True Feminism

Do not believe the voices of unreason that say the Church restricts the rights of women.

Critics of the Catholic Church are quick to claim that there is a "war on women," especially when abortion is involved. They look at the Church's stance on abortion, birth control, and exclusion of women from the priesthood and call it oppression, as if the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church had actually conspired to do so!

This attack on the Church, this calumny, is one of the most frequent levied against the rock of Christ. But it is entirely contrary to the reality of our faith. The attitude of the Catholic Church towards women is not the watered-down talking points of the movement that calls itself feminist. It is an attitude of honor and reverence for the true nature of womanhood. It is true feminism.

"Male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27) Feminists like to believe that there are no differences between men and women. Not only is this a rejection of God's design, it is a reduction of the value of women instead of, as the feminists believe, a reach for equality. There are inherent differences between man and woman. As our knowledge of the human body increases, we are continuously finding more and more differences between the ways men and women function.

The most obvious difference between them, however, is quite obvious. Men cannot bear children. God created women to be capable of giving birth. Therefore, the idea of motherhood is central to our understanding of what it means to be a woman.

Motherhood is a gift from God. Feminists think it to be a curse. Their insistence on abortion and birth control is a rejection of that gift. This is a grave error. What is more beautiful than a newborn child? Fighting for an end to abortion is not an attack against women. It is a defense of womanhood. Abortion leaves scars. It hurts woman far more than it "helps" them.

Motherhood is central to the beauty of women. While men tend to be physically stronger, to women is given singular grace and beauty. Men are the protectors. Women are the treasure they protect. One of the central tenants of the medieval code of chivalry, the definition of manliness, was to respect the honor of women.

This does not degrade women. It celebrates them.

The exclusion of women from the priesthood is not a decision that was made by the Church. Once more, there is no anti-woman conspiracy. The priesthood was founded upon the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. The Sacrament of Holy Orders, whereby men become priests, was instituted at the Last Supper. When He said "this is my body," (Mark 14:22) Christ was instructing the Twelve. They became the inheritors of the order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). They became the new sons of Aaron, keepers of the new manna, the Eucharist (Exodus 16:33-34). Though Jesus had women followers: Mary Magdalene, Mary of Cleophas, and his own mother Mary, He did not grant them induction into His sacred priesthood. That was His decision, based upon the fundamental differences between men and women.

But women are in no way excluded from the operation of the Catholic Church. Religious sisters are the bulwark of our faith. Their prayers and works of mercy help to sustain the Church. Often, their hands are the hands of Christ in the most destitute places on Earth.

Some of the greatest Saints and martyrs of the faith are women. What Saint is more honored and venerated than Mary Mother of God? And many of Mary's visitations were to female saints like Bernadette. St. Theresa of Avila graced us with her mystical writings. St. Catherine of Sienna brought the Papacy back to Rome. St. Faustina's Diary reminded the world of Christ's mercy in a century when it was desperately needed. Blessed Mother Theresa (soon to be Saint) lived out the works of mercy in abject poverty with constant joy.

The Catholic Church is not prejudiced against women. It respects their true nature. Feminism does not. The Church refuses to ignore the motherhood that is essential to the nature of womanhood. It honors women for who they are.


DEUS VOLT!

How to be a Pro-Life Warrior

Let us herald in this new year, not with a dropping ball or trumpeting revelry, but with a fierce and furious battle cry. Brothers and sisters, we are at war. We fight against the tyranny of sin and culture of death. We fight against the elements of our society that make the taking of innocent life morally permissible. Not just permissible, but something done for the sake of convenience! The crime of abortion cannot be allowed to continue any longer. It cannot be tolerated!

This war will not be won by sitting on the sidelines. Lukewarm arms will not carry the day. Arrayed against us are hordes of demons and a host of deluded souls who call themselves pro-choice, but who would more aptly be named pro-death. Our foes are no push-overs. They are, however, deceived. They have accepted the lies of Satan and this world. "It's just a fetus," they say, "a woman should be able to do what she wants to with her body."

But they are wrong! At the point of conception there is life, human life that is separate and distinct from the body of the mother. This is a truth that we must fight for. In this post, we will look at how to do so. Every Catholic is called to be a pro-life warrior. The horrific reality of abortion is not something that any true Catholic can ignore. It is not a reality that you can idly cluck your tongue at.

