Abbott, Matt C.
133 Articles at Lifeissues.net

Matt C. Abbott is a Catholic columnist with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, Media and Theatre from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, and an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business Management from Triton College in River Grove, Ill. He has worked in the right-to-life movement and is a published writer focused on Catholic and social issues. He can be reached at:

Contact: mattcabbott@gmail.com

Articles

FACE trial: the transgender man and the turncoat woman

We believe that the FACE Act is now demonstrably unconstitutional, especially in the wake of the U.S Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs, which tossed Roe onto the trash heap of history.

Date posted: 2023-09-12

On suffering and the Christian faith

This is the foreword to Susan Tassone's latest book, Praying with Jesus and Faustina during Lent and in Times of Suffering.

Date posted: 2021-02-20

Priests laud Trump's response to COVID-19 pandemic

I asked two Catholic priests whose work I greatly respect to comment on President Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Date posted: 2020-04-24

COVID-19 patients, discrimination, abortion

Current anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic has been multiplied by the suggestion of 'health care rationing' based on the age or disability of infected patients.

Date posted: 2020-04-24

Priestly words of encouragement during COVID-19 crisis

The crisis brings us to stark realization that we are not the masters of our own destinies and fates. The coronavirus outbreak can teach us that not only do we have to take care of our bodies, but above all, our souls.on.

Date posted: 2020-03-30

Coronavirus and divine chastisement

Some have asked if the coronavirus is some sort of divine chastisement. I believe our Catholic Tradition guides us to be cautious about this kind of assertion.

Date posted: 2020-03-28

The unholy 69

From the current meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops, Bishop Joseph Strickland tweeted Nov. 12: "Thank God the USCCB voted to uphold the preeminence of the Sanctity of the life of the unborn. It is sad that 69 voted no."

Date posted: 2019-11-16

The concern about organ donation

Is there moral certainty that "Brain Dead" organ donors are dead?

Date posted: 2019-04-26

New 60-second video personalizes the unborn child

How do we personalize the unborn child? That's the question Mark Crutcher, president of Life Dynamics, has been trying to solve for years. But he believes a new video the organization released called A Message From The Unborn does just that.

Date posted: 2019-04-26

Church-approved medical killings?

We at LifeTree are small, but we are presently directing our efforts at trying to prevent passage of the Palliative Care and Hospice Education Training Act (PCHETA) here in America.

Date posted: 2019-03-11

The troubling votes of John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh

The Supreme Court is staying out of legal fight over efforts to block Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, with the newest justice casting the deciding vote.

Date posted: 2018-12-14

'Pro-life' or 'anti-abortion'

No matter the reason, by calling every issue a 'pro-life' issue, we dilute and fracture the brand. We make other, less important issues as important as the abortion issue. We needlessly divide pro-lifers over prudential issues about which we should be able to respectfully disagree.

Date posted: 2018-07-25

'They really, really don't like us quietly praying...'

Reports are still coming in, but local 40 Days for Life leaders tell us that as of now, they're aware of 492 mothers in 375 locations around the world who have rejected abortion and chosen life for their babies! In many cases, all it took was the simple act of showing up to pray on the sidewalk.

Date posted: 2017-11-21

US Catholic bishops boot faithful priest-consultant, still employ Planned Parenthood supporter

Alas: another sad development in the Catholic Church in the U.S.

Date posted: 2017-11-19

Priest responds to ex-priest's disavowal of pro-life witness

It is always sad when an ordained priest abandons his vocation, but when a 'former priest' turns immediately to assault the Church and to attack the basic human dignity of the unborn, we're looking at an egregiously sinful and scandalous situation.

Date posted: 2017-02-22

Jesuit school bans Facebook criticism of Tim Kaine?

It appears that officials of Brophy College Preparatory, a Jesuit high school in Phoenix, Arizona and part of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, aren't too bothered by "Catholic" Tim Kaine's support for legalized abortion and same-sex "marriage."

Date posted: 2016-09-21

The 'right-to-die' case of Jerika Bolen

Disability rights organizations have asked child protection officials to prevent a Wisconsin teenager from going without her ventilator and ending her life.

Date posted: 2016-09-11

Planned Parenthood was compliant in Texas

Sadly, a number of church leaders - with some notable exceptions - are too busy trying to placate the gay mafia, liberal politicians, and the anti-Christian secular media to bother with defending the innocent unborn.

Date posted: 2016-07-11

Bishop to Christians: Don't vote for Hillary or Trump

Bishop Rene Henry Gracida, retired bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas, is highly respected among orthodox Catholics. His résumé is impressive, including serving as an airman during World War II. I recently asked him, via email, about voting in the upcoming presidential election.

Date posted: 2016-06-24

Illinois bishop speaks on transgenderism

Kudos to Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, one of the relatively few American bishops willing to speak out on cultural hot-button issues besides immigration.

