NATIONAL AMERICAN HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
- Lullaby -
A New Song for Life
Choir of Angels
Page One
|
Lyrics to Lullaby
by Mary Lark Corbett
Lullaby and good night in the soft evening light.
Like a rose in its bed, lay down your sweet head
When the morning is here I will wake you my dear
When the morning is here I will wake you my dear
Lullaby unborn child, your life softly begins
Like a rose in its bed, suddenly the blossom ends
Petals falling sadly down, red as blood to the ground
Petals falling sadly down, red as blood to the ground
Lullaby unborn child you should not have to die
Is there no one who will care, who will listen to your cry?
Though your life has ended now, I believe that somehow
Lord Jesus rocks you now on a heavenly bough.
Lord Jesus rocks you now on a heavenly bough.
|
Little Audrey Santo
 A prayer to little Audrey:
Oh wonderful little Audrey on whom God has deigned to prove His
love for the innocent and pure of heart by indelibly stamping His seal of salvation on you for our sanctification and salvation. I-We beg you to intercede for us poor sinners for the grace and courage to bear wholeheartedly whatever cross God has chosen for us before the foundation of the world. Your silence is more eloquent than a thousand words. Your sufferings and resignation to His holy will is a soothing balm for the wounds of Jesus and His cross, so despised and rejected in these days of darkness.
Amen.
Little Audrey Santo lives in Worcester, Massachusetts. The change in Little Audrey's life began on a hot summer day, August 9, 1987, when Audrey was three years old. She was playing in the driveway with Stephen, her brother. It was on this day that Audrey fell into the family swimming pool, even though she had been afraid of water.
Audrey recovered but was rushed to the hospital where she was
overmedicated. The doctor prescribed too much Phenobarbital, and Audrey
lapsed into a coma. The hospital's physical therapist broke Audrey's legs and
dislocated her shoulder. Then the doctor insisted on insertion of a
tracheotomy tube. She remained in ICU with
24-hour nursing care.
She was out of the coma in three weeks. She remains in a state called
Akinetic Mutism - non-moving, non-speaking. The "professionals" insisted that
Audrey be placed in an institution. Audrey's mother Linda, felt that I she would
receive better care being home with her family. So in November four months
following the accident, Audrey was brought home.
Right from the beginning in the hospital hundreds of people came to pray for Audrey. Old friends, relatives and even strangers. Catholics and people from other faiths came, sent prayers, cards and gifts to! Audrey. The hospital was so inundated with people, media and phone calls they eventually put Audrey in a private room in the PICU. For some reason God wanted Audrey to be known right from the beginning; St. Paul tells us in scripture God sends us signs and wonders to get our attention. So is this what God; is doing with Audrey?
We believe that signs and wonders are manifesting with Audrey, around her and about her. Audrey seems to manifest unexplainable (medically) marks on her body that resemble the wounds of Christ. St. Paul also tells us that we must offer up our suffering to continue for Christ's redemptive suffering. We also know Jesus Christ is the ultimate Victim. Suffering is not useless when offered up. We believe that Audrey does this. Suffering united to Christ takes on meaning.
The religious images that exude oil and blood are unexplainable to us. We believe because of the good; fruits these unexplained happenings are of God. The Bishop's commission has stated clearly they have found no trickery.
The healings that take place here are not completely investigated by the Bishop's Commission but they are open to a full study in order to validate any claims. Prayer works therefore anytime Jesus tells us "there are more than two gathered in My name. . ." The greatest healing power God has left us in His Son, Jesus Christ, in the Eucharist. We must receive Him everyday and visit Him often. If we don't do this the fault lies with us. Audrey brings us to the Eucharist. There are four consecrated hosts that have exhibited human blood, this does not mean these four hosts are better than any other consecrated host. This simply means that God in His goodness has given us a profound and awesome gift. Again signs and wonders to get our attention. Audrey is also clearly telling us God doesn't make junk! That life is valuable at any level. We live in an epidemic of unmercy. So therefore Audrey is a sign of hope and mercy. We believe even though Audrey does not walk or talk that she is valuable and God chose her as He often chooses the seemingly inadequate, unproductive but mostly the pure and innocent to convey His message. In a world of infanticide, homicide and genocide God wants us to choose the right side.
