THIS campaign hurts women

Catholics are frequently labelled as being 'anti-woman' because they do not believe in abortion. We are accused of wanting women to 'suffer' with pregnancy after pregnancy, that we are unfeeling to those who are victims of abusive situations, that we judge those who have had abortions in the past and so on. Of course none of this is true. Yes some individuals say or do things that give this impression but the reason that the Church has always and will always oppose abortion is not because she wants to oppress women but because she loves and cherishes all life, even in its most small and vulnerable forms. She is not, by any means, unsympathetic to women who feel they cannot cope with their pregnancy and baby, especially victims of abuse and rape, but understands that abortion is another trauma that will only add to the issues she is already struggling with. All over the world the Church seeks to offer aid and support to women during and after pregnancy. But nonetheless people still insist that we are anti-woman and that our beliefs 'hurt' women.

Today I came across this campaign in my Twitter feed. It's purpose is to try and reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and Twitter users are encouraged to use the hash tag #NoTeenPreg This is the promo poster that they are using;

I do understand where the campaign organisers are coming from and why they've done it but I think that the campaign itself will end up doing more harm than good.

For starters there's this notion that having a baby in your teens will "ruin your life" and you will waste all of your youthful potential. Having a baby at any age will certainly change your life, after all you suddenly have another person who is totally dependent on you for everything. Your priorities shift, you need different working and living patterns but does that mean your life is "ruined?" I guess that a part of it stems from the idea that once you have kids your life, or at least your social life, is effectively over until that child leaves home and for the next eighteen years you will be inundated with sick bugs, crying, problems etc., etc. now kids do bring their share of difficulties but life with them is not a permanent burden. Children bring a huge amount of joy into our lives and it is an awful thing to assume that becoming a parent "ruins" you. All of the parents I know would not deny that there are obvious difficulties but that they love their kids dearly and the good significantly outweighs the bad.

Now many people would agree with me, that saying parenthood is all negative is totally wrong but that equally teens (little more than children themselves) are not ready to be having kids of their own. They should go off, live their lives, experience the world a bit before settling down. And whilst I agree that no one should rush into parenthood, the big concern with this campaign is that those girls who do fall pregnant will be judged as being "foolish"...or much worse.

I resent that only young women who are not young mums are seen as the ones who can change the world. A friend on Twitter noted that mums "change the world one nappy at a time", raising the next generation has a huge impact on the future after all. And in these days of social media and the power of the Internet you can make a difference, make an impact from pretty much anywhere. I worry that this campaign will make teens who become pregnant feel "second class", will pressure them into a decision they wouldn't have wanted to take (and let's face it, there's already a lot of pressure facing women in crisis pregnancies) and those that do choose to keep their children will be victimised as a "drain" or a "burden" upon society. There is a real danger that with this life for teen mums will become more difficult, more isolating. Instead of this should we not be helping to support young mums? And by that I don't mean simply sticking people on benefits, but helping teen mums to learn how to support and nourish their children's growth as well as helping them to stay in study or work.

What really grates on my nerves with this campaign is that people will assume that mindlessly promoting contraception or offering abortion on demand (almost as a form of contraception) will prevent teens from getting pregnant. If statistics over the last few decades since both contraception etc have become widely available show anything it is that neither approach really makes a difference to the teen pregnancy rates. I'd also point out that the stigma almost excusal overly falls on the girl and not the guy. This is an attitude we need to change. It takes two to make a life after all. I do believe that we should encourage our young women and our young men to wait, not to sleep together too quickly or because that's "the next step" in a relationship. Waiting until marriage means that not only do a couple get to work on their emotional and personal connection and compatability before becoming more intimate it means that once married they can give the whole of themselves to the other without fear of being used or abandoned. We need better catechesis on marriage and the nature and purpose of sex, not a blanket disapproval of teen pregnancy. This campaign will do more harm than good, hurt more than heal.

We need the Holy Spirit in our lives

This popped up on my Twitter feed just now with a quote from Pope Francis at Mass today;

The Pope is right; the Holy Spirit is more than just the symbolism we use to describe him. He is more than a pretty five. He is God and he is essential to our lives.

