40 days for Life, London - Lent 2011 invitation

 

I put together this video above, firstly as a thank-you to Robert and the rest of the 40 days for life team, so that they could use it as a visual example of what the prayer vigil during Lent in 2011 will be like.  It's up on youtube if you wish to share it and invite even more people along in Lent :) Secondly, I made it so that other young Catholics can see what we as Catholic Londoners can do for those unborn babies about to be killed everyday. One of my previous posts (click here) explains much more about what abortion is, and why it is so wrong.

I do have more videos of other prayer vigils coming up soon, and I'll be working on those probably over the Christmas period. I don't have proper video editing software - and that is the difficulty. But hopefully, you get this video, and that it's watchable enough. *chuckles* maybe I should appeal for financial help in purchasing some proper software!

Upcoming Events in the London Area: Nov/Dec

Dear all,

There's so much going on over the next 4 weeks - I was getting confused with what's in my diary, facebook, emails, texts etc... that I decided to put it all into one central location, and share it with y'all to help simplify decision-making! I'm sure there are more events going on, but these are the ones I've been made aware of.

Hope this provides a good roundup of some of the things going on over the next month or so ^_^ Please pass onto ANYONE you feel might be interested in any of the events :)


Love and Blessings!

• Tuesday 23rd November: Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Mystery of Christ's Life (subsequent talks every Tuesday after)
• Wednesday 24th November: Film Night | The Bridge 6:30pm-9:30pm (different films every Wednesday of Advent)
• Thursday 25th November: Right To Life (RTL) Fundraising Dinner (Pro-Life event)
• Thursday 25th November: Soul Food (every Thursday @ Ogle Street)
• Thursday 25th November: A chance to show that your FAITH makes you tick! (For the 18's-25's only... sorry!)
• Friday 26th November: SSMM Youth Club (subsequent youth club every Friday after - breaks over Christmas).
• Friday 26th November: (First) Advent Talk: The Yearning for Christ of Creation (subsequent talks every Friday of Advent)
• Saturday 27th November: Fundraising Dance
• Saturday 27th November: Worldwide day of Prayer for Abortion
• Friday 3rd December: Soul-D-Out (Non-Catholic event)
• Friday 3rd December: First Friday all-night vigil @ Soho Square (St. Patrick's)
• Saturday 4th December: A Day with Mary @ White City (Our Lady of Lourdes)
• Saturday 4th December: Youth Christmas Concert 7:30pm-9:30pm
• Saturday 4th December: NIGHTFEVER | Mission in Balham 8-10:30pm
• Saturday 4th December: Electric Glow Party (9pm-3am) (Non-Catholic Event)
• Friday 10th December: Catholic Underground London | Jahaziel (part of Advent Festival)
• Saturday 11th December: Advent Festival
• Sunday 12th December: Frassati Society meeting w/ adoration and supper.
• Friday 17th - 21st December: Wintershall Nativity play
• Saturday 18th December: Simbang Gabi @ 9:30am, in Kingston Parish
• Saturday 18th December: Christmas Fundraising Dinner 7-11:30pm
• Sunday 26th December: Charity @ Cardinal Hume Centre
• 28th-31st December: Faith Movement's Winter conference
• New Year's: Renewal @ Balham

Catechism of the Catholic Church
The second of SPES's new series of 'Catechism of the Catholic Church' talks, the Mystery of Christ's life begins at 6:30pm this Tuesday evening with supper at St. Patrick's in Soho Square.


Film Night
@ Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Gregory's Church, 13 Warwick Street. London W1F 9JR.
Wednesdays 7pm - 9:30pm (Refreshments from 6:30pm)

24 November The Bridge (2003) - a poetic and powerful story of a father forced to choose between love and duty
1 December No Greater Love (2010) - a documentary on the nuns of the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Notting Hill
8 December The Blind Side (2009) - a homeless and traumatised boy becomes an all American football player with the help of a caring family
15 December The Nativity (2006) - a film that focuses on the story of the Holy Family up to Christ's birth


Right to Life(RTL) fundraising dinner
Right to Life, Britain’s leading lobby group for Life issues, is pleased to invite you to join them at their first ever dinner, where the celebrated, politician and campaigner the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe will share her thoughts on the challenges ahead for the Pro-Life movement. She will be joined by Jim Dobbin MP, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group and other distinguished guests.
We are delighted to be able to host the dinner in the “Hall of India” at the Royal Overseas League in St James’s, London.
Date and time: 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm., Thursday, 25th November, 2010
Venue: Royal Overseas House, Park Place, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LR
Ticket Price: £50 (three courses)
Dress code: Lounge Suit

There will be opportunities for attendees to ask questions and to have photos taken with Ann Widdecombe at the end of the evening. The cost per ticket is £50 which is a great price for what promises to be a fantastic evening, and all profits will go to support the sterling work of Right to Life.


Soul Food
Soul Food is a Catholic charismatic prayer group for young adults. We meet at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Central London every Thursday from 7 to 9pm for worship, teaching and faith sharing. Most people who come are in their 20s or 30s, but everyone is welcome.
A night at Soul Food starts with praise and worship, followed by a talk or Bible based teaching on a particular theme. This is usually followed up with a time of response such as prayer ministry, small group discussion or faith sharing, individual prayer and meditation or Eucharistic Adoration.

To find out what Soul Food is currently up to, please visit our website: www.soulfoodgroup.org

What makes you tick?
Date night: 25th November (Thursday) around 5pm - till whenever - till last man standing!
We need hip LDN peeps aged between 18-25 to come and have a chat with us on what is in, what is out, what makes you tick, i.e what music do you love, what inspires you, (do you love Justin Bieber as much as the next person - you love him so bad you went and got the Bieber cut?), what makes you think - I want to do that when I'm older or I need to get saving for those pair of trainers I saw online like now!!!
We want to know everything about what makes you tick these days! Stuff that mum should know or shouldn't know etc etc
You guys are opinionated - and we want to understand with who, what and why!!!
Do as Ghandi says "Be the change that you want to see in the world"
Dont worry its not a formal thing - where we make you sit at a desk and write up an essay - its will be an informal chat with booze and toilet facilities at a fun London haunt! If you are over the grand old age of 25 - please forward this to someone you might know that is under 25 that might be interested in taking part.
The location is TBC - it will be in Central London.

Those of you who are up for it will receive free drinks (beer or wine - no Champagne orders I am afraid) and bar snacks (for the weak) AND a £5 HMV voucher to spend on whatever your heart desires
GO ON treat yourself - its Christmas!!!!!!

Peace out L-Town

If you want to know more please email me Veralynne_fernandez@creata.com or call me: 07841678198


SSMM Youth Club
Join the SSMM Youth team this Friday in chilling out with the teenagers of our Parish.
St. Michael & St. Martin's Parish Centre, 94 Bath Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 3EH. Fridays from 7:30pm.


Advent Talks: The Yearning for Christ ...
... of Creation - 26th November by Fr Hugh MacKenze
... of the human heart - 3rd December by Fr Kevin Douglas
... of fallen Man - 10th December by Fr Roger Nesbitt
... of the human body - 17th December by Fr Dominic Rolls

You are very welcome to join us (Willesden Green Parish) for prayer and talks based on the Sunday Gospels of Advent:

7:00pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
7.30pm Talk
8:10pm Discussion and light refreshments
9:00pm Finish

Speakers are involved in FAITH movement


Fund raising dance in aid of St. Peter's Life Line
From Vincent Otis: St Peter’s Life-Line supports the St Peter’s Community of Schools in Kajuki, Eastern Province, Kenya, by providing funds for capital projects, specific facilities or equipment. We also aim to provide regular, budgeted funding for teachers’ and staff salaries, feeding programme for the children, and for other specified and agreed running expenses directly associated with the operation of the schools.