These 11 points will teach you how to arm yourself for the fight that we have at our hands, a fight that we cannot abandon until it is won.

    1) PRAY

Prayer is the foundation and sustenance of the spiritual life. It is our source of strength in these times of blood and woe. Prayer is our source of courage in this battle. We must kneel before the Lord and ask that His strength might replace our own.

There are two things that we must pray for as pro-life warriors. First of all, we must entrust to God the souls of the unborn, both those who have died, those who will die, and those who can yet be saved. Pray that the Blessed Virgin will extend her mantle around the children who are yet to be born into this world. For it is the tragic reality that we will not be able to save every child. This is not a battle that can be won in a day, and babies are murdered every hour.

But God is infinitely merciful, and when it comes down to it, the best thing that we can do is pray.

The second thing that defenders of the unborn must pray for is a quick and speedy end to the practice of abortion. It is a scourge upon our land that must be eradicated. Soldiers of God must be found down on their knees in fervent prayer for an end to the evil of abortion. God can do more for the hearts and minds that must be changed than we could ever do on our own.

    2)  STUDY SACRED SCRIPTURE

God, our Great General and Lord in this fight, has given us a manual of tactics, the Bible. Neglecting the Scriptures is a recipe for defeat. St. Jerome wrote that "ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." In God's written revelation to us, we find words of encouragement and exhortation. When weary, turn to the sublime beauty of the Psalms. When despairing, reflect upon Job's endurance in suffering. When discouraged, read the Prophets and the Book of Revelation ton find the promise of eventual victory. When you feel alone, the first letter of John reminds us of God's love for each one of us and the words of the Prophet Jeremiah remind us of the truth that we fight for: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." (Jeremiah 2:5)

In the Bible, and especially the Gospels, the reason for our belief can be found. Only a bitter soul can read the Word of God and remain unmoved and uninspired.

    3) FREQUENT THE SACRAMENTS

The definition of the Sacraments is visible signs of invisible grace instituted by Christ. Everyone should remember that from Sunday school. Pro-life warriors must sustain themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the "source and summit of our faith." The Eucharist is our bunker in this war. It is the greatest sign of God's love for us, the love that makes all life sacred.

But receive the Sacrament worthily! Taking the Body and Blood of God in a state of serious sin is a grievous blasphemy. Therefore let the Confessional be your shelter from the tumults of this world and your own baseness. It is very difficult indeed to Confess too frequently.

Use Confession like the Christian warriors of old. "The French rise up and on their feet stand close; all of their sins are shriven and made whole... all are now ready into the field to go." (The Song of Roland, 90) On the eve of every battle, they sought Divine forgiveness so that they would not have to fear death. We are far less likely to face Saracen swords while protesting abortion. Nevertheless, it is right and fitting that we frequently rely upon the Sacraments that we might remain pure and righteous warriors of God.

    4) TAKE SEMPER VITAE AS YOUR MOTTO

We fight for the lives of the unborn because we believe in the sanctity of life, every life, from conception to a natural death. As we take on the forces of this anti-culture, we must keep "Semper Vitae" as our motto - Always Life. We must defend life at every stage, whether attacked with abortion or euthanasia. Do not fall into the error of taking a life in order to save it. Engaging in acts of violence against Planned Parenthood and other providers of abortion violates the very Truth that we fight for. Ends do not justify means.

    5) LEARN THE ARGUMENTS

A pro-life warrior is not a soldier of steel. They are defenders of the Truth. Our weapons consist of arguments, apologetics, and the passion of our faith. In order to truly engage in this fight, you must study evidence to use as arms. Learn why we can be confident in the righteousness of our cause. The arguments are simple. The Truth often is. Conception creates life. Without conception, there is no life. Barring human interference or tragic circumstances, the child will grow and develop in the womb before being born. At no point are the fruits of our sexuality not a human child. Abortion unequivocally takes a human life.

Your reply to "It's the woman's body" should be an emphatic "No!" It is the child's body! Planned Parenthood does not sell the parts of women, they sell baby parts! Those are not parts of the mother that they discard so callously, those are the products of their murder! The corpse of a child! Murder is not justifiable for the sake of convenience! Not ever.

Learn the arguments that you might defend the truth of Semper Vitae.

