New UN Convention Forbids Withdrawal of Food or Fluids from Disabled like Terri Schiavo

From LiftSite.net

UNITED NATIONS, December 15, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The newly approved United Nations "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" which was adopted by the General Assembly Wednesday forbids nations which sign on to it from denying "food and fluids" to disabled persons.

Article 25 of the Convention, which deals with health, directs (in sub-section f) nations to "Prevent discriminatory denial of health care or health services or food and fluids on the basis of disability."

Commenting on the development, Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition told LifeSiteNews.com that "To cause death by dehydration by denying food and fluids to a person based on their disability or cognitive ability, such as Terri Schiavo, is to kill them by euthanasia."

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The Truth About Priests

Please say a prayer for your priest and those considering a vocation to the priesthood.

O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church: Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord.

Lord, give us holy priests; You Yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things. I ask You, Jesus, for a special blessing and for light for the priests before whom I will make my confessions throughout my lifetime. Amen.

wonderful news

From Luukas' dad:

I think I'm in love with St Lucy.

We went to see the eye doctor today. When she examined Luukas he showed quite clearly that he was fixing his eyes on many different objects and even following them, though only for a short time. Of course his vision is extremely far from perfect, but at least he sees light, wide stripes and movement. And he has great problems in directing his eyes on whatever he wants to look at. Now we have instructions on what to do to help him with all that. The doctor said his vision can only improve from now on, but nobody can say how good it will be. We'll be talking to St Lucy again, I think

Saint for the Year: 2007

I was chosen by St. Charbel Makhlouf

Look for more post later as we learn about this saint.

Get your Saint for a Year

disturbing statistics

49% number of Catholics that do not agree that all abortions should be illegal
1% those who are unsure
30% number of Catholics who never attend Mass and believe all abortions should be illegal
60% number of Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week and believe all abortions should be illegal.

Read article on LifeSite.net

Catholic Carnival #97

Here it is

Saint of the Year

Visit Moneybags at A Catholic Life to learn more about this devotion.

Catholic Carnival is up

Catholic Carnival

Update on Luukas and Rosa

Baby Luukas is going for a vision exam on December 12th.

From Luukas' mom:

On 13 December Luukas has an appointment in the eye clinic in Helsinki. It is the day of St Lucy, the patroness of people with seeing difficulties. I hope this is not a coincidence. Please, join us and pray the following novena from 4 to 12 December, preceding the appointment day. On 6 December, I ask you to say a little prayer to St. Nicolas on his day, too. He is the saint I have been praying to for Luukas' vision the most.

NOVENA TO SAINT LUCY
(For Perfect Vision)

Relying on Your goodness, O God,
we humbly ask You,
through the intercession of Saint Lucy,
virgin and martyr,
to give perfect vision to our eyes,
that they may serve for Your greater honour and glory.

Saint Lucy,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen

Also, Rosa has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Please keep her in your prayers.

Luukas has a blog! Luukas' Story

Possible 2nd miracle attributed to John Paul II

Miracle attributed to John Paul II

Extraordinary ministers of Eucharist barred from purifying vessels

I saw this when it was originally posted over a week ago. I didn't get around to putting it up then.

From Catholic News Service:

At the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States. Read Entire Article

UK Docs: "Active Euthanasia" on Disabled Newborns Will Cut Abortion Rates

From LifeSite.net:

Britain's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology has put forth a proposal calling for the active euthanasia of babies born with serious health problems, the Times reported Sunday. One argument the doctors are using is that the possibility of killing newborns after birth will reduce "late abortions".

The college is arguing that medical advances which allow severely disabled babies to survive more often and with longer life spans make the option of "active euthanasia" necessary for the wellbeing of families.

"A very disabled child can mean a disabled family," the proposal said. "If life-shortening and deliberate interventions to kill infants were available, they might have an impact on obstetric decision-making, even preventing some late abortions, as some parents would be more confident about continuing a pregnancy and taking a risk on outcome."Read Entire Article

Are they really making this arguement? What person in their right mind proposes killing newborns as a way to stop late term abortions? Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't doctors supposed to help preserve life? To many in the medical profession have become power manic monsters with a god complex. As we pray for all children, both born and unborn, let us also pray for those doctors who recognize the sanctity of life and thier duty to protect it and pray that more who share thier convictions will join their ranks.

I'm back and I'm an uncle!

I was away all last week. I spent the week at home seeing my new nephew. Andrew Luke was born at 11:21 pm on October 31st and weighed 7 lbs. 13 ozs. and was 19.5 inches long.

US Bishops Set to Tell Catholics Opposed to Teaching on Abortion or Homosexuality not to Receive Communion

From LifeSite News:

The U.S. bishops will vote on a proposed document, "Happy Are Those Who Are Called To His Supper: On Preparing To Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist" during their annual November meeting in Baltimore, Nov. 13-16.

The document, addressed to all the faithful, points out that Catholics may not receive communion if they do not accept Church teaching on matters such as abortion and homosexuality. Catholics should refrain from Holy Communion, says the document, "when they lack adherence to what the Church authoritatively teaches on matters of faith and morals."

The document is designed to help Catholics properly prepare to receive Holy Communion. It is organized as a series of questions and answers, and explores topics such as what the Catholic Church believes about the Eucharist, who may receive Holy Communion, and how Catholics can prepare to receive the sacrament more worthily. Read Entire Article

It will be interesting to see what comes of this. I think that the Church's teaching on the reception of the Eucharist needs to be highlighted much more. We need more priests and bishops like the one's I've found in the parish that I've been attending since my recent move.

I had a priest specifically ask me if I had received the Eucharist while in a state of sin during a recent visit to the confessional. There's no getting off the hook in this parish! Thankfully, I was able to tell him that no I had not received while being conscious of grave sin. It would be nice to see more priests and bishops step up with some tough spiritual directing.

Pray the Rosary for Pope Benedict XVI

Join in praying the rosary for Pope Benedict XVI as he prepares for his trip to Turkey on Nov. 28-Dec. 1.

Thanks to Moneybags at A Catholic Life

Feel free to copy this image and post it on your blog.