The event itself will include dance lessons by professional dancers comprising of chachacha, rhumba, jive and samba. There will also be food and drinks on sale at reasonable prices.
Tickets are £7 in advance, £10 at the door.
Please take time to visit:
www.stpeterslifeline.org.uk


Worldwide Day of Prayer
Pope Benedict XVI has issued an unprecedented request for prayers worldwide from all pro-life people against abortion.
No matter your religious or spiritual affiliation, the leader of the Catholic Church is asking for your prayers on this day, for the sake of all humankind. "The Holy Father’s Vigil and his invitation to join with him in prayer is an important and inspiring example to all about the importance of uniting in faith to... ask God’s protection and help for human life." Stand up for our unborn brothers and sisters together with the rest of the world. Please invite everyone you know.

November 27 is also the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, which commemorates the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady, and the intimate bond between the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son, Jesus.


First Friday all-night vigil
@ Soho Square (St. Patrick's). Every First Friday, SPES (St. Patrick's Evangelisation School) has an all-night vigil devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which corresponds with the First Friday Devotion that was promised to us via St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. For more information about First Friday Devotions, you can visit this page of my blog. The monthly event kicks off with Mass @ 7pm, then dinner is served after, and this takes us into Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for the whole night.


Soul-D-Out (non-Catholic Event that looks good to any soul/Gospel fans)
A LIVE night dedicated to showcasing the soulful best of the UK and beyond. Soul-D-Out ( UK ) Live! provides the whole experience in plush surroundings. A two or three course meal with LIVE entertainment followed by the after-party! We feed your senses and develop your minds.... ...

Backed by 'Blind Recognition' band
Hosted by d'nyce of Bang 103.6fm (www.bangradio.fm)
Rampage (bbc 1xtra)
...Music by Rampage & DJ Maurice (Soul2streets)

Friday 3rd December 2010
Doors open 6pm - 2am
Showtime 9pm SHARP!!!!!

£8 standing before 9.30pm, £10 after!
Advance online sales: www.urbantickets.co.uk

You can also dine at Cotton's Restaurant and watch the live show which starts at 9pm, please make these reservations at Cotton's (in advance) on 0207 833 3332. The food is fantastic!


A Day with Mary
Every First Saturday, I do an act of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as was requested of us when she appeared at Fatima. The one for December takes place in Our Lady of Lourdes @ White City. Perhaps some of you would like to join me... although I know there is so much else going on! More info about First Saturday Devotions are on my blog page mentioned above!
A DAY WITH MARY is an open day of prayer held in a Catholic church or shrine. It emphasizes
worship of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Our Lady. You are welcome to join the event for a
little while or for the whole day. It includes the Mass, Scripture, Rosary, Meditations
on the Passion, Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, Processions of the Blessed Sacrament
and of Our Lady, Act of Consecration, Theological Instructions, Hymns, a programme on the story of
Fatima and periods of rest with refreshments. The Sacrament of Penance is readily available. There is a
bookstall and the opportunity to enrol in the Brown Scapular (consecration to Our Lady) and Miraculous Medal if so wished.


Youth Christmas Concert
From St. Anthony's Church (E7): After a very successful Christmas concert last year, the amazing SAINT ANTONY'S YOUTH CHOIR are returning to entertain and bless us with a selection of gospel, inspirational and Christmas music.
This event will be run BY YOUNG PEOPLE from the parish, and any proceeds raised will go straight towards covering the cost of the trip of the three young people who are attending World Youth Day in Madrid next summer.

Tickets are £2 if you are on the guestlist, or £3 on the day.
To get onto the guestlist, you simply have to RSVP here "Attending", or text Edwin on 07965 581 813.
Children in primary school suggested donation 50p, children aged 5 and under go free.


NIGHTFEVER
From Laura Cuthbertson @ Balham: I would like to invite each of you personally to an event called 'Nightfever' taking place on Saturday 4th December from 8pm - 10:30pm in Holy Ghost School, Nightingale Square. The first half of the night takes place in the school with lively rock and gospel music, an inspirational talk by Mgr. John Armitage, powerful testimonies and a candle lit procession into the church for music, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.


Electric Glow Party
@ The Wall Bar. ISLAND2ISLAND presents the ELECTRIC GLOW
INTRODUCING THE 'TIME TO MAKE YOU SHINE' GLOW STICK PARTY

GET YOUR GLOW STICKS READY.......!!!
GIVEAWAYS ON THE NIGHT INCLUDE GLOW STICKS & TSHIRTS!!
Bringing you the best in RnB, HIP HOP, Bashment, Soca, UK Funky, UKG, Party classics and SEGA.

This Night is guranteed to be ROADBLOCK
===========================================
TICKETS & INFO
£10 in advance
£15/20 on the door
Contact Steven Raman for more info


CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND
Spreading the Gospel message through the CULture. MOBO award winning rapper Jahaziel is performing, and it's all happening at 7:30pm at Notre Dame de France Church in Leicester Square.




Advent Festival
From SPES: Adoration · Music · Refreshments · International Mass between 2 and 7pm at Notre Dame de France Church in Leicester Square on Saturday 11th December and on Sunday 12th December. (http://sohope.blogspot.com/ would have more info!)


Frassati Society Meeting
Sunday 12th December
Adoration from 5.15pm, Mass at 6pm, followed by a light supper and a meeting where the roles within the Society will be appointed (President, Secretary, Coordinators for Service Project, Hikes, etc).

The Frassati Society is a young adult apostolate which combines prayer, service of the poor, and community (specifically, hiking!) in the spirit of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati. In January we will begin our main activities, including a service project, and a monthly Sunday meeting including Mass, Adoration, and a dinner with a speaker


Wintershall Nativity play
This wonderful production takes place both inside and around the Holly Barn Theatre at Wintershall, complete with shepherds and sheep, oxen, donkeys and the three wise men on horseback. It is the true story of the birth of our dear Lord Jesus and brings to life the real meaning of Christmas, helping all of us escape the turmoil of its present day commercialism and missing spirituality. Come warmly dressed with boots or appropriate footwear. The ‘inn’ opens for tea, coffee and mince pies etc one hour before each 90-minute performance. This year's performances are taking place from Friday 17th December until Tuesday 21st December 2010. The performances started at 4.45 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. each day.


Simbang Gabi
... is a Filipino traditional 'Christmas Novena', where Mass is celebrated (traditionally at dawn, but not practical in this country), at 9:30am in Kingston Hill Parish - and I'm sponsoring this Mass. Sponsoring basically means doing the Offertory, and the readings. I'm inviting all my Catholic friends to help me sponsor this Mass (which will have Fili food after Mass... yum!). It is meant to strengthen relationships between families and/or communities! As a whole, I'm just inviting all my Catholic friends to join me if they can. I've never been able to take part in Simbang Gabi before, and it would be great to have you guys with me.


Christmas Fundraising Dinner
From Raj Kamudu: Hi folks my friend Roselle is running in the London Virgin Marathon 2011 and Gastro School is helping to raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre by hosting a Christmas Dinner Party at their venue in Brook Green. We would love the pleasure of your company at what promises to be a memorable evening of fine wine, food and music...Please reserve the 18th Dec in your diaries for our Fundraising Christmas Dinner Party: Admission £35 RSVP Lounge suit

Menu as follows:
Pumpkin soup gruyer goujon truffle oil
Fillet of sea bream fennel puree tomatoe brunoise anise beurre blanc
Ballotine of guinea fowl mango mouseline roast baby vegetable jus de volaille
Chocolate and rasperry Macaroon lime sorbet

PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO GASTRO SCHOOL NO LATER THAN FRIDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2010 AND POST TO 33 CAITHNESS ROAD WEST KENSINGTON W14 OJA
TO CONFIRM YOUR BOOKING PLEASE LEAVE YOU NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS.


Charity @ Cardinal Hume Centre
Some of our Youth Team in Hounslow have expressed a desire to 'do Him some definite service' on boxing day this year, by serving food and generally offering a helping hand at the Cardinal Hume Centre for the Homeless. It would be great if we could show God's love and care for others as a team, and actually practice what we preach.


