The Confraternity of St Joseph returns

The Confraternity resumed last night after the summer break and the fruits of their labour are quite evident! The garden is looking wonderful and we’ve got big plans for the coming months!

The programme for the rest of 2009 is as follows:

• 29^th September – Meet @ hall 6-9pm
• 13^th October – Meet @ hall 6-9pm
• 27^th October – Meet @ hall 7.30-9pm – Talk to commemorate the 42^nd anniversary of the Abortion Act
• 10th November – Meet @ hall 6-9pm
• 24th November – Meet @ hall 6-9pm
• 8^th December – Meet @ Convent, 106 Dixon Avenue, 7.30-9.30pm – PrayerEvening for Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• 22nd December – Meet @ hall 7.30-9pm

Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese human rights activist has served more than one thousand days in prison for his opposition to China’s vile one-child policy. A petition to ask the Prime Minister to act on Chen’s behalf has been launched at the Number 10 website.

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to take whatever action he can to put pressure on the Chinese authorities to secure the release of Chen Guangcheng, a Chinese prisoner of conscience who, on 20th May 2009 has served 1000 days in prison since being sentanced for highligting abuses of the one-child policy of the Chinese authorities, including forced abortions and sterilisations.

Chen Guangcheng is a blind lawyer, currently imprisoned in China for “damaging public property and gathering people to block traffic”. However the real reason is more likely to be to prevent him from carrying out his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities, including his efforts to bring local officials to justice for conducting a campaign of forced abortions and sterilisations, possibly affecting thousands of women.

Some reports say that Chen Guangcheng is in extremely poor health, is allowed very little food and drink, has been beaten, and been denied medical treatment as well as stopped from having family members and friends visit.

If you’re a British citizen or resident, please do go and sign the petition. If you’re of Facebook, you can join ‘ACT NOW to help Chen Guangcheng!’.

Please pray for Chen, his wife, family and supporters, who’ve been repeatedly victimised for their efforts to protect Chinese women and families.

Upcoming talks

The Cardinal Winning

Pro-Life Initiative

is delighted to host two talks:

“Society Wounded by Abortion: the Road to Healing”

by Vicki Thorn

founder of the worldwide

post-abortion healing ministry,

Project Rachel

http://www.healing-after-abortion.com/

When: Wednesday 13^th May 2009 at 7.30pm

AND

“Rising to the Challenge of Secularism”

by Raymond de Souza

EWTN host, international lay apologist,founder and director of Saint Gabriel Communications (Australia), Program Director for Portuguese-Speaking countries for Human Life International (HLI) and Chairman of the Sacred Heart Legion (USA).

www.RaymonddeSouza.com

When: Monday 18^th May 2009 at 7.30pm

Both talks will take place at the Pro-Life Initiative, 104 Albert Road, Crosshill, Glasgow, G42 8DR

Entrance is by ticket only – for a free ticket, please contact us:

0141 433 2680 or gospeloflifesisters(at)googlemail(dot)com

Important: Abortion advertising consultation and Bishop O’Donoghue’s statement…

Many of you will have heard of new proposals to allow abortion providers to advertise on television…

Here is Bishop O’Donoghue of Lancaster’s statement:

It has been widely reported in the media that the Advertising Standards Authority is considering allowing the abortion industry to advertise through the broadcasting media. This deeply damaging proposal originates from the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health & HIV and therefore comes from the heart of the abortion industry – threatening yet another hammer-blow to the sanctity of human life in this country.

I am appalled that this proposal will result in the deaths of many more preborn children and cause untold harm to women. As a society, we need to wake up and stop treating abortion as a quick-fix solution to pregnancy and offer compassionate and practical support to women facing crisis pregnancies. The Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative in Scotland is a shining example of the Church and others reaching out to pregnant women who find themselves isolated and frightened, offering emotional support and practical help such as liaising with families and providing financial assistance to women in need.

The killing of the innocent can never be a genuine solution to a problem. I urge all those who care about the sanctity of human life to voice their opposition to this proposal with one voice. At the same time, please consider lending your support to our pro-life organizations that care about mothers and their preborn children..

For more information, read the Lifesite News article, John Smeaton’s blog, and Fr Tim here and here.

It is vital that as many of you as possible respond to this consultation. For more information, have a look at Jane Teresa’s post.

Sorry for all the links – we’ll hopefully post in more detail later.

First meeting – report

The launch of the Confraternity saw around 20 men join us (and one brave wife, so enthusiastic was she!) at the Pro-Life Initiative last Thursday evening. We started with a short introduction from Sr Roseann about why it was felt a group specifically for men was needed: the simple fact is that men are deeply affected by abortion and do have a role in this whole debate.

Stephen Barrie, education officer for the Linacre Centre, gave a very enlightening and incisive talk in which he demonstrated how deeply entrenched our society is in the culture of death, and at every level – political, philosophical, scientific and street level. Men have to play their part in being aware of the issues and so be confident in how they talk about them. Stephen also spoke about having solidarity with the child in the womb: although tiny and hidden, the baby already has a network of relationships surrounding him/her. We can already point to a man and say, ‘He’s the father’ and to a woman and say, ‘She’s the mother’. Grandparents, aunts and uncles are already tied to this child and therefore must speak out in his defence.

After the talk, the men were invited to a buffet during which time they could chat to each other. After that, we all gathered round and a number of questions were asked and comments made. It was interesting that some concentrated mainly on the practical work that could be done, while others were especially keen to learn more about men and abortion and generate more discussion on a topic that is often disregarded or forgotten.

There was a very positive atmosphere around the place and a strong sense that this was only the beginning – which is true, in fact. There were 11 apologies on Thursday night and, since then, we’ve had another 20 join our number from all over the country. Please keep this new and very necessary venture in your prayers!

Photos from first meeting

(Most of) the first members of the Confraternity

Our speaker Stephen Barrie, with some of the members.

The Holy Family

First meeting and updates

Just a quick post – the first meeting went very well with an excellent talk from Stephen Barrie of the Linacre Centre. We had eighteen men in attendance and know of several more who were unavailable on that particular night but wish to join, so we’re off to a pretty good start.

We’ve just uploaded a few new pages with lots of information about the Confraternity, particularly with reference to membership. So if you’re interested in joining, have a look at the new pages and send us your details following the instructions on the ‘Membership’ page – remember, you don’t have to be local to join!

WIthin the next few days we’ll hopefully be posting lots more information, a fuller account of the first meeting and pictures. Until then!

The Holy Father on St Joseph, priesthood, fatherhood and authentic love

Yesterday evening, in the minor basilica of Marie Reine des Apotres, in Yaounde, Cameroon, Pope Benedict presided at the first Vespers of the Solemnity of St. Joseph and spoke on St Joseph as a model of priesthood, fatherhood and authentic love.

 ”Speaking to the crowd and to His disciples, Jesus declared: ‘You have only one Father’”, said the Pope in his homily. “There is but one fatherhood, that of God the Father, the one Creator of the world, ‘of all that is seen and unseen’. Yet man, created in the image of God, has been granted a share in this one paternity of God. St. Joseph is a striking case of this. … He is not the biological father of Jesus, Whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives his fatherhood fully and completely.

 “To be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth”, he added. “St. Joseph, in this sense, gave proof of great devotion. For the sake of Christ he experienced persecution, exile and the poverty which this entails”.

The Holy Father observed that when Mary responded to the angel’s call, she was already betrothed to Joseph, adding: “In addressing Mary personally, the Lord already closely associates Joseph to the mystery of the Incarnation. Joseph agreed to be part of the great events which God was beginning to bring about in the womb of his spouse”. Taking Mary into his home “he welcomed the mystery that was in Mary and the mystery that was Mary herself. He loved her with great respect, which is the mark of all authentic love. Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without possessing”.

Let us pray for all fathers, that they may accept their responsibilities wisely and joyfully taking courage from the example of St Joseph and always seeking his intercession.

Solemnity of St Joseph

Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.

St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.

O Blessed St. Joseph, faithful guardian and protector of virgins, to whom God entrusted Jesus and Mary, I implore you by the love which did bear them, to preserve me from every defilement of soul and body, that I may always serve them in holiness and purity of love.

O St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ and true spouse of the Virgin Mary pray for us and for those who will die this night.

Today we launch the Confraternity of St Joseph. This is an exciting new venture for us – so often abortion is characterised as an issue which does not concern men at all. While the devestating effect that abortion has on many women is beginning to come to light, little attention is paid to the effect that it can have on men. Like women men have a part to play in building a culture of life. If we are to truly embrace life, all hearts must be converted.

Over time we’ll update this site with Confraternity news, prayer requests and information about men and abortion. Please pray for us today as the Confraternity meets for the first time.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

The Confraternity of Saint Joseph

You are invited to the launch of our new project for men involved in the work of the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative.

Where: Pro-Life Centre, 104 Albert Rd, Crosshill, Glasgow, G42 8DR (about 2 minutes walk from Crosshill train station)

When: Thursday 19^th March 2009

Time: 7.30 – 9.30pm

What:

• Short talk on the ‘Confraternity’
• Time of prayer
• Buffet & light refreshments
• Plenty of time to chat

Who: YOU – we invite anyone interested in pro-life work, but especially men to come along, find out more and get involved.

To find out more, get in touch using the details in the side-bar.