Tag: respect life

Unraveling the Roots of Men’s Trauma – Post Conference reflection and looking ahead

Posted on by Bob Reddy

By Nathan Misirian, Special to the Florida Catholic
Whether you are new or have been active since the start of the Pro-Life movement, it is common to see women as leaders, facilitators, counselors, and participants in healing. Looking more broadly at our culture, the predominant conversation in the media and in politics is that “abortion is a women’s issue.”

However, at the beginning of 2021, the leadership team of Support After Abortion had the vision to reach men who are hurting after abortion. Through two national, consumer research studies that represent the U.S. demographics, men impacted by abortion confidentially completed statistically valid surveys.  It was found that, in fact, men are hurting from abortion and have been stuffing or ignoring their hurt for years. Men shared that:

  • 71% of men said they were adversely impacted by abortion
  • 44% of men shared they did not have a voice in the abortion decision
  • 90% of men did not know where to go for healing after abortion

The Men’s Conference

So, with more than 22 million men having been impacted by abortion in the U.S. and 90% do not know where to turn to heal, Support After Abortion planned and launched the virtual Unraveling the Roots of Men’s Trauma Conference on Oct. 16, 2021.

Enlightened by the consumer research, Support After Abortion invested hours of first-hand interviews with men and clinicians to design and deliver a conference both to teach leaders how to reach men and provide an avenue for men to start their healing process.

Support After Abortion also launched a weekly podcast teaching and exploring how to help men heal from trauma with more than 250 downloads a month.

There were more than 700 people who attended the virtual Conference and 50% were men, a 40% increase in male participants compared to the previous online, live conferences. All the speakers were live and their Ted-talk-style videos are available for free online.

For the Men’s Conference, Support After Abortion worked closely with ecumenical partners to share and promote the message of hope and healing to clergy and leaders.

With an entire day’s worth of new content and insights on helping men heal, some of the most engaging aspects of the conference were the live Q&A between the speakers and the participants. Illustrating the pent-up demand for abortion healing, within the conference’s first hour, participants, both men and women, were sharing their abortion story – most for the first time!  It was heart-moving to watch Conference leaders listen and share compassionately that those impacted by abortion do not have to bear shame or hide any longer. Other participants reached out confidentially through Support After Abortion’s HopeLine (844-289-HOPE) to start their healing process.

Looking Ahead for Men Healing After Abortion

With more than 6,000 views from over 20 countries of the healing content from the one-day conference, Support After Abortion is dynamically leading the charge to sponsor and advocate for more healing programs to be implemented throughout the US and the world.

Lisa Rowe, LCSW and Nathan Misirian, Conference Producer, led a series of train-the-trainer events for leaders based on the Support After Abortion curriculum called Unraveled Roots and Keys to Hope and Healing – a collaborative project with Word Among Us. Leaders not only are introduced to the curriculum, learn and watch how to facilitate but they also join in and experience the dynamics of a healing group for men.

Support After Abortion’s vision remains focused on healing those impacted by abortion, especially men who are seeking but can’t find abortion healing programs. The focus in 2022 is to train more leaders on both curricula and facilitating skills to plan and implement healing groups for men worldwide. To learn more, please reach out to www.supportafterabortion.com.

Novena to Christ the King begins today

Posted on by Bob Reddy

For the nine days leading up to the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is suggesting that the faithful pray a novena to Christ the King.

“Let us offer our prayers to Christ the King for the freedom of the Church,” the USCCB urges. Religious freedom allows the Church, and all religious communities, to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all.

The novena begins Nov. 12, 2021 and concludes on the eve of the Solemnity, Nov. 20. To participate in the novena visit www.dioceseofvenice.org.

The idea behind the novena is that religious freedom is under attack in many places. Worldwide, it is estimated that upwards of 4 billion people (51% of the global population) live in countries that have intense violations of religious freedom.

Domestically, a major area of concern continues to be freedom for Catholic institutions, such as schools, hospitals, and child welfare service providers, to carry out their missions free from government intervention

If anyone wonders why Religious Freedom needs to be defended in the U.S., they need look no further than the frequent headlines about religious institutions being forced to pay for abortions in health care coverage, going against the teachings of the faith in defense of life from conception to natural death. Individuals have faced lawsuits for refusing to perform a service (bake a wedding cake, host an event) for same-sex couples because that violates their personally held faith-based beliefs.

Religious freedom is a human right, essential to the dignity of the human person and the flourishing of all that is noble in us. It should be noted that religious freedom does not exist to protect the government from religion, but religion from government intervention.

