The Dangers of Harry Potter: The Occult Controversy

Fr. Gabriele Amorth, Pope Benedict XVI, and Harry Potter

Although much of the spotlight and hype has been far removed from the Harry Potter book and movie series, a recent occurrence during my visit to a local Catholic parish had prompted me to revisit the occult controversy surrounding it, and subsequently publish today's post on the dangers of Harry Potter.

In addition, J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, has sought opportunities to parlay the book and movie series into new projects. You might already be familiar with some of them, the various Harry Potter theme parks throughout the world, the video games and more.

Rowling's most recent effort has been her screenwriting debut in a Harry Potter spin-off for a new film titled, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. The film's movie title was inspired by a textbook of the same name, given to pupils at the Hogwarts School, a school for learning witchcraft in Harry Potter.

Let me first explain what happened at a parish, here in my local community of Woodbridge, Ontario. It was during a recent visit to St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church that I was in conversation with two women in the parish office. We had briefly talked about the topic of children's readings and Harry Potter, and I had mentioned how some parents were pleased with the Harry Potter series because they found their children were reading books, as opposed to playing video games and other things. Before I had the opportunity to expand on this, one of women replied, "Oh, all my children were raised with Harry Potter, they have read all the books, seen all the movies." Her enthusiastic tone and disposition indicated to me, that she was not aware of the occult controversy surrounding Harry Potter. I did not reply to her comment, but kept quiet pondering what if anything, I should say or do about it.

In thinking and praying about it, it became clear to me that the best thing I could do was to share this experience on my blog. By doing so, not only can I fully reply to her comment, but help others who have confronted similar scenarios. At the very minimum, today's post seeks to spread awareness on the truth about Harry Potter.

The fundamental danger of Harry Potter is that it propagates and glorifies the occult. This is due to the fact that contained within the story lines are high levels of occult material. Add to this the target audience, primarily children and teenagers, and the danger becomes even more alarming.

The truth is that the Harry Potter stories, both print and film versions, seduce and corrupt souls that have just begun to develop. Children and teenagers due to their age and inexperience, lack the knowledge and understanding to determine what is evil and what is good. As such, when the youth read the books and see the movies, they do not reject them for their occult content, but on the contrary, they find the story lines exciting and entertaining. The added danger to this is that children and teenagers become desensitized to the occult, and indifferent to suggestions that such things are evil and wrong.

Whether you are new to Harry Potter controversy or you have little knowledge of the occult, I hope the following resources will clarify and strengthen your understanding of the dangers of Harry Potter. For your immediate reference, I have prepared a list of what the remainder of my post includes:

1. Warnings from Father Gabriele Amorth, Rome's former Chief Exorcist and co-founder of the International Association of Exorcists
2. Warnings from Bishop Julian Porteous, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia 
3. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's Opposition to Harry Potter
4. Quote from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 
5. References to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
6. J.K. Rowling's admission of Harry Potter's occult content
7. Father Lazare de la Mere de Dieu's insights
8. Michael D. O'Brien's extensive writings on the dangers of Harry Potter
9. LifeSiteNews.com's dedicated location, Harry Potter - A Whirlwind of Controversy

Warnings From Father Gabriele Amorth

Father Gabriele Amorth's first major public warning came in early December 2001, and was reported in LifeSiteNews article, Rome's Chief Exorcist Warns Parents Against Harry Potter. The article states, "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil...that J.K. Rowling’s books contain innumerable positive references to magic, the satanic art. He noted that the books attempt to make a false distinction between black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction does not exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil."

In 2006, Father Gabriele repeated his warnings on Harry Potter. LifeSiteNews once again reported the major warning in the article, Vatican's Chief Exorcist Repeats Condemnation of Harry Potter Novels. In the article, Father Gabriele is quoted as saying, "You start off with Harry Potter, who comes across as a likeable wizard, but you end up with the Devil. There is no doubt that the signature of the Prince of Darkness is clearly within these books. By reading Harry Potter a young child will be drawn into magic and from there it is a simple step to Satanism and the Devil." The warnings are clear, magic should always be avoided as it is evil and can lead to greater evils.

Warnings From Bishop Julian Porteous

In 2010, Father Jeremy Davies, co-founder of the International Association of Exorcists, led a discreet forum on the ancient rite of exorcism in Sydney, Australia at the Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. At the forum was Bishop Julian Porteous, Exorcist and Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. The forum was in response to the increased need for exorcists in Australia.

The need for increased amount of exorcisms has been a result of, as Bishop Porteous points out, an increased involvement with a variety of New Age and occult practices.  In an article from The Australian, Deliver Us From Evil, Bishop Porteous states:

What starts off seeming innocuous and not creating any difficulties at some stage turns dark. They start to experience quite frightening personal phenomena and it is at this stage that they turn for help. Bishop Porteous sees a link between the growing demand for exorcisms and the spiritual adventurism of young Australians. He says the growth of non-Christian alternative relaxation techniques such as yoga and reiki, as well as forms of divination such as tarot cards, fortune-telling and seances, pose temptations that could invite demonic trouble. He also points his finger at popular culture, saying the Harry Potter books and films, and the vampire-themed Twilight series, have revived curiosity with the supernatural. “While Twilight and Harry Potter are not in themselves demonic, they can lead to a fascination in this world and young people can be drawn and become more attracted to these things.

Clearly, the message from Bishop Porteous is to completely stay away from these deceptive instruments of evil. Why any one would willing even consider doing the opposite would have to be, in some cases, simply a matter of being uninformed and unaware of the dangers.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's Opposition to Harry Potter

In 2003, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Ratzinger, entered into the debate and provided clarity on the Roman Catholic Church's position on Harry Potter, with his support for German writer, Gabriele Kuby.

Gabriele Kuby had raised objections about Harry Potter. The thrust of her objections was that Harry Potter corrupts the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil; thus, harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy.

Kuby was interviewed by Zenit, during which she quoted Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's support for her efforts, "It is good that you shed light and inform us on the Harry Potter matter, for these are subtle seductions that are barely noticeable and precisely because of that deeply affect (children) and corrupt the Christian faith in souls even before it (the Faith) could properly grow.” This quote and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's opposition to Harry Potter can be read at LifeSIteNews article, Pope Benedict Opposes Harry Potter Novels.

