Monday morning.........
Amy Welborn’s blog asked for comments on local Respect Life observances. My ‘comment’ ran longer than I intended. So I copied it here, so I don’t have to write it again. I am the parish Respect Life coordinator, and so I hold myself personally responsible for the fact that we didn’t have any thing ‘big’ happen. And I couldn’t get to the Life Chain, which was being held along Hwy 45 throughout the county, instead of at our lovely, local hospital. I’m not so sure this was a good idea - on top of having some sort of blood blister on my leg (not further comments, I don’t want to sicken anyone) I just didn’t want to stand on the shoulder of a state highway while people swerve at us while trying to drive and flip us off at the same time. Now I feel very guilty........besides having the beginnings of a cold and being up very early with Eddie, who is sick with something. I deserve my misery........I’ll offer it up. And I’ll be back at the hospital. Lake Country Right to Life prays at Lake Forest Hospital (of the slick and pretty newspaper ads) every first and third Sunday of the month. And we plan to pray there with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December, which we have done for the past several years. Here are the rest of my comments............

The good news........the bulletin cover was specifically pro-life and the Bishops' letter and an announcement of the local Life Chain was in a prominent location in the bulletin. The woman who edits the bulletin is very pro-life (which shouldn't be surprising, but is. I've found the hard way that not everybody who works for a Catholic Church is pro-life) and always gives these issues prominence.

The bad news...........I am the Respect Life coordinator and I couldn't even
get myself to the Life Chain. (Long story......) And the priest at the Mass we attended is a week-end 'helper' who is never given to great homiletics so I wasn't too surprised by his homily. It touched on Brittny Spears, eating disorders, self-mutilation and some other things that were maybe less than six-degrees separated from 'Life Issues.' There was no specific prayer intention, which gave me pause, since I had sent a list of suggested intentions to the Liturgy Committee several weeks ago, (hint, hint) along with a quote from the USCCB pro-life game plan that mandates pro-life prayer intercessions at EVERY Mass. But the lector only read three intentions instead of the usual four, so I wonder if he skipped it by accident.......
I can't wait to talk to people and find out what some of the priests preached on. We have some great priests in our parish and I'm sure they did a great job.

PS - One of our associate priests has, for some time, been praying the Memorare for pro-life intentions after daily Mass. This is great.......tho I wonder about the people who walk out and won't spare an extra 30 seconds........