Abundant Life
Summer, 2018 Vol 18 No1
“I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly� John 10:10
Pope Paul VI Canonisation announced pg14 Pope Francis speaks out on end of life choices pg6 After the vote Archbishop Anthony Fisher reflects on the SSM survey pg3 Bermuda repeal of SSM laws upheld pg18
The Royal Commission What does it tell us? pg 10-11
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Contents Page 4 Page 5 Page 7
Editorial Mobile phone danger for children Lent and Holy Week
Page 8
Archbishop Hickey on SSM
Page 8
US Abortion rates drop
Page 9
Bishop Kennedy on Marriage
Page 12 Saint Catherine Laboure Page 13 International Court on same sex “marriage” Page 14 Pope Paul VI to be canonised Page 15 Trump speaks out against abortion Page 16 Watch and Pray book review Page 17 Scripture Discussion Page 18 Bermuda repeals SSM Laws Page 20 Fasting and Abstinance
Abundant Life A magazine for Life, Faith, and Family Issue Summer 2018 Published by Life in Abundance Inc. Address 33 Williamstown Road, Doubleview WA 6018 Postal address Business Hub, PO Box 1400 Osborne Park WA 6916 Telephone 08 9446 3266 Email brianpeachey@westnet.com.au Editor Brian Peachey Production Derek Boylen Printer Quality Press, 8 Babel Road Welshpool, WA Authorised by B. A. Peachey 33 Williamstown Road Doubleview WA 6018 Spiritual Advisor Archbishop Emeritus B. J. Hickey Cover Pope Paul VI 2
Help of Christians, Guard this Land Help of Christians guard this land, From assault or inward stain; Let it be what Christ has planned, His new Eden where you reign. Teach us that in Christ your Son Lies the wisdom to be free; For the cross, which we should shun, Is man’s Tree of Liberty. Should the powers of hell arise, And our peace be trampled down, In the night of blood and lies Show us still your twelve-starred crown. Take from us the coward heart, Fleeting will, divided mind, Give us sight to play our part, Though the world around is blind. Image of the risen life Shining in eternity, Glimmer through our earthly strife, Draw us to your victory.
Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians by Sr Mary Noonan
James McAuley (1917-1976) This poem was written in 1956 by Australia’s greatest poet who had recently become a Catholic. It reflected the serious problem facing Australia following the split in the Labor Party and the lack of support for those should support the fight. There is a similarity to what we face today with Christianity and Australia facing an assault by militant atheism which appears to be winning.
Abundant Life Our Objectives
Will actively counter legislation permitting or encouraging the destruction of human life. Will publish reasons why the family is the basic unit of society. Will support moves to remove prostitution which degrades women. Will publish educational material on sexual morality for the young.
Will vigorously defend marriage between a man and a women. Will support all moves to stop the importation and internet reception of pornography. Will propose Christian principles and ethics in politics and commerce. Will engage in political debate to support good governance and social justice.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
A response to the Same-Sex Marriage Survey result “It is time now to come together as a nation, renew our friendships with those who think differently to us, and ensure that respect for different beliefs is clearly enshrined in our laws and customs.”
Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney
The Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP is the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney
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he Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev. Anthony Fisher OP, says he is both disappointed and heartened by the result of the National Marriage Postal Survey on changing the legal definition of marriage in Australia.
Archbishop Fisher said. “But I am heartened that millions of Australians still stand by the conviction that marriage is a unique relationship between a man and woman. In fact, only 48% of eligible voters voted Yes to redefining marriage in law.” “To the many already-married couples and those contemplating it I say: don’t let this decision dishearten you
“Lame proposals to protect ministers of religion and places of worship offer no protection to the 99.9% of religious believers who are not clergy” “While I do not deny the good will of many who voted Yes, I am deeply disappointed that the likely result will be legislation to further deconstruct marriage and family in Australia,”
or undermine your appreciation of the sanctity of real marriage.” Archbishop Fisher said he wished to acknowledge all those who had courageously spoken up for traditional
marriage in very difficult circumstances. “From the outset it has often seemed a David and Goliath struggle with politicians, corporates, celebrities, journalists, professional and sporting organisations drowning out the voices of ordinary Australians and pressuring everyone to vote Yes,” the Archbishop said. “What’s remarkable is how many stuck to their guns and voted No or abstained.” “I recognise that for some people this debate has been a cause of distress. It is time now to come together as a nation, renew our friendships with those who think differently to us, and ensure that respect for different beliefs is clearly enshrined in our laws and customs.” Archbishop Fisher said it was vital that new marriage legislation protects rights to religious belief and expression, free speech and association, in education and parenting. “Polling data shows both yes and no voters support robust religious liberty protections.” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has previously said he believes in religious freedom “even more strongly” than in same-sex marriage and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has promised to ensure that any marriage redefinition also respects freedom of religion. “Lame proposals to protect ministers of religion and places of worship offer no protection to the 99.9% of religious believers who are not clergy,” the Archbishop said. “It is imperative that our political leaders enact laws that protect the rights of all, religious believers included. “Many of those who voted Yes and celebrate today’s ‘victory’ no doubt do so out of love and respect for same-sex attracted people. Many of us No voters likewise count same-sex attracted people among family, friends, colleagues and neighbours and we abhor bigotry, vilification or discrimination against them. We trust that our community can show a similar generosity of spirit towards those with religious faith. “As we create a legal ‘right’ to marry a person of the same sex, we must not trade off existing rights to religious belief and expression, and other freedoms. There is room in the Australian public square for both. Surely it is not beyond the wit and good will of our political leaders to progress both concerns.” 3
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Editorial
What’s next on the agenda for militant atheism?
