O Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of us all, we turn to thee today as the one who said "fiat" to the life of God within you. "Thou will conceive and bear a Son," the angel told thee. Despite the surprise and the uncertainty about how this could be, thou didst say: "Let it be done to me according to thy word."

O Mary, we pray today for all mothers who are afraid to be mothers. We pray for those who feel threatened and overwhelmed by their pregnancy. Intercede for them, that God may give them the grace to say "fiat" - let it be done - and the courage to go on. May they have the grace to reject the false solution of abortion. May they say with thee, "Be it done unto me according to thy word." Likewise, may they experience the help and support of thy loving people, and know the peace that comes from doing God's will. Amen.

Washington D.C., Nov 20, 2009 / 06:21 am (CNA)

The statement, called “the Manhattan Declaration,” has been signed by more than 125 Catholic, Evangelical Christian, and Orthodox leaders, and will be made fully public at a noon press conference in the National Press Club in Washington DC on Friday.

“We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence,” the statement says.

“We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral,” the signatories explain.

But they also made clear that “we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.”

The Manhattan Declaration is the result of several months of dialogue among Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christian leaders culminating in a gathering of approximately 100 leaders in New York City on September 28, 2009.

Attendees considered an early draft of the “Manhattan Declaration, A Call of Christian Conscience,” but the document was entrusted  to a drafting committee that included Dr. Timothy George of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, Dr. Robert P. George of Princeton University, and renowned Evangelical leader Charles Colson.

The signatories explained that they speak now because in order "to defend principles of justice and the common good that are now under assault."

"We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but we will under no circumstances render to Caesar what is God’s."

The signatories of the Manhattan Declaration  explain that although public sentiment has moved in a pro-life direction, "pro-abortion ideology prevails in many places of power and influence."

"Our government promotes and funds scientific research in which the lives of tiny human beings in the early embryonic states of development are treated as disposable research material."

They also contend that "public policies contribute to the weakening of the institution of marriage, including the discredited idea of unilateral divorce," while "influential individuals and organizations are seeking to redefine marriage to embrace same-sex partnerships and to recognize multiple-party sexual unions that are beyond same-sex marriage.”

Signatories of the declaration include Cardinal  Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia; Cardinal Adam Maida, Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit; Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Denver; Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York; Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.; John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark;  John Nienstedt, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis;  Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City;  Joseph E. Kurtz,  Archbishop of Louisville; Thomas J. Olmsted,  Bishop of Phoenix; Michael J. Sheridan, Bishop of Colorado Springs; Salvatore Joseph Cordileone,  Bishop of Oakland;  Richard J. Malone,  Bishop of Portland; and David A. Zubik,  Bishop of Pittsburgh.

Other signatories include  Metropolitan  Jonah Paffhausen,  Primate of the Orthodox Church in America; Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola,  Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria;  Jody Bottum, Editor of First Things;  Chuck Colson, Founder of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview; Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the  Susan B. Anthony List; Dr. James Dobson,  Founder of  Focus on the Family;  Dr. William Donohue,  President of the Catholic League; Most Rev. Robert Wm. Duncan, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America; Fr. Joseph D. Fessio,  Founder and Editor of Ignatius Press;  Maggie Gallagher,  President of  Institute for Marriage and Public Policy; Dr. Robert P. George; Fr. Chad Hatfield, Archpriest of  St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary; Jerry Jenkins,  Chairman of the board of trustees for Moody Bible Institute; Jim Kushiner,  Editor of  Touchstone; Dr. Richard Land, President of  The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC;  Rev. William Owens,  Chairman of the Coalition of African-American Pastors;  Tony Perkins,  President of the Family Research Council; Michael Timmis,  Chairman of Prison Fellowship International; Juan Valdes, Chaplain of  Florida Christian School and George Weigel, Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

The full document will be available http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/ following the press conference.

Memphis, Tenn., Sep 20, 2009 / 06:02 pm (CNA).- The second annual Worldwide Rosary for Unborn Babies is scheduled to take place from Friday Oct. 16 to Sunday Oct. 18.

Participants in the event will pray at least one Rosary on any of these days for the intention of an end to the killing of the unborn.

Last year’s Worldwide Rosary was one day only. A press release from the Memphis-based St. Michael the Archangel Organization, which is coordinating the event, said the addition of Friday was particularly intended for students at schools, while the addition of Sunday was intended to help encourage people to pray the Rosary before or after Masses.

St. Michael the Archangel Organization is also seeking volunteers to publicize the Worldwide Rosary and to translate information into other languages.

The group’s website is at http://www.SaintMichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation, implemented in the final months of the George W. Bush presidency, made explicit the existing legal protections for medical workers and institutions who object to cooperating in abortions.

On Feb. 27, the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that it was reviewing a proposal to lift or modify the HHS rule.

Cardinal George, who is Archbishop of Chicago and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), addressed the proposed change in a two and a half-minute video. Giving an overview of the issue, he said the rule is "one part of the range of legal protections" for health care workers who object to being involved in "abortion and other killing procedures" that contradict their faith.

He connected the HHS rule to respect for religious liberty and the freedom of personal conscience, both of which ensure "our basic freedom from government oppression."

Speaking on behalf of the U.S. bishops "as Catholic bishops and American citizens," the cardinal expressed deep concern that removing the rule would be "the first step in moving our country from democracy to despotism."

"No government should come between an individual person and God-that's what America is supposed to be about," he commented. "This is the true common ground for us as Americans."

This being the case, the cardinal said, it is necessary to have legal protection for freedom of conscience and of religion, including "freedom for religious health care institutions to be true to themselves."

He noted that conscientious objection is already recognized for war protesters and for doctors who do not wish to be involved in administering the death penalty.

"Why shouldn't our government and our legal system permit conscientious objection to a morally bad action, the killing of babies in their mother's womb?" Cardinal George asked. "People understand what really happens in an abortion and in related procedures-a living member of the human family is killed-that's what it's all about-and no one should be forced by the government to act as though he or she were blind to this reality."

"I ask you please to let the government know that you want conscience protections to remain strongly in place. In particular, let the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington know that you stand for the protection of conscience, especially now for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society," he concluded, giving his thanks and his blessing.

The U.S. bishops' conscience protection site provides additional information and resources as well as a link for concerned Catholics and others to express their views to the HHS. The site reports the submission deadline for comments is April 9.

There is a national movement that have asked us to pray in unity to end abortion in the United States. For the 40 days of Lent they ask us to fast and pray, participate in a peaceful protest against abortion, and taking the message of pro-life into the community, especially in our own churches and communities. The national website is: http://www.40daysforlife.com/about.cfm.

Catholic Social Services in Charlotte and the Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Charlotte have committed to holding a vigil on March 27, 2009 at the Preferred Women's Health Center, 3220 Latrobe Dr., Charlotte, NC 28211. For more information you can contact Geri King at Catholic Social Services.