Saint Paul's Letter to the Galatians

In Saint Paul's Letter to the Galatians, he states, "Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal 5:19-21) The key word is this passage is "sorcery," as it is rampant throughout the Harry Potter story line, with the casting of spells, creation of potions etc.

Catechism of The Catholic Church

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part Three: Life in Christ, under Section Two The Ten Commandments: III "You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me," no. 2117 states: 

All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.

At the same location, in Section IV "You Shall Not Make For Yourself a  Graven Image" . . ."no. 2138 states, "Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic."

The above references are unambiguous, and clearly expose how far the Harry Potter story lines take the reader from the true worship that should be only given to God. No matter how well J.K Rowling packages a departure of worship from God, and simultaneously makes the worship of demons seem exciting in the adventurous tales of a young boy's life, the truth is, that under no circumstances should God be replaced with the worship of demons. For an adult reader, it does not take much to understand this. For children and teenagers, one can only wonder if there is any understanding of this truth. 

J.K. Rowling's Admission of Harry Potter's Occult Content

Back in 1999 in an interview on American radio, the Diane Rehm Show, J.K. Rowling the author of Harry Potter, had admitted and revealed that not only had she studied witchcraft and mythology in order to write the books more accurately, but one third of the Harry Potter content is actual occultism. One individual, Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D. wrote an article titled, The Problem With Harry Potter, in which he details the occult elements in the story line. To illustrate how extensive the occult content is, below is a listing of just some of the occult elements:

• Charms and Casting Spells: Accio (the summoning charm), Alohomora (a spell to unlock doors), Adava Kedavra (the killing curse), Mobiliarbus (magic spell to move objects) and several more.
• Divination (Fortune Telling): arithmancy (divination through numbers), rememberballs (marble sized balls used by the holder to tell if anything has been forgotten), parseltongue (snake language) and the mirror of erised (divination mirror).
• Sorcery: thujone (dangerous drug), mandrake (narcotic with magical powers), monkshood (deadly poison), wormwood (used for sleeping potion), elixer of life (potion to make a witch/wizard live forever), unicorn & blood drinking, Nicholas Flamel (an actual occult figure from France) and more.

Father Lazare de la Mere de Dieu, FJ Insights

Although Fr. Lazare's critique of Harry Potter was directed at the first book, his insights puts the entire book and movie series into perspective. In LifeSiteNews article, Harrycane: a sign of the times under the subheading, "Is Harry a Christian?" one of the key points that Fr. Lazare makes is with respect to the omission of God in Harry Potter. Catholic teaching tells us that we should never return evil for evil, but good for evil. Harry Potter and his friends throughout the story line return evil for evil. The fact that Harry Potter breaks rules and lies is no example of how children should behave. The underlying theme of Harry Potter is "the end justifies the means." This is not the message we want our children to learn.

Christians need to have their children raised with Christian values, which begins with an understanding in the existence of God, a fact never mentioned by Rowling. As Lazare states in his conclusion, "...For Christians, Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth and the life," and no matter what life situations they find themselves in or how difficult the journey, how they cope with it all will be determined by the presence of Jesus in their lives, and His faithful mercy."

The Writings of Michael D. O'Brien

Michael D. O'Brien is a Canadian author and artist, who seeks to contribute to the restoration of Christian culture in Canada. O'Brien has written extensively on the Harry Potter controversy beginning with his article, Harry Potter and the Paganization of Children's Culture. The article contains a wealth of information exposing the truth about Harry Potter's occult content as O'Brien states, "...[T]he series presents the world of witchcraft and sorcery in a positive light." He goes on to further expose the first four books. Here's a short list of just some of the occult content he has commented on:

• the reader is introduced into the world of sorcery
• the main character, Harry, enters Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry, where student witches/wizards are taught to cast hexes and spells, and there are different classes for divination, potions, spells, herbology and other occult knowledge
• there is a false notion throughout that "the end justifies the means"
• there is no reference to a system or moral absolutes against which actions can be measured
• he quotes and refers to Fr. Gabriele Amorth, who has stated that sorcery is the growing cause of diabolic possession, and other forms of bondage to evil

O'Brien has also written a book, A Landscape With Dragons: The Battle For Your Children's Mind. O'Brien's analysis of the degeneration of books, films and videos for the youth is described as "incisive and detailed." O"Brien's most recent book is, Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, which includes: an analysis of each Harry Potter book; parental strategies for a healthy family culture; information on Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's opposition to Harry Potter; insights into the war of disinformation and opinion; other occult material such as Twilight of The West, and the Golden Compass. O'Brien presents a list of questions, and seeks to answer those questions, addressing the concern as to why the dangers of the Harry Potter have not been taken seriously:

• Have people developed a misinformed opinion based on first impressions?
• Is it due to a lack of knowledge of the occult and demonic activity?
• Is there a presumption on the part of some, that children's books are automatically innocent in their content?
• Is there incomplete knowledge of the Catholic faith, and as such, a lack of ability to identify sinful material?

Further in Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, O'Brien expands on the use of symbolism and how J.K. Rowling has negatively influenced readers. O'Brien explains, "...Then there is the moral 'values' narrative, which lies beneath the surface, and is still visible but not so easily discerned---the constant dramatization of the end justifying the means. Beneath this layer is the narrative of symbolism, astonishingly rich in details, and equally impressive in the way it references the world of occult ideas and rituals in its many manifestations." (35) Some other important points that O'Brien notes:

• With hundreds of millions of readers of these occult books, the Harry Potter series is playing a significant role in a massive shift of consciousness, a lowering of our spiritual guard.
• No where in the series is there any reference to a system of moral absolutes against which actions can be measured.
• The argument that any type of reading is good, so long as children are reading is a flawed argument because it does not address the issue of the suitability of the reading material. Children should only be exposed to proper literary sources ensuring that the reading is moral and proper for their well being. 