Another form of suppressing religious freedom is the disturbing trend in the past 18 months of overt acts of vandalism at Catholic sites globally and in the U.S. Since May 2020, the USCCB stated that more than 100 incidents of vandalism have been reported, including within the Diocese of Venice.

On Oct. 10, 2021, the USCCB responded to the latest such incident in Denver, Colorado, when satanic and other hateful graffiti was scrawled on the walls before Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

In a statement from the USCCB condemning the incident in Denver, it was noted in part: “These incidents of vandalism have ranged from the tragic to the obscene, from the transparent to the inexplicable. There remains much we do not know about this phenomenon, but at a minimum, they underscore that our society is in sore need of God’s grace… where the motive was retribution for some past fault of ours, we must reconcile; where misunderstanding of our teachings has caused anger toward us, we must offer clarity; but this destruction must stop. This is not the way… These are not mere property crimes – this is the degradation of visible representations of our Catholic faith. These are acts of hate.”

The Solemnity of Christ the King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in his 1925 encyclical Quas primas (In the first), setting aside a special day so that “the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to be spread among all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy as King and Lord, and as King of Kings” [Quas primas 12].

Celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, this year the Solemnity is Nov. 21. The USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty has urged “that the Solemnity of Christ the King – a feast born out of resistance to totalitarian incursions against religious liberty – be a day specifically employed by bishops and priests to preach about religious liberty, both here and abroad.”

“For Christians, when our faith is repeatedly marginalized in public life, we can fall into the habit of compartmentalizing our lives,” the USCCB website states in its article “About Christ the King.” “We love Jesus in our private lives, but we shrink from acknowledging the kingship of Christ in social life. When we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we declare to the world and remind ourselves that Jesus is the Lord of the Church and of the entire universe.”

Once again, if you wish to participate in the novena to the Christ the King, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org.

News Briefs for the Week of November 1, 2021

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Rite of Candidacy for two seminarians

William Patrick Long and T. Gregory Dougherty received Candidacy for the Orders of Diaconate and Priesthood at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts on Oct. 27, 2021. Most Rev. Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of the Military Service USA, presided over the Rite for nine seminarians including Long and Dougherty. During the Rite, each man publicly expressed his intention to embrace the formation process for Holy Orders and stated his resolve to fully invest himself to that end. The men will continue in their studies to become Catholic priests.

40 Days for Life ends with Jericho walk

The fall 40 Days for Life prayer campaign to end abortion in the United States came to an end on Oct. 30, 2021 with a symbolic Jericho Walk in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in downtown Sarasota. The Sarasota walk has concluded with the evening walk at sunset for the past several years as supporters gather walk silently around the building until sunset. The evening included prayers and encouragement that the battle for life does not end but continues until all unborn children are saved. The 40 Days for Life fall campaign evening walk started Sept. 22and local local vigils took place in Sarasota and Fort Myers joining similar prayer vigils at cities around the world.

Catholic Medical Association Guild board meets with Bishop

Leadership of the Southwest Florida Guild of the Catholic Medical Association met with Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Oct. 28, 2021 at the Catholic Center in Venice. The leadership provided Bishop Dewane with their annual report on their latest activities.

Cathedral Concert Series resumes

The Epiphany Cathedral Concert Series returned Oct. 28, 2021 with a presentation from the Mirage Piano Trio, with works by Debussy, Bach and Mendelssohn. The next offering is in the planning stages. To learn more call 941-484-3505 or visit www.epiphanycathedral.org/about/events/.

Students visit college to learn about panthers

After completing a section of their science class about the Florida panther, fourth grade students from St. Ann Catholic School in Naples took a field trip to visit the Panther Posse at Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero. There the students learned from wildlife experts about the big cats who are native to the area and are an endangered species because of human interaction and encroachment into their habitat. They learned how important they panther is to the delicate balance of nature throughout south Florida.

Students learn how to handle flag from veterans

Eighth-grade students at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples took part in flag training on Oct. 26, 2021. Members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post showed the students how to handle the American Flag from unfolding it, raising on a flagpole, and then properly folding it afterwards. As school leaders it is important for the eight graders to know the proper procedure for handling the flag and to learn from experts, military veterans.

Freshmen retreat held in Sarasota

The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Senior Peer Ministry class hosted the freshmen retreat “Made in God’s Image” on Oct. 26, 2021 in Sarasota. It was a wonderful day of prayer and bonding with classmates.