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he amendment to the Marriage Act by the Australian Parliament on 7 December 2017 to allow two persons of the same sex to marry should be a stark warning to all Christians. It was the result of an intelligently organised, well-funded campaign by militant atheism, supported by most segments of the media. The motivation driving the campaign to change the law to include same sex marriage had nothing to do with the clever slogan, “marriage equality”. The objective was to damage or even destroy the Christian conception of marriage being between a man and a women for the creation and care of children. It was also part of the continuing campaign to challenge all
Letter to the Editor I refer to a recent edition of ‘Abundant Life’ in which reference was made to sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) in a short article titled “Consequences of male homosexual relationships”. The information included appeared correct but omitted the very heavy burden of HIV associated with the gay and bisexual lifestyle (Men who have sex with men (MSM)). The ‘Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations’ (AFAO), 2017f website cites the following statistics in relation to HIV in gay and bisexual males: • HIV prevalence in MSM in Australia is 7.2% • HIV prevalence in all adults in Australia is 0.14% (1/50th of that in MSM) • 68% of HIV transmission in Australia is between MSM It is apparent that the gay and bisexual lifestyle is an inherently unhealthy one. I cite these figures in the interest of public awareness and not in order to denigrate MSM Yours Sincerely, Dr Vincent Keane 4
Christian teaching on sexual morality. What happened in Australia was part of a long international campaign, lead and financed by militant atheists which changed the law on marriage in 25 other countries throughout the world. The international situation is more grave with an International court ordering 16 countries to ignore their laws and allow gay ‘marriage’. (see page 13) It was one of the objectives clearly laid down in the 1975 International Humanist Manifesto, which also called for the legalizing of abortion and euthanasia and the withdrawal of government funding of religious education. The next part of the campaign to damage Christian beliefs and the law will be the attempt to pass a Bill in the West Australian State Parliament to legalise
euthanasia under a guise of “assisted suicide”. In November 2017 the Victorian Parliament became the first Australian State to legalise euthanasia when it passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. This will be a major challenge for all Christians in West Australia. (See Pope Francis on page 6). Christians should pray that Euthanasia will not become legal in this State. Prayer, however, should be accompanied with lobbying all Members of the State Parliament, convincing them of the consequences. Euthanasia like abortion is legalizing the killing of a human being. The power of the law will lower the respect for human life of the community resulting an increase in the number of deaths by assault.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Children with mobile phones can access damaging pornography
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hild psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg has said the average Australian child was viewing pornography at age 11, and that was fundamentally distorting the sexual development of a generation of young people. “Kids are seeing this stuff and acting it out, because pornography is normalising very aggressive sexual behaviour,” he said. “I am pleading with parents, and schools and the Government to not let the multinational porn industry be the lead sex educator for children, which unfortunately is what is happening right now.” A report recently
published in the Australian Journal of Medicine expressed concern about the relationship between teenagers accessing internet pornography and risky behaviour. The authors reviewed existing studies on adolescents and pornography, including an Australian survey that showed 28 percent of 9 to 16-year-olds had seen sexual pornography online. Possessing child pornography is a grave offence under the Western Australia Criminal Code and so it should be. With so many children using mobile telephones, the so-called legal porn is doing great harm to children and should be banned.
The greatest achievement of Pope Paul VI: his encyclical, Humanae Vitae
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ope Paul VI, although, by nature quiet and retiring was not of a kind to be intimidated. What he saw was that if the Church accepted the legitimacy of separation of the sex act from the possibility of conception, two consequences would flow. It must logically accept both that the sex act had no intrinsic purpose other than temporary gratification and procreation being of personal choice. In defiance of this he was prophetic of the consequences which would be that homosexuality, lesbianism would in due course come to be regarded as indistinguishable in value and merely different in taste from the normal expression of love between husband and wife.
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Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Pope Francis: On End of Life Choices Pope Francis Addresses the President of the Pontifical Academy of Life, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia
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our meeting will address questions dealing with the end of earthly life. They are questions that have always challenged humanity, but that today take on new forms by reason of increased knowledge and the development of new technical tools. The growing therapeutic capabilities of medical science have made it possible to eliminate many diseases, to improve health and to prolong people’s life span. While these developments have proved quite positive, it has also become possible nowadays to extend life by means that were inconceivable in the past. Surgery and other medical interventions have become ever more effective, but they are not always beneficial: they can sustain, or even replace, failing vital functions, but that is not the same as promoting health. Greater wisdom is called for today, because of the temptation to insist on treatments that have powerful effects on
or to discontinue them, when their use does not meet that ethical and humanistic standard that would later be called “due proportion in the use of remedies” (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Euthanasia, 5 May 1980, IV: Acta Apostolicae Sedis LXXII [1980], 542-552). The specific element of this criterion is that it considers “the result that can be expected, taking into account the state of the sick person and his or her physical and moral resources” (ibid.). It thus makes possible a decision that is morally qualified as withdrawal of “overzealous treatment”. Such a decision responsibly acknowledges the limitations of our mortality, once it becomes clear that opposition to it is futile. “Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2278). This difference of perspective restores humanity to the accompaniment of the dying, while not attempting to justify the suppression of the living. It is clear that not adopting, or else suspending, disproportionate measures, means avoiding overzealous treatment; from an ethical standpoint, it is completely different from euthanasia, which is always wrong, in that the intent of euthanasia is to end life and cause death.
