B.C. Catholic ready for Archdiocesan Conference

November boasts womanly theme

Pope Francis touches the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the start of Mass in honor of Mary at the Vatican Oct. 13. The Pope entrusted the world to Mary at the end of the Mass. Paul Haring / CNS.

Women of the Archdiocese are invited to the inaugural Archdiocesan Women's Conference. The day promises to be one of inspiration and information for Catholic women. 

"The role of women in the Church is not only maternity; the mother of the family, but it’s stronger: it is, in fact, the icon of the Virgin, of Our Lady, the one who helps the Church grow!" said Pope Francis when returning from Brazil.

Teresa Tomeo, author, syndicated Catholic talk show host, and motivational speaker; Therese Polakovic, Founder and Executive Director of the study program Endow; and Cheridan Sanders of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation will be speaking.

The B.C. Catholic will be running a women's special celebrating the women of our archdiocese in its issue dated Nov. 4.

The conference will be held Nov. 23 from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. More information and tickets to the conference are available online.

American insurance providers offer confusing logic

The unborn are members of the household – sometimes

U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Pay Our Military Act which ensures armed forces workers will continue operations during government shutdown. White House / Pete Souza.

To offset the cost of Obamacare, at least two health care exchanges are encouraging the enrolment of healthy Americans, even if they are not yet born.

“Unborn children are counted as members of her household, so this information helps determine if she is eligible for help with health care costs,” according to the website of Access Health CT, Connecticut's official health insurance provider. “Medicaid also has rules to help pregnant women.”

In Massachusetts, Health Connector asks, "How many people are in your family? (Include unborn child(ren) if someone is pregnant.)"

The Catholic Anchor reports that the Charlotte Lozier Institute has found the number of taxpayer-funded abortions could increase by 111,500 in one year under health-care law. Under the current act, many pro-life Americans may unknowingly pay for abortion coverage. Obamacare could force taxpayers to fund 10 per cent of abortions each year.

It is clear that insurance plans are flexible, they are willing to pay for a baby's health or death.

Read the full article from Catholic Anchor.

Non-physician abortion bill signed into law

California Governor Jerry Brown lowers barriers to abortions

Governor Jerry Brown. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images.

Governor Brown has signed two pro-abortion bills. One, AB 154, allows first-trimester surgical abortions by midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The other, AB 980, repeals building code provisions applicable to facilities providing surgical abortions. As a result, abortion clinics can now evade building standards.

AB 154 follows a period of testing non-physician abortions. The results of the study showed a complication rate twice that of abortions performed by physicians. However, the figures are hazy because Planned Parenthood refused the requests of evaluators for patient records, offering Planned Parenthood abstracts instead.

Life Legal Defense Foundation questions the decision. In 1997 the California Supreme Court ruled that physicians could not perform abortions on minors without informed consent for the procedure. AB 154 now allows minors to get abortions from non-physicians.

Indeed, the combination of AB 154 and AB 980 being enacted in the same session seems to cry out for an answer to the question: What was wrong with those “back-alley” abortions that abortion proponents kept referencing to argue for the legalization of abortion? Wasn’t it that they were done by midwives and the like, not doctors, in unsafe, non-medical settings?

Read the full post on the Life Legal Defense Foundation website.

Pro-Lifer attacked by armed man

Knight of Columbus rushes to aid

Josue Gauron in Knight of Columbus regalia. Lifesitenews.com.

"As I was crossing the street, that's when the guy saw the opportunity to attack me," said Faye Arellano.

Arellano was participating in a Life Chain event on Oct 9 in Toronto when she walked away from her group and was assaulted by a man. She was doused with water from a bottle that was then hurled at her face, grabbed by the hair, slammed to the ground, punched, and kicked. As Arellano screamed for someone to call the police, the man, identified as Michael Panagapko, pulled out a knife.

She credits 60-year-old Knight of Columbus Josue Gauron as the man who came to her rescue. While preparing to take a photo of his brother knights he heard shouting and saw Arellano thrown to the ground.

"My only thought was to keep the woman free from the man's reach," Gauron said.

Read the full story on Elizabeth Sutcliffe's blog and on Lifesitenews.com.

China staggers under abortion numbers

Rate about five times that of the U.S.

A young Chinese mother looks up at the ceiling in the maternity ward of Guangzhou's Taihe Hospital. James Pomfret / Reuters.

China's National Health and Family Planning Commission has new data indicating 13 million surgical abortions occur in the country every year. The number does not include medically induced abortions or procedures conducted in unlicensed clinics.

While the one-child policy continues to be part of the reason for the high number, some critics claim it is due to lack of contraceptive education.

Read the full story from Time.

Journalist explains Obamacare fix

U.S. ignores proposed Health Care Conscience Rights Act

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, one of the writers of H.R. 490. Official photo.

U.S. journalist Sheila Liaugminas writes for Mercatornet.com that the bill "took some House members a lot of work and effort to pressure Speaker John Boehner into standing up for.”