Students monitor the weather

Second grade students at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring took on the task of building rain gauges using limited resources and materials on Oct. 28, 2021. The gauges use a basic design using the bottom of a 2-litter plastic bottle to monitor the rain and temperature. This is part on an ongoing STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum at the school for students of all ages.

Pregnancy Solutions celebrates new location

Posted on by Bob Reddy

With a new location near the Murdock area of Port Charlotte, Pregnancy Solutions has a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to moms and dads experiencing unexpected, unplanned, or even is some cases, unwanted pregnancies.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane took part in an Open House on Oct. 13, 2021 and said a blessing for the continued success of Pregnancy Solutions in their new location at 950 Tamiami Trail, Suite 105. The Port Charlotte previous location was across from an abortion doctor’s office which closed during the summer. The other locations are in Venice and North Port.

“It is great to be with so many like-minded people,” Bishop Dewane said during the Open House. “Bless this center, and all those who walk in. Bless the lives it will contribute to, both the giving of new life, but also for those who need to be restored in spirit and body.”

Jaqueline Zdrojowy, Executive Director of Pregnancy Solutions, welcomed the Bishop, as well as members of the advisory board and other honored guests representing several Diocesan Parishes, the Knights of Columbus and Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

Pregnancy Solutions is the only Pro-Life pregnancy center in Charlotte County after merging with Pregnancy Careline Center earlier in 2021. Zdrojowy explained how Pregnancy Solutions started operation 20 years ago in 2001 with the help of Sister Mary Judith Delaney, SHCJ, who served at Sacred Heart Parish in Punta Gorda, and in the first year they saw no clients.

Compare that to the first 10 weeks at the new location which included 196 individual visits, including 84 ultrasounds, 99 pregnancy tests and much more, Zdrojowy continued. Other services include offering pregnancy options, adoption referrals, material support, parenting classes, support for men, and after abortion support.

The most encouraging statistic Zdrojowy shared was 72, the number of women who have had a change of heart from being abortion determined to choosing life and carrying their child to term. This has occurred since the start of the year through all of its three locations.

“We are just so excited to partner with you,” Zdrojowy said of the groups which previously supported Pregnancy Careline Center. “You are truly an extension of the local Church and the local Church is the hope of the world. We believe we cannot do what we do without the support of the local Church.”

At Pregnancy Solutions, you do not need insurance to receive the free services which includes ultrasound and pregnancy tests. Free diapers, baby formula, and baby clothes are available for moms and dads who participate in the program classes. All that is needed is a photo ID during the first appointment.

Pregnancy Solutions

Locations:

  • 504 E. Venice Ave., Venice 34285,
  • 950 Tamiami Trail, Suite 105, Port Charlotte 33953,
  • 4500 S. Biscayne Drive, Suite G, North Port 34287.

Website: www.pregnancysolutions.org

Phone for all locations: 941-408-7100

Wish list

Diapers all sizes (newborn to Size 3 is greatest need)

Baby clothes – boys and girls (3T boys greatest need)

2021 Pregnancy Solutions Banquet – The 19th Annual Fundraising Banquet for Pregnancy Solutions of Port Charlotte, the only a pro-life pregnancy center in Charlotte County, is from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 2, at Isles Yacht Club, 1780 West Marion Avenue, in Punta Gorda. The meal is complimentary; an opportunity to make a financial gift will be extended. Visit www.pregnancysolutions.org for details or to donate if you are unable to attend, or call 941-408-7100.

 

Men Need Healing After Abortion

Posted on by Bob Reddy

By Nathan Misiran, COO of Support After Abortion, Special to the Florida Catholic

Unsurprisingly, 80 percent of people who seek counseling are females. Greg Hasek, a licensed counselor with more than 20 years of experience, lightly shares that the 20 percent of men who go to counseling are being dragged in by their wives. Most men will tell you that counseling is the very last thing they want to do with their time and will only go if they are in a most precarious situation, usually when their own lives or marriages are hanging in the balance.

Those are the situations that Greg Hasek specializes in, most specifically in situations where men are dealing with addictions, past trauma or PTSD. But Hasek has another specialization: how abortion affects men and those roots run deep. Almost always, men aren’t coming to him for help with the aftermath of abortion. They are seeking him out because of an addiction that has nearly destroyed their lives.

From a counselor’s perspective, finding men who have been harmed by an abortion decision is no easy task. They are not walking into pregnancy centers asking for help. They are not walking into the offices of mental health professionals asking for help to overcome their intense feelings about the abortion, but these men exist in droves.