    6) BE BOLD

The times that we live in are no occasions for the faint of heart or the lukewarm. Defenders of the unborn must be outspoken. We cannot give the foes of life any quarter. Never let their lies go unchallenged!
The rot of the pro-choice ideology has spread deep. You'll find it almost everywhere, from the schools to the workplace to the city streets. Therefore, let the world find a pro-life warrior just as frequently. Shout Semper Vitae from the rooftops.

Never allow your voice to be drowned out by the cravens who accept infanticide. St. Pope John Paul II famously said "Be not afraid." Be bold men and women of God. Do not fear persecution for the sake of the unborn. Embrace it. "Count it all joy." (James 1:2) Holding back in the field of battle might mean comfort and convenience for you, but it means death for even more children. St. Augustine wrote that we should "pray as if everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." Never let it be said that the courage we find in God is insufficient for our weak and tepid souls.

    7) CHALLENGE LEADERS

For the more than forty years since Roe v Wade, we have been forced to watch the innocents be slaughtered upon the altars of our corruption. Just as the evil of abortion was brought forth upon our land by a Supreme Court decision, it can be removed by a Supreme Court decision. While seeking to change the cultural conditions that allow abortion to be considered allowable, we must simultaneously seek to change the political conditions that make it legal.

Remember that the ranks of the pro-life movement are by no means thin. It is estimated that about 800,000 people attended the March for Life in DC last year. What if a mere tenth of that number were to write letters to their Congressional representatives? What if we were to flood the Capitol with letters and petitions and phone-calls? We could drown out the discordant howling of our opponents with a righteous defense of the unborn.

Go to opencongress.org. It has a listing of the representatives in both houses of Congress for your ZIP code. You'll find their phone-number, mailing address, and email. Demonstrates your support for the pro-life movement. Show your representatives, be they Republican, Democrat, or Independent, that the abortion wars are not yet over. We live in a country where the power is supposed to reside in the people. Prove to them that abortion is something you refuse to accept as citizens of this great nation.

    8) BE PRO-LIFE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

It seems that town halls and public meetings have all moved to the Internet. Therefore, let there be no need to search for pro-life warriors in the binary realm. There are pro-life pages and profiles on every form of social media. Show those who "follow" or "friend" you that you reject the status quo on abortion. Unsurprisingly, there are lots of pro-choice pages and profiles as well. Give the enemy no quarter! When you find a comment that denies the humanity of the unborn or justifies their murder, do not let it go unchallenged. While avoiding being a "troll" who delights in conflict for its own sake, do not be a lukewarm soul when it comes to how you express your faith online.

    9) ORGANIZE

"For when two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

This is not a battle that can be won by individuals. The slaughterhouse that is Planned Parenthood will only be toppled by a unified Militia Christi. Fighting alone will only lead you astray. Gather together, warriors of Christ, and find strength in your numbers.

There are innumerable pro-life groups and organizations across the country: National Right to Life, Pro-Life Action League, Students for Life, etc... Or you can even create your own group of like-minded opponents of abortion. Gather your true friends around you. Form a system of support so that you will not find companionship lacking in this fight. Only by standing together can this war be won.

    10) DONATE

Sometimes your job, health, or other factors can keep you from being a frontline warrior. Not everyone is made to be a foot soldier. There are still ways you can help. Planned Parenthood currently receives about half a million dollars every year from the federal government. Their "non-profit" coffers overflow. You will find that the National Right to Life, for instance, does not receive such enormous sums from Washington. And this is not a fight without a cost. It is expensive to produce materials, organize marches, and hire lobbyists.

It is not tacky to ask for money. It is not corrupt. It is practical. In addition to your actions and words, you can fight the scourge of abortion with your wallet. Jesus told the young man (Luke 18:22) to sell all that he had. What will you do to ensure that not one more child is denied a chance for life?

    11) NO COMPROMISE WITH THE EVIL OF ABORTION

We must finally refuse to bow to the whims of the culture of death. Complacency and compromise make us complicit in their sin. May God have mercy on those craven souls that place exceptions upon their pro-life stances. Allowing abortion in some cases but not in others is a depraved position because it recognizes the murderous reality of abortion, but still accepts its use as long as the circumstances are "right." Murdering a child is no less a crime is no less a crime when that child was conceived in incest or rape!



Give your foes no quarter. Never compromise your convictions for convenience! Do not let the sword rest in your hands until abortion has been wiped off of the face of the earth and every child has a chance to live!

Semper Vitae


DEUS VOLT!