To the Young Catholic Voters

The Presidential election is today and what a crazy event it will be! Today will be the very first Presidential election that I get the chance to be a part of. Looking back on the Presidential race as a young voter, it was a very interesting experience looking at candidates, researching what their beliefs about how the country should be run and how they can bring peace and stability to a country hurting after violent events and economic troubles.

As a young Catholic voter it was always intriguing to hear how other first time Catholic voters tried to decide who they would vote for. Some liked candidates because of their appearance, others because of certain candidates views on the legalization of illegal drugs. What was surprising to me however was the how the issue of abortion and pro-life and religious freedom was so distorted by young adult Catholics. Every place I went that issue of abortion was brought up, I was surprised that so many Catholics my age were so misguided about the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It bothered me that young Catholics do not realize that without laws concerning life, no other laws even matter. I think out of any issues right now, the pro-life stance and the defense against the HHS Mandate are the most important for young Catholics to look at while preparing to vote. I feel it it extremely important to look at church teaching, morals and how we want our Catholic church to be run in the future. I urge young people to make good sound moral decisions, not only considering your own life, but also the lives of others. Catholic means universal indicating that we are meant to bring all people together. This being said, we need to work together to protect the sanctity of human life, unite all people and the protect the freedom of religion. The only way we can make sure all these things happen is by voting and by voting particularly as Catholics. 

As the election draws near, I pray that the Holy Spirit may guide the hearts and minds of all those who are voting today that we may grow more closely together as one nation under God.

Demand Your Dignity

Sexual temptation is a huge problem in our world. No longer is sex sacred, but love between a husband and wife is nearly taken out of the picture. That's why it is such a blessing to have teachings on Theology of the Body! Sr. Helena Burns, a sister of the Order of St. Paul, who's mission is to evangelize using media, gave a talk to us on Theology of the Body a few days ago. In her talk, she reminded us about the importance of chastity and abstinence. She said that we have to be the evangelizers to those who struggle with sexual temptation, teaching them the importance of abstinence until marriage,. Surprisingly, girls are more sexually tempted than guys. It is out job to reach out to them and help them, where other guys wouldn't. We can be good counselors and supporters.

Here is a video titled "Demand Your Dignity" made to show girls how important abstaining from sex is. It features guys giving their advice to girls about how they should do their best to live chaste and not give in to sexual temptation. I invite you to watch this video and pass it along to your friends.

Mistake or Lie? Why is Truth So Uncommon When It Comes To Life?

Listening to President Obama talk about Planned Parenthood during the Presidential Debate, I decided to see if what he said was true about Planned Parenthood and  mammograms. Here is what I found on another blog---

La Bocca della Verita on February 6th, 2012-

How Many Mammograms Does Planned Parenthood Perform Each Year?

It turns out the answer is... zero! No one was going to lose access to mammograms because Komen stopped giving Planned Parenthood money, because Planned Parenthood doesn't do any mammograms. There won't be any "sections" of the country where women can no longer get mammograms if Planned Parenthood lacks Komen funding, because Planned Parenthood doesn't do any mammograms

Oops.

UPDATE: Title changed from "provide" to "perform," because Planned Parenthood "provides" screening in that it refers for and may help pay for mammograms. But obviously Komen could just fund the people who are getting the referrals directly without diminishing the availability of screening.----

I found this surprising that our President does not even know what Planned Parent does and then once he finds out, he continues to give the same argument about them. When can people learn to tell the truth?

A Letter to President Obama about his speech to the United Nations

I wrote this letter to President Obama after he gave his United Nations Address about the attack on the American Embassy in Libya. I wrote this not because I am endorsing either party or candidate, but that I wanted to let President Obama know that we, as the American people know when a candidate sways his opinions, but continues to speak of their support for things they do not believe in or are trying to undo. I wanted to point out that we have a voice and a vote and that we can make a difference. We just need to pay attention to things that are being said. I have posted this letter and I have mailed it to the White House. I pray for the conversion of President Obama and all congressional leaders, that they may lead us with integrity and courage.

Dear Mr. President,

My name is John Bender and I am a college seminarian studying to be a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I recently saw in my local newspaper that you had given an address to the United Nations about the attacks on the United States Embassy in Libya. I just wanted to write you a letter about a few things that I, as a young voter picked up on about your speech.

You spoke about the topic of freedom. You spoke about the freedom of religion that America has, and how you believe that everyone should have this right. I find this ironic because in our America today, you are pushing the Catholic Church and other religious denominations to put aside our religious beliefs and instead support things that go against the very things that we believe in. I found it ironic that you could be telling the United Nations that in America, we have the freedom to believe what we want to believe, yet you are trying to take that away from us.

Mr. President, you stated that there is “no excuse for the killing of innocents.” You were talking about the innocent lives that were killed during the attack on the American Embassy. I could not help but notice however that despite your statement, you still continue to support and are an advocate for the very acts of abortion, which destroy so many innocent lives each and every day. I find it ironic that you speak of ending violence, but you still stand to support the malicious and unspeakable acts of aborting human life. I am not saying that the attacks on the American Embassy were not violent or malicious, but I wonder why you speak 

on certain topics when you clearly are supportive of un-Christian acts.

This November will be the first Presidential election that I get the chance to vote in. I have been paying very close attention to you and to Governor Romney, the speeches you give and the beliefs that you both have. I understand that everybody has different beliefs and feelings about everything. I ask you however, to please refrain from changing your opinions on things as the election draws closer. It is not helpful to the voters when you continue to support things that go against the very essence of life, happiness and the belief of God. Mr. President, I feel that you are constantly changing your words around and are misleading the voters of our country. I wonder why if you support something, why do you lie to the United Nations and to our country. Please stay with your opinions, and do not try to express anything that you yourself do not believe. Our country needs good men, who do not change their views just to obtain votes and who do not lie to the American public about the current state of our country. Please know that I pray for your conversion each and every day.

Sincerely,

John Bender

One Nation Under God: A Response to an Article Written by the Huffington Post about Cardinal Dolan

 

We are fast approaching the Presidential Election and without really diving too deeply into politics I wanted to reflect upon one thing that really struck me as we are preparing to vote this November. This past week, both the Republican and Democratic parties held their conventions, continuing to jockey for the people's support, often bringing on celebrities and comedians. It seems like a vain approach to get voters. In my opinion, just because a candidate brings out a comedian or celebrity doesn't always mean you should vote for that candidate. The celebrity does not make the candidate anymore valid then he is. This did not really impress me.

What did impress me was the action of an outside source. This outside source was of course, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, who accepted an invitation to pray at the Republican Convention and as a result offered to close the Democratic Convention with a prayer as well. Some people see this as the Cardinal telling Catholics that its okay to vote for Obama or Romney. This is not the case. The Cardinal is not telling you who to vote for or giving his stamp of approval to either candidate. Some people might have gotten confused about that, specifically Michele Somerville, a journalist from the Huffinton Post who published a snarky article today claiming that because of the Cardinal's gracious offer to pray at both conventions, people will assume that it's ok to vote for President Obama and that his anti-life, anti-marriage platform is truly the most respectful pro-life stance! It is hilarious to think that the author believes that the Democratic party actually respects life and believes that they will receive the Catholic vote thanks to the Cardinal. Obviously she has an axe to grind against the Cardinal and is missing the point of his offer to lead the prayer at both of the conventions.

In my opinion, the whole point of Cardinal Dolan offering to pray with both conventions is not to swing the people's vote to either candidate, but to show how important it is to work with one another. It is time to put aside our differences and work toward becoming a country striving to do the Lord's will. It is truly appalling that the author of this article assumes that this beautiful act of love, kindness and acceptance is just a way for men and women to justify their vote for either candidate. Although the prayer occurs at each convention, its purpose is not to sway votes for either candidate, but rather to pray for our nation as a whole. Regardless of which man takes office, the Cardinal's prayer is that he will respect the human dignity of every person, will help those less fortunate and will work to sustain the very freedoms that this country was built upon. I applaud Cardinal Dolan for his gracious prayer and for striving to make sure God's will is done not only in each of us as individuals, but as a whole country. I join Cardinal Dolan in his prayer and hope that we truly become one nation under God without division.

Young People of Wisconsin: "It's Time to Stand Up For Life!"

This past weekend I was invited to give a talk about pro-life issues to a group of 17 teenagers at a youth retreat at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hales Corners, WI. My talk was to be on pro-life issues, specifically abortion. This has been an extremely important topic ever since it was made legal in the 1973 Roe V. Wade Supreme Court ruling. My talk highlighted facts about abortion, the Catholic Church's teaching on it as well as personal experiences that I have had with pregnant classmates who were contemplating abortion, and personal stories about my time spent praying outside of a local abortion clinic. The main thing that I wanted to incorporate in my talk however was how important it is for the youth of our church to stand up and fight for the pro-life cause. After all, we are the future of the church aren't we? We need to show the rest of the world that we can make a difference in the way that it is run. This includes fighting to end abortion and all attacks on human life. We need to show the world that we will not stand by and let organizations such as Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics influence us and our decisions. A copy of my talk is below in italics.

