"Preach
     the Gospel
       always, and
    when necessary
    use words"
-St Francis of Assisi-

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Pro-LIFE Committee
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Unfortunately, this January 2009 marks the 36 year anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision legalizing abortion on demand throughout our country.  To commemorate this event St. Francis parishioners join with other Christians throughout Washtenaw County to attend various pro-life events. 
Upcoming
Pro-life Events January 2009
The full list of January events is publicly viewable here.

Saturday, January 10, 2009 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm 
PRO-LIFE SUMMIT to END ABORTION:
At Christ the King Parish Center, (4000 Ave Maria Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105) Pre-register by January 7, call: Judy Parran 517-546-3092.
Sponsored by: Citizens for a Pro-life Society.
 
 

Sunday, January 18, 2009,  PORCH CANDLES are available for burning the evening of January 21 or 22 to commemorate all the babies whose lives have been lost to abortion.   Contact Marilyn at 734-973-2422.  Two thirds of proceeds go to help pregnancy support centers.  The St Francis Parish Pro-LIFE Committee invites us to join in the silent witness to commemorate all the babies whose lives have been lost to abortion by burning a candle on your porch the evening of January 21 or 22.  Candles and pro-LIFE bags will be available at St Francis after all masses the weekend of January 17/18, 2009 for a small $1.00 donation. 

Monday, January 19th, 2009, 7:30 pm, Cry to the Lord With One Voice: Annual Concert of Prayer for Unity & Life -  held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.     An evening of praise & prayer for:  Unity among Christians; Racial Reconciliation; Pro-life Concerns; Spread of the Gospel in our County.     Christians from all churches are invited to join together for this multi-denominational service.    Sponsored by:  The Bible Church, St. Thomas Catholic Church, St. Luke Lutheran Church, & PACT [Pastors Alliance for County Transformation] 
Questions…contact:  Phil Tiews  734/994-3243

January 2009, March for Life with Pinckney Pro-LIFE pilgrimage
January go to: pinckneyprolife.org

A $100 Scholarship is available for the March for Life bus trip with Pinckney Prolife

A spot has been reserved for a St Francis parishioner by the St Francis ProLife Committee.

To Apply: Write a short letter stating that you are a member of St Francis of Assisi parish, why you wish to go to the March for Life and any prolife activities you have been involved in or intend to participate in. Please indicate your grade level if applicable, as special consideration will be given to a high school youth.

 Please send your letter to: St Francis of Assisi Parish, Attn: Marilyn Geyer of the ProLife Committee, 2150 Frieze Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4799 by the deadline of Friday, January 9th.

 The bus will depart for Washington DC from Domino’s Farms Lobby H on Wednesday, Jan 21, 2009 at 6:00 am and will arrive back at Domino Farms around 5:30 am on Friday, Jan 23rd. 

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Pro-Life Action Network 734-973-2422

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So What Does “Choose Life” Mean Anyway?
(Reflection by Marie-Therese Hocott 1/16/2006)

So what does “Choose Life” mean anyway?  Where does this phrase come from? Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “… I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.  Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the Lord swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” How do we choose life then?  By loving the Lord our God, heeding his voice and holding fast to Him. By keeping His commands.

When we are asked to take a candle with the words “Choose Life” on it and burn it on our porches, it is not a voter’s ballot, nor is it a political statement.  By lighting a candle we are not taking a woman’s “right to choose” away from her.  After all God gives us all freedom of choice in hopes that we will willingly choose Him and His will for us. The candle is a prayer raised to Heaven that affirms our faith in God the author and creator of all life.  No one can create life other than God. AND God doesn’t say of any of his creatures “That one was a mistake”. When we light a candle, it is a prayer of intercession so that those who do have to make a difficult choice will choose what pleases God. We pray for the loving choice that will not result in death for anyone including the fetus. We pray for the loving choice, a choice that Jesus himself would tell us to make if we go to him and ask.   When we light the candle, we are asking God’s love to radiate through us and to heal those wounded by death in is many forms. We pray for a society that offers many loving options to people facing such dilemmas.

 So don’t be afraid to pray for life.  In Ann Arbor, an abortionist just shut down his clinic because of many Catholics who were worried for his soul.  In one meeting with him, a week after one of many prayer vigils held outside of his clinic, he voiced concern about his own soul, and he thanked them for praying for him. Shortly after that, the clinic was abandoned with everything left in it. He had heard God’s voice and responded.  He chose life after many years of choosing death. Praise be to God!

Brothers and Sisters, the church is in this for the salvation of souls.  Souls live on for eternity.  No political persuasion, no ballot, neither the passage of time, nor events can change that.
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St. Francis Parish
Pro-LIFE Committee
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St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Parish Social Ministry Office, 
2150 Frieze Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104



 

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