Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dear Friends, In this fall issue, we report on the new leadership of HLI and our new strategies to expand our mission. After a long and conscientious search, the HLI Board has selected Fr. Shenan J. Boquet to become the new President and Fr. Peter West as Vice President for Missions. Both priests have excellent credentials to continue and push forward our mission. Fr. Boquet comes from the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese of the state of New Orleans, where he was the pastor of St. Gregory Barbarigo. Since he was ordained a priest in 1993, he has appeared on EWTN and Ave Maria Radio and given hundred of talks on issues ranging from the dignity of the human person and the nature of marriage to social justice and moral theology. Fr. West brings to HLI his well know experience as the Assitant Director of Priests for Life. He has spent the last 13 spreading the Gospel of Life in all the 50 states of the Union and in several foreign nations. This new leadership team is grounded on the founding charisma of Fr. Paul Marx, who was inspired by the Lord to establish an international pro-life apostolate more than 30 year ago. Our founder was fully aware that the challenge to life and family was global, and in consequence our response has to be worldwide. The current circumstances in the world look more threatening now than they did in the late seventies or early eighties. The Communist menace seems under control, but liberal secularist, anti-human ideologies are raising their heads everywhere, promoting abortion, contraception, euthanasia and same-sex unions. We have to be aware that the threat posed by secular humanist ideologies is more insidious than Communism. While Marxism was clearly brutal, secular humanism presents a humane face, but behind the faade, you have a terribly destructive ideology. This issue also provides a valuable chronicle of how our worldwide mission continues. We read of the valuable efforts of Dr. Ligaya Acosta and Dr. Bullecer in the Philippines to defeat the evil Reproductive Health Bill and about the new HLI documentary that is being shown worldwide, drawing attention to the plight of Filipino families. We are informed of the very good prolife work done in Lesotho, Africa by Archbishop Gerard Tlali Terotholi, who just received the Cardinal von Galen award from HLI. We hear of the great work of Patrick McCrystal in Ireland and the work that it is being conducted in Latin America. As I mentioned before, at the end of my term as Interim President, I returned to my previous position as Director of the Rome Office of HLI. Here in Rome, I hope to continue to serve the cause of life and truth as I have done for more than 13 years. We sincerely hope that with Gods grace and the assistance of Our Lady the new leadership of HLI will be able to continue the good fight against the threats of our times. But as we all know, it is Gods will that all apostolic efforts be assisted and strengthened by the support of all the members of the Mystical Body of Christ. So we are counting on your prayers and, if possible, your material assistance. Sincerely in Christ,
CONTENTS
3 News from the Missions 6 HLI Welcomes Fr. Shenan Boquet & Fr. Peter West 8 Seeking Support for the Philippines 10 Charitable Gift Annuities in an Economic Downturn 11 Archbishop Gerard Tlali Lerotholi Receives the Cardinal von Galen Award 12 HLI Americas Truth & Charity Forum and HLI WorldWatch 14 The Philippines: Preserving a Culture of Life
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The following are brief glimpses of the work being done by our affiliates and associates around the world.
Region: Europe
HLI Coordinator: Joannes Bucher
IRELaNd Patrick McCrystal hosted EWTNs Johnnette Benkovic during June for three 1-day conferences that were sold out. Themes covered were Authentic Catholic Femininity and Unmasking the New Age Movement, and Johnnette discussed the diabolical strategy of Satan to particularly attack the woman, just as in the Garden of Eden. Thanks to the successful set of conferences, Johnnettes Women of Grace will now be teaming up with HLI Ireland; 65 women representing 27 counties signed up to act as facilitators of Johnnettes DVD study course throughout Ireland. They have already set up a website at www.womenofgraceinireland.com. Patrick also tells us that HLI Ireland made its first formal consecration to St. Joseph, who was an important part of the Knock, Ireland, apparition. Everyone is encouraged to go to Joseph via the consecration prayer available at www.humanlife.ie.
At the Annual National Divine Mercy ProLife Congress, Dr. Bullecer delivered a 2-hour talk to the more than 4,000 delegates from throughout the Philippine archipelago. He exposed the names of numerous anti-life organizations like WHO, USAID, UNFPA, and the EU that all masquerade as benevolent groups who care about the poor and about peoples health but whose main agenda is to depopulate the country and undermine Catholic morality and family life.
