Saint Joseph Parish: $1,304.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $121.00 from the second collection (plate); $50.00 from the Dues envelopes; $99.00 from the Catholic Relief envelopes; $25.00 from the Christmas envelopes; $153.00 from the loose. Thank you.

Saint Vincent DePaul Parish: $875.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $105.00 from the second collection (plate); $108.00 from the Catholic Relief envelopes; $102.00 from the Retired Religious envelopes; $25.00 from the Christmas envelopes. $189.00 from the loose. Thank you.

She is eight years old. She is a daughter of Albert J. Sr. and Annetta (Mercuri) Yackenchick. Marissa has three older brothers, two younger brothers and two younger sisters. Having known Marissa all her life, I can attest to the fact that she is even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside. We have good reason to be proud of her. In the words of Maurice Chevalier: “Thank heaven for little girls!” (Although, as I recall, Maurice would sing it like ziss: “Zank heffen for leetle girls.”)
I asked Annetta to bring along Marissa’s cape and crown when the family comes to Mass this weekend (probably to the 11:30 am Mass). We will introduce Marissa after Mass.
If you would like to watch the video record of the “coronation” of the Snowdrop Princess, you can find it at this link:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1911416306/bclid1377894836/bctid9059847001

If none of these times suits your schedule, you are welcome to drop your throat off at St. Vincent dePaul Rectory. Put it in a bag and write your name and phone number on the bag. After blessing it, we shall call you, so you can come and pick it up. If you avail yourself of this service, please note that we shall do our best but cannot be responsible if you get someone else’s throat back instead of your own.

WANDERIN’ AGAIN

If given the choice, would you abort yourself?

For people who believe that a human being’s life begins at conception, today (Jan. 22) is the pro-life “day that will live in infamy.” Since the infamous Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973, about 50 million pre-born children have been killed through surgical abortion. Nice legacy for a country to live with, huh?
And with the inauguration of President Barack Obama on Tuesday, and a liberal Democratic Congress in place, there is a pretty good chance (Place your bets, people!) that anti-life legislation will be introduced and passed without any viable opposition, with the result that even more babies will never see the light of day like you and I have.
If you had the choice, would you – could you – abort yourself? Interesting question, isn’t it? Pro-abortion advocates always, without exception, present the issue as the “right to choose.” Of course, that always begs the question, “The right to choose what?” We usually never get an answer when it is asked of those who support abortion.
When it comes to "choice," the person being aborted is the one who doesn't have any choice. For some women, choosing abortion is not an easy thing. Sometimes they're forced into it by a husband, boyfriend, family member -- even their parents. For many other woen, it is not that difficult a decision, especially when there is some justification in the "choice," be it money or career, or it's just not the right time, or, because of some tests, the baby might not be "perfect" enough, or will have a congenital abnormality. The most illogical reason is, in my opinion, that when a pre-born baby is found to have some medical condition, such as a mental or physical handicap, abortion is the answer in order to prevent the child from suffering after it is born. Excuse me? So, in order to prevent some uncertain future suffering, it is better just to kill the baby now? Burn it with saline, tear the limbs off, shove forceps into the head and suck out the brains and then crush the skull. Yes, sounds very humane to me. It's got compassion written all over it. Unfortunately, the "product of choice," or POC, rather than what is used by the abortion industry as a "product of conception," is not a product of its own choice. Maybe the preborn boy or girl would have decided after 10, 20, 30 or more years of life that it was better to have had life and suffer hardships than not being born in the first place.
Now, think about your own life, especially if you support the “right to choose.” I’m sure you’ve had bad things happen to you. You’ve had a major illness like cancer, gone through marital problems, lost a child, spouse or parent, or some other major negative event. You’ve suffered. Most, if not all, people do. For some, suffering is an ongoing situation, sometimes outweighing all the good times. Do you think it would have been better for you never having been born if you really knew ahead of time what you might go through? That can be the rationale in a “right to choose” decision.

Most of the focus on Obama’s presidency is his support for abortion – he voted again legislation in Illinois twice that would make medical personnel to provide care to babies who survived an abortion – and on the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).
What is FOCA? Basically, if passed – and there are some who believe it won’t get through Congress – the bill would remove all restrictions on abortion throughout the country. Partial-birth abortion, requirements that parents/guardians consent before a minor gets an abortion, or any other restrictions enacted at the state and federal level will be gone. Just like that.
There is another piece of legislation that isn’t mentioned much. It’s the Prevention First Act, which has several parts, which, according to the American Life League, would fund programs promoted by Planned Parenthood and would put millions more tax dollars into Planned Parenthood's coffers. These components include:

• Making Title X (family planning) a permanent program and fund it at $700 million or more.
• Mandate that health insurance programs that cover prescriptions must cover abortifacient contraceptives.
• Create a government program to push abortifacient "emergency contraception."
• Take all federal money away from any hospital that refuses to administer the abortifacient emergency contraception to victims of rape.
• Create additional massive government funding for Planned Parenthood style sex education programs (abstinence-only programs are specifically excluded from funding).
• Permanently include family planning services as part of the Medicaid program.

