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Dear
e-link
Subscriber,
Membership in e-link is nearing that 1,100 mark, standing
actually at 1,092. We welcome new members and encourage all
members to promote e-link registration with friends and family.
Share the good news with any one you know who would like to
participate in building a culture of life in the Diocese of San
Diego.
I discovered something shocking late last week. In looking over
the donor lists from both the pro- and anti-proposition 85
campaigns, it became clear that the opponents, led by Planned
Parenthood, are very highly organized and are demonstrating that
they care more about this issue than we do. Prop. 85 opponents
have raised more than 15 million dollars from 4,650 donors.
Supporters of Prop. 85 (that's us) have raised only 5.5 million
from 390 donors, and nearly 2.5 million of that total was
made in the form of loans to the campaign. In actual donations,
we are looking at their 15 million dollars to our 3 million
dollars. We've been out-donated by a ratio of 5 to 1 and come
up short in individual donations by a ratio of nearly 12 to 1.
That, as of October 20th, the pro-85 side (that's us) has only
390 individual donations in a state with more than 55 million
residents, can only be interpreted as a gross display of
disorganization and apathy. Please remember, this is a
life-and-death battle to secure the rights of parents. What
caring parent would not want to know that a minor daughter is
about to undergo a traumatic surgical procedure. I am sorry for
this blunt assessment, but we all should have done more, and we
still are able to do more.
Please take a look at donor lists linked just below, then
consider making a late-in-the-game donation to the
Yes on 85 campaign,
and by all means, attend the
Yes on 85
fundraising event scheduled for tomorrow evening (see Upcoming
Events below).
Yes on 85 -
http://www.electiontrack.com/lookup.php?committee=1257969
No on 85 -
http://www.electiontrack.com/lookup.php?committee=1276142
As always, we remind current members and inform new
members that past e-link bulletins and this current bulletin
can be viewed at
www.osmelink.org.
God Bless!
     
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 OSM e-link
Bulletin #53
Table of Contents
Remarks from Kent Peters congratulating
the San Diego Union Tribune Editors
Key Upcoming Culture-of-Life
Gatherings/Projects (please join us)
1. Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice - Third Annual
Benefit Breakfast,
Voices for Justice - Who will Speak if We Don't?
Wednesday, November 29,
7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Kona Kai Resort, 1551 Shelter
Is. Dr.
2. The Yes on 85 Campaign to hold major fundraising event
tomorrow,
Wednesday, October 25, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at
Coronado
Community Center - Consider yourself invited!
3. Mark your calendars for the Young Adult Christmas Gala on
Thursday,
December 7, 2006, 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel
Mission Valley -
proceeds to benefit Culture of Life Family Services
4. Would you like to reach out to someone this Christmas who
will not be home
for the Holidays, someone who has little to give?
5. Join with parishioners at St. Ephrem’s Maronite Catholic
Church for the final
day of the 54-Day Miraculous Rosary Novena to Pass Prop
85 and Promote
a Culture of Life - Monday, November 6th, 7:00 p.m.
Short Reports on Office for Social
Ministry Related Issues/Events
- The San Diego 2006 Life Chain draws more than 300
participants
- Holy Hour with Bishop Cordileone held on October 17 a
blessing to all
who attended
- Report on Justice for Immigrants Presentation on October
22nd, sponsored
by St. James Parish in Solana Beach
Advocacy Request X
2
- Please vote by absentee ballot or at the polls on
Tuesday, November 7, 2006.
For a review of all Statewide propositions, visit the
California Catholic
Conference web site:
http://cacatholic.org/13propositions2006.html
Advocacy Reportback
- Kent ponders why it took him so long to make a financial
donation to the "Yes
on 85" campaign
Web and
e-mail-based Resources
- Listen to Bishop Cordileone's recorded message in support
of Proposition 85
online - just follow the link in the "Web Resources"
section below
Local and Regional
Events/Gatherings/Projects
1. North-County prayer witness at the Carlsbad Planned
Parenthood Clinic
scheduled for every third Wednesday of the month from
10:00 to 10:30 a.m.
2. Prayerful witness for life at two locations in San Diego
County - every
Saturday at Sixth and Palm in San Diego and every
second Saturday of
the month at Pomerado Road in Poway
3. St. Dismas Guild sponsors two weekly hours of prayer
for the unborn in
North County
4. St. Rose of Lima Parish sponsors a regular Wednesday
Pro-Life Prayer Vigil in
Chula Vista after the 8:00 a.m. Mass
5. St. John the Evangelist Parish in Encinitas Pro-Life
Mass and Rosary held on
the first Monday of each month
6. Most Precious Blood Parish Rosary Prayer Vigils held
on Wednesdays each
week at 8:45 a.m. (Saturday Prayer Vigils have been
cancelled)
7. The ministry of prayer and sidewalk counseling at the
Clinica Medica abortion
facility in Chula Vista is seeking sidewalk counselors
for Wednesday mornings
Article/Statement for October 24, 2006
- A Letter from Luis Mendoza, "A Grateful Mother Chose Life
for Her Baby at the
FPA Killing Center" - a must read!
Remarks from Kent Peters
and the Union Tribune Editorial Page
Proposition 85... Way to Go UT!
The majority of newspapers around the state are getting it
all wrong when it comes to Proposition 85. They're simply
parroting the line that minor females, some as young as 10 and
11, are safe in the hands of abortionists, and that the real
problem is their parents. They spout this absurdity knowing
that thousands of minor girls have had secret abortions in
California, and that few if any reports to child protection have
been made by abortion providers. What makes this so troubling
is that several studies have shown that the younger a girl is,
the more likely it is that she would be impregnated by a man in
his 20s or older.
There is some good news, however. Our local newspaper, the San
Diego Union Tribune (The UT), got it right. So right, in fact,
that we would like to reprint the beginning portion of its
editorial and then provide a link to the editorial in its
entirety.
Here it is:
Balancing rights of girls, parents on
abortions
September 28, 2006
Sometimes a proposed reform comes along that makes so much
sense it won't go away or be brushed aside, not by political
pundits or by the voters. It might come up short at the ballot
box in its first airing, but it resurfaces. And that's because
the arguments for it are so much more persuasive than those
against it, and because there's a much better chance that it
will do some good than do any harm.
Such is the case with the idea of requiring parental
notification for a minor seeking an abortion. That sort of
requirement should be written into the state Constitution. At
present, it isn't.
Proposition 85 would remedy this situation, and so it
deserves to be approved by voters.
Follow this link to view the UT editorial in its entirely:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/endorsements/20060928-9999-lz1ed28top.html
In view of the monumental struggle to pass Proposition 85, the
Office for Social Ministry is pleased to have an ally in the
Union Tribune Editorial Board.
If you have not had a chance yet, please listen to just a few of
the taped conversations with California abortion providers
available below.
Each recording involves a young woman pretending to be a 13 year
old girl impregnated by a 22 year old male. She shares this
basic information with actual employees of California abortion
clinics and then requests an abortion. You won’t believe how
abortion facility employees respond.
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/1/pph/index2.php
Thank you and God bless! |
Key
Upcoming Culture-of-Life
Gatherings/Projects
Number 1:
You are invited to attend the Interfaith Committee
for Worker Justice (ICWJ) Third Annual Breakfast: Voices For
Justice: Who Will Speak If We Don’t?
INTERFAITH COMMITTEE FOR WORKER JUSTICE 3rd ANNUAL BENEFIT
BREAKFAST
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Kona Kai Resort,
(formerly the Shelter Pointe Hotel & Marina)
1551 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106
The Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice (ICWJ) is a
grass-roots, faith-based, action-oriented organization of clergy and
people of faith who lift up the issues of the low-wage worker in San
Diego County. Its mission is to mobilize and educate the San Diego
religious communities and people of faith to support issues and
campaigns that will sustain lives with dignity for workers and their
families by such means as improving wages, benefits, and working
conditions.
Join us in honoring
leaders from our faith and labor communities, who use their voices
to promote justice in San Diego County, including:
Jerry Butkiewicz
Secretary-Treasurer, San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council
Reverend Madison Shockley
Pastor, Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad
Reverend Ned Wight
Immediate-Past Chair, Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
And the Workers from the Children’s Hospital and NHA Head-Start
Bargaining Teams for their years of struggle for justice in the
workplace.
To order tickets call Bet at the ICWJ Office, 619-584-5744, ext 60.
Single ticket $40
Table of 10 $400
Table plus 4 scholarship seats for workers $500
ICWJ Voices for Justice Breakfast
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Kona Kai Resort
1551 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA
For information or questions about the
ICWJ or the Second Annual Voices for Justice Breakfast, contact Kent
Peters at 858-490-8323.