I liked the comment that the lady underneath posted also, and I think this from the Office of Readings today develops that further and very beautifully:

From a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop

(Cat. 16, De Spiritu Sancto 1, 11-12.16: PG 33, 931-935. 939-942)

The living water of the Holy Spirit

The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of living water, welling up into eternal life. This is a new kind of water, a living, leaping water, welling up for those who are worthy. But why did Christ call the grace of the Spirit water? Because all things are dependent on water; plants and animals have their origin in water. Water comes down from heaven as rain, and although it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on throughout the whole of creation. It does not come down, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts itself to the needs of every creature that receives it.

In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each man as he wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul bears the fruit of holiness when repentance has made it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of this action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.

The Spirit makes one man a teacher of divine truth, inspires another to prophesy, gives another the power of casting out devils, enables another to interpret holy Scripture. The Spirit strengthens one man’s self-control, shows another how to help the poor, teaches another to fast and lead a life of asceticism, makes another oblivious to the needs of the body, trains another for martyrdom. His action is different in different people, but the Spirit himself is always the same. In each person, Scripture says, the Spirit reveals his presence in a particular way for the common good.

The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for he is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as he approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console. The Spirit comes to enlighten the mind first of the one who receives him, and then, through him, the minds of others as well.

As light strikes the eyes of a man who comes out of darkness into the sunshine and enables him to see clearly things he could not discern before, so light floods the soul of the man counted worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit and enables him to see things beyond the range of human vision, things hitherto undreamed of.

What a gorgeous picture!

I saw this on Nasa'a Picture of the Day...

Isn't it fabulous!

Pregnant women to be tested to see if they are smokers

The Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph both carry the story today of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's (NICE) decision to have midwives check all pregnant women's breath with a carbon monoxide kit at their antenatal appointments whether they are a smoker or not. Those women who do test as positive will be referred onto "smoking cessation services." The idea is that it will also help to identify cases in which women who do not smoke are inhaling second hand smoke or have faulty boilers etc. Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence at NICE, said: “One of our recommendations is for midwives to encourage all pregnant women to have their carbon monoxide levels tested and discuss the results with them. This isn’t to penalise them if they have been smoking, but instead will be a useful way to show women that both smoking and passive smoking can lead to having high levels of carbon monoxide in their systems. It will also alert non-smokers with high carbon monoxide levels to possible CO poisoning, which can be caused by a faulty boiler or car emissions.”

I can see why they are wanting to do this, smoking during pregnancy can put the baby at a lot of risk, he or she may not develop properly, there is an increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth or even cot death as well as other complications. Smoking in general is, as we all know, very bad for us and (speaking from experience) quitting is really hard, especially when you don't have help. That said I don't know whether imposing a mandatory test is really the right way to go about reducing the number of soon-to-be parents from smoking. The likelihood is that many people will feel as though they are being penalised, being judged

as being bad mothers and may discourage women from seeking out the midwife in the first place. So how do you get women to stop smoking while they're pregnant? Educating people as to the risks is probably the best way, helping people to understand what harm cigarettes do to you and your unborn child. But we also need to remember that smoking is an addiction and trying to make someone accept help is quite likely to backfire even when it is done with the best of intentions. From school age onwards we need to truly show young people just how dangerous smoking can be, how addictive and destructive. This isn't done by gory pictures and over used slogans but by honestly sharing what those funny little sticks actually do to you, your body, your baby's body and others around you too.

You know, the thing that really gets me in all of this is is that on the one hand you have people genuinely trying to protect the lives of unborn children whilst on the other we have the same professionals saying that a "foetus" (a mere "clump of cells) is not a baby, and that it is okay to terminate that pregnancy. The hipocrisy of it baffles me. If we say a child up to 24 weeks can be terminated because it is not a child does that mean that a woman can smoke up until 24 weeks because what is growing in her womb is not yet a human life? If we acknowledge that the mother who smokes whilst pregnant is doing something wrong, that she is doing something harmful to another human person then should we, can we condone abortion?

Please switch off your mobile phones

Been reading this in the paper on the train home this afternoon...