In chapter eight, Where Is It All Going? O'Brien provides some key reflections and insights that are worth noting:

• O'Brien identifies the problem of a reduced of Christian life amongst the population. Due to the fact that so many Christians have not been living a Christian life, they have failed to become a contradiction to what Blessed Pope John Paul II referred to as the "Culture of Death," and what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI referred to as, "the dictatorship of moral relativism." What has developed is a secular culture. For many who have any amount of faith, it is a faith that is compartmentalized. The consequences of this is that with each succeeding generation, God fades from the consciousness of our minds as the power of the mammon driven culture increases.
• O'Brien highlights the effects of such a reduced Christian culture by pointing to the fact that three generations ago, Harry Potter and other occult content would have never been acceptable or tolerated. For so many Christians who have either abandoned their faith or are ignorant of it, they have failed to discern the immoral content in the media, be it television, the internet, films and books.
• O'Brien also notes that there may be the incorrect presumption that occult material in the mainstream culture will end with Harry Potter. Based on the pattern that has developed in the last fifty years, it is very easy to put forth a compelling argument that there will be a host of new occult content to dazzle and deceive future generations.

Do we want children to be exposed to the pursuit of power, and esoteric knowledge as presented in the occult world of Harry Potter? No, we do not! As O'Brien states, "...In reality, magic is an attempt to bypass the limitations of human nature and the authority of God, in order to obtain power over material creation and the will of others through manipulation of the supernatural. Magic is about taking control. It is a fundamental rejection of the divine order in creation..." If you are a parent, and your children have been exposed to the Harry Potter book and film series, make no mistake, no matter how enjoyable your children how found them to be, the many dangers of Harry Potter are very real. 

One such danger is the very real possibility of exposure to Harry Potter may lead to the desensitization of occultism. For some children, who as they get older, it may lead to other aspects of the occult. As O'Brien states in his article, Harry Potter and The Paganization of Children's Culture, "...If magic is presented as a good, or morally neutral, is there not an increased likelihood that when a young person encounters opportunities to explore the world of real magic he or she will be less able to resist its attractions?" At the end of his book, Harry Potter and The Paganization of Culture, O'Brien has included his, Spiritual Strategies in The Pagan Tsunami. It is the answer to the problem of occult literature and how to protect the family from such evil. The article is available for reading at O'Brien's web site by clicking the above link.

LifeSiteNews.com - Harry Potter Whirlwind of Controversy

For a comprehensive listing of articles and other sources on the Harry Potter controversy, please visit LifeSiteNew's dedicate Harry Potter page, Harry Potter Whirlwind of Controversy.

To conclude, thank you for your patience in reading this exceptionally long post. Knowing how hard pressed some may be to find the time and energy to research the occult controversy surrounding Harry Potter, I intentionally included all the above resources in an effort to make this post a "one stop location" for parents in particular and all concerned individuals.

May God send you the grace to be strengthened and empowered by the information from this post.  

The Expulsion of The Devils From Arezzo: The Spiritual Battle

 Giotto di Bondone's Fresco - The Expulsion of The Devils From Arezzo

If you haven't recognized it by now, the image associated with this post is the famous Franciscan fresco from Giotto di Bondone, depicting the Franciscan Friar Brother Sylvester expelling demons from Arezzo. I had intentionally included this image because it draws attention to the spiritual battle we are engaged in on this earthly pilgrimage.

The aforementioned fresco is also the cover image for Father Gabriele Amorth's book, An Exorcist Tells His Story, which I will be referring to regarding the spiritual battle. Father Gabriele Amorth was Rome's former Chief Exorcist who together with Father Jeremy Davies, Exorcist for London's Westminster,  Archdiocese, co-founded The International Association of Exorcists.

First, the story behind the fresco, which comes from St. Bonaventure's Major Life of St. Francis (CH VI, NO.9.), The Expulsion of The Devils From Arezzo:

On one occasion St. Francis arrived at Arezzo when the whole town was being torn with faction fights and threatened with destruction. There he was given hospitality in a village near the town and he could see the devils rejoicing over it and urging the people on to mutual slaughter. He was anxious to put the malicious powers of evil to flight and so he sent brother Sylvester, who was a man of dove-like simplicity, telling him to approach the town like a herald. "Go up to the town gate," he said, "and in the name of almighty God command the devils in virtue of obedience to go away immediately." Sylvester was a genuinely obedient man and did what he was told. There and then the town was restored to peace and the townspeople set about reforming the laws governing their mutual rights peacefully. Once the malignant and presumptuous influence of the demons which encompassed the town like a besieging army had been counteracted, it needed only the wisdom of a beggar, that is, Francis' humility, to restore peace and save the day. By the heroic practice of humble obedience Francis had gained complete authority over the rebellious spirits, so that he could crush their frantic efforts and put an end to the violence they attempted.

The above anecdote, describing the spiritual troubles of Arezzo, Italy is what Father Gabriele Amorth refers to in his aforementioned book, as the "ordinary activity" of the devil and the other fallen angels; that is, temptation. The extraordinary activities of Satan are: external physical pain, demonic possession, diabolic oppression, diabolic obsession, diabolic infestation, and diabolic subjugation or dependence.

The spiritual battle is real and should be taken seriously because our souls are at stake and let us not forget the primary reason for living this life on earth: the salvation of our souls! As Father Gabriele notes in his chapter on The Power of Satan, he quotes Pope John Paul II who referred to this spiritual battle in May 1987, during the late pontiff's visit to the Sanctuary of Saint Michael when he stated:

The battle against the devil, which is the principal task of Saint Michael the archangel, is still being fought today, because the devil is still alive and active in the world.  The evil that surrounds us today, the disorders that plague our society, man's inconsistency and brokenness, are not only the results of original sin, but also the result of Satan's pervasive and dark action. (31)

For most of us, the spiritual battle is simply a matter of the ordinary activity of temptation, but for some it is much more than this. This is partly due to their vulnerability, both in terms of not living a Catholic life, and/or a high level of skepticism regarding the power and existence of Satan, and the option that some take of having recourse to him.

Recourse to evil spirits is a reality and some do take such an option, sometimes unknowingly. Examples of open and direct recourse to evil are in the forms of black masses, sorcerers, curses, casting of spells and other elements of witchcraft. Examples of disguised, hidden and very subtle recourse to evil are in the form of: ouija boards, seances, astrology, tarot card reading, yoga, reiki, tai-chi and a host of New Age elements that has greatly contributed to today's problems and "opened the door" to even greater demonic influence in their lives. Many are simply unaware of the dangers and have become desensitization to these practices, in part due to their mainstream acceptance.