Increasingly sophisticated and costly treatments are available to ever more limited and privileged segments of the population, and this raises questions about the sustainability of healthcare delivery. the body, yet at times do not serve the integral good of the person. Some sixty years ago, Pope Pius XII, in a memorable address to anaesthesiologists and intensive care specialists, stated that there is no obligation to have recourse in all circumstances to every possible remedy and that, in some specific cases, it is permissible to refrain from their use (cf. Acta Apostolicae Sedis XLIX [1957], 10271033). Consequently, it is morally licit to decide not to adopt therapeutic measures, 6
Needless to say, in the face of critical situations and in clinical practice, the factors that come into play are often difficult to evaluate. To determine whether a clinically appropriate medical intervention is actually proportionate, the mechanical application of a general rule is not sufficient. There needs to be a careful discernment of the moral object, the attending circumstances, and the intentions of those involved. In caring for and accompanying a given patient,
His Holiness Pope Francis
the personal and relational elements in his or her life and death – which is after all the last moment in life – must be given a consideration befitting human dignity. In this process, the patient has the primary role. The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes this clear: “The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able” (loc. cit.). The patient, first and foremost, has the right, obviously in dialogue with medical professionals, to evaluate a proposed treatment and to judge its actual proportionality in his or her concrete case, and necessarily refusing it if such proportionality is judged lacking. That evaluation is not easy to make in today’s medical context, where the doctor-patient relationship has become increasingly fragmented and medical care involves any number of technological and organizational aspects. It should also be noted that these processes of evaluation are conditioned by the growing gap in healthcare possibilities resulting from the combination of technical and scientific capability and economic interests. Increasingly sophisticated and costly treatments are available to ever more limited and privileged segments of the population, and this raises questions about the sustainability of healthcare delivery and about what might be called a systemic Cont’d, on pg 14
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Lent is a time to get closer to God in prayer
When you think of Lent, what comes to mind? I think it is safe to say many of us immediately think of giving up something. And that “something” usually involves food, which is in keeping with the emphasis on fasting during the Lenten season. But we all know fasting is just one of three acts we are called to focus on during Lent. “In the Lenten period,” said Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in his 2008 Lenten message, “the Church makes it her duty to propose some specific tasks that accompany the faithful concretely in this process of interior renewal: these are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.” Each of these involve some sort of giving. In fasting, we give
up certain foods. In almsgiving, we give money and aid to those who are in need. But what about prayer? What are we giving when we pray? St. Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, exhorted his readers: “Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thes 5:17-18; cf. Eph 5:20). The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “‘we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing.’ This tireless fervor can come only from love. Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love” (No. 2742). Lent
is a journey in love, and prayer is an essential part of both that journey and that growth in love. The journey of Lent is a pilgrimage toward the profound and joyful mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That journey begins in the wilderness. As the catechism says, “By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert” (No. 540). As Pope Benedict stated in his first Lenten message in 2006: “Lent is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage toward Him who is the fount of mercy. It is a pilgrimage in which He himself accompanies us through the desert of our poverty, sustaining us on our way toward the intense joy of Easter.”
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Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Church teaching on same sex attraction The Most Rev Archbishop B J Hickey, Archbishop Emeritus of Perth
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ince the Australian Government has passed a law allowing samesex people to marry one another, I thought it important to outline briefly what the Church teaches about people with same-sex attractions. As human beings they are children of God to be treated with respect and dignity. As baptized and confirmed people they are thereby full members of the Church with all the privileges and responsibilities of the people of God. They are called to grow in holiness and spiritual
maturity, to be submissive to the Word of God, to frequent the Sacraments and to participate fully in the life of the Church. They are not called to Christian marriage, a union that biblically and anatomically is complimentary, that is, between a man and a woman. They are called, however, to offer their gifts and talents to the building up of the Church community. Like all unmarried people they are expected to live a chaste life. Clearly this is difficult for many but not impossible for those who seek to follow Christ faithfully. Falls occur, but the way back is by repentance, prayer and absolution in the Sacrament of Penance. God’s grace and
the sacraments offer strength and peace for life’s journey. This applies to all people without distinction of orientation. Parents are to know that any child of theirs with the same-sex orientation is not rejected by the Church but is fully a member of the Church. Ideally spiritual counsel should be available to discuss problems that may arise in this area. It would be sad if people with samesex orientation were to feel unwelcome in the Church, causing them to find acceptance elsewhere where lifestyles are at odds with Christian morality. Given 10th December 2017 Francis Xavier Church Maida Vale, WA
United States abortion rate drops 25%
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ro-life advocates have made a lot of progress changing hearts and minds for life in the past decade. From 2008 to 2014, the abortion rate dropped a full 25 percent, according to a new report in the American Journal of Public Health. Looking at data from the federal government and the Guttmacher Institute, the researchers found that abortions dropped from 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15 to 44) in 2008 to 14.6 per 1,000 in 2014, the Washington Post reports. Researchers said the biggest decline was in the 15 to 19 age group, at 46 percent. The abortion rate also dropped for the first time in 20 years for the poorest women in America – the demographic with the highest abortion rate, according to the group. This drop came despite efforts by proabortion President Barack Obama and his administration to expand abortion through Obamacare and other efforts.
to and use of abortion in complex ways, co-authors Rachel K. Jones and Jenna Jerman, who work for the research
Researchers said the biggest decline was in the 15 to 19 age group, at 46 percent. Here’s more from the report: While these policy changes are important and affecting women’s access 8
division of Guttmacher, suggested that the main factor driving the decline in abortions was much simpler:
improvements in contraceptive use. Definitive data on unintended pregnancies for that period isn’t available yet, but there are other indicators that support this theory. The teen birthrate, for one, has been declining, hitting an alltime low in 2014, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Experts have credited better access to contraception and more convenient and reliable contraception than in the past. They have also suggested that many teens may be having less sex.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
The importance of marriage and family “The fact is that every single child has a biological mother and father. But their importance goes far beyond biology. Men and women bring unique gifts to the shared task of parenting, that is, of fathering and mothering.”
The Most Rev Bishop Michael Kennedy Bishop of Armidale
The Most Rev Bishop Michael Kennedy Bishop of Armidale
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he Catholic Church cares deeply about marriage because it is a fundamental good in itself and foundational to human existence and flourishing. Marriage is a personal relationship, but it is not a private one. Governments everywhere recognise marriage and give it privileged status because it plays a crucial role in society and has public significance and consequences. Marriage joins distinct families into one, fostering greater communion between people. Each marriage is also the foundation of a new family often referred to as the “cell” or foundation of society. Further, in modelling love and communion, in welcoming and raising new life, by taking care of the weak, sick, and aged, marriage and families provide the social stability necessary for the future. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is the lifelong partnership of
mutual and exclusive fidelity between a man and a woman ordered by its very nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and upbringing of children. Because of their sexual difference, husband and wife can truly become “one flesh” and can give to each other the reality of children who are a living reflection of their love.