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Region: Africa
HLI Coordinator: George Wirnkar (French speaking) and Emil Hagamu (English speaking)
ZIMbabWE GuadaLuPE aSSOCIaTION The ladies at HLI Zimbabwe report
uGaNda HLI Uganda has been carrying out many programs in order to spread the pro-life message amidst growing anti-life opposition. At the invitation of the Deputy Head Teacher of the Mukuju Primary Teachers College, a team from HLI Uganda gave a full-range pro-life program at the school for students, staff and principal. Attendees were active and asked many questions, particularly about the condom due to the prevailing misconceptions that are so aggressively propagandized. The St. Austins pro-life missionaries team was the first team to be formed by HLI Uganda, and since their inception they have done a lot of work in sensitizing the youth and organizing communities for pro-life and NFP trainings. In recent weeks, they provided training of pro-life missionariesl. A new group was established after a recent training session, and officers were chosen to enable them to coordinate their activities easily. Other recent activities include a radio show for youth that was held in conjunction with World Youth Day in Madrid, and NFP training and prolife talk at the St. Elizabeth Girls Hostel, where follow up will include another talk and the formation of an official pro-life club.
that they recorded 4 radio programs, one for each week of July. They also report the good news that they held one of their world famous book fairs which is a powerful way to get the pro-life message out to the people of this country. They were able to reach a lot of youth and teachers, and requests for follow up visits were plentiful. It is very encouraging to see that the schools are very much in favor of receiving the full pro-life truth. They were able to distribute a lot of their Be a Life Saver pamphlets and some fliers with other pro-life information.
COVER STORY
H U M A N L I F E I N T E R N AT I O N A L W E L C O M E S
HLIs patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe, has answered our prayers in the most generous way, sending us two strong and faithful priests to lead our worldwide mission,
said HLI Board Chairman Patricia Bainbridge upon announcing HLIs new leadership team - President Father Shenan J. Bouquet, and Vice President for Missions Father Peter West. Father Boquet and Father West not only both have excellent credentials, but bring complementary gifts and servant hearts to our crucial work. We have been truly blessed. HLIs New President, Fr. Shenan J. Boquet, comes to Human Life International from the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese, where he served most recently as Pastor of St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Houma, Louisiana. Since being ordained as a priest in 1993, Fr. Boquet has appeared on EWTN and Ave Maria Radio, as well as in other media, and has given hundreds of talks at conferences and in parishes on issues ranging from the dignity of the human person and the nature of marriage, to social justice and moral theology. Father Peter West is already widely known in the pro-life world. As the Assistant Director of Priests for Life, Fr. West has spent the last 13 years spreading the Gospel of Life in all 50 states and several nations. In 2011, Fr. West celebrated both his20th anniversary as a priest, and 25 years of defending the right to life of the most vulnerable members of society. During his many pastoral efforts in the pro-life movement, Fr. West has been able to dissuade women from having abortions, and has helped women who have had abortions to find healing and peace. Discussing the new leadership structure, Mrs. Bainbridge emphasized that HLIs growing mission requires new strategic thinking, and even greater support for HLIs missionaries in the field. Father Marx
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Right: Msgr. Ignacio Barreiro-Carmbula, who has served as HLIs Interim President for the past year, with Fr. Shenan Boquet and Fr. Peter West.
always moved assertively when it came to growth, and in the last decade, we have added dozens more countries to our mission field. We feel that both Father Boquet and Father West understand what the increasing threats to life and family require, and we are confident that under their leadership we will be able to manage our growth and increase our effectiveness. It is quite literally impossible to keep track of all of the offenses to life and family we see around the world, said Fr. West. But when you see how wide HLIs reach is internationally, and how effective our partners and missionaries have been, it gives hope and renewed energy to dive into the battle with confidence and trust in the Lord of Life. This is very true, added Fr. Boquet. And this is why our friends around the world will be seeing a renewed commitment to building culture of life and love, based on the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Church in most places is the only institution holding on against the culture of death, and we owe it to our brothers and sisters who are just starting to see the effects of population control policies on their own families and communities, to fortify them with information, support and prayers. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has been clear that true human development is based on genuine Charity and the Truth of Jesus Christ, directed toward building up the whole human person, and all people. This is our mission - to meet the culture of death with courage, truth and love. And with the eyes of faith, we know Who wins this battle in the end. To learn more about Father Boquet and Father West and the work that Human Life International is doing worldwide, visit www.hli.org. Also, be sure to look for new initiatives in future issues of FrontLines.
