. Father Ralph Rogawski (O.P.) and Sister Helen Raycraft (O.P.) estimate that about 80% of the sick who ask for prayers in the poorest barrios of Santa Cruz, Bolivia are healed (Healing by Fr. Francis Macnutt, Ave Maria Press, 1974, pp. 18-19).Using purely human resources did not seem to work and for the most part were found to be inadequate. Certain common elements were evident in a vision shared by many priests and sisters working in Latin America. They were in agreement that the Holy Spirit was moving in power to do three basic things : to transform individuals into a real personal relationship with Jesus Christ through an awakening of the spirit; to heal relationships and to build community, especially in the family and neighbourhood communities; to transform society by healing relationships of injustice and oppression. Personal conversion, inner healing and physical healing were found to be common experiences.The experience of the Dominicans in the poorest slums of Bolivia was that joining prayer to work for justice was the answer. "At the heart of the problem of social injustice there is a need of a change of heart of the people themselves ; a conversion to be just and to create new patterns and values in living. Somehow this had to come about through a personal rediscovery of Jesus Christ: going into the neighbourhoods, gathering the people together; preaching Jesus Christ to them and then praying spontaneously with them brought about deep changes in their lives. The seed of Christian community was born..." (Healing, p.22).In the ministry of anointing, the pro -life healer is Jesus Christ who works visibly through His members: the bishops, the priests, the sisters, and all the baptized. The healing starts within each individual with the acceptance of one’s new identity of grace, accepting oneself as a member of a Christian community, and accepting others as the aim of one’s life. It means starting with the healing of the inner heart, blooming where one lives, and then reaching out to others.We cannot have pro -life healing or pro-life peace as a nation as long as we live as if we do not need Jesus. As long as we do not have room for Jesus in our hearts, minds and souls, we will not have healing or peace. As long as the culture of death persists in our society, as long as we do not care properly for the poor, the unborn, the handicapped and the sick, we are saying "no" to divine intervention. We say "no" when we do nothing to stop moral relativism, when we compromise the Gospel, accepting only part of it; when we promote only part of the truth rather than the whole teaching of the Magisterium; when we publicly speak and practise differently from our private stand and are part of the problem and not the solution.Many are concerned with the children of India and Africa where many die of hunger. Many are concerned with the lives lost in the act of terrorism in the U.S. on September 11, 2001. These concerns are good. Many of these same people are not at all concerned with the 55 million unborn aborted children killed by deliberate decisions of their own mothers, or the 250 million innocents killed in the world each year by choosing chemical abortion. Let us not forget those who have been sterilized under the false banner of overpopulation myths or coerced into accepting birth quotas as a condition for receiving financial aid as part of world reproductive planning (i.e. IPPF, UNICEF, World Bank, etc). We will not have pro-life peace in the world as long as we have countries and individuals promoting abortion, contraception, and disobedience to God’s laws."God’s justice and peace cry out to bear fruit in human works of justice and peace, in all spheres of actual life. When Christians make Jesus Christ the centre of our feelings and thoughts, we do not turn away from people and their needs. The poor of the world are your brothers and sisters in Christ. You must never be content to leave them just the crumbs from the feasts. You must take of your substance, in order to help them. and you must treat them like guests at your family table" (Pope John Paul II, homily, Yankee Stadium, NY). ¤Are You a "Single-Issue" Person? 2002, Issue 4 Adapted from "Are You a Single-Issue Person?" - Priests for Life, USA. Begin speaking and acting against abortion, and it won't be long before you’ll be called a "single-issue" person. What the phrase means isn’t exactly clear. Certainly, pro-lifers know that other "issues" besides abortion exist, and pro-lifers everywhere are, in fact, actively involved in addressing a host of other issues. But precisely why do "other issues" exist and what is their importance? Other issues exist because people exist. If there were no people, there would be no issues and nobody to discuss them. Any issue is important because life is important. It all comes down to "life". That’s why abortion is the key issue. Deny that a person has a right to live, and you undercut the importance of every other issue. It is impossible to speak up coherently about any issue impacting human life if you are allowing the life itself to become a disposable item. The fact that abortion is a non-issue for many people is what makes the "single-issue" accusation so misplaced. It adds insult to the injury already inflicted upon the children (a fatal injury) and their mothers. "Why don't you take care of people already born?" we are asked. Our answer is, "Why are you making the distinction in the first place? We speak more often of the preborn precisely because we are trying to undo the unfair distinction made between them and the born. The pre-born have equal rights with the born, and we demand that those rights be respected in the same way". To accuse pro-lifers of not having concern for the born is as unfair as accusing prison chaplains of not having concern for those who are free, or helpers of the blind of not having concern for those who see! Having a universal concern for human rights never excludes a person from having a specific focus on one group of people in need. The preborn, furthermore, are most in need. Is any other group of people killed at the alarming rate of 300 per day in Canada, at set times and places, accompanied by the indifference of so many and by the efforts of others to make it seem so legitimate? These deaths are not accidents; these deaths are "authorized" by the government. Is there really another issue that shows such contempt of life? Yet where is the outcry? Why do those who do cry out get accused of being "single-issue" people? Have we somehow believed the lie that abortion is morally better than killing a seven-year-old? If seven-year-olds were legally killed, would those who spoke up be called "single-issue" people? Because of the prayerful action of many pro-lifers, many children have been saved from abortion. Ask those children who are being saved if abortion is a "single issue". Yes, in the end there is only one issue. That issue is "life". And ultimately, life defended and affirmed is identical with that single issue called love. This information is available for distribution free of charge from Priests for Life Canada. Ask for the pamphlet, "Are You a Single-Issue Person?" ¤ |
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