in the act of conjugal love, in having children, and in fathering and mothering, actions that call for the collaboration and unique gifts of husband and wife. The fact that some married couples do not have children is the exception that does not invalidate, but rather proves the rule. The fact remains that marriage between a man and a woman will usually result in children. Only a man and a woman are able to conceive a child through each other, without the intervention of a third person. The importance of mothers and fathers The fact is that every single child has a biological mother and father. But their importance goes far beyond biology. Men and women bring unique gifts to the shared task of parenting, that is, of fathering and mothering. Only a woman can be a mother. Only a man can be a father. Each contributes in a distinct and unique way to the upbringing of children. Respecting a child’s dignity means affirming his or her need for, and right to, a mother and a father. The Church acknowledges the difficulties faced by single parents and seeks to support them in their often heroic response to meet the needs of their children. There is a big difference, however, between dealing with the unintended reality of single parenthood and approving the formation of “alternative families” that deliberately deprive a child of a father or a mother. We sometimes hear of studies saying that children do just fine with two mums
“No other relationship, no matter how loving or committed, can have this unique type of communion that exists between a husband and wife.” No other relationship, no matter how loving or committed, can have this unique type of communion that exists between a husband and wife. Being “male” and “female” are equal yet distinct bodily ways of being human. In marriage, this complementarity of husband and wife is expressed very clearly
or two dads. There are likewise studies saying they don’t, even though they may not receive equal media attention. Sadly, too many married couples today are falling short in their responsibilities toward their children. This is not a reason to change marriage, but the time for all Cont’d, on pg 17 9
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Child Sexual Abuse and the C What the Royal Co
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By Virginia Ingram
Virginia Ingram is a research fellow in the Centre for Public and Contextual Theology at Charles Sturt University, Canberra. She is currently researching the Royal Commission.
am not here seeking to disparage the work of the Royal Commission, much less understate the evils perpetrated on the victims of serious forms of child sexual abuse by priests and others. My purpose instead is to give a balanced account of the findings of the Royal Commission, which unfortunately have been largely misreported by the media. A general impression of the findings of the Royal Commission is that 7% of all Catholic priests in Australia are paedophiles. For instance, the headline in the Daily Mail on the 7 February 2017 declared, “Shocking church data finds SEVEN per cent of all Catholic priests are accused paedophiles - and in some orders that number jumps to more than one in five.” However, this is simply not true. To begin with, the 7% figure is not an actual number but is instead the product of a weighted methodology that has included most Catholic priests over a sixty year period. The 7% figure is not an actual number because it does not include priests who
unclear it was assumed the person was not one of the already identified offenders. Most importantly, the 7% figure does not reflect the current situation in the Catholic Church in Australia. During the period 2000-2010, less than ten Catholic priests in total were the subject of a first allegation of child sexual abuse. For the period commencing in 2010 this number has dropped to less than five. During the period 2000-2010, 0.1% of Catholic priests were the subject of a first allegation of child sexual abuse. It is also worth noting that the 7% figure includes all claims of child sexual abuse against Catholic priests, including claims that have not been investigated. It is likely that a number of these claims are false claims. It is well-known in the criminal justice area that large numbers of unsubstantiated complaints typically include false claims. Indeed, the NSW Government Guiding Principles for Government Agencies Responding to Civil Claims of Child Sexual Abuse includes the following statement which allows for the possibility of these claims: “The Guiding Principles ... do not prevent NSW Government agencies from protecting the proper and legitimate interests of the State, which include
A general impression of the findings of the Royal Commission is that 7% of all Catholic priests in Australia are paedophiles... However, this is simply not true... During the period 2000-2010, 0.1% of Catholic priests were the subject of a first allegation of child sexual abuse. were in ministry for less than two years. This is significant as evidence suggests that most offenders in the Church do not offend in the early years of their ministry. Furthermore, the figure of 7% is likely to be inflated as a consequence of instances in which one and the same perpetrator was counted more than once. This likely duplication of alleged offenders arises because of the Commission’s practice in cases in which the identity of the alleged offender is unclear; if the identity is 10
legitimate steps to defend claims, including where a claim is vexatious, unmeritorious or an abuse of process.” Unsubstantiated claims that are not vexatious but nonetheless made decades after the alleged offence occurred are not without evidentiary problems, especially if the alleged victim was a child at the time of the alleged offence. Furthermore, at least some of the claims made to the Royal Commission rely on recovered repressed memories. In mainstream
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Catholic Church in Australia ommission Tells Us psychology, these kinds of claims are generally held to be unreliable. Of the claims that have been substantiated, we have no way of differentiating the seriousness of the alleged offences. The Royal Commission has a very broad definition of child sexual abuse, yet the survey instrument used by the Royal Commission does not ask about the nature of the alleged acts of child sexual abuse that were the subject of a claim. In a research project funded by the Royal Commission, it is claimed that the most common forms of child sexual abuse for Catholic priests are touching a child under the victim’s clothing and over the clothing. There were far fewer incidents of oral sex or penile penetration. This is not to say that less serious forms of child sex abuse are acceptable; however, here as elsewhere in law and morality, it is important to distinguish very serious from less serious offences. It is often overlooked that the Royal Commission defines a child as anybody under the age of 18 years. However, the age of consent in Australia is 16 or 17 years of age depending on the particular state law. This has been the case for decades. Accordingly, many individuals defined by the Royal Commission as children are legally entitled to engage in consensual sexual relations, including with priests. However, there is a complication in the case of children in special care and, in particular, in pastoral care provided by priests. Moreover, there is a further complication in relation to historic cases of child sexual abuse because laws relating to sexual relations with 16 and 17-year-olds have changed over time. It is currently an offence in some states to engage sexually with 16 or 17-year-olds in special care, including in pastoral care provided by priests. (This law is not in force in Queensland, Tasmania and the Commonwealth). But this law only came into force in NSW in a nascent form in
2002. Therefore, prior to 2002, it was not a criminal offence for an adult to have a sexual encounter with a 16 or 17-year-old in special care. Unfortunately, the Royal Commission does not give us a comprehensive breakdown of the ages of the alleged victims of child sexual abuse. We are given an average age - 11.4 years of age for all claimants - and a percentage number of alleged victims who were under 13 and over 13. Therefore, we do not know how many of the 40% of alleged victims over 13 fall into this category. It may well be the case that some of the allegations of child sexual abuse were in fact legal acts at the time of the alleged offences. On another note, most of the alleged offences that were reported to the Royal Commission were male on male. This is significant if we consider changes in the laws relating to homosexuality in Australia. It was as late as 1997 that homosexuality was decriminalised in all states of Australia. Therefore, it is possible that in some cases bishops were protecting homosexual priests who had sexual relations with consenting males over the age of sixteen and who would otherwise have been subject to criminal charges for homosexual behaviour. If so, then the young males in question were also being protected from criminal charges. The findings of the Royal Commission show that there was a peak in allegations of child sexual abuse in the 1960s and the 1970s followed by a sharp decline in the mid-1980s. This figure is consistent with overseas inquiries. Yet, a problem with the current numbers arises because, on average, reports of child sexual abuse in Australia have occurred 33 years after the alleged incident. There are many reasons given for the delay in reporting alleged offences. Some victims of child sexual abuse did not feel confident reporting offences at the time, others were not aware of the damage that had been done to them until later in life, and still others came forward because of the
