June 2022 Newsletter

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Highlights of this newsletter:

  • The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Dobbs v. Jackson
  • Making a Difference in a Post-Roe¬ World
  • News in Our Office
  • Pray without Ceasing
Dear Friends for Life,

THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND DOBBS V. JACKSON

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, depicted in images to be on fire because, as He described in visions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), His divine Heart is so inflamed with love for humanity. At the same time, the crown of thorns which encircles the Sacred Heart symbolizes the sinfulness and ingratitude of mankind.[1]


Indeed, June 2022 has been both thorny and fiery. Since the Dobbs decision leak, violent strikes on pregnancy help centers, vandalization of Catholic churches, vitriolic protests with wild misrepresentations of (scientific, medical and legal) facts, intimidation efforts at Supreme Court justices’ homes and even an assassination attempt—have occurred with the intent to derail and demoralize those whose work has been at odds with the egregiously wrongly decided Roe v. Wade. Not only are these despicable attacks of hatred in and of themselves wrong, but they all originate from a most basic rejection of the sacredness and inviolability of each innocent human life created by God in His image. 


Compounding these events, we witnessed outrageous attacks on the sanctity of marriage, vile distortions of the inherent beauty of our God-given sexuality, and depraved corruption of the innocence of children during this month of so-called “Pride.” Legislatively, in New York, we saw the passage of “Abortion Sanctuary” bills which will promote abortion tourism and protect doctors performing abortions, the Pregnancy Center study bill intended to cripple pregnancy help centers, and even the human composting bill which offends the respect due to the deceased human body. Thorny times indeed!


And yet, the flames of His Sacred Heart burned ever more brightly in this month of June, sustaining our hope during these dark times. Finally, after five decades of prayer, fasting and witness, on June 24, 2022, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Roe v. Wade was overturned! Truth triumphed. We cannot recover the damage of more than 60 million preborn lives lost nor the effects of this unfathomable tragedy on women, families and our society. And we know, as well, that the slaughter of innocent human life in the womb has not ended in many states, including New York. But there is good reason for us to rejoice. Now that the record is corrected—that there is no constitutional right to abortion—the abortion issue will go back to the states for the people to decide. This means the abortion debate is no longer on the margins (that is, attempting to legislate incremental limits on a counterfeit right), but rather, it is at the core of the issue: when does life begin and do we want to protect it? I strongly encourage you to read Bishop Barres’ pastoral letter, “Quo Vadis, America?” in which this is explained.[2]


[1] St. Margaret Mary Alacoque | Sacred Heart Apostolate, Inc.

[2] Quo Vadis, America? Dobbs-Pastoral-Letter-6-24-2022-3.pdf (drvc.org)


Read more

Checkout New Resources on Our Website: 


Fatherhood Resources: Fatherhood

Same Sex Attraction/Gender Identity Discordance: Same Sex Attraction & Gender Identity Discordance Educational Resources

Supreme Court Decision Roe v Wade Overturned and Bishops Statements: Dobbs v. Jackson  

+ PRAYER
“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Th. 5:17 

Jesus Christ Came To Set Us Free

Homily (June 26th) by Very Rev. Michael Duffy, Rector of St Agnes Cathedral

My friends, this week we mark the tenth anniversary of a group founded by Bishop William Murphy here in the Diocese of Rockville Centre: Catholics for the Freedom of Religion. This nonpartisan group seeks to remind us as Catholics about the bedrock of our American society – the freedom of religion. So often in these days we hear about the need for us as Catholics, as people of faith to keep that faith to ourselves. But you and I know that if we are truly living this Catholic faith, it means we cannot, we must not keep it to ourselves. The faith of Jesus Christ is not something meant to be kept to ourselves, but to be shared, to be shouted from the mountain tops. We allow our faith to impact every part of our lives. It may not always make us popular with the world, but Jesus Christ didn’t come to make us popular, he came to set us free!


My friends, this is why the Church has prayed and worked for an increase of respect for human life, from conception until natural death. I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on Friday’s announcement from the Supreme Court. This is a pivotal moment in the history of our nation, a grave wrong and injustice that has cost the lives of millions of innocent children has been undone. As we have long held and believed, there can be no right to take the life of an innocent. The court has finally concluded the same and has returned the issue to the states and to the people. That means our work has just begun. As you all know so well, ours is a state with the most radical and anti-life position in the nation.  A child’s life can be legally ended up until and including the day of birth for any reason whatsoever. I have to speak plainly to you - that is evil. Permit me to quote Bishop Barres:


“…our work to promote and defend life with humility and compassion must continue stronger than ever. Supported by scientific advances that ever more clearly confirm the life of the unborn child, it is our God-given right and our solemn duty to proclaim the truth about abortion. We continue to work and pray that all hearts will be open to recognizing the sacredness of every human life and make this a world in which abortion is unthinkable.”[1]


The overturning of Roe is a moment for us a church not to gloat or be triumphant, but for us to double down our efforts in making ours a culture and society that welcomes babies and assists those in need. Read more


[1] https://www.drvc.org/wp-content/uploads/FINAL_Bishop_Barres_Dobbs_v_Jackson_Statement.pdf

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+ EDUCATION
“Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Tit. 1:9

A Bit of Bioethics

TREASURING OUR FUTURE TIMELINES

March 2022

29-year old Dom Brand of South Carolina, in an apparently random act in 2020, shot and killed an 80-year-old woman named Mary Ann Elvington. His action resulted in several tragedies unfolding simultaneously. Mary Ann could have lived many more years had she not been shot. Her children were unable to spend time with her for the rest of their lives. No longer could she babysit the grandkids or share the wisdom of her years. The shooter also upset any real prospects for his own future, as he became subject to the criminal justice system and lifelong incarceration. So many future goods and future timelines were damaged or destroyed by one wrong action. 


Then there was Michael Webb of Clermont County, Ohio, who set his own house on fire with his wife and four children inside in 1990. He poured gasoline on the beds of his sleeping children and around the house before sparking the blaze with a match. The prosecutor concluded that he intended to kill his family, collect the insurance money and start a new life with his mistress. His wife and three of his four children managed to survive the flames, but 3-year-old Mikey perished from smoke inhalation. There were devastating consequences all around. Mr. Webb was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail. His wife and remaining children struggled to move on without the support of their husband or father. Little Mikey’s long future timeline, with all its youthful potential, came to an abrupt and tragic close.  Read more

NEW UPDATED RESOURCES:
NEW!
FAQ on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Exemptions
TAKE ACTION 
Take action on legislative issues through the No Taxpayer Abortion Website

Take action on public policy matters in New York State through the New York State Catholic Conference's Catholic Action Network (CAN) .
See below for a list of current issues for you to learn more and to take action.
Take action on legislative issues through the The National Committee for a Human Life Amendment (NCHLA)
+ WITNESS 
“All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Col. 3:17  

The Beauty of Chastity


Having planned our pro-life chastity talk for over two years and postponing it twice, this holy endeavor finally came to fruition on Thursday, April 7th during Passion Week! It was held at St Francis Cabrini, Coram, for the confirmandi as a requirement for confirmation. It went amazingly well! Thanks be to God!!! Nolan Reynolds, Youth Ministry DRVC and Lisette Robustelli, Faith Formation Director DRVC were our chastity talk speakers who did a phenomenal job!

 

The Equipped books and *pamphlets were handed out to the confirmandi and their parents upon arrival. The large Holy Face Images were present, the Shroud (from the Shroud of Turin) and the Veil (form the veil of St Veronica), in which a brief history was given on them by Michele Berg that included explaining how immensely God loves us that Our Lord suffered most terribly so that we may share in His glory. Nolan and Lisette followed the history and did an amazing job giving reasons to be chaste which were referenced in the pamphlets: *20 Ways Young Women Claim the Respect They Deserve and 20 Ways Young Men Become Real Men. They also pointed out how we can respond to the immense love God has for us by the way we live our lives!!

The inspiring videos of the life of Blessed Carlos Acutis, Joe Reali, and the Veil Removed were seen. They were all noted on specific pages in the book, Equipped, which was compiled by Fr. Liam McDonald. Some prayers were prayed, which were: the Guardian Angel Prayer (in Equipped), Breathe in Me O Holy Spirit the Golden Arrow prayer given out that was on the back of a Holy Face Image card, which was touched to the True Cross, the Lance, and a Thorn from the Crown of Thorns, which included everyone reading the poem from St. Mother Teresa of CalcuttaDo It Anyway

Read more

Respect Life Contest with Confirmandi

St Patrick’s School in Smithtown

Thank you to Julie Benkovsky for running the Respect Life Contest for the 8th graders at St Patrick’s School. The students were very enthusiastic to participate in the contest and closed the event with a special Mass celebrated on April 29, 2022.

ROE V WADE OVERTURNED

It's official: The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade! In this video, learn where we go from here.

Free Post -Roe Symposium


Whether abortion remains legal in your state or not, you're invited to 40 Days for Life's FREE Post-Roe Symposium August 5-6 in Houston, Texas, to maximize your impact where you live. Check out this new video blog for the details. Then register at www.40daysforlife.com/postroesymposium.


PRAISE GOD! We are so grateful for the graces and blessings for all the devoted people in the 40 Days for Life Campaigns. 

