September 30, 2012 / MariaNews.com

Abortions on a Sunday?

40 Days for Life – Even on the Lord’s Day, there are abortionists open for business. As hard as that may seem to believe, it’s true.

Your prayers are needed so women don’t make a mistake that will cost their babies their lives — and will perhaps affect them in ways they can’t even imagine for years to come.

But even for those who have made that mistake, there is eternal hope. Here are a couple of stories of hurt… and healing.

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UNEXPECTED CALL
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I’m going to keep the location confidential for this first story.

“I received a call from a woman telling me she had gotten information about our campaign from a local church,” a local leader said, “and she wanted to know if she could help. Her voice was a little broken, as she explained to me that people just don’t realize how they might feel later.”

The caller went on to say that women who think abortion is the answer just don’t realize that years later, they’ll be wondering about the baby — what they would have looked like, what they might have gone on to do. They also don’t realize that God will hold them accountable for what they’ve done.

“As she was saying these things, and trying to speak clearly, she was sobbing between her words,” the leader said. “I could hear the pain in her voice.”

Finally, the 40 Days for Life volunteer asked her,”Ma’am, did you have an abortion?”

In tears, the caller answered, “No, but my daughter did. She was 15 at the time and I was going through a divorce. She was so young. We thought it was the best thing.” She considered herself responsible.

The woman was quickly told that the Lord is always ready to forgive and Rachel’s Vineyard, for instance, offers retreats for healing after abortion. She was also told about the pro-life pregnancy help center and the services it offers.

The woman expressed relief and gratitude.

“40 Days for Life is about so much more than what we may originally think,” the leader said. “I did not expect that call. It was totally heart-wrenching. I
have been so blessed to be part of this — to see the power of God working and to be part of helping someone to heal in some small way. Please know …you are making a difference!”

Read more at 40 Days for Life

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March 24, 2012 | Maria News 

Mary’s Tears 

(By Heart of a Lion, A Catholic Daily Blog) – The statue of the Blessed Mother was proudly displayed above the tabernacle, silent and still. Many entered the church to kneel and pray. Others sat rapt at her feet, gazing up at her in wonder. As they watched, Mary’s features became more real, and less like a statue made of stone. Her face softened at times. At other moments, her eyes would change to appear more almond shaped, more…human. Yet if a person that did not yet know the love of God looked at Mary, they would see none of these changes.

Mary’s face was beautifully sculpted, and it did seem to change for all who gazed upon her. She was created by an Italian artist with a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother. The artist prayed all the while Mary was sculpted, that her presence in the church in America would inspire people to be loyal followers of the catholic faith. The statue was blessed by Niko’s parish priest before it was shipped by boat to the United States. The crew members loaded her crate so gently, with great reverence, as if they understood the magnitude of her role within the church. The Queen of Heaven was coming to America.

The young mother who entered the church brought her baby boy who was wrapped in a sling close to his mother. She asked Mary, “How shall I care for my child when I have no home?” Mary did not answer Maria, but the shape of her eyes seemed to change as the mother gazed up at her. They looked so sympathetic and caring. Maria felt as if she was in the presence of the Blessed Mother, and the church felt safe and warm, full of love. For a time, the young woman sat on the pew and prayed. Twenty minutes later she and her son exited the church, a renewed peace in her heart. Maria would be able to find the answers, so she could care for young Ethan’s needs, and her own. Her Mother Mary had shown her what needed to be done – again.

The elderly gentleman slowly and deliberately walked the long aisle toward the church altar. He paused and genuflected upon entering the pew. His heart was heavy, as he thought of his once-young bride in the nursing home. She no longer remembered him, but he loved her just the same as he always did these past fifty years. His gnarled fingers caressed the rosary as he prayed for his wife, their children and grandchildren, meditating on the mysteries of Christ’s life. Unfortunately, his knees weren’t what they used to be, and the man was unable to kneel for more than a little while. That was alright, because he came every morning to the humble church to pray before starting his day. Albert came for Eucharistic Adoration, and daily mass. He came to sustain his strength, his mind and soul.

Read More: http://catholicdaily.net/heart/2012/03/23/marys-tears/

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March 20, 2012  | MariaNews.com 

St. Joseph and the Miraculous Staircase

(Saints and Angels, a CatholicDaily.com Blog) –  Have you heard about the miraculous staircase that was apparently built by St Joseph, it’s now over a hundred years old!

To mark the Solemnity of St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church and my own patron saint, I’ve decided to draw attention to this remarkable story…

There exists, in the Loretto Chapel of Santa Fe, New Mexico, a mysterious staircase consisting of 33 steps, one step for each year of Our Lord’s life on earth.

The first mystery is the carpenter who built it who disappeared without trace, the he second, how, by the laws of gravity the staircase doesn’t collapse as it has no central support and all the weight is on the base, the wood used is not to be found in the region.

The story begins in 1878 when the Loretto Chapel was completed. The nuns discovered, to their great dismay, that the choir loft, 22 feet above the chapel was inaccessible from the Chapel itself.

It was decided that a ladder would need to be used as a staircase would take up too much room in the Chapel.

To ensure the best solution possible, the Loretto nuns began a novena to the foster father of Jesus, and the patron saint of carpenters.

It was at the end of the novena that a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Within a few months, using a hammer, a saw and a T square an amazing staircase was complete.Only wooden pegs, no nails, screws or glue were used in the construction.

