When peaceful stillness
compassed everything
and the night in its swift course was half spent,
Your all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land. And
as he alighted…, he still reached to heaven, while he
stood upon the earth.
Wisdom 18:14-15, 16b
Magnificat December 2020
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We have gathered since Ash Wednesday – 7a to 7p – on the quite cold snow crusted sidewalk downtown. A lot of us know each other from of old. Some of us are new comers. Our first thought is to pray together. A fierce warrior lights our way … as he has since the beginning.
Share a moment with me. Here’s a thought inspired by an attorney and a song inspired by shepherds.
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The Honorable Bruce L. Castor, Jr., was defense lead council for the 45th President of the United States during the second impeachment trial.
He reminded his listeners.
We know that we have a specific body of law that deals with events where passion and rage – blind logic and reason.
We understand that people’s minds can be overpowered with emotion where logic does not immediately kick in.
That’s the difference between manslaughter and murder.
Manslaughter is the killing of a human being upon sudden and intense provocation.
Murder is done with cold blood and reflective thought.
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WOW! WHY doesn’t Castor’s fact summary power a formal comprehensive government sponsored pro-life response to a crisis pregnancy? SURE! a crisis pregnancy can blind logic and reason. It can feel overpowering. Logic may not immediately kick in. Sympathetic hearts want to help.
ABORTION … IN COLD BLOOD … WITH REFLECTIVE THOUGHT … LEGALLY KILLS THE CHILD?
What is the child’s crime? Why should the baby die because of a crisis pregnancy? Why did America provide $616,000,000 in taxpayer funding for ABORTION in 2018?
Castor reminds our legislators that a specific body of our law calls the killing of a human being done in cold blood and reflective thought – MURDER.
SOMETHING IS WRONG.
YES! And … and something is broken. Look again at the picture of the handsome little boy in the blue kimono. So much beauty is going on that you might not notice that the boy is holding a cross. The cross is the key. Something was locked. Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection unlocked it. Our part in the unlocking calls us to a warrior’s audacity! On guard! Alleluia!
Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:10, 12.
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Lauft, ihr Hirten, allezugleih, (“Come Run, Ye Shepherds”)
Johann Michael Haydn, composer. Elias Mädler, soloist. When the camera shows Mädler singing from the side view, you can see his breath. There is no heating in such big old churches. The Tölzer Knabenchor (the Tölz Boychoir) was founded in 1956 by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden in Bavaria, Germany. The various ensembles of the Tölzer Knabenchor give nearly 240 concerts and opera performances annually. The choristers receive a share of the benefit. ENJOY!
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DEE GATHERS OUR FUEL
SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF CHARITY
Thank you for all of your pro-life information that you have always sent us. We always pray for the pro-life movement and admire all the efforts you have made to promote it. Rest assured of our prayers and best wishes.
Sincerely in Mary,
Sr. Sheila Rooney, RGS
Sr. Agnes McCormick, RGS
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NOTES FROM THE SIDEWALK
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JENNIFER McD. 7-9 SHIFT MANAGER
Like so many of us this week, I drove to the vigil dreading the cold. It made me think, though…how much worse would I feel if I were driving to PP for an abortion? May God use our small sacrifice of comfort to save women from that pain and grief.
The cold was made much more tolerable by my Shift Buddy, Vince, whose heart burns with love for the unborn. We were joined by faithful witnesses Bill, Rich, and George. So grateful to the 9 AM shift manager, Ken, for arriving early and sending us to warm up!
George, Vince, and Rich…warm smiles from cold volunteers!
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KEN B. 9-11 SHIFT MANAGER
Many thanks to Jen and Vince from the earlier shift who suffered through single digit weather during the 7 – 9:00 AM shift. Thanks also, to two men of the Knights, Rich and George, from the first shift, who stayed for our first hour. I thank God for all the hardship you endured for life. I was joined by shift buddy Nikki and regular Sunday witness Pat. In the second hour we were joined by Barbara, a new comer to 40 Days and the weekly Rosary Walk.