Date posted: 2016-06-07

Palliative care from a Christian perspective

Palliative care is both a new medical specialty and an approach to patient care that is much discussed today. It is an elusive and provocative topic for patients and health care professionals alike, because its meaning is determined by which of two broad perspectives is under consideration.

Date posted: 2016-03-17

Mother Teresa: the saint of the smile

An excerpt from the newly-released book God's Healing Mercy, by Kathleen Beckman

Date posted: 2016-01-14

Priest-theologian: if worst-case scenario at synod occurs, Catholics must resist changes

If the worst-case scenario comes to pass in regard to the synod, what are we to think of magisterial teaching? Would we have to accept the changes as a form of doctrinal development as with Vatican II.

Date posted: 2015-10-18

Priest delivers stirring speech at Planned Parenthood site

The following is text of a speech delivered Oct. 3 by Father William J. Kuchinsky at the 40 Days for Life candlelight vigil at the Planned Parenthood construction site in Washington, D.C.

Date posted: 2015-10-18

Pope Francis, please pray for the gutsy David Daleiden!

David Daleiden, the pro-life investigative journalist under fire by the abortion industry and its sympathizers for exposing the murderous work of Planned Parenthood in a series of undercover videos, could sure use the spiritual support of Pope Francis.

Date posted: 2015-10-12

Planned Parenthood and the contraception lie

Ultimately, Planned Parenthood is in fact a morally bankrupt organization that deserves absolutely no financial support whatsoever - and, of course, it contributes nothing of value to society.

Date posted: 2015-09-06

Supporting Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia

Earlier this month, the religious education director at Waldron Mercy Academy, a Catholic school in the Philadelphia area, was fired for being in a so-called same-sex marriage.

Date posted: 2015-09-06

Planned Parenthood, Caitlyn Bruce Jenner, and abstract debate

There appears to be much outrage within the pro-life movement about the latest development pertaining to Planned Parenthood. As someone who worked in the pro-life movement in years past and strongly supports it at present, I share that outrage. Planned Parenthood is an evil organization. Period.

Date posted: 2015-08-13

The evil of Planned Parenthood and pro-LGBT persecutors of Christians

New undercover footage shows Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted unborn children and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts...

Date posted: 2015-08-11

Same-sex 'marriage': Martin vs. Pavone

There have been numerous statements and articles written about the very disappointing (but not surprising) gay "marriage" ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court

Date posted: 2015-07-25

Bruce Jenner and the culture of insanity

Sadly, a large segment of our culture celebrates that which shouldn't be celebrated. Jenner needs compassion - he obviously has a significant mental affliction - but he certainly doesn't deserve an award for courage. There's nothing courageous about a man living as a woman.

Date posted: 2015-06-14

March 31, 2005

Ten years ago on March 31, Terri Schiavo died after 13 days of dehydration and starvation at a Florida hospice. Her murder remains a national tragedy.

Date posted: 2015-04-05

Battleground Indiana: Religious freedom vs. gay rights

Not surprisingly, the left is throwing an absolute hissy fit over Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signing into law the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. But for God-fearing and reasonable people, the law makes sense.

Date posted: 2015-04-05

Israel, America and the abortion holocaust

Many conservatives have been supportive of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his March 3 speech at a joint meeting of Congress was indicative of that support.

Date posted: 2015-03-22

Should abortion be treated as suicide...or murder?

Over the years, there have indeed been several abortionists who decided to leave their murderous "profession" thanks in part to the efforts of dedicated pro-life activists.

Date posted: 2015-02-05

Dr. King: 'the dream has wings'

People perish for lack of knowledge. Babies, mothers, and entire communities are perishing from the scourge of abortion. And yet people do not know the truth about abortion. It is the killing of innocent babies, and it inflicts misery upon the lives of vulnerable women.

Date posted: 2015-01-25

Mario Cuomo's Catholic funeral

Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo received a Catholic funeral despite his support of legalized abortion during his political career.

Date posted: 2015-01-25

The tragedy of Joshua/Leelah Alcorn's suicide

It's unfortunate, but not surprising, that Alcorn's suicide is being portrayed in the mainstream and social media as "a flashpoint for transgender progress."

Date posted: 2015-01-11

'The Pill' that gave birth to the culture of death

Published at the website of National Geographic (Dec. 18) is an interview with Jonathan Eig, author of The Birth of the Pill, a new book seemingly being fawned over by the secular media.

Date posted: 2014-12-24

The AmChurch train of scandal

The AmChurch train of scandal keeps rolling - and rolling - and rolling - along. It's been that way for many years, in fact. And it's been making countless "stops" in recent times.

Date posted: 2014-10-09

Pavone defends commentary on Robin Williams' death

Like many people, I reacted to the suicide of noted actor and comedian Robin Williams with sadness. He was a talented and entertaining man. A comedic genius.

Date posted: 2014-08-25

'Defending Marriage: Twelve Arguments for Sanity

The following is the prologue to Defending Marriage: Twelve Arguments for Sanity, by Anthony Esolen. Thanks to Saint Benedict Press for giving me permission to publish this excerpt in my column.