The man disappeared without pay.The nuns searched for the man to at least thank him but there was no trace of him despite advertisements being made. Some sisters knew that it was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters’ prayers.

The staircase design still puzzles experts to this day. The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of central support to hold it in place. It is  a miracle of gravity that it doesn’t collapse with its daily use. 

Over the years, many pilgrims have visited the Loretto Chapel to see the amazing andmiraculous staircase, around a quarter of a million each year. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including “Unsolved Mysteries” and the television movie titled “The Staircase.”

November 5, 2011  | 40 Days for Life 

(Shawn Carney) - Saturday is often the busiest day of the week at abortion centers. So on this, the final Saturday of this campaign, please try to make it to one of the 40 Days for Life vigils.

There are so many things we can do on a Saturday. But 40 Days for Life is, after all, a call to sacrifice.

The note I’ve copied below, which was received by one of the local 40 Days for Life coordinators, certainly puts that in perspective.

HERE IS MY CHALLENGE

“I am sorry for contacting you so late in the process. I had hoped to get involved much sooner, but time and circumstances have not allowed. I volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center but have never had the opportunity to pray at a vigil this way. However, if there is still time to do so, I would like to do this before the end of the 40 Days for Life campaign.

“Here is my challenge; I am totally blind, so transportation is a huge issue. If you know of anyone I might be able to count on for a ride in order to come pray with you sometime this week, I would love to try to work that out.

“Please contact me if there is still a need for vigil prayer or any other way I can assist. I am currently laid off from employment and have a fairly flexible schedule. I am going to school online, but should be able to work around that in order to attend one vigil session.”

[And yes, this determined volunteer got several offers of transportation to the 40 Days for Life vigil, and was indeed able to pray for the babies at the abortion center yesterday morning!]

LONG-DISTANCE SAVE

A 40 Days for Life volunteer in Everett, Washington got a phone call from her sister, whose 18-year-old granddaughter had scheduled an abortion in Richmond, Virginia.

She had hope, however, knowing there is a 40 Days for Life campaign in Richmond. “I also put out a request to my local 40 Days for Life prayer team in Everett, asking them to pray for my niece’s daughter, her boyfriend and their child.”

She said the response among other 40 Days for Life volunteers in Everett was touching, and it included a promise from a pastor to pray for the family.

All that prayer worked!

“We have been blessed with the news that the abortion appointment was cancelled,” said the volunteer. The teen and her mother made an appointment with an ob/gyn instead, “where they were able to see the baby’s beating heart on an ultrasound.”

The young woman’s mother wrote, “It was so wonderful to watch the heartbeat of my grandchild today, the day he or she would have died.”

“Praise God for another life saved,” said the volunteer in Washington. “I do believe it was providential that this pregnancy occurred during a 40 Days for Life campaign. Thank you all for your prayers and sacrifices dedicated to sparing lives from the atrocity that is abortion.”

For today’s devotional from Carmen Pate, a member of the 40 Days for Life board of directors click here: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2560

October 23, 2011 | 40 Days for Life

It’s Monday. But that’s OK. During 40 Days for Life,
Mondays bring GOOD NEWS!

So here is your Monday good news — so far during this 40 Days for Life campaign, we are now aware of  361 babies whose mothers changed their minds and rejected abortion!

God has done wonderful things! Here are a few of the stories.

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COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
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The people praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in
Columbus had a bad feeling when a young woman arrived
on an abortion day. They had seen her previously — and
tried to convince her not to abort her child. But here
she was once again.

She went in, but a short time later she left — calling
out that she had changed her mind. The volunteers put
her in touch with the local pregnancy help center and
promised to keep her — and her baby — in their prayers.

Later that day, two teenagers drove up — but walked on
in after refusing to take information from one of the
pro-life counselors. An hour later, they walked out –
and handed the volunteer a receipt. At first, she
didn’t look at it.

One of the other vigil participants then called out,
“They’ve changed their minds!”

Yes — they were BOTH there for abortions — and they
BOTH chose life.

“I didn’t get a chance to look at the receipt until
that evening,” the volunteer said. “The driver had
had an ultrasound and lab work … but ‘first trimester
abortion — $385′ had been scratched out. Praise God!”

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DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
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“It’s beyond belief, but one Saturday there were five
babies saved in Downey,” said Patti.

One woman helped changed a friend’s mind about abortion.
She then spoke to another woman, who changed HER mind.
This woman then spoke to a couple … and THEY changed
THEIR minds too.

Two days later, two more women rejected abortion for
their babies. Then Patti had a chance to speak with
a young man outside the abortion center, “who then
went in and got his lady out of there and they are
keeping the baby.”

Patti said it’s a miracle — “eight babies in two days!
The Lord is so kind and good!”

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TOLEDO, OHIO
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One of the counselors outside the 40 Days for Life
vigil site in Toledo asked a young woman arriving at
the abortion center if she would take some information.
She replied, “On my way out.”

The counselor’s prayer shift ended, but she stayed
longer than planned because that young woman said
would take the literature when she left.

She walked out an hour and a half later and headed
towards her car — it looked like she was avoiding the
counselor. As she drove out of the parking lot,
however, she rolled her window down and said she was
not going to have an abortion.

“Thanks be to God!” said Ann in Toledo.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to pray at a
40 Days for Life vigil yet — you’re invited!

Here’s the link to the list of locations:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm