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Published: June 24, 2009
“Adopt a Catholic member of Congress”
National group launches prayer campaign for ‘conversion of Catholic politicians’
News from the Trenches
MEDIA ADVISORY, June 22 /Christian Newswire -- In a spirit of hope and Christian charity, OneNationUnderGod is launching a yearlong prayer campaign specifically focused on the conversion of Catholic politicians to further foster a Culture of Life in our country.
 This effort will commence June 22, 2009 -- the feast day of St. Thomas More, whom Pope John Paul II proclaimed the patron saint of statesmen and politicians. A 16th-century English chancellor who refused to accept King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England, St. Thomas More held a passion for the truth that enlightened his conscience and led him to know that, just as man must be one with God, so politics must be with morality.
In the 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae, John Paul II reiterates what the Catholic Church has always taught: that lawmakers have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that contradicts humanity's fundamental right to life.
Months ago, we discovered that 50 percent of Catholic politicians serving in the 111th Congress have accepted large donations from pro-abortion lobby groups while reinforcing their support for abortion rights legislation. These elected officials are deeply confused about Catholic teaching on the morality of abortion.
Catholic legislators who support abortion rights fail to recognize that legitimate social policy must be guided by absolute truth. Many of these legislators cite "primacy of conscience" to justify their support for abortion rights, embryonic stem cell research and euthanasia. However, a properly formed conscience recognizes the essential truth of Catholic teaching --that human life is sacred and inviolable from the moment of conception until natural death.
Over the past few months, we contacted the bishops of these Catholic members of Congress, to shed light on their abortion rights voting records and the money they accepted from abortion lobbyists. We respectfully asked that they continue to minister to these lawmakers. Their spiritual direction gives invaluable insight to our Catholic legislators, reaffirming "that life is entrusted to man's responsibility."
Through the spiritual gifts of our Catholic faith we invite you to join our Prayer Campaign for the Conversion of our Catholic Politicians who hold such great influence over the lives of the innocent.
Specifically, we ask that you adopt a Catholic member of Congress and pledge a daily spiritual devotion for their enlightenment and for the continued inspiration of their bishop.
Please go to our website to support this effort: www.onenationundergod.org.
Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 6:20 AM By Richard Flores
The is a reflection of the reality that about 50% of politicians that claim to Catholic are NOT! It is also a reflection of the failure of Catholic leadership to protect that sanctity of our Lord's Church! The modernists have allowed a slippery slope of Catholic values to the point where some pseudo-Catholics openly defy basic doctrine! It is past time for the church leadership to defend the faith and take steps to ensure that claiming to be Catholic means something!
The Bishops MUST enforce their earlier directives to actually excommunicate as well as deny communion to any person (Not just politician) that publicly claims to be Catholic and openly promotes abortion. Until we stand up for truth and Catholic values, our nation will continue to decline!
In addition, the Vatican MUST start defending the faith by disciplining ALL priests that defy directives of the USCCB! The open rebellion must stop! Arrogance has destroyed the sanctity of our universities and parishes. No one is forced to be Catholic. It is an honor to be Catholic! Our leadership must treat it as such!
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:28 AM By Laurette Elsberry
Are there enough real Catholics around to pray for all the pro-abort Catholics in Congress? Maybe two or more Congressmembers should be chosen.
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:55 AM By JoeCee
Richard Flores: As a body, Catholic bishops have lost their moral authority to lead, let alone to enforce directives. The key meaning here is leadership. Once regained, then perhaps what you perceive as the nation's decline might start to turn around -- in a generation or two. Meanwhile....
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:04 AM By Pax Christi
Well said, Richard. I suppose I should sign up but may God forgive me for my skepticism that the likes of Sen. Christopher Dodd, who just announced that he had a change of heart and will now support gay marriage, would convert through our prayers. Looks like God would need a chisel to chip away at such hearts of stone.
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:51 AM By Anita
The Church is too busy trying to deny good and Holy Priests validity to bother with these abortion promoters. They sure have their priorities in order! The big sin to the modernists is the beautiful Latin Mass and it's followers.
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:15 PM By JLS
JoeCee, the bishops retain God's authority. Jesus prayed that the sheep would not be scattered. I trust in the power of His prayer. This is why I do not see scattered flocks but packs of scattered "tares" cluttering up the view.
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Posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009 7:26 PM By John F. Maguire
In reply to Richard Flores: In a tone more hectoring than solicitous, you write: "...[T]he Vatican MUST start defending the faith by disciplining ALL priests [who] defy the directives of the USCCB!" Mr. Flores, this demand involves a misunderstanding of what the USCCB is. In _The Ratzinger Report_, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote:
"We must not forget that the the episcopal conferences [conferences such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops -- JM] have no theological basis, they do not belong to the structure of the Church, as willed by Christ, that cannot be eliminated; they have only a practical, concrete function." Indeed, "No episcopal conference, as such, has a teaching mission: its documents have no weight of their own save that of the consent given to them by the individual bishops." Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, _The Ratzinger Report_ (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1985).
The documents and directives of the USCCB have no weight of their own save that of the consent given to them by individual bishops. Yet you declare that the Vatican
"MUST...[discipline] all priests [who] defy the directives of the USCCB!" Just a moment -- by doing what the Vatican can not and will not do: by confounding [A] the divine teaching mandate of each and every Catholic bishop in the Church with [B] the non-mandate of a body -- the USCCB -- (1) that does not belong to the structure of the Church as willed by Christ, practical though its concrete functions might be; (2) that has no theological basis or teaching mission in the Church; and (3) that has no heft behind its documents and directives save that of the consent given to them by local bishops? No, Mr. Flores, what you are demanding is EXTRA VIRES, that is, what you are demanding is outside the ecclesial structure of the Catholic Church as willed by Christ. Rome will not comply.
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Posted Thursday, June 25, 2009 11:16 AM By BettyI
I'm with JLS. O trust in the power of His prayer also. Haven't we been taught that even if you tell the mountains to move and throw themselves in the sea, they just might do it?
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Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 12:45 PM By The original Frank
This is a great idea! I will say a daily prayer of gratitude and for conversion of my Catholic Democratic representative, my Catholic Democratic Parish Council, my Catholic Democratic Pastor, my Catholic and apparently Democratic Bishop, the USCCB, and my Catholic Democratic self. This seems much more constructive, Democratic and Catholic than spewing venom at all of "them." --||-- I will continue to pray daily for my Democratic, most blessed and beautiful though not Catholic wife, my Democratic Catholic mother, my Democratic Catholic father's soul, my Democratic Catholic children (all of whom, I am proud to say, are registered, baptized and confirmed voters).
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Posted Sunday, June 28, 2009 6:58 PM By JLS
Moreover about the mountains being removed by faith and tossed into the sea. Symbolically the mountains were the "high places of worship", but God had the Temple built for worship to Him. After Pentecost the worship of God moved from the Temple in Jerusalem into all the world. The sea is used as a symbol for various things, such as many peoples. As we know now, God is worshiped all throughout the world, across all the seas which in those past days were a barrier and mystery to those in the middle east. Thus, indeed, through faith of a mustard seed, the worship of God in high places, ie mountains, has been moved into all the seas of the world.
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Posted Monday, July 20, 2009 7:50 PM By Bud-Columbus
As far as pro-abortion Catholic politicians go, They will claim anything that suits the occasion. Pelosi and Kathleen Sibelius have no inkling what the Catholic religion really is! If they were being honest they would simply say they are cradle Catholics and don't believe what is required of them to believe to be Catholic!
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