Date posted: 2014-07-27

'Making Gay Okay'

The following is the introduction to the recently-released book Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior Is Changing Everything, by Robert R. Reilly.

Date posted: 2014-05-11

The Holy See and the unholy UN; Pope Francis and usury

In typical pot-calling-the-kettle-black fashion, the morally corrupt, Antichrist-stage-setting United Nations - specifically, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child - has blasted the Holy See for its handling of the clergy abuse scandal. And it has blasted the Church for being, well ... Catholic.

Date posted: 2014-02-25

Pope Francis and the role of women in the Church

I recently asked a few Catholic women-friends of mine - who, incidentally, are far, far, far better Catholics than, say, Dick Durbin and Nancy Pelosi - to comment on Pope Francis' aforementioned Jan. 25 address to the Centro Italiano Femminile (Italian Women's Centre).

Date posted: 2014-02-25

'Heterosexuality is not a disease...'; Noted priests scold pro-abortion Cuomo

Normal sexuality - heterosexuality - is not a disease, yet legislation outlawing heterosexual counseling treats it as one. Promoted by the gay lobby, these bills take away the rights of minors to be treated for unwanted same-sex attractions by a licensed therapist. The bills usually cite a select list of mental health organizations to back up their dubious claims, choosing to ignore other organizations that say the contrary.

Date posted: 2014-02-23

Mandela; Pope Francis and abortion; Fisher More College

While we pray for the peaceful repose of President Mandela's immortal soul and the forgiveness of his sins, we can only regret that his noble defense of human dignity did not include the youngest members of our human family, unborn children.

Date posted: 2013-12-21

The ACLU sues the bishops; A priest's open letter to Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Wonders never cease: The pro-abortion American Civil Liberties Union is suing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops "alleging that the USCCB's directives prohibiting abortions in Catholic hospitals are equal to medical negligence.

Date posted: 2013-12-21

Morality and economics, Pope Francis, and Rush Limbaugh

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh isn't pleased with the document, calling it "pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope."

Date posted: 2013-12-01

Thoughts on ... 'exorcising' gay marriage; Medjugorje; Toronto's troubles

I applaud Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., for issuing a call for "prayers of supplication and exorcism in reparation for the sin of same-sex marriage" on Nov. 20.

Date posted: 2013-12-01

A gay subculture in the USCCB? Say it ain't so!

Although the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is indeed opposed to same-sex "marriage" - thank God - the following news item is troubling.

Date posted: 2013-12-01

'Right-wing' Catholics still support Pope Francis

Once again the secular media and Catholic blogosphere have been buzzing big-time about the latest papal interview in which Pope Francis seemingly downplays the Church's teachings on abortion, gay "marriage" and contraception - the key issues in our current culture war.

Date posted: 2013-09-21

Papal and priestly views on the Syrian crisis

Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting (Sept. 7) for peace in Syria: "Today, dear brothers and sisters, I wish to make add my voice to the cry which rises up with increasing anguish from every part of the world, from every people, from the heart of each person, from the one great family which is humanity: it is the cry for peace! It is a cry which declares with force: we want a peaceful world, we want to be men and women of peace, and we want in our society, torn apart by divisions and conflict, that peace break out! War never again! Never again war! Peace is a precious gift, which must be promoted and protected . . ."

Date posted: 2013-09-07

Operation iGuardian; Weakland's filthy legacy continues to haunt Milwaukee

Two hundred and fifty-five child predators were arrested and 61 victims of child sexual exploitation identified during a five-week operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces across the United States and its territories.

Date posted: 2013-07-31

The NAACP recognizes 'the right to life'--sort of; Lots of liberal 'love' in Massachusetts

When reading a June 14 story by The Associated Press regarding the George Zimmerman verdict (which was, all things considered, a just verdict), the following paragraph caught my attention:

Date posted: 2013-07-31

Embracing the womb of death

It gets tiresome to see the mainstream media constantly fawning over the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and now the staunchly pro-abortion Texas state senator Wendy Davis - all the while claiming to be objective, of course.

Date posted: 2013-07-07

Supporting priests in Boy Scout controversy

I commend Father Derek Lappe, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Bremerton, Wash., for ceasing his parish's support of the Boy Scouts of America due to the organization's recent decision to welcome openly homosexual Scouts.

Date posted: 2013-06-08

Priest 'boycotting' Boy Scouts; Cardinal Raymond Burke on 'Homosexuality and the Catholic Church'

From a Catholic spiritual understanding, homosexual attraction is a strong tendency toward a moral evil. In no case can it be approved. Even a young Scout with this condition can be helped. If, however, he declares this condition as his identity with the right to act on it, the other Scouts need to be protected from him and the influence of his ideation, any homosexual sexual touching or talk, or invitation to participate in or to accept this evil.

Date posted: 2013-05-26

In the news: IRS, breast cancer, abortion-infanticide; Pope Francis and Fatima

There's been some interesting news in the last several days involving the Internal Revenue Service (under fire for targeting conservative groups), abortion-infanticide (the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell), and breast cancer (an announcement by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie).

Date posted: 2013-05-19

The Gosnell trial and America's ambivalence about abortion

From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a 'criminal' practice, gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.

Date posted: 2013-05-19

The tragic reality of 'covert euthanasia'

Pope Francis has spoken about the tragic reality of "covert euthanasia." From a May 6, 2013 Catholic News Service story: While the fight to preserve life is often centered on abortion and capital punishment, the future Pope Francis also warned against a more subtle form of disregard for human dignity: what he called 'covert euthanasia.'

Date posted: 2013-05-19

Jason Collins, Tim Tebow and the culture war

Then we have the news that NBA player Jason Collins has announced he's gay. The mainstream media are, not surprisingly, gushing over him, even saying he's courageous for proclaiming his homosexuality to the world. But it appears that several NBA executives - speaking anonymously, of course - are far from certain that his career in the NBA will continue.

Date posted: 2013-05-04

The same-sex 'marriage,' contraception connection

That's when the Lambeth Conference - the nearest thing the world-wide Anglican Communion has to an ecumenical council - gave its approval to some instances of conjugal contraception. In doing so, it became the first significant religious body in Western civilization to contradict three thousand years of Judeo-Christian teaching, dating back to the Book of Genesis, that it is gravely immoral to deliberately deprive one's genital acts of their God-given procreative power.

Date posted: 2013-05-04

Catholic mother reflects on Gosnell case; Michigan: several abortion clinics have closed in last 18 months

The terrorist-abortionist, currently on trial, "faces 43 criminal counts, including eight counts of murder in the death of one patient, Karnamaya Monger, and seven newborn infants. Additional charges include conspiracy, drug delivery resulting in death, infanticide, corruption of minors, evidence tampering, theft by deception, abuse of corpse, and corruption."

Date posted: 2013-04-19

Discriminating against homosexual persons

In light of the recent story about a Christian florist who faces significant fines for refusing to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding, I asked Father John Trigilio Jr., author, theologian and president of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, to comment on the moral difference between unjust and just discrimination against homosexual persons.

Date posted: 2013-04-18

Gay 'Day of Silence' in public schools

On Friday, April 19, 2013, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is once again exploiting public schools to promote homosexuality and gender confusion as moral and normative through the political protest called the Day of Silence.

Date posted: 2013-04-18

So what's wrong with 'gay rights'?

Besides the issue of same-sex marriage, which we God-fearing persons know is detrimental to the common good, as well as adoption by homosexual unions, which the Vatican asserted "would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development", the realm of "gay rights" has become alarmingly prevalent in recent years, to the point where a small segment of the population - two or three percent, maybe slightly higher - is now a protected and even revered class.

Date posted: 2013-04-18

Biden, Pelosi, sacrilege, and the GOP free fall

Sadly, but not surprisingly, Vice President Joe Biden and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, two prominent pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage "Catholics," received Holy Communion at the inauguration Mass for Pope Francis.

Date posted: 2013-04-18

The church and graphic abortion images

Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society, said, 'We are very hopeful that the Supreme Court will hear our appeal and put an end to such persistent efforts by government officials to wield the censor's scissors to suppress vital pro-life speech. Photos are anathema to pro-abortion advocates because they expose the grim truth that abortion is both repulsive and grisly. If America insists on abortion rights, it must face up to these ugly results.'

Date posted: 2013-03-16

Catholic hospital: unborn child is not a person; Diocesan-paid abortions?

We Christian pro-lifers are rightly in "battle mode" with the Obama administration; however, it's clear that we still need to clean up our own house, so to speak.

Date posted: 2013-02-17

Priest: Boy Scouts should keep gays out

Regarding the brouhaha over the Boy Scouts possibly accepting leaders who identify as gay or lesbian, I've asked Father Richard Perozich, a priest of the Diocese of San Diego, for his take on the matter. Father's comments are as follows. (For those who might be wondering, I fully agree with his analysis.)

Date posted: 2013-02-17

Abortion and the cannibal; Bitter Twitter spittle battle

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the abominable Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions that have led to the slaughter of more than 53 million tiny innocent human beings, I thought I'd highlight an interesting anecdote from Monica Migliorino Miller's excellent book Abandoned: The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars.

Date posted: 2013-01-17

Promoting conjugal chastity and NFP

That is what needs to be shared as widely as possible, and we have a plan to do so - teach the classic Triple Strand form of NFP via the internet as widely as we can. Almost every parish in the country is underserved when it comes to obtaining these gifts, and we need to do what we can. Since we have only a couple of handfuls of Teaching Couples and they are seriously underused by their parishes, it makes sense to focus on the Web-based NFPI Home Study course.

Date posted: 2012-12-13

Terrance Williams on death row

Recently I saw a newspaper item that troubled me deeply. I'm asking you [directed to the reader's friends] to write to the governor of Pennsylvania to ask for clemency for Terrance 'Terry' Williams, currently on death row. I've never written about a thing like this before, and I'm not opposed to the death penalty in all cases. But I believe Williams in no way deserves this awful punishment.

Date posted: 2012-12-13

On the 'fiscal cliff,' same-sex 'marriage' controversies

This philosophy, which is a product of the Enlightenment, essentially holds that law is whatever any society chooses to make as law. There are no restraints upon the content of laws other than those a society imposes upon itself. If enough people decide abortion should be legal, it should be legal. If enough people support a new definition of marriage, the law has a new definition of marriage.

Date posted: 2012-12-13

Abortion: a matter of religious freedom?

What is the best response to abortion advocates who have asserted, and may assert even more boldly in the near future, that abortion is a 'religious right'; that outlawing or even restricting abortion in any way is a violation of religious freedom?

Date posted: 2012-10-23

'Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves'

In my life and work, I can honestly say that I've experienced hundreds of these stunning moments. One by one, they called out to me to take the lesson: decide to love; decide to give; try mightily to learn the truth; then leap. It is my outsized hope that the stories offered by the women in this book will help you to understand that there is abundant life and freedom on this path.

Date posted: 2012-10-23

Women's misogynistic health care

I asked Chris Kahlenborn, M.D., Anthony Caruso, M.D., and Brian Clowes, Ph.D., to comment on the aforementioned study and its promotion in the mainstream media. Their responses (slightly edited) are as follows.

Date posted: 2012-10-23

Do you 'believe in' the devil?

The devil never sleeps - even if you don't believe in him. Or, more accurately, recognize his existence and (evil) works.

Date posted: 2012-10-09

Martini and modernism

Pope Saint Pius X thought the Modernist phenomenon raised such an urgent problem back in 1907 that he wrote it must be addressed 'without delay ... especially by the fact that the partisans of error are to be sought not only among the Church's open enemies; but, what is to be most dreaded and deplored, in her very bosom.' (Pascendi, par. 2) Cardinal Martini was not even born yet when those words were written (in 1907), but that magnificent, saintly pope was still prophesying about him and his like.

Date posted: 2012-10-09

Peaceful pro-lifers perplexed by police

I spoke with Rilott today. It's now been two weeks since the assault against him, and the Rockford Police still have not contacted him. So this morning, he called the Rockford Police Detective Bureau to find out the status of the investigation - and he was told that his case has not yet been assigned to a detective.

Date posted: 2012-09-25

On outlawing abortion, contraception, and sodomy

The civil government has the authority and the obligation to enact laws prohibiting abortion, contraception and sodomy as these are harmful to the individual as well as to society. Government - be it a democratic republic, monarchy, and so on - exists for one purpose: to protect the common good. When someone says you cannot legislate morality, they are correct. The law does not create the moral imperative; it must honor and respect it. The natural moral law, known by reason, tells the human intellect what is good (and therefore ought to be done) and what is evil (and therefore to be avoided).

Date posted: 2012-09-21

Priest experiences gay activists' 'tolerance'

Father Gerald O'Reilly, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and devoted defender of the unborn, recently prayed the rosary among several homosexual activists who were picketing a Chick-fil-A restaurant.

Date posted: 2012-09-18

Homosexual parenting

A groundbreaking study reveals that adult children of homosexual and lesbian parents experience far greater negative social, economic and emotional outcomes than children raised within intact biological families.

Date posted: 2012-07-24

More on the divorce-annulment controversy

My opinion that the divorce-annulment establishment in the United States is in need of major reforms is based primarily on the fact that a high percentage of cases from America are reversed by the Roman Rota, coupled with the fact that before a person can petition a Tribunal for a declaration of invalidity, the person must first obtain a civil divorce.

Date posted: 2012-06-14

Priests comment on 'openly gay' student, same-sex 'marriage' controversies

Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.

Date posted: 2012-06-02

The tragedy of suicide

The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 36,909 suicide deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2009. This latest rise places suicide again as the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. Nationally, the suicide rate increased 2.4 percent over 2008 to equal approximately 12.0 suicides per 100,000 people. The rate of suicide has been increasing since 2000. This is the highest rate of suicide in fifteen years.

Date posted: 2012-05-26

Noted priest: Come November, Catholics should vote for...

Legally and morally speaking, as a Catholic priest and pastor, I cannot and will not tell my parishioners (or anyone, for that matter) who they should vote for in an election. I can say who I myself will choose in the voting booth, but I won't since we have a wonderful tradition in the United States of the secret ballot. Nevertheless, as an ordained priest of the Catholic Church and as a pastor of two parishes, I can and must inform my people of the principles they need to know and use in their selection of a candidate.