As ALL explains it, all of these programs will result in more babies being killed and more taxpayer money going to the largest abortion chain in the nation, Planned Parenthood, which is making money hand-over-fist in its providing abortions not only from women who use their “services,” but also from your tax dollars. And they want more money. And with Obama and Congress as it currently is, count on PP to get it.
Today, hundreds of thousands of prolife advocates will walk the cold streets of Washington, D.C. in the annual “March for Life” in support of life and the eventual overturning of Roe vs. Wade, which would only be a start. There will be people from our area going to the walk. Keeping a tradition going, the Rev. Edward B. Connolly, pastor of St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul parishes in Girardville and former pastor of St. Joseph Church in Pottsville, is in Washington with local residents who traveled by bus to march for life. This is a grassroots effort. It has been one from the beginning. It is not going to stop, no matter who is in the White House or Congress. Pro-lifers may lose some battles, but they will not lose the war, no matter how long it takes.

JOHN E. USALIS
(Originally published 22 Jan 2009 in The News-Item, Shamokin.

WE SHARE THE MAIL
15 January 2009
To: Rev. Edward B. Connolly
Subject: interesting article on George Bush
Dear Fr. Connolly:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/14/AR2009011402791_pf.html
This is not a flattering article on George Bush. I think that a more just article could be written attempting to see the good in his eight years. Most of this centers on Iraq. Nevertheless it is an interesting article, as far as it goes.
Christopher C.

16 January 2009
To: Christopher C
Subject: RE: interesting article on George Bush
Dear Mr. C:
Thanks for the article.
I read it carefully.
Woodward is thoughtful and measured, not hateful or mean.
So, even though I am tired of reading anti-Bush editorials, I give credit to Woodward for keeping his criticism on a high plane.
I guess President Bush has not been an excellent manager of personnel.
I watched his “farewell interview” with Larry King and, of course, his farewell address in the East Room.
I was impressed with his humility and his charity. I think George is the most Catholic president we have ever had. Now that he will be out of the limelight, I hope he becomes a Catholic, although I don’t think Laura is inclined in that direction. I like Laura, but I don’t think she is likely to become a Catholic.
I have no problem with people who dump on George because they think the war in Iraq was unjustified and / or mismanaged OR because they think he was too soft on illegal immigration OR because they think he botched Katrina relief OR because they think he violated fundamental conservative fiscal policy. I might not agree entirely with them, but I can see their point.
I do have a problem with people who dump on George because he believes that there is such a thing as objective truth (which he clearly does) and because it is so palpable that he truly believes in God. When I say “believes”, I mean “really and truly believes” and when I say “God”, I mean the God we know from the Bible, not some lame and pathetic “architect of the universe” rip-off.
When I come to think about it, there have been two presidents in my lifetime towards whom I had strong, oppositional feelings, viz. Jimmy Carter (although only in the latter part of his term) and Bill Clinton (from the beginning of his first term to the end of his second term). I was extremely downhearted at Clinton’s first election and delighted to see him finally go after his second term. However, I never experienced anything remotely like the emotion of HATRED towards either Carter or Clinton.
It intrigues me that so many people seem to HATE George W. Bush.
(The Talmud says that if God were to build His house on earth, people would throw stones at it.)
I think George is a lightning rod for God because he is the most prominent believer in the land.
Priests sometimes have the experience of taking it on the chin for God. We are surrogates for Him.
Maybe that’s one reason I feel a kinship with George.
EBC

Follow-up comment on the above
Based on my analysis of some of the public statements of President Obama in the area of religion, I am as certain as I can possibly be that the fundamental mindset of the new administration is starkly different from that of the Catholic Church and from revealed religion in general. As events unfold over the next four (or eight) years, we shall come to see what it means to have “sown the wind” so as, consequently “to reap the whirlwind”. Barack Obama is the precursor of something (or someone?) dreadful and yet to come. I have ominous feelings. I saw a teeshirt in Washington DC. It read as follows: “And His Name shall be Barack Obama.” Good grief! Would someone please hand me a crucifix and some holy water?

“Among the many good things that he could have done, Barack Obama instead has chosen the worst….….What is important is to know how to listen, without locking oneself into ideological visions with the arrogance of a person who, having the power, thinks he can decide on life and death………..If this is one of the first acts of President Obama, with all due respect, it seems to me that the path towards disappointment will have been very short."

Archbishop Rino Fisichella
President
Pontifical Academy for Life

"This deals a harsh blow not only to us Catholics but to all the people across the world that fight against the slaughter of innocents that is carried out with abortion."

Archbishop Elio Sgreccia
President Emeritus
Pontifical Academy for Life