Shift Manager, Ken with Knights Rich and George and faithful Sunday witness, Pat
Pat, standing with new Witness Barbara and Nikki, 40 Days Director
Busy Sunday morning witnesses sharing love in the cold!
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RICH and ROSEANN K. 11-1 SHIFT MANAGERS
The first day of our shift this Lenten season and as a typical Sunday, it was quiet. We had a nice presence on the sidewalk today. Saint Michael the Archangel Parish committed to stand with us. We had Mary Jane, Michele, Al, Philene, David and the R. Family. As we were witnessing a couple walked by and as they passed Planned Parenthood they made the Sign of the Cross. I mention this because I found it unusual only because it was the first time I had seen someone do this. I am sure that many people who pass by feel as we do but never let us know their feelings. Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
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LINDSAY M. 1-3 SHIFT MANAGER
Today I had a wonderful day. While it started out shakey, running late for my first shift as Shift Leader for 40 Days for Life on Sunday 1-3, I was immediately assured and comforted by my AWESOME shift buddy, Maria. She was there on time and all was well. Then, for the first time EVER, I got not only a primo parking garage spot, but THE VERY FIRST parking garage spot as you enter the facility! I arrived at the prayer vigil outside of 933 Liberty Avenue (hardly liberty to the unborn), and settled in. With it being so bitterly cold, and everyone bundled up to the hilt and wearing masks and hats, I didn’t realize I was right next to Father until a bit later when he started to speak (and he has notably beautiful speaking (and singing) voice). (It’s true. Not trying to dig myself out of my hole!)
After finishing a Divine Mercy chaplet led by Maria (who does all the work while I get all the glory as “leader”), we began a prayer Litany, praying for ALL those involved with abortion, and for pro-life leadership of our Church, Community and Governmental leaders. As we prayed, two BEAUTIFUL, stylish teen girls (I’m guessing 15 ish) came into our midst and began studying the fetal models that show the progress of the unborn in utero. They began to question us about that, and about what we do, and VERY POLITELY let us know that they thought we were wrong and “mean” to make women feel badly as they enter an abortion clinic (women’s right to choose, and all that). God always seems to choose fools with jaded pasts to do His work. So, it should be of no surprise to all reading this, that He chose me despite the fact that everyone else there, especially Father, was much wiser for this work!
While everyone continued the Litany, for a long, long time I chatted with these precious girls. Innocent, yet sadly so worldly. We had a great, respectful conversation. I felt amazed that such young beauties would even want to spend that much time speaking with a “mature”, uncool, style-less woman like me. But they shared openly their thoughts, and I explained openly my beliefs back to them. Essentially, they believe in reincarnation, and that unborn babies are not “alive” until they are in the world, unless the mother decides they are indeed alive while in the uterus. The mother decides when life begins, essentially, not God. The girls wrongly believed that if a baby was aborted, that it did not feel pain, and only its soul was affected by simply shifting into another human entity (who hopefully wasn’t aborted again). I did my best to explain my beliefs, while still respecting theirs, and tried to explain the concept of one soul, one life, and every life has a purpose. I sought the help of the Holy Spirit the entire time, and while He didn’t seem to give me any astounding words of Wisdom, I do trust that He gave me the words of Truth and Light that these adorable young girls needed to hear in this particularly dark time of falseness. If nothing else, I do believe they felt love and kindness from our WONDERFUL Pastor and his parishioners from Saint Michael the Archangel Parish (Saint Bernard Mt Lebanon, Our Lady of Grace Scott Twp.).
Please pray for those precious young teen girls. I just wanted to surround these lambs with a loving shield of protection. I guess God gifted me with a tiny taste of what maternal love must feel like. No greater love!
Bud and Sharon
Fr. Brian Welding, Sharon
JOE W. 3-5 SHIFT MANAGER
Sunny, prayerful, peaceful day with beautiful people (Jim & Cathy). God is good!!!
Cathy and Jim S, Shift Buddies, Sunny witnesses on a wintry evening
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The day ended much gentler than it started. No wind and not even that cold for mid February. The prayer was from the heart and we trust that it has been efficacious
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And God saw that it was good.
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