Faith Movement's Winter Conference
@ Stonyhurst College in Lancashire 28-31st December. http://www.faith.org.uk/Events/WinterBook.htm


Renewal@Balham
Dates: Registration starts at 6pm on Wed 29 Dec, 2010. This four-day event finishes on Sat 1 Jan 2011, at 1pm.You are welcome to come to all or part of the event as you wish.Venue: Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Nightingale Square, Balham, London, SW12 8QN
Age Groups: The event is primarily for young people between the ages of 16 and 25, although it is open to young adults up to aged 35. Please see website for further details on Youth 2000's policy for anyone attending under the age of 18.
Accommodation: There will be separate accommodation available for men and women - you just need to bring a sleeping bag, roll-mat and wash kit. As this is a youth event, we are unable to offer accommodation to anyone over 35 (unless as part of a family group).

Costs: Suggested donation is £40 per person to cover the cost of the retreat & for your meals/refreshments.

Details: Daily mass, rosary, talks by dynamic speakers, workshops, discussion groups, social time to make new friends, great music and New Year party celebrations!
Further Information: Visit our website http://www.youth2000.org/, email: info@youth2000.org or call 020 8675 2743

Checkin' in with the Lord

For our celebration of Christ the King of our Bodies, Minds and Souls, the team produced a small booklet for the event, as a guide to some of the activities taking place that evening. We wanted these booklets to contain information they could take home, to help them with deepening their spirituality and prayer-life. So I wrote this as a brief introduction into getting them to firstly consider their faith more by what they're praying and how they pray.  Lord, if it be Your will, use me as Your servant to help bring Your people closer to you in prayer and spirituality.


Believe it or not, we’re here to TRUST in the Lord, not DISGUST the Lord. Every single choice we make can make us ONE with the Lord, or BREAK our home with the Lord. We are living examples of what Christ died on the cross for: L.O.V.E. But we’ve got to let God into our hearts if we want to live good lives ourselves, becoming that example of goodness, and aiming for the Heavens. There’s no better way to do this than by checking in with the Lord through prayer. So how can we as young Catholics do this?

For the younger ones amongst us… CEL

CHURCH
Church isn’t a ‘take or leave’ ting. It’s an EVERY SUNDAY ting. So get over it. 1 hour of your week ain’t much of an ask to thank the One who made you (obviously via your parents). Every single part of the Mass is precious praise and reverent worship. Mass is only ever boring if you don’t mean what you’re prayin’ – either because you’re pre-occupied, or you don’t understand what it is you’re sayin’! Don’t disrespect… get out your New Testament, and get down with understanding the beauty of the Mass.

EVENTS
Hittin’ Christian Youth events is a wicked way to reinvigorate your relationship with God – and you get a real good balance between entertainment and prayer. Events vary from local Parish vigils, to bi-monthly events like Catholic Underground London, to annual prayer festivals like Youth 2000’s New Year’s Renewal@Balham retreat, Greenbelt and Brightlights. Try one out… and don’t do it because you’re feeling forced to… do it for Christ, who should be the centre of your life.

LYRICIZE (or go one better: Proselytize!)
Never heard of  Jahaziel? GuvnaB? DJ 4Real? Heavy beats with hott holy lyrics not only inspire you to think about your own faith when putting it into words, but also makes you a stronger Christian for doing something about it. These inspiring artists are the lyrical masters of the Christian Brit-Urban scene at the mo. Check out other international Gospel/grime, rap and hip-hop artists like Trip-Lee and Lecrae, then get your bibles, your pens and paper out, and get down with some tight lyricing! Poetry and prose is just as good if you aren’t into lyricing.


For the more experienced ones amongst us…

Prayer should be dynamic like any other form of communication, so there’s no absolute answer to ‘how should I pray?’; because every person communicates in a different way. Most prayer takes concentration, silence, and a keenness to offer God your prayer with all your body, mind and soul. More traditional forms of prayer include:

Eucharistic Adoration
Prayers of adoration are ones where God is honoured through exaltation of who He is. This is THE most important type of prayer, because God is before us in the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ himself. Here, we remember and appreciate that God gave us his eternal love by becoming human – one of us. This is a perfect opportunity for us to know God more intimately, and listen to Him. There is no doubt that our relationship with God through the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is deepened significantly.

Petition
Probably the type of prayer that young people use most, because generally speaking, we tend to turn to God only when we want or need something. We must be careful not to petition God for things that will displease Him. When petitioning to God on our own behalf, we should remember to pray with a passion and hunger that shows Him how much we need Him in our own lives.

Marian Prayer: e.g. The Rosary
It pleases the Blessed Virgin Mary greatly when we pray the Rosary. Through her überabundance of grace, our prayer becomes more effective as it passes along the celestial link to her Son, the Son of God, who is God Himself in communion with the Holy Trinity. The Rosary isn’t just a ‘wearable fashion accessory’. It is a tangible guide to reflecting and meditating on the wonderful mysteries of Christ’s Passion and their family life together with St. Joseph her spouse most chaste. Page xx of this booklet helps you in your desire to live holier lives through the prayer of the Rosary! Other Marian prayers include The Angelus, the Memorare, and many others.

Other methods of prayer include Intercession, Thanksgiving, Confession, Novenas, Litanies, Acts of Consecrations/Devotions. Check these out on google, and try hit a Catholic website rather than the other Christian sites out there.


Keep checking in with the Lord by praying for each other. 
Blessings.

If you're floatin' (Christ the King)

Preparing the way for a King: continuing the 'Heart Speaks Unto Heart' conversation!

So, this weekend marks the end of the liturgical year. Safe! We're approaching New Year anyways, so a fresh new start in a liturgical sense is all good! And all this excitement for a fresh new outlook is magnified all the more, as there's something extra special going on this Saturday - particularly for me, and the rest of the youth team at St. Michael and St. Martin's in Hounslow. Because for the past 2 months, we have been preparing the way for our wonderful King!

Yes... this Sunday is the feast of Christ the King - and we've decided to open our Parish doors to all young Catholics in West London to celebrate it BIG STYLE with us! What's it all about? The theme is about continuing the 'Heart Speaks unto Heart' conversation that the Papal Visit focused on back in September, with exploring how we can use our bodies, minds and souls to 'do Him some definite service'. Basically, we are responding to Christ's call to live our Christian faith in all that we are, think and do in our everyday lives. Our night consists of an all-night Eucharistic Adoration, as well as a fantastic talk by Emmett 7 Lucy Dooley on sex and relationships (how we must aim to be Pure in Heart!), games on our lifestyle choices, a short-film on Saints (whom we all aspire to become), grilling Fr. D (where young people can ask a priest for some honest answers about some of their concerns, or advice), and introducing traditional forms of prayer like the Rosary, Lectio Divina and Divine Mercy Chaplet. It's not all about quiet time with the Lord, as we've got fantastic live Praise and Worship music provided by TW3, there's ample social/break time for munch and caffeine boosts and we finish off the night with a hearty breakfast at 6am!

Because of all the things we've planned for the night, we have continued to pray for the graces of the Holy Spirit, and we truly feel that God's got our backs on this! We're praying also that many young Catholics will hear His call to come to our event, and act upon it! I know for sure that our confirmation group are really excited about the event, and is the subject of all the whispers at the moment amongst them.

So as one of the organising team for this massive event, how has it been for me? Well, it has been an amazingly fun journey! Not just because I received an opportunity to express my love for our God Almighty creatively, by producing all the publicity (with the help of my amazing team!), getting our team hoodies sorted, being part of the band (TW3) that will play live throughout the night, and volunteering to dress the Sanctuary on the night, but also because it has allowed me in some way to open myself to Christ to work through me. I've absolutely loved working in this capacity so closely alongside Christ. I kinda imagine myself to be almost walking along a dusty road side-by-side with Jesus, having this immensely fun convo with Him! Yeah yeah... I know... I have an overly active imagination. But I give it free reign when it comes to all things Holy.