We place our confidence in faith, therefore believing this is to prove there
is life in the Eucharist and the value of life in us.
|
Father Sylvester Catallo O.F .M., Cap., (a former translator for the
Marian Movement of Priests founder, Father Don Stefano Gobbi)
regards the child as a "pure" soul. Having resigned herself to God's
will prior to the age of seven (the age of reason), it is unlikely that
Audrey has ever sinned. Father Emmanuel Charles McCarthy, a
Massachusetts based Melkite Catholic priest whose ministry centers
around justice and peace, believes that the little girl is redemptively
connected with the sins of nuclear destruction. Significant dates in
Audrey's life often echo monumental historic events as well.
August 9th, 11:03 am., the first recorded medical entry on the day
of the drowning accident, is also the exact date and time of I
the bombing of Nagasaki some forty-two years earlier. The date
of Audrey's initial release from the hospital, November 14th, is the
anniversary of the bombing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe,
patroness of the Americas, in 1921.
Father Rene Laurentin, a member If the Council of Doctrine and
Faith and world-renowned theologian, concluded a four year personal
investigation into the life of Audrey Santo. The esteemed
Catholic scholar expects to report his favorable findings to the council.
He visited Little Audrey in July 1993 and was deeply moved by being
in her presence and stated "This is Holy Ground." Little Audrey is a soul!
truly blessed and chosen by God.
It is imperative that Audrey's role, regardless of its magnitude, be
kept in perspective. She is an instrument, an extraordinary one to be
sure, but an instrument nevertheless. Audrey is fed by a
"g-tube" but she does consume one thing, and one thing alone by mouth:
the Eucharist. Each day, Audrey
receives her precious Jesus in the greatest miracle of all.
Although we must not so elevate Audrey that we lose sight of Jesus,
neither should we discount or ignore His gift of Audrey to us.
Let us go to this little thornless rose and ask for her assistance
that like her, we too may truly become one with Christ. "But if we
are children, we are heirs as well: Heirs of God, heirs with Christ, if only
we suffer with Him so as to be glorified with Him."
As difficult as life for this family sounds, their home is so peaceful
and full of love. When you meet Linda and Steve you would not
think they have a care in the world. You can write to little Audrey and your
letters will be read in Audrey's room and placed before the Tabernacle.
Bishop Daniel Reilly of Worcester, Massachusetts has set up a commission of psychologists, doctors; and a theologian to study the events at Little Audrey's. The first phase of the investigation is over - we are soon to begin the second phase. We also remain obedient to him and the Pope in all matters of faith and doctrine. We would like to add, were profoundly affected by Bishop Reilly's visit and blessings.
When writing for information about oil (oil is free) or videos, newsletter
or book, please send a self
addressed stamped envelope to:
Apostolate of a Silent Soul, Inc.
68 S. Flagg St.
Worcester, MA 01602
(508) 755-8712
Fax (508) 754-2920
|
 The Child of Innocence
19 April 1985 - 25 December 1988
The Child of Innocence is a gift from God. She was born on 19 April
1985, the second of two children, and baptized on 16 June 1985. Her life
began in a normal, happy, healthy way.
Neuroblastoma cancer was diagnosed-
nosed on her father's birthday, when she was two years old. After a tumor
was removed by surgery, she was given chemotherapy treatments.
Other than the loss of her hair, the treatments neither stunted her growth
physically nor mentally, as was expected. She grew in height rapidly and
became alert in every area precociously, even to the naming and directing of
medical equipment and procedures.
