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Hello from Fatima! Today is the opening of HLI's seventh World Prayer
Congress for Life, held this year near the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.
It is heartening to see some old friends and meet new ones among the
delegates, and to see over a year's worth of planning from our good
friends with HLI Helpers and their partners come together.
Portugal
has had its share of economic troubles of late, and even approved in a
public referendum a couple years ago the legalization of abortion in
some cases. This was a terrible thing in a nation that, in the past, was
so heavily identified with the Catholic Church. Even so close to one of
the great destinations of Catholic pilgrims in the world, the site of
the dramatic visions and predictions given to the three seers some 98
years ago, the Church has at times not shared the Gospel of Life widely
enough to awaken the faithful.
Even in Fatima, the Gospel of
Life must be preached without fear. Our World Prayer Congress for Life
program is extensive, featuring many friends of HLI's and wonderful
pro-life warriors from around Europe and countries beyond the continent.
Portugal itself has a host of strong pro-lifers, many of whom have
already offered a warm welcome to missionaries from around the world.
As
always, I am grateful for your prayers for me and all of our pro-life
missionaries. Please keep at the top of your prayer list, however, the
fathers of the Synod on the Family, which is about to begin in Rome.
In
our Truth and Charity Forum, and in other places, we have been trying
to help everyone understand the stakes, which are very high. To all who
are concerned about the many controversies leading up to the Synod, know
that I share your concern. It has been interesting seeing so many
public Catholics start to voice their concerns as well, following Pope
Francis' call to bring into the open every side in the debate over how
to provide care for those in broken and difficult circumstances.
To
be sure, a great deal of confusion has surrounded this conversation
since even before last year's Extraordinary Synod, as we have discussed
several times. Know that many prayer warriors will be on vigil here in
Fatima, in the Philippines, and in Eucharistic chapels around the world.
Yet Our Lord is not among the confused or indifferent. He is not
neutral in this debate, and as always, He calls us to prayer.
Your
prayers have never been more needed than at this time to ask the Holy
Spirit to take over the proceedings from those whose agenda is one of
abandonment of timeless teachings for the sake of a false mercy that
would do so much more harm than good.
Don't think you can do
nothing -- you most certainly can act! Gather friends via social media,
in person, however you can, to pray that Our Lord would not let this
crucial meeting go astray. I promise you we here will be following
things closely here in Fatima and taking our intentions to Our Lady and
asking for her intercession.
Thank you for your prayers and for joining us in this fight for life and for family.
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Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International
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Send a reminder: Catholic=Pro-Life!
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Something quite providential happened on Sunday: My
younger sister and I attended Mass in the chapel of a high school with
500 students. My sister had many years ago spent time with the order
discerning religious life. Straight after Holy Mass, the students
devotedly prayed the St Michael the Archangel Prayer. I was happy to
find that this prayer had been introduced by a priest who had been one
of our Seminarians for Life. He introduced this prayer two years ago
when he came to the high school as chaplain. - continue -
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Send a reminder: Catholic=Pro-Life!
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The first time I met Father Laubach was in December 2002, when I
began serving on the HLI Board of Directors. Father was a long time
member of the Board and had just celebrated the 50th anniversary of his
ordination to the priesthood. During one of our conversations after
the meeting, he opened his wallet and handed me one of the prayer cards
that had been printed for his anniversary Mass and I still cherish
that card! - continue -
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Send a reminder: Catholic=Pro-Life!
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Send a reminder: Catholic=Pro-Life!
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Send a reminder: Catholic=Pro-Life!
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Human Life International
4 Family Life Lane ● Front Royal, VA 22630
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