I personally feel, that so far, the best thing to have come out of the planning of this event, is the formation of a team of devoted, inspirational young Catholics, wanting to 'do Him some definite service', who shall hopefully remain a unified force for the Catholic faith in the near future! But it isn't about us... it's about you. We're praying that the best thing to come out of the event itself is a willingness for young Catholics to actively do more for the Lord, for each other, and yourselves! It's all about you and God's love! So keep praying for help from above!

Peace and Blessings!

Christ the King - a Catholic Youth event in West London

A matter of Life and Death

What is it to you? 

I've been praying over this blogpost for weeks - and now it's time to share with you what I have learned about abortion.

I knew very little about abortion until just over a month ago. I cannot describe to you my shock and surprise at how much this issue impacts EVERYBODY.  Everything to do with abortion is immoral - and I pray you finish reading this blogpost knowing that you've learned something, and feel encouraged to do something about it. I'll give you a 'lil low down on everything I've learned about abortion in the UK.

Tiny History

The Dark Ages
Abortion has been around for many centuries. Women used all sorts of methods to abort (aka abortifacients) fetuses in their wombs - from sitting over steaming pots, to drinking herbal teas, and even forcing consumption of toxic chemicals. Between the 2nd and 19th century, not only did the majority of attempted abortions lead to death (meaning women could have knowingly been risking their own lives), but science had not yet shown people what the physical state of human life was at any point in embryonic development - and so people (including saints!) made different judgements on when life (and ensoulment) actually begins, and when the fetus is a human being.

Abortion's strong historic links to Reproductive Racism and Eugenic Ideology
Most of today's abortion providers such as Marie Stopes and Brook Advisory Centres were advocates of abortion for reasons borne out of evil: eugenics and racism. If you don't know what these are, then you seriously need to read up about it - because they're both unjustifiable reasons of hurting and killing other human beings whether in the womb or out of it. Eugenics is the process of improving the human race by controlling reproduction in order to make a "more pure" human race, altogether promoting "good breeding". Racism is the simple belief that a fellow human being is less of a human being because of their social, ethnic or religious background, and wickedly acting upon this belief for the purpose of racial superiority. This could ring bells for you. You could very well have studied texts for English Literature at GCSE on prejudice and injustice (for me it was Taylor's Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry)... it was my first exposure to racism in my life. Maybe you have a friend who is affected by racism, and you understand from real experience how wrong it is. You may have very strong feelings regarding WWII - particularly if you are disabled or have Polish blood running through your veins. Adolf Hitler was one of these characters steeped in eugenic and racist ideology. And guess what? Marie Stopes wrote letters and poems of adoration to him at the same time as setting up her clinics in the poorest towns, targetting the wave of West Indian immigrants coming over for work, whilst encouraging child labour exploitation in the factories of the manufacturing industries.

We no longer live in those dark ages, people. We are all intelligent enough to recognise that eugenics and racism are both disgusting and morally wrong. I'm not saying that people who carry out abortions are racists, but unfortunately, eugenics and sophisticated racism is still happening largely under the guise of the "safe sex" movement - which people fail to recognise as manifestated in contraception and abortion for the minorities (Source: iCare magazine). We know what a fetus looks like at every point of its development now, thanks to science, and the gift of right judgement that we are sealed with at Confirmation encourages us to seek the truth, and actively live it in the choices we make. I'm here to help you see that truth - and you'll hear it from my perspective.

Oh... by the way... it was estimated that Adolf Hitler ordered the killing of between 15 and 20 million people. We can all agree the Holocaust was morally wrong - so why are we as a whole society rapidly approaching that number by accepting the killing of unborn children? Here's what's happening at the mo...


Facts on UK Abortion today

• Since 1967, abortion has been legal in the UK, and 7 million pre-born babies have been killed due to abortions since it was legalized. Source: Dept. of Health, Abortion Statistics for 2009.
• 200,000 abortions take place in England and Wales a year. That equates to around 540 deaths of unborn babies a day. Source: The Good Counsel Network.
• 60% of abortions take place because of contraception failure - which abortion clinics fail to make aware publicly. Source: The Good Counsel Network
• Abortions can take place on the grounds that two doctors agree the pregnancy would damage the woman's physical or mental health up to 26 weeks gestation, but there is no time limit to abortion if two doctors agree the woman’s health or life is gravely threatened by continuing with the pregnancy or that the fetus is likely to be born with severe physical or mental abnormalities. Source: Education for Choice 
• Pay taxes? 94% of abortions are funded by the NHS with 60% taking place in the independent sector under NHS contract. Source: Dept. of Health, Abortion Statistics for 2009.
• 5% of women consider abortion because they have serious practical problems they do not have a solution for. The other 95% of women choose to have an abortion because they're in a casual relationship and 'don't want to be tied to the guy for the rest of her life', and simply don't want to be pregnant. Source: The Good Counsel Network.
• 70% of women who have an abortion had their decisions made for them by their mothers and partners (for the majority of cases). Source: The Good Counsel Network.
• 1 in 30 women aged 19-21 had an abortion last year. Source: Dept. of Health, Abortion Statistics for 2009.
• Pregnant women who abort have a six times higher rate of suicide than those who carry their babies to term. Source: European J. Public Health. 2005. 
• Women who abort are 65% more lkely to be at rish of long-term clinical depression than women who gave birth. Source: Medical Science Monitor. 2003.
• Women who abort are 144% more likely to abuse their children. Source: Acta Paediatrica. 2005. 

Abortion Methods include...
- The morning after pill                               - ellaOne - Ulipristal Acetate (UPA)
- RU-486 - Mifeprex (The Abortion Pill)   - Vacuum Aspiration
- Dilation and Suction Curettage (D&C)    - Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
- Induction or Prostaglandin Abortion        - Partial Abortion or Dilation and Extraction (D&X)

There's a lot of information available on this, particular in a magazine called iCare - which is where most of the statistics above have come from. Do email me if you want copies of this magazine sent to you! For the meanwhile, here's an illustrated video of how abortionists enforce the D&X method on a fetus of 24 weeks gestation. It might disturb you for life, but I wish for you to watch it with three questions in mind: 1) Is this natural and safe? 2) Is this moral? 3) Do you think this is God's Will for us here on earth to sit by and idly watch this happening up to 540 times a day?

What do you think? How did you answer those questions? Perhaps with more questions? Questions like...

Women's reasons for abortion
... 'but taking away abortion means taking away the woman's right to choose?' or 'why is abortion wrong in the cases of rape?'. In Catholic teaching, all killing is a mortal sin. Our belief is that from the moment of conception, which is when the sperm has fertilised the egg, a man and a woman has naturally created another human being, as is willed by God. We all belong to Him, and it is not just ourselves that we should consider in important life decisions such as whether another human being should die or live. If you wish not to have to make this decision, then the only solution is to postpone your sexual activity with a partner until marriage. I know it's not something you want to hear, but trust... it is the reality of how God created us, and no contraception will prevent life from forming 100%.
In answer to rape: should a child have to pay the punishment of death because the man wasn't the woman's intended partner? If you are the pregnant woman, is that child's life worth less than yours? Rape is such an unfortunate and sad occurence, and those women who have been raped will be very much in need of comfort and support. But believe it or not, women who have been raped, and have borne a 'child conceived in rape', abhor the fact that people use them for their own political and social views. According to The Good Counsel Network (http://www.goodcounselnet.co.uk/) a number of such women have spoken out saying things like "I was raped, and everytime you've used my circumstances to justify abortion, I'm being abused again by you". An important fact regarding this is that, most women who are raped and get pregnant don't want an abortion. Most are pressurised into it (according to The Good Counsel Network).
There are also many answers to the 'women's right to choose' argument - with many books available on it, and many online resources. One such online resource specifically aimed at young people is this one: deathroe.
Can you believe that only 5% of women considering abortion actually have a practical problem that they can't see a solution to? The other 95% of women choose to have an abortion because they don't want to be pregnant; 70% of whom are coerced into abortion because their mothers and/or partners will it of them. For women who do not have strong faith, they might feel it is important for them to act upon the will of their elders, and those who would support them - so if those closest to her are coercing her to have an abortion, she may well disregard God, and the growing baby inside of her (Source of figures just mentioned: The Good Counsel Network). Few young people would consider God in their moral decisions, and even fewer would consider the Church teachings when making their decisions. Yet the Church is, in my opinion, the biggest advocate of natural life there is. For example, the Church condemns abortion, except for the one instance of the Principle of Double Effect, which is described better in question 6 of this Priests for Life Q&A.


