Day 12: Thank You, Saint Michael the Archangel Parish, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish; Fuel, Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Passionist Nuns, Carmelite Nuns of Latrobe, Sisters of Saint Joseph, Baden; Shift Buddies Pat S., Joe B., Jim and Cathy S., Steve and Denise McG.; Volunteer Anthony M.; and all of you who accompany us so generously in prayer. 

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.

Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm

against the tactics of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11.

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Early this Friday morning a PP “volunteer escort” arrived and stood outside the front doors. This escort was a Friday morning first as far back as I could remember. She really annoyed me. Shame on me! I love the fierce warrior and armor of God ideas in the Bible quotes. They remind me that love is a battle. The battle for love must begin and endure in my own heart. 

When we say, “We believe life begins at conception,” abortion supporters dismiss the argument as a religious belief that can be disregarded in a secular society defined by a supposed separation of church and state.  But a key distinction must be made: pro-lifers don’t defend unborn children because our faith teaches us life begins at conception.  Rather, because science affirms that unborn babies’ lives begin at conception, our faith compels us to defend them.

Some abortion supporters dodge the matter by suggesting the issue of when life begins remains unanswered and, therefore, irrelevant. That’s how the United States Supreme Court majority justified its sweeping fifty-state abortion legalization in Roe v Wade.  Writing for the court, Justice Harry Blackmun wrote, “We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins.  When those trained in … medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus ….”

What to Say When, Shawn D. Carney, Steve Karlen

Wow, Justice Harry Blackmun.  I’m surprised you would put that in writing.

Here’s what science knows. A baby’s life begins at fertilization. The union of an egg from the mother and a sperm from the father creates a fertilized egg cell. Zygote is what science calls the baby at this stage of human development. Baby is what the baby’s mother and father and grandparents and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and the next-door neighbors call the newly developing little unborn human being.  The baby is endowed with a set of chromosomes from Mom and a set of chromosomes from Dad.  No other child is endowed with this specific set.  This baby is genetically unique. Following the process of egg activation, a series of mitotic divisions will result in cell differentiation and embryo development. Happy Birthday! is just around the corner. https://www.britannica.com/science/zygote. Tom Norris, in Human Growth and Development (Third Edition), 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/fertilization.

The Most Beautiful “Ave Maria” I’ve ever heard, Michał Lorenc, Polish film score composer, Olga Szyrowa, soloist.

Here’s a music video showing the visit of Mary and 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, ‘Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.’” (Luke 1:39-45)

DEE GATHERS OUR FUEL

Sisters of Saint Joseph, Baden

Dear Dolores,

We, the sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, send you our prayers during these 40 days for life.

Blessings,

Sister Sharon and the sisters of Saint Joseph

SHIFT MANAGER NOTES AND PICS FROM THE SIDEWALK

KEN 9-11

It was a very cold morning on Liberty Avenue today. I know we have done this many times before in the cold, and it is the Lenten campaign, but we had such nice weather last week. Luke 9:23 And He said to all:  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  So, we offered this time as always for the women and children who will enter this facility in the coming days and prayed that it will be shut down. Offering the chaplet of Divine Mercy and fifteen decades of the rosary, including a scriptural rosary. The first shift was cancelled due to the bitter cold, so I arrived to find shift buddy Pat S. waiting. We were joined by our faithful Knights of Columbus, Rich and George and also Marie from Most Precious Blood of Jesus parish. Once again, the downtown Pittsburgh Rosary walk stopped for a few minutes, praying for an end to abortion, praying for healing, conversion, The Triumph of The Immaculate Heart, and God’s Mercy.

Shift manager Ken and Shift buddy Pat, Knights of Columbus, Rich and George, Marie from Most Precious Blood of Jesus parish and downtown Pittsburgh Rosary walk.

Pat, Marie, Knights of Columbus Rich and George

ROSEANNE AND RICH 11-1

Anyone who came to 40 Days today knows that it was COLD but we came prepared. There was not much going on in town today but we managed to get a couple of negative remarks. I suppose some people just have to be heard. What about all those little babies that will never be heard. That’s why we do it.  We are grateful to Anthony and Andrew (who is from Nigeria) for braving the cold to stand and pray with us. Lisa stopped by to see if we needed anything. Thanks, Lisa.

Anthony, Andrew from Nigeria, and Rich

LINDSAY 1-3

I guess you could just say “cold hands, warm heart.” Saint Michael the Archangel Parish showed up in force despite the bitter cold. And the R. family also showed up. Power Prayer Warriors

Saint Michael the Archangel Prayer Warriors braving the cold

Power Prayer Warriors

Saint Michael the Archangel Parish

JOE 3-5

Glorious prayer lead by Fr. Mohler with the beautiful Christians from Saint Joseph the Worker parish kept us warm on this windy afternoon. Thanks, folks, for your sacrifice.  It was uplifting and joy-filled.

Peace of the Lord be with y’all. 

Joe 

Shift buddies Jim and Cathy, and Saint Joseph the Worker parishioners Arleen, Nadine, Judy with Fr. Mohler

ANDY 5-7

We stand here for truth, the truth that every unborn baby is a person, deserving the right to be born. We take the cold, the ice, and the mocking of those passing by with a great big smile, knowing that our side has already won. Praise be to God!

And God saw that it was good.

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