One of the biggest ways that we can make an impact on the world is by doing one very simple but equally powerful action, voting. Yesterday marked the Recall Primary Election for Governor in Wisconsin. As you may know, Governor Scott Walker is being recalled and will, as of yesterday's primary election, face Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a Recall Election on June 5th. One of the things that Mayor Tom Barrett is in support of is abortion. As young people and young adult voters of this great state, we need to stand up and vote in support of pro-life candidates, namely, Governor Scott Walker. Walker is extremely pro-life and that is why he is getting my vote this election. Not only is he unjustly being recalled after doing a great job moving Wisconsin forward and out of debt, but it is also appalling that his opposition is one who is so evil that he is in support of killing innocent children and then trying to receive communion at a Catholic Church. It is time for us to stand strong as the young people of this state and vote for what is right. Please join me in voting for Governor Scott Walker on June 5th to not only to continue to move the state forward, but also save lives doing it.  

Respect Life Committee Talk May 5th 2012 • My name is John Bender. I’m a senior at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, a parishioner at St. Matthias Catholic Church in Milwaukee and am a member of the Respect Life Committee there.

• So when Eva Melenchuk, the president and founder of the Respect Life Committee here at St. Mary’s invited me to come talk about pro-life issues, I thought it was a great honor and a great chance to talk to kids around my own age about how important it is to make an impact in the world, by stopping one of the biggest things that harm it, abortion.

• So I’m going to begin by starting with the church teaching on human life taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church- “All life is sacred from conception to natural death.” 

• People’s Exceptions- “ I’m only in favor of abortion in cases of rape and incest. When it comes to saving innocent life however, there are exceptions. 

• There is nothing more important than the life of each and every human being.  

Facts about Abortion 

• Legal since the Supreme Court ruling of 1973. 

• Since then, over 42 million abortions are performed in the US each year. 

• 52% of these women receiving these abortions are younger than 25. 

 • 64.4% of all abortions are performed on un-married women. 

• Teenagers obtain for 20% as well as 1.2% for children 15 and under.  

Why is abortion still utilized? 

• 1% of all abortions occur due to rape, 6% due to health problems regarding either the mother or child. 93% of all abortions occur because of social reason. Simply put, 93% of children are aborted due to inconvenience. 

• Meaning that when a mother or family member feels like it is convenient for them to have a child, they will have one. Which leads to the question, “ when is it ever convenient to abort or end innocent human life?”  

The Question is? 

• How can we stop these horrible attacks on life from being performed, the biggest and best answer is abstinence.

• After all, the more couples that practice abstaining from sex reduces the number of women becoming pregnant, stops the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases and of course, without a pregnancy, there is no abortion. 

 • Sex between a married couple is seen as beautiful. It not only unites the couple but it also creates the possibility of creating new life. 

• It is outside of this marriage bond that sex is considered morally wrong. First, because it is not commonly used as a way to pro-create, and second because a large number of pregnancies for unmarried couples are often result to abortion. This is the challenge for us young people. We need not only be physically strong, but also mentally and morally strong.  

Call to be proactive 

• As young people we have to be proactive in terms of our faith. We have to be advocates for one another. This requires getting out of our comfort zones and getting involved.

• There are many ways to get involved in the pro-life effort. 

• This past March the Archdiocese had a Pro-life rally at the Cousin Center bringing huge amounts of teens and young adults to pray for an end to abortion. 

• Each October is dedicated as Pro-Life Month, dedicating everything during that month towards praying for the pro-life cause. 

• There are also opportunities to make a true impact in the pro-life movement. 40 Days for Life asks people of all ages to make a trip down to Affiliated Medical Services on Farwell Ave. in Milwaukee to pray for the end to all abortions that continue to occur at this last abortion clinic in the Milwaukee area.  

Personal Experiences 

• I have known a few classmates and old friends who have been pregnant and currently pregnant. When I have talked to these girls many of them felt strongly about keeping their baby, but also others have been influenced by their parents to try to make them give up their baby by aborting it. It is very sad for me to see how much their life will eventually change with or without the baby. 

• The time that I have spent praying out in front of abortion clinics have definitely been life changing. I remember standing out in front the building watching countless women walk out of the clinic, heads down in shame, emotionally and mentally drained, feeling totally wiped out. I remember hearing the clinics employees ridiculing us for trying to deprive women of their right to abort their children. They seem so full of anger and hate, constantly calling us name, occasionally calling the police on us. It is very sad, but we understand that the only reason that they are angry is because somewhere inside of themselves; they know that what we are doing is honorable and right. Their reactions give away their true feelings. 