No one can accurately predict the future resolution of the abortion battle.
THE PHILIPPINES
he Philippines is a vibrant country, with large families and is predominantly Catholic. Filipinos can be found throughout Asia and the world and are known for evangelizing zeal wherever they live. The Philippines is also the ProLife anchor to Asia and has been under assault by population control forces for over 40 years, with the current version of the Reproductive Health Bill (there have been four previous attempts to pass this legislation) being the most insidious. This summer, as the House of Representatives of the Philippines debated the worthiness of this poison pill bill, HLIs Regional Coordinator for Asia, Dr. Ligaya Acosta, traveled across the US for a series of talks about the devastating effect the RH bill would have on the Philippines and Asia if passed. Flying into the San Francisco bay area for our first stop was easy. Two flights, five hours and I arrived early to meet Dr. Acostas flight, but what does it take to travel as an HLI Regional Director? The norm would be traveling large areas of Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America. HLI has excellent coverage of their travels and work through Mission
Bill Williams (far right) and Dr. Acosta (second from the right) in Seattle with Bill and Maribel Santos of Couples for Christ. Reports, yet, what does it take to give a talk in Cambodia or Argentina, how about the Ukraine? Dr. Acostas travel to the US for our eight days of talks covered 11 time Zones, 13 flights and over 20,000 miles. Andwe were on the road early the next morning for talks in Napa and Walnut Creek. Dr. Acostas zeal and dedication in confronting the culture of death across Asia resonates with her audience. Returning to the Bay area after our travel north, she spoke before a large Filipino audience at the Gift of Life Fruit of Divine Mercy conference at the Oakland Cathedral. As the conference was coming to a close, many attendees informed us they were calling back to
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Dinner gathering in Seattle at a reception hosted by Robert and Mary Emanuel. the Philippines to inform relatives and friends what the REAL story was behind the RH Bill. In Seattle and Denver the reactions were the same. Few people knew the dark side of this supposedly wonderful bill. Flying out to Chicago, Dr. Acosta attended the Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life at their 17th National Conference at the Hyatt Regency OHare. One of the main highlights of the conference was the session: Our Marriage is Gods Stronghold. Four superb pro-life speakers energized and edified the crowd. These were Ligaya Acosta, HLIs Regional Coordinator for Asia and Oceania, Joe Scheidler, President of Chicagos Pro-Life Action League, Father Frank Pavone, President of Priests for Life, Mrs. Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List. Ligaya was the crowds favorite, not only because she is from the Philippines, but because her vigorous presentation and life story energized everyone. We wrapped up our travels with a series of talks in Virginia. As word reached HLI that the legislative process was heating up in the Philippines, Dr. Acosta was on her way back to pick up the fight again to defeat this odious bill.
Dr. Acosta with Joe Scheidler, Chicago Conference. Thank you to all who have supported our efforts in the Philippines through your prayers and financial support. It takes a lot of work to organize a national speaking tour and on behalf of Dr. Acosta and HLI I would like to thank the following people who made it all possible: Debbie Leoncio with the Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society, Christina Say and Ron Maxson of Napa Valley Culture of Life, Bill and Maribel Santos, Margie Hermano of Couples for Christ Foundation for Family Life, Mary and Robert Emanuel, Veronica Brown, Dr. Corazon Aguilar, Bob Laird, Jay Cabacar, Joe Arevalo and Elizabeth Hildebrand.
Jim Kelly, Vice President of Paladin Financial Group, with HLIs Bill Williams.
Paladin Financial Group is committed to helping morally responsible investors succeed while promoting the Culture of Life. Jim Kelly can be reached at 888-764-2423 or visit Paladin at www.investprolife.com.
