40 Days for Life

Have you ever heard of 40 days for life?

Forty Days for Life is the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization ever to take place in history.

It consists of forty days of prayer, fasting, prayerful vigil at abortion mills, and outreach to the community.

It was started a few years ago but already over 175,000 people have taken part in it, in over 170 cities across America and in other countries as well.

We know of over 1,100 lives that have been saved due to Forty Days for Life.

Thirteen abortion workers experienced a conversion, quit their jobs, and left the abortion industry due to Forty Days for Life.

Two abortion facilities stopped performing abortions due to Forty Days for Life and on day 38 of last fall's campaign one abortion mill announced it was closing its doors for good.

And it all begins next Wednesday, February 25.

This spring the 40 Days for Life campaign will kick off in more than 130 cities across America, Canada, Australia, and Northern Ireland.

And YOU have a chance to help shape history as part of this spring's 40 Days for Life!

The list of the 130+ participating cities across 43 states, four Canadian provinces, Australia, and Northern Ireland has just been posted online at:

http://www.40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

The 40 Days for Life campaign from February 25 - April 5 will be one of the largest and longest coordinated pro-life initiatives ever -- and you can help save lives by getting involved today!

Here's what to do:

1.) Go to the list of 40 Days for Life locations: http://www.40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

2.) Using the map, or the list of locations, click on the site that is closest to where you live.

3.) You will be redirected to the web site for that local 40 Days for Life campaign.

4.) On that local web site, SIGN UP with your name and e-mail address to get involved and help save lives!

That's it!

You will then receive information on the plans for your nearby 40 Days for Life, and how you can help make an impact.

Then, help spread the word to everyone you know about the spring 40 Days for Life!

Rest in Peace Eluana

Today, Tuesday February 10, 2009, the Colosseum in Rome will be lit through the night in mourning for Eluana Englaro, a 37 year old woman who died of starvation yesterday in "the first death sentence in Italy since 1946" (Javier Cardinal Lozano Barragan).

Seventeen years ago Eluana was involved in a car crash which left her incapacitated. Her father, Beppino Englaro, has described her as being in a coma and a "vegetative state", the media have called her "brain dead", but others have stated that she was responsive and that she was not in a coma.

Eluana needed only food and water to keep her alive, she had no artificial life support and was not dying.

Last summer, after a decade long battle, Italy's highest court ruled that Mr. Englaro could have Eluana's feeding tube removed which would cause her to die of dehydration and starvation.

The nuns at the Catholic medical facility where Eluana was being treated refused to remove the tube. Last Tuesday, February 3, Mr. Englaro had Eluana moved to a facility in Udine which had agreed to go through with removing her feeding tube. After almost a week without food and water Eluana died yesterday of cardiac arrest.

Four years ago there was a similar case in the United States when a woman by the name of Terri Schiavo was starved to death upon the request of her husband and against the wishes of her parents and siblings. Terri's brother, Bobby, now travels the country speaking of his sister's death. Where the media described it as peaceful Bobby remembers a sister whose skin was cracked and shriveled from lack of water.

Italy, a country which has led a crusade against capital punishment since 1946, has allowed an innocent woman to be killed in this cruel and inhumane fashion.

The Roman Coloseum has been lit every time a death sentence is pardoned or a country abolishes capital punishment since 1999. Tonight it will be lit in memory of Eluana Englaro. Rest in peace Eluana.

Thine Eyes

This year at the March for Life I ended up walking next to a group of Orthodox priests who were singing beautifully. It felt like a scene from a movie. And I said to myself "One day, they will make a movie about this. Right now the battle seems unwinable. But at one time, so did the Civil Rights movement. And now we have Martin Luther King day, there are movies about the Civil Rights movement, we even have a black president. So one day, we will win, and they'll make a movie about us." Well we haven't won yet, but the movie is already on its way:

Lessons From Disney

This is the first in a series of posts I will be doing on lessons that can be learned from Disney movies. Yeah, I know it sounds kind of cheesy but honestly, everyone's seen them and everyone can relate to them so it works.

Beauty and the Beast

The overarching theme of Beauty and the Beast is love. The only reason there is even a story is because the Prince has "no love in his heart" and therefore the enchantress turns him into a beast. But she doesn't turn him into a beast because he doesn't fall in love with her. Rather she turns him into a beast because he doesn't simply love her by giving her the shelter she needs. Therefore he needs to learn to love, not the warm fuzzy kind of love but the love that says "I want to do something for her".

Belle, on the other hand is the perfect picture of love right from the beginning. She shows nothing but love and respect to her father, even though he's pretty much the most embarrasing parent in the history of the world. However, this is not simply a love out of obedience but a true love for her father for whom she is willing to give up her freedom in order for him to leave the Beast's castle in safety.

The household appliances, led by Lumiere, also exemplify love when they show hospitality to Belle and her father, despite the Beast's express orders not to. This is with the exception of Cogsworth who is the classic example of a good person who is afraid to do the right thing.

When the movie begins the Beast and Gaston are the same in their attitude toward the world. Both see themselves as the center of the universe and are unwilling to do anything for others. But the Beast changes whereas Gaston stays the same. The first sign of the Beast's change is when he risks his own life to save Belle from the wolves. From there he goes on to change in little ways, such as using a spoon, in order to please her. Then in his greatest act of love towards Belle, the Beast allows her to go to her father. He has found that Belle's happiness is more important to him than breaking the spell.

However, the Beast's ultimate act of love in the movie is not towards Belle but rather Gaston. This is in the Beast's mercy in allowing Gaston to live despite Gaston's cruelty to him.

In the final scene of the movie Chip asks Mrs. Potts "Are they gonna live happily ever after Mom?" To which Mrs. Potts replies "Of course dear, of course." Because they have learned how to truly love and so they now possess the tools to live happily ever after.