If you are one of those skeptical individuals, allow me to cite an example that will be sure to dispel your skepticism. In 1949, a young American boy from Maryland—upon the prompting of a visiting Aunt who was involved in the occult—played the ouija board in his parents' basement. What resulted was the boy's demonic possession. The actual case was detailed in a book written by Thomas B. Allen titled, Possessed. It is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand the truth about ouija boards and the ramifications of inviting evil into your life. It was this particular case of possession that became the basis for the 1973 movie, The Exorcist. 

As to why people select the option of recourse to evil spirits, Father Gabriel points out in his aforementioned book that evil is sought after as a result of: envy; jealousy; maliciousness; a desire to obtain a job; marry a desired individual; break up a relationship or marriage; cause a business to fail; and many other reasons. The results of such evil invocation: the disturbance of people's mental and physical health; job status; family unity; overall stability; and many other issues that Amorth cites from his vast thirty years of experience in the field.  

Identifying and understanding evil is not all that Fr. Gabriel discusses in his book. Amorth provides a Prayers of Deliverance section at the back of his book, which includes the following prayers: Kyrie Eleison, Anima Christi, Prayer Against Every Evil, Prayer For Inner Healing and Prayer For Deliverance, all of which can be recited by the laity. 

In addition, Amorth also provides encouraging and helpful notes so that the reader, not only does not fall into a state of despair or fear, but clearly understands the reality and limitations of evil. As Amorth states in the chapter entitled, The Curse:

 ...[C]urses are often unsuccessful for many reasons, for instance, because God does not allow the evil, or the intended victim is a person of deep prayer and union with God...It would be a most grave error to live in fear of falling victim to a hex. The Bible never tells us to fear the devil; instead we are told to resist him in the certainty that he will flee from us (James 4:7) and to remain watchful against his attacks, by remaining firm in our faith. (1 Pet 5:9) We have been given the grace of Christ, who defeated Satan with his Cross; we have the intercession of Mary, who has been an enemy of Satan since the beginning of humanity; we have the help of the angels and the saints. Most of all, at baptism we have been sealed with the Holy Trinity.  If we live in communion with God, it is Satan and all of hell who tremble at our presence--unless we ourselves open the door to him.(135) 

Amorth's message is clear, it is important to live a faithful life. Some of you may be asking, "What exactly does this mean?" Living a faithful life is fundamentally, a sacramental life. That is, the frequent reception of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation or confession.

The faithful life also includes: deep prayer; daily recitation of the Rosary; adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament; reading of the Bible; the Catechism of the Catholic Church; the lives of saints; and devotional readings and prayers.

Putting faith into action is a big part of living a faithful life: works of charity; awareness efforts such as Life Chain; defending the sacredness of human life and working to promote the dignity of the human person; fighting against injustice and immorality; acting as proper stewards of God's creation; and living in communion with others as sincere gifts of self.

When we live a true Catholic life, we are close to and connected with God and this is of fundamental importance when it comes to protecting yourself against evil. Left to our own devices, we are no match for the fallen angels. Originally created as superior beings by God, they possess knowledge, understanding, capabilities and power that is much greater than what we are comprised of as human beings.

The devil and his legions of demons direct their efforts at interfering, disturbing and destroying God's plan for humanity, including bringing to hell as many souls as possible. The good news is that we have available to us, Our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the angels and saints to come to our aid at all times.  

Thank God for St. Francis of Assisi, the brothers God gave him and the artistic gifts He bestowed upon Giotto. The fresco associated with this post is a wonderful reminder for us all on our faith journey to not forget the spiritual battle we are in.

Let us remember the words of St. Peter, "...Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering..." (I Peter 5:8-9)

The Rosary: A Marathon of Grace

As a continuation on the theme of October being the "Month of The Rosary," today's post is my encouragement to all who have made this month, the beginning of a new or renewed effort to pray the Rosary. Whether you are entirely new to the Rosary, have infrequently prayed it or consistently recited the daily required mysteries, if you are striving for the complete daily recitation of the entire Rosary, this post will assist you in your effort.

No matter where you are in your prayer life and faith journey, prayer takes effort. The Rosary certainly is no exception, especially when endeavouring to pray the entire Rosary each day. Very much like a marathon, the daily recitation of the entire Rosary can not be something you embark on without proper training. Like an athlete who begins to train for a marathon by running only a few kilometres, and building upon that to eventually to run the entire distance and cross the finish line, so too must you take on a similar goal with the Rosary by building up your capacity to "pray the distance" and cross the spiritual finish line.

Saint Louis De Montfort in his book, The Secret of The Rosary, provides guidance for the faithful so that each day, at the end of the day, when laying your head down to sleep, you will have completely recited the entire the Rosary. Saint Louis De Montfort states in the Forty-Fith Rose - With Reverence:

...I advise you to divide up your Rosary into three parts and say each group of mysteries (five decades) at a different time of day. This is much better than saying the whole fifteen decades all at once. If you cannot find the time to say a third part of the Rosary all at one time, say it gradually, a decade here and there. I am sure you can manage this; so that, in spite of your work and all the calls upon your time, you will have said the whole Rosary before going to bed...

The division of the Rosary into three parts, is now to be divided into four parts due to the fact that back then in the 17th century during Montfort's time, the Luminous Mysteries were not apart of the Rosary recitation. The Luminous Mysteries were given to us by Mary, through her most faithful servant, Pope John Paul II, who in 2002 revealed them to the Church in his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (21). Separating the mysteries into four parts throughout the day, requires the faithful devotee to allocate approximately 25-30 minutes four times a day, to pray each one of the four sets of mysteries: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries.

Taking the effort one step further with St. Louis De Montfort's aforementioned recommendation, the Rosary can be broken down into individual decades so that if you are pressed to set aside 25-30 minutes for prayer, then reciting the Rosary a decade at a time, becomes part of the daily pursuit for complete recitation. If you are new to the Rosary, each of the four sets of mysteries is comprised of five individual prayer decades. For example, the Joyful Mysteries: the first Joyful Mystery is the Annunciation to Mary, the second Joyful mystery is the Visitation of Mary, the third Joyful Mystery is the Nativity, the fourth Joyful Mystery is the Presentation of the Lord and the fifth Joyful Mystery is the Finding of the Lord in the Temple. The prayers of each decade are as follows:  Our Father, 10 Hail Mary's, Glory Be and O My Jesus. The approximate time to complete an individual decade in about five minutes. So if you can strive to find five minutes of your time, here and there, by the end of the day, you will have completed the entire Rosary.