Royal Commission. Therefore, it may well be true that the current figures of child sexual abuse are underestimated as the Royal Commission suggests. However, it is unlikely that the figures for alleged acts of child sexual abuse in the 2000s and beyond would be as high as the figures in the 1960s and 1970s. For one thing, there is a noticeable drop in alleged offences in the 1980s - some 30 years ago. Furthermore, it has been argued that claims of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the United States peaked in the 1960s and 1970s at least in part because of the social and cultural context of the time - for instance, increased levels of deviant behaviour in society in general. It is argued that the decline of allegations of child sexual abuse can be attributed to a growing awareness of the damage of child sexual abuse, improved vetting and reporting processes in the Church, improved child safety processes in the Church, better training for priests, the creation of government laws, and a greater awareness of the psychology of offenders. Certainly, research funded by the Royal Commission claims that there has been a decline in child sexual abuse over the past 15-20 years, including in the Church in Australia. Furthermore, the delay in reporting, sometimes a delay of decades, is significant. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Church to take action against an offender in the immediate aftermath of the offence if the offence has not yet been reported and will not be reported for some decades. Moreover, for evidentiary reasons among others, it is even difficult for the church to take action against such offenders decades after their offences given these offences were not reported at the time of their offences but only decades later. In summary, there was a crisis of child sexual abuse in the Church, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. However, this is, most likely, not the reality today. 11
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Saint of the Month, 28 November
Saint Catherine Laboure “...the humble shall be exhalted” - Luke (14:11)
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t Catherine was born 2 May 1806 in Burgundy France. Because it was the Feast Day of St Zoe, all in the large Laboure family always called her Zoe. She was however baptized Catherine. When her mother died Zoe picked up a statue of the Virgin Mary and said: “Now, dear Blessed Mother you will be my Mother!” For some years Zoe spent her life caring for her younger sister and invalid brother, doing the work in her father’s household and praying before the Blessed Sacrament. She never had any formal education. Inspired by St Vincent De Paul, Zoe eventually entered the Convent of the Daughters of Charity in Paris on 22 January 1830, where she was known as Sister Laboure. From then on she devoted her life humbly to prayer, domestic service and work in the garden. 1830 was the year of the second French revolution, which did harm to France and its people. Many had turned from God; they did not pray; hatred replaced love of neighbor and there was no peace. Into these evil times, Mary Queen of Peace appeared to Zoe, the Novice of only six months, with a plan to help those suffering and a mission for this humble girl. The first occasion was on the night of 18 July 1830. Her guardian angel awakened her in the dormitory and lead her to the chapel in the convent in Rue du Bac, where the Virgin appeared and spoke to her for two hours about her mission and the evil that would happen to the world. The second occasion was on the first Sunday in Advent, 27 November. Mary was holding a golden globe, the world, entreating God to have mercy, to hold back the arm of Divine Justice. Mary was standing on the earth, her heal crushing the head of the serpent (Gen 3.15). Brilliant rays from Mary’s hands symbolizing graces from Jesus for all who ask; but today many do not ask as Mary
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prophesized. Catherine was given her mission to introduce the medal of the Immaculate Conception to the world which was described to her in detail. The prayer encircling the medal was to be: Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to you. Mary Predicted Sorrows and tribulation for France and foretold a long time of peace, joy and happiness for the world, but only after a time of tribulation. Mary said “Have a Medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear Our Lady appears before St Catherine Laboure it around the neck. Graces will abound for persons who wear it with confidence.” Catherine humbly conveyed all this from Genesis to Apocalypse and we to her confessor, Father Aladel, who was can see the vital role that the victorious not convinced of her claim that she had woman is destined in the final defeat of the apparitions and that Mary wanted the the devil, it is amazing how in such a medal struck and circulated throughout small medal God can give us so many the world. Catherine was persistent and profound lessons.” Encyclical Mother of he eventually accepted that her claim was the Redeemer. genuine and reported all details and the It is clear the medal is all about description of the medal to his superior. the love and mercy of God our Savior. In despair it is hope; hear the voice of Bartimaeus calling: “Jesus Son of David have mercy on me a sinner”. Pope John Paul II consoled the world in his pontificate with: “Whoever says Jesus I trust in You is comforted in fear.” Catherine Laboure had the unique gift of seeing and communicating with the Mother of God. Be sure Divine Mercy was deeply discussed and that Satan and his minions are powerless against Mary The Medal design submitted by the and the Miraculous Medal. Anyone who engraver in 1832 and was accepted by says often Mary’s powerful prayer on the Father Aladel. A Canonical enquiry medal is blessed more than this world in 1838 found the medal to be of dreams of and will be forever glad. supernatural origin from Heaven. Humble Zoe Laboure died on 31 Millions of medals according to December 1876. Her intact body is Mary’s design, given to Catherine interred in the chapel of her convent in Laboure were circulated worldwide and rue du Bac in Paris. A cause was set in miracles happened. It was truly named place in 1895. It was not until 1933 that The Miraculous Medal. Pope John Paul II she was beatified by Pope Pius XI. She was said “We see in the Miraculous Medal a canonized St Catherine Laboure by Pope symbol of the whole history of salvation Pius XII on 27 November 1947.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
International court orders 16 countries to ignore their laws and allow gay ‘marriage’
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Claire Chretien, LifeSiteNews n what one expert called the “most bold exercise in judicial tyranny imaginable,” an international human rights court has ordered that 16 countries ignore their own laws and recognize same-sex “marriage” and transgenderism. In one of these countries, Barbados, sodomy is illegal. The ruling came from the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights, which exists based on the American Convention of Human Rights. Twenty-five Latin and South American countries have ratified or adhered to the Convention, according to the Court’s website. The Court heard the case because the Costa Rican government sought “relatively minor” advice, Gualberto Garcia Jones, executive director of International Human Rights Group, told LifeSiteNews. “Costa Rican officials asked for clarification on what process [was] required to legally change the name of a gender confused person and the rights to property of homosexual partners under the Convention,” Jones explained. “Instead of answering the questions asked, the court attempted to issue a unilateral ruling that homosexual marriage with adoption rights is required by the American Convention on Human Rights.” The Court “overreached its jurisdiction in an unprecedented manner,” Jones said, ignoring the Vienna Convention – the accepted rules of interpretation for international treaties – and instead delegating “to itself the authority to overrule national constitutions in order to implement its opinions.” Gay Star News called it the “biggest marriage equality court order in history.” Judge Vio Grossi partially dissented, writing, “Legislation recognizing same sex unions cannot be imposed upon member states through the judicial process, much less so through an advisory opinion, which is not binding even on the party requesting the opinion, and much
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ordered that 16 countries ignore their own laws and recognize same-sex “marriage” and transgenderism.