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Archbishop Gerard Tlali Lerotholi, receiving the Cardinal von Galen Award from HLIs Emil Hagamu.
Blessed Cardinal August Clemens von Galen, of the Diocese of Menster, Germany, was a Catholic prelate who stood up to Hitlers Nazi euthanasia campaign in the 1930s and 40s. His example of unwavering loyalty to the teaching of the Church and his public defense of handicapped Germans being targeted by euthanasia earned him the title, The Lion of Menster. HLIs Cardinal von Galen Award is given to a Catholic prelate who has been a voice of conscience for his society. HLI believes that good bishops who act like true shepherds in protecting the sheep from the assaults of the modern age need our support, and their example needs to be spread far and wide.
Even more encouraging, Archbishop Lerotholi appointed moral theology professor Father Tanki Mmotsi to teach prolife topics at St. Augustines Major Seminary. Father Mmotsi will thus directly instruct these future pastors in pro-life thinking and living in order to arm and prepare them to confront the Culture of Death. Archbishop Lerotholi was also the primary author of the recent Lesotho Bishops Statement on Abortion, which addressed pro-life issues relevant to Lesotho. The Bishops strongly condemned abortion, saying that Our country may find itself tempted to follow the example of other countries, more influential and stronger than itself, that have enacted laws that give women the right to have abortion on demand, as if it can ever be anybodys right to terminate the life of the unborn. Human Life International conducted the First Anglophone Africa Regional Training Conference at the Comboni Missionaries Conference Center near Dar es Salaam on August 20-26. Archbishop Lerotholi attended the first four full days of this conference. On August 20, I presented the Cardinal von Galen award to the Archbishop in the presence of Monsignor Julian Kangalawe and the thirty attendees, after the singing of the Tanzanian national anthem. Archbishop Lerotholi then spoke on the essential nature of the pro-life mission to the future of Lesotho, and emphasized the importance of Human Life International to this mission. HLI will continue to assist this courageous prelate in fighting the Culture of Death in any way it can. We will work as hard as we can to ensure a bright future for the people and the children of Lesotho. FrontLines Summer 2011 |
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HLI Online
HLI AMERICAS
Truth & Charity Forum
If you have visited HLI Americas Truth and Charity Forum, you have probably seen some of the 15 articles that have been picked up and published by major publishers from LifeSiteNews.com and LifeNews.com to Catholicexchange.com and the Washington Times. Below are just a few examples of the great work being done by our contributors.
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HLI Online
HLI WORLDWATCH
Understanding the Worldwide Pro-Life and Pro-Family Movement
HLIs international pro-life news and commentary website, HLIWorldWatch.org, is off to a wonderful start in shedding light on news and events affecting the prolife and pro-family movement around the world.
Articles from HLI World Watch have regularly been featured on popular prolife news websites, such as LifeSiteNews. com and LifeNews.com, as well as other pro-life and Catholic media websites. Here are some of the stories from HLI World Watch that were picked up by various media: of support by the U.S. government for population control initiatives in the Philippines over the past 40 years, including support for the highly contested Reproductive Health (RH) Bill in the Philippine legislature that HLI and the Philippine Catholic Church have fervently campaigned against. The American people have to know that America, very sadly, has become the greatest exporter of the culture of death, said Dr. Ligaya Acosta, HLIs Regional Coordinator for Asia and Oceania. HLI World Watch broke the story in the American press.
Wikileaks Cable: U.S. Govt Largest Supporter of Philippines Population Control in Past 40 Years
A diplomatic cable published by the website Wikileaks confirmed the depth
overlooked by major media outlets. On HLIWorldWatch.org, our team of international pro-life experts will continue to expose the workings of the culture of death so that pro-lifers can better understand the threats against human life and dignity around the world, and come together in defense of human life.
