Being the oldest of 11, I am so thankful, especially now, for my Mom and Dad saying "yes" to life! Growing up, we never had a ton of money. My Dad was a high school chemistry teacher and my parents decided from the beginning that they wanted to have one of them home with us. My mom gave up her teaching career, and raised me, followed by 10 others! My Mom also taught all 11 of us at home for part of our childhood before we would head off to Nativity Catholic Grade School. My Dad worked long hours, eventually earning other degrees so that he could first become dean, then principal, and finally, when I was a sophomore, he was named Roncalli High School's first president. My Dad and Mom both sacrificed SO MUCH for us.
I remember, even as a young person, getting stared at by people, and I remember the comments they would make. I can still hear a dental receptionist asking my Mom "Are these all yours? You know how children are made right?" followed by a real insidious but ditzy chuckle, followed by a secretarial gum crackle. My Mom and Dad were always tight budget wise, and I'm sure at times ached with a desire to not have to take bags of clothes from other families so that we could have clothes. I'm sure my Mom and Dad had desires to simply go to Nordstrom and by us and give us all our own new clothes and Gameboys and Reebok Pumps etc. I'm sure they at times really wished they could just get a new car and not have to drive a fifteen passenger van around. I'm sure at times they wanted really badly to just go to a restaurant and sick back and enjoy a big expensive meal instead of having to cut coupons and craft together economic meals on the stove.
But they chose life for us, and they chose sacrifice for themselves.
I often think about that ditzy secretary now when our family gets together almost every weekend for dinner and laughs and to hang out. Some of the siblings might be out of town or busy with other obligations, but inevitably, all weekend long, every weekend, our family gets together. Sometimes, when we're out at a restaraunt, I see the couples who are alone with each other. They hardly talk to each other and the loneliness is palpable. A part of me feels bad that we're having so much fun with our 8 tables shoved together, telling stories, laughing good hearty and healthy laughs. Sometimes I wonder if one of the couples sitting in the restaurant quietly and solemnly is that dental secretary - who now has piles of money and can eat wherever she wants, but doesn't have hardly anyone to share it with. My heart breaks for the people who are alone, especially the ones who are alone because, when they could have been having children, they instead bought into the contraception lie and lived for themselves only.
I have a say today, and so do my ten younger brothers and sisters, because my parents chose life. Mom and Dad - thanks a million!!!
A collection of voices expressing thanks that their parents chose life and are thus able to stand up and say "I have a say!!"
I Have A Say Thanks to My Mom and Dad!!!
Being the oldest of 11, I am so thankful, especially now, for my Mom and Dad saying "yes" to life! Growing up, we never had a ton of money. My Dad was a high school chemistry teacher and my parents decided from the beginning that they wanted to have one of them home with us. My mom gave up her teaching career, and raised me, followed by 10 others! My Mom also taught all 11 of us at home for part of our childhood before we would head off to Nativity Catholic Grade School. My Dad worked long hours, eventually earning other degrees so that he could first become dean, then principal, and finally, when I was a sophomore, he was named Roncalli High School's first president. My Dad and Mom both sacrificed SO MUCH for us.
I remember, even as a young person, getting stared at by people, and I remember the comments they would make. I can still hear a dental receptionist asking my Mom "Are these all yours? You know how children are made right?" followed by a real insidious but ditzy chuckle, followed by a secretarial gum crackle. My Mom and Dad were always tight budget wise, and I'm sure at times ached with a desire to not have to take bags of clothes from other families so that we could have clothes. I'm sure my Mom and Dad had desires to simply go to Nordstrom and buy us and give us all our own new clothes and Gameboys and Reebok Pumps etc. I'm sure they at times really wished they could just get a new car and not have to drive a fifteen passenger van around. I'm sure at times they wanted really badly to just go to a restaurant and sit back and enjoy a big expensive meal instead of having to cut coupons and craft together economic meals on the stove.
But they chose life for us, and they chose sacrifice for themselves.
I often think about that ditzy secretary now when our family gets together almost every weekend for dinner to laugh and hang out. Some of the siblings might be out of town or busy with other obligations, but inevitably, all weekend long, every weekend, our family gets together. Sometimes, when we're out at a restaraunt, I see the couples who are alone with each other. They hardly talk to each other and the loneliness is palpable. A part of me feels bad that we're having so much fun with our 8 tables shoved together, telling stories, laughing good hearty and healthy laughs. Sometimes I wonder if one of the couples sitting in the restaurant quietly and solemnly is that dental secretary - who now has piles of money and can eat wherever she wants, but doesn't have hardly anyone to share it with. My heart breaks for the people who are alone, especially the ones who are alone because, when they could have been having children, they instead bought into the contraception lie and lived for themselves only.
I have a say today, and so do my ten younger brothers and sisters, because my parents chose life. Mom and Dad - thanks a million!!!
I remember, even as a young person, getting stared at by people, and I remember the comments they would make. I can still hear a dental receptionist asking my Mom "Are these all yours? You know how children are made right?" followed by a real insidious but ditzy chuckle, followed by a secretarial gum crackle. My Mom and Dad were always tight budget wise, and I'm sure at times ached with a desire to not have to take bags of clothes from other families so that we could have clothes. I'm sure my Mom and Dad had desires to simply go to Nordstrom and buy us and give us all our own new clothes and Gameboys and Reebok Pumps etc. I'm sure they at times really wished they could just get a new car and not have to drive a fifteen passenger van around. I'm sure at times they wanted really badly to just go to a restaurant and sit back and enjoy a big expensive meal instead of having to cut coupons and craft together economic meals on the stove.
But they chose life for us, and they chose sacrifice for themselves.
I often think about that ditzy secretary now when our family gets together almost every weekend for dinner to laugh and hang out. Some of the siblings might be out of town or busy with other obligations, but inevitably, all weekend long, every weekend, our family gets together. Sometimes, when we're out at a restaraunt, I see the couples who are alone with each other. They hardly talk to each other and the loneliness is palpable. A part of me feels bad that we're having so much fun with our 8 tables shoved together, telling stories, laughing good hearty and healthy laughs. Sometimes I wonder if one of the couples sitting in the restaurant quietly and solemnly is that dental secretary - who now has piles of money and can eat wherever she wants, but doesn't have hardly anyone to share it with. My heart breaks for the people who are alone, especially the ones who are alone because, when they could have been having children, they instead bought into the contraception lie and lived for themselves only.
I have a say today, and so do my ten younger brothers and sisters, because my parents chose life. Mom and Dad - thanks a million!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! Gotta love big pro-life families! Thank you for your witness and your voice for the truth, Fr. Hollowell!
ReplyDeleteYour video is full scientific inaccuracies - neither contraceptive use or abortions are linked to breast cancer.
ReplyDeleteBesides that, your video is full of empty religious rhetoric. As a devout, practicing Catholic, I was shocked and ashamed to see your video so full of aggression and violence. Our church leaders have done a wonderful job of approaching this situation in a dignified, political, and peaceful way. Instead, you incite the aggression of President Obama and those at Planned Parenthood with threatening overtones and promises of an imminent "fight." You have done nothing but fight fire with fire, an eye for an eye. We are called to approach those with differing views with respect and love, regardless of their beliefs and instead you call for Catholics to "take off their gloves" and fight. Seems to be quite the non-Christian approach to solving problems. If you were my priest, I would actively start looking for another parish. In a time where there is already so much negativity and violence in the world, the last thing I want to hear from my priest is more of it. Especially when he is the very person who is supposed to be leading his parishioners away from that lifestyle. I hope you seriously consider taking down your video. Yes, you have a voice (everyone is entitled to it), but please remember that as a priest, you speak for a much larger population. You do not only speak for yourself - you represent an entire religion. Ask yourself... is this how I want the Catholic Church portrayed in a public domain? As polarizing, aggressive, and spiteful? I bet your answer to those questions are no. There are much better ways to convey the message of your video without the tone of violence and hatred.
sounds a lot like the mentality of those who chose to not spoke out as the Nazis rolled through Europe
DeleteAlso, let me know if you want links to the studies that link breast cancer with BOTH contraception and abortion.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - I don't care that you are a practicing Catholic, Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sebelius consider themselves practicing catholics, and the anti-Christ (see: the Book of Revelation) is going to be someone that most of the world thinks is a great and religious person as well, so the fact that someone CLAIMS to be practicing their faith doesn't mean a thing to me.
Also, you shopping for a Church if I were a pastor...adios. If the Catholic Church goes entirely bankrupt, we'll still have Masses in the woods, in homes, etc. (which is maybe what we need).
I have no doubt that you are trying with all of your might to still hold together your world view - a world in which you desire strongly to be a Catholic AND vote for these people. Give up the fantasy!
First off, I did not vote for, nor do I intend to vote for, the persons that are currently running our government.
DeleteSecondly, I am a woman. I do not use contraceptives of any kind, nor do I condone the use of them.
Thirdly, I do not support the Nazis... not particularly sure what would lead ANYONE to say that about someone, but to each his own. You have only solidified my initial comment and thrown that in as a red herring.
Fourth, I am not a 'church shopper' as you put it - I have been a member of my parish for 25 years, and the only way I would leave is if I had to move to a different state.
Fifth, I am a scientist by trade. I have seen and read all of the studies (from both sides). The links you speak of are statistically insignificant.
Now that I'm through clearing up any questions you my have about my personal/political/religious integrity, we can go back to my reasoning for posting in the first place. If you re-read my comment, I was stating that I was disappointed in the TONE of your video, not the message. Hence I wrote that "There are much better ways to convey the message of your video without the tone of violence and hatred." And I see that you also choose to respond in matter that is both polarizing and aggressive, again solidifying my argument. Your message is a very good one, but the delivery is what is so disappointing, just like your reply.
I bet "Concerned' would have major problems with St. Paul
ReplyDeleteWell said, Thanks be to God that we do "Have a Say". My parents had a say when they also chose to accept life freely from God when he told us to be fruitful and multiply. They honered God and their marital vows. My sisters Anne, Mary, Bernadette, Rita and Lucia all have a say. My brothers Joseph, Michael, Patrick, Philip, Thomas, John Paul, David, Stephen, Dominic all have a say. And guess what? We are saying it, just like all my Aunts and Uncles are saying it, just like all my cousins are saying it. Can you hear it! It's gonna get loud. Well said Father.
ReplyDeleteWhether you agree with 'concerned' or not, father's response was anything but pastoral. :/
ReplyDelete