Voices for Life Is a blog dedicated to informing and educating the public on pro-life and pro-family issues. Our focus is to protect the sanctity of all human life from conception until natural death.
The year continues to wind down. We are at the halfway point of autumn and we will be at a point where we do early Christmas shopping, plan for the holidays, and enjoy the fall activities that we shall enjoy while they last. There is still opportunities to defend life which brings us to ideas and events.
Vote in the 2021 General Election. We have the gubernational elections in NJ and VA. We also have civic elections that must get your attention and vote.
Take part in the First Friday and Saturday devotions.
Raise awareness on infertility and miscarraiges. Offer your love and support for these moms who carry this heavy cross.
Attend prayer vigils near you or out of your comfort zone (Sidewalk Servants start back up on November 1st and end on March 2nd) Give an hour or two of your time a week.
Remember pro-life charities in the midst of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping during #GivingTuesday campaign on Tuesday, November 30th.
Take time to count your blessings as we wind down 2021.
Host a Holy Hour for an end to the Culture of Death.
Write to your representative or call them and urge them to defend life and #SaveHyde
Make November the best month to save lives and change hearts. Never underestimate the good work you do to cultivate a culture of life through your witness.
The following is from an e-mail blast sent by Dr. Monique Ruberu.
Last Saturday Irene who is new to sidewalk counseling (only her 2nd time praying there) came and joined Jim at 12th and Locust. A college-age guy and girl were stunned at the sign. They complained about the facts written about Margaret Sanger.
Four male friends showed up. Two held back so I asked what they knew about Margaret Sanger. Never heard of her.
Irene alertly noticed one of the other guys nodding at her points as she explained how bad abortion was so she asked him to speak.
He simply said “I’m adopted. I would have been aborted.”
The six then headed off to some event with no further debate.
You don’t have to speak… all we ask is that you lovingly, prayerfully stand witness and offer resources if possible…
I promise that if you stand in prayer the Holy Spirit will give you the words needed when the time comes to speak.
Please help us have an unbroken chain of prayer!!! Please help us fill these empty slots.
With Summer 2020 +1 Olympics over, we look back and watch the incredible stories of many athletes who took part in the long-anticipated olympiad. In the midst of the stories, we have heard of faith, trial, and resilience journeys. Meanwhile, one rising star had to put her mental health ahead of her sport to promote awareness and self-care.
Allyson Felix
One of the most popular track stars for Team USA this year was Allyson Felix. Felix once had a contract with Nike. However, the company nixed her contract in 2017 as they don’t protect pregnant athletes. Despite getting cut by the popular shoe brand, she carried on her pregnancy and gave birth to her daughter in November of 2018.
In the spring of 2019, Felix penned an OP-ED for the New York Times. She shared how Nike poorly mistreated her and her fellow pregnant athletes. The company even predicted that she will never compete again. Later in 2019, she silenced her naysayers as she competed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. In June of 2021, she qualified for the 400 meters. During the events in Tokyo, she won her 10th overall medal in the same race. In her final race as an Olympian, she led her teammates to victory in winning gold in the 4×400 race and is now the most decorated Olympian in Track and Field.
Simone Biles
In 1997, an unfit drug-addicted mother gave birth to a girl that would have been a big target for Planned Parenthood. Fast forward to 2016, she would break out onto the Olympic stage in gymnastics. That woman is Simone Biles. Biles story of sexual assault from Larry Nassar and being a product of foster care got everyone talking. This week, however, she fielded unpopular opinions. One was how abortion is wrong and her response, “I already know this is going to start the biggest argument & may even lose followers BUT I’m very much pro-choice.”
Biles would go on assuming pro-lifers are all about “control”. She missed the mark on her head with her comment for two reasons.
One, the whole, “my body, my choice” concept doesn’t hold water. Instead, a woman does not kill her body during an abortion. Rather, she terminates her child while wiping away future bloodlines that were to come. The pro-life movement does not want to “control” women’s bodies. Instead, it wants to help women who feel like there are no other options. Our culture keeps pushing the answer that a child will hold you back from school, career, and even future endeavors. On the contrary, the child unlocks so much joy and adventure for the mom.
Two, Biles is a product of a foster care system that needs improvement. Thankfully, she was adopted by her grandfather. Despite her upbringing, she went on to be a successful gymnast on the world stage. The potential sufferings that Biles feared did not keep her from showing the world who she is. Instead, it made her stronger. Humans are bound to suffer and it is an inevitable part of our life’s journey. For Biles, she overcame many of them.
Simone Biles, as a Brother in Christ, you overcame many adversities, both physical and mentally, as I have. You have shocked the world in Rio with your talent. I know the topic of abortion was a bit challenging for you to share where you stand. However, as a Catholic, you are called to reject the rhetoric that abortion is a woman’s right. You’re the epitome of a miracle for everyone. Look at how much you have accomplished in your twenty-four years of life. you are the living example of being brought into the world, despite your mother being unfit and your father abandoning her. Your view on abortion needs a hard look as the industry targets African Americans.
I am always amazed when a random act leads me to a message that is worth sharing in this blog. I recently ordered some skirts from the Jockey website. There was a sale and additional discount for signing up, so I did. When the package arrived, out came the skirts along with a small postcard thanking me and stating that this purchase was fostering change. As it turns out, in 2005 Jockey (headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin) established the Jockey Being Family Foundation in support of its corporate initiative to strengthen adoptive families. It is a story that is very personal to Debra Waller, Chairman and CEO of Jockey. She, in fact, was adopted into the family that owned Jockey and took over the reins of the business after her mother died in 2001.
Local community volunteers as well as Jockey employees work together to make blankets for children, as well as fill backpacks that children will take to their new homes. The Jockey Being Family website offers resource for parents in the form of webinars, support articles and podcasts. A percentage of all Jockey sales goes to the Foundation. The Foundation also partners with several non-profits to create programs to help adoptive families: The Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE), Creating A Family, Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
Since adoption is part of our pro-life message, it feels good to know that a company I purchased from supports strengthening family ties – so many times this is not the case with corporate America.
Please check out the Foundation website and consider ordering directly from the Jockey website in the future so that your purchase can impact the family unit in a positive way!
In case you missed it, Toyota presented a commercial not only to promote the upcoming summer olympics (one year later) about a swimmer who is a double amputee.
With the annual March for Life in DC and the inaugural Philly March for Life approaching, we do want to provide some key updates that was received by me regarding both events. Bear in mind the guidelines and attend events if you choose to do at your own risk.
Don’t forget to get your pro-life gear at Catholic to the Max. Learn more here.
Inaugural Philly March for Life January 23rd
Pro-lifers process along the Parkway en route to Planned PArenthood
This will come one week after the Inauguration of the most radical pro-abortion administration of our time, particularly led by a so called “Catholic”.
Don’t feel safe? You can attend a livestream from your computer. Learn more here. EWTN will also begin covering the event at 11AM. Check your local listing.
Are you going? Here is what you need to know. Be sure to check out the pre-rally concert with Matthew West, the singer behind the theme song of Abby Johnson’s biopic.
Checklist for What to bringto Both or Either
Pro-Life Gear (Make it visible)
Prayers
Your loving and peaceful presence
Creative and catchy chants
A sign that is loving and articulates a message about life or promotes life
We hope you make one if not all of the events. Be sure to March for Life every day, not just every January 22nd.
A few months ago I published a story of two women who were in need of prayer because they were being pressured into aborting. One of these mothers is pregnant with quadruplets.
This mom and her husband are the parents of 5 children, four of whom are adopted. When they found out they would be adding four more children to their family their doctors began urging ‘pregnancy reduction’. They have resisted the pressures put on them and are looking forward to welcoming all four of their new babies.
Imagine having 9 children under the age of eight!
You can read more about this family by using this link to their Gofundme page. And while there, maybe you could make a small contribution to help them out until Jacob can get back to work? He has taken an unpaid leave of absence from job to help his wife.