Abortion affects everybody - including you
Too many people are unaware of how much abortion affects everybody, and society today is largely ill-informed of what abortion involves - most especially young people. As mentioned above, if you're a tax payer, it affects you. If you're a doctor, it affects you. If your Mum once had an abortion, you'd understand that you could have been living with another brother or sister right now if the abortion hadn't gone ahead. If you're in a classroom of 30 people or more, there is every chance that one of the girls in your class could have an abortion by the time she hits 21 years of age.
Abortion has affected my conscience directly, by means of a charity run I completed recently. My Grandaddy died of cancer in February this year, and although I walked El Camino for a plenary indulgence for his soul, I still felt I could do more to celebrate his life and help in some way ease the suffering of those with his condition. So I decided to partake with Mum's work the 10k run. The UK is a leading world location for stem-cell research and research done on aborted fetuses - but it isn't so clear on whether the charity Cancer Research UK are involved in this kind of research. When I contacted them about it, they never replied back to me. Until I discover whether they do support research on aborted fetuses or not, I genuinely can't say whether I have blindly been running and raising funds for research that supports abortion or not. And this, scares me.


What can we do to help those considering Abortion?
It might seem light-years away before a complete end to abortion, but we have to start somewhere - just like a tiny child starts somewhere :) We might not be able to stop 540 abortions that happen everyday, but we can stop one. In other words, we might not be able to help 540 women, but we can help one. People have been fairly active in this field for many years already with various organisations coming to existence - it's just that young people aren't so aware of them. Here I'll talk about two organisations that are there to help the women that are considering abortions, and those who have already gone through abortions. People of many different religions and backgrounds get together with a general banner name of 'pro-life' and actively try to raise awareness of abortion, and peacefully make their presence known outside abortion clinics. For many Catholics over the past 32 days, we have been doing that with prayer and fasting, through this wonderful initiative...

40 days for Life
40 days for Life has very recently crossed the pond over from the US, and today will be the 32nd day people will be praying and fasting outside an abortion clinic in central London. It is all peaceful, we do not impose our prayer onto anybody, but we are public with it. I've met some really wonderful people there, and we have had some success stories as a result of our prayer. One such person was Clare, who also writes a blog and brings her children as witness to our beliefs. Do read the link I've just given you, there's a fantastic part in there about 'opening up the abortion debate', where a Baptist Pastor questions Marie Stopes on 20 things he wanted answers to. To give you an idea of what happens at 40 days for Life, here is one such video I've taken during one of the quieter periods mid-afternoon:

The biggest gift of help we can give these women going through abortion, and their unborn children who are about to die, is prayer. Prayer is unbelievably powerful. We pray for the abortionists - that they may be converted (meaning they may see and accept that they are killing human life, and change for the better). We pray for the women going into the clinics, that they may also be converted and change their minds. And we pray for their unborn child, who may have one day become a doctor, or a bus driver, or a celebrity singer. I'm even guessing that through prayer in some way, this woman was converted from pro-choice to pro-life.

Up to day 20, successes of the 40 days for Life campaign include:

• 6 lives saved (God only knows the real figure could be closer to 10-15 or higher)
• Many women received positive, tangible help in time of crisis.
• Over 240 hours of street prayerful, peaceful and legal vigil.
• Around 5,000-10,000 passers by every day notice vigil proclaiming the humanity of the unborn child.
• 1 abortion worker quit their job
• 1 abortion clinic closed during weekday, no Saturday openings during campaign despite website stating they are open on Saturdays.
• 10,000 Human Life Alliance magazines in process of distribution
• 1 Film Premiere organised
• Hundreds of first time pro lifers activated
• 1 Friendly letter from Pope Benedict's office
• 15 presentations on 40 days for life around London
• At least 500-600+ participate in campaign
• Friendly gestures and participation from Muslims, Hindus and others
• 30 positive news stories
• Enquiries from Spain, France, Zambia, Ghana, Germany and Colombia towards conducting their own 40 days for life campaign.
• 10 Friendly parishes offering help on a larger scale
• Hundreds of homes and businesses visited during door to door outreach.
• 5 further events organised!

I was even there for one particular success story. A teenage girl (let's call her Emma-Jane for now) had come for a second visit to the abortion clinic, even after one of the counsellors had spoken to Emma-Jane just after the first visit. Emma-Jane wasn't having any of the counsellors words the first time, but this second time round, the counsellor approached the young lady again, and tried to talk to her. The young woman just turned around and said "Don't worry. I'm keeping my baby". Her baby was estimated to be at 9 weeks of gestation. Upon checking that out on youTube, I found this very touching video, that I confess to weeping over, because it is a story of someone who aborted her baby without the information she really needed. What struck me so much about this video, was the music. I'm a massive fan of classic Disney movies - dumbo is one of them. This same song plays during the moments Dumbo goes to visit his mother locked up in the jail for protecting him - and she expresses her love for Dumbo with the maternal affection he was so desperately in need of. A bond created between Mother and Child is inseparable - even death cannot deny that this child's life was created in the womb of a woman. It is a biblical truth that a woman carries a child (not just 'pregnancy tissues' or 'a clump of cells'), no matter what gestational age it is - and a spiritual connection was formed the moment the child was conceived. I used to cry over this part of the Dumbo movie for hours - and I think if I was to watch it again, I'd do the same, but with extra reasons. But imagine all the prayer volunteers' joy at hearing this young woman share with us that she was going to keep the baby? I made a point to approach her friend and thank her for the support she'd given.

There is a week left of 40 days for Life. So one act of service for the Church you could take on, is actually going to pray outside the clinic for an hour or two. Today, there's a massive prayer vigil and procession that's being led by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and ran by the Helpers of God's Precious Infants, at Twickenham Parish at 9am. This procession is police escorted, is mainly a Catholic event although I would think everyone's welcome, and it happens I believe once a month. Today will be the first time I go. Other upcoming events include:
- Film Premiere of Blood Money on Wednesday 27th October (see 40 days website) - do come and watch the vital messages shared by this movie.
- Prayer procession & Vigil from St. Charles Borromeo @ Ogle Street, 09:15 and ending early afternoon on 30th October.
- Prayer procession from Westminster Cathedral to Westminster Abbey on Saturday 13 November - organised by EuroProLife and is an ecumenical initiative.

The Good Counsel Network
The Good Counsel Network are a charity that provide practical help and advice to women who are worried about pregnancy. They offer counselling to those who have gone through abortion. There isn't a practical problem that they haven't yet been able to solve. If your pregnancy problems are immigration related, they can help. If you can't feed your baby, they will help you buy food for the baby. If you have family members you know will kill you should they find out your pregnant, they will find you a solution. With 14 years of experience, these guys really do know what they're doing. They believe that there is no reason one needs to have an abortion.
One way in which The Good Counsel Network are asking young people to help (other than being outside abortion clinics), is by praying. They have an adoration rota, and also a rosary rota, where people can dedicate a time to pray a rosary once a month. They've received a rise in numbers or people visiting their clinics as a result of the 40 days for Life campaign, and so they both work together outside the abortion clinics by ensuring the prayer vigil happens across the road, but keeping one of the counsellors with blue leaflets on the same side of the road as the clinic. These blue leaflets give people a phone number to call in case they are in a crisis pregnancy, know of anybody in a crisis pregnancy or are simply worried. As mentioned, prayer is extremely powerful. Everyday they try to celebrate Mass in their little chapel - so if you are a priest reading this, and you're in London any time soon, then please do consider popping by and celebrating Mass with them. They have a fundraising ball taking place on Saturday 30th October to raise money for their work. All those details are on their website!


