Rose and a Rosary Campaign

Under our current national political leadership, we have recently seen very aggressive movements to promote abortion and involve you in it.  For example, Joseph Biden has just reversed former President Trump's prohibition  against providing money to abortion agencies such as Planned Parenthood through the federal Title X health care act.  (As an aside, this has been one of the most vile tactics of the pro abortion forces, to repeat the lie that the destruction of an innocent child is "health care.").  The net effect is that all federal taxpayers will now be paying to fund abortions.  Planned Parenthood argues that the money can't directly fund the abortion itself - just other areas of their operations.  But that is sleight of hand since money is "fungible."  That means, as any businessman or -woman knows, that money can be transferred from one account to another, so that providing federal money to Planned Parenthood at all will in fact support the taking of innocent life.

 I read with interest about what is happening in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  Their good bishop, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, is the type of leader who doesn't just complain about something, but does something constructive about it.   Since he is the bishop of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who resides in his district (and has been relentless in her efforts to promote abortion), he has organized a national effort to pray and fast for her conversion as well as to send to her a sign of the beauty of life which would be extinguished under the legislation she is promoting.

It's called the "A Rose and a Rosary" campaign.  You can read about it at the website of the Benedict XVI Institute.  The idea is to pray the Rosary through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, protectress of life, and to fast.  They are also sending her roses.  This was chosen for several reasons:  the effort was initiated around the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower.  When she has interceded in the lives of others, many report seeing or smelling roses as a sign of that intercession.  It has also become the symbol for the Right to Life movement and is often also associated with the Blessed Virgin herself.

Even if you don't care to join the effort for Mrs. Pelosi, feel free to adapt this effort according to your own circumstances.  I recommend praying and fasting for the conversion of Joseph Biden himself and praying for our own many pro-life politicians in Ohio and throughout the nation, that they remain firm in their defense of life despite ferocious opposition by the party now in power.   You could also pray and fast for the Supreme Court in their upcoming important decisions on whether and when abortion can be restricted, as well as for the judges who will inevitably be ruling on the recent Texas law which prohibits abortion after a heartbeat is detectable.   Pray also for those women grieving past abortions and the men who are sorrowing at being complicit in it, for their healing.  (There are good Catholic programs to help them, such as Project Rachel). 



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