McCain Carries Catholic Medals

I found this article on one of my few blogs that I try to read daily. Hat tip to the Catholic Knight.

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"It has been revealed that John McCain, though not himself Catholic, regularly carries around Catholic medals - particularly Our Lady's Miraculous Medal and one of the Blessed Mother Teresa. Even though the Senator from Arizona is a Southern Baptist, he was raised Episcopalian, and apparently the Catholic faith and value system have some appeal to him.Last summer, John McCain made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. There he was blessed by Monsignor Monroy. Since then McCain has backed away from his previous support of embryonic stem-cell research and has promised a pro-life administration if elected President of the United States.

The following is an account of Senator McCain's Catholic medals from Eduardo Verastegui, producer and lead actor of the 2007 American film Bella....

“I said more than 45 million babies have been killed by abortion in America and more than 200,000 Latino babies are killed by abortion each year. I told everyone that we need to put an end to this and, when I finished, I went to John McCain and I said, ‘Senator, thank you for your commitment to life. I’d like to give you something.’ I gave him a Miraculous Medal blessed by Pope Benedict XVI and he was amazing. He said, ‘Thank you so much! Look what I have here in my pocket.’

Then Sen. McCain took a medal out of his pocket that he carries everywhere and it was a Blessed Mother Teresa medal. He said, ‘Eduardo, now I am going to keep both.’Verastegui also gave McCain’s wife, Cindy, a Miraculous Medal. He said, “I was touched when I found out that the McCains adopted one of their daughters from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in India. There is nothing more beautiful than to give children homes with families who will love them. I hope that one day that I can do the same.”

Read the full article here.

A vote for Obama is a vote for...

Can a Catholic in good faith vote for a candidate who openly supports abortion? Many will say that abortion isn't the only issue at stake in this election. They are correct. Our next president will have to address some very important issues ranging from war to the economy to energy. However, the correct position on these issues can be debated. Under no circumstances can one argue for the morality of abortion. It is intrinsically evil.

The bishops of Fort Worth and Dallas have issued a joint statement. In this statement they say that "to vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or "abortion rights" when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible. " Read the full text here.

Archbishop Chaput of Denver has gone so far as to call out Barack Obama by name. He states that there hasn't been a "more committed" abortion rights candidate from a major party in the last 35 years and that Catholic organizations who support Obama are doing a "disservice to the church." Read the article here.

**Update**
Yesterday, the USCCB came out with an official statement regarding our obligation to protect the unborn as well as care for the needs of mothers. You can find the statement here.

Tertullian On the Sanctity of Human Life

Here's a few quotes from Tertullian, an Early Church Father, written sometime between 160-240 A.D.

"For us [Christians] we may not destroy even the fetus in the womb, while as yet the human being derives blood from other parts of the body for its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter when you take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to birth. That is a man which is going to be one: you have the fruit already in the seed." -Apology 9:6

"They [John and Jesus] were both alive while still in the womb. Elizabeth rejoiced as the infant leaped in her womb; Mary glorifies the Lord because Christ within inspired her. Each mother recognizes her child and is known by her child who is alive, being not merely souls but also spirits." -De A ninta 26:4

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"For those who would say that the early Church was silent on the question of abortion, even the few select quotations quoted above from the Church Fathers give witness to the contrary."

[1] Quotations from the early Church Fathers on the Sanctity of Human Life

YES On Proposition 8!

Proposition 8 protects the people’s will and overturns activist judges.
In 2000 over 61% of Californians voted in favor of Proposition 22 to reaffirm that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. However, because this language wasn’t put into the state Constitution when it was approved, four activist judges from San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote. In November 2008, Proposition 8 gives California voters the opportunity to reverse the court’s decision and restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman in the state Constitution.


Proposition 8 is simple and straightforward.
Proposition 8 contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by over 61% of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” By putting these words directly into the state Constitution, the court cannot strike them down as unconstitutional.


Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle.
Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits from gay or lesbian domestic partners. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions to this. Proposition 8 will not change this.


Proposition 8 protects our children.
Proposition 8 protects our children from being taught in public schools that same-sex marriage is the same as traditional marriage. In health education classes, state law requires teachers to instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. (Education Code §51890.) If the same-sex marriage ruling is not overturned, teachers will be required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.


Proposition 8 protects marriage as an essential institution of society.
Proposition 8 protects marriage and the important role of a traditional family. While death, divorce or other circumstances may prevent the ideal, the best situation for a child is to be raised by a married mother and father.


YES on Proposition 8 does three simple things.

􀂃 It restores the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and human history has understood marriage to be.

􀂃 It overturns the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people.

􀂃 It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage.

Vote Yes on Proposition 8!
www.ProtectMarriage.com

Legalizing same sex marriage has real consequences. Clink on the link below to view full article:

First Graders Taken To San Francisco City Hall For Gay Wedding