Date posted: 2012-04-21

Healing sexual wounds

This image captures something of the beauty of the healing that is promised to each of us in Christ Jesus. Indeed, we are promised healing, but we may be surprised to find that the gift of wholeness will be routed in and through our wounds. This, of course, should come as no surprise at all, for the way to greatness for all Christians is in the imitation of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is the hallmark of Christian spirituality that "by his wounds we are healed" (Is 53:5 NIV).

Date posted: 2012-04-21

Priest to parishioners: oppose IVF clinic

Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral. These techniques (heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization) infringe the child's right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses' 'right to become a father and a mother only through each other.' (CCC no. 2376)

Date posted: 2012-04-10

A lesbian's wrath

A parish priest in Maryland, who denied communion to a woman who identified herself as a lesbian, has been publicly rebuked by the Archdiocese of Washington. Barbara Johnson attended her mother's funeral last Saturday and introduced her lesbian partner to the priest before Mass.

Date posted: 2012-03-06

Tackling the 'taboo': Catholicism and divorce

Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death. Divorce does injury to the covenant of salvation, of which sacramental marriage is the sign.

Date posted: 2012-03-06

Kinsey and 'Sexual Sabotage'

One need only look around to see the disastrous effects of the so-called sexual revolution: pornography at every turn, widespread sexual abuse, rampant promiscuity, abortion, adultery, grossly immodest fashions, people living in and celebrating fornicatory and homosexual relationships, and people who have died as a result of engaging in a deviant (and dangerous) sexual practice known as autoerotic asphyxiation. Judith A. Reisman, Ph.D., is a noted researcher and author who has battled the vast sex industry and has exposed the true and terrible legacy of one of the sexual revolution's chief architects, Alfred Kinsey.

Date posted: 2012-02-12

Overpopulation? Climate change?

As the nations of Europe know too well, the problem is not how to avoid having too many people on Earth, but how to deal with the fallout from population decline. Russia and Japan are already in net negative population decline and are in a panic because incentives for their citizens to have children are not working.

Date posted: 2011-11-05

Human trafficking: the new slavery

Earlier this year, I attended a talk given by Sister Jean Okroi, IBVM, on the evil of human trafficking. Quite an eye-opener, I must say. Sister has graciously provided me with some written information on the subject.

Date posted: 2011-08-25

Pregnancy resource centers and praising God

Most pro-lifers know about the very important work that pregnancy resource centers do on a regular basis: They save babies from abortion and help mothers in crisis situations - and do so relying solely on the generosity of private donors. There are a number of such centers scattered about the U.S., and they all have that same noble mission.

Date posted: 2011-06-23

John Paul II's influence on birth control encyclical, pro-life movement

'John Paul II had a great devotion to this avocation of Jesus based on the revelations to St. Faustina Kowalska. His title of glory is his constant and integral defense of life and family, following the teaching of Saint Paul. For those of us who have received a call from the Lord to defend life and family, his beatification is a profoundly encouraging gesture of the Church, affirming the fundamental importance of our work.

Date posted: 2011-05-10

Pro-life hospice care

Below is an edited e-mail in response to my April 1 column on hospice care. It's followed by a response from Ron Panzer, president of the strongly pro-life Hospice Patients Alliance.

Date posted: 2011-04-15

Catholic nurse recounts hospice horror, says doctor euthanized priest

In recent days, Panzer received the following (edited) e-mail from registered nurse and Illinoisan Wendy Ludwig, who recounts the horror of witnessing the euthanizing of an elderly Catholic priest.

Date posted: 2011-04-10

Planned Parenthood's predator problem

I have nothing but contempt for Planned Parenthood and all that it stands for. Not that I believe every person associated with the abortion giant is evil - some are simply misguided and need our prayers (and, praise Jesus, Abby Johnson has converted to the pro-life movement) - but Planned Parenthood's agenda is definitely evil.

Date posted: 2011-02-28

We Were Given What Angels and Archangels Could Not Receive

Psalm 78 begins by the psalmist speaking to the reader about the glories of God's action in the lives of His people.It is God's command that we make known to these things to our children so that they do might place their hope in Him and never forget what He has done for us.

Date posted: 2010-12-28

Bravo, Bishop Olmsted!; Archbishop Dolan defends Catholic League

In this case, the baby was healthy and there were no problems with the pregnancy; rather, the mother had a disease that needed to be treated. But instead of treating the disease, St. Joseph's medical staff and ethics committee decided that the healthy, 11-week-old baby should be directly killed.

Date posted: 2010-12-28

'Heroic Media': helping to build a culture of life

The following is a brief e-mail interview I recently conducted with Kimberly Guidry Speirs, director of communication for Heroic Media. Matt C. Abbott: Would you give my readers an overview of Heroic Media Å\ its mission and background?

Date posted: 2010-12-15

Kids: Keep Infants with Down Syndrome

We can't ignore the abortion rate while insisting that our children are addressed in respectful terms and expect fundamental changes in society. We must attack the problem at its root - where our children are fundamentally rejected for who they are - and not respond with shallow window dressing. Then, pejorative language will fade away, without any legislation needed, as the amazing personalities and unique sensibilities of our children enrich society.

Date posted: 2010-11-23

Pro-life media relations

Is it possible for pro-lifers to get such coverage? And should pro-life organizations at least attempt to build a positive relationship with the mainstream media? Yes to both questions, says Tom Ciesielka, president of TC Public Relations.

Date posted: 2010-11-08

Homosexuality, reparative therapy, and the Jewish community

As the homosexuality debate rages among Christians (although it shouldn't, given the clear teachings of Sacred Scripture and the natural law), said debate also seems to be taking more prominence in the Jewish community.

Date posted: 2010-11-08

Catholics sound off on the homosexualist agenda, modest dress

Navigating your children and the formation of their Faith seems easier when you don't have such obstacles and false teaching authorities within the Church.

Date posted: 2010-10-09

The homosexualist agenda in Catholic schools

The homosexualist agenda is not just infiltrating public schools. It's infiltrating Catholic schools as well.

Date posted: 2010-10-08

Joseph Farah is right about the homosexualist agenda...

If you're pro-life, pro-family and a true conservative, you'll want no part of the pro-sodomy crowd. (Please note that I'm not referring to those with the homosexual inclination who are struggling to live chaste lives; rather, I'm referring to those who promote homosexual activity as morally acceptable.)

Date posted: 2010-09-16

Wannabe a state executioner?

"Unlike abortion, which is intrinsically evil in every situation, capital punishment is a natural right of the state. Like war, however, the death penalty is not an absolute right. Both have significant restrictions and criteria in order for them to be done morally. Otherwise, both can be as immoral as murder or abortion if no attention is given to following the moral parameters established by the natural law and the Magisterium."

Date posted: 2010-08-27

Good Catholic, good Jew say: Gay, per se, ain't good!

In his book Light in the Closet, Arthur Goldberg presents the teaching of Torah Judaism concerning homosexuality and the kinds of behavior it commands. A Torah scholar of Orthodox Jewish theology and a certified counselor who works with men and women struggling with sexual confusion, the author demonstrates his grasp not only of psychological theory but also of pastoral practice.

Date posted: 2010-08-17

'The Impact of Homosexual Parenting'

Dawn Stefanowicz, author of the book "Out from Under: The Impact of Homosexual Parenting", has an important story to tell, particularly at a time when the homosexual lobby is making significant inroads into family life. Yes, there are, sad to say, a number of bad parents who are heterosexual. But homosexual parenting, like homosexual "marriage," is not a good thing.

Date posted: 2010-07-19

Sexual Sabotage

One need only "look around" to see the disastrous effects of the so-called sexual revolution: pornography at every turn, rampant promiscuity and venereal disease, grossly immodest fashions, widespread abortion and contraception, adultery, a high divorce rate, people living in and celebrating fornicatory and homosexual relationships, and a number of people (including, in the last few years, an actor and two Catholic seminarians) who have died as a result of engaging in a deviant sexual practice known as autoerotic asphyxiation.

Date posted: 2010-07-10

Quiet Euthanasia

Hundreds of thousands of patients are killed in the world each year in this manner, and no police or district attorney will act to investigate or prosecute.

Date posted: 2010-05-21

An uplifting story about love and marriage

The other day while looking through some Facebook posts, I came across what I think is a very thoughtful and inspiring reflection by Mary Cate Bratcher of South Carolina. Mary Cate was responding to someone on my "friends list" who's been struggling with issues regarding romantic relationships.

Date posted: 2010-03-29

The effects of divorce on children

With all of these negatives for children of divorce, parents should think twice before they give up on their marriage. If they only knew from the start the disaster their divorce would inflict on themselves, their children and their grandchildren, perhaps they would willing to go the extra mile and try with every ounce of their strength, and much prayer, to work things out. As Christians, we have the obligation to gently warn them of the terrible effects of divorce on children, and do all in our power to be "marriage savers."

Date posted: 2009-12-24

Pro-life (dis)unity

One area of disagreement is over the use of graphic abortion photos. Some pro-lifers believe they have a place in the movement, but others, like Sister Anne Flanagan, a Daughter of St. Paul, don't... Another area of disagreement among pro-lifers is that of contraception. Catholic pro-lifers (faithful Catholics, not the dissenters) are opposed to it entirely, as it's an intrinsic evil but some Protestant pro-lifers are "neutral" on or even supportive of contraception, particularly barrier contraception. I should point out, though, that the majority of pro-lifers are indeed opposed to abortifacient birth control... Then there's the debate over whether women who procure abortions should be put in prison if and when abortion is criminalized.

Date posted: 2009-12-15

'Homosexuality and the Catholic Church'

The following are substantial excerpts from the book "Homosexuality and the Catholic Church", authored by Father John Harvey. The book's Foreword, written by Archbishop Raymond Burke, is quite good, as is the second lengthy excerpt on the spiritual cancer of pornography - something that plagues many heterosexual men (and women, to a lesser degree) as well as those who suffer from same-sex attraction.