Think about it: there are nearly one million abortions that happen in the United States alone every year. Even if only a small percentage of the fathers are suffering negative effects from the abortion, that is still a large number.

What does abortion have to do with addictions? They are sometimes a root cause, or they have made the addiction or behavior infinitely worse as the man tries to numb the pain of the abortion decision.

There are many reasons why men won’t seek counseling, much less deal with the pain from an abortion. The two biggest ones, according to Hasek are these:

  1. Our culture hardly ever validates men for the trauma they’ve experienced. The exception would be for war-related PTSD and trauma. But abortion trauma? Not a chance. Men shouldn’t hurt from abortion, our culture says, it’s a woman’s issue.
  2. Men have been conditioned since an early age to suppress feelings and not show emotion. Crying is out of the question. Showing weakness is frowned upon. This doesn’t mean the feelings aren’t there; it just means that men have had to find other outlets, including unhealthy ones, to release pent up emotions.

As a licensed clinician, Greg helps men heal from not only their addictions and unhealthy behaviors and PTSD, but also from the trauma caused by the abortion experience.

Remember that rock thrown into the calm lake? When a man experiences trauma from an abortion, the effects are felt far beyond his own life. His detachment from his partner and his children is very real and very powerful. When his partner was inside the abortion clinic, he felt a double hit to his natural instinct to protect her and to protect his child, that fight response. When he looks at her, he feels like he let her down. He feels like he let his child down. Those failures may predispose him to delve deeper into his addictions, no matter what they may be, and drive him away from his partner and family.

The good news is that there are resources for men hurting from abortion. They need not suffer alone. Support After Abortion is hosting experts like Greg Hasek at their “Unraveling the Roots of Men’s Trauma” free online men’s conference on October 16, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register now at www.MenHealingFromTrauma.com. Those who participate in the live presentation can ask questions of the presenters.

Have another commitment that day? Register now and have access to the videos later. Many additional videos of Greg Hasek and others are already available at www.SupportAfterAbortion.com.

Prayer warriors bring hope, love for LIFE

Posted on by Bob Reddy

As Mary Hackett slowly paced back and forth in front of an abortion facility in Sarasota on Sept. 22, 2021, her prayer was that somehow, she would be a symbol of love and hope and change the mind of all who are considering an abortion.

“I came out here so that young mothers choose life,” Hackett said. “I can only do that through prayer and the hope that the Lord will change her mind with an outpouring of love for that innocent unborn child.”

This is just one person who is standing as a witness for life during the ongoing 40 Days for Life peaceful prayer campaign which began Sept. 22 in Sarasota, Fort Myers and more than 1,000 other cities worldwide and will continue through Oct. 31.

Brian Harkins, a member of the Knights of Columbus from St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, spoke during an opening prayer service in Sarasota, proclaiming that the prayer warriors are not alone. “We are here to bond and for solidarity; to join others around the world in praying for the unborn; and to pray that the Lord changes hearts and provides healing to people who are going into (all abortion facilities). Your presence here is a sign of great hope.”

Harkins, who was speaking on behalf of Rich Owens, the 40 Days for Life Campaign Director in Sarasota, who was unable to be present, said that everyone must realize that the Pro-Life movement is in a spiritual battle between good and evil.

This battle comes at a time when laws on both ends of spectrum, in favor of life and against life, are being enacted or challenged. The most notable is the Texas “Heartbeat Law,” which is being considered in Florida. Other states, such as New York have passed legislation which allows abortions until the moment of birth. Another law under contention is from Mississippi and will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in December.

Appropriately, the Sarasota campaign began in the parking lot of the offices of Community Pregnancy Clinics Inc. (CPCI), a Pro-Life clinic that provides free prenatal services for women, which sits in the shadow of the Planned Parenthood regional headquarters on Central Avenue near downtown Sarasota. Among the crowd at the beginning of the 40 Days campaign was a newborn, saved through the intervention of Community Pregnancy Clinics.

About 50 people of different faiths gathered for the opening prayer service and during the coming weeks they committed to being a voice for the voiceless on the front lines in front of Planned Parenthood.

Since going national in 2007, 40 Days for Life has carried out more than 6,000 campaigns in 64 countries and “saved 19,322 lives, contributed to the closing of 114 abortion centers and helped 222 workers quit the abortion industry.

