October 29, "Priesthood Sunday"

Dear Friends,

You can help affirm priests throughout the nation as "Priesthood Sunday" approaches. This Sunday, October 29, is designated as "Priesthood Sunday," and we at Priests for Life want to help you honor the priests whom you admire and who have served you well. Would you send us their names and a few lines about how they have helped and served you? Just email us at mail@priestsforlife.org. We will place their names on a special honor roll on our website.

Meanwhile, the column below is especially important. There are four special state initiatives/referenda on the ballot for the upcoming election, and you can help with each of them even though you may not live in those states. Please read it carefully, and pass it along!

I also want to alert you to the fact that Priests for Life's 2007 Calendar is now being printed. It has photos of our pastoral team at work, key quotes from Church leaders about the pro-life effort, and something that no other calendar has: indications of days that are especially important to the pro-life movement (such as the Annual March for Life, and key pro-life saints). Order your copy of the calendar today, because there is a limited supply. Request it at orders@priestsforlife.org.

Regarding my upcoming travels, I will be speaking tomorrow night in Austin, TX at the Texas Alliance for Life banquet, and then in Denver on Thursday and Friday at the Catholic Leadership Conference. The following week, please be sure to tune into the daily televised Mass on EWTN on Friday, November 3 when I will be the celebrant and homilist, and will give an important pre-election message.

Let me also provide you with the upcoming schedules for our other TV shows and Radio programming:

Catholic Vote Series: The Catholic Vote Part 5: Party Loyalty and Loyalty to Christ. Watch on EWTN Friday, October 27th at 10:00pm ET and Saturday, October 28th at 2:30am ET. Listen on EWTN radio Friday, October 27th at 1am ET, Saturday, October 28th at 6:30pm ET and Sunday, October 29th at 5am ET.

Gospel of Life: What Christians Can Do for Elections. Guest: Karen Cross. Watch on the "Angel One" channel on the Sky Angel Satellite System (www.skyangel.com) - Monday, October 23rd at 3:30am, Tuesday, October 24th at 2am, Thursday, October 26th at 8:30am and Saturday, October 28th at 7:30pm (all times Eastern). Listen to Gospel of Life episodes on the web! www.gospeloflife.com/tv

Life on the Line radio program: Save One. Sheila Harper recounts the story of her abortion, the pain it caused and the ministry that grew from her experience. Listen on Saturday, October 28th and Sunday, October 29th. Go to www.lifeontheline.com/listen/index.html for stations and airing times.

Please tune in and spread the word! In fact, you can help us - and your whole parish -- by asking your pastor to place in the parish bulletin an announcement about our TV shows. Thanks in advance!

Blessings and prayers,
Fr. Frank Pavone

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Four State Ballot Measures
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life

In using this year’s elections "to participate in building the culture of life" (US Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life, n. 34), we need to pay attention not only to the candidates, but to the ballot initiatives and referenda in particular states. Whether we live in those states or not, we can and should help to support the measures that should be supported and reject those that should be rejected, because in each case the outcome will have an effect on the entire country.

Measures that are brought directly to the citizens for a vote enable the citizens to participate more directly in self-government. Much of the ambiguity and unpredictability of candidates is gone. No longer is it a matter of whether we can trust the individual to support a particular piece of legislation. Here, the citizens get to vote on the policy directly. And often a ballot measure will motivate voters to come out more than a candidate will.

There are four states in particular that have ballot measures especially important to the abortion issue.

First, in California, voters should support the Parents' Right to Know and Child Protection Initiative (Proposition 85). This would require an abortionist to notify the parent of a minor before performing an abortion on her. Over half the states have this kind of law, and these laws reduce the numbers of abortions. California performs about a quarter of the nation's abortions. For Proposition 85 to pass would mean the protection of parental rights as well as a major dent in the abortion industry. For information, visit www.yeson85.net.

Second, a similar measure is on the ballot in Oregon. Voters should support the Parental Involvement and Support Act (Measure 43), which would expand parental rights by mandating that written or in person notice be provided to one parent of an unemancipated minor 15 years of age or older at least 48 hours prior to performing an abortion on that teenager. For information, visit www.protectourteendaughters.com.

Third, voters in South Dakota should support the Women's Health and Human Life Protection Act (Referred Law 6), which would simply ban abortions throughout the state. For information, visit www.voteyesforlife.com.

Finally, voters in Missouri should reject the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative (Amendment 2), which deceptively claims to ban "human cloning," but only bans a human clone from being implanted in a woman, not from being created and then killed for research purposes. For info, visit www.nocloning.org.

No matter where we live, we should help voters in these states to be informed about these measures. While Churches and other tax exempt organizations can never tell people to vote for or against a clearly identified candidate, they are allowed to tell people to vote for or against a particular ballot initiative or referendum. Organizations should put this information on the front page of their website between now and Election Day, because people in the states that have these measures can access those websites.

Let's work together on these measures, for pro-life victory!

Remember to support our work at www.priestsforlife.org/donate

This column an be found online at
www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2006/06-11-06stateballots.htm

Comments on this column? Email us at mail@priestsforlife.org, Priests for Life, PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314; Tel: 888-PFL-3448, 718-980-4400; Fax: 718-980-6515; web: www.priestsforlife.org

This column can be listened to online in MP3 format at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2006/index.htm

This column can be heard via podcast. See www.priestsforlife.org/podcast for more details.

We are grateful for your willingness to receive these email blasts so that we can continue to bring you critical information. A few people at times feel they have to refuse these communications, and all they need to do is tell us by emailing mail@priestsforlife.org. But we look forward to the privilege of continuing to send them to you!

HT to Patte G for the reminders.