Number 2: URGENT NOTICE - The
"Yes on 85" Campaign will host a major fundraising event
tomorrow evening, Wednesday, October 25, from 7:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m. at the Coronado Community Center - please attend with the
intent to financially support this essential campaign
Number 3:
Mark your calendars for the Young
Adult Christmas Gala on Thursday, December 7, 2006, 6:30 p.m. at the
Marriott Hotel Mission Valley - proceeds to benefit Culture of Life
Family Services
Register online at:
www.yamsd.org/gala
Number 4:
Would you like to reach out to someone this Christmas who will not
be home for the Holidays, someone who has little to give?
Not Home for The Holidays...
Once again this season, 25,000 people in our diocese will be in
jail, prison or in a detention facility for Christmas. The Diocesan
Office for Social Ministry helps distribute unsigned Christmas cards
to the facilities that need them for inmates to send out. If you
would like to help, please mail or deliver unsigned cards to the
Diocesan Pastoral Center so they arrive no later than the Feast of
the Immaculate Conception, Friday, December 8, 2006.
Please follow these guidelines:
- Please donate Christmas cards
that you would send to Jesus in prison
- We can only accept new UNSIGNED boxed cards, Spanish or English,
we usually
do not receive enough Spanish-language cards
- No mismatched cards/envelopes
- Card signing is a special event for jail staff and inmates for
CHRISTMAS only,
so please no Mother’s Day, Easter cards, thank you notes, blank
note cards, etc.
- No cards that request a donation for a Mass
- Please do not send Christmas cards you have received from
charities or
organizations you support. We cannot, in good conscience, pass
on cards that
were intended as fundraisers
Remember, we need the cards by
December 8, 2006
Please send all boxes of blank
cards by mail to:
Deacon Jim Walsh, Office for Social Ministry, Diocese of San Diego,
P.O. Box 85728, San Diego, CA 92186-5728.
Hand delivered cards should be
brought to the Pastoral Center street address:
3888 Paducah Drive, San Diego, CA 92117
The Office for Social Ministry
and Prison Ministry volunteers will distribute them to the jails,
prisons, and detention facilities in time for Christmas. If you
would like to volunteer to sort and package cards, please let us
know. Any questions, please call Joseph at 858-490-8323.
Number 5:
Join with people from around the Diocese at St.
Ephrem’s Maronite Catholic Church for the
final day of the 54-Day Miraculous Rosary Novena to Pass Prop 85 and
Promote a Culture of Life
The General Election is on November 7, 2006. Let us call on Our
Blessed Mother to help bring about a culture of life in our
death-oriented society. The Rosary provides heavenly answers to all
of our humanly unsolvable problems!
Please join in praying the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious
Mysteries of the Holy Rosary - Followed by Eucharistic Adoration for
one-half hour.
Monday, November 6th, 7:00 p.m.
Mother of Life Shrine
St. Ephrem’s Maronite Catholic Church
750 Medford Street, El Cajon, CA 92020
More info: Sue Lopez 619/276-7525 or
slopez@integrity.com
Short
Reports on OSM Related Issues/Events
Number 1:
The 2006 Life Chain drew more that 300
participants willing to share a pubic
witness of prayer on behalf of the Culture of Life on October 1st in
San Diego - enjoy a few photo collages of this year's participants
below
Three hundred people attended this year’s Life Chain, traveling from
as far as Valley
Center, Alpine and Chula Vista. Four priests from the Diocese of
San Diego joined in the prayer vigil - Fr. Bill Kernan, Fr. Jim
Boyd, Fr. Nabil Mouaness, and Fr. Anthony Saroki, as well as Pastor
Adlai Mack of Christians United in the Word of God.
Eddie and April Brown of Bound 4 Life wore their red t- shirts
with “Life” spelled across the front. Eight or nine students from
the newly opened John Paul the Great University also attended, as
well as staff members from the Office of Social Ministry. The Life
Chain was filled with children of all ages as well as many stalwart
pro-life activists from around the county.
Life-Chain participants spent the time in concentrated prayer,
giving a powerful public witness. Many people had quizzical looks
on their faces as they drove by and many more gave positive
responses.
Most of all it was a powerful time of repentance and petition,
begging God for an end to the horror of abortion. Following the
Life-Chain public event, Jennifer Rodriguez of St. Rose of Lima and
Prudential Realty in Chula Vista supplied pizza for 80 people who
gathered at a nearby park for prayer, hymns and fellowship.