She exhibited generosity of spirit with
her own gifts, and in spite of her own pain, would comfort other crying children
in the hospital. Although she visited all children and staff members that she
came to know in her hospital ward a hall, it was the abandoned children
that drew forth special love from her.
She could not be won over by material gifts or empty displays
of love, and preferred love over material gifts. She
possessed a fine sense of humor and innate musical ability.
When the second occurrence of cancer broke out, she refused self-pity
and insisted she wasn't sick. In her final weeks, she didn't complain over
what was given to her to make her well and looked forward to Christmas.
God's predilection for her seemed apparent at the end of her life, when,
although her morphine pack malfunctioned twice at great length, she was
spared the pain and ill effects, and when she died on Christmas Day at
the age of three while her parents were at Mass receiving Holy
Communion, while the 12:00 noon Angelus Bells were ringing, and at the
same time a little rainbow was seen appearing in the sky.
|
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla
 "After an exemplary existence as a student, as a girl fully engaged in the ecclesiastical community, as a wife and a happy mother, She offered and sacrificed her life in order that the creature she was carrying could live. Today she is here with us! As a doctor and moreover as a surgeon, she was conscious about what she had to face but she did not fell back in front of any sacrifice". With these words John Paul II has synthesized all the existence of Gianna Beretta Molla, during the solemn Beatification rite on April 24th 1994, the year consecrated to the Family. She was canonized on Sunday, May 16, 2004.
Showing her as a model of perfection "we want to homage - the Pope said - all the courageous mothers devoting themselves to their families without reserve, those who suffer in giving birth to their children and afterwards facing any sacrifice, to transmit all the best they guard in themselves to them."
As it often happens, a heroic deed can just be accomplished if it is the result of a long inner maturation, above all if it is a fully conscious and deliberate action.
Gianna's profoundly Christian Family had been for all the numerous children, a suitable background for a progressive deep-rooted faith values in the every day actions. And from this "good tree" many excellent fruits arose.
The study of medicine was not a novelty in her family, but in her case it gave her the opportunity of a particular Apostolate: The Latin America Missions, collaborating with her brother who was a priest there.
For a long time, she cultivated the missionary ideal, but very slowly she understood that God's will was different.
When she clearly understood that God called her to the marital status she did not hesitate and the fields of her "missionary action" were the "fellow creatures" coming every day at her consulting room. She opened a surgery in Mesero, a little village near Magenta and in a short time she earned the respect of all the people as they appreciated her spirit of self-sacrifice and disinterestedness.
Virginia, her sister, testifies: "Her great need to do everything for the poor people unable her to accept her fiancé's proposal to renounce medical practice: She firmly refused it without hesitation and also after her marriage she always went to her surgery in Mesero every afternoon.
Many other evidences give us the impression of "how" Gianna practiced her profession. Luigia Galli, a nurse, working in Gianna's surgery said: "Visiting sick people, she also teached them."During the last month of pregnancy, even if she was called in the night she promptly attended everyone. She carried on every medical care until the last day before giving birth to her last daughter. If the patient was poor, Gianna not only would give him free medical examination, but also free medicines or some money.
She would leave the surgery just after her last medical examination: Sometimes it was after 9:30 PM."
Mariuccia Parmigiani - a friend of hers - says that by her good and jovial smile she won everybody's confidence... and Maria Barni, living in Mesero, confirms that her generous engagements were not only addressed to physical treatments: "When a patient could not go on in doing the same kind of work for healthy reasons, she tried to find for him a more suitable job and very often she succeeded in doing it for a lot of people."
This attitude is not taken for granted: We know very well that sick person in a ward are considered as "a number", or quite an enrichment source. "Do your duty well. Study your science well. Today there is a seeking after money", Gianna writes at the beginning of her practice as a doctor. "Today, unfortunately, there is much superficiality even in our work. We cure the body and this, many times, inadequately." Gianna pointed out this concept in the fifties, but even today these deficiencies in medical profession are extremely topical.