We can all, I'm sure, share a story of how a mobile phone has ruined a play or film or Mass. One Sunday last year in my parish someone's phone alarm went off four times (and the ringing lasted at least thirty seconds on each occasion) in twenty minutes. Poor Fr. Aaron was pretty red in the face by the end I it.

Now I'm as technologically hooked as the next person. Apart from during Lent my iPhone goes everywhere with me. I email on it, bank on it, blog on it, tweet on it, pray the daily office on it, I've even been known to send texts and make calls too. But despite my attachment to this hunk of glass and metal I do, at the very least, put it on silent when going to a museum or play and, more often than not, turn it off altogether. I know that, like in the instance mentioned in the article, we forget to do it but I've little sympathy as its really just good manners to switch it off. And let's face it in all theatres they do ask you to switch them off before the performance begins. And again before the second half usually...

My favourite reaction to a phone going off is still this one though...

A rosary a day

My all time favourite prayer after the Mass is the rosary. Right from the beginning of my conversion it has been the one personal devotion that has stuck with me through thick and thin. I guess that this is mainly down to the fact that Our Lady was given to us by Our Lord as our spiritual mother, and like any good mum she stands by us and supports us through all the highs and lows of life.

May is known as Mary's month, one of two each year in which we have a special devotion to her. We are reminded in these days of the immense power of her prayers, her great tenderness and loving compassion for all of us and her eagerness to lead us to a deeper love of Jesus.

Prayer can sometimes be wonderful and powerful and joyful and at other times it can be unbearably difficult. We feel isolated, alone, cut off from God and trying to pray is such an effort we easily give up or don't bother. What's great about the rosary is that it's easy, the prayers are simple (try make up the staple 'diet' of Catholic personal prayers actually) and roll easily off the tongue, it can be prayed privately or publicly, it's quiet as it encourages meditation on the life of Our Lord and his Blessed Mother and, when times are tough, when you've finished you know that you have prayed. It's...tangible. It's tactile, like a mother really. Mary in her loving care for us gives us a prayer that works for us on so many levels. Looking at it in a really basic way it's something physical to hold onto but at the same time it is one of the most powerful contemplative prayers at our disposal. Through this little string of beads Mary brings us to her son, she shows us a little glimpse of his splendour. In heaven she contemplates God's ravishing face and through this simple and fantabulous prayer she prepares us to one day do the same. I pray my rosary every day. Without Mary's loving intercession the spiritual battle would be too hard to bear. 

Every other Friday in term time I help out at the Youth Cafe in our parish, led by a marvellous married couple and our priest. Each week has a 'theme', a different focus for the kids (aged 11-15) to think an talk about. (There's also lots of game playing and pizza eating too...) Today the topic is Mary and we are going to get them to think and pray with her using the rosary. We tried this back in October and it worked rather well. We get them into groups and to write down a prayer intention each on small round pieces of card. After that we build a massive rosary  on the floor and pray a decade together. I found that praying the rosary helps me make sense of some of the harder things in life, when I feel powerless this helps me to offer the one bit of aid I can. And that prayer is never in vain. Any intention offered through Mary's hands is lovingly taken to Jesus. Hopefully the kids see that too.

Remembering the English Martyrs

The feast of the English Martyrs is always special to me because, as a history nut who finds the Reformation especially fascinating, it's something I've read a fair bit about. What Catholics endured during and after Henry VIII's split from Rome in order to keep the faith alive is just...unbelievable. We in the 21st century owe them a great debt of gratitude a without all of the priests who came over and the faithful Catholics who helped and hid them we would not have the Church in this country today. Their witness serves to remind us of how precious our faith is, how much it is worth, how beautiful and rich. They strengthen us by their example; they were not only prepared to keep practising even under the threat of persecution but they gladly died for being Catholic. How often do we shy away from mentioning we go to Mass purely to avoid the awkward glance or question? We have the fantastic privilege of being able to attend Mass weekly if not daily, what would these people have given for that? I love this feast as it reminds me not to take my faith for granted, not to take the freedom to practise my beliefs for granted. And it also gives me the courage to stand up and be counted no matter what the cost.

Although we don't know the names of all those martyred here is the Litany of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. I prayed it today for the conversion of our country and for all Catholics who do not have the same luxuries as you and I and face daily persecution.