Pope Francis spoke about abortion on Sept. 27, 2021 in an address to members of the Pontifical Academy for Life when he said, “There is the discarding of children that we do not want to welcome with the law of abortion that sends them to the dispatcher and kills them directly. And today this has become a ‘normal’ method, a practice that is very ugly. It is really murder.”

The Holy Father said that to understand what abortion is, it helps to pose two questions. “Is it right to eliminate, to take a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? That’s what abortion is.”

The speech marked the second time this month that Pope Francis has spoken out strongly about abortion. On his return flight from Slovakia on Sept. 15, the Holy Father repeatedly said that “abortion is murder” and compared the acceptance of abortion to “accepting daily murder.”

Meanwhile, the 40 Days for Life fall campaign in Fort Myers also got started in front of a Planned Parenthood facility at 6418 Commerce Park Drive, with a Vigil prayer service on Sept. 21.

A separate prayer service, in front of an abortion doctor’s office in Port Charlotte, was held Sept. 23. This doctor has announced his retirement, but it is unclear whether abortions will continue to take place in Port Charlotte, so a few dozen prayer warriors held a peaceful prayer vigil.

Participants in the 40 Days for Life campaign will be joining other like-minded individuals. Some commit to taking part for a few minutes, an hour, or all day as they stand in the public right-of-way. Appropriate signs will be provided at both sites but are not needed to stand and pray. Check with your Parish to learn what hours they have committed to 40 Days for Life, as many often commit to several days of prayer on the front lines.

Those interested in taking part in a local prayer vigil are encouraged to sign up in advance at www.40daysforlife.com (search for Fort Myers or Sarasota). While registration is encouraged, all are welcome to come for any amount of time they can to help save a life.

Catholic News Service contributed to this report.

40 Days for Life Sept. 23-Nov. 1

Sarasota campaign details

When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily,

Where: 736 Central Ave.;

Contact: Rich 40DFLSarasota@gmail.com

Fort Myers campaign details

When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily;

Where: 6418 Commerce Park Drive;

Contact: Paula and Rick at 40DaysforLifeFM@gmail.com

Reclaiming Lost Fatherhood – A Man’s Story of Abortion Loss and Recovery with Gregory Mayo

Posted on by Bob Reddy

By Nathan Misiran, COO of Support After Abortion, Special to the Florida Catholic

Greg Mayo experienced an enormous amount of trauma by the age of 22. He suffered abandonment by his father at a young age, and then verbal and physical abuse from his stepfather, Greg had also been personally impacted by two abortion decisions. Feeling alone and not being able to trust anyone, Greg started to run from the pain of abuse and abortion. He recalls, “I began running away from the pain, running away from the abortion issue. I felt like I did not have a voice and like I did not have anyone to talk to.”

While others saw a charming, funny, life of the party, inside Greg was depressed, lost and scared. This feeling of isolation began to impact not only his mental health, but also his relationships as well. After years of running from the pain and shame after abuse and abortion Greg knew he needed help, but did not know where to start or where to go to find healing.

At the age of 18, Greg and his girlfriend found out they were pregnant. He did not agree with or support the abortion decision, but it happened, and sent him down a path of pain and confusion. He recalls, “one side tells you it is not a baby, which discredits the grief and sadness your feeling. The other side tells you, you are a horrible person, which brings pain and shame.” It was this pain, shame and confusion that caused Greg to engage in destructive behaviors. The unhealed trauma of abuse and abortion caused Greg to get stuck in the same cycle of bad decisions, that led to his second abortion experience at the age of 22.

The lack of trust from his unresolved childhood issues and the shame of his abortions began to impact Greg’s relationship and increase his feeling of isolation. Before meeting his wife, he noticed that when he started to get close to someone he would find fault in them, and create a reason to leave. He recalls, “I moved from place to place and relationship to relationship to constantly reinvent myself, so that no one could ever really get to know me.”

Greg eventually did meet and marry his wife but the pain of his abortion also had a direct impact on the relationship with his children. Greg became aware of his over nurturing and overprotective parenting style, that he developed as he puts it, “to make up for not being able to protect my unborn children.”

Greg began attending church and his Pastor encouraged him to learn from “hard times.“ This led to Greg sharing that he had two abortions in a men’s small group. To Greg’s surprise other men had been impacted by abortion as well, and in that moment it was affirmed for Greg, he was not alone!