Date posted: 2009-12-05

Did San Francisco nurse kill her patient?; 'Have we lost our outrage?'

It concerns a patient at Coming Home Hospice who died after a nurse took it upon herself to administer large doses of Atropine without a physician's orders. The nurse admitted to this in a videotaped deposition which was included in the TV station's story and appears online.

Date posted: 2009-07-30

'The UnChoice'

Misleading stereotypes about 'choice' close the hearts of many toward this issue. When people are presented with 'The UnChoice' message - when they come to understand that abortion is an injustice, abuse and risk to many women and girls (not all, but it's surprisingly prevalent), and that the aftermath of these often unwanted abortions for them is heartbreaking loss, grief and a significant risk of injury and death - this is often a less controversial bridge to this issue.

Date posted: 2009-07-28

Obama praised Bernardin -- go figure

In his speech at the University of Notre Dame, President Obama praised the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, the patron saint (ahem) of Catholic dissenters and, it seems, pro-abortion non-Catholics as well. Oh, and those in their "seamless garments" seeking the proverbial "common ground."

Date posted: 2009-05-18

Christopher West, Hugh Hefner, and the 'Theology of the Body' controversy

Christopher West, perhaps the most well-known promoter of John Paul II's Theology of the Body, said on ABC's Nightline, "I actually see very profound historical connections between Hugh Hefner and John Paul II."

Date posted: 2009-05-09

Plan B and the 'contraception will reduce abortions' myth

With the news that the FDA will now allow the "morning-after" pill, known as Plan B, to be sold over-the-counter to 17-year-old girls, I'm sure the abortion lobby - which includes most of the mainstream media - will continue to spread disinformation that a) Plan B is a contraceptive that will reduce the need for abortions, and b) the increased availability of contraceptives such as Plan B will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thus abortions.

Date posted: 2009-04-27

Register editor responds to columns; A new pro-life Web site; A seminarian and condoms

Tom Hoopes, executive editor of the National Catholic Register, sent me the following e-mail in response to my Dec. 1 and Nov. 30 columns.

Date posted: 2009-04-25

Father Euteneuer: Legion has 'lost it'

The Legion of Christ priest who defended Sean Hannity's dissent on birth control on Fox News last year was bad enough, but the editorial in the National Catholic Register after the election shows that the Legionaries have allowed another misguided agent to speak in their name and on their watch.

Date posted: 2009-04-25

Priest blasts Register, Legionaries; 'Margaret Sanger, an American Adolph Hitler'

Father James Farfaglia, a priest of the Corpus Christi, Tex., Catholic diocese, was appalled by a Nov. 5 editorial in the National Catholic Register, a publication owned by the Legionaries of Christ.

Date posted: 2009-04-25

A young father's pro-life awakening; Will the anti-contraception clergy please stand up?

The following is an unedited, heartfelt account of a past abortion experience and subsequent pro-life conversion of young father Timashion Jones. It comes from pro-life activist-professor-author Monica Migliorino Miller, founder of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society.

Date posted: 2009-04-25

How the Zeitgeist Affected the Catholic Church in the U.S. After Vatican II

The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, held from 1962 to 1965 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, had as its objectives to seek the renewal of the Catholic Church and to modernize its forms and institutions. Unfortunately, during and after the Council, the Zeitgeist - the German term for "spirit of the age" - was largely responsible for the decline in certain key aspects of the Catholic Church in the U.S.

Date posted: 2004-12-05

Good Healthcare for Married Women and their Families

NaProTechnology works with women's health in a way that seeks to discover the underlying causes of abnormalities and then treats those causes that it does not either suppress or destroy the reproductive system.

Date posted: 2004-08-02

Crisis Pregnancy Centers Are Truly "Pro-Woman"

While most abortions are procured for selfish reasons, a significant number of abortion-seeking women do choose life for their babies when provided with loving alternatives.

Date posted: 2004-05-15

Abortion, Breast Cancer, and a Better Focus

I think it's time we right-to-life advocates focus primarily on the morality of the abortion procedure. Abortion kills an innocent human being; hence, it should be outlawed by the government, whose main duty is to protect the common good and thus the fundamental right to life, from conception/fertilization until natural death.

Date posted: 2004-05-14

"NFP or Bust!"

No faithful Catholic should fail to realize the damage contraception has inflicted on our society. Sadly, however, most Catholics (80-90%) practice this intrinsic evil. But there is a solution: We need to promote Natural Family Planning (NFP); and in doing so, we need to explain what NFP is and dispel the notion that NFP is tantamount to using contraception.

Date posted: 2004-05-10

The morality of prenatal diagnosis

Prenatal diagnosis (also known as prenatal genetic testing) — procedures such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and ultrasonography — in and of itself, is not evil. But it can be evil if the intention of undergoing such testing is to procure an abortion if the unborn child is determined to be "defective."

Date posted: 2004-05-10