Thursday, February 02, 2012   WE HAVE GOT TO SOMETHING FOR KOMEN [Rachel Watkins]     In light of the recent great news about Komen breaking up with Planned Parenthood - this story was filed this morning: "Planned Parenthood said Wednesday that it received more than $400,000 from 6,000 donors in the 24 hours after news broke that its affiliates would be losing grants for breast screenings from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer foundation." I know - I really know - how tight money is today but those of us who turned our back on Komen because of their PP connections must do the same - really, better - to support them in their very courageous decision. There a headlines all over about the anger from PP supporters towards Komen. Please - consider sending Komen some $$ as a thank you for standing firm. I'm not good at FB but perhaps some who is could start one of those pages showing support and drawing donations for Komen. We need to back our words with real action here or other companies/organizations looking to cut ties w/ PP won't have the courage to do so because they risk losing truly necessary donations. Just a thought!   E-Mail Author   Wednesday, February 01, 2012   ONE BATTLE DOWN - ONE STILL IN THE WORKS [Rachel Watkins]     Well, as we celebrate the courage of the Komen foundation, we still have the battle against HHS and contraception. I am sure you've read or heard Cardinal-Elect Dolan's comments in this regard, perhaps even your own bishop has written strong comments as well. I am sharing in its entirety a column from the Baltimore Sun. The mere fact it is printed in the this known to be liberal-Democrat leaning paper is big - And after you are done reading this - say a quick prayer for my state - Maryland - as we need it in regard to the upcoming election on same-sex marriage. http://martamossburg.com/columns/39-the-baltimore-sun/210-omalleys-selective-application-of-religious-freedom O'Malley's selective application of religious freedom "Md. governor promotes church rights in gay marriage issue but not when it comes to forcing contraceptive coverage On one hand, Gov.Martin O'Malleypublicly advocates religious freedom. On the other, he supports — through his silence — federal rules dictating how religious groups must act. I am referring to Mr. O'Malley's promise that gay marriage legislation he supports will protect religious groups that object to such unions from having to perform them. And I am also referring to the lack of comment from the loquacious head of the Democratic Governors Association about the new federal rule requiring religious institutions to provide contraception free of charge for employees. If he is so outspoken about the one issue, he should be about the other. Agreeing with both positions is philosophically untenable. It is akin to believing that "separate but equal" is a legitimate interpretation of the Constitution's guarantee of equality under the law. Maybe that is why he isn't talking about the new mandate that will impact so many organizations in the city where he used to be mayor, as he and his wife soliloquize about the importance of civil liberties for a favored group. "We have done our very best in the drafting of this bill to make very, very, very explicit the protections of religious liberty, as well as the protection of rights, equally under the law," Mr. O'Malley said last month of the gay marriage legislation. "One does not have to be an advocate for same-sex marriage in order to support equal rights under the law." Neither does one have to be a Catholic to agree that believers of that faith should be free to practice it as they see fit so long as it does not trample on the rights of others. Last time I checked, free birth control pills were not in the Bill of Rights. But there is no record of his having said anything on this topic, and his press office did not respond to a request for comment. The Democratic Governors Association does not have a position on the issue, either. Sean Caine, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said his organization had not heard from the governor. Neither has NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland been in contact with him about the issue, said Executive Director Jodi Finkelstein. But then, the gay marriage debate has never been about religious freedom — it has always been about forcing a progressive worldview onto the public using language that is part of our cultural lexicon. The strategy is well known. Lesson two of Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" is: "Never go outside the experience of your people." Every once in a while, however, the truth comes out. As Judge Katie O'Malley, the first lady, let slip at the National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality in Baltimore last week, legislators who withdrew their support for the gay marriage bill last year are "cowards." And, as she went on to say at the meeting, what she and her husband would like to see is religion removed from the public sphere. "We're all very diverse, and that's what makes us so strong, but religion should never play a part in what the laws of our state are, and that's what we're trying to convey to religious leaders who are opponents of the bill that believe that for some reason — for some reason — religion has some role to play in this, and quite frankly we believe that it doesn't." They want to replace it with a secular code of ethics that is equally religious in nature and scarily totalitarian, because its Ten Commandments are not just required by faith but enforced by the state. Remember, Mr. O'Malley promised that Maryland "will lead the country, not only economically but morally." If gay marriage passes, it is not hard to imagine what will follow, including public school curriculum that teaches gay history and bans negative portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, as in California. Who will be forcing their beliefs on others then? The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. So when faith can only be practiced within the physical confines of a home or place of worship, it is not freedom but the beginning of suppression. To pretend otherwise, as Mr. O'Malley is doing, is intellectually dishonest. It is also a harbinger of what is to come from a man whose deeply religious tone and language belie a political agenda whose faith is in government alone." Marta H. Mossburg's column appears regularly in The Baltimore Sun. Her email is martamossburg@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .   E-Mail Author   FEEL FREE TO BUY PINK!! KOMEN IS COURAGEOUS AND STRONG [Rachel Watkins]     Did you hear the amazing news! The Susan G. Komen Foundation has cut all ties w/ Planned Parenthood as well as any support of embryonic stem cell research. This news is not just wonderful but hugely courageous. Lifesitenews.org is covering it, I read it from msnbc.com. Please, please share this great news with all your friends and family. As we are gearing up to fight HHS over their contraception mandate, this is wonderful news that will surely helps us over the next months. AND - please, please - take a moment to write Komen and say Thank you - they are getting a good deal of grief from the other side and they need to know we support them - news@komen.org   E-Mail Author   Monday, January 30, 2012   SIMPLE OBSERVATIONS AND TRUTHS [Rachel Watkins]     God is can always be seen in 'good'. "I" am always in the center of sin. And to change your sin you must bend your "I" into an 'o' so sin can become son - as in the Son of God. Just a few simple thoughts. Have a good day.   E-Mail Author   Wednesday, January 25, 2012   DID YOU CATCH THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS?? [Rachel Watkins]     Neither did I. But I know one thing the President said that makes me shake my head about his rush to power. First, we have the contraception mandate. Second, according to the SOTU address, he would like the gov't to force all kids to stay in high school until they are 18 or graduate. Sounds so simple - but is it? I am picturing belligerent 18 yr. olds taller and stronger than their teachers who are being held against their will in a school that is not preparing them for their futures. I am seeing schools attempting to keep 16 yr. olds who have proven they can graduate in schools in order to keep the tax monies rolling in. I am picturing the fed'l govt. stepping into homeschooling and deciding that despite what I say about the skills of my child, or my own skills homeschooling will now be illegal. And honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand his reasoning. Is it to help reduce the number of illiterate 17 yr. olds? Believe me - if the school system has not been able to teach the child to read by that age, the parents should have been given their tax dollars and the outlets to find a program, system or tutor who can.   E-Mail Author   THIS IS A WEEK TO BE PROUD YOU ARE A CATHOLIC [Rachel Watkins]     We were out in rain and lousy weather for the March for Life and America's bishop, Bishop Timothy Dolan has a concise essay over at usatoday.com. Sure, we can be angry, frustrated and sometimes even embarrassed by the actions of some Catholics but today, this week we can be proud of what we are trying to do. We may not succeed but do not think we are not trying. Here in Maryland we will are trying to save traditional marriage - again - we may not succeed but we will try.   E-Mail Author   Tuesday, January 24, 2012   MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE A PRIORITY! PLEASE!! [Rachel Watkins]     I was dismayed to find that a conference Matt and I were going to speak at this weekend was cancelled due to lack of attendance. The one day event was going to be on homeschooling with our talk focusing on having a happy, holy marriage while homeschooling. While I automatically think the lack of interest was specifically because Matt and I were speaking, the organizer assured me it wasn't. What she said that when people called about coming they spoke about their children's sport commitments, other activities planned, and.....why would they plan a talk about marriage at a homeschooling event??! Really? Really? Apparently a good number of the people felt that talking about marriage was a waste of time. Should they rather focus on curriculum choices, a better math program - or in other words - anything BUT marriage! I was sad. Not only because Matt and I had worked on a really great, funny talk but also because there has been a number of divorces in this area - from those 'really good Catholic families' who were open to life, homeschool, active in parishes, etc. etc. These families while focusing on so much else had clearly neglected their marriages - their SACRAMENT!! Note the emphasis - while homeschooling is great, and while children are one of the divine purposes of marriage - Marriage is first and foremost a sacrament which is not true of either parenting or homeschooling!! Not to mention that while sports are all fine and good, and supporting your kid's interest is laudable the likely hood that any of your kids will actually be a pro-soccer, lacrosse, pro-athlete of any kind is pretty slim. BUT - is your kid likely to grow up to be a wife, a husband, a mother or a father?? Probably, almost definitely. And where will they learn about a good, healthy marriage from? YOU and YOUR SPOUSE!!!! What kind of marriage coach are you being for your child? Are you being the kind of husband or wife you want your son or daughter to become?? PLEASE - devout some real time and effort to your marriage - you, your spouse and your children will appreciate the effort and God will honor you for honoring the sacrament HE gave you. Thank you!   E-Mail Author   Thursday, January 19, 2012   CO-HABITATING MAKES YOU HAPPIER [Rachel Watkins]     Really!! Really? According to this study - http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/19/10191661-couples-who-cohabitate-are-happier-than-marrieds "The new study followed 2,737 single men and women over six years to see what happened when they entered a relationship or got married. The study data were drawn from national surveys given in the late 1980s and early 1990s." Not sure if I even want to rely on info from the 80's as they were making some really bad decisions when it came to clothes, music and movies ('Rambo' and "The Running Man", MC Hammer, big hair and parachute pants). And when ever I read one of these studies I always say...."They didn't talk to me." and 'Do the respondents really tell the truth?" I am always a bit suspect about subjective studies about how one is supposed to feel about anything from living together to homeschooling. Of course, if you are doing it you would want to put the best possible spin on it or you feel dishonest. If you actually admitted you did not like living together w/ your boyfriend then you would be forced to actually DO something about it. So - you continue w/ your path of mediocrity and decide to decide for another day. But even if they are happier there remains that whole old-fashioned idea about sin. But, these folks probably aren't giving that much thought either.   E-Mail Author   Wednesday, January 18, 2012   ARE IMPROVING YOUR MANNERS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST THIS 2012? [Rachel Watkins]     It always seems to be on mine. I've come across some good on-line articles about the history of good manners (15th century) and what saints were also interested in good manner (St. Francis de Sales). The article on St. Francis de Sales is very good reading. http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/rules-of-etiquete/detail/articolo/san-francesco-di-sales-1567-1622-oltreche-come-uno-dei-piu-grandi-predicatori-della-storia-cri/ You can get a better link over at www.ncregister.com where I found it.   E-Mail Author