Healing can often start with sharing your abortion experience, but abortion healing is an on-going process. Greg states, “as we change, our spiritual and recovery journey changes. We continue to grow, develop new insights, heal and move to the next insight and next level of healing.” Greg continued this ongoing process by finding and reading many books about abortion and abortion recovery. He continued to talk with his pastor about the feelings of pain, shame and isolation he had been experiencing for so many years. It was important for Greg to continue a relationship with his pastor because as he states, “when a man becomes vulnerable and shares his story he will need a mentor to walk alongside him and continue to guide him. He cannot do this alone.” For more information on the virtual healing groups for men visit the website https://www.supportafterabortion.com/virtual-support-groups.

As part of his healing journey, he learned to name and honor his unborn children, Abigail and Benjamin. He decided to write a letter to each child, apologizing for the abortion decision. While sitting on a beach he wrote to each of them letters of repentance, forgiveness and love then read each letter out loud before letting it go in the water. This process gave life and dignity to his children and to past relationships.

Greg found hope, healing and heard a calling to help other men suffering from pain, shame and isolation after abortion. He has become a facilitator for Celebrate Recovery. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12-step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind. It is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling our lives. He also wrote the book, “Almost Daddy.” This book brings awareness to the need for abortion healing and starts the conversation for abortion healing with men.

Greg encourages all men suffering from pain, shame, and isolation after abortion to take the first small step towards healing. “Of course, you are afraid, you are going to be dealing with uncomfortable emotions and experiences. But you do not have to do it all at once and you are not alone!”

If you are a man suffering from pain, regret and shame after abortion, you are not alone. Please call the confidential hopeline at 1-844-289-HOPE. For more information on how to help men suffering from the pain and shame after abortion or to sign up for a virtual healing groups, visit the website www.supportafterabortion.com. Greg will be speaking at the Support After Abortion Men’s Conference from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, along with many other speakers, including Bishop Frank J. Dewane and Father Shawn Monahan. Register now for free at www.MenHealingFromTrauma.com.

Pro-life outreach to the young and young at heart

Posted on by Bob Reddy

By Jeanne Berdeaux, Special to the Florida Catholic

Every year since 2007, a special collection has been taken in parishes throughout the Diocese of Venice to enhance the work of the Respect Life Office. At the direction of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the main focus is on youth – helping young people develop a greater respect for all human life, regardless of age or condition. The 2021 collection for the Diocese is the weekend of Oct. 2 and 3, during National Respect Life Month.

The global Pandemic has had a devastating effect on our young people in ways many people don’t even realize. Many students were left alone in their homes if their parents had to work. They had on-line classes, but the temptation was there to explore the darker side of the Internet. Planned Parenthood unleashed an online outreach to snare young men and women into their web which resulted in over 744,000 anonymous conversations with their so-called sexual health experts as well as over 185,000 one-on-one conversations via chat rooms and texts.

To counteract the negative messages bombarding our youth, Collier Community Abstinence Program (CCAP), now a nationally recognized non-profit organization, pivoted to develop all new authentic abstinence programs which were streamed online last year for home and school use free of charge. They have also developed the first-of-its-kind app-based program called “My Mentor” to supply mental and emotional health support to students which is ready to debut in 2022. This innovative approach is much needed in Southwest Florida which has experienced a 500% increase in youth (13-18) suicide attempts from 2018 to 2020. It can literally save lives! This app will be given to every Parish and school in the Diocese of Venice in February 2022. The programs have already made a difference, reducing the number of pregnancies in unwed teenagers, improving graduation rates and lowering school absenteeism. The generous donors of the annual Respect Life Collection allow the Diocese to support CCAP’s efforts as they strive to instill the pro-life message in our youth. Further information can be obtained by contacting CCAP Executive Director Theresa Barbale at 239-776-5489 or theresaccap@gmail.com.

The collection also allows us to offer scholarships to the Congreso Pro Vida, a national pro-life conference to inspire Hispanic communities to learn more about the life issues.  There have been five Congresos in the Southwestern United States and California, but this is the first one to be held in Florida, hosted by the Archdiocese of Miami on Oct. 29-31, 2021. With half of our parishes providing specific outreaches to Hispanic and Latino communities, it is important that their pro-life heritage be reinforced, particularly since Planned Parenthood has implemented its own outreach to Spanish-speaking communities. Information is available at www.congresoprovida.org and Diocese of Venice scholarship information can be obtained from Sylvia Jimenez at 941-412-5860 or c-Jimenez@dioceseofvenice.org. Online opportunities are also available for those who cannot attend in person.