In today's busy world our calendars can easily be filled with a variety of projects, social activities, home renovations, gardening, family events, sports activities and a host of "things to do." To seriously commit to the Rosary devotion requires a diligent and determined effort each and everyday. This entails a "rethink" as to what we are willing to change in order to free up time for increased prayer. For some, freeing up time in their day may mean a reduction of television, for others reducing that daily gym session to only 2-3 times a week, less internet time etc. Some may be willing to take it a step further, by the realization that we are mentally free to think and pray while performing certain physical activities. Such opportunities may present themselves for example, while vacuuming, gardening, walking for an hour after dinner etc. You probably have thought about many things while performing chores, work, exercising etc., why not think and pray about Jesus and Mary with a partial recitation of the Rosary. 

How much time and training will you need to cross the "spiritual finish line?" That will depend on God's grace and your sincere effort. God and the Blessed Virgin Mary will not be outdone in generosity. If you are generous in your efforts, a generous amount of graces will come to you through Mary's, God's dispenser of grace. As St. Bernardine has stated, "All the gifts, graces, virtues of the Holy Spirit are distributed by the hands of Mary, to whom she wills, when she wills, as she wills and in the measure she wills." Pray to Our Lady of The Rosary for all the graces you need to "pray the distance" and cross the spiritual finish line.

Rest assured that all who visit my blog are in my daily Rosary. In a very special way, I pray for those who are striving for a daily recitation of the entire Rosary, endeavouring to complete the marathon of grace. 

LIfe Chain Fall 2013: A Follow Up

Me at Life Chain Fall'2013

Today's post is a follow up to my previous post entitled, Life Chain - Faith Put Into Action. On Sunday, October 6, I attended the Life Chain effort, here in my local community of Woodbridge, Ontario. I would like to share with you some of my observations, thoughts and the overall experience during this silent public witness against the evil of abortion.

As you can see from the photo caption, that is me, holding a laminated poster of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the Unborn. Pope John Paul II in 1999, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, entrusted the cause of life to the loving protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially the unborn children. There are some who still do not know of Our Lady of Guadalupe's special role and connection to the pro-life movement, so to "spot light" it, I decided to hold Her image during the entire time at Life Chain.

This year's Life Chain effort was attended by a small number of pro-life enthusiasts, included Franciscan Friars, Fr. Peter Furguiele, OFM and Fr. Michael Corcione, OFM from St. Peter's Parish. In addition to St. Peter's Parish, there were pro-lifers in attendance from Immaculate Conception Parish (Woodbridge) and St. David's Parish (Maple). Together, we all put forth a concerted effort to get the message out, that the killing of a developing human being in the womb, is morally wrong. Abortion is morally wrong because human life is sacred. As Pope John Paul II points out in Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life), "Human life if sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end...(53) In addition, the killing of a human being is a direct disobedience against God's commandment of "Thou Shall Not Kill," which can be found in Old Testament at Exodus 20:13. Jesus reinforces this commandment in the New Testatment at Matthew 19:18, where Jesus reminds the rich man, who asked Jesus as to how he may have eternal life? Jesus replied, "...You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal." Although we were a relatively small group, this did not deter us by any means. During our Life Chain witness, we recited the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary for all the unborn children, for women who are in need of post abortion healing and families who have had to suffer this grave evil in their lives.

Fr. Peter Furguiele, OFM and other pro-lifers.

Our enthusiasm to publicly witness against the evil of abortion was matched by many people who made an effort to show their support. Some chose to simply honk their horns. Others rolled down their windows and expressed words of encouragement, approval and gratitude for our public witness. There is one individual who really stood out. A young man on a racing motorcycle, who travelling south on Islington arrived at the red lights at Hwy. 7. Having come to a full stop, he immediately turned his head left to the group of six people at the north east corner, the group I was with. I could tell he was reading all of our signs and viewing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was only a few seconds later that he motioned with his thumbs, "two thumbs up." The young man even went one step further and took off his protective helmet in an effort to further connect with us, granting us his approval and encouragement once again. Eventually, the traffic lights had changed to green and he rode off, but his positive reinforcement of our public witness remained. I looked to all in our group and it was obvious, we all felt up lifted and encouraged by this young man's effort to connect with us.

In my view, there is a great deal of moral support within the Woodbridge community against the evil of abortion. Unfortunately, that moral support has not translated into a great deal of action with efforts such as Life Chain. Life Chain is faith put into action and represents a key opportunity to defend the unborn children from murder.  A faith without action is a dead faith (James 2:14-18). If we in the Woodbridge community intend to contribute to the building up of a "culture of life," then we must take action. It is not enough for us to only read and pray, we also have to do something about it. Life Chain is but one of the many ways to affect a positive change in our community.  

Witnessing in front of the Woodbridge Memorial Arena

If you did not participate in this year's Life Chain and/or are not active in the pro-life movement, consider this effort in the future.  It requires very little of your time and energy. Your future participation may make a big difference, especially with the youth who are particularly vulnerable to secularization and the acceptance of immorality so rampant in today's main stream "culture of death." Hopefully your future witness will be all that is necessary to sway some one from having an abortion. At the very minimum, you will draw attention to this national issue and perhaps even spawn some good discussions and readings. 

Some of the Life Chain Fall'2013 Participants

To all those who attended this year's Life Chain, bravo for your determination to make the evil of abortion known. Your abortion awareness efforts are indicative of a lively faith put into action at a time in society when it is so needed. Lastly, a heartfelt "thank you" to all who showed their support for our public witness. May God continue to bless all of us with His abundant grace and mercy.

An Introduction to the Rosary

St. Dominic receiving the Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary

With October being the "Month of The Rosary," I thought it fitting to publish an introduction to the Rosary.  

The Rosary is a heavenly gift given to us by the Blessed Virgin Mary to her faithful servant St. Dominic in 1214, who was instructed by Our Lady to recite the Rosary daily for the conversion of the Albigensian heretics in Southern France. Through St. Dominic's preaching and propagation, it was introduced to the Church as a new daily form of prayer for all Catholics to recite. 

