I have a say because my true Father granted me one. He has been my
protector from the moment I was conceived. He gifted me to this world
28 years ago. I was born 4 months after a doctor refused to preform an
abortion on my 15 year old mother with out parental consent. My life is
important, necessary, and not a choice. While some would look at this
situation as the potential end of a poor young girl's ability to live a
full and happy life, forever burdened by a mistake, these people are
short sighted and don't know the rest of the story.
I was also born 5 months after my maternal Grandparent's application
to adopt a fifth child was denied. While my mother, in her sin made a
poor choice, God used the circumstances to complete a family. Shortly
after I was born, my Grandparents officially became Mom and Dad. I was
raised to follow Christ, taught the sanctity of life and the dignity of
every person, and always cherished for the gift I was.
I have never used contraception of any kind, I've only ever had sex
with my husband, and only after we were married. By abortion and
contraception supporters I have been called the the following;
un-evolved, lacking in life experience, "one of those girls", a
fundamentalist, and brainwashed, just to name a few. The assumption is I
must be uneducated and easily swayed, a helpless woman, unenlightened,
and unable to think for herself.
Nothing could be further from the truth, but my academic resume is
immaterial. I am trained in Crisis Intervention and have seen more
women than I would have liked following their abortions. It doesn't
mater if it is the night of the abortion and they are being brought in
after a suicide attempt, or 20 years later and they are seeking help
with marriage problems, the pain is still as debilitating.
The very acts which Pro-Choice supporters claim as women's liberties
and freedoms, are, in fact, prisons that these women rarely free
themselves from.
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!!!
I think it is wonderful that you only had sex with your husband and you never used contraceptives--that is a choice that has worked for you! And no one should speak bad of you because of that. But that doesn't mean other choices are not valid and I don't like when people feel morally superior to others. I can't believe the catholic church compares using contraceptives (preventing a pregnancy) to abortion. They are not the same at all and people who use contraceptives should not be shamed or made to feel they are doing something wrong--that is their decision--between them and their God. (Interesting that priests who will never marry and have kids and be responsible for raising them financially, emotionally, spiritually, etc. are giving advice on family planning). I know in some hispanic churches-- where the members take the authority of the church more seriously than a lot of caucasion catholics-- the parishioners don't go to communion because they are told using family planning is a sin. What a terrible thing for the catholic church to do to people!
ReplyDeleteThe poor ignorant soul who posted this last comment is the type of misguided person who can point the finger and at once allow heinous punishments on people in all manner of situations. AIDS, STDs, Cancer, un"wanted" teenage pregnancies, divorce, are ALL on the rise despite the condom-nation and pill-mentality. Why? Because people don't stop and think first. They don't consider whether or not using contraceptives will make them any happier. As if the two are unrelated. Why is sex such an issue? Without God it devolves into a display of baboons in heat. We are the only species on earth that value and devalue sex. Some of us value it very highly and others like this poor soul would have it whenever. I'm a priest and a Hispanic. How dare this poor soul throw race into the argument like it's a playing card for doing or not doing the will of God? I work with many caucasian people who take the authority of the Church more seriously than Hispanics. And Priests are the ones who sit through the confessions of people who when they don't follow the Gospel they are miserable. The majority of Hispanics who cannot receive Communion do not because they are only co-habiting, cannot go to confession, nor receive other sacraments and have yet to become true husbands and wives. But how could this poor soul have known that. When you look at world statistics, areas like in Africa, where the Church has successfully gotten across the message of abstinence and virginity and chastity into the community, AIDS, STD's, un-wanted preganancies, divorce are ALL down!! Look into it, there are university studies on these facts. What a terrible thing that this poor soul and others like her can only think of condemning the Catholic Church, mocking her priests, likening caucasian people to a rebellious lot and describing Hispanics as victims of blind obedience without having all the parts of the puzzle and speaking from the outside rather than from within the intimate lives of real people. You do not know nor do you understand what you are speaking about.
DeleteI am the "poor soul" who wrote the first entry---first of all, I find it extremely offensive, ignorant (your word of choice) and misguided for you to call me a "poor soul"-- I could say the same about you but why must you resort to name-calling? especially since you are a catholic priest! You should know better!! You are exactly the reason why many catholics are leaving the church in droves. By the way, I don't dismiss all of the good the catholic church does and has done--I am only commenting on this issue.
DeleteYou really jump to outlandish conclusions about me and my beliefs way that go way beyond any opinions I expressed. First of all, I am a man, not a woman---why did you assume I was a woman, if I may ask? There may be some sexism in your answer, but we need not go there. You say I place no value on sex and that I promote people having sex "whenever"-- where did I say that? I take sex very seriously and think it should be in the confines of a committed relationship. I said nothing about being promiscuous--I stated only that couples should be able to choose contraceptive use if they feel that is the best option. Where in the world do you get that I promote promiscuity!!! I am sorry but that assumption really makes you look like an idiot.
You also say I would "allow heinous punishments on people in all manner of situations"-- what in the world are you talking about? You sound like a "fire and brimstone Baptist preacher" with that line. Committed couples using contraceptives would not spread AIDS, STD's or unwanted pregnancies as you state.
I am not mocking priests, calling all caucasions rebellious, or hispanics victims of blind obedience--what a broad inaccurate picture you paint. My brother teaches in a hispanic school and is very active in the parish and he knows from many of the parishioners themselves that many of them do not go to communion because they use birth control. Do you think they are lying to him? I am only reporting what he has told me and I know him to be a reliable source. You do not have to accept this information as valid --that is your choice.
It is sad that you draw so many false conclusions about me from my expressing one opinion about contraceptive use. How can you be an effective priest, a messenger of Jesus and his gospel of love with such hateful attitudes and a lack of coherent inferential skills??
This woman or man who is for whatever reason taking his or her time to try and undermine the church in anyway he or she can why? And why is he or she reading this site? This persons time is being used by satan to seek the ruin of souls just as the prayer of St Michael says he does. He uses those of weak mind and short sighted thinking who just simply cant see any further than their nose. The person asks the priest what he is talking about and has no concept of the culture of death he or she is promoting. And thank God those that are leaving the church is droves are leaving because we dont need watered down Catholics or secular Catholics they can go
ReplyDeleteAnd it should be noted many Catholics like myself led a life of sin and realized their error and come home to the love of the Catholic church with a real appreciation and know if I had followed the Catholic church my life wouldve been less painful and more joyful which is what the church wants. The rules like the dicipline of a parent
ReplyDeleteAre because they love the child who doesnt see thei error in their thinking. The church knows people do not know the ways of God thats why he created the church for "those he calls who are chosen to live with him in eternity" as the bible says few will get into heaven
ReplyDeleteSorry ipad not letting me correct in any case he sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost the day of the birthday of the church
ReplyDeleteTo guide the "faithful" of course those following satan who are being led and used without their understanding because they dont follow the Lord will not get it. That is satans goal and the number one goal is to convince them its THEIR CHOICE THEIR SAY when in actuality their being led by evil forces and the sexual demons working for satan who by the way convinces them there is no such thing as satan so he can work undercover. See the poor soul has no idea of her true path but sadly she or he may never..... But we will continue to evangelize to find and call those he directs us to speak to and those who use the gift of free will to do Gods will assures their eternal life with the Lord. Good luck poor soul i say luck because I know you believe in it
ReplyDeleteBy the way I choose the love and protection the Lord sent me in His church. And I do pray for all the poor souls who will never see TRUTH is not relative and never changes which is why the Holy Spirit created the bible through those who listened to His will.
ReplyDeleteAnd his church with all its wonder, mystery and richness who each family member adds like our saints which are in our family stories. God I love my church it literally fills my soul daily Thank you Lord for ALL your gifts. Free will, LIFE, the Church, our priests who have the courage to tell the truth!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMentioning about the 15 year old mom.... wouldn't be good to mention the father also ? It would help young men to become more responsible for the life they place in the womb of the mother....and to reduce the fatherless epidemic of today.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought.....
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