Due to the Pandemic, Florida had a virtual Catholic Days at the Capitol lobbying effort in February of this year, but plans are underway to bring adults and students to Tallahassee in person for the Feb. 1-3, 2022 event. The collection allows us to sponsor Catholic high school students to experience their government in action – a great civics lesson! They also learn how they can bring Catholic messages to state legislators on key bills of interest to the Church, particularly on abortion, the death penalty and end of life issues. Seeing the Capitol, the Senate and House chambers, the Governor’s office and individual legislators’ offices can make a lasting impression on young minds. This experience will give them a new perspective as they become voters in the near future and inspire them to continue to engage in legislative advocacy as they mature into Catholic adults. Anyone interested in joining us for this 3-day bus trip is invited to contact me at Berdeaux@dioceseofvenice.org or 941-374-1068.

So much more outreach can be done thanks to the generous donations to the annual Respect Life Collection. God bless our cheerful givers!

40 Days for Life Sept. 22-Oct. 31 in Fort Myers, Sarasota

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The fall campaign of 40 Days for Life begins on Sept. 22, 2021 and runs until Sunday, Oct. 31, with local vigils taking place in Sarasota and Fort Myers.

40 Days for Life is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses. For those not yet ready to be among crowds due to the pandemic, they are encouraged to pray from home and fast for the end of abortion. Others are welcome to come to the sidewalk and social distance to their level of comfort.

Diocese of Venice Respect Life Director Jeanne Berdeaux said having prayerful witnesses in front of abortion facilities serves as a powerful message of hope for those mothers who may think abortion is the only alternative they have for their unborn child.

“There is much excitement about the recent Supreme Court decision on the new Texas law severely limiting abortions, but we must remain vigilant,” Berdeaux said. “That was just one battle, but there are many more ahead in our quest to protect innocent human life. Planned Parenthood in our area continues to destroy little boys and girls in the womb every week. They continue to hurt women emotionally and physically.  Many men who have no legal right in an abortion decision continue to be devastated or are not even aware of an impending abortion of their own child.”

Berdeaux stressed the need for the faithful to go to the sidewalk, in front of the centers where children die, to be a public witness, “to be the sign that unsure women seek that they should not keep the abortion appointment.  People need to know that there is something seriously wrong with what is going on inside of the abortion facility.”

40 Days for Life is an opportunity to be that witness by peacefully praying for an end to abortion where it matters most and finding out that it’s not so scary after all when you join with other like-minded Christians.

The Diocese of Venice has been involved with 40 Days for Life since the beginning with vigils taking place in the fall – to coincide with October, Respect Life Month – and in the spring – during Lent.

The success of 40 Days for Life has been seen locally when women approach vigil participants and tell their story of how their mind was changed by those present who were there to pray for their unborn child. More than 150 cases of lives being saved have been documented.

The Fort Myers prayer vigil is on the public right-of-way in front of Planned Parenthood at 6418 Commerce Park Drive, Fort Myers. An opening prayer vigil will take place 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 21 and has become an annual tradition in Fort Myers, serving as a rallying point for the long 40 days ahead. The Fort Myers vigil takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily.

In Sarasota, the vigil is 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily outside the regional headquarters of Planned Parenthood, 736 Central Ave. A kickoff event will be held at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 22, in the parking lot of the Community Pregnancy Clinic (CPCI), around the corner from Sarasota Planned Parenthood. Brian Harkins, of the St Thomas More Parish Knights of Columbus, will be the Leader for the Rally. The guest speaker will be Angie Carey, Executive Director of “A Bond of Love Adoption Agency.” Learn about another critical, life-saving pro-life ministry!!

Participants in the prayer vigil will be joining other like-minded individuals in communities around the nation and world. Some commit to taking part for a few minutes, an hour, or all day as they stand in the public right-of-way. Appropriate signs will be provided at both sites but are not needed to stand and pray. Check with your Parish to learn what hours they have committed to 40 Days for Life, as many often commit to several days of prayer on the front lines.

Those interested in taking part in a local prayer vigil are encouraged to sign up in advance at www.40daysforlife.com (search for Fort Myers or Sarasota). While registration is encouraged, all are welcome to come for any amount of time they can to help save a life.

 

40 Days for Life Sept. 23-Nov. 1

Sarasota campaign details

When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily,

Where: 736 Central Ave.;

Contact: Rich 40DFLSarasota@gmail.com

Fort Myers campaign details

When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily;

Where: 6418 Commerce Park Drive;

Contact: Paula and Rick at 40DaysforLifeFM@gmail.com

Leading up to the Fourth – a time to reflect on Religious Freedom

Posted on by Bob Reddy

On a recent Saturday morning Frank and Maryann Lagonigro could be found in the oppressive heat holding up signs along U.S. 41 in Naples encouraging people to pray for our country.