In 1923, Saint Joseph Moscati writing to a doctor friend said: "Remember that you have to deal not only with the bodies, but also the moaning souls coming to you. How many suffering people you will more easily soothe by advising and going straight to their souls, instead of giving cool prescriptions to be given to the chemist! Be joyful, because great will be your reward; but you will have to set a good example of your elevation to God."
It is the same aspect advice that Gianna Beretta expressed speaking about the characteristics of a Christian doctor: "Never forget the patient's soul." "We have many opportunities which priests do not have. Our mission does not end when medicines fail us; there is the soul which we must bring to God. [...] Every doctor must consign the sick person to the priest. How necessary these Catholic doctors are!" And... besides: "Jesus makes Himself seen in our midst. Many doctors offer themselves for Him."
Our life is always the result of a lot of successive "choices", from the most "important" to the simple ones. Gianna "trained" herself to choose always the best and she also wanted consciously that her married life be devoted to God.
"I want really a Christian family - she wrote to her husband - where God is like one of the family; a little cenaculum where He can reign in our hearts, enlighten our decisions and guide our programmes."
Here we find the "secret" of her existence, the key to understand the reason of all her choices and even the conclusive choice in consequence of which she has been now beatified: To see every situation in our life under God's look; to be disposed to understand His will as far as we are concerned, so that it is really God "Who enlightens our decisions."
"I want to create a family with you, with many children like the one in which I was raised", she said to her husband Peter. They had three children: Pier Luigi, Mariolina and Laura - and then another maternity, accepted with joy.
At this point the tragedy occurred: The discovery at the second month of pregnancy, of a fibroma growing near her uterus threatening both her health and her child's life. She sudden realized, as a doctor, of the dramatic alternative: To save herself or the creature she is carrying.
According to the unanimous deposition of both her family and doctors, her first reaction was to privilege the child she was carrying.
The doctor to whom she asked advice said clearly to her: "If we want to save your life we have to interrupt your pregnancy." There it was her prompt answer: "Professor, I'll never permit this! It is a sin to kill babies in the womb."
The doctors pointed out three different types of operation, as her husband testifies: a total laparatomy with the removal of both the fibroma and the uterus, it would certainly have saved her life; therapeutic abortion and the removal of the fibroma, and this would have made possible other pregnancies. Otherwise the removal of the fibroma, trying not interrupting her pregnancy.
Gianna chose the last solution, the most dangerous for her. In fact in those times a childbirth was to be expected very dangerous for the mother, after such an operation. Gianna, as a doctor, knew this very well...
A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her child: "If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: Choose the child - I insist on it. Save the baby". On the morning of 21 April 1962 Gianna Emanuela was born. As it was to be expected, a few hours after her childbirth, complications arose and it was a week of horrible sufferings in consequence of septic peritonitis.
Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of 28 April, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you", the mother died. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. The body of the newly blessed lies in the cemetery of Mesero (4 km. from Magenta).
It was a Calvary during which her faith was fully shining. She died at home the following Saturday at 8,00 a.m. on April 28th 1962.
On April 24th 1994, her last daughter, Gianna Emanuela, was present in Saint Peter square at her mother's Beatification ceremony.
The heroic life of Gianna Beretta Molla makes us reflect on a theme that nowadays is topical. The discussion on abortion about the value to be given to the developing creature conceived in the womb. As every believer does, Gianna was deeply convinced that the developing creature in her womb was a complete human person, therefore worthy of the highest respect. It was a gift from God, to be accepted as all the other children.That is indeed love, Gianna forgot herself and generously offered herself to let her creature live, knowing very well that the cost of her offer would require the sacrifice of her life.
A priest known by Gianna, Father Marius Cazzaniga, wrote: "I had such a great impression that in my professional moral teaching at the professional nurse school, during the abortion lessons, I always mention Gianna Beretta Molla's case, as a generous and exemplary maternity. I think that nowadays when the maternity is depreciated, this woman doctor's generous act is to be let known by everybody. Society doesn't need to be submerged by a lot of crime news, it needs to know such generous actions."
