Our culture has become so completely desensitized to the grotesque sexualization of children, people refuse to see it even when it’s right in front of their eyes. This is certainly true of a taxpayer funded group in Newburyport, MA that
We all know that the Boston city government is ideologically liberal. But now we have confirmation that they are to the left of every single justice currently sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court. I got the news about a tremendous legal
SOMERVILLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE GRANTS PERMISSION FOR LOCAL CHURCH TO OPEN A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AFTER MONTHS OF OPPOSITION. “If we didn’t vote to approve, we’d be sued and we would lose.” The showdown in Somerville has ended with a victory for
Last week, I filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of two families against public school officials in Ludlow, MA. The families are suing for violations of their parental rights stemming from a district policy prohibiting school staff from
In recent months the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) has jumped onto the CRT bandwagon by forcibly enlisting all its affiliated athletes, coaches and athletic directors in its pursuit of enforced tolerance and mandated equity. The MIAA attempted to require
If you have a student athlete who was recently told they have to sign a “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Pledge” to play high school sports, I have some good news for you today: they don’t. The details are in our
Ever since the COVID lockdowns gave parents an abrupt and unanticipated window into their children’s classrooms, students and families have been flocking to private schools. For the academic year 2020/2021, private school enrollment in MA jumped by nearly 20% over the prior year. With
If you haven’t seen this short video from yesterday’s Supreme Court nomination hearings, you need to. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson refuses to give a definition for the word “woman.” Just a few hours after this exchange, I asked author Ryan
I really do hope you’ll join our virtual Book Club on March 22nd with Ryan T. Anderson, author of When Harry Became Sally. I’m reading through it now and in just the first chapter there is so much clarity about
Planned Parenthood and NARAL activists are now disguising themselves as clergy in an effort to dictate what our children are taught about sex in public schools. In a webinar last week billed as “A Faith Perspective on the Healthy Youth
Recently we wrote about the transgender pandemic targeting our children. At MFI, we’re helping educate parents on the truth about transgenderism, and letting them know they are not alone in trying to protect their children from it. That’s why we
“Herod… killed all the male children in Bethlehem… Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they
Tomorrow, our commonwealth’s capital implements its vaccine “passport” mandate. Restaurants, event venues and fitness centers must begin requiring their guests show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Unless, of course, they are a “professional athlete” or a “performing artist,” or “accompanying a
Transgenderism is a communicable disease, and it is raging like wildfire through our children – especially young girls. I recently spoke with a parent in MA whose teenage daughter identified as “trans,” and now the state Department of Children and
CONTACT: Andrew Beckwith, andrew@mafamily.org, 781.569.0400 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2022 Wakefield, MA – Massachusetts Family Institute, along with representatives from 29 other states, has joined a coalition of state family policy council organizations from across the country in opposing the
Over the last several weeks, MFI has been alerted by parents in multiple towns regarding Panorama surveys being administered in their child’s school. Panorama Education is a Boston based company founded in 2012 that produces surveys they claim are intended
All over the country on November 30th Americans participate in #GivingTuesday. This online celebration provides an opportunity to give back to local non-profits who are making a difference in the community. For 30 years, MFI has been on the front
We are happy to report that our 30th Annual Fundraising Banquet was a tremendous success! It was a wonderful time to be together with hundreds of like-minded friends who support the mission of MFI – to defend faith, family, and freedom
We are confident that concerned parents in Worcester will accomplish this year the most effective OPT OUT of Sex Education movement we have ever seen in Massachusetts! Watch out Planned Parenthood! You’ve more than met your match with Worcester parents!
Be encouraged! You are not alone, even in Massachusetts! Many people share our common desire to preserve and protect religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and the family in the Commonwealth. This was clearly witnessed this past Wednesday evening when Massachusetts Family
As you may have seen this week, the CDC has issued new guidelines recommending all students K-12 start masking again this fall. These guidelines, that include wearing a mask indoors whether vaccinated or not, were triggered in part by a
Get ready. Unfortunately, it is once again time to fight against the Sex Ed bills. Last week, the Sex Ed Mandate bills were voted out of their original committee and sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Typically, this
In recent months, I’ve heard from many of you with concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, especially being mandated for children and college students. Vaccine issues are new to MFI, but when they intersect with religious liberty and parental rights, we are
When I debated a lesbian activist on the Dan Rea Show and claimed (correctly, as it turns out – see Somerville and Cambridge) that legal affirmation of same-sex “marriage” would lead to polygamy, I was accused of “fear-mongering,” among other
Like many of you, my wife and I are making plans for the 4th of July weekend. Independence Day is an important holiday that our family celebrates with pride and enthusiasm. This year we are also celebrating being able to cross state
We are pleased to inform you that Governor Baker has rescinded unfair COVID restrictions on MA churches. The Governor’s announcement came just days after a lawsuit was filed against him for discriminatory restrictions on religious exercise. The lawsuit was filed
The Joint Committee on Education announced a hearing on HB 673 and SB 318 “An Act Relative to Healthy Youth,” a euphemism for the Sex Ed Mandate. The virtual hearing will be tomorrow, Thursday, May 20th at 12:00 PM. Click
As you know, MFI has been closely tracking the COVID-19 restrictions imposed on churches over the past year. In May of 2020, we helped a pastor in Worcester bring a lawsuit in federal court to avoid jail time for keeping
Because of Covid-related school closures, parents have had a unique opportunity to observe and critique what is being taught to their children. One area of particular concern MFI is addressing is the curricula being used in the various school districts’
I’m sure you’ve heard that beginning tomorrow, Governor Baker has declared we can now forego wearing masks outside. I’m looking forward to watching soccer games this weekend where I can actually see my children’s faces, and we can all give
For those of you who weren’t able to join us live on Tuesday night, we had the author of the MFI Book Club selection Live Not By Lies, Rod Dreher, join us for the whole 90 minute session to answer
The City of New Bedford is once again facing legal action for allegations of discriminatory treatment towards churches. According to a demand letter sent today by First Liberty and Massachusetts Family Institute, officials in New Bedford are telling the leaders
In case you missed it, Tuesday’s second installment of the MFI Book Club on Live Not By Lies is up online now. I think you’ll especially like hearing from the young people who joined us and shared what their families
In case you missed it, or weren’t able to attend live, we have week one’s recording of our Live Not By Lies book club up online now. You can watch it below in preparation for this Tuesday’s session (7-8:30pm). I’m
Over the last week, I have sent you a couple of emails with the headline “Think This World Has Gone Mad?!” and encouraged you to join our virtual book club that will discuss Live Not by Lies, A Manual for Christian
** Warning: this article contains graphic content. ** Why are “sex toys” in the same sentence as “education standards” in Massachusetts? I’m glad you asked! The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has frameworks for each of the required
Over the weekend, author Ryan T. Anderson became the latest victim in big tech’s purge of conservative voices. Anderson, who currently serves as president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, wrote the bestselling “When Harry Became Sally: Responding to
In our thirty years of fighting for family values in the Commonwealth, MFI has consistently defended the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman – and we always will. For the past decade, however, we’ve increasingly had
Update: the March for Life is now a virtual event. Learn more here. This month marks 47 years of legalized abortion in the United States. Over 61 million babies have been killed in our country through this great evil. With
Tragically, nearly 1 million babies are aborted every year in the United States. Most years in Massachusetts over 18,000 babies lose their life through abortion. As you know, the ROE (Infanticide) Act expanding abortion here in the Commonwealth was passed
On Monday, December 28th, the MA House of Representatives voted 107 to 46 to override Governor Baker’s veto of the ROE (“Infanticide”) Act. The 28th is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the day in the church calendar when
At 1:35pm this past Thursday, as many of us were preparing for Christmas Eve church services or celebrations with friends and family, Governor Baker quietly vetoed the Infanticide Act. (You can read his letter explaining why here.) Speaker of the
On Friday, the MA State Senate doubled-down on the Infanticide Act, by a vote of 32 to 8. (You can see how your senator voted here). The MA House had already done the same on Wednesday. (Vote tallies here). This
I imagine you’ve heard by now about the Supreme Court’s strong defense of religious liberty last week. In a decision issued the day before Thanksgiving, the Court blocked New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on churches and synagogues.
The recent US Supreme Court decision barring NY Governor Cuomo from targeting churches and synagogues is making waves here in Massachusetts. Yesterday, the City of New Bedford rescinded their May 22nd memorandum which restricted houses of worship to gatherings of
In the coming days, the Infanticide Act will be sent to Governor Baker as part of the 2021 state budget. He can use his line item veto to block this extreme abortion expansion, but he will need the support of
Yesterday, the MA State Senate passed its version of the Infanticide Act. As in the House, this was done as a “budget amendment.” When the state legislature took the extraordinary step of extending its legislative session from July 31st all
Dear Friend of the Family, 108 Massachusetts representatives waited for a lame duck session late last night and in the midst of the COVID health crisis, to allow more abortion for women. Our fight for life is not over! Amendment
The Infanticide Act is being debated on Beacon Hill TODAY! Yesterday, less than a week after the election, radical pro-abortionists announced that they would be inserting a new version of the ROE Act (which has been deemed the “Infanticide Act”)
Listen to this MA mother explain how MFI helped her make a difference in her school district. After discovering highly inappropriate books containing explicit sexual content, violence, and profuse profanity in her daughter’s middle school library, Joanna reached out to
Have you signed up yet for the MFI Fundraising Celebration on Friday, October 16th? While we normally have 500 people join us for our banquet at the Marriott, this year’s event will be hosted at a local church with a
Tune in two weeks from tonight to join MFI’s celebration of 400 years of Faith, Family and Freedom in Massachusetts! You’ll also hear about the current fight for the lives of the unborn (and now newborns!) as we seek to
Please take a minute to hear from Chloe, one of MFI’s youngest supporters. She’s a full time college student and a small business owner, but she has already made significant contributions to our mission through generous stewardship of her talent
Earlier this year, I received a phone call from a new mother who was desperately trying to get help for her infant son. Her baby was born prematurely, and the hospital was refusing to move him to a facility where he
In May of 2020, MFI was able to effectively bring together almost 400 pastors from all across Massachusetts to sign a Letter to the Governor, establishing the essential mission of the local church and pushing for reopening in Phase 1.
I’m sure you’ve all seen the news over the weekend about the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday. Sadly, radical abortion activists in MA immediately sought to exploit her death by “calling on the state legislature to
Our theme for this year’s fundraising celebration is “400 Years of Faith, Family and Freedom.” Your gift or pledge today helps MFI continue to support families in MA who often don’t know where else to turn. As you can see in the
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to visit several different churches on Sunday mornings, from a nondenominational Evangelical church to a Russian Orthodox congregation. I was even blessed to preach at a Ugandan Pentecostal church. The fact that we
Registration is now open for MFI’s 29th Annual Fundraising Celebration! Will you join us on Friday, October 16th at 7pm for a celebration of MFI’s work over the past year? We are hosting a hybrid experience, with limited in-person attendance at a
A number of you reached out to me this morning concerned about a new vaccine mandate for children going back to school in MA. This issue intersects with important questions of parental rights and religious liberty, so I am sharing
We had a great response to our Options for School webinar last Sunday evening! 2100 clicked on our webinar link! It was an information-packed event addressing concerns over both COVID guidelines for reopening schools and graphic sex education curricula. Several
Have you seen the latest Center for Medical Progress (CMP) investigative video release? In shocking sworn videotape deposition testimony, top Planned Parenthood and fetal trafficking officials describe how babies born alive during an abortion procedure are either left to die
Good news for religious freedom and Christian education from the Supreme Court yesterday! In Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru, the court ruled that religious employers, in this case two religious schools, have a clear First Amendment right to make employment
On July 6th, Massachusetts entered Phase III, Step 1 of the reopening process. Specific guidelines for churches and other “places worship” can be found at the mass.gov site here. The biggest update in the Phase III guidelines is that churches
Supporters of the languishing ROE (Infanticide) Act participated in a virtual rally yesterday to launch a renewed push for its passage. The bill (HB3320/SB1209) has spent the 2019-2020 session stuck in the Judiciary Committee, which has until July 31 to
Finally, some good news from the Supreme Court this morning! After horrible decisions over the past week (the definition of sex in federal non-discrimination law now includes sexual orientation and transgenderism and Louisiana was prevented from imposing even basic restrictions
With everything else going on right now, you may have missed Monday’s Supreme Court ruling that “sex” discrimination includes “sexual orientation” and “transgenderism.” As bad as that is (and I’ll get into the specifics below) the most disheartening aspect of
One month ago, MFI worked with nearly 500 pastors to send a strong message to our Governor to reopen the churches. Their voices were heard, and on Monday, May 18th, Governor Baker’s Phase 1 included specific provisions for churches to
Yesterday we held a webinar to help pastors and church leaders understand more about the process of reopening the church here in the Commonwealth. We had over 170 pastors log on to this live event and would like to make
Churches in MA are now permitted to begin reopening at up to 40 percent of their building’s capacity. In guidance released late last night, phase one of the state’s reopening plan removes the previous cap of ten people and now
Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining several distinguished speakers at the webinar entitled, “Who Owns Our Children? Home Education in an Authoritarian Age.” This event was organized by Thomas More College in response to an anti-homeschooling summit scheduled to
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” It has always been the belief of MFI that God gives
During this time of national crisis, MFI has not wavered in our commitment to identify and defend against persisting threats to faith, family, and freedom. In our latest video, MFI’s Director of Communications and Research, Mary Ellen Siegler, continues to
Support Religious Schools At MFI, we strive to support the ability of all parents to educate their children as they deem best. That’s why we fight hard against anti-parent state mandates like the Sex Ed bill and encouraged families to
As the Corona virus shut-down drags on, the threats to our religious liberties have increased alarmingly. On Easter, multiple MA churches were told they could not hold even “drive in” services. A number of local churches, on the other hand,
Assisted Suicide and Corona healthcare rationing Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with two veteran Massachusetts doctors about the Assisted Suicide legislation pending on Beacon Hill. Dr. Thomas Sullivan, former president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, explained that the
While the entire world is dealing with trying to stop the spread of a deadly virus, Planned Parenthood and their allies have not stopped their efforts to sexualize our children. We lay out the shocking details below, but first I
A week ago, MA schools closed. As of noon yesterday, the vast majority of businesses in the Commonwealth were ordered to shut their doors as well. This is a journey into uncharted waters for all of us, but it has
As of this morning, nearly one million Massachusetts children found themselves effectively ‘homeschoolers.’ Governor Baker’s order closing all public and private K-12 schools from now until April 7th will hopefully help stop the spread of Covid-19, but it is also requiring
The recent passage of the Sex-Ed Mandate in the MA State Senate has renewed concerns over graphic sex ed curriculum already being taught in classrooms across the state. This legislation, if passed by the House and signed into law by
One of the most fulfilling parts of my job is assisting parents who contact the MFI office for help. Often, they call because their son or daughter came home from school and they can’t believe what their child saw or
This article first appeared in the New Boston Post. Is it age-appropriate to introduce 12-year old children to anal sex? Is it medically accurate to encourage students to protect against sexually transmitted infections by using non-microwaveable Saran Wrap as a
This article first appeared in Disrn News on January 11, 2020. A year ago, on the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, New York’s political leaders threw a party for their new pro-abortion law. Governor Cuomo even directed One World Trade
As promised, here are the details on the Sex-Ed Mandate that’s coming up for a vote as early as this Thursday. We have received a lot of questions in response to our heads-up email and text over the weekend, so
For nearly 30 years, Massachusetts Family Institute has worked for you, defending your family values in the Commonwealth. I’m grateful to have been with MFI for just a portion of its strong legacy. This past year in particular, however, we
As people of faith, we should always be asking the Spirit to guide us along that fine line of sharing truth with others while also demonstrating love and compassion for our neighbors. Christmas season provides a great opportunity to share
Is it age-appropriate to introduce twelve-year old children to anal sex? Is it medically accurate to encourage students to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by using non-microwaveable Saran Wrap as a prophylactic for oral sex? Planned Parenthood thinks so,
(Originally Appeared in The Daily Signal on Nov. 26, 2019) Worcester, the second largest city in solidly blue Massachusetts, was the scene of a sex ed showdown between Planned Parenthood and concerned parents and church leaders. Last February, more than
After enjoying a time of thanks last week, today Americans all over the country are participating in #GivingTuesday. This online celebration is an opportunity for members of the community to give back to local non-profits in charitable, end-of-the-year giving. MFI
We hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday yesterday, full of fellowship and delicious food. In this season of thanksgiving, we often take time to reflect on what has happened this past year. MFI’s staff sat together before the Thanksgiving break,
The Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments on a case with potentially tremendous implications for religious liberty and school choice. The lawsuit, brought in part by a single mother trying to support her two children in parochial school, seeks
For the past few months, volunteers from across the state worked hard to collect signatures that will put ending taxpayer funding abortions on the 2020 ballot. The necessary 80,239 signatures, however, have a submission deadline: November 20, 2019. That’s only
The executive branch delivered an enormous victory for religious freedom last week when the President reversed an anti-religious ruling from the Obama administration. Days before President Trump took the oath of office, President Obama declared that faith-based adoption and foster
It was election day this week across the country. At MFI, we believe that participating in elections is an important part of being “citizens of the kingdom.” As people of faith, we are called to be involved in our government,
Condoms, birth control pills, the birth control shot, and Plan B: These are all the contraception methods that the Lynn public school committee is considering giving out to students for free at school. The committee members are grappling with their
One story garnering a lot of attention this week is the Gender Snowperson that’s being taught to 4th graders in Lexington public schools. Yes. You read that right. The Gender Snowperson is a tool used to teach 9 and 10-year-olds to
Yesterday, I had the privilege of addressing the Students for Life club at Harvard Law School. They invited me to discuss the MA ROE Act and the pro-life community’s response to it. We were informed Wednesday night that there was
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen several groups come out in support of the ROE Act – a bill that radically expands abortion – including Marty Walsh’s gang of pro-abortion mayors and a handful of labor unions. Wednesday, however,
As promised, for those of you who couldn’t attend our annual banquet last week (or for those who just want to re-watch the event – there’s some pretty great stuff in there), here are the videos of that evening. Thank
MFI cordially invites you to the Celebration of Life Day at Beacon Hill! This coming Wednesday, October 30th, MFI is co-hosting the annual event to showcase the wonderful and vital work of pregnancy care centers from across the Commonwealth. Representatives
Many of you contacted me this week expressing concern about a national news story out of Texas. For those of you who aren’t aware, 7-year-old James Younger has found himself amid an ugly custody dispute that may be a tipping
Thank you to all who joined us for our 28th Annual Fundraising Banquet. It was a huge success; thanks to your generosity, we set a record for money raised! We are forever grateful to all of you who continue to
This week, MFI was at our nation’s capital, hearing from experts on issues related to life, liberty, and religious freedom. We were joined by our fellow Family Policy Councils from across the country. On Wednesday, the Heritage Foundation, a national
This past Saturday, MFI staffers participated in a Peace March in Lowell. Hundreds of Lowell residents joined together to protest the recreational pot shops that have seeded themselves in that community. Our Community Alliances Director, Mike King, was invited to
Can my kids really bring their Bible to school? Yes! And they should. Thursday, October 3rd, is Bring Your Bible to School Day. This nationwide event is put on every year by our national partner Focus on the Family. We’re joining
The past two weeks have seen many blessings for pro-family advocates across the country and right here in Massachusetts! We hope you feel encouraged by these major victories. Arizona Supreme Court Delivers Huge Win for Religious Freedom Two young women,
This summer, MFI partnered with Renew Massachusetts Coalition, Massachusetts Citizens for Life, and the MA Alliance to Stop Taxpayer Funded Abortion to successfully launch a ballot initiative to stop our tax dollars from going to abortion in the Commonwealth. The
While Beacon Hill legislators debated adding a gender “X” designation to state IDs this week, it became clear that no one was actually looking at the state-issued documents that are at the center of this legislation. Proponents of the bill
Every year, over 500 guests from around the Bay State join together at MFI’s Annual Fundraising Banquet to hear from a dynamic pro-family speaker and to celebrate our shared family values. As many from our network of family advocates gather
A year and a half ago, Joe Backholm, the former President of our sister organization the Family Policy Institute of Washington, shared with me his vision for equipping the church with good answers to tough questions – make short videos.
Trans Activist in Lawrence Assaults 4-year-old Two weeks ago in Lawrence, a transgender “woman,” born Jakob Nieves, was arrested for sexually exploiting a 4-year-old girl. Nieves was caught when he purportedly sent pedophilic images to an undercover federal agent on a
Midnight on Monday this week was the deadline for healthcare providers receiving federal funds to demonstrate they would commit to no longer providing abortions. This requirement stems from the Department of Health and Human Services’ new Title X standard, the
For those of us with kids in school, especially those involved in youth sports, this time of year often includes a visit to the pediatrician’s office for an annual physical. A number of parents have contacted me over the years
Our lawmakers have been busy this summer working on a new legislative initiative affecting youth, one that many of us would likely support. In response to the rapid rise of tobacco addiction in teens, Beacon Hill is seeking to ban
Dear Friend of the Family, A few weeks ago, MFI wrote on highschool girls in Connecticut who are fighting back against the transgender movement’s aggressive attack on women’s sports. While we received tons of positive feedback from that post, a
If you haven’t heard, Planned Parenthood just fired their President and CEO, Dr. Leana Wen, because Wen wanted to focus primarily on “health care” issues rather than political advocacy. Dr. Wen wrote in her statement that the “board leadership has determined that the
From the threat of infanticide to assisted-suicide, the fight for life currently dominates conversation among pro-family activists in the Commonwealth. With our attention rightly fixated on pro-life issues, however, some may have missed an important new development in the effort
Dear Friend of the Family, Monday’s Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Infanticide Bill was a win for life. Over 700 pro-life advocates flooded the State House, many of whom testified before the committee, sharing the truth about abortion. This was