Sue Lopez
Please join us next year at the "Life Chain" 2007
Number 2:
Holy Hour with Bishop Cordileone held
on October 17, 2006 at the Pastoral Center a blessing to all who
attended
On Tuesday October 17, 2006 the Office for Social Ministry
sponsored a Holy Hour to pray for a Culture of Life. Most Rev.
Salvatore Cordileone, Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego
 presided
over the time of prayer. Bishop Cordileone led the gathering of
about 130 people in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The time of
prayer began with proclamation of the Word followed by a homily on
the sanctity of life. The homily was followed by time for silent
prayer. Bishop then led the gathering in the recitation of the Holy
Rosary meditating on the scriptures from the Joyful Mysteries in
between each Hail Mary. The Rosary was followed by more time for
prayer, benediction and a closing hymn. Deacon Robert Fitzmorris
served as the cantor and sang the beautiful traditional hymns used
for adoration: O Salutaris, Tantum Ergo, Holy God We Praise thy Name
and the Salve Regina after the Rosary.
The solemn event resonated very deeply with those that were able
to attend. Along with many of the faithful gathered from all around
the Diocese of San Diego, the event was greatly blessed by the
presence of the members of the contemplative branch of Mother
Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity as well as the Sister Servants of
the Blessed Sacrament. Following the event, fliers supporting Prop
85 were distributed for use by the faithful. Special thanks to
Bishop Salvatore Cordileone for his time and support.
Joseph Horejs
Number 3:
Report on Justice for Immigrants
Presentation with Fr. Peter Ruggere held on October 22nd, sponsored
by St. James Parish in Solana Beach
Fr. Peter Ruggere gave a lively and informative presentation on
Immigration Issues at
 St.
James Catholic Church in Solana Beach, following the 9:00 am and
6:00 pm masses on Sunday, October 22, 2006. The presentations were
sponsored by St. James Mission Circle, the parish’s social outreach
program that has been active in the Tijuana area for over thirty
years. Both presentations were well attended and generated
stimulating discussion.
After giving a brief historical background on immigrations
issues, Fr. Ruggere identified the consequences of the failed U.S.
Immigration policy, such as smuggling, millions of undocumented
aliens, long term separation of families and thousands dying
attempting to cross the border. Based upon the positions set forth
in the 2003 joint letter from the U.S and Mexican Bishops,
“Strangers No Longer”, Fr. Ruggere described the U.S. Catholic
Bishops’ call for an overhaul of the U.S. Immigration System. Key
points include:
•A broad-based earned legalization program for the undocumented
currently in the U.S.
•Reform of the restrictive family-based immigration system
•A safe, humane and orderly employment based guest worker program
•Abandonment of the “blockade-only” immigration strategy
•Restoration of due process protection for all immigrants
Following his presentation, various and diverse questions were
directed to Fr. Ruggere. For example: How would amnesty for the
undocumented be fair to the millions of potential immigrants who
have waited for legal immigration; Why hasn’t the Church taken a
more active role on immigration issues, particularly at the parish
level; How come we never hear about this at the parish level; How
much of the anti-immigrant feeling is a subliminal racism; and What
happens to the millions of dollars in payroll taxes the undocumented
immigrants pay. Throughout the process, Fr. Ruggere provided
practical information while keeping the discussion focused on the
moral issues involved and respect for the human dignity and
intrinsic value of each and every individual. All in all, it was an
informative and well received program.
For further information, contact Tom Theisen at 760-944-9410.
Tom Theisen
e-link Advocacy
REQUEST X 2
Life Request:
Please vote by absentee ballot before or at the
polls on election day, November 7, 2006.
Don't forget to vote for
Proposition 85!
To learn more...
Yes On 85
www.yeson85.net
Dignity Request:
Please vote by absentee ballot or at the polls on election day,
November 7, 2006.
You should also know...
Catholic Charities of California supports State Proposition 1C -
Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006
To learn more...
CCofC
The Alliance for Catholic Health Care supports State Proposition 86
-Tax on Cigarettes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute
To learn more... ACHC
e-link Advocacy REPORTBACK
Better late than never... On
Friday, October 20, 2006, I finally made a financial donation to the
"Yes on 85" campaign. Later that day I wondered why, when I'd been
actively supporting Prop. 85 for months, did it take so long to step
to the plate and give financially?
