Get your Mother Teresa Stamps on September 7th

When I met Thomas Peters of American Papist, at the Catholic New Media Celebration in Boston, I was thrilled that he remembered me from 2009 when we both received the Pro-life Blog Award from the American Life League. I am such a small fish and he is well, a celebrity. It shows his gracious humility.

 But there's another reason to love Thomas Peters, his passion for the Faith. He gave a talk about the power of the New Media to influence the culture,and launch grassroots activism,  and used the campaign to support the Mother Teresa stamp as an example of how we Catholics, can use our voices in the new media and can affect the climate in America.
Brian Burch has teamed up with Thomas at Catholic Vote Action, and reminds us to claim our victory of obtaining the Mother Teresa stamp by buying as many of them as possible and making them a historic bestseller.

“This is incredible.”

Those are the words of a Director with the United States Postal Service after being told that over 146,000 people signed our petition in support of the Mother Teresa stamp.

This is truly inspiring.
I am happy to report that I will be on hand to represent you and CatholicVote at the formal introduction of the Mother Teresa stamp on Sunday. The Postal Service will unveil the stamp at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., exactly 13 years after Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997.

Your efforts have proved the power of CatholicVote’s grassroots activism! We refused to stay silent while a small, but very vocal minority tried to stop the celebration of this amazing and holy nun.
As we said at the time our petition was launched, “Not this time. Not with Mother Teresa.”

Let’s show the Postal Service how much enthusiasm there is for Mother Teresa. The stamp goes on sale nationwide on Tuesday, September 7. Don’t forget to visit your local post office next week and buy lots of Mother Teresa stamps!
Thank you again for all your efforts in making this effort such a big success.
Brian Burch

President

CatholicVote Civic Action

Did you celebrate St Stephen's Day?

Mr Beeler at his blog The Catholic Comedy did. Go on over and celebrate the faith of the first martyr. We may be needing such strong examples of the Faith to face what is coming in this nation.

Congratulations Prolife blog award winners!

I am especially proud of my friend Jean Heimann who won this award for the second time. She is a true pro-life warrior, and her blog Catholic Fire always has the most recent pro-life news from a truly Catholic perspective. Well done, Jean!
Congratulations also to Operation Rescue and Fr Frank Pavone.
 This time she won Best Overall Prolife Blog. See all the winners here.

Nomination for ALL pro-life blog award.

Thank you to whoever nominated Causa Nostrae Laetitiae for American Life League's 2010 Pro-life Blog Awards. I am honored to be among some of the best blogs out there, and to be nominated after winning the Pro-life Unity Award in 2009. It would be an honor to win again, though part of me wants someone else to have a turn, but I had a wonderful time at the ALL Conference last year and would welcome a return visit.

 I will defer to vox populi since this year the awards are won by a popular vote, rather than a panel.
 IF you think this is the best pro-life blog out there, you can vote for Causa Nostrae Laetitiae here.

Nominate your favorite pro-life blog for the ALL pro-life blog award

Here is the press release at Jill Stanek's blog. She is one of the panel  who judges the blogs. I was honored to be awarded the Pro-life Unity Award last year and meet some of my favorite bloggers; Jill Stanek, Barbara Curtis, Thomas Peters, and Jivin' Jehosaphat.
Go here to nominate your favorite pro-life bloggers.

Honest Scrap Award

I've recently recieved an HONEST SCRAP blogger award. Thank you +JMJ+ at Totus Tuus Family Homeschool. Not only is she a true follower, she keeps me writing, by her faithful and positive comments, she inspires me to keep on blogging.
Now...to keep this award, I must do the following:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.

2) Share "ten honest things" about myself. (that's usually fodder for the other blog, Cause of Our Joy, but I was given the award here)


3) Present this award to 4 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

4) Tell those 4 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it.

Ten honest things about myself.

Here goes:

1.) I hate my hair! Ever since the last baby, it's been thinning and getting impossibly fine and curly when straight hair is in. Like my unruly will which I try to tame into a humble and obedient one, my hair has a mind of it's own.

2.) We don't ever get through dinner in my house without someone mentioning poop. And we don't have any boys to blame!

3.) I have been fighting the battle of the bulge since 8th grade with limited success. We go walking every night as a family, dogs and all, to get in shape, yet the scale is mighty stubborn these days.

4.) I am a perfectionist and procrastinator, a deadly combination for a writer. You may have noticed that this doesn't apply to blogging, however, I'd rather clean the toilet than work on an article that's due next week. I don't get on it until the deadline is looming in three days. Don't tell Sue at Canticle (like she'd be surprised).

5.) There are two movie stars that make me all silly; Eduardo Verastegui and Jim Caviezel. Sorry, Mel, your recent behavior helped me get over you!

6.) Did I mention my chocolate cravings? (Sort of explains number 3, doesn't it?)

7.) I can't turn down a stray animal. We had ten cats for a summer (they were the outdoor kind) and two dogs. We're down to a manageable three cats and two dogs now.

8.) I have WAY too many books and stuff, to the point that you would call my house cluttered. I once had a plaque which said, "Brilliant minds are seldom tidy" but I can't find it! To solve this, I am making frequent donations to my parish rummage sale this summer. It feels great!

9.) I love Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother with an outgoing passion, and often get in trouble, for not being quiet about my faith when it makes others uncomfortable. I am like Blanche in "New in Town" who keeps bringing up His holy name in ordinary conversation. It can cause people to cross the street when they see you!

10.) Ditto for my prolife activism, but if you've read my blog, you already know that!

Now, I nominate the following honest bloggers:

1. Elizabeth at The Divine Gift of Motherhood who suggested that we bloggers post stories of our mistakes and disasters. This post is as close as I"ve come to participating, Elizabeth!
2. Jean at Catholic Fire, who never flinches from telling the truth to power.
3. Patrice Fagnant McArthur at Spiritual Woman Thoughts who offers us refreshing honesty about spritual life.
4. Heidi at Mommy Monsters Inc., who so eloquently shares her parenting struggles, it's in her blog title.

The truth about George Tiller

If you want to know the truth about late term abortionist George Tiller, Christina Dunigan who is a frequent commenter here under the name Granny Grump, has an exhaustive summary of his crimes with ample documentation to convict him in any reasonable court of law. Of course, thanks to the liberals, we have anything but reasonable courts now.
Here's how Christina cuts through the rhetoric about how Tiller performed late term abortions.

"The assertions that the abortions Tiller was infamous for were performed on women whose lives were in danger have begun to fade. As they should, as people ponder the utterly nonsensical idea that any woman could face a life-threatening or health-threatening pregnancy complication for which the safest course of action is to strenuously avoid all inpatient care at fully-equipped hospitals and to instead spend three days at the La Qunita attended by your mom or boyfriend. "
This technique of waiting for the abortion to finish while at the La Quinta is what killed Christin Gilbert, a 19 year old with Down syndrome who died of a botched abortion at Tiller's facility. He begged for 'no sirens or lights'when the ambulance finally picked the dying woman up at his mill. He didn't want the prolife protesters outside to be alerted that his death toll was rising. We will remember you Christin, as the phonies are lauding Tiller. Here is a participant of the March for Life this year who is memorializing her.

Read the entire post over at Real Choice and be prepared next time someone tries to lionize this coward of cowards who killed 60,000 babies and several women.

The Holy Father mentions the name of this blog

. . . in his Lenten Message. Read the rest of his message here.
You didn't really think he read this blog, did you? Only in my dreams!

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Causa nostrae laetitiae, accompany and support us in the effort to free our heart from slavery to sin, making it evermore a "living tabernacle of God."


With these wishes, while assuring every believer and ecclesial community of my prayer for a fruitful Lenten journey, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 11 December 2008

Benedictus PP XVI

I won one of the American Life League Pro-life Blog Awards!

Welcome to Pro-Life Blog Awards, the first and only pro-life blog awards.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Pro-Life Blogs Awards:
Best Overall Pro-Life Blog - Mommy Life
Best News and Reporting - Jivin Jehoshaphat
Pro-Life Unity Award - Causa Nostrae Laetitiae
Pro-Life Whistleblower Award - Catholic Fire
Best Pro-Life Apologetics - Mark's Blog
Pro-Life Instigator Award for Activism - American Papist
Pro-Life Blog Awards promotes, encourages, impassions and rewards pro-life bloggers for excellence in spreading the culture of life.
Bloggers are heralding news and information about the pro-life movement when traditional media have ignored the most pressing crisis of our day - the war on LIFE.
Blogging is an often thankless and solitary job and it's time we recognized pro-life bloggers for their contribution to the pro-life movement and potential to transform the landscape of our common cause to protect and defend the sanctity of each human being's life.

Blogs for Life will feature Sen Brownback and Rep Chris Smith

This year will mark my third attendance at the Blogs for Life Conference at the Family Research Council. It is the best event in Washington on the morning of the March to meet and greet prolife movers and shakers like:

Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Phill Klein,Former Kansas Attorney General
Hadley P. Arkes, Edward N. Ney Professor in American Institutions at Amherst College
Dawn Eden, author and blogger
Eric Scheidler, Communications Director for the Pro-Life Action League, Chicago, ILMichael Illions, blogger for Conservatives with Attitude
Jill Stanek, pro-life blogger and speaker

The conference is free, but it's necessary to drive down yourself or stay in a hotel the night before, since it begins at 8:30AM, four hours before the March. It is well worth the trouble, and don't worry, no one will notice if you're not a blogger. Perhaps there's a blogger inside you, and Blogs for Life will bring it out.
The more of us out there stating the truth about the Culture of Death, the closer we get to seeing the Culture of Life.

I'm nominated for the Pro-life blog awards!

Thank you, DR at The Maritime Sentry for nominating me for this prestigious award from the American Life League.As ALL says, blogging, especially pro-life blogging can be a lonely and thankless job. I hear that.

Sometimes when comments are sparse, or overwhelimingly negative as they were on this post, I wonder if the only readers out there are coming by accident through Google. I certainly don't want to preach to choir, and unintentional readers may have their eyes opened in ways they never imagined, but still, it's so gratifying to be recognized by fellow writers, bloggers, and pro-lifers. Thank you.

There is no voting from thegeneral public, a panel of pro-life bloggers and media specialists will decide the winners. I'm on pins and needles; this would be a great honor coming from ALL.

Prolife bloggers, take a bow!

from American Life League
Because of the wide-spread attention you gave our ALL Report on Planned Parenthood's DISGUSTING website www.takecaredownthere.org, the story made its way onto the main-stream media.
You can see our ALL report on it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NLUfVWpCKo and here: http://www.allreport.blip.tv/#1128425. The resulting bad publicity forced Planned Parenthood to remove ALL of the offensive videos!
This is the New Media in action! When you draw as much attention as you did to the nastiness of Planned Parenthood, the drive-by media can no longer ignore what's going on.

Kudos to all of you for making this a big deal, and Glory be to God for His grace, aiding in our struggle.
Keep up the good fight. We forced the enemy to retreat, now let's press on!
God Bless you all, and thank you for everything you do for the babies!
--Michael Hichborn

Great election coverage at Catholic Fire

I'm proud to be a friend to blogger extraordinaire, Jean, at Catholic Fire. Her coverage of the election is outstanding, don't miss it.
UPDATE:
I just did a search "Catholics for Sarah Palin" and discovered another Catholic blog with great political coverage: The Catholic Knight.
I sometimes feel guilty about missing so many important issues on this blog, but I just moved and I do have a family, so please help me out and go to these blogs to get what I miss.
Thanks

Great post on Sarah Palin at Da Mihi Animas

I just couldn't help sharing this picture from Padre Steve's awesome post.

"Apple Pie and Gunsmoke"

Catholic University of San Diego nixes pro-abortion Professor Ruether

I spend a lot of time on this blog complaining, but I always try to give my readers work to do to redress the wrongs. Feeling helpless in the face of outrage is terrible, it makes you do crazy things, like start a blog!
Brian McDaniel at Ora et Labora has a post on how the president of Catholic University of San Diego terminated the positon of a radical Catholic professor, amid much protest.
Rosemary Radford Ruether is a well-known feminist theologian who made news this week because the University of San Diego rescinded Ruether’s appointment to the Portman Chair in Roman Catholic Theology. The appointment would be counter to its namesake’s intention to promote “distinguished theologians who think from within the Roman Catholic tradition.”
Ruether advocates gay marriage, ordination for women, and other anti-Catholic causes.
Almost on cue, two national women’s groups have put together a petition with more than 2,000 signatures demanding that the University of San Diego give Ruether the post.
I think Catholics can do better.
The radical feminists had 2,000 signatures on a petition to protest, McDaniel is attempting to collect double that number, or 4,000 signatures saying "Well done!"
It's the least we can do to support a valaint Catholic in academia, they are so rare, they must be lonely.
Read the blog post here, and follow the links to the petition.

Trial is coming for Tiller the Baby Killer, but will there be justice?

Notorious abortionist George Tiller, who has flouted Kansas abortion laws by performing countless late term abortions, many on underage girls whose rapists he has protected, is finally coming to trial. To understand how long he has eluded justice and how Governor Kathleen Siblelius, a Catholic on Obama's short list for VP's has protected and celebrated this evil man, read Jean's comprehensive post over at Catholic Fire.
I am praying that justice be done, it will be a monumental struggle. May George Tiller repent of his sins before he meets his final judgement with the Just Judge from whom nothing is hidden.

New blog "Stuff Catholics Like"

Some of the funniest Catholic writers out there The Curt Jester and Ironic Catholic have joined forces on a new blog, Stuff Catholics Like, which promises to be a lighthearted yet informative view of Catholicism.
Check it out here.

My spiritual director has a blog, of course!

His name is Monsignor Michael Mozia, and he is a Moral Theologian in a seminary in his native Nigeria. He is aslo a prolific writer,and I am reading the book, "Why Work?" and am trying to make it available in the USA. Monsignor has much to teach Americans about the dangers of materialism and secularism, a theme emphasized by Pope Benedict in his recent visit.
Here is his new blog, Monsignor Mozia, Praise God.

This blog is on hold . . .

While I complete my first feature article for the National Catholic Register, due this Wednesday, April 2.
I will be enjoying Divine Mercy Sunday with my family and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal today, and as soon as I file the article, I'll post the photos. Here's my post on our Divine Mercy Sunday celebration last year.

Does anyone want to venture a guess on the topic I'll be covering for the Register?

Catholic Blog Awards: voting ends this weekend

Voting is now open at the Catholic Blog Awards and will end on March 17 at noon.
I have four blogs nominated in different categories, and would appreciate your vote if one of them is your favorite.

1. Cause of Our Joy is nominated for Best Individual Blog, Best Overall Blog, Best Written Blog, and Most Spiritual Blog.

2. Causa Nostrae Laetitiae is nominated for Best Political Social Commentary, and Best Written Blog.
These are group blogs I contribute to:
3. Mount Carmel Catholic Bloggers is nominated for Best Group Blog
4. Catholic Media Review is nominated for Best Insider News, Most Informative/Insightful, and Best Group Blog.
This is a total of ten nominations, thank you for doing me the honor of reading and appreciating my writing.