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HLI DOCUMENTARY
PHILIPPINES
THE
By Stephen Phelan
he late Blessed Pope John Paul II coined the term Culture of Life to help the Catholic Church and all people of good will envision what a healthy and well-formed society should be. Such a culture is marked by openness to new life, by strong and loving families, by secular and faith communities that support the family and provide for those who need extra care or assistance, and by a government that is just and has a proper understanding of and respect for the human person and family, and which creates structures and policies that foster true human flourishing. Such a culture is built on the idea that freedom is a gift from our Creator, and that people are only truly free when they use this gift to choose what is true and good. In short, a Culture of Life is one in which all of society is oriented toward the good of the entire human person, and all human persons, and which seeks justice and peace with its neighbors. This is an ideal which has never been perfectly attained, but it is important to keep the ideal in mind as a society makes decisions about its leaders and its constitution, and it is the Churchs right to communicate timeless truths about how we should live. Pope John Paul II wrote and spoke tirelessly about this positive vision for society during a time when it seemed that the alternative, a Culture of Death, was on the rise. As we have seen too many times, the Culture of Death is marked by a disdain for human life, by a movement to redefine and undermine the natural human family, by communities based on false-
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The short documentary film, The Philippines: Preserving a Culture of Life, underscores one of the most dramatic social and political struggles for life and family in the world.
hoods about the human person (including seeing the human person as just an intelligent animal, not made in the image of his Creator), and by governments that seek to take over all the roles of lower institutions, especially the family. Such a culture employs contraception, abortion, and seemingly endless assaults on family and faith en route to creating a world where freedom is divorced from truth, where only the powerful get their way. The Philippines is not a wealthy nation, at least in modern terms. But it is truly wealthy in terms of life in children and families. Long in the crosshairs of international population controllers, however, the Philippines has seen a falling fertility rate, increasing materialism, and a corrupt political elite that seeks to keep Filipino families under control. The Reproductive Health (RH) Bill currently under consideration is a massive attempt to create the government enforcement structures to complete the transition to a secular state with small families. Written in terms of alleviating poverty and improving womens health, it directly undermines the greatest source of wealth a society can have family and children. As debate over the anti-life Reproductive Health (RH) Bill heated up in the Filipino legislature earlier this year, HLI sent a video crew to this pro-life na-
tion, and the resulting documentary has become a powerful tool of education and advocacy both in the Philippines and with Filipinos around the world. The short documentary film, The Philippines: Preserving a Culture of Life, underscores one of the most dramatic social and political struggles for life and family in the world. It has been broadcast several times on EWTN in the Philippines, and it debuted in the United States and Canada on Tuesday, August 23. The program, shot in cinematic widescreen format, captures stunning scenes and heartfelt interviews with Filipino pro-lifers leading the charge against the RH Bill, including: Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma; Philippine Congressman Dr. Anthony Golez; HLI Philippines Director Dr. Rene Bullecer; and Dr. Ligaya Acosta, a former pro-abortion Philippine Department of Health manager who is now HLIs Regional Director for Asia and Oceania. Right now, proponents of the antilife RH Bill are still a few votes short of achieving their deadly goal, said Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carambula, director of HLIs Rome office. Our wish is that this documentary will inspire not only Filipinos, but pro-lifers around the world, to stand with our brothers and sisters in the Philippines against the culture of death.
The fight over the RH bill in the Philippines is in some ways reminiscent of the struggle over health care in the United States a detached political elite continues to force through a bill that the people have said time and again that they dont want. The bills backers use deceptive language, they are funded by hundreds of millions of dollars from outside the Philippines, and they are attempting to attack and divide the Catholic Church. HLI is currently working with Filipino pro-life organizations such as CBCP for Life (the pro-life arm of the Filipino Catholic Bishops Conference) and Filipinos for Life to spread the word about opposition to the RH Bill and to promote the new documentary. At the request of these and other pro-life partners in the Philippines, 1,000 copies of the documentary have been sent to be distributed to every bishop and into parishes and community centers. Everyone must understand what is going on in the Philippines and how we are all bound together in the struggle for life and family, and we hope that you take a few minutes to view a preview of the film online and perhaps purchase a copy at HLIs online bookstore. To learn more about the documentary and the situation in the Philippines, visit www.hli.org/thephilippines. FrontLines Summer 2011 |
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PAID
Joseph Meaney, George Wirnkar, Archbishop Anatole Milandou and seminarians in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Africa.