We conclude with Gianna's words addressed to a young people Catholic Action Group of Magenta in 1946: "God wants to see us near Him, to transmit us in the secret of our prayer the conversion of all the souls approaching us. [...] In every day of our life we should have a moment's time to collect our thoughts in prayer before God. [...] Sowing our little seed incessantly. Let us not stop too much considering what will happen. Even if after having done our best we have a failure, let us generously accept it. A well accepted failure gives more benefit for the salvation of the soul than a triumph".
Words that for those who know Joseph Moscati's works, make them think about his famous thought expressed on October 17 in 1922. Thought that is a summary of his life as a doctor, as a man of science and faith: "Love truth: Show yourself as you are, without pretense, without fears and cares. And if the truth means your persecution, accept it; if it means your torment, bear it. And if for the truth's sake you should sacrifice yourself and your life, be strong in your sacrifice".
|
||||
ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome
Date: 2004-05-13
A Pro-life Icon to Be Canonized
Gianna Molla Gave Her Life for Unborn Daughter
VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Among the six people to be canonized Sunday, May 16, 2004 is Gianna Beretta Molla, who accepted the risk of dying rather than undergo a medical treatment that would have caused an abortion.
"She lived her marriage and maternity with joy, generosity and absolute fidelity to her mission," the prefect of the Congregation for Sainthood Causes, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, said last December, at the ceremony to recognize the miracle that opened the way for Molla's canonization.
Molla is the first woman of Catholic Action who will be proclaimed a saint. She was born in Magenta, Italy, on Oct. 4, 1922, in a family of 13 siblings. She studied medicine, a family tradition.
The fruit of her faith was reflected in her apostolate in Catholic Action and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, where she dedicated herself to young people and charitable service to the elderly and needy.
She received her doctor's degree in medicine and surgery in 1949 from the University of Pavia, and in 1950 opened an outpatient clinic in Mesero. Two years later, she specialized in pediatrics at the University of Milan.
In her medical practice, she paid special attention to mothers, children, the elderly and the poor. She considered the exercise of her profession a "mission," and said: "Just as the priest can touch Jesus, so we doctors touch Jesus in the bodies of our patients."
Her work did not impede her from engaging in her favorite sports, skiing and mountain climbing.
On Sept. 24, 1955, Gianna married engineer Pietro Molla, also a member of Catholic Action, in Magenta.
Gianna had her first child, Pierluigi, in November 1956. In December 1957, she gave birth to Mariolina, and in July 1959 to Laura.
In September 1961, in the second month of her pregnancy with her fourth child, she was diagnosed to have a tumor of the uterus. Surgery was necessary. Aware of the risk, Gianna begged the surgeon to save the life of her unborn child at all costs.
The baby's life was saved. In thanksgiving to God, Gianna spent the following seven months before the birth with "incomparable strength" of spirit and dedication to her duties as mother and doctor, the biography issued by the Vatican says.
A few days before the birth, she said she was ready to give her life to save that of her child. "If a decision must be made between my life and the child's, don't hesitate. I insist you choose the child's. Save it," she told her husband and the doctors.
On the morning of April 21, 1962, she gave birth to Gianna Emanuela. Complications started shortly after: Septic peritonitis caused her much suffering. On April 28, amid pain and repeating the prayer "Jesus, I love you; Jesus, I love you," Gianna Beretta Molla died a holy death. She was 39.
She was beatified by John Paul II on April 24, 1994, the International Year of the Family.
That day, her husband Pietro -- now 82 -- remembered his wife, describing her on Vatican Radio as "a wonderful woman who very much loved life; a normal woman, but at the same time a woman of great faith; a woman full of joy, personality, with a strong character, and with the courage to live the Gospel to the end."