Saint Dominic understood the negative influence of the Albigensian heretics, and responded to it by withdrawing into the forest near Toulouse to pray unceasingly for three days and nights; weeping and inflicting harsh penances upon himself to appease God's anger. The penances were so extreme that St. Dominic fell into a coma. It was at this point that the Blessed Mother appeared to him with three angels and informed St. Dominic that the best weapon in this type of spiritual warfare, the weapon that the Holy Trinity wanted him to use to convert the world, was Mary's Psalter. Our Lady instructed St. Dominic, "If you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter." At this point St. Dominic arose, comforted and burning with zeal for the conversion of sinners, headed straight for the cathedral to preach on the Holy Rosary. Saint Dominic did so in such a fervent and compelling manner that almost everyone at Toulouse renounced their false beliefs and embraced the Rosary. In a very short time, a great improvement was seen in the area as people began leading Christian lives and gave up their former bad habits.

St. Louis De Montfort, another of Our Blessed Mother's servants chosen in the seventeenth century to propagate the Rosary, wrote the book, The Secret of The Rosary. It is a "must read" book for anyone who is serious about the Rosary and its recitation.

Saint Louis De Montfort expressed the importance and relevance of the Rosary in our lives, for our earthly pilgrimage, and eternal salvation. The Secret of The Rosary contains everything that can be said about the Rosary especially the necessary instruction for its application and use. The Secret of The Rosary will not only bring to the reader a better understanding of the Rosary as a form of contemplative prayer, but also serve as a helpful aid in the spiritual life.

The Rosary was for St. Louis De Montfort, not only a method of prayer, but an effective tool and weapon in his apostolic work. Saint Louis De Montfort preached the Rosary in and out of season, established it in every parish where he gave a mission and judged the fruits of the mission by the subsequent perseverance of its recitation. Saint Louis De Montfort knew there was no limit to the power of the Rosary and he attributed to it, much of his success with the conversion of sinners, as he is quoted saying, "Let me place my Rosary around a sinner's neck...and he will not escape me."

You might be wondering: what exactly is the Rosary; what prayers does it include; how do I pray it; and why should I pray it.

The Rosary is a set of prayers whereby you meditate on the life and passion of Christ, and on the life of Our Lady, and reflect upon the many virtues and Gospel lessons contained within. The prayers that make up the Rosary are: The Apostles' Creed; Our Father; Hail Mary; Glory Be; O My Jesus; and the Hail Holy Queen. The Rosary is one of the contemplative forms of prayer of the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae wrote:

The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: “Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed." (12)

The Rosary can be recited any where at any time. You do not have to be in a church to pray it, although praying it in a church is certainly ideal. Recitation of the Rosary can be done while commuting to work, during a walk in the park, and even while performing physical tasks. As long as you are properly disposed, can focus on the prayers, and meditate on the mysteries, it is time well spent.

The Rosary is divided into four sets of mysteries: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries. Each set takes approximately thirty minutes to recite. Each day of the week has assigned to it one of the mysteries, referred to as the "daily required recitation." This is the very minimum; you should strive to recite all four sets each day. Here are the mysteries that are assigned to each day of the week:

• Joyful Mysteries, assigned for Mondays and Saturdays throughout the year; also on Sundays during Advent and the Christmas seasons.
• Luminous Mysteries, every Thursday during all seasons throughout the year
• Sorrowful, on Tuesday and Fridays throughout the year and also on Sundays during Lent
• Glorious Mysteries, Wednesdays throughout the year; also on Sundays between Christmas and Lent and Sundays between Easter and Advent.

The Rosary Center's How To Pray The Rosary page offers instructions in many languages. At this page you will find an image of the Rosary, with easy to follow instructions and links to all the prayers to be recited. 

In addition, you may be interested in Tan Book's How To Say The Rosary pamphlet.

You may also want to consider the Rosary Center's First Saturday Devotions booklet. It not only details the devotion and the Fatima apparitions, but it provides for a more in-depth Rosary recitation experience that includes: scriptural passages; images of the historical moments of Christ's and Mary's life; the spiritual focus; a reflection for each mystery; and intercessory prayers to Our Lady.

As to why you should pray the Rosary, the most important one being it was requested by Our Lady to St. Dominic. This request was further made by Our Lady at Fatima, who chose to introduce herself to the three children as, "Our Lady of The Rosary." 

In the Secret of the Rosary's Twenty Seventh Rose - Benefits, St. Louis De Montfort wrote about why we should embrace this devotion and listed seven benefits: 

1. It gradually brings us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ
2. It purifies our souls from sin
3. It gives us victory over all our enemies
4. It makes the practice of virtue easy
5. It sets us on fire with the love of our Lord
6. It enriches us with graces and merits
7. It supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellowmen, and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces from God. 

A final note. Completing the daily recitation of the entire Rosary may seem difficult at first, but with a little bit of persistence and discipline, it can be accomplished. Much in the same manner as an athlete who trains for a marathon and builds up his/her endurance and the capacity to run the entire distance, so too will devotees build up their prayer endurance and eventually cross the "spiritual finish line," completing the marathon of grace.

October is The Month of The Rosary

The Battle of Lepanto

As October is rapidly approaching, it seems only fitting to post this friendly reminder to my fellow Catholics, that October is The Month of the Rosary. In so doing, I hope that Catholic visitors to my blog will be encouraged to a daily recitation of the Rosary. If you are somewhat new to the Rosary, I hope this post will be part of your discovery of this most beautiful gift given to us by the Blessed Virgin Mary to her faithful servant, St. Dominic in the thirteenth century. 

October is dedicated as the "Month of The Rosary" primarily due to the liturgical feast day of October 7, Our Lady of The Rosary. It is a feast designated by the Church to honour of Our Blessed Mother's intercession at the Battle of Lepanto, which saw Christians forces defeat the Ottoman Turks on October 7, 1571. This victorious day became the feast day of Our Lady of Victory, which later changed to Our Lady of the Rosary. To gain a true appreciation of this feast day, one should have some knowledge of the historical facts of the Battle of Lepanto. Below is a concise summary of the events that led to the victory over the Turks.

The Turkish Ottomans had aspirations for domination of Western Europe. By the latter half of the sixteenth century that Muslim aggression revealed itself with the Ottoman sultan proclaiming jihad or "struggle," a call to "Holy War." Pope Pius V understood the importance and significance of resisting aggressive Turkish expansion; that is, the real battle was a spiritual one, with Christianity in the West (western Europe) at stake. The Ottoman Empire, the seat of Islamic power, looked to control the entire Mediterranean and bring all of Europe within the dar al-Islam or "House of Submission."

