Week in Review
STOPP Connects with Pro-Life Communities across the Nation; Contact Us Today!
Since the STOPP analysis of the Planned Parenthood annual report was published, STOPP has had fruitful contact with folks across the nation who are willing to step up and oppose Planned Parenthood in their home communities. One of these, an organization based in Florida, is ready to go today with protests in front of its Planned Parenthood. Another in Idaho wants to confront its local town council about the Planned Parenthood there.
Please consider reaching out to us to become a part of our STOPP team. In many states in November, there will be ballot initiatives that need attention. Our role can be to point out how these ballot initiatives are funded by Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. By shining a light on the evil funded by Planned Parenthood, we can wake up the nation to all that goes on behind its doors.
Charity ALL Receives Encouraging Responses from Pro-Life Bishops!
American Life League’s Protecting Christ in the Eucharist: Canon 915 project seeks to help Catholics understand the Church’s teaching on Canon 915: “Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
This project also encourages our shepherds (cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests) in the Church to defend and protect the sacredness of Our Lord fully present in the Holy Eucharist by following and enforcing this law as necessary in respect to pro-abortion Catholics who receive Our Lord’s body in Holy Communion, while simultaneously supporting grave sin such as abortion, contraception, IVF, and euthanasia. As a part of our project, ALL wrote to both active and retired bishops and asked for their statements on Canon 915 and why it is essential for our clergy to instruct Catholics on the importance of it. We have received some encouraging responses from a few bishops lately, and we would like to share them with you:
Archbishop Samuel Aquila of the Archdiocese of Denver replied to our letter with the following statement:
“In the Archdiocese of Denver, we have issued no guidance based on Canon 915. Instead, we have sought to guide individual legislators to an examination of conscience and integrity of life according to Canon 916, which states ‘a person who is conscious of grave sin is not [. . . ] to receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession.’ I have met personally with Catholic legislators who support abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and other sinful acts to speak of the gravity of their position, imploring them to change their position to one that respects God’s place for human life. If they are unwilling to do so, I have made them aware that they should not present themselves for Eucharistic communion, as they have chosen to be outside the communion of the Church on these matters.”
Just this week, ALL received a response from Michael Pfeifer, OMI, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of San Angelo, and Robert Finn, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Kansas City.
Bishop Emeritus Pfeifer said:
“Canon Law 915, founded on the very word of God, is foundational for the church’s promoting the truth, love, and respect that we all must have for each and every precious unborn and their mothers. I encourage all Catholics and others who are pro-life to support the teaching of the American Life League which is approved by the US Catholic Bishops. I remind all of the beautiful and challenging pro-life statements as regards the sacredness of these tiny little children in their mothers’ wombs of two of our Popes. Both Pope Saint John Paul II, and our dear Holy Father Pope Francis, have clearly stated that the destroying of the precious unborn made of the very image of God is murder. No Catholic in good faith who follows the teaching of our church as explained by the American League, can willfully take part in abortion and claim to be a good faithful catholic. My brothers and sisters in Christ, reflect on the several statements from Sacred Scripture that promote the sacredness and beauty of each and every unborn, and remember that our biblical teaching on the moment of conception of the precious unborn, has been confirmed by all recent medical research.”
Lastly, in a short and profound statement, Bishop Robert Finn said:
“It has been most helpful to me to see Canon 915, not as a means to punish or humiliate those who persist in manifest (public) grave sin, but rather to save souls. It helps the sinner not to compound his or her sacrilege against the Most Holy Eucharist, but to sincerely repent. It helps the Church by removing a source of scandal or confusion.”
ALL is truly grateful for the courage and witness of these bishops, along with others who have supported and enforced Canon 915 over the years, as they continue to instruct their flock in the truth and defend Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Please join us in praying for all of our bishops and for the conversion of all pro-abortion Catholics.
ALL in the News
ALL’s deep dive into the Planned Parenthood annual report was released last week. The story was featured by LifeNews, The Stream, LifeSiteNews, and One America News Network.
Susan Ciancio, editor of Celebrate Life Magazine and director of the Culture of Life Studies Program (ALL’s pre-K-12 pro-life education program for homes and schools) writes weekly commentaries on timely pro-life topics. This week, she wrote about St. Isidore the Farmer and the miracles of Our Lady of Champion. This article was published by the Catholic World Report.
Twice a week, Judie’s commentaries are distributed to an expansive media list. The list contains over 100 media outlets such as Fox News, The Federalist, Breitbart, and The Daily Caller, among others. Judie’s commentaries are each featured on the front page of ALL.org.