What about the men?
Men have such a vital part to play in helping those considering abortion - particularly if the woman considering the abortion is about to kill your child, because you're the Father. Yes, the woman carries the baby in her womb, it is being fed by her body so that it may grow. But it was your sperm that helped create the life in her womb. Without you, she wouldn't be considering abortion. Guys, believe it or not, it's time to man-up! This is what The Good Counsel Network had to say to such instances as this, '"Do not say, I will support you whatever you do", because it could lead to her going off in the already emotional and worried state she is in, and having the abortion because you didn't say you'd actually support her and the baby. From a bloke's point of view, don't sleep with her until you're married anyway. BUT... if you find yourself in that situation because you've made a mistake, then you need to take responsibility for it.'
One of my mates actually said to me once when we were standing outside the clinic in the pouring rain "women shouldn't be doing this... it's us men that should!" He must have experienced some sort of flack worse than I have - 'cos he ain't usually that macho! I didn't agree with him though, because if a woman needed someone to talk to, then they're likely to speak freely to another woman than a man - and so argued that we're both needed. But seriously, some men are deeply affected by abortion, and in America some men in the pro-life movement carry banners which say that they regret their lost Fatherhood, or that they're mourning their lost child. And just because it's the women that make the ultimate decision what is done to their bodies, men could be shut out of this equation, and feel powerless to do anything about it. So generally, it would be good if a man could approach a partner who is considering abortion, and tell her compassionately that he will do everything in his power to protect and raise that child together with her, and that everything may turn out better than she was expecting.


Get yourselves educated further on abortion
Because abortion affects everybody, everybody should educate themselves on what the world of abortion is really like. Channel 4 televised a very interesting documentary on abortion (contains shocking and disturbing images - so age restricted to people under 18) and looks for quite some time on the point that a baby can feel pain as early as 20 weeks - which means the UK abortion law is supporting the physical suffering of pre-born babies at gestational stages when some women experiencing premature birth have proved delivery of a baby that can survive in intensive care. How utterly crazy is that? That in one ward, a 24 week old baby is being torn to pieces and killed, whereas in another ward, a premature week baby of 24 weeks old is fighting for his/her life in intensive care? It's madness!!!

I'll leave you now with this beautiful video by IgniterMedia of a couple that treasured every single moment they had with their baby after birth, knowing that he might not survive for long. Guys, abortion is such a big deal. Don't just sit there and do nothing about it. Because after all, abortion is a matter of life and death.

Invitation to Devotion

You may or may not be familiar with the Devotions on the Firsts. I know I wasn't... until my encounter with the Holy Trinity during my summer pilgrimages, when with all my body, mind and soul, I offered myself, sinner though I am, to the Will of God, begging His refuge; and to my wondrous surprise (understatement!), my empty heart was set alight with His love. It made me thirst to learn more about, and proclaim the Gospel truth, and become his servant in thought, word and deed, as well as becoming an everlasting witness to my faith, which I am to actively and publicly communicate. Through the Holy Spirit, God graciously planted in me a deep and growing desire for three things. I wish not to describe all these three things in this post - as it is not yet time for me to share with you my encounters during my pilgrimages. But I can tell you that the third one was a request for penance, reparation and a deeper devotion to our Heavenly Father through prayer, for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which by my lowly self, am not worthy of, yet need beyond the bounds of my own human capacity.


I thought the only way I would be able to offer this penance and reparation was by concentrating harder during my standard daily prayers, the Rosary, etc., but I realise now, that those who intercede on our behalf want more than this. By God's will, I stumbled across a beautiful book in which the Blessed Virgin Mary explicitly promised to assist all those at the hour of death if we make reparation to her Immaculate Heart. More recently, I discovered the devotion which the Sacred Heart of Jesus requests on the First Friday of every month, for nine months. So here, I share with you what I have discovered about these things; what they are, and why we are called to do them. I would love to invite you to share my spiritual journey, as a young Catholic discovering more about the depths of God's love and my desire to live a life of holiness. 

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Today is an ultra special day. It is not only the first day of the month dedicated to The Most Holy Rosary, which means that like last year, I strive to pray my rosary whenever I can - but at least once a day. It is also the First Friday of the month...


First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus  
(source: http://www.fatimaprayers.com/currentnews/the-9-first-fridays-devotion.html)

The First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is based on a promise made by our Lord Jesus Chirst during an Apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. This promise was implicitely approved by the Church in the 1920 canonization of St. Margaret Mary.

The 12 Promises are contained in a letter written in May, 1688, by St. Margaret Mary to Mother Saumaise:

"On a Friday during Holy Communion, [Our Lord] said these words [...], if I mistake not: I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that Its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of the month consecutively, the grace of final repentance; they will not die under My displeasure or without receiving their Sacraments, My Divine Heart making Itself their assured refuge at the last moment."

The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:
1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will pour abundant blessings upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced."
12. "The all-powerful love of my heart will grant to all those who shall receive communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure nor without receiving the sacraments; my heart shall be their assured refuge in their last hour."
The following First Friday devotions are advantageous in honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

• - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
• - Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
• - Act of Reparation
• - The Litany To The Sacred Heart of Jesus 

I want so badly to please our Lord Jesus Christ, and I'm inviting you to do the same alongside me - from wherever in the world you are. Over the next 9 months, I will share more with you real-life experiences relating to the 12 promises, and how this devotion is sure to change my life. Perhaps I could even help you with finding that 'picture of My Heart', or give you examples of how peace in my own family home has come as a result of my outpouring of this devotion. For any young Catholics in the London area, I'll be heading to the 19:00 First Friday Mass at the parish of Our Lady of Fatima in White City.

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Tomorrow is also an ultra special day. It is the first Saturday of the month of The Most Holy Rosary - a month of Our Lady.

Devotion of the Five First Saturdays to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
 (source: http://www.fatimaprayers.com/currentnews/five-first-saturdays.html)

On July 13th 1917, Our Lady of Fatima, after showing the three Fatima seers a vision of hell, she said

"You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my immaculate heart... I shall come to ask for... the Communion of reparation on the First Five Saturdays."

On December 10, 1925, Our Lady said to Sister Lucia (who was then one of the three children)

"Look, my daughter, at my heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful [Children of God] pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me with your prayers and sacrifices. I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for their salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

Why Five Saturdays?
Five first Saturdays of reparation were requested to atone for the five ways in which people offend the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. attacks upon Mary's Immaculate Conception
2. attacks against her Perpetual Virginity
3. attacks upon her Divine Maternity and the refusal to accept her as the Mother of all mankind
4. for those who try to publicly implant in children's hearts indifference, contempt and even hatred of this Immaculate Mother
5. for those who insult her directly in her sacred images.

Letter of Sister Lucia explaining this devotion:
1 November, 1927, letter to Doña Maria de Miranda, her godmother, Sister Lucia wrote:

"I don't know if you already know about the reparatory devotion of the five Saturdays to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As it is still recent, I would like to inspire you to practice it, because it is requested by Our dear Heavenly Mother and Jesus has manifested a desire that it be practiced. Also, it seems to me that you would be fortunate, dear godmother, not only to know it and to give Jesus the consolation of practicing it, but also to make it known and embraced by many other persons.

"It consists in this: During five months on the first Saturday, to receive Jesus in Communion, recite a Rosary, keep Our Lady company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, and make a confession. The confession can be made a few days earlier, and if in this previous confession you have forgotten the (required) intention the following intention can be offered, provided that on the first Saturday one receives Holy Communion in a state of grace, with the intention of repairing for offences against the Most Holy Virgin and which afflict Her Immaculate Heart.

"It seems to me, my dear godmother, that we are fortunate to be able to give Our dear Heavenly Mother this proof of love, for we know that She desires it to be offered to Her. As for myself, I avow that I am never so happy as when first Saturday arrives. Isn't it true that our greatest happiness is to belong entirely to Jesus and Mary and to love Them and Them alone, without reserve? We see this so clearly in the lives of the saints...They were happy because they loved, and we, my dear godmother, we must seek to love as they did, not only to enjoy Jesus, which is the least important -- because if we do not enjoy Him here below, we will enjoy Him up above -- but to give Jesus and Mary the consolation for being loved...and that in exchange for this love they might be able to save many souls."

The following First Saturday devotions are helpful in honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary*
4. Act of Reparation
5. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
*You may use any of the traditional forms or your own words in making the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Everything in Mary leads toward her Son, Jesus the Christ. Everything in Mary lifts up our hearts to praise God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

And so, tomorrow, I intend to celebrate this, by seeking the grace to offer my devotion in the above ways, and to celebrate the life she so willingly brought to this world, by joining the 40 days for life group, who are currently praying and fasting for the conversion of those who work at abortion clinics, and to end abortion in London (and indeed the UK). The power of prayer is wondrous, ladies and gentlemen - for two days ago, the Marie Stopes abortion clinic (where they prayed outside) closed for the day. Imagine the power this set of devotions would have for the conversion of poor sinners, and the reparation of our own sins against the Blessed Virgin Mary's Immaculate Heart!!

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A Day of Rest and Social Time!

Although I strongly encourage fervent prayer, I know that I am but a human being, limited to the needs of the human mind and heart too - so I am going to want some social time (Christian socialite that I am)! What better way for me to do this, than with my fellow young Catholics at First Sunday Plus @ The Church Of The Immaculate Conception in Farm Street?! I've never been before, but know a bunch of friends that do go! Promoted in London by the British Jesuits, it's a great opportunity for young Catholics to practice their faith in an Ignatian context. Mass kicks off at 19:15 and we'll be hitting the pub afterwards ^_^ 

I pray this blogpost may somehow encourage some of you to become active in some form of regular devotion, to contemplate and reflect on the requests of our merciful Jesus and Blessed Virgin Mary, and/or to even meet me at one of my First Fridays and/or First Saturdays over the next 9 or 5 months respectively. I especially ask all readers of this post to say at least one prayer for me in my devotions. ^_^

God bless you!

Discussion on scientifically proving that an embryo has a soul, denying gays their true nature, and sex outside marriage

 On 14th September 2010, I posted my opinion on why Peter Tatchell's documentary lost my respect. It garnered the following comment from someone usernamed Mark, which I then respond to further below:


This is a long post, so I won't reply to everything, but will pick out a few points.

Richard Williamson is a sexist holocaust denier. It's easy to find evidence - he believes women shouldn't wear trousers or attend university: http://web.archive.org/web/20071102091508/www.sspx.ca/Documents/Bishop-Williamson/September1-2001.htm
Here's clear anti-semitism: http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/articles/a0000226.shtml
And he is a convicted criminal holocaust denier: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36595788

None of this was secret information, the Vatican were surely aware of his long held views, and would have been keeping an eye on the SSPX for years.

You said that:"The embryo is a living organism, and because it is destined to shapen into the human form, I believe it already has a soul, and is therefore a life with potential (not just a potential for life). This discovery is one way science has truly helped the Church. So... if I consider this embryo as a life already, wouldn't that make embryonic stem cell research look to me as though they're piercing and prodding and potentially killing a child that is... say... already born?"

The problem with this argument is that you state that you believe an embryo has a soul. You are entitled to your belief, but a problem arises when you use this as a basis to affect public policy, as it's a claim you cannot back up. It doesn't even have a strong internal logic - if this is the case why do 25% of pregancies result in a miscarriage (the majority in the very early days of embryo formation) - why would god create a soul that dies after a few days without any experience of human life?

I can't quite make sense of your argument about contraception. I assume you're not relying on Leviticus, as then you'd have to accept all the other restrictions the chapter sets out. Do you accept that people have sex outside marriage, whether you like it or not? That most people do not believe this to be immoral? If this is the case then surely it is only responsible to promote safer sex, to prevent the spread of disease? To expect the entire continent of Africa to abstain is not a realistic answer to the spread of AIDs. To call people selfish simply because they do not share your views on abstinance is somewhat judgemental isn't it?

Lastly, I think I abhor the 'hate the sin and not the sinner' approach of the church to homosexuality more than I do upfront homophobia. You are denying people their true nature, in quite a nasty way. By saying it's ok to be gay without living a gay life (ie avoiding 'the homosexual inclination' you are clearly saying that being gay is wrong, but using weasel words to avoid directly saying the person is evil. Would it be ok to say to a black person - I'm not racist, but I'd prefer it if you pretended to be white? Why would god create gay animals if this behaviour was wrong?

16/9/10 4:26 PM

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Upon attempting to reply, it seems my own comment exceeded the 4096 character limit, and thought instead to transform it into a blogpost instead...

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your comments, and I appreciate you sharing your opinions. It's taken me this long to respond, as it has been a pretty busy few weeks recently, and in all honesty, I needed to contemplate a response to your comment.

I think we digressed a little from the point of the thread - which was really to do with Peter Tatchell's attitude and arguments in his documentary. I know he he has much much more to argue about what us Catholics believe (which our Pope is the defender of) - but his delivery of those arguments in his documentary actually looked rather silly from my point of view, and also didn't satisfy the actual title 'The trouble with the Pope'.

I don't want to walk away without responding to some of the things you've picked out though.

Thanks for your references for Richard Williamson. I'll be doing some reading on that over the next few days.

About the embryo being a living organism: Perhaps this is where you can share with me some of your own expertise. We all know that we can measure knowledge - we can quantify it and it can be proven. The lie detector test is an example of this (even if it isn't always 100% accurate). So is the IQ test. But I don't know how human emotion is measured. We all know it exists - we feel it to the depths of our core. So what is our core? Our mind? Or something deeper? Human emotion to me, is something we both think and feel (both emotionally, and... spiritually?). Are our bodily chemical reactions (which probably can be measured) be the central foundation of our emotions in the first place? Do you have a conscience? Can our consciences be scientifically proven and measured? How can we back up the claims of our consciences? I would like to learn something from you on these matters - as I don't know the answers myself.

I think that those of us who are touched by God's love, experience a connection that can only be proven and measured by the divine, by God Himself... just like a mobile device can measure the signal of wi-fi (which we can't see but can be backed up scientifically). Should God have implanted in our hearts that every human life is sacred, and His to Will as He pleases, and if we have been personally called by Him to live as He asks, isn't it then our right to state our arguments too - most especially if public policy is going to make us compromise our principles?
As to your question about God creating a soul and then taking it away, I have no answer to that. Things happen in God's time, and for reasons only He would know. Perhaps He could be calling the couple who miscarried to a baby already born, for maybe God sees in them the best upbringing the child could have with them. I don't know, but there are many possibilities. It is not my place as a human being to question God's authority, and neither do I ever wish to.

As for sex outside marriage: people clearly do have sex outside marriage. I overheard the Jeremy Kyle show the other day feature people from this broken society talking about cheating pregnant girlfriends, and the fact that they have to reduce trust to a lie detector test - which in the end doesn't convince the guy to take responsibility in the total upbringing of the child, but actually just chip in some finance every now and then. How unbelievably sad is that? That a guy has the opportunity to, but doesn't want to bring up his own flesh and blood? He practically doesn't want anything to do with his own seed.

And a sperm is a seed. If a sperm isn't there for the creation of human life, then what is it there for? It explains why masturbation is a sin in our religion: the spilling of a single sperm through masturbation is a wasted life. Most people aren't aware of this, and so wouldn't understand the true value of sex. From a non-religious point of view, take God out of the equation, and you are still left with sperms and eggs, and the whole purpose of them in the first place.

My calling people selfish is more to do with those people who know full well what they do, and simply don't care - and even flaunt it in the faces of those who do. An attitude of cumming for self-pleasure and wasting that opportunity for life is part of the reason why our overly-sexed society has the rates of STDs and STIs it does - which I can't see decreasing any time soon as more and more we see people become sexualised at even earlier ages due to all sorts of reasons. And all because 'it's OK to do so - don't worry... there's condoms about... it's all about the safe sex. If there's a pregnancy that happens despite the protection, then I'll just blame the protection for not working, and chip in 50 quid every month.' Of course, some people are not like that. I have many friends in very stable marriages who aren't Catholic and still use protection. They would already know my own stance on it, and therefore if they disagree, then that is their choice. I still love them, and would never judge them for that.

Lastly, regarding the homosexual nature... every homosexual is invited to live as God wishes (this whole para is my own Catholic point of view, and doesn't necessarily reflect the Church's or other fellow Catholics). Heterosexuals have been blessed with the same observances as homosexuals - we are asked here on this earth to promote life. As a single heterosexual person, I'm invited not to actively seek sexual pleasure as much as any of my single gay friends are invited not to actively seek sexual pleasure. I, like any gay person, could be be called to become a religious, or be called to live a single life. The only difference is that as a heterosexual, if I am called to marriage, I am also called to bear fruit in children, which naturally, a gay person can not do. It is not a case of approaching a black person, saying 'I don't mind that you're black but I'd prefer it if you're white' as you put it. Doesn't make a difference if the person is black or white. What DOES make the difference is in what you've said is the 'pretending to be white' bit - as that is an action one chooses to make as a result of who they are. Nobody ever said life was going to be easy. Nobody can ever prepare themselves fully for the trials and tribulations God gives to us. Nobody every told me that being celibate is going to be easy. Yet I don't see my abstinence as 'denying myself my true nature' in the words which you've used. God's creation of gay animals is different to that of the human homosexual development. Animals do not have the same level of consciences as humans do. Neither do they have souls.

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If you have any comments, you're invited to post them below.

PPD vanishes as youth buzz with the Benedict bounce @ Catholic Underground London

 

Ok, ok, ok...

So I keep repeating the term 'Benedict bounce'! So what! I like it ^_^ As Fr. Stan Fortuna says: GET OVER IT (video reference: 07:20)!

Saturday night was sick y'all. One week on from the Hyde Park vigil with the Holy Father, and our PPD (post-papal depression) melted away for one night! Without repeating what Catholic Underground London is all about (you can discover that yourself via my previous posts), I just wanna say that those who couldn't make it really missed out, and we hope you can make the next one - which we think will be on 10th December 2010 at Notre Dame de France Church in Leicester Sq! We'll keep you posted via our facebook group no doubt ;) And you can follow us on Twitter: @culondon.

With about 120 Catholic youths from all over London hitting our entertainment sesh, the night began promptly at 19:30 with a very chillaxed Eucharistic Adoration session during our Holy Hour. Everyone joined in the worship with the booklets provided, which afterwards, were put aside as the lights were turned down , and the candle-lit atmosphere warmed all attention to the altar where our Lord Jesus Christ was exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, which finished off with Benediction (video above). The queue for confession was much longer than usual and we loved that! Good times. People felt that Pope Benedict XVI's words of returning to silence and silent prayer opened up greater opportunities to listen to God. At the end of the night, some described the Holy Hour to me as 'simply beautiful'. Couldn't have put it better myself, quite frankly.

The night continued just next door at the primary school hall of Holy Ghost where the crowd was greeted by a media-savvy, talented rapper by the name of Baliva (video above, and check out his site). Infusing such tracks as 'This little light of mine' into an infectious hip-hop beat, his motto of 'making Christ known so all might hear and believe' doesn't get any truer than that.

The headlining act, Crossbeam, went down a storm with the crowd, as the energy generated was almost to the level of 'call and response'. The band played, the crowd fed, the crowd responded, the band fed. It was an amazing atmosphere. With the teens and avid Crossbeam fans remaining largely n the crowded hall, the 20 somethings enjoyed some social time in the 'canteen classroom' for a catch-up and some affordable hot dogs. I even bumped into Hal from Ooberfuse, which was a very pleasant surprise ;) The 6-man-band of Crossbeam enlivened the audience with tracks from their album 'A time for everything', which is available to purchase from their site now, and more videos of them will be going up on youTube very soon! In the meanwhile, here's a sample of their performance.

 

So... we think the crowd AND the performers really enjoyed the night, which finished off with the beautiful prayer of the compline (full compline video viewable from my youTube channel). Plus news just in: we run on donations, and we raised just £3 short of covering the costs of our overheads ^_^ I guess this is where I ask you to come along next time, and bring all your mates, so that we can continue the work that God wills of us here at Catholic Underground London. Leaving y'all with some audience and performer feedback for the night ;) Peace.

Rollin' with the 'Benedict bounce'

 Rollin' 

wid 

da 

whaaat?!

What the heck is a 'Benedict bounce'?

At Birmingham's Oscott College, Cardinal Keith O'Brien thanked our beautiful leader Pope Benedict XVI with a message that,

"Already in Scotland we are talking about the ‘Benedict bounce’. Be assured, Holy Father, that we are bouncing back. You are reassuring us that Christianity is alive and well in our countries." Quote extracted from this Catholic Herald article.

Believe it or not, the 'Benedict bounce' was already in existence before it was brought to the limelight by Cardinal Keith O'Brien. Used back then as a term to describe the healthy and growing state of the Catholic priesthood in Scotland (a 400% rise in ordination this year from last), it's now also a motto for the ordinary Catholic to express our joy at every single treasure we have found from Pope Benedict XVI's visit, and our desire to spread that joy in all our true colours. Boys and girls, we truly are experiencing the wave of enthusiasm now known as the 'Benedict bounce'.

Who on this planet is doing the Benedict bounce?

Well... clearly the Scottish Catholics are living up the Benedict bounce - after all, they created it! And Catholics all over the rest of the UK are living it up too. 

Congregations are throwing thanksgiving masses and parties to celebrate this historic and successful visit bringing bounce back into the parish community.

All over the country, clergy and seminaries are looking forward to a bounce in applications to join the priesthood.

Lapsed Catholics are attributing part of their rediscovery of their faith and/or the Catholic Church to the Benedict bounce. 

The Telegraph are pretty sure the Benedict bounce will bounce Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church.

Catholic clothing organisation Catholics with Attitude are producing a range of 'Benedict bounce' items to go on sale on their website.

Borders weavers and Ingles Buchan, the St. Ninian tartan makers are experiencing massive demand for their limited edition tartans according to the Southern Reporter due to the Benedict bounce.

Catholic Youth workers are on a mission to bring World Youth Day to a UK city! How major is that y'all? Proof that 'Youf' are truly rollin' with the Benedict bounce!

On twitter, people from all the way in Singapore are wanting some 'Benedict bounce' to hit their side of the world!

Birmingham businesses benefited when Benedict bounced to Cofton Park with an impact worth £12.5mill to their local economy.

Why are people doing the Benedict Bounce?

We, as Catholics, are excited at the prospect that our Christian mission has been re-fueled and reinvigorated with the visit of our Holy Father. With as much joy as we can muster, we're here to profess our faith, and live as a witness to Christ's purpose here on earth. Having said that - our enthusiasm for the Benedict bounce ought also to help those who are in need of our love and compassion - people such as sexual abuse victims, as well as other vulnerable and disadvantaged souls in our society... like the elderly, disabled and the homeless.

Behind the 'Benedict bounce' is a serious message that “God created me to do Him some definite service” - PBXVI, and that we must actively commit ourselves to the service  and become witnesses to the Christ's gospel in which God has called us to be the bearers of. Still, that's not going to stop us from rollin' with the Benedict bounce in style and with enthusiastic conviction! We're living it because we want to!

What does the Benedict bounce mean to you?

Comments welcome ^_^