News

Dear all,

Last Saturday June 2nd at 1pm there was a pro-life gathering in front of the Russian Consulate (3685 Avenue de Musée) in Montreal in support of the “Warriors of Life” campaign to end abortion.

The "Warriors of Life" is an international anti-abortion movement whose campaign aims to prohibit abortions in Russia, Ukraine, USA, Poland, and Canada. 

On June 1st 2012, the “Warriors of Life” picketed in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New-York. The same day (June 1st) the Center for Bioethical Reform organized a picket in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC to support the letter that the “Warriors of Life” wrote to Vladimir Putin "requesting an Institutional Court investigation into the legality of abortion-permitting clauses. According to the legal analysis done by 'Warriors of Life', these clauses are unconstitutional." 

Due to the poor weather conditions, the gathering in Montreal in front of the Russian Consulate was not as large as I expected. We were a group of five people. The organizer brought several images of aborted children with slogans in French, English, and Russian stating “Abortion – Genocide.” Together, we wore those images around our necks and stood in the rain facing the oncoming traffic.

This was the first time that I held signs with photos of aborted children in front of the public. I have spoken to several people about the use of graphic images, and, needless to say, the opinions are diverging (even within the pro-life field).

On the one hand, some claim the images are shocking, violent, and disrespectful both to the public and to the babies whose bodies are being displayed.

However, one must consider the fruits of such an act to decide whether it is worth it or not. Does displaying abortion imagery reveal the truth to those who are “pro-choice”? Are photos an unparalleled way to convey the horrors of abortion? Can lives be saved by doing this?

I think the answer to all these questions are yes, yes, and yes again. Every day in the news we are shown shocking photos of dead civilians, starving children, diseased people, road accidents, and other brutal acts. Advertising campaigns against smoking display awful images to warn people against the dangers of cigarettes. Museums in memory of the Holocaust show photos of its victims in order to inform people of the extreme violence that was done against humanity.

These photos impact us at an emotional level that cannot be attained through words alone. When one talks about the dismemberment of fetal body parts, does it compare in the least to the photographs we see of an aborted child? Upon recognizing the arms, legs, organs, and face of that little child, everyone is faced with the reality of abortion just as it is (no Photoshop used here!) I invite you to read these two articles in defense of the use of graphic images:

1) “Defending the use of Graphic Images” by the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform 

2) "The use of graphic images: Re-thinking pro-life strategy” by Priests for Life

The second article also includes a list of historical examples of the use of graphic images in other social reform movements. I hope the people that turned and saw our abortion signs on Saturday remain shocked by our images. In the same way, I believe all pro-lifers should be shocked time and time again that such atrocities continue to exist (and are even encouraged) in our society. Sometimes I forget that the work we do involves a constant defense against the murder of innocent infants- seeing the bodies of these little children reminds me that the work is not over and that we cannot be idle while these crimes continue to occur on a daily basis.

BUS CANCELLATION

Kindly note:

due to low numbers

there will not be any charter bus

for tomorrow's Christian Walk - a.k.a., "Marche Chrétienne,"

in Quebec City. ***

We regret any inconvenience this may cause to you plans.

Thank you.

For additional information, call (514) 344-2686.

Today, May 31st, some Christians celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Here is the Gospel reading from Lk 1:39-56

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever."

Even before birth, Jesus was already bringing life and joy to Elizabeth, her son John, and the Virgin Mary. John the Baptist "leaped for joy" upon Mary's arrival.

Notice that Elizabeth tells Mary "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." She is the first to recognize Mary as the Mother of God. The beauty of this day is that a wonderful encounter took place between four souls- one that gave happiness and hope to everyone.

Following Elizabeth's example, I pray that expectant mothers be filled with the same courage and faith as her. Following Mary's example, I wish that all women be filled with the grace of accepting God's will and trusting His plan, especially when faced with a difficult pregnancy.

Happy Feast of the Visitation!

Here are a couple of handy references for your perusal.

First

"The Unborn Child: A Gift, a Treasure, and a Promise," issued by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family, provides readers with an introductory panorama of the abortion issue.