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father in heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Mary, Queen of Apostles, Pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Martyrs, Pray for us.
St John Houghton, Pray for us.
St Richard Reynolds, Pray for us.
St Augustine Webster, Pray for us.
St Robert Lawrence, Pray for us.
St John Stone, Pray for us.
St Cuthbert Mayne, Pray for us.
St Edmund Campion, Pray for us.
St Ralph Sherwin, Pray for us.
St Alexander Briant, Pray for us.
St John Payne, Pray for us.
St Luke Kirby, Pray for us.
St Richard Gwyn, Pray for us.
St Margaret Clitherow, Pray for us.
St Margaret Ward, Pray for us.
St Edmund Gennings, Pray for us.
St Swithun Wells, Pray for us.
St Polydore Plasden, Pray for us.
St Eustace White, Pray for us.
St John Boste, Pray for us.
St Robert Southwell, Pray for us.
St Henry Walpole, Pray for us.
St Philip Howard, Pray for us.
St John Jones, Pray for us.
St John Rigby, Pray for us.
St Anne Line, Pray for us.
St Nicholas Owen, Pray for us.
St Thomas Garnet, Pray for us.
St John Roberts, Pray for us.
St John Almond, Pray for us.
St Edmund Arrowsmith, Pray for us.
St Ambrose Barlow, Pray for us.
St Alban Roe, Pray for us.
St Henry Morse, Pray for us.
St John Southworth, Pray for us.
St John Plessington, Pray for us.
St Philip Evans, Pray for us.
St John Lloyd, Pray for us.
St John Wall, Pray for us.
St John Kemble, Pray for us.
St David Lewis, Pray for us.

Let us pray. Oh God, in whom there is no change or shadow of alteration, you gave courage to the Holy Martyrs. Grant unto us, we beseech you, through their intercession, the grace to always value the Holy Mass. May we be strengthened to serve you in imitation of the courage of these Holy Martyrs. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Voter's conscience

Yesterday like many other people up and down the country I went and cast my vote in the local council elections. I have to say though that I struggled a lot in choosing who to vote for this time round and I greatly doubt that when the next general election comes about it will be even harder.

I had been contemplating who exactly to vote for for at least a week before polling day arrived. Some of my friends laugh at me for the amount of thought I put into it as, in their view, "how much difference does one vote make anyway?" I have always been a firm believer that one vote does make a difference, a huge difference. If all the people who said their vote wasn't worth casting and therefore stayed away actually went out and put the little "X" in the box it would change things drastically. I also believe that you shouldn't waste your vote when you do get into the little booth, it is important to think about who you will choose and why. There is no use in voting 'for the sake of it.' The other reason why I spent a lot of time thinking about it is that, as a Catholic, I have a responsibility to vote, using my conscience, for the candidate who best represents and defends my views. This is why it has been so very, very hard this time round. But nevertheless, after much wrangling, I did, finally, make a decision. Whilst I'm not prepared to discuss my individual choice and why (the joys of the secret ballot) I can honestly say that I have done what I feel is right and will make the most difference.

What is extraordinary about the Christian vocation

This is the second reading from the Office of Readings in my Breviary this morning. It's very much worth reading.

SECOND READING

From a letter to Diognetus
(Nn. 5-6; Funk, 397-401)

The Christian in the world

Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men. Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.

And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose them. They share their meals, but not their wives. They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law.

Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.

To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. As the soul is present in every part of the body, while remaining distinct from it, so Christians are found in all the cities of the world, but cannot be identified with the world. As the visible body contains the invisible soul, so Christians are seen living in the world, but their religious life remains unseen. The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures. Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.

Christians love those who hate them just as the soul loves the body and all its members despite the body’s hatred. It is by the soul, enclosed within the body, that the body is held together, and similarly, it is by the Christians, detained in the world as in a prison, that the world is held together. The soul, though immortal, has a mortal dwelling place; and Christians also live for a time amidst perishable things, while awaiting the freedom from change and decay that will be theirs in heaven. As the soul benefits from the deprivation of food and drink, so Christians flourish under persecution. Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself.