Abortion funding in DC - 300 babies dead

This week the U. S. House is expected to vote on the Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Services Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2434). As reported from committee, this bill prevents all congressionally appropriated funds, federal and local, from being used for elective abortions in the District of Columbia. An amendment to allow local public funds to be used for elective abortions was defeated in committee. The pro-abs will offer a similar amendment on the House floor.      Since the Obama administration has forced tax funding of abortions in DC, 300 abortions have been funded - ie - 300 babies have died who would be alive if tax money had not been available to kill them.   Call your Congressman!  Message: oppose any amendment to remove or weaken the ban on DC abortionfunding.   Congressman John W. Olver , 202-225-5335 Congressman Richard E. Neal, 202-225-5601 Congressman James P. McGovern, 202-225-6101 Congressman Barney Frank, 202-225-5931 Congressman Niki Tsongas, 202-225-3411 Congressman John F. Tierney, 202-225-8020 Congressman Edward J. Markey, 202-225-2836 Congressman Michael Capuano, 202-225-5111 Congressman Stephen F. Lynch, 202-225-8273 Congressman William D. Keating, 202-225-3111   Studies show that the availability of public funds for abortion greatly increases abortions. Any lawmaker seeking to reduce abortion should support the DC abortion funding ban. Even some of ours might get that, so please make your call!    Thanks, Anne     DONATIONS - WE NEED AND APPRECIATE THEM!     Donate through PayPal     THANK YOU!    For more information about the Pro-Life cause in Massachusetts or to get involved    please visit our website at massprolife.com.

Stunning start for Summer Academy. Some seats still available in Charlestown.

MCFL Summer Academy previewed in Worcester on Wednesday.  We had sixteen impressive high school students from almost that many towns, some adults, and a young friend from New Jersey.  The students are the kind who look you right in the eye, put back the chairs without being asked, and ask thoughtful questions. We heard this back from an older brother who had brought a van full of boys, "I know they all plan to come to all of the sessions now (some were originally unsure) so that speaks well of Prof. Franks and Mr. Day's presentations." Yes.  David Franks, Chair MCFL Board, who talked about "Anthropology, Ethics, and Human Rights" and Tom Day, Regional Coordinator, Pioneer Valley Region, who talked about Roe v Wade, Doe v Bolton, their antecedentnts and progeny, were extremely informative and very well-received.  See them here.  We are fortunate enough to be hosted by the Burncoat Baptist Church on Burncoat Street.  The facilities are lovely and convenient, and the staff is a delight to work with. CHARLESTOWN:  Because the program in Boston starts a week later, students can still hear David and Tom at Boston's first week, the 13th.  Linda Thayer will speak in Worcester next week and Boston the week after.  The six weeks continue in that manner.  REGISTER        DONATIONS - WE NEED AND APPRECIATE THEM!     Donate through PayPal     THANK YOU!    For more information about the Pro-Life cause in Massachusetts or to get involved    please visit our website at massprolife.com.

An Independence Day Salute to You!

"All who love freedom have their part to play in the cultivation of that fruit and to bring liberty to its right end: the truth about human dignity and human destiny. It is a worthy call."   posted by Rev. Robert Sirico on the Acton Institute Power Blog For 197 years, we Americans took "life" was taken for granted while we were grateful to service people and others for protecting our "liberty and the pursuit of happiness".  Then the unthinkable happened and it was life itself that was threatened - from within.  Now we pro-lifers are the people who are protecting the basic right in this country - we are the military.  When we passed the resolution below at the National Right to Life Board meeting, I was so moved that I wanted the proper occasion to share it with you.  Independence Day is perfect. "RESOLUTION HONORING GRASSROOTE VOLUNTEERS WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court's tragic 1973 Roe v Wade decision has resulted in the deaths of more than 53 million unborn children and has opened the door to further attacks on defenseless human beings in the form of infanticide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia; and WHEREAS, the successful effort to return legal protection to vulnerable persons is more visible and effective than ever, thanks to the grass-roots pro-lifers who refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice and cruelty; and WHEREAS, countless unborn babies and medically dependent people are alive because of the selfless work of millions of grassroots volunteers; and WHEREAS, the strength of the pro-life movement always has been and remains the result of continuous, steadfast effort of unsung grassroots volunteers; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Right to Life Committee Board of Directors, sitting in Jacksonville, Florida on June 22, 2011, recognizes with deep appreciation the invaluable work of these dedicated pro-life volunteers and extends to these grassroots champions its heart-felt gratitude for the talents and resources they have extended on behalf of innocent, vulnerable human life." Last week we buried Marie Lueders.  The Needham Chapter of MCFL started in her living room days after the abortion decisions.  She was the typical pro-lifer who remained steadfast to the end.  God rest her soul. Here's to all of you who deserve infinite credit for your love and perseverance. God bless you all!  Anne PS.  Yes, as a matter of fact, G.K. Chesterton does have something to say about this.  On a visit to the States, he spoke of our flag, "by whose stars we are illumined, and by whose stripes we are healed."   What a stirring interpretation of America and its mission!  Our date with him is Oct 15th!       DONATIONS - WE NEED AND APPRECIATE THEM!     Donate through PayPal     THANK YOU!    For more information about the Pro-Life cause in Massachusetts or to get involved    please visit our website at massprolife.com.

MCFL wins "coveted" Phoenix award! (lol)

The Boston Phoenix (6/29/11) is serious. "MASSACHUSETTS CITIZENS FOR LIFE TRIES TO SHUT DOWN SAFE-SEX SITE FOR TEENS There are so many bad actors in the saga of Maria Talks, a safe-sex-education Web site that came under fire this past spring, that it's hard to know where to begin. The 63 state legislators who demanded that Governor Deval Patrick eliminate the $100,000 in state funding the site receives? Check. The state's four Catholic bishops, led by Cardinal Seán O'Malley, who jumped on the defunding bandwagon? Check. The Boston Herald, for endangering a vital program by flogging this story above and beyond the call of journalistic duty? Check. The state's public-health commissioner, John Auerbach, who partly caved in to the pressure and ordered that the site be toned down? Check. The coveted Muzzle, though, goes to the anti-abortion-rights group MASSACHUSETTS CITIZENS FOR LIFE (MCFL). According to the Herald, which broke the story on April 20, it was MCFL that initially 'took aim at the site'".   The Phoenix claims we helped this very sensible, needed web site by letting more people know about it.  No doubt The Phoenix will be glad to hear that we are investigating the Planned Parenthood connection - which looks like conflict of interest .  I'm sure The Phoenix will also be thrilled to learn that we are training speaking teams to go into the areas targeted to have Maria Talks integrated into the school curricula.  These pro-life speakers will talk directly to the young people with the facts about life, abortion, relations with their parents, etc.   In receiving this award, as they say, I must thank all those who made it possible, blah, blah...  Seriously, thanks to all of you who made the calls, sent the emails, and talked to countless people.  I know I can count on you for the next phase of the battle.  Anne       DONATIONS - WE NEED AND APPRECIATE THEM!     Donate through PayPal     THANK YOU!    For more information about the Pro-Life cause in Massachusetts or to get involved    please visit our website at massprolife.com.

SUMMER ACADEMY: Register now!

Massachusetts Citizens for Life Summer Academy, 2011 Rising 9th - 12th Grade Students - Worcester and Boston The goal of the sessions is to form and engage high school students as workers in the pro-life movement. More specifically and immediately, we intend these students to become Ambassadors of MCFL in their respective schools, churches, or homeschooling communities during the 2011-2012 school year, as both a leaven and liaison in their respective pro-life clubs. So that we may provide a thorough formation, our preference is for students who can and will commit to attending all, or at least most, of the sessions. An award certificate will be conferred during the last session, which will also serve as a "commissioning ceremony" for these MCFL Ambassadors. In order to present a thorough overview of the main life issues, the pro-life movement, and the various ways that these students can and should get involved, we will hold eight weekly sessions. With the exception of the first and last, sessions will normally consist of a 45 minute expert presentation of content, and a 45 minute interactive workshop, with 30 minutes allotted at the beginning for informal fraternizing over pizza and soft drinks. Dates:                   Worcester:  Burncoat Baptist Church, 475 Burncoat Street                     Wednesdays, July 6 - Aug 10                              Charlestown:  MCFL Office, Schrafft Center, 529 Main Street   Wednesdays, July 13 - Aug 17   Time:                     6:00 p.m. To 8 p.m. Tuition:                Free for pro-life high school students                                 WEEK 1:  Wednesday, July 6 (Worcester), July 13 (Charlestown)   Topic: Anthropology, Ethics & Human Rights Prof. David Franks, PhD, Prof. St John Seminary (confirmed) What do we mean by "personhood" (theological, philosophical, legal) ? The ethical status of the unborn child, the disabled, the elderly. Human Rights / Rights & Duties / Conflicting Rights Workshop: Questions and Answers ▪     it's my body ▪     "right to choose" ▪     personally opposed but... ▪     "safe-legal-rare" ▪     hard cases (rape, incest, life of mother)         the "common ground " fallacy                                                                             Thomas Day, Esq. on Roe v Wade and the other Supreme Court decisions that got us where we are   WEEK 2: Wednesday, July 13 (Worcester) and July 20 (Charlestown) Topic: Fetal Development & Abortion Linda Thayer , Vice President, Educational Affairs, MCFL (confirmed) The humanity of the unborn child from the moment of conception (fertilization)   WEEK 3: Wednesday, July 20 (Worcester) and July 27 (Charlestown) Topic: Alternatives to Abortion and Consequences of Abortion Speakers:  Pregnancy Counselors and Project Rachel Counselors Cori Connor Morse, Abortion Survivor/ MCFL Role-Playing Workshop   WEEK 4: Wednesday, July 27 (Worcester), August 3 (Charlestown) Topic: Stem Cells and the intentional distortion of language used when discussing life issues Micheline Matthews-Roth, MD, Harvard Medical School (confirmed) Matt Hanafin (confirmed) and William Keough (confirmed), Student Leaders on use of language   WEEK 5: Wednesday, August 3 (Worcester), August 10 (Charlestown) Topic: Euthanasia & End of Life Issues  Prof.  Scott Fitzgibbons, JD, Boston College Law School (confirmed)   WEEK 6: Wednesday, August 10 (Worcester), Aug 17 (Charlestown) 2-3 hours with little party to close Topic: Civics & Political Action  Local Massachusetts State Representative in each location How we can participate in the political system Women's Right to Know Bill in Massachusetts and current legislative situation in DC   (Worcester)  Students from the Celebrate Life Club, Minnechaung Regional High School, Wilbraham  (Charlestown) Students from the Pro-Life Club at Burlington High School Burlington, Kayla Coluci Call to Ambassadorship:  Conferral of Awards and Commissioning as Ambassadors Register at http://www.masscitizensforlife.org/events/180-2011-student-academy-registration.html           DONATIONS - WE NEED AND APPRECIATE THEM!     Donate through PayPal     THANK YOU!    For more information about the Pro-Life cause in Massachusetts or to get involved    please visit our website at massprolife.com.