Michael Dubriel's Last Column

Like I wrote in my comment to his wife Amy Welborn, it was very unselfish of her that in her grief, she would share his column with her readers. It is truly poignant and touching. Please read it.

The Last Column

The HEART of the Matter Presidential Pro Life Craft Project

Shared by Cindy S. vs. Seton Yahoogroup

With Valentines approaching, this gets to the heart of the matter.

I received this idea from the Seton Yahoogroup.

By +JMJ+

Get a red envelope. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

On the back of the envelope, write the following message.


This envelope represents one child who died in abortion.
It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world.
Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a chance to live. Maybe it will change the heart of the president?

Another woman wrote, "Good idea but if you get the flimsy envelope then it will not work and it will jam the Post Office's Automated Machines." She suggested putting a blank white poster card or card stock in the envelope.

MY IDEAS -(Sorry for the confusion but these are Cindy S.' ideas)

If you don't have red envelopes, let your littlests [sic] color or paint white envelopes red so they can be involved. The potential of a child......

Another idea for inside the card is a white card stock note saying....

OPEN your heart to the lives of your unborn CITIZENS. Be a President to ALL Americans!

Put in a bunch of prayer cards while you're at it! :) PASS IT ON.

Blessed Damien and Blessed Mother Marianne Cope: Please Intercede for the State of Hawaii

From the Hawaii Family Forum

Civil Unions –Same Sex Marriage by Another Name
HB 444 HD1

The civil unions bill, HB 444 HD1, was heard in the House Judiciary committee on February 5, 2009. The hearing was overwhelmingly packed by supporters. One estimate is that it was 10-1 in favor. The final vote of the House Judiciary Committee were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Karamatsu, Ito, Belatti, Cabanilla, Herkes, Luke, Morita, B. Oshiro, Souki, Tsuji, Marumoto, Thielen; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Carroll, McKelvey, Mizuno, Wakai.

If passed, HB444 HD1, extends the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union. (Marriage by another name). One testifier openly admitted that this is a step to same-sex marriage. The bill will move to the full House for a vote. ACTION: Now is the time to contact your own representative and let them know that you do not support civil unions. As we reported in an earlier e-alert, the bill is highly anticipated to pass the House. Your calls and emails are very important.

Abstinence Education & Title V Funding
HB 329 HD1 / HB 330 HD1

These problematic bills are aimed directly at Catholic Charities “Try Wait” program. Both bills were heard in the House Health Committee on January 30, 2009.
HB 329 requires the State to reject all Title V federal funding for mandated abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. The final vote in the House Health Committee were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamane, Nishimoto, Bertram, Brower, Mizuno, Shimabukuro; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Finnegan; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Carroll.

HB 330 requires any recipient of state funding specifically for sexuality health education programs to provide comprehensive medically accurate sexuality education. The final votes in committee were as follows: Ayes: Representative(s) Yamane, Nishimoto, Bertram, Brower, Mizuno, Shimabukuro; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Finnegan; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Carroll.
Both bills now move the House Education committee.

Emergency Contraceptives
HB 423 HD1

HB 423 requires hospitals to provide information about emergency contraception to women who are sexually assaulted and to provide emergency contraception when requested and provides for administrative penalties for noncompliance. The bill originally would have forced Hawaii Medical Centers (HMC) (located on property owned by St. Francis) to administer the morning after pill, which can act as an abortificiant. We are grateful to the House Health Committee who added language to grant HMC a religious exemption. We have to watch the bill closely because it now moves to the House Judiciary Committee and the language could be removed. We will keep you posted.

Physician-Assisted Suicide

There still have been no hearings on the proposals to legalize physician assisted suicide. It is coming, so PLEASE BE PREPARED on short notice to make calls and send in testimony. A public hearing could be scheduled at any time. We will keep you posted.

To see all bills being tracked by HFF/HCC, and to read our testimony, click here.

Hundreds Attend Global Warning Protest

Thanks to Murph for sharing!

Fine Art Friday - Pietro Vannucci "Perugino"

Madonna and Child With Saints

Jesus' Resurrection
The Archangel St. Michael

Jesus Giving Keys to Peter
15th Century, Sistine Chapel
St. Sebastian 1495 Louvre Museum, Paris
The Combat Between Love and Chastity
1503-1505

St. Augustine
Saint Mary Magadalene c 1500
Self Portrait - detail from the Sistine Chapel crowd scene

Pietro Perugino (1446–1524) was the leading painter of the Umbrian school, who developed some of the qualities that found classic expression in the High Renaissance.

Source

There are so many more beautiful works by Perugino. These are the ones I chose for this week's FAF.

So I Paid for this Blasphemy Against the Holy Eucharist, heh?

Patrick Madrid's Oh and Did you Know You Paid for that Blasphemy of the Eucharist

It's reports like the one above that makes me happy I did not miss Mass this morning. I was so tired and so tempted to sleep in but we have to give continual thanks to God for the Holy Eucharist.

For those of you Who Haven't Signed the Letter in Support Pope Benedict XVI

Support Pope Benedict XVI Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.
Requiem Mozart KV 626, "Dies Irae" Part 4
Conducted by Leonard Bernstein.
Choir of Bayerischen Rundfunks

Sign the support letter here: Suotien a Benoit XVI

Beating the Winter Blues

I know someone very near and dear to me who suffers from this every winter. My suggestions of coming to Hawaii go unheeded so this is the next best thing. I hope these tips offers work.

Beat the Winter Blues

1. Be spontaneous. Change your schedule. Cancel a same ole’ same ole’ family activity and schedule a fun one in its place. Go bowling, to a museum, to Grandma’s house, anything fun and completely unplanned!