The point of dispute is H.R. 940, also known as the Health Care Conscience Rights Act. The Act makes a change to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, by protecting individuals, employers, and health-insurance issuers from having to purchase or offer health insurance that includes abortion or other items or services to which they have a moral or religious objection.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged both houses of Congress to stand for conscience rights by enacting H.R. 940 just a few days before the U.S. government shut down.

Liaugminas presents startling facts about the impasse within the House of Representatives and the findings of the Charlotte Lozier Institute: “Americans will be complicit in the deaths of thousands of unborn children each year.”

Read the full article here.

Blogger tries to make sense of Tina Fey

Vice president of New Wave Feminists frustrated by 'fauxminists'

liveactionnews.org

While Tina is a role model for women in so many ways, she is a "fauxminist," claims blogger Kristen Walker Hatten of New Wave Feminists.

I don’t know if she intended to make my head explode from the combustive combination of irony and hypocrisy, but it did. It exploded.

Hatten expresses her disappointment over the promises of "fauxminism" or radical feminism, where women are allowed to be just as bad as men instead of demanding respect for her femininity. 

In particular, Hatten calls into question the character Fey espouses in her hit “30 Rock,” where the fauxminist lifestyle leads to unfulfilled hopes. A relatable and funny part of the small screen story line, but as Hatten points out, also a hard-hitting reality for many women.

Tackling Fey’s comments on abortion, Hatten examines the contradictions in very common pro-abortion arguments.

Read the full post here.

New musical remembers beloved Pope

Blessed Pope John Paul II to get his own musical

Getty Image Files / London Daily Telegraph.

Karol Wojtyla: The True Story is due to hit the stage in 2014.

Nick Squires reports for the London Daily Telegraph that the musical covers the part of the Pope's life from Nazi-occupied Poland to his pontificate. 

The musical’s Italian debut is slated for January. Producers hope to move the show to Rome in time for Blessed John Paul’s canonization.

The score was written by Israeli singer Noa, who knew the late Pope and sang for him in St. Peter's Square.

Read the full story.

U.K. honours assassinated Archbishop

Representatives of other Christian denominations participate

Vatican Radio.

Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen reports that on Thursday, Sept. 19, a new cross and reliquary was dedicated to Oscar Romero in Southwark, London, U.K.

A Salvadorian cross was dedicated to Archbishop Romero, containing a skull cap and a fragment of the blood-stained alb he wore on the day of his assassination.

The memorial is significant to the large Latin American community in London and holds special ecumenical importance. As a man of God, Archbishop Romero has inspired people of other faiths.

Representatives of other Christian denominations joined in the services to remember Archbishop Romero's life.

Archbishop Romero, Servant of God, was the former Archbishop of San Salvador. He was shot dead while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980.

Read the full story at Vatican Radio.

Journalist reflects on papal interview

Kathryn Jean Lopez challenges Catholics

Pope Francis. America magazine.

Kathryn Jean Lopez reflects on the reactions elicited by Pope Francis's exclusive interview with America.

Recalling an Ignatian reflection, Lopez reminds readers that the Pope's message is the same as what the Church has taught for centuries.

Lopez observes that many people have found some of the Pope's words "disturbing" and points out that the Gospels were also unsettling. Catholics must learn to be radical to follow Christ.

Read the full post on Patheos.

Taizé in Vancouver

An inter-denominational prayer event with a young adult focus

Publicity poster for the Taizé event.

With the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster and the United Church’s B.C. Conference,  the Archdiocese of Vancouver is bringing Taizé events led by Brother Emile of Taizé, France, to Vancouver. 

A learning workshop has already been held. Two upcoming events will be held at two churches, beginning with an all-day young adult Taizé conference at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver.

“It’s exciting we’re targeting young adults,” said Gerard Garcia, Parish Youth and Young Adult Ministry consultant for the Archdiocese of Vancouver. “We need more opportunities in Vancouver to reconnect young adults with their faith.” 

The event will take place this Saturday, Sept.  28, from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, followed by the third event, an all-ages gathering at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrews-Wesley United Church.

More information is available here.

Missionary serves needy in Guadalajara

Project Brotherhood completes four-month Mexican trip

Project Brotherhood hard at work on their mission.

In a special for The B.C. Catholic, Anthony Chung remembers his mission trip to Guadalajara with Project Brotherhood. Heartened by the generosity shown to members of Project Brotherhood by Vancouverites and Guadalajara locals, he reflects on the impact of missionary work and sacrifice.

A recent missionary trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, was one of the most rewarding events of my life.

It all began last November, when I noticed an ad in our parish bulletin. Project Brotherhood was looking for volunteers. In light of the Year of Faith and the constant urging of Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, to serve those in need, I signed up.

I was brought up in Hong Kong. Catholic missionaries from all over the world taught me and strengthened my faith. This year I celebrated the 50th anniversary of my baptism. I was excited to think that at this stage of my life I could join a group of young adults and volunteers to serve a community in a foreign land.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.