Perhaps it was the expectation that wealthy people would step
forward to fund this important work, and that my meager donation
wouldn't help much anyway. Perhaps I knew the donation would be
forthcoming, but I just delayed because of the busyness of life.
Perhaps something in me was in rebellion. In a sane world, we
wouldn't have to lift a finger on an issue like this. As Bishop
Cordileone says, this is a no-brainer. But I must face the fact; we
do not live in a sane world.
I'm not exactly sure why I delayed, but as of October 20th, I'm on
board financially. If you haven't yet donated, today is a good day
to do so.
http://yeson85.net/donate.aspx
In the Peace of Christ,
Kent Peters
Web and
e-mail-based Resources
"Vote Yes on Proposition 85"
Listen to Bishop Cordileone's recorded message
in support of Proposition 85
"My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
"I know that this is a rather extraordinary format for me to use
in addressing you. I do so, though, only because I have to speak to
you about an issue of truly extraordinary importance..."
http://www.osmelink.org/messages2005/Prop_85_Message_Bishop_Cordileone.wav
New
Local/Regional Events and
Gatherings
If you are planning an event that falls within the mission of social
ministry, send the particulars four to five weeks in advance to the
Office for Social Ministry via e-mail,
osmelink@diocese-sdiego.org. The OSM reserves the right to
publish or not to publish any proposed event information. We hope
this will assist your local efforts to re-build a culture of life.
1. North-County prayer witness at the Carlsbad Planned
Parenthood Clinic
North County parishioners meet the third Monday of every
month from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. to peacefully pray the rosary in
front of the Carlsbad Planned Parenthood Clinic. The clinic is
located at 1820 Marron Rd. (in the shopping center just west of
Plaza Camino Real Mall). For more information contact Jahna White
of St. Margaret Parish at 760-586-6356.
2. Prayerful witness for life at two locations (Sixth and
Palm in San Diego and Pomerado Road in Poway) in San Diego County
Helpers of God’s Precious Infants weekly rosary prayer vigil from
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. every Saturday at Family Planning Associates
2850 Sixth Ave, at Palm, across from Balboa Park. Prayer warriors
also needed as early as 7:30 a.m.
Call Sue Lopez 619/990-1341 for more information.
2nd Saturday of the month: 20 decades of the Rosary are prayed in
procession past 4 clinics following the 7:30 a.m. Mass, 15546
Pomerado Road, Poway. For more information, call 858-748-2109.
3. St. Dismas Guild sponsors two weekly hours of prayer for
the unborn in North County
Join members of St. Dismas Guild for a rosary picket at Womancare,
120 S. Craven Way, San Marcos, (across from Cal State San Marcos),
Tuesdays, 9-10 a.m.
The Guild also sponsors prayer (the rosary) in front of PayLess
at Mission Avenue and Escondido Blvd. 347 W. Mission on Thursdays,
10:30-11:30 a.m. For information on these prayer vigils, call
760-751-8541.
4. St. Rose of Lima sponsors a regular Thursday Pro-Life
Prayer Vigil in Chula Vista
Please join St. Rose of Lima parishioners every Thursday after
the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Rose of Lima, Chula Vista, for a pro-life
prayer vigil at the clinic located at 261 Church Street, Chula
Vista. For more information, call Evangely Aliangan, 619-427-0230.
5. St. John the Evangelist Parish in Encinitas Pro-Life Mass
and Rosary held on the first Monday of each month.
The first Monday of every month is designated Pro-Life Monday at
St. John the Evangelist Church, 1001 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas. The
8:00 a.m. Mass will be followed by a Rosary for Life. For more
information, please call Helene McIlhon at 858-756-0622.
6. Most Precious Blood Parish Rosary Prayer Vigils held on
Wednesdays each week
The Pro-Life Prayer Group from Most Precious Blood sponsors a
Rosary Prayer Vigil in front of the Clinica Medica abortion facility
at 1550 Broadway, Chula Vista every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. For more
information, please call Shirley Henry at 619-420-7096 or Luis
Mendoza at 619-300-5563.
7. The ministry associated with the Clinica Medica
abortion facility in Chula Vista is seeking sidewalk counselors for
Wednesday mornings - training will be provided
The CLINICA MEDICA abortion facility in Chula Vista is now
performing abortions on Wednesday mornings. Please contact Luis
Mendoza, a Missionary of The Gospel of Life Lay Associate, at
619-300-5563, with questions or to share interest in this ministry.
Watch for OSM e-link bulletin
#54 around Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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