Described as a "Reflection on Abortion," the twelve-page reference is ordered under ten headings posed as questions. These are:

1. When does life begin?; 2. What is an abortion?; 3. Is abortion legal in Canada?; 4. Why do women have abortions?; 5. But isn't abortion a woman's right and a private choice?; 6. How does abortion impact a woman's life?; 7. What is "post-abortion survivor syndrome"?; 8. What is the Church's position on abortion?; 9. Are there alternatives to abortion?; 10. As citizens, what can we do to promote a culture of life?.

It concludes solidly in two respects. First, it lists a range of resources, equally available for anglophones and francophones and, secondly, mobilizes interested individuals on how to take action, either alone or collectively, in ten ways.

Second

The second publication is a timely document issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Pastoral Letter on Freedom of Conscience and Religion".

As it notes at the outset, both in Canada and abroad a disturbing trend of "bias, prejudice, hate propaganda, discrimination, and persecution because of religious beliefs" is raging.

At home, we are not unfamiliar with the many assaults to people and groups for their faith. We see, in Manitoba, civil servants reprimanded or fired for not officiating in same-sex "marriages," in Quebec, parents compelled to have their children sit in on Ethics and Religious Culture courses that have watered down the Christian faith, and in Ontario, the provincial government legislating schools - including Catholic ones, to sponsor "gay-straight alliance" clubs.

Finally, both documents are fully referenced - via either endnotes or footnotes, and are available in either French or English from their respective issuers.

In conclusion, I think that a study of these two documents is important as it will better inform and prepare oneself for the trying times we are currently experiencing.

This just in: Motion 312's second hour of debate for is set for 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 7th, 2012.

Recall that this past Fall, 2011, Mr. Stephen Woodworth tabled a motion - C-312, that a multi-party committee be established to update a section of Canada's Criminal Code founded on 17th century science.

On Thursday, March 22, 2012, motion 312 was debated for an hour in the House of Commons with a second hour to follow. During the session, Mr. Woodworth argued that the law needs to be revised in order to better reflect advances in medecine.

Yesterday, we received a correspondance from Mr. Woodworth, reproduced below, informing us of the date and time for the second hour of debate. 

Action Alert: Also as you read through the letter, note the MP's request for your assistance.

On June 7th, the debate will broadcasted lived  on CPAC - www.cpac.ca.

For background information regarding Mr. Stephen Woodworth's motion, see his website.

Good Afternoon,

Firstly, I’d like to start by thanking you for all of your efforts to date with regards to my Motion 312. Your support is greatly appreciated. As we quickly approach the 2nd hour of debate (currently scheduled for June 7th, 2012 at 5:30p.m.) as well as a vote to follow on June 13th (in the evening) it is more important than ever that we continue with the momentum generated so far and re-double our efforts.

Any assistance you can provide in encouraging Canadians to contact their respective MPs and urge their support would be a tremendous help.

I am greatly impressed by the efforts I have seen so far and I hope I can count upon your continued assistance during this crucial time. Once again, thank you for all of your support thus far – it has been vital in advancing the Motion.

Kind Regards,

Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament, Kitchener Centre  

Dear pro-Lifer,

I wish to thank you for your continued support, both financial and prayerful. These permit us at the Quebec Life Coalition – QLC, to perform several fruit-bearing projects.

(Click here for June newsletter.)

Some of these include:

• Planning and executing the Pro-Life Triduum;
• Planning and participating in the National March for Life – Ottawa;
• Praying outside local abortuaries;
• Publishing our monthly newsletter; and
• Blogging about current events as these affect the cause of life in Quebec.

As for the fruits of these projects, some are tangible, others not so tangible. By the latter, I think of the difficulty of gauging the impact that prayer has on changing hearts. Only Our Lord knows what effect our prayerful witness outside an abortuary has on changing hearts. In trust, we continue this devotion.

As for the tangible results, I will mention three. First, in my last newsletter, I wrote about the work done by the member for parliament for Kitchener-Centre, Hon. Stephen Woodworth. His private member’s bill – a bill aimed at recognizing the humanity of the unborn, was debated for an hour in the House of Commons. A second debate on whether a committee should be struck to evaluate when a child becomes a human being will be held on June 7 (5:30 p.m.) with the vote on his motion on June 15 (evening).

(Please contact your MP, urging for their support for this motion.)

A second sign of our efforts was the pronouncement from a second member of parliament in support of the unborn. The Hon. Maurice Vellacott says abortion procedures are far worse than any schoolyard or neighbourhood bullying.