 • I can count the times that I have been to the abortion clinic on one hand, and sometimes I feel like I’m not really doing anything to fight abortion. In reality, just my being there, standing there, praying there; I am making a difference in someone else life. Maybe God is calling each of you to work in the pro-life movement. You will never know until you try. Just by going a few times will not only change your life, but it will change the lives of the people around you walking past and seeing your bravery and cheerful spirit. We need to bring a little light and happiness to fight the darkness. I encourage each of you to listen intently to what God is calling you to do. I promise that he will never disappoint you.

When will the Catholic Herald become Catholic?

I am an avid reader of the local paper in Milwaukee called the Catholic Herald, but this past week I saw something that bothered me. In the October 21st edition an ad for Senator Russ Feingold was printed. Senator Feingold is pro-choice. Above the ad was a notice saying that if they accept ads from any political candidate, then they must accept ads from all candidates. I didn't accept that no-endorsement statement as being enough to allow the Catholic Herald to print the ad for a Senator whose beliefs are far from Catholic, so I wrote the following letter to the editor of the Catholic Herald:

Regarding the Russ Feingold Campaign Ad in the Catholic Herald-

I am an active Catholic teen at St. Matthias Parish and I am not even old enough to vote yet, but I am very upset over the posting of the Russ Feingold ad in the Catholic Herald. The day the Catholic Herald arrives in the mail, I read it cover to cover. This is the first time that I have been incensed by what I found in it. Russ Feingold is openly for abortion and has consistently supported abortion rights. What kind of Catholic community are we when we support political candidates who oppose Catholic beliefs? Who would vote for him anyway?

I remember reading an article by Archbishop Listecki's a couple of weeks ago talking about Pro-Life. This political ad for Russ Feingold totally contradicts the Archbishop! What do you think he is thinking right now as he looks at this ad that has been printed in the paper that he publishes!

While watching the debate between Russ Feingold and his pro-life opponent, Ron Johnson, a few days ago, I couldn't help but notice that Senator Feingold showed no respect or courtesy for anyone else. He wouldn't even let Ron Johnson speak, because he continued to cut him off and interrupt him, smirk at him and laugh at him. Why should the Catholic Herald show respect for a man by printing his ad, when he shows no respect for anyone else?

And here is his response:

Dear John:
Thank you for your e-mail regarding our publication of the Russ Feingold ad.

The Catholic Herald has accepted political advertising for decades. One of the conditions for doing so is that if we solicit ads from one candidate for a political office, we must solicit (and accept) ads from all candidates for that office – even if his or her opponents choose not to advertise. This is not a self-imposed condition but rather one imposed upon us by the Internal Revenue Service. Here is how the legal department of the U.S. bishops explained it in 2007:

“Paid Political Advertising. A Catholic organization may not provide political advertising to a candidate, political party or PAC free, at a reduced rate, or on a selective basis. IRS has stated that acceptance of paid political ads in exempt organization newspapers, periodicals, and other publications generally will not violate the political campaign prohibition, provided: (a) the organization accepts political advertising on the same basis as other non-political advertising; (b) political advertising is identified as paid political advertising; (c) the organization expressly states that it does not endorse any candidate; and (d) advertising is available to all candidates on an equal basis. IRS places particular emphasis on the manner in which political advertising is solicited. One identified negative factor is solicitation of ads from certain candidates that support an organization’s views, but mere acceptance (without solicitation) of ads from other candidates. It is important to emphasize that once a Catholic organization accepts one paid political advertisement, it cannot selectively decline to accept others. [See: Election Year Issues at 384.]

“Factors to be considered in determining whether the provision of paid political advertising constitutes political campaign intervention include: (a) whether advertising is available to candidates in the same election on an equal basis; (b) whether advertising is available only to candidates and not to the general public; (c) whether the fees charged to candidates for advertising are the customary and usual fees; and whether the advertising activity is an ongoing activity or whether it is conducted only for a particular candidate. [See: Rev. Rul. 2007-41 at 1425.]”

In the case of the U.S. Senate race, advertising was sought from the Johnson campaign; thus it had to be sought from the Feingold campaign. The Johnson campaign expressed no interest in reaching Catholic Herald readers; the Feingold campaign did. Thus, the reason his ad appeared.

Be assured, John, that prior to the 2012 election, we will be evaluating our practice of accepting political advertising. It will not be an easy decision, so I ask that you keep the Catholic Press Apostolate in your prayers.

Again, thank you for taking time to write, and for expressing yourself in a Christian, civil manner.

Brian T. Olszewski
General Manager
Catholic Herald

For more on the subject visit Badger Catholic and Imprisoned in my Bones.