less upon the other member states.” There is “no source of international law that provides the necessary recognition of such [homosexual] rights,” Grossi wrote. The Court also ignored “the text of the American Convention itself, whose only reference to marriage limits it to the union of one man and one woman,” said Jones. The order “pretends to overturn the overwhelming majority of the internal legislation that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman through an advisory opinion,” he said. “This would be impossible even if the opinion of the court came after a litigated case in controversy, since the rulings of the court are only binding upon the litigating parties.” “Therefore, to attempt to impose an advisory opinion as binding upon all countries that ratified the convention is the most bold exercise in judicial tyranny imaginable,” Jones warned. The ruling even went as far as to say “polygamous families” are licit. “The richness and diversity of the region is seen in the cases that are submitted to the court; through those cases the court has recognized diverse family makeups as protected, including
polygamous families,” the majority ruling said on page 78, which Jones translated for LifeSiteNews. Opposition to same-sex “marriage” that is “based on religious or philosophical convictions” shouldn’t be considered, the ruling said. This “shows a visible prejudice against religious convictions and religious individuals,” said Jones. The court disqualified “any principles which it arbitrarily determines to be religious ones without bothering to offer any legal precedent for such anti-religious prejudice.” It also didn’t produce “any analysis that opposition to same-sex unions is in fact a theological position.” Eleven countries “must pass trans rights laws” because of this ruling, Gay Star News wrote. The Dominican Republic, Honduras, Barbados, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Suriname are the countries most affected by this ruling, because they neither recognize same-sex “marriage” or transgenderism. Brazil and Colombia already recognize same-sex “marriage” and transgenderism. Parts of Mexico do as well. Perú, Panamá, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Bolivia all have some protransgender. 13
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Pope Paul VI to be made a saint this year! The cure, which happened in 2014, was a little girl of the Verona region of Italy. Before her birth, little Amanda survived a proven risk of abortion. She will be threeyears-old at Christmas.
By Rosa Die Alcolea, Zenit
to be established. “There are two Bishops of Rome (recent ones) already Saints (John XXIII and John Paul II). Paul VI will be a Saint this year,” said the Holy Father. The Pontiff also pointed out that John Paul I might be beatified, as his Cause is open in the Pontifical Congregation. Joking, the Argentine Pope added: “And Benedict and I are on the waiting list: pray for us.”
“Paul VI will be a Saint this year,” announced Pope Francis. In his address during the meeting with the parish priests of Rome, which was held on Thursday, February 15, 2018, in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Pope Francis announced that Blessed Paul VI will be canonized in 2018. It’s a great event for the universal Church, although the official date has yet
Miracle Last February 8 the Cardinals expressed their favorable opinion for the recognition of a miracle due to Paul VI’s intercession. On December 13, 2017, the theologians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the recognition of the “miracle,” whereas the Medical Commission issued previously a favorable opinion.
Pope Francis:
The categorical imperative is never abandon the sick.
Pope Paul IV
Cont’d, from pg 6 tendency toward growing inequality in health care. This tendency is clearly visible at a global level, particularly when different continents are compared. But it is also present within the more wealthy countries, where access to healthcare risks being more dependent on individuals’ economic resources than on their actual need for treatment. In the complexity resulting from the influence of these various factors on clinical practice, but also on medical culture in general, the supreme commandment of responsible closeness, must be kept uppermost in mind, as we see clearly from the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:2537). It could be said that the categorical imperative is to never abandon the sick. The anguish associated with conditions that bring us to the threshold of human mortality, and the difficulty of the decision we have to make, may tempt us to step back from the patient. Yet this is where, more than anything else, we 14
are called to show love and closeness, recognizing the limit that we all share and showing our solidarity. Let each of us give love in his or her own way—as a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother or sister, a doctor or a nurse. But give it! And even if we know that we cannot always guarantee healing or a cure, we can and must always care for the living, without ourselves shortening their life, but also without futilely resisting their death. This approach is reflected in palliative care, which is proving most important in our culture, as it opposes what makes death most terrifying and unwelcome—pain and loneliness. Within democratic societies, these sensitive issues must be addressed calmly, seriously and thoughtfully, in a way open to finding, to the extent possible, agreed solutions, also on the legal level. On the one hand, there is a need to take into account differing world views, ethical convictions and religious affiliations, in a climate of openness and dialogue. On the other hand, the state cannot renounce
Beatification Pope Francis beatified Paul VI (18971978) on October 19, 2014, at the end of the first Synod of Bishops on the Family. On December 20, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI approved the Decree recognizing that Paul VI lived the Christian and human virtues in a “heroic” way. The miracle for the Beatification was the inexplicable cure of a boy, in the mother’s womb, in California 18 years before. The child was threatened with death or severe malformations, which led the doctors to advise an abortion.
its duty to protect all those involved, defending the fundamental equality whereby everyone is recognized under law as a human being living with others in society. Particular attention must be paid to the most vulnerable, who need help in defending their own interests. If this core of values essential to coexistence is weakened, the possibility of agreeing on that recognition of the other which is the condition for all dialogue and the very life of society will also be lost. Legislation on health care also needs this broad vision and a comprehensive view of what most effectively promotes the common good in each concrete situation. In the hope that these reflections may prove helpful, I offer you my cordial good wishes for a serene and constructive meeting. I also trust that you will find the most appropriate ways of addressing these delicate issues with a view to the good of all those whom you meet and those with whom you work in your demanding profession. May the Lord bless you and the Virgin Mary protect you.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Trump:
“We will defend the right to life”
The following is the full text of President Donald Trump’s speech to the March for Life. He is the first president to give a live-video-feed address to pro-life participants:
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e have tens of thousands of people watching this right down the road, tens of thousands. So, I congratulate you, and at least we picked a beautiful day, you can’t get a more beautiful day. I want to thank our Vice President Mike Pence for that wonderful introduction. I also want to thank you and Karen for being true champions for life. Thank you, and thank Karen. Today I’m honored and really proud to be the first president to stand with you here at the White House to address the 45th March for Life, that’s very very special, 45th March for Life, and this is a truly remarkable group. Today tens of thousands of families, students, and patriots, and really just great citizens gather here in our nations Capitol. You come from many backgrounds, and many places, but you all come for one beautiful cause, to build a society where life is celebrated and protected and cherished. The March for Life is a movement born out of love: you love your families; you love your neighbors; you love our nation; and you love every child born and unborn, because you believe that every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God. We know that life is the greatest miracle of all. We see it in the eyes of every new mother who cradles that wonderful, innocent, and gloriousnewborn child in her loving arms. I want
to thank every person here today and all across our country who works with such big hearts and tireless devotion to make sure that parents have the caring support they need to choose life. Because of you, tens of thousands of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential, because of you. You’re living witnesses of this year’s March for life theme, and that theme is, ‘Love Saves Lives.’ As you all know Roe versus Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world. For example, in the United States, it’s one of only seven countries to allow elective late-
term abortions along with China North Korea and others. Right now, in a number of States, the laws allow a baby to be born [sic, aborted] from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong. It has to change. Americans are more and more prolife. You see that all the time. In fact, only 12% of Americans support abortion on demand at any time. Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independent, and that is the ‘right to life.’ Tomorrow will mark exactly one year since I took the oath of Cont’d, on pg 18 15
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Book Review Watch and Pray
Prayers for Eucharistic Adoration By Emeritus Archbishop of Perth Barry J Hickey Reviewed by Brian Peachey
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rchbishop Hickey has produced a 54 paged gem for those who pray in adoration before the Eucharist and also for those who struggle to pray and want to come closer to God and his Blessed Mother. Archbishop Hickey has designed this book to assist those who are fortunate to be in a parish where there is Eucharistic adoration. It especially encourages prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist and provides several useful meditations. It is also a book for personal prayer and a means to generate family prayer. As he said in his 2008 book, Living Biblically, “The renewed interest in sacred scriptures has come at a very opportune time when many young people are searching to find Jesus, “What better way than turning to the Word of God where we see what Jesus did and hear him speak. He has much to say to us today.” Archbishop Hickey encourages Praying the Psalms, which forms part of the Jewish Prayer Book. He writes: “They were generally sung. Over the centuries they expressed in poetic form the people’s experience of God.” A Book for all Reasons It truly is a book for all reasons. It is a book for the young. It should be used by every youth group. It should be used in all Catholic schools. It could help stop the drift away of many youths and help those who have drifted. It is a book for the aged and infirm. A gift of consolation, acceptance and peace. It is a book for those who are concerned about Australia’s future and the atheistic attack on the Church. It is a book for those who take their daily cares to bed and struggle to sleep. They will find parts of it to be a jewel of great value, especially the Meditation on page 16. The subheading is from Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God”. It is available by post for a mere five dollars or less for multiple copies. There
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is a whosale price for retailers. It can be obtained from Life in Abundance Inc. Business Hub PO Box 1400 Osborne Park. WA 6916. The proceeds from the sale of
this book will go to the relief of poverty. “In as much as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me”. (Matthew 25-40)
Scripture Discussion Abundant Life
Summer 2018
A reflection for families and prayer groups
The challenge before us
C
onsider the words of Jesus “From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence, and the violent are taking it by storm” (Matthew 11:12). Question 1: Jesus warned that the forces of evil would try to destroy his efforts to establish the Kingdom of God. How was his death not a defeat but a victory?
Jesus’ followers were to expect similar persecution, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before it hated you.” “They will put you out of the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will claim to be serving God.” (John 15:18, 16:2) Question 2: Are there enemies of Christ today that fit this description? Why is God’s Kingdom such a threat?
Jesus’ words of consolation are for all time, “I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have told you this, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have suffering. But take courage! I have overcome the world.” “I pray not only for them (disciples) but for those who through their word will believe in me.” “Consecrate them in the truth.” (John, Chapter 17) Question 3: Prayer is essential. It binds us to Jesus like branches to the vine. In the face of these present and future threats, what action do you feel you must take to withstand the spread of evil today?