"Above all, I remember her total trust in Providence and her full and perfect joy at the birth of each child," he said.
"Gianna's decision to offer her own life to save that of her child had deep roots: in marriage -- which she felt to be a sacrament, the sacrament of love --and in the heroism of her maternal love and her total conviction that the right to life of the unborn is sacred," Pietro Molla added.
The miracle attributed to her intercession was experienced by Elisabete Arcolino Comparini. In early 2000, the third child Elisabete had conceived began to have serious problems.
In the third month of pregnancy, the young mother lost all the amniotic fluid. Without that natural protection, the fetus should have died. But the baby girl was born in May 2000, an event inexplicable to science. Her parents, who had decided to pray through the intercession of Blessed Gianna, called the baby Gianna Maria.
|
Abortion Survivor Sarah Smith
 Pictured here are Sarah Smith and her mother Betty. In 1970, Betty tried to abort Sarah in Los Angeles. At the time, Betty did not know she was pregnant with twins. One baby was aborted, but miraculously, Sarah survived. Sarah has forgiven her mother -- and for five years they traveled the world speaking together about the pain and suffering caused by abortion. Below is Sarah's story, followed by the speech she gave in Rome in 1996. Twins -- one aborted, one survives!
Sarah tells her story . . .
"Twenty-nine years ago, my mother decided to have an abortion. At the time, she was pregnant with twins, but nobody knew this, not even her doctor. My tiny brother and I were both there growing in her womb, until that dreadful day. Before the abortion, we were both alive. Moments later, I was alone.
It's frightening to think I was almost aborted when my mom had a D&C abortion. Somehow, miraculously, I survived! My twin brother wasn't so lucky. Andrew was aborted and we lost him forever.
Several weeks later, my mother was shocked to feel me kicking in her womb. She already had five children and she knew what it felt like when a baby kicked in the womb. She instantly knew that somehow she was still pregnant. She went back to the doctor and told him she was still pregnant...that she had made a big mistake and that she wanted to keep this baby. To this day, my mother deeply regrets that abortion. I know the pain is unbearable for her at times when she looks at me and knows she aborted my twin brother. Mom says 'the protective hand of Almighty God saved my life . . . that God's hand covered and hid me in her womb, and protected me from the scalpel of death.
After surviving the abortion, I was born with bilateral, congenital dislocated hips and many other physical handicaps. Nine days after I was born, I was taken to an orthopedic surgeon who applied a cast to each of my tiny legs. My mom would remove these casts with pliers every Monday morning and take me to the doctor to have new casts put on.
At six weeks I was put into my first body cast. Many surgeries and body cast followed over the next few years. Unfortunately, doctors are telling me that now I'll need surgeries about every 5 years (please pray for me).
Today, I thank God I survived the abortion, but the pain continues for everyone in my family. In memory of my brother Andrew, we bought a memorial gravestone and placed it in a cemetery in Southern California. It reads:
ANDREW JAMES SMITH, TWIN BROTHER OF SARAH -- IN OUR HEARTS YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ALIVE -- NOVEMBER 1970
Please share our story with others so the tragedy of abortion stops hurting babies and families. Everyone needs to know the truth about abortion. Thank you."
Sarah's Speech In Rome
Following is the speech given by Sarah Smith:
"My name is Sarah Smith and I wish to thank you all, your eminencies, and all of the wonderful Legionaries of Christ for allowing us to be with you today. I did not know of the abortion until I was 12 years old. I grew up feeling that I was the same as my friends, except for having numerous surgeries and physical complications. The only difference I felt was an incredible loneliness and a knowledge that something was missing. I never felt whole. I battled with severe depression and found myself dying of anorexia nervosa at age 12, when my mother knew it was time to tell me the truth. She sat next to me and took my hand and looked me in the eyes and said, "Sarah, you are a twin. I aborted your twin brother and tried to abort you. Please know I did not know what I was doing and I pray someday you are able to forgive me. I love you and need you to know that you are a welcome part of our family."