2. Relax the rules. No eating in the living room? Spread out a blanket for a picnic lunch. No sweets on weekdays? Dish up some ice cream. And now is the perfect time to pull out the noisy toys you hid after Christmas (you can hide them again later).

3. Go outside. Even if it’s cold, getting outdoors for 30 minutes or so can change your perspective and refresh your soul. Take a walk, build a snowman, or just breathe in the fresh air and relish the quiet of “outside.” Small bodies need to expend energy. Better to have them do it in a snow bank (even if it means taking 20 minutes to get dressed) than in your living room.

4. Get cooking. Kids love to “help” in the kitchen and making a meal, baking bread, or preparing a dessert can be a fun diversion for the whole family. Accept from the start that you will make a beautiful mess and then pull out the ingredients and call the kids in to help.

5. Learn something new. Teaching yourself and your kids a new skill can open your minds to new worlds, even if you are stuck in the house. Learn a foreign language, try out yoga, research your family tree, learn to knit, study architecture ... Get your brain juices flowing!

40 Days for Life Honolulu

If you haven't signed up yet, you can do so now at:

40 Days for Life Honolulu

This spring, from February 25 - April 5, Honolulu will join 125 cities around the world for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history -- the 40 Days for Life campaign. 40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life effort that consists of:

*40 days of prayer and fasting
*40 days of peaceful vigil
*40 days of public outreach

We are praying that, with God's help, this groundbreaking effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in Hawai'i--and around the world.

Take a stand for life

While all aspects of 40 Days for Life are crucial in our effort to end abortion, the most visible component is the peaceful, public prayer vigil. You can help make a life-saving impact by joining our local vigil at:

Planned Parenthood of Hawai'i
1350 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96814

The building is on the mauka side of King, 1/2 block 'ewa of Ke'eaumoku. We pray on the sidewalk in front of the building.

Sign up to participate in the 40 Days for Life Honolulu public prayer vigil by clicking here. Groups are encouraged to sign up as well. Please contact our prayer vigil coordinator, Mary, to register your group at marytom100@gmail.com or 389-2784.

Contact us

To learn more or let us know how you feel called to serve God in this effort, please contact 40 Days for Life Honolulu:

Isaiah, Campaign Director, 383-5137

Karen, Communications Coordinator, FortyDaysHonolulu@Juno.com

Scheduled Events:

Feb 24, 2009
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Spring Campaign Kick-off Rally and Candlelight Vigil
Gather at the Hawai'i State Capitol Rotunda for the spring campaign kick-off rally for 40 Days for Life Honolulu. The rally will include a candlelight vigil and prayer stations as we proceed around the Capitol block in a visual public display for LIFE.

Feb 25, 2009 - Apr 5, 2009
STARTS: 6:00 AM ENDS: 7:00 PM
40 Days for Life Honolulu Spring Campaign
Calling all prayer warriors and volunteers! To join this lifesaving effort, contact us at FortyDaysHonolulu@Juno.com

Feb 27, 2009 - Apr 3, 2009
STARTS: 6:00 PM ENDS: 7:00 PM
Stations of the Cross
Fr. Bill Xenos will lead a commemoration of the Stations of the Cross in front of Planned Parenthood each Friday evening throughout the 40-day campaign.

Mar 17, 2009
5:45 PM - 7:00 PM
40 Days for Life Honolulu Midpoint Pep Rally
Join us for prayer and a banner procession outside a leading abortion provider among hospitals in our state, Kapiolani Women & Children's Hospital, 1319 Punahou St., Honolulu.

Apr 5, 2009
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Liturgy for the Pre-born with Holy Communion
Fr. Bill Xenos of Church of the Risen Lord CEC will offer the Liturgy of the Preborn on Day 40 of the campaign on the sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood.

Apr 5, 2009
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Victory Celebration
Location to be announced

Georg Ratzinger slams Angela Merkel over Criticism

H/T Fr. Z

Georg Ratzinger has defended his brother Pope Benedict XVI over his decision to rehabilitate Bishop Williamson, a Holocaust denier, into the Catholic Church - and slammed Angela Merkel for her criticism.

Article

Hooray for Monsignor Ratzinger for defending his younger brother. It takes a lot for me to feel outrage and anger but this unprovoked and evil attack on Pope Benedict XVI by certain politicians, liberals, main stream media who have their own agenda in mind, has really done it.

Please join me in offering up more prayers and sacrifices for our dear Holy Father. He does not deserve these vicious attacks.

Speak Out Illinois

Here's a report from Faith and Country who actually met Fr. Eunteneuer! Lucky her!

RIP Michael Dubriel

As most of you may already know, Amy Welborn's husband died unexpectedly today.

You can leave your condolences or offer your prayers at Father Z's blog since Amy has closed her comment box.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may Your perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Support the Pope!

I say it is time for all loyal Catholics, whether you like the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form, Latin or Vernacular, Oriental or Roman Rite, to stand up and be counted. UBI PETRUS IBI ECCLESIA. WE STAND WITH PETER. The sad reality is that the far left and far right have something in common: their dislike and disobedience for the Holy Father. And they say politics makes stange bedfellows.

Fr. Trigilio

You can sign the letter supporting Pope Benedict XVI here

New Site - LOLSaints!

LOLSaints is tailored after everyone's favorite cat LOL site. All of the pictures were funny, but I thought I'd share this one with you.



Oops, I almost forgot the hat tip to Jeff

St. Gertrude's Prayer for the Holy Soul in Song

H/T Sue

This is a beautiful prayer and should be prayed many times during the day.

Humor Breaks - When it Rains it Pours

Q: Who was the wealthiest male financial planner in the Bible?

A: Noah. He was floating his stock while everybody else was in liquidation.

Shared by Bob.