Ubi Petrus

For the first time since its inception, 40 Days for Life is in New Hampshire. Last night we held a kickoff rally outside the Planned Parenthood abortuary in Manchester. It was, in a word, powerful.

All told, I’d estimate around 60-70 people showed up – maybe more by the time things really got going. Before they rally started some people were handing out St. Michael the Archangel prayer cards (and how appropriate the line, “Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil”, he who is ultimately behind this menace) and the Prayer for the Conversion of Abortionists by Fr. Frank Pavone. Things started shortly after with prayer and then witness from three different individuals, each with a different story. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

The woman speaking in the above picture is the one who came to our parish this past weekend. She told of how she waited and prayed day after day for God to send someone to bring 40 Days for Life to New Hampshire (boy, that sounded familiar…) until finally one day she realized that just maybe God had put her in that place at that time for that very purpose. What a powerful reminder that each of us has an irreplaceable role to play in this world – one God has laid out for us that no one else can do.

The woman in the back whom you can just see holding flowers is a sidewalk counselor who came to speak to us from Massachusetts. Her message was simple – pray, and be a witness, because you never know who is watching or what will happen if you put yourself out there. And above all, trust in God even if you don’t know how He is going to provide for you. She shared with us a few stories of times on the sidewalk when she had to step out in faith before she knew how things would work out and when she did God responded in a big and unforeseeable way.

The young man in the front of the truck spoke last, and his story was short but powerful. He is the father of a child aborted against his will. He told us of how when he called Planned Parenthood to ask them not to go through with the abortion he was told flatly that he had no rights in the matter and that’s all there was to it. The dimming sunlight reflected off no small number of tears as he spoke.

One side of the crowd

The other side of the crowd

After the witnesses were given we, again, prayed some more. We then made a candle light procession in front of the abortuary, singing Amazing Grace, turned around at the Elm Street intersection and processed back to where we started again. We had time to briefly chat with some friends and acquaintances as sign up sheets were handed around for anyone who could commit to at least an hour’s quiet, prayerful witness.

Yes, if you’re curious, we did have one heckler yell out “choice!” as he drove by but, well, it took a minute to even figure out what he (yes, “he”) said as he didn’t make much of an attempt at either enunciating his opinion or even yelling in our direction. There were also a couple of girls in nurse outfits standing by the back of the abortuary using their cell phone cameras to record the procession as they laughed and giggled. I can only guess that they work there and have simply no idea what they are doing or the pain and harm they are causing. They were, in a way, among the first people to see the power of 40 Days for Life, even if they don’t yet realize it. Those two young girls have never left my prayers from that moment on.

Sometimes I feel funny writing a review about books like thisthat have, to some extent, become a type of cultural icon. The then-Cardinal Ratzinger stepping out from behind a door, the Catechism in his hand and his now well-familiar understated smile on his face as the cover shot is now a familiar sight to many. It should come as no surprise that this book covers a wide variety of topics, spanning the range of pretty much every area of Catholic belief. As we continue further into the Benedictine Pontificate many of the topics he covers in this book and how they are covered become more well-known in general, although books like this are equally valuable for the insight into how the Pope both thinks now and has worked in thought through his life. I’d heartily recommend this book to anyone who is interested a not-too-deep but fairly broad insight into the thought of the man who would become Pope Benedict through the years.

Just because, and because it seems like this topic comes up now and again I thought I’d include his reflection on a topic that cannot help but be a hot-button. Even so, you notice right away the now-familiar combination of depth of knowledge, orthodoxy, and pastoral sensitivity – a combination we all would do well to emulate

Thus, for example, in the writings of William of Auvergne we find him making the distinction by which outward and inward communion are connected as are sign and reality. He then explains that the Church would never wish to deprive anyone of that inner communion. When she wields the sword of excommunication, then, according to him, this happens only in order to heal the spiritual communion with this medicine. He then adds a thought that is at the same time consoling and stimulating. He knows, he tells us, that for not a few people the burden of excommunication is as hard to bear as martyrdom. But, he says, very often a person makes more progress in patience and humility as an excommunicate than in the situation when he is outwardly in communion.

That deserves some not-inconsiderable chewing on. The man just makes you think – we are indeed blessed to have him as Pope.

Today we pray for Rev. Jonathan DeFelice OSB and Rev. Paul Riva CSR.

Fr. DeFelice OSB is the President of St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, a position he has held since 1989.  He entered Saint Anselm Abbey in 1968 and professed solemn vows as a Benedictine monk in 1973. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1974 after studying theology at Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Mass.

I am, sadly, unable to find any information on Fr. Riva aside from his residence in Suncook, New Hampshire.

May Mary draw them ever closer to her Son, and may they always find inspiration in the life and works of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of diocesan priests.

…is teach my kids how to not only say the Rosary in Latin but to chant it as well. Hey, you know, in for a penny in for a pound and all. Well, with a hat tip to Rich Leonardi, I have a good start finally.

Tolle, lege! Anything I’d say would just degrade it.

Don’t forget – the kickoff rally for 40 Days for Life is tomorrow, Tues., Sept. 23 at 6:30 in front of the Planned Parenthood on Pennacook Street (off of Elm Street) in Manchester. It is only through prayer and our faithful witness that we can turn the tide of this war of evil and help to bring about a culture of life throughout New Hampshire, throughout this country, and throughout this world. I hope to see you there!

Today we pray for Rev. Andre M. Thibodeau and Rev. Richard B. Thompson.

Fr. Thibodeau was ordained in 1971 and is now retired, having last served as pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Hillsborough.

Fr. Thompson was ordained in 1969 and is currently the Secretary for Ministry Formation for the Diocese.

We are forever grateful for their many years of service.

May Mary draw them ever closer to her Son, and may they always find inspiration in the life and works of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of diocesan priests.

If more orders and indeed dioceses explained their role and goal with the combination of beauty and simplicity this video shows I cannot begin to imagine how many more vocations we would see. Yet again we see that those orders and dioceses who cling most closely to their original charism and the teachings of the Church are growing and thriving. H/T to Roman Catholic Vocations.

In a word … finally! I’ve been hoping someone at the right level would decide to get this Diocese involved in the 40 Days for Life movement and it appears that it has finally happened. There will be a kickoff rally outside the Manchester Planned Parenthood this coming Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 PM and then prayerful witness outside the building from 7AM to 7PM from Sept. 24 to Nov. 2.

How can you help? First, come to the kickoff meeting if you can. At least as important as that, however, is to sign up for a slot to spend an hour in prayerful witness in front of the Planned Parenthood abortuary. (If I’m not mistaken, this is another PP building where they lied on their zoning application and the local government eventually decided to let them get away with it. Evil has no shame.) If you can’t manage any time in that schedule, and that happens, then I only ask you to do whatever you can to help out the cause of the most innocent of lives – pray, fast, do pennance, any or all of the above. Parishes in the area will have signup sheets available this weekend so we can sign up for both time slots for witness and to offer any other thing we can offer. There is also a signup form on the 40 Days for Life site here – how this will be coordinated with those forms collected at parishes I don’t yet know but I’m sure that’s been planned out.

More information is available at the 40 Days for Life site, at New Hampshire Right to Life and in this PDF that has been circulated in bulletins recently. Whatever you do, however you can help, please do it. This could be the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire and the beginning of a beautiful new era of life in this state.

Having a very low resistance to gadgetry I’ve added the Followers gadget to the blog. If you like anything I’ve written here and are willing to admit it, feel free to add yourself – if you don’t want others to know you read this blog you can do so privately even. No prizes for signing up, no bling, no money.