+ SUPPORT AND SERVICE
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Mt 25:40

PRAY

Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be


REFLECT

This month the Church’s calendar is filled with incredible feasts including Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Each of these solemnities helps us understand Who our God is, revealing His own heart to us. Corpus Christi specifically celebrates the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This is only possible because our God became incarnate, taking on human flesh and elevating it to the heights of heaven. 


Following Christ’s example, we are called to have an incarnate faith. Our faith is meant to be made manifest in our lives, influencing the world around us for the common good of all. Rather than keeping it to ourselves, the love and truth revealed through our faith in Christ is to be shared with the whole world for the benefit of all people. As Christians, we are given the responsibility of working to create societies that reflect the love and justice of God. Laws are good only in as much as they mirror the Truth as revealed through God’s own heart.


We know that human life is a gift from God. Therefore, we act with charity and compassion when we work to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected in our nation’s laws. Jesus Himself chose to enter the world as a vulnerable infant, showing us the dignity of human life from the moment of conception. May the laws of our nation once again protect all human life and in doing so, better reflect the heart of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 


ACT (choose one)


  • Pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (usccb.org/prayers/litany-sacred-heart-jesus) for this month’s intention that human life will be protected in law and welcomed in love. Ask Jesus to reveal His heart to you and to transform your heart to be more like His.
  • Read and reflect on how the Sacred Heart of Jesus calls us to manifest God’s love in the world and the role of religious freedom in living out our faith: bit.ly/reign-of-love.
  • Offer some other sacrifice or prayer that you feel called to do for this month’s intention.



ONE STEP FURTHER

Read USCCB Statement on Dobbs v Jackson Decision: USCCB Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson | USCCB


Monthly Prayer Guides

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POST-ABORTION MINISTRY

Roe v Wade Statement- Rachel’s Vineyard

Healing After the Shockwaves of Roe

For those who have suffered the loss of a child to abortion, this day is one of great joy, but also one of deep grief. The end of Roe will bring a fresh awareness to millions of women and men regarding the shockwaves which Roe unleashed across our nation in 1973.

  

The end of Roe, and the public response to this historical event, will lead many to remember their past participation in abortion, and experience feelings and memories suppressed for many years. 

 

As the largest ministry in the world for emotional and spiritual healing after abortion, we have listened to thousands of women and men share their abortion stories. 


In so many cases, the social sanctioning of the abortion procedure by the Supreme Court in 1973 as a legal, personal health care choice, was a powerful influence for many women and men in their decision to end the life of their preborn son or daughter. 


This only added to the sense of disillusionment and betrayal when they discovered how deeply this procedure damaged them physically, emotionally and spiritually. But also, how those symptoms of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse impacted the lives of those they loved. 


With the death of Roe, we can begin a time of healing for all those who were directly involved in the abortion of a preborn child, or who have experienced multiple abortions.  

The work of education and healing will be especially important on the local and state level, as the abortion issue returns to the states, and with the continued rise of chemical abortion, which poses an increased risk for emotional and physical trauma.  


We encourage Rachel’s Vineyard alumni across our nation to respond to today’s news with a renewed commitment to defend the life of children in the womb in your community, and share the good news of healing for anyone who has participated in abortion.

Read more


YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Please Call For Information About The Next Rachel’s Vineyard Healing Retreat!


Save the Date Spanish Retreat: November 11-13, 2022

This retreat is not only for women. Men, grandparents and siblings are welcome to come and receive God’s Grace, Mercy and Healing!

Do you know someone who is suffering after an abortion experience?

Project Rachel is a ministry about finding hope and healing after abortion.
It’s normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by abortion. It can form a hole in one’s heart, a hole so deep that sometimes it seems nothing can fill the emptiness.

You are not alone…
COME BACK TO LOVE AND MERCY! JESUS AWAITS YOU!
Project Rachel confidential phoneline:  1-516-766-2538 (se habla espanol)
Toll Free number: 1-888-456-HOPE
En Español:  Esperanzaposaborto.org
If you need help please call our help line and someone will be happy to give some counsel over the phone to calm any fears or anxieties.
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Lisa A. Honkanen, M.D. – Director
lhonkanen@drvc.org, 516-678-5800 Ext. 381
 
Donna Crean – Assistant Director/Project Rachel Coordinator
dcrean@drvc.org, 516 678 5800 Ext. 626

Jamey Hutchinson BSN CFCP CFCE Educational Liaison to
Gianna Center for Women's Health & Fertility
992 No Village Ave . Rockville Ctr., NY 11570
Additional Informational Websites

Pregnancy Resource Centers

Prayers

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED MISSION TO SERVE LIFE!