To combat this imminent Islamic threat, a "Holy League" force was formed, comprised of Catholic Knights of Papal States, Malta, Italy, Germany, Spain, England, Scotland, Scandinavia, Catholics and freebooters (lawless adventurers), gentlemen adventurers and convicts used to row the galleys. France not officially present as a force, had contributed Knights to the Holy League. Part of the Italian contingent, were the Venetians whose thirst for commerce was abruptly interrupted by the realization that holding on to their business enterprises would necessitate war against Turkish aggression. The Turkish aspiration for Europe was thrust into action in 1565, with an attack in the eastern Mediterranean on the island of Malta. The island was valiantly defended by Christian forces and after four months, the gallant Knights repelled the Turkish invasion, inflicting heavy losses upon the Ottoman forces. Malta was then reinforced with fresh troops from Spain.

With Malta proving to be more difficult than anticipated, the Turks changed their target to Cyprus. The two key points in Cyprus were Nicosia and Famagusta. At Nicosia, the Cyprian force who were out numbered 7 to 1 and after seven weeks of fighting the Cyprian force was reduced to 500 men. The Christian forces surrendered with the expectation that the civilians would be spared and the Christian troops to be enslaved. Instead, the Muslim invaders butchered every Christian they could find, regardless of gender, rank, age including children, 20,000 in total. At Famagusta, the Christian defenders fought for ten months, keeping the Turks at bay. Eventually the Christians, under the Venetian commander Marco Antonio Bragadino agreed to a negotiated settlement. Just as at Nicosia, the Turks deceived the Christians slaughtering all the troops and their commanders, sparing only the civilians and reserving a special torture for Bragadino.

Map of The Battle of Lepanto

Eventually, it all led to the Battle of Lepanto, located at the Gulf of Patras in what was then, Turkish occupied Greece. The Turks had 328 ships with 77,000 fighting men, with 50,000 oarsmen, many of them Christian slaves. The Christian forces under Don Juan of Austria had 40,000 oarsmen and sailors with 28,000 soldiers, knights and gentlemen adventurers. In addition, there were Dominicans, Franciscans and Jesuits who accompanied the fleet with their prayers and support, ensuring that every Christian oarsman had the Rosary beads with them. On October 7, 1571, Don Juan's forces entered in the Gulf of Patras and the battle began. Among the naval maneuvering, cannons blasting, arrows raining from the sky, exploding bombs, clashing of swords and the hand to hand fighting aboard decks, the Christians forces prevailed and defeated the Ottomans. It was a battle that was won with the aid of Christian slaves who revolted against their Muslim masters, causing havoc from within the Turkish lines.  

With the victory of Lepanto, the Ottoman Turks domination of the Mediterranean ended. Pope Pius V, who had commanded the faithful to pray the Rosary for victory was thoroughly convinced that this victory was granted by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Each year on the same day, this victory was remembered and later became the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, eventually changed to Our Lady of The Rosary. The victory at Lepanto, together with increased devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary, eventually led to the entire month of October being dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. Pope Leo XIII on August 30th, 1884, in his encyclical, Superiore Anno, on the Recitation of the Rosary declared:

We have therefore resolved that in this coming month of October, in which the sacred devotions to Our Virgin Lady of the Rosary are solemnised throughout the Catholic world, all the devotions shall again be observed which were commanded by Us this time last year. We therefore decree and make order that from the 1st of October to the 2nd of November following in all the parish churches [curialibus templis], in all public churches dedicated to the Mother of God, or in such as are appointed by the Ordinary, five decades at least of the Rosary be recited, together with the Litany. If in the morning, the Holy Sacrifice will take place during these prayers; if in the evening, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for the adoration of the faithful; after which those present will receive the customary Benediction. We desire that, wherever it be lawful, the local confraternity of the Rosary should make a solemn procession through the streets as a public manifestation of religious devotion. (4)

In more recent times, examples of this devotion can be taken from St. Pius (Pio) of Pietrelcina, who used to recite the Rosary every day, several times a day. Pope Paul VI contributed to the increased devotion of the Rosary with his Apostolic Exhortation, Marialis Cultus. Pope John Paul II, whose marian spirituality permeated his life, stated that the Rosary was his favourite prayer. Such enthusiasm and devotion to our Blessed Mother was revealed throughout his pontificate and captured in a major document, his encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae:

The Rosary of the Virgin Mary is a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness. It blends easily into the spiritual journey of the Christian life...it is also necessary to recall that the spiritual life is not limited solely to participation in the liturgy. Christians, while they are called to prayer in common, must also go to their own rooms and pray to their Father in secret (Mt 6:6); indeed, according to the teaching of the Apostle, they must pray without ceasing (1Thes 5:17). The Rosary, in its own particular way, is part of this varied panorama of ‘ceaseless’ prayer... (1, 13)

The Battle of Lepanto is a wonderful encouragement for the faithful to pray the Rosary daily. As a further encouragement, our Blessed Mother gave us Her Fifteen Promises to Christians who recite the Rosary:

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armour against Hell; it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred Mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice; he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faith children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan)

In the month of October, let us resolve to recite the Rosary faithfully with renewed fervour, each and every day. To do so is to meditate on the life and passion of Jesus, and on the life of Mary and her virtues, and learn from the many Gospel lessons contained within this most efficacious and powerful prayer. For those who have never prayed the Rosary, please visit the Rosary Center's How To Pray The Rosary page, where you will find the easy to follow instructions.  Please include me in your prayers.  Thank you.

Life Chain: Faith Put Into Action

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Join me at Life Chain this year on Sunday, October 6th at 2:00pm. 

For those of you who are new to Life Chain, it is a public witness against the killing of unborn children. Participants stand in silent prayer at designated Life Chain locations, holding a sign that reads, "Abortion Kills Children" or something very similar. The Life Chain location that I will be attending is at Hwy. 7 and Islington Ave. from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

If you have never publicly witnessed before, you might be asking yourself, "Why should I stand on the corner of Hwy. 7 and Islington to show my support for the protection of unborn children?" There are a few reasons. First, the very fact that abortion exists here in Canada should concern all conscientious Catholics. There is a moral crisis in Canada when the murder of developing babies in the womb is permitted at law and available on demand. The truth of the matter is that the killing of a human being is unacceptable at any stage of one's life, including while developing in the womb. God's commandment, "Thou Shall Not Kill," is not negotiable or open to interpretation. It demands assent by everyone and should be reflected in Canada's constitution and laws. Unfortunately, this is not the case since Morgantaler's 1988 constitutional challenge. So it is up to us, those who know, understand and accept the truth, to promote and defend the value, inviolability and sacredness of human life. By attending the LIfe Chain effort, you are standing up for the truth and helping to defend the lives of innocent human beings.

