APRIL 2022 NEWSLETTER

Featured Article:

Perseverance: by Grace Chaffins

In our modern times, it can be difficult to stand up and say that you are pro-life. Our culture pushes the message that we are alone, that we are against women, and that nobody agrees with us. However, it is in these times that it is most important for us to stand up with courage in defense of the truth.

Perseverance is one of the greatest virtues we can cultivate. It is what allows us to strive toward holiness and to get up again when we fail. The difference between the greatest saint and a common sinner is perseverance - that someone is willing to try again and again, overcoming their imperfections and never giving up. While this applies in a greater scale to our life in general, it can also be applied to the pro-life movement.

“O eternal God, grant me the virtue of perseverance; without it, no one can please You nor be acceptable to You. This virtue brings to the soul an abundance of charity and the fruit of every effort. Oh! how happy I should be, Lord, if You would give me this virtue, because even here on earth it will make me enjoy a pledge of eternal life. But Your light reveals to me that I cannot attain it unless I suffer much, because this life cannot be lived without suffering. He who would escape suffering would deprive himself of holy perseverance”
~ St. Catherine of Siena

This quote highlights a fact that is easy to forget - we cannot be afraid of suffering. Fear is what keeps us back from achieving our full potential. As pro-lifers, if we are afraid of being laughed at for what we believe, how can we ever protect the lives of the innocent? Isn't defending innocent life so much more important than what others think of us? This is not to say that we have an easy job. But perseverance is the virtue that will tell us to keep going.

We cannot give up. If you are discouraged by people who criticize or mock you, remember what atrocity we are speaking out against. If you have been afraid to speak up for the unborn in the past, know that you can get up and try again. It is never too late to make a difference. Every day is a chance to try again.

Prayers:

Daily Prayer for Perseverance

Father, I bless and thank You for a brand new day and for the fresh opportunities and challenges that this day will bring. Thank You, that Your mercies are new every morning and I pray that I will walk worthy of You today and be a faithful witness in thought, word and deed, demonstrating a Christ-like attitude to all with whom I come in contact.

Keep me ever-focussed on You Lord, and keep my heart steadfastly trusting You for all my needs and necessities. Help me not to function in my own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. May I stand firm in the truth of the gospel of grace, and remain steadfastly looking to Jesus, trusting in Him to supply His sufficient strength for all occasions. Teach me all that You would have me to learn today and give me the courage and strength to press on toward the goal for the upward call in Christ Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Perseverance

Pro-Life Quotes:

“Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” —St. Gianna Molla

“Reproductive rights’ has long been a euphemism for destroying human life in the womb… A phrase that sounds like empowerment is a really only code for the subjugation of pre-born children." —Lila Rose

“All that is required for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.”—Edmund Burke

‌News:

Idaho and Arizona Pass Pro-Life Laws‌‌

The state of Idaho has passed a bill that prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which typically happens around 6 weeks. This bill, similar to the Texas abortion law, relies on private citizens to enforce it. Arizona has also passed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks, except in cases of medical emergencies. The law also makes it a felony for doctors to commit abortions.

Upcoming Events:

Saturday, April 2nd at 2:00pm EST - