Without fail a tentative hand will be raised asking about how we would answer the issue of rape and abortion?  We believe that pupils ask this question because after having discussed the horror of abortion and sometimes seen what happens to an unborn baby during an abortion they need to think of the worst thing that could happen to a girl ie. rape to make her consider an abortion.

But here’s the bottom line,

That means that the incidence of pregnancy from rape and ending in abortion is extremely rare.  Even so abortion for rape is still the taking of an innocent human life!

“… at the moment of fertilization two separate cells form one new life, genetically distinct in every way from every other human being on earth. The color of our eyes, the shape of our hands, even where we put on weight and when we will go bald was programmed into that one tiny cell that we all began our lives as.”

– National Right to Life

Here is a video http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/2012-its-time-to-turn-the-tide-on-abortion from the U.S.  made by the Students for Life which reminds us not to settle back and accept the abortion law, but to keep on fighting

The same is true for our society when it comes to it’s attitude towards sex and its consequences.  Firstly there is a lack of education not information , she says

I have said it before: abortion does not exist in a vacuum. As long as teenagers are encouraged to believe that they are mature enough to have sex, that sex is “no big deal,” that being promiscuous is cool, that birth control pills are harmless and fail-safe, and that condoms make all your problems go away, we are going to keep seeing unplanned pregnancies.

….. We need to begin to make young women understand that being slutty is not synonymous with being cool, funny, and smart. We need to show them that in today’s culture, not rebelling against traditional morality is the truly rebellious thing.

Ten year old model Thylane Blondeau

Kristen goes on to argue,

Organizations like New Wave Feminists seek to reach young women before they have sacrificed their intelligence, self-respect, and virtue at the altar of MTV. We need young women who remain chaste until marriage, who uphold and affirm the sanctity of life, and who view marriage and motherhood as sacred vocations. In order to see more of those young women, we need to change the perception that teenage girls who are intelligent and chaste are miserable, unpopular, naive, and brainwashed.

You can be smart, funny, and cool while having morals. I’ve seen it happen.

It won’t be easy to accomplish this, but it is possible. Radical mainstream feminism turned women on themselves. By trying to be just like the boys, women ended up using their sexuality as a weapon or a commodity. If you don’t believe me, watch a Rihanna video.

I would like to see a day when the average 16-year-old rolls her eyes in disgust at a booty-shaking Barbie on MTV. I would like to see a day when women don’t engage in baby-making activities until they have a diploma or degree in one hand and a ring on the other. I would like to see a day when young men have to work for young women’s attention again, because said women are too busy going out into the world and doing splendid things to shake their rumps in some club.

And it’s a chain reaction: those young women will raise strong daughters whose daddies showed them enough love that they don’t need to give anyone a lap dance to feel worthy, and whose mothers showed them enough discipline that they can tell boys “no” without feeling like the world is going to end.

That is the New Wave of feminism: virtuous, intelligent, and unapologetic. It’s not just for women, either. Men are not incapable of virtue; they’ve just been convinced they are by the media.

Speaking of which: the media is our greatest enemy in this fight for the minds and hearts of youth. Being promiscuous, dumb, and reckless is easy, flashy, fun, and on every single channel. New media is the key to getting our message across. And we have to do it now. There is no time to waste. I saw a roughly 11-year-old girl the other day walking around at the mall wearing a Playboy bunny T-shirt. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call rock bottom.

There is hope for the younger generations. We have to lead by example among our peers and those who look up to us. We have to show them that leaving behind ego and instant gratification doesn’t mean leaving behind your brain or your sense of fun.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, and no matter how we change the perception of virtue among young people and reestablish the idea of sexual standards, people will fail to meet them, and unwanted pregnancies will happen.

Here,here.

Talks on the methods of abortion, the Catholic Churchs’ stance on abortion and the work of The Cardinal Winning Pro-life Initiative linked in to the R.E. syllabus they are covering at the moment in S5 & S6.  A presentation was also given to pupils in the Hearing Impairment Unit with the help of a signing teacher.

Thank you so much for the donation of £30, it’s much appreciated.

St. Thomas Aquinas

By its very nature, abortion requires a violation of a woman’s body. Her cervix, which nature has designed to remain closed to protect the developing human fetus, must be forcibly opened. Then, her womb, which is designed to nurture life, must be penetrated, suctioned, and scraped. For many women, this experience is nothing less than their first intimate encounter with death. (Forbidden Grief, Theresa Burke, p 114).

“The building up of a culture of Life must flow first and foremost from a loving, courageous, and humble heart — yes, in imitation of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.”
– Archbishop Timothy Dolan

written by Robert Colquhoun

“But when the kindness and generous love of God our Saviour appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our saviour, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy” (Titus 3:4-8).

Timothy (d. 97?): What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.

Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.

Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.

Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your youth,” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12a.) Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).

Titus (d. 94?): Titus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel: “When I went to Troas…I had no relief in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia…. For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears. But God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus…” (2 Corinthians 2:12a, 13; 7:5-6).

When Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out. Paul writes he was strengthened not only by the arrival of Titus but also “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you, as he told us of your yearning, your lament, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more…. And his heart goes out to you all the more, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, when you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:7a, 15).

The Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete, charged with organizing it, correcting abuses and appointing presbyter-bishops.