The uncomfortable weather was no deterrent for the couple from St. John the Evangelist Parish, who, along with others, regularly prayer to God for the protection of the country but also have real fears about the state of religious freedom in the U.S. They gathered on U.S. 41 at Pine Ridge Road across from the Waterside Shops and have been doing so since March.

“This is one of the best ways we can spread the Word of God and Blessed Sacrament in prayers for our country,” Maryann Lagonigro said.

With American flags lining the sidewalk, the group held up images of the Divine Mercy, the Blessed Mother and Child Jesus, and St. Michael the Archangel as well as a variety of signs, which read; “Pray to Save the U.S.A.,” God Have Mercy on America” and “God Save Our Country.”

The prayer vigil included the Divine Mercy Chaplet and praying of the rosary and serve no political purpose except to raise awareness.

The prayer vigil occurred July 26, 2021, during the heart of national Religious Freedom Week which was designated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for June 22 to June 29.

The goal of Religious Freedom Week is for all Catholics across the United States to pray, reflect and take action in support of Religious Liberty in our country and abroad.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane dedicated his monthly radio show on Relevant Radio to the topic of Religious Freedom. The program debuted on June 25 and access to the program is available at https://dioceseofvenice.org/our-bishop/relevant-radio-podcasts.

During the show, Bishop Dewane asked everyone to follow the USCCB’s lead in prayer, reflection and action by seeing “how it is the Lord calls each one of us to act on this issue central to our freedom. We need to look at recent events in our society. The rights of Catholics and other faith groups are being threatened. There are not beheadings, as was seen in Iraq, but it is still persecution. They are not so blatant, but they are there, and they are a real threat.”

The theme for Religious Freedom Week 2021 was “Solidarity in Freedom,” and stems from a Pope Francis quote: “Solidarity means much more than engaging in sporadic acts of generosity. It means thinking and acting in terms of community.” This quote is from the Pope Francis Encyclical “Fratelli tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship)” which was released in October 2020.

Bishop Dewane said that we do have to act when religious freedom is threatened for all faiths, not just Catholics. “It is all about solidarity; just because I am not of one particular faith does not mean I will not speak out when religious freedom is threatened anywhere…  It’s not just when it is on (Catholics), it is when it happens period.”

A recent area of concern was an effort to suppress a Catholic Charities entity in Philadelphia from allowing the agency a contract for adoption services. On July 17, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered a unanimous decision stating that the city violated the First Amendment by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services once it learned that the organization would not certify same-sex couples for adoption.

“The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment, provides that ‘Congress shall make no law . . . prohibiting the free exercise’ of religion,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.

While this was a major victory for religious freedom, Bishop Dewane said there is much work to be done at every level of government and in the courts. Among items of ongoing concern includes seemingly never-ending battle between the Church and the HHS Mandate which requires entities to pay for abortion coverage in health care. This was actually the start of the modern religious freedom effort of the Catholic Church which dates to 2012 when massive “Religious Freedom Rallies” were held nationally and right here in the Diocese of Venice with Bishop Dewane on the front lines raising awareness.

Another example of religious freedom under attack has been the rampant acts of vandalism against Catholic Churches, synagogues and others houses of worship throughout the nation and around the world. This issue could once have been common only in developing countries, but examples here in the Diocese of Venice bring this issue home.

“This has been a trend in our society, when symbols of a faith community are attacked,” Bishop Dewane said on his radio show. “There used to be an unwritten rule of respect, but we must speak up for every House of God and faith that is disturbed or vandalized in an attempt to defame representations of faith.”

Bishop Dewane ended his remarks explaining that when it comes to having religious freedom, the Church “is not asking for something special. No, these rights were given. It is a right we do have, each one of us, as citizens of this country. We must all follow the USCCB formula – Pray – Reflect – Act – which demands the most of us, in a political way, to demonstrate and speak out for the protection of our rights.”

As we celebrate the Fourth of July, remember to pray that the freedoms celebrated on this day, including freedom of religion, continue to be respected and protected.

To learn about the what the USCCB is saying about religious liberty, please visit https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty.

 For anyone interested in participating the Naples prayer vigil, they will resume on the last Friday of October and continue monthly going forward. For more information, you can contact Patricia Bucola at world5433@gmail.com.

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