Second, faith is put into action when one participates in community efforts such as Life Chain, which is what we are called to do as Catholics. To quote scripture from the second chapter of James, Faith Without Works is Dead:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill', and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. (James 2:14-18)

Life Chain brings you together with other like minded Christians. It is but one effort that helps to build up and strengthen the Catholic parish community. Typically, you may see diocesan clergy, Franciscan Friars, Knights of Columbus, Secular Franciscans and other conscientious Catholics who strive to get the message out, that abortion is morally wrong and unacceptable. 

Third, by your witness you may positively affect someone, a passerby who until seeing you, may not have thought much about the abortion issue. Being that visible witness may be all that is needed to sway someone away from having an abortion. In today's secular society, we certainly need more and more witnesses raising awareness on the abortion issue.  

Fourth, when we promote and defend the right to life of innocent unborn children, our prayers and actions are united to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the Unborn. Pope John Paul II in 1999 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, entrusted the cause of life to the loving protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially the unborn children. The abortion fight is a spiritual battle, one that demands we employ spiritual weapons. With Our Lady of Guadalupe as a powerful intercessor, we fight the good fight against this evil in our society.

If you do decide to join me, I recommend the following:

1. Wear exterior clothing that is appropriate for your one hour witness. Check the weather reports especially for rain. If rain is forecasted, Life Chain still goes forward, it is not cancelled, so bring an umbrella or rainwear.
2. Bring your Rosary! Typically, many pray the Rosary during this one hour witness, so you can join others in group recitation of the Rosary, which is an even more effective way to fight this spiritual battle. You can read more about group recitation of the Rosary from St. Louis De Montfort's, The Secret of The Rosary, Forty Sixth Rose - Group Recitation.
3. Take photos of your family, friends and other participants and share them on your social networks. Get the word out, bring awareness to everyone you can. 
4. Life Chain is a time of silent prayer and not a forum to debate the abortion issue with those who might try to engage you in a conversation. If a passerby does try to engage you, don't entertain the invitation to debate. Continue in prayer, undeterred with your witness.
5. Hold the sign with attention, showing people you care about this issue.
6. Arrive well before 2:00pm. It would be best to arrive between 1:30pm-1:45pm, to get situated, meet with others etc. Once 2:00pm hits, it is time to witness.

I hope to see you there! I will be holding a poster of Our Lady of Guadalupe, like the image I have included with this post. Please feel free to connect with me. It would be great to meet like minded Christians whose lively faith is helping to make Canada a better place!

"Thou Shall Not Kill": Human Life is Sacred

As part of a continuation of postings on Pope John Paul II's encyclical, Evangelium Vitae I have dedicated this post to one of its major sections, chapter three's "Thou Shall Not Kill."  The aforementioned section goes to the core of why so many of the "culture of death" elements, such as abortion, euthanasia, "reduction" or discarding human embryos in fertility clinics and any and all threats to value and inviolability of life, are fundamentally and morally wrong.  

To begin, the fundamental reason why murder is completely and morally wrong derives directly from God's commandment given to Moses, "You Shall Not Murder (Exodus 20:13) It is a commandment that Jesus reminds the rich man, who asked Jesus as to how he may have eternal life? Jesus replied, "...You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal..." (Matthew 19:18)

Human life is sacred. Why is human life sacred you may ask?  Pope John Paul II answers this question in section 53 of Evangelium Vitae, by directly quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church's Article 5 The Fifth Commandment, which I provide here in full, "Human life if sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." (2258) Further reading of Article 5 contains information on: respect for human life, respect for the dignity of persons, respect for the person and scientific research, respect for bodily integrity, peace, avoiding war, abortion, euthanasia, suicide and more.

Unfortunately here in Canada, many are deceived by the Evil One, in thinking that threats to human life are acceptable. As Pope John Paul II points out, only Satan delights in the death of the living, he who is "...[A] murderer from the beginning" is also a "liar and the father of lies." (53) With Satan's deception in place many are led down the road of sin and death disguised as roads that help and better life. One such example Satan's deception is the need for abortion in the case of rape. The deception begins first by discarding the right of the unborn's life. Once that is accomplished, it does not take much for the "Father of Lies" to reduce or eliminate the dignity of the human being by suggesting and inspiring for an abortion to take place. If we refer back to the sacredness of life and how God's creating hand is apart of all life, a life conceived even under such brutal circumstances, has a meaning and purpose for God. 

Many individuals in Canada including those in the professional sectors, have also been deceived. In Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II notes how many in society contribute to the death of human beings. Take the example of abortion. We typically tend to place the blame for an abortion on the mother, but what about the father. Is the father not to blame as well, when he puts direct pressure on the woman to have an abortion or when he indirectly encourages such a decision by lack of moral and financial support. (58) Then there is the doctors and nurses, whose training, education and experience are supposed to be placed at the service of life, not at the service of death. (58) How could a medical professional with any degree of integrity, possibly assist in the death of an innocent human being in the womb. What about legislators, who have failed to protect the innocent unborn at law. Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper is just such an example, whose failure as early at 2008 to address the abortion issue in Canada, will have negative ramifications for many years to come.

Society's response to a crisis pregnancy should be one which co-operates with God's plan for humanity by providing financially, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically and physically assistance. In so doing, we do our part to ensure the entry of another beautiful life on earth is lovingly received. Some have made this their mission, such as the Sisters of Life, a Catholic women's religious Order, whose organization assists with crisis pregnancies, helping those women understand that they can do this, they are not alone! This year, I created a pro-life flyer on the Sisters of Life, as part of a Secular Franciscan effort.  Please take the time to view and print it out as part of your effort to assist in a crisis pregnancy.

It is my hope that this posting has raised your awareness level and recognition of the value and inviolability of human life, that you will take an active role to spread your awareness and in so doing, perhaps even help save a life!