Pro-Life Education
Culture of Life Studies Program
Caring for the Least of These is a downloadable picture book lesson that shows K-2 students that every person has a duty to care for the weakest and most vulnerable people around us. Using the book Elmer and Butterfly by David McKee, students learn about the importance of standing up for others, even when they cannot repay any help. Although Butterfly is small and weak, she is able to use her voice to help Elmer when he needs her the most. This lesson reminds students that even though they are small and young, they can help others. Caring for the Least of These includes a butterfly craft, creative snack suggestions, and a bonus butterfly coloring page. This lesson is on sale this week only! ORDER HERE
ALL’s Education Materials
This prayer card for pro-abortion Catholics in public office offers a powerful prayer for their conversion. We pray that they will immediately stop support for all forms of abortion and infanticide and that they will respect the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist by not receiving Holy Communion until they have reconciled themselves with God and amended their lives to never again act or speak in defense of this grave sins. SHOP NOW
Pro-Life Social Media
Kansas City Kicker’s Speech Goes Viral for Speaking Truth and the Media Can’t Deal
Super Bowl champion Harrison Butker is a kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs. He also happens to be a practicing and devout Catholic. Not the Pelosi/Kennedy/Biden kind of hollow Catholic. Butker is the traditional kind who regularly receives the sacraments, attends Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and understands that preborn human beings are created in the image and likeness of God.
Butker spoke to graduates of Benedictine College in Kansas last weekend. His speech, posted to the college’s YouTube channel, is the college’s most watched video to date, having earned a half a million views. To put that in perspective, its second most watched video has 68K views and was posted 11 years ago.
To no surprise to everyone attending, he reiterated some very Catholic things to Catholic graduates at a Catholic college. This means the non-Catholic editorial writers in the secular press were triggered into rage-typing their op-eds with anti-Catholic fury.
Harrison Butker's mom is a medical physicist in the oncology department at Emory.
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 15, 2024
I can't believe this guy's mommy issues ruined graduation for the women at Benedictine Collegehttps://t.co/tS6QOCUXwv
Catholic men practicing their faith is a Republican conspiracy to control wymyn.
A https://t.co/ncqnFwPAMH petition is calling on the Chiefs to dismiss kicker Harrison Butker for making several dehumanizing remarks during his commencement speech at Benedictine College on May 11th. Here’s what the three-time Super Bowl champion said about women, Pride Month,… pic.twitter.com/8iYltWDVLB
— Change.org (@Change) May 14, 2024
I usually loathe when people tell athletes to stick to sports for sharing their beliefs. But Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker should absolutely stay away from social and political issues and focus on kicking leather footballs through goalposts.https://t.co/OBgWLRdhZN
— Toriano Porter (@torianoporter) May 15, 2024
Chargers troll Chiefs’ Harrison Butker. He made this mess, and now he’s sitting in it https://t.co/P7TUHK5ZZq
— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) May 16, 2024
In a controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College over the weekend, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against President Joe Biden, Pride month and IVF. @KayleeHartung reports. pic.twitter.com/5HYLyjaj3S
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 16, 2024
If you pay close attention, Buker isn’t being criticized for what he said. He’s being criticized for what they THINK he said. The psychiatric profession calls that “projection.”
While the left’s reaction is no surprise, there were plenty on X who not only applauded Butker’s speech but became fans as well.
Can we start a trend with women with degrees and careers but agree with Harrison Butker’s speech?
— Noelle Fitchett (@NoelleFitchett) May 16, 2024
I’ll go first: my name is Noelle, I have three degrees, and I agree that the world needs more masculinity and that wives/mothers are vital for society. pic.twitter.com/qgoGmOJM1y
Not a word Harrison Butker says here should be remotely controversial. He’s 100% correct.
— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) May 15, 2024
Those trying to convince women that being assistant VP of lending & intentionally childless at age 40 is more fulfilling than making a family and home are evil. pic.twitter.com/0URPHTVSMx
1. I worked in the NFL, it’s a terrible culture.. Harrison Butker is the last person who should be losing his job
— Jillian Anderson (@Jillie_Alexis) May 16, 2024
2. Harrison Butker is fighting for women and the left is too brainwashed to know what’s good for them. Being a submissive wife who honors God, and raises children… https://t.co/JHsqmppszb
The rest of the tweet:
2. Harrison Butker is fighting for women and the left is too brainwashed to know what’s good for them. Being a submissive wife who honors God, and raises children IS an honor and a privilege. 3. Even though I am proud of my career nothing is more meaningful than being a mother . . . not even close 4. God’s order is best, He is intentional in His design
I've seen some terrible takes on Harrison Butker's speech at Benedictine College, mostly from women, which is extremely disappointing. Feminist adjacent conservatives are the worst.
— Mary Rooke (@MaryRooke_) May 15, 2024
It's clear how much he loves, respects, and is devoted to his wife.
pic.twitter.com/IxMNv7wwDN
Regarding the unhinged freakout over Harrison Butker’s speech: Leftists always tell you what they fear. pic.twitter.com/IjN5hcMJME
— Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) May 16, 2024
I have a lot of friends from Benedictine. I promise you, none of them were offended by Butker’s speech. https://t.co/TkE3ttz4Wk
— Thy Geekdom Come🇻🇦 (@ThyGeekdomCome) May 16, 2024
We hope more athletes like Butker will not be afraid to share their love of their genuine Catholic faith.
