Building a Culture of Life

Cardinal Seán delivered an excellent homily at last week's March for Life opening Mass about the changes we must all undertake to foster a culture of life.

Check it out, and share it!

The CatholicTV® Network to Support the Nationwide Religious Freedom Rally to Oppose the HHS Mandate

The Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom is being held Friday, March 23, 2012. The theme for the Rally is “Stand Up for Religious Freedom—Stop the HHS Mandate!”

Thousands of Americans of all faiths will be participating in these peaceful rallies, organized by the Pro-Life Action League and Citizens for a Pro-Life Society to oppose the new mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that requires all employers provide free contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans, even in violation of their consciences.

Religious leaders and other public figures will speak out against the HHS Mandate at each Rally site. Holding signs reading “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” and “Stop the HHS Mandate,” participants will offer hymns and prayers for our nation and pass out literature to the public about why the HHS Mandate is unconstitutional and un-American.

President of the CatholicTV Network, Father Robert Reed, spoke out against the HHS Mandate in support of religious freedom:

I believe that not just Catholics, but all citizens need to oppose the HHS mandate, recognizing the dangerous precedent it would set. The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion. As a result, the mandate would impose a law that contradicts the conscience of many faithful individuals.

Here's Father Reed's official statement on the HHS mandate, as seen on the CatholicTV® Network:

Pro Life Month: Finding the Courage to Talk About Abortion

Have you ever heard of the "spiral of silence"? Put simply, this theory says that people are less likely to voice their opinion about something if they believe they are in the minority. I always pictured an Odyssey-style whirlpool or a sinkhole when learning about this theory in college communications classes. When one person is silent, others around her lose their courage to speak, and still more around them lose their courage to speak. The result is an ever increasing number of people being pulled into silence because of a pervasive fear.

You probably didn't know that most people are pro life. If you're anything like me, you may know rationally that at least half of Americans are pro life, but you still feel like you're in the minority. It's easy to dismiss abortion as an off-limits topic, especially if you think no one agrees with you. But the way we fight the spiral of silence is by letting people around us know that they are not alone in their convictions.

In this latest LifeLine, Carolee McGrath talks about having courage to talk about abortion.

Talking About Abortion

More Lifelines from Carolee McGrath

In these Lifelines, Carolee tells us about a ministry that holds retreats for men & women who are suffering because of abortion, and some teens from her parish who offer their time to pray near abortion clinics.

Rachel's Vineyard

Abortion Clinic Prayer

October: The Pro-Life Month

October is traditionally known as the month of the rosary (and during this month we give special honor to Mary), and so it's fitting that it is also Pro-Life month. The renewal of our prayer lives in this month can well serve an issue which requires a lot of prayer.

In honor of Pro-Life month, CatholicTV is featuring a series of 'Lifelines' with Carolee McGrath. Here are the first two in a series of short reflections by Carolee.

40 Days for Life

God Doesn't Make Mistakes

Host of Pro-Life Show Airing in 100 Million Homes Will Be Interviewed on Live CatholicTV Talk Show

On June 11^th, Brad Mattes, host of the pro-life show “Facing Life Head On” will be interviewed on the live CatholicTV talk show “This is the Day”.

According to the Facing Life Head On website, the show airs weekly in over 100 million homes. Visit the website http://www.facinglife.tv/

This is the Day airs at 10:30AM ET at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV. The show is rebroadcast at 7:30PM.

Brad Mattes is an internationally acclaimed presenter who also serves as executive director and co-founder of Life Issues Institute, an educational organization globally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In addition, Brad hosts Life Issues, a daily radio commentary broadcast on nearly 600 radio stations throughout the United States. With over 32 years of educational, political and humanitarian experience, he has chaired several non-profit organizations and continues to collaborate with international leaders to establish solid policies and programs that further protect the health and lives of the innocent.

An adjunct professor at Master’s Graduate School of Divinity, Brad is currently working on a doctoral degree.

A native of Montana, he now resides in Cincinnati with his wife. They have four sons.

Facing Life Head-On has won 2 industry awards including a Telly Award and an Accolade Award. The newest season includes coverage of a peaceful protest outside of the 2^nd largest abortion facility in the world (Houston, TX), and the story of Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, who has 19 children including 14 adopted children.

Facing Life Head-On airs each week on CatholicTV at the following times (EST): Tuesday 6PM, Thursday 5:30AM & 5:00PM Friday 1:30PM

Pro-Life Show Included in New Television Schedule at CatholicTV

CatholicTV will introduce a new schedule in March which will include several new programs such as “Facing Life Head-On”, a pro-life program which airs weekly in over 100 million homes. Show host Brad Mattes is pictured to the left.

Facing Life Head-On has won 2 industry awards including a Telly Award and an Accolade Award. The newest season includes coverage of a peaceful protest outside of the 2^nd largest abortion facility in the world (Houston, TX), and the story of Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, who has 19 children including 14 adopted children.

CatholicTV’s new schedule will also include the show “The Joy of Music” featuring internationally-known organist, Diane Bish. In each episode of The Joy of Music, Miss Bish performs on historic organs in magnificent cathedrals around the world.

Miss Bish's television program The Joy of Music is broadcast to over 300 million people around the world each week. The show combines exhilarating organ and ensemble performances with an informative, inspirational narrative combined with exciting world travel.

CatholicTV’s new schedule also includes the new program “School of Faith”. The new show revolves around different dimensions of faith including vision, purpose, community, and surrender.

School of Faith is hosted by Frank DeVito. Frank currently works in education and studied philosophy and social science at Saint John's Seminary College. He attended Gregorian University in Rome, Italy where he studied theology.

In each episode of School of Faith, DeVito shows how believers can allow God to transform their hearts and minds using vision, purpose, community, and surrender.

Starting in March, The Joy of Music will air each week at the following times (Eastern): Monday at noon, Tuesday at 1AM, and Sunday at 7:30PM.

School of Faith will air each week at the following times: Tuesday 3:30AM., 8PM., Wednesday 3:30PM, Friday 12:30PM & 11PM, and Sunday 10PM

Facing Life Head-On will air each week at the following times: Tuesday 6PM, Thursday 5:30AM & 5:30PM Friday 1:30PM

This is the Day guest Sr. Gabriela SCMC

Sister Gabriela will appear on This is the Day today.

The community is sponsoring a great event on Tuesday August 11th with Eduardo Verástegui. He is the star of the movie “bella,” and will be speaking about issues of modern morality on Aug. 11 at Eastern Connecticut State University.



We are excited to meet Sister Gabriela today. She is a member of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of the Church based in Connecticut.


Special appearance by Sean Forrest.

For more information, contact Sister M. Gabriela SCMC at (860) 423-5122 or email srmgabriela@yahoo.com.
Event details -
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009
Eastern Connecticut State University
Student Center Betty R. Tipton Room
6:30 p.m.
Free admission

Choose Life License Plates

Merry Nordeen will be appearing on This is the Day tomorrow to discuss moving forward with a Choose Life license plate in Massachusetts. Over 20 other states have one, see if your state is one of them.

Join the Pro-Life Honor Roll!

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has great resources on the website to oppose FOCA and to affirm life. We'd like to encourage you to get on the honor roll!

http://www.usccb.org/prolife/peopleoflife/certificate.pdf