At that moment I knew what I had been missing all my life and that I was called to something much greater than I had knowledge of. Immediately I felt the overwhelming pain of the knowledge that I should be dead. As I stand before you today I am painfully aware that this is only possible because my twin brother took a scalpel for me, and I stand in his place and memory, giving him honor and a face.
We have become bombarded with statistics in our fight for life. Thirty-two million babies are killed in the United States alone. Yet every one had a face, a life, a creator who loved them and created them in His image. As you look at me today, you realize that I am no different than you, yet I stand before you today a representative of the dead -- a representative of the innocent lives who today may lose their lives. Who will speak for them?
The words of Christ are clear - "What you have done to the least of these you have done unto me." You and I are called and commissioned to care for these little ones just as we would care for Jesus Himself. To walk away and say this is not my problem is to walk away from Jesus Himself.
Many people upon finding out about the abortion ask me how did I feel, or to what can I compare this to. The only thing I can compare my life to is that of an innocent Jew being made to walk down the streets of Germany naked in front of many people and into a room he knows he will never come out of. In my case, unfortunately, the people leading me into that room are my mother and father. Yet the people looking on at the sidelines are people like you. And I ask you today, will you speak up or will you silently look away as another person who needs your help is led to their death?
I have forgiven my parents long ago as I remember the words Jesus spoke as he hung bleeding and bruised from the cross, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." His words pertain to the sins of abortion. Most men and women who involve themselves with abortion don't know what they're doing, as were my parents.
Many women who demand the right to an abortion say, "It's my body, it's my choice." Let me make one thing very clear to you today - my mother's choice was my death sentence. It is not only a woman's body we are discussing in an abortion. It is the entire flesh and blood of someone just like me.
Then we have the issue of medical personnel stating it is just tissue. For anyone who has ever studied biology, you know better. Before any woman even knows she is pregnant her child already has a beating heart at 20 days. Show me one piece of tissue or cancer you believe must be cut out with a beating heart. Show me a liver or kidney that has it's own blood type. That child is perfect from it's first day. All it needs is time, oxygen and nutrition.
Another startling fact is that in medical journals it states the fetus is capable of feeling pain at 8 weeks of gestation. In America, the vast majority of abortions are performed between 10 to 12 weeks, well after the child can feel the entire procedure. So don't tell me abortion is a simple procedure that expels a piece of tissue and doesn't hurt anybody. I was there. I was less then an inch away from my innocent twin brother when his body was ripped apart, and he felt the entire thing. We were 14 to 16 weeks along in the second trimester. That was how my life was meant to end.
Yet I was spared to stand before you today and tell you on behalf of those who have no voice that if you remain silent, in my country alone a person just like you and me will die every 20 seconds of every day. We have been commissioned by Jesus to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and we have also been commissioned by the Holy Father, who I had the privilege of meeting a few hours ago.
As I told him my story he looked at me so intensely as if to say, "Speak the message! Proclaim the Truth!" And then he kissed me and gave me a blessing to go and speak about life. And that is what he says to all of you as he blesses and kisses us with his Encyclical. Preach the gospel - the good news of life. What is the greatest gift of all? When Jesus outstretched His arms and said, "This is my body given up for you". Imagine if Jesus had been selfish with His body and not given so freely of His life to you and me. Where would we be today? We would be nothing. The gift of a mother's body for 9 months of her life is one of the most beautiful gifts of all time. We must fight to protect it.
As I stand here alone knowing I have my brother as a precious guardian angel who is with me always, I know my life is a gift. And today I wish to give it back to you, the people and to the church, as a symbol of the consuming power of God's redemption and of His life and truth. You and I as a church represent life, and together we will extend that life into a hurting and dying world. We will give them the truth of life and we shall never be silent.
I love you and God bless you."
 |