Bishop Kennedy: SSM will have far reaching consequences Cont’d, from pg 9 of society to co-operate in affirming and building up marriage to what it should be, since a healthy society depends on healthy households, of which strong and stable marriage is the traditional foundation. The needs of children must not take a back-seat to the satisfaction of adult desires. We are kidding ourselves if we pretend changing marriage won’t have an impact on children. Beyond the effect on children, redefining marriage to include samesex relationships will have far reaching consequences in society. The law shapes people’s attitudes and the way people think. So if marriage is redefined to include same-sex couples, people may well be encouraged to think that: marriage is only about adults romantic fulfilment; that mothers and fathers are wholly interchangeable; that gender is inconsequential; that sterile homosexual conduct is equal in value and worthy of
the same social and legal protection as fertile heterosexual conduct; and that people who adhere to the perennial and natural definition of marriage are bigots who must answer to the law for their alleged bigotry. Further, changing the legal definition of marriage is not just one change in the law, but would result in hundreds, if not thousands, of changes at once. The term “marriage” is found in family law, employment law, trusts and estates, healthcare law, tax law, property law, and many others. These laws effect and regulate the lives of individuals and families as well as the functioning of religious churches, schools, hospitals, and more. Whether or not religious ministers are to officiate at same-sex “weddings” is just the tip of the iceberg. The recent amendments to Marriage Act to include the marriage of same sex couples is a law that will compel everyone - even those opposed in conscience to the notion of same-sex “marriage”, to treat
these relationships as equal to marriage in every respect. Some real examples A few actual examples that have already occurred overseas are: a Catholic College in Massachusetts forced to offer accommodation to same-sex couples; the revoking of licences from Catholic adoption agencies in the UK, Massachusetts, and Washington DC for not placing children with samesex couples; and Catholic charities in Portland having to extend spousal employment benefits to same sex partners. Then there is the inability of parents to opt their children out of sex-education classes in Canada which teach homosexuality and heterosexuality equally. Does anybody seriously believe similar situations would not arise in Australia? And does anybody seriously believe that any so-called “religious exemptions” could not later be removed with the stroke of a pen? 17
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
Bermuda repeal of gay-marriage stands CNA, Bermuda The British government has said it will not overrule a Bermudian law passed earlier this month which abolishes samesex marriage, less than a year after the institution was imposed by a court decision. Bermuda’s parliament passed a bill in December 2017 which abolished same-sex marriage, and rather allowed both oppositeand same-sex couples to form domestic partnerships. The Domestic Partnership Act was approved by Bermuda Governor John Rankin Feb. 7. “The Act is intended to strike a fair balance between two currently irreconcilable groups in Bermuda, by restating that marriage must be between a male and a female while at the same time
recognising and protecting the rights of same-sex couples,” said Bermudian home affairs minister Walton Brown. “Bermuda will continue to live up to its well-earned reputation as a friendly and welcoming place, where all visitors, including LGBT visitors, will continue to enjoy our beauty, our warm hospitality and inclusive culture.” In a 2016 referendum, Bermudians had voted against gay marriage by 69 to 31 percent, but a May 2017 Supreme Court ruling legalized the practice. As a British Overseas Territory, Bermuda is a self-governing territory under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. The British government is thus able to block Bermudian laws, but it was deemed
inappropriate to do so. “That bill has been democratically passed by the Parliament of Bermuda, and our relationship with the overseas territories is based on partnership and respect for their right to democratic self-government,” said British Prime Minister Theresa May. Eight same-sex marriages were contracted in Bermuda while the practice was legal, and they will continue to be recognized. Some proponents of gay marriage have advocated a boycott of Bermuda over the new law, but others have argued it would counterproductive and would only harm same-sex persons in the territory. The Domestic Partnership Act 2018 already faces legal challenges in the courts.
Trump aims to protect conscience rights and religious freedoms for those in the medical profession Cont’d, from pg 15 office. And I will say our country is doing really well. Our economy is perhaps the best it’s ever been. You look at the job numbers, the companies pouring back into our country, look at the stock market at an all-time high, unemployment at a 17-year low, unemployment for African workers at the lowest mark in the history of our country, unemployment for Hispanic at a record-low in history, unemployment for women, think of this, at an 18- year low. We’re really proud of what we’re doing. And during my first week in office, I reinstated a policy first put in place by Pres. Ronald Ragan, the Mexico City Policy. I strongly supported the House of Representatives’ pain-capable bill, which would end painful late-term abortions nationwide. And I call upon the Senate to pass this important law and send it to my desk for signing. On the National Day of Prayer, I signed an executive order to protect religious liberty. [I’m] very proud of that. Today, I’m announcing that we’ve just issued a new proposal to protect conscience rights and religious freedoms of doctors, nurses, and other medical professions. So important. I have also just reversed the previous administration’s 18
policy that restricted state efforts to direct Medicaid funding away from abortion facilities that violate the law. We are protecting the sanctity of life and the family as the foundation of our society. But this movement can only succeed with the heart and the soul and the prayer of the people. Here with us today is Marianne Donadio from Greensboro North Carolina. Where is Marianne? Hello, come on up here Marianne. Come. Nice to see you, by the way. Marianne was 17 when she found out that she was pregnant. At first, she felt like she had no place to turn. But when she told her parents they responded with total love, total affection, total support. Great parents? Great? [Trump asked Marianne. She responded in the affirmative] I thought you were going to say that. I had to be careful. Marianne bravely chose life and soon gave birth to her son. She named him Benedict which means blessing. Marianne was so grateful for her parents love and support that she felt called to serve those who were not as fortunate as her. She joined with others in her community to start a maternity home to care for homeless women who were pregnant. That’s great. They named it ‘Room at the Inn.’ Today, Marianne and her husband
Don are the parents of six beautiful children. And her eldest son Benedict and her daughter Maria join us here today. Where are they? Come on over. That’s great. Over the last 15 years, Room at the Inn has provided housing, childcare, counseling, education, and job-training to more than 400 women. Even more importantly, it has given them hope. It has shown each woman she is not forgotten, that she is not alone, and that she really now has a whole family of people who will help her succeed. That hope is the true gift of this incredible movement that brings us together today. It is the gift of friendship, the gift of mentorship, and the gift of encouragement, love, and support. Those are beautiful words and those are beautiful gifts. And most importantly of all, it is the gift of life itself - that is why we March, that is why we pray, and that is why we declare that America’s future will be filled with goodness, peace, joy, dignity, and life for every child of God. Thank you to the March for life, special, special people. And we are with you all the way. May God bless you and may God bless America. Thank you. Thank you.
Abundant Life
Summer 2018
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ife in Abundance Inc. was established by a group of Catholic laity concerned about the pervasive secular materialism and powerful hedonistic attractions which have seduced many vulnerable families and the young. We are witnessing the collapse of families with damage to thousands of children. A growing concern for Catholic families is the fact that 95% of all young Catholics who graduate from schools do not attend Sunday Mass or participate in the Sacraments. Life in Abundance Inc. was established in 2014 with the hope of providing families and schools information on Catholic teaching as it pertains to modern societal issues, with an emphasis on issues of morality.
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