The Watertown Christmas Parade of Lights, held this past Saturday November 26, had a pro-life float this year! The Watertown Catholic Pro-Life Group, a PLW affiliate, had the below float in the parade. What a great way to spread the pro-life message, in a joyful Christ-centered way.
About two months ago, we received a phone call from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Hales Corners. Bishop Hying was going to be saying Mass for the school at the parish, and the school children wanted to surprise Bishop Hying with a gift to thank him.
Bishop Hying’s pro-life convictions are well-known in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. When he was still rector of the St. Francis de Sales Seminary, Bishop Hying and several seminarians could often be found praying at Affiliated Medical Services on Saturdays. One such Saturday at AMS inspired Bishop Hying to write this.
Over the course of two months, the school children collected more than 500 items to be donated to families, women and babies in need — formula, baby swings, diapers, wipes, and many other items that will make Thanksgiving and Christmas a little easier for those less fortunate. After presenting Bishop Hying with the collection of items, the donations were turned over to Pro-Life Wisconsin to be distributed.
Photo, below, Bishop Hying with St. Mary’s School students [left] and PLW’s Virginia Zignego [right].
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with a young mom who chose life due to the work of sidewalk counselors. Listen to what Mareza has to say in the video, below.
If you have ever prayed or sidewalk counseled at an abortion facility, prayed for an end to abortion, supported pro-life causes, or wondered if all our work is making a difference — this video is for you! Thank you to everyone who gives up free time on Saturdays, stands out in the freezing cold and blazing heat, to those who spend their birthdays sidewalk counseling to bring a message of joy and hope to others.
Thank you to Mareza for having the courage to share her story with the world.
As Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us, keep those who have less in your prayers. And give thanks for all the miracles God allows us to witness!
We would be remiss if we didn’t express our gratitude to Pro-Life Action League for all their work with us on sidewalk counseling.
Assembly Joint Resolution 77, introduced on Thursday, amends the state constitution to strike the word “born” from the line of the constitution declaring that “All people are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The measure also adds the line, “As applied to the right to life, the terms ‘people’ and ‘person’ shall apply to every human being at any stage of development.”
The measure is introduced by Representatives JACQUE, LEMAHIEU, PRIDEMORE, CRAIG, THIESFELDT, WYNN and T. LARSON, cosponsored by Senator GROTHMAN.
A big pro-life thanks to all those who signed on to the bill.
Mother Jones — the pro-abortion, social activist site — has a write-up about Wisconsin’s personhood effort and compiles Rep. Jacque’s pro-life accomplishments into a handy list. The Cap Times editorial board also weighed in on the issue with a statement.
Albert Mohler takes a thought-provoking look at personhood, Mississippi and Harry Blackmun. Definitely worth a read.
We’ve written in the past about the City of Milwaukee’s advertising campaign to combat the infant mortality rate due to unsafe sleeping conditions. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did a follow-up article on the “graphic” ad, which depicts a baby sleeping with a knife.
The article quotes Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett — a pro-abortion Catholic endorsed by Planned Parenthood and NARAL, whom Cecile Richards held three fundraisers for in Wisconsin the summer of 2010. Not surprisingly, pro-life commentary on the ad didn’t make the article.
Barrett states, “We are trying to change behavior in a way I believe will help save babies’ lives.”
Exactly what pro-lifers believe about sidewalk counseling, 40 Days for Life, educational efforts in high schools and colleges, pro-life billboards, and so on. Too bad the Milwaukee Police Department doesn’t feel the same way, as we found out when they turned a blind eye to a preteen girl held against her will at a Milwaukee abortion facility.
40 Days for Life was observed in seven locations in Wisconsin; five of those locations are surgical abortion facilities. 40 Days for Life of Milwaukee had 25 saves just over the course of those 40 Days, and Bishop Morlino led a prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood in Madison. A greater number of youth are a voice for life, in their schools and communities, with their peers, taking an active stand by praying and sidewalk counseling. The national 40 Days for Life reports more than 500 lives were saved just over this fall campaign.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, in its own annual report, admitted to performing 612 less abortions in 2010 than 2009. Overall, abortions in Wisconsin declined in 2010. The total number of abortions in Wisconsin in 2010 was 7,825, down from 8,542 in 2009.
American Life League’s STOPP report provides a look at the impact of peaceful, prayerful vigils at chemical and surgical abortion facilities around the country:
Some amazing numbers have emerged over the past four years as a result of the growing emphasis on protesting at Planned Parenthood:
— At the end of 2007, Planned Parenthood operated a total of 855 clinics across the country and there were 122 regularly scheduled protests at 103 different locations in 34 states. Thus, there was a regularly scheduled protest at one out of every eight (8.3) Planned Parenthood locations.
— As of today, Planned Parenthood operates 756 clinics across the country and there are 292 regularly scheduled protests at 214 different locations in 42 states. There is now a regularly scheduled protest at one out of every four (3.5) Planned Parenthood locations.
The correlation between the increase in protests and the decline in Planned Parenthood facilities is not coincidental. As people take to the streets to inform the community in a peaceful, prayerful way that something is deadly wrong at Planned Parenthood, the abortion giant suddenly has to justify its existence and defend its position in the community — a position that is untenable and indefensible.
Your prayers, sidewalk counseling, support and pro-life efforts are making a difference! Thank you all!
We’ve taken issue with the City of Milwaukee’s advertising campaigns in the past (the fairy-tale princess ad campaign targeting statutory rape was, well, odd, as best).
In an effort to combat the high rate of infant mortality due to unsafe sleeping conditions, the City of Milwaukee Health Department has undertaken another educational campaign. Ad, below, will be plastered on bus shelters all over the city.
Just about EVERY advertising campaign pro-lifers undertake is labeled as racist/misogynistic/misinformed etc by pro-aborts. And black babies ARE in danger. Considering recent events with the City of Milwaukee, the timing of this ad campaign couldn’t be more ironic. If this baby was still in the womb, he/she could be dismembered by the very same knife with zero consequences. And an abortion facility would make money off the death.
If the abortion was performed on a pregnant minor, the City of Milwaukee doesn’t care about that, either, since enforcing coerced abortion laws isn’t a concern.
Before you drop your hard-earned change in the Salvation Army’s red kettles, or volunteer to ring the bell for the Salvation Army, make sure you know what you are supporting.
The Salvation Army devotes a portion of their website to their positions on various social issues, such as human trafficking, euthanasia and abortion. You can find their position statement page here.
On the issue of abortion: “The Salvation Army recognizes tragic and perplexing circumstances that require difficult decisions regarding a pregnancy. Such decisions should be made only after prayerful and thoughtful consideration, with appropriate involvement of the woman’s family and pastoral, medical and other counsel. A woman in these circumstances needs acceptance, love and compassion.”
While that statement may sound understanding and accepting, it is a far cry from the simple position of, “Our organization opposes all abortions, because we believe each human life is sacred and valued before God.” The Salvation Army’s posted statement is, unfortunately, a fancy way of supporting, at the very least, abortions in the exceptions cases – rape, incest, life of the mother and fetal deformity. Click here to read why abortion is never the answer.
Research done by Life Decisions International [LDI] sheds more light on the subject. LDI has posted an interview from Der Bund, a Swiss newspaper, conducted with Salvation Army General Shaw Clifton (the General directs Salvation Army operations throughout the world).
Discussing birth control and sterilization, “The Salvation Army encourages the use of birth control methods that are contraceptive… The Salvation Army does not oppose sterilization as a means of contraception. However, because it is generally irreversible in nature, such a procedure should be undertaken only after full consideration is given to spiritual, moral and practical ramifications.” The full text of LDI’s article on the Salvation Army can be read here (page 8).
In addition, Human Life International has an excellent article about the Salvation Army, UNICEF and other “good” causes that don’t always promote good. Click here to read.
This evening, Milwaukee radio talk show host Mark Belling discussed the situation of the young girl held at Affiliated Medical Services last week against her will [Part 1 here and Part 2 here].
Belling obtained the audio of the phone call that Dan Miller (head of 40 Days for Life of Milwaukee and a witness) made to the Milwaukee Police Department, asking for police to investigate.
Listen to the audio of the MPD call here. You can hear the dispatcher berating Miller, supporting a mother’s “right” to force her daughter into the abortion facility, and completely ignoring the sexual abuse that occurred, resulting in the alleged pregnancy.
As Belling pointed out on his show, dispatchers are not supposed to judge the right or wrong of a situation; that’s what police officers are for.
Anne Schwartz, public relations manager for the Milwaukee Police Department, told Belling the MPD supported the decision the dispatcher made to ignore the volatile situation and not send out an officer.
Pro-lifers’ relationship with the MPD is somewhat precarious, given the arrest of James Marcou earlier this year and the ongoing federal lawsuit against the MPD
The people of Mississippi will go to the polls tomorrow to vote on Amendment 26, an amendment to the Mississippi Constitution that will recognize every human being, from conception, as a legal person. The proposed one-sentence state constitutional amendment, Initiative Measure Number 26, reads, “The term ‘person’ or ‘persons’ shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.” Click here for more information on the Yes on 26 campaign.
Personhood USA reported on Thursday night that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour voted “Yes” on Amendment 26 by absentee ballot. The Governor made the announcement at a rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate, and Yes on 26 campaign Co-chair, Lt. Governor Phil Bryant. “I think all in all, I know I believe life begins at conception. So I think the right thing to do was to vote for it,” said Barbour.
Pro-Life Wisconsin is excited about this courageous effort, and we pray for pro-life Mississippians as they vote for life tomorrow.
Click here for a recent op-ed in support of personhood written by Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life.