HLI America http://www.hliamerica.org Protecting Life Begins at Home Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:45:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Bumper Stickers http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/bumper-stickers/ Catholics and Economics By Donald DeMarco, Ph.D. The late William F. Buckley, Jr. once received a letter from a retired colonel in the United States Air Force putting to him a decidedly rhetorical question: “Now that the Catholic bishops have voted for a ‘nuclear freeze,’ would it not be appropriate to call a convocation of generals and admirals to vote on how the Mass should be said?” The Colonel was alluding to what he perceived to be a violation the legitimate separation between Church and State. Buckley’s retort was more witty than wise: “It would be an improvement on Vatican II.” Nonetheless, this brief exchange brings to the surface two important points: 1) Church officials should preach the Gospel message and avoid becoming entangled in affairs of the State for which they do not have the requisite expertise; and 2) Officials of the State should legislate wisely in matters appropriate to their sworn responsibilities. “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s,” Christ taught, “and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/catholics-and-economics/ Where is the First Amendment? By Rev. John A. Leies, S.M. I am angry. Very angry. My government has demanded (not “requested”) that I violate my conscience. On Jan. 20, Kathleen Sebelius, head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced that all institutions — schools, hospitals, clinics, etc., (even those conducted by religious groups opposed to the measures) — must cover in their insurance plans contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacients. This policy was endorsed and approved by the president. The policy allows a “religious exemption,” but one which is so narrow that it would cover very few people — only those whose administrators and beneficiaries were all of the same religion. The exemption would cover convents and monasteries, but not Catholic grade schools, high schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, clinics, orphanages, food kitchens or even business run by faithful Catholics. These institutions hire people of other faiths to help them in their mission and they serve people of other faiths as well as Catholics. So the institution must offer insurance plans that provide medical procedures that are immoral. The Catholic Church teaches that abortions and the use of artificial means to avoid conception are always wrong. I, as a Catholic, may not engage in wrong actions — nor cooperate in encouraging others to do so. “Forcing persons to cooperate in actions they judge to be evil is evil.” (E. Christian Brugger) ]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/where-is-the-first-amendment/ Benedict’s Corner: Preparing for Lent By Melanie Baker Benedict’s Corner is a weekly summary of our Holy Father’s latest words on topics related to HLI America’s mission. In light of the grave developments that are playing out in our midst here in the U.S. – particularly with respect to the HHS mandate threatening our religious freedom, the battle to preserve the institution of marriage and the ongoing efforts of so many who work tirelessly to advance the culture of life – Pope Benedict’s Lenten message to all of us is particularly consoling and encouraging. (Yes, Lent is upon us. It begins this Wednesday, February 22). The Holy Father has chosen the theme of charity for his Lenten 2012 message, but not just charity in the form of donations or material aid to the poor, but specifically charity as being actively solicitous for the welfare of our neighbor. And this concern assumes both a physical and spiritual dimension.]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/benedict%e2%80%99s-corner-preparing-for-lent/ Obama’s “Compromise” Threatens Liberty, Women’s Health, and Misleads on Contraception Use By Denise J. Hunnell, M.D. It is time to do some fact checking about President Obama’s “compromise” on attacking religious liberty. First of all, telling Catholics to just close their eyes and keep paying their insurance premiums that will ultimately cover morally objectionable services is not addressing respect for conscience and religious liberty. No matter how you spin it, Catholic institutions will be paying for contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. The end result is no different than the original Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate, since insurance companies are not going to just throw these services in for free. President Obama also erroneously claims that access to these services is in the interest of women’s health, although none of these services are necessary to prevent or cure a disease or pathological medical condition. Instead, they take a perfectly healthy reproductive system and render it dysfunctional and sterile. Hormonal contraceptives are also associated with increased blood pressure, blood clots and an increased risk for breast cancer. In addition, hormonal contraceptives have been shown to double the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. No medical association recommends the use of hormonal contraceptives as routine preventive care for healthy women. They are only used for the disruption of normal fertility.]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/obama%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9ccompromise%e2%80%9d-threatens-liberty-women%e2%80%99s-health-and-misleads-on-contraception-use/ Contraception Mandate’s Authors Gave $116,500 To Pro-Abortion Candidates And Groups, Nothing To Pro-Lifers http://www.hliamerica.org/featured/contraception-mandates-authors-gave-116500-to-pro-abortion-candidates-and-groups-nothing-to-pro-lifers/ Young Women Exploited by Fertility Industry Why Is Selling Eggs an Exception to Law? By Denise J. Hunnell, M.D. (Zenit.org) - Catholic teaching is consistent and clear. The sale of human organs and tissues is immoral because it demeans human dignity and regards the human person as a commodity. John Paul II addressed the subject in a speech to the 18th International Congress of the Transplantation Society in August, 2000: “It must first be emphasized … that every organ transplant has its source in a decision of great ethical value: ‘the decision to offer without reward a part of one's own body for the health and well-being of another person’… Accordingly, any procedure which tends to commercialize human organs or to consider them as items of exchange or trade must be considered morally unacceptable, because to use the body as an ‘object’ is to violate the dignity of the human person.]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/young-women-exploited-by-fertility-industry/ Veritas Liberabit Vos By Melanie Baker “The truth will set you free.” As I write this, the bill proposing a redefinition of marriage has already passed the Maryland Senate, and is currently under consideration in the Maryland House of Delegates. How did we reach a point where such a basic natural institution can no longer be recognized as such? The ability not only to reason, but to reflect on oneself and one’s reasons, and thus reevaluate them, is one that distinguishes the human person from an animal. Now please don’t misunderstand: I love animals, but my fondness for them does not change what they are and what they can or cannot do, anymore than it changes what I am and my natural capacities. But something interesting about us humans that does not hold true for animals is that we are conscious subjects who are aware of ourselves, and who, through this self-awareness, have to consciously and willfully exercise our capacities in order to become fully what we are. We have to “grow into” our true selves, so to speak, or we remain just shadows of what we were meant to be. We stay perpetually on the runway, but never take flight, and therefore never reach our destination.]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/veritas-liberavit-vos/ A Valentine Message By Donald DeMarco, Ph.D. Sensation and emotion exist on two separate levels. Yet these levels are closely linked to each other. But it is not always easy to read what emotion a particular sensation implies. The difficulty in interpreting a particular sensation correctly is beautifully and hauntingly expressed in Ned Washington’s lyrics to Victor Young’s title song from the 1949 movie, “My Foolish Heart”:
The night is like a lovely tune Beware my foolish heart! How white the ever-constant moon. Take care, my foolish heart! There’s a line between love and fascination that’s hard to see on an evening such as this. For they both give the very same sensation when you’re lost in the magic of a kiss.
]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/a-valentine-message/ True Love or Bad Romance? By Brendan Dudley Next week many countries will celebrate Valentine’s Day. While many of us enjoy the holiday as an occasion to show affection toward our loved ones, Valentine’s Day also provides us with an opportunity to consider different perspectives on love and relationships. Our secular culture views love as a feeling, and at best it is a shared feeling between two people who want to make each other feel good. The only effort required with this kind of love is that both people try to avoid negative feelings about the other person, and embracing sacrifice or suffering for the sake of the other is unthinkable. Our culture especially upholds romantic feelings as the lynchpin for any personal relationship. If the romantic feelings fade away or the relationship requires a lot of growth from either person, the relationship is often seen as pointless and quickly comes to an end. ]]> http://www.hliamerica.org/truth-and-charity-forum/true-love-or-bad-romance/