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News
E-Alert 1.27.10
Wednesday January 27, 2010 - 09:06 AM
This Week's Topics: MCFL: Keep Planned Parenthood out of Fitchburg; Diocese of Springfield sues city to protect religious freedom; Wall Street Journal mentions MFI voter guides; CBS holds firm on pro-life ad featuring Tebow; Update on Proposition 8 case in CA; More organizations helping in Haiti; Upcoming Events. Be sure to click on eForce to receive our MFI eForce E-Alert in your Inbox every Wednesday.
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MCFL: Keep Planned Parenthood out of Fitchburg
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The following was sent out today by Massachusetts Citizens for Life:
Convince the City Council to keep Planned Parenthood out of Fitchburg
Come to 391 Main Street, Fitchburg
Thursday, January 28, 12 noon to 1:00 pm
Bring signs, megaphones, baby caskets, whatever will convince the city they don't want the PP facility
Planned Parenthood has a federal grant. They plan to open in Fitchburg, Marlborough, and Milford. If Fitchburg stops this facility, that will make it harder for PP in the other cities.
Chris Hanley, Chair, Fitchburg - Leominster Chapter, Mass. Citizens for Life
chanley@masscitizensforlife.org |
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Diocese of Springfield sues city to protect religious freedom
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According to the Republican newspaper, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is suing the city of Springfield, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, and the City Council seeking to reverse the council's decision to turn Our Lady of Hope Church into a historic district. The lawsuit, filed in Hampden County Superior Court, claims creation of the district violates freedom of religion, speech, expression, assembly and equal protection guaranteed by both the U.S. and Massachusetts constitutions.
"Though certainly reluctant, the diocese of Springfield has undertaken this court filing today because the city's actions are a serious threat to our ability to control church buildings, including very clear religious symbols, a control which protects our religious freedom and expression," said Mark E. Dupont, public affairs director for the diocese. "The city acted with unnecessary haste, and clearly out of political expediency in making their decisions; they even disregarded repeated offers to seek advice of their own legal counsel, the people who will now have to defend these actions."
Source: Republican |
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Wall Street Journal mentions MFI voter guides
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In the days leading up the Scott Brown's historic U.S. Senate victory last week, the Wall Street Journal took notice of MFI's activities to educate voters about the positions of the three candidates on the ballot. "The conservative Massachusetts Family Institute circulated a "voter guide" highlighting Mr. Brown's support for restrictions on abortion...," read the newspaper on Election Day.
MFI has made a point of making these non-partisan and church-friendly voter guides, that meet IRS requirements, available during most contested elections over the last decade. This fall, MFI will make available voter guides on all the contested legislative races (State House and State Senate), as well as the Governor's race and any contested U.S. Congress races.
If you would like to be our contact in your church for distributing these guides in September and November (with your pastor’s approval), please email info@mafamily.org. We also encourage churches to hold voter registration drives to increase the number of Christian voters in the state.
You can read the full Wall Street Journal article HERE. |
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CBS holds firm on pro-life ad featuring Tebow
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Liberal, pro-abortion groups are seething right now over a Super Bowl ad by Focus on the Family featuring University of Florida's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow. The ad, which CBS has accepted for broadcast, is pro-life and tells the story of his mother Pam and her high-risk pregnancy that resulted in the birth of her athletically-gifted son. While she and her husband were serving as missionaries in the Philippines, she was advised by her doctor to have an abortion but chose to risk her own life and allow the pregnancy to continue to term.
The National Organization for Women (NOW), as well as other pro-abortion groups, are calling on CBS to pull the ad even though no one has actually seen the ad. CBS approved the script. "You know," Focus president Jim Daly told Fox News, "our message is all about family, and I'm excited that CBS agreed to do it." The campaign against the ad takes aim at Focus, with the groups referring to the organization as "anti-woman," "anti-equality," and "homophobic."
To their credit, CBS is standing by their decision. "At CBS, our standards and practices process continue to adhere to a process that ensure all ads -- on all sides of an issue -- are appropriate to air." The network says it will continue to consider "responsibly produced" ads for all the remaining time slots for this year's big game.
Click Here to thank CBS for approving the ad and standing by their decision.
Source: Fox News |
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Update on Proposition 8 case in CA
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From CitizenLink.com:
Lawyers for the California Marriage Amendment Make Their Case
by Kim Trobee, editor
Defense witness refutes the claim that gays and lesbians are "politically powerless."
Lawyers for California's Proposition 8 began presenting their case on Monday.
Defense expert and Harvard professor Kenneth Miller took the stand and systematically dismantled the legal argument against the marriage protection amendment: that gays and lesbians are powerless victims under the tyranny of religious fanatics.
"He thoroughly rebutted the notion that those who want to redefine marriage in this country have no political power," said Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund. "They have made that argument throughout this trial."
Prop. 8 opponents keep painting those who support marriage as "extremists" and "bigots."
"In their eyes, the problem is religion," Nimocks said, "and if people of faith would just quit being involved in the political process and not go to the ballot box, the universe would be OK as far as they're concerned."
After two weeks of emotional appeals and plenty of tears from those who were presented as "victims" of the marriage amendment, the defense began its reasoned argument for one-man, one-woman marriage.
Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the defense plan is simple.
"The argument for marriage," he said, "comes down to whether it's rational that the state should encourage a man and a woman to unite legally for the betterment of the children."
He said this judge might be swayed by sensationalism, but ultimately the ploy won't work.
"The emotional appeals shouldn't come into play," Hausknecht said, "because that's a sure way to get reversed on appeal."
The defense is expected to wrap up its case this week. A decision is expected in the spring.
Found Online HERE. |
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More organizations helping in Haiti
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In addition to the groups that we sent out last week that were endorsed by Focus on the Family, our friends at the Gerard Health Foundation have also recommended some groups that are doing great work in Haiti.
Ray Ruddy said the following in his email message: "As the devastating images of Haitian suffering continue to grip our hearts, many of us are wondering how we can help save lives and participate in the rebuilding of that Nation. Most relief agencies say donating money is the best way to help the cause, but with so many scams and organizations ill equipped to provide meaningful aid, we wanted to suggest a few groups we have confidence in their ability to effective aid the Haitian people as we are working with these groups in Haiti on various projects to improve the plight of the poor in Haiti. We've included links to these organizations for your consideration. Thanks again for all you do to save lives here in the United States and around the world."
Canadian Food For Children
http://www.canadianfoodforchildren.org/us.html
1258 Lakeshore Road East
Mississauga, ON L5E 1E9, Canada
(905) 274-9239
contact: Helen McGuire
helenmcguire@rogers.com
Catholic Medical Missions Board
http://www.cmmb.org
10 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011-5765
(212) 242-7757 (800) 678-5659
contact: Mary Becchi
mbecchi@cmmb.org
Jeff Jordan
jjordan@cmmb.org
Medicine for Peace
http://www.medicineforpeace.org
2732 Unicorn Lane, NW
Washington, DC 20015
(202) 441-4545
contact: Dr. Michael Viola
medforpeace@aol.com
Medical Missionaries
http://medmissionaries.org
9590 Surveyor Court
Manassas, VA 20110
(703) 361-5116
contact: Peter Dirr
peterdirr@gmail.com
Ecofiltro
http://ecofiltro.org
Res. San Pedro Panorama, Casa 13 “A”
Antigua, Guatemala (Camino Ciudad Vieja)
(502) 79346208
(502) 40068115
contact: Phillip Wilson
pwilson@ecofiltro.com
Free The Kids
http://www.freethekids.org
Theo's Work Inc.
2303 W Market St
Greensboro NC, 27403
(336) 272-9376
contact: Jami Vass
Jami.vass@freethekids.org
Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
http://www.mission-outreach.org
P.O. Box 1665
Springfield, IL 62705
(217) 525-8843
contact: Bruce Compton
bcompton@hsosf-usa.org
Brad Walton
bwalton@hsosf-usa.org
217-381-8889
Bread of Compassion
http://www.breadofcompassion.com
6 Loker Street
Wayland, MA 01778
(508) 653-8494 or (508) 653-6864
contact: Sam Rodriguez
srodriguezesq@gmail.com
Pastor Joseph Sapienza
office@breadofcompassion.com? |
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Upcoming Events
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February 6, 2010
"Rethinking Sex: Building Healthy Relationships in a Hook-up World"
Harvard University
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $5 Students, $10 Non-Students
More Information: www.loveandfidelity.org/default.aspx?ID=9
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Mass Citizens for Life Youth Conference
Boston College High School
1:00pm - 5:30pm
Saturday, April 10, 2010
MCFL Statewide Convention
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Boston College Law School
9:00am - 4:00pm |
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