The subject of bullying has been a concern across the country. An extreme case arose this past spring when a young Quebec teen took her life following peer harassment in her school.

“It’s a good thing that people are openly discussing the harm caused by bullying, and considering strategies to address the problem,” says the conservative MP representing Saskatoon-Wanuskewin. “In light of this new awareness of bullying, consistency and credibility demands that we tackle the most cruel and most common bullying of all - the bullying, and ultimately killing, of babies in the womb.”

Mr. Vellacott notes a couple of ways by which abortions brutalize the young life before destroying it; the unborn recoils from instruments that penetrate the amniotic sac and scientific studies reveal that the fetus experiences pain as early as 20 weeks.

(He could have also mentioned how parents are encouraged to sing, talk, and play soft music to their unborn in the course of events leading up to delivery.)

He concluded by saying that “at a time when Canadians are demanding community and political action to bring an end to the bullying of our children, it is vital in these anti-bullying strategies to address the lethal bullying of the child in the womb.”

Judging from the turnout at this month’s National March for Life in Ottawa, Canadians in ever greater numbers are marching for life. This third fruit of the impact our work was the presence of about 20 000 people marching through the streets of our capital, represents a whopping 6000 more than at last year’s march! (For our part, we coordinated the displacement of fifty-three people from Montreal to Ottawa to attend the march.)

So, our collective efforts are producing fruits.

Yet, let us continue the good battle. Let’s continue our efforts and promote values that ensure justice for all, from conception until natural death.

Yours in faith,

Brian Jenkins

English and Multicultural Communities Outreach Director

Quebec Life Coalition

Conversative Member for Parliament Maurice Vellacott is making headlines for having linked bullying to abortion.

The first is an issue that has spawn legislation throughout the country over the past little while whereas the idea doing the same for the latter meets with scorn and derision by most elected members of our legislatures.

The member of the House of Commons for Saskatoon-Wanuskewin affirms the harm of bullying, particularly against the most vulnerable member of our society, the child in his mother's womb.

“It’s a good thing that people are openly discussing the harm caused by bullying, and considering strategies to address the problem... In light of this new awareness of bullying, consistency and credibility demands that we tackle the most cruel and most common bullying of all - the bullying, and ultimately killing, of babies in the womb.”

More may be read here and here.

This Saturday, June 2, 2012, the second annual Christian Walk - a.k.a., "Marche Chrétienne," is set for Quebec City.

Last year over 1000 people walked along the Grande Allée from the Plains of Abraham Battlefields Parks to the provincial legislature in order to affirm that our Christian heritage has a place in the governance of our modern society.

We encourage everybody to be in Quebec City on June 2 to show your pride in this heritage, a heritage whose values not only founded but also has sustained Quebec society ever since.

Yet these values are being threatened. The Quebec society is purging its institutions of religious symbols - i.e., laicization.

It is incumbant to every Christian to affirm his faith, to express our pride as members of the body of Christ.

So, on June 2, walk with Christ, supporting His petition to bring the Good News to all corners of our society, one which is in much need of His transforing love.

For further information, visit our website.

Or go to our Facebook page to follow along as we prepare for this second annual walk of the Christian walk.

Your questions may be directed to :

• Jeannelle Cantin, ([email protected]) President and Coordinator, or
• Réal Gaudreault, (realgaudreault@camarchechrétienne.org) Media relations.
  

Our Agenda

We will meet and gather on the Plains of Abraham (The Battlefields Park - 835 ave Wilfrid Laurier), across the street from the Musée du Québec

12h00 Pic-Nic (bring your lunch!) and Musical Accompaniment

14h15 Preparations & Guidelines for the Walk

14h30 Start of the Walk - 1.4 km silent procession (banners and signs are not permitted, except for those indicating your town or region)

15h30 à 16h00 Arrival at the National Assembly :

• Making of the humain cross;
• Musical interlude;
• Talks; and
• Prayer for our Society.

17h00 Closure of the event

Information on bus travel to Quebec City, clic here. Or call our offices, at (514) 344-2686. Return fare is $35.

See you in Quebec City next June 2 !

(The following story, written by Vanessa Sproule, appeared in today's Guelph Mercury.)

After shouting on Parliament Hill last Thursday with a crowd the size of a small city — 19,500 people-strong I’m told — it seems obvious to me that there’s a new normal among Gen Y and the Millennials taking over the scene.

It’s not one that would have been expected to emerge 20 years ago during the rise of third wave feminism or one that 1970s politicians would have anticipated. It’s one that has been moving into the mainstream, making headlines in last week’s national newspapers and challenging perspectives of today’s MPs, many of who are accustomed to pro-abortion rhetoric prevalent among the Gen X-ers and baby boomers.

Residue from 1960s activism has condemned voices from my generation — Gen Y — as “anti-choice” or intolerant if we dare to disagree. Who would have expected so many Canadian citizens under the age of 35 to be adamant about bringing attention to the fact that a baby in the womb is to be recognized for what it is — human and deserving of full human rights?

Despite what a former generation might be trying to assert, the younger generations are immensely in favour of legal protection for the unborn and safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of all women.

This new normal is not just based on observation of the crowd on Parliament Hill last week. Recent polls have been picking it up.

Just over three years ago, a poll conducted by Environics Focus Canada questioned 2,047 Canadians. Results showed 67 per cent of people between age 18 and 29 years old surveyed wanted legal protection for unborn babies at some point before birth. This same age bracket further showed that 70 per cent had high support for informed consent surrounding abortion. More recently, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted a nationwide survey that included a representation of Canada’s population age 18 to 35. Results showed 60 per cent of people surveyed believed abortion is morally wrong.

Going beyond the polls, over the past five years, teams of 20-somethings have visited politicians on the Hill every November to express their grief at Canada’s continued killing of the unborn and to advocate for protection of babies’ lives by law, before they are born. Then, there was also last year’s Defund Abortion Rally at Queen’s Park; the Letters for Life movement — founded and directed by teens; the growing movement known as the National Campus Life Network; the countless members of pro-life student clubs on university campuses and high schools across the country; the When Am I Human campaign — founded and fuelled by individuals under the age of 30; Bound4Life Canada, and Campaign Life Coalition’s pro-life youth movement to name a few more examples of pro-life youth and young adult initiatives.

These are 100 per cent dedicated to going against what’s force-fed in public schools while standing for the truth — plain and simple.

In our own community, several students from the University of Guelph and at least two bus loads of teenagers headed to the Hill this month to participate in bringing awareness to an issue they believe is worth making a ruckus about.

There’s no denying, it’s an emergence of a new normal. It’s one much different from the Trudeaumania-filled days of 1968 and it’s happening right here, too. Until last week, this young-people movement has swept the country but without recognition from the media.

Why the lack of coverage? With a movement this strong, why has there been silence from journalists across the nation? Could it be that, like many of our MPs, our media is still governed by those who dare not oppose the creed of their day in order to escape being branded as intolerant or a woman-hater or anti-choice?

As a result of the May 10 gathering, abortion proponents need to recognize that Gen Y and the Millennials have a different perspective that is quickly rising. Downplaying it, and threatening it with name calling, won’t make it disappear.

(Vanessa Sproule is Program Manager for the Guelph and Area Right to Life.)

Has much changed between gladiatorial Rome and today's western society?

Back then, the life or death fate of the arena combatants was determined by Caesar. Were he to turn his thumb upward, the combatant would live; downward ... death.

In contemporary society, the fate of the unborn is as precariously determined as that of gladiators of old. In our times, it is either the pregnant woman or those exercising undue force on her that decide.

In "Caesar's Thumb," Lord Nicholas Windsor laments as much:

We live in what is truly a moral world turned upside down, and the greatest irony may be that a broad consensus exists, in a highly rights-aware political establishment, in favor of one of the gravest and most egregious abuses of human rights that human society has ever tolerated. Didn't Europeans think they could never and must never kill again on an industrial scale? What a cruel deceit, then, that has led us to this mass killing of children, for a theoretical greater good, which in this case is simply the wish not to be bound by a pregnancy unless it is fully and feely chosen, and which, outside of that parameter, is declared, by fiat, to be null and void.

Lord Windsor argues for a new "New Abolitionism for Europe." He admits that though the first abolitionism in late 19th century America may not be a perfect template for current events, yet the courage and imagination shown then need be carried over to contemporary circumstances.

Read the full article here.