August 2006 Newsletter
Back to Main Newsletters PagePlease let me share a story about how our mission is making a real difference right now.
A huge part of our work at Healing the Culture is to deliver logical, coherent, and articulate presentations on the pro-life position. We develop our presentations using Father Robert Spitzer's "Life Principles" pro-life curriculum, and we speak to audiences of all sizes, shapes, ages, and religions.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a secular college philosophy class. The event was sponsored by the pro-life club. I was thrilled because we've got a great message which college students desperately need to hear.
Unfortunately, most people don't get their information about the pro-life movement from pro-life people. They get it from television shows, movies, the nightly news, the radio, the newspaper, and popular magazines - most of which are decidedly not pro-life. So they don't give people much in the way of what pro-lifers really believe, and why we believe what we do.
That's why our society needs Healing the Culture. These college students, a mix of pro-choice and pro-life, were able to hear the basic philosophy of the pro-life movement from someone who is actually pro-life, and who both understands and can articulate a coherent and sound philosophy.
One of the best moments happened in the "question and answer" period when the issue of freedom came up. A pro-choice student wanted to know how we can protect women's freedom if we make abortion illegal.
I explained that true human freedom has to be committed to what is actually "good" or else it just becomes a license to do whatever is most immediately gratifying, which is frequently self-destructive. That kind of "freedom" usually turns into "slavery to Happiness Level 1 and 2 goals," and is not freedom at all. The protection of true freedom has to encourage "freedom for what is actually good for us."
I could tell from the look on my questioner's face that he wasn't really following my answer. That's when a most amazing thing happened. One of the other students who had been listening intently during my talk chimed in, answering the question more clearly and succinctly than I had. She said that when our laws encourage us to do things that are actually bad for us and for society in general, it's not freedom, it's anarchy; which leads to a violation of our third inalienable right - the property right - the right to a secure environment.
Wow! I was tickled pink. No only had she completely understood what I had taught about rights theory, she was able to instantly apply it. Afterward, she turned to me and said, "I've never been able to explain why I'm pro-life before. Now I can. Thank you!" I cannot tell you what it's like to get to see young people grasp onto a truth so big that, not only can they not deny it, but it actually liberates them. We are building a pro-life culture, and your help is vital!
We need your financial support to enable us to continue offering these talks and discussions in college classrooms; to develop resources for students; and to train new speakers and classroom Life Principles facilitators.
On average, a full year of classroom activities for Healing the Culture can cost as much as $12,000. This includes staff preparation, speaker coaching, material design, travel, presentation time, handouts, and training new speakers and facilitators.
It takes a lot of resources, but we like to think of it as investing in the pro-life future of our country. Every time we present the Life Principles to a new classroom filled with college students, there are at least another 30 to 40 future leaders who are equipped to make a significant pro-life impact in their field.
Your financial investment gives us the funding we need to invest our time, energies, and talents. That's why I'm asking for your support today. All gifts are gratefully accepted and wisely used, whether you send $10, $25, $50, $250, or more. To make your donation, please click on the Donate Now button below.
Please keep us in your prayers, and feel free to call us if you have any questions. Our new phone number is (425) 481-6563. Thank you and God bless you!
For Life,
Lisa-Ann Oliver
Director of Administration and Special Projects
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| September 2006 | ||
| Sept. 16 | Cresson, PA | Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Life Day of Prayer (Camille De Blasi Pauley) Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown website |
| October 2006 | ||
| Oct. 6 - 8 | Yakima, WA | That Life Rally (Camille De Blasi Pauley) Contact Maria, 509-965-7120 |
| Oct. 24 | Bellevue, WA | Life Principles high school presentation (Camille De Blasi Pauley) |
| November 2006 | ||
| Nov. 16-18 | Vancouver, BC Canada |
International Life Principles Conference "Healing the Culture: A New Beginning" (Fr. Robert Spitzer, Camille De Blasi Pauley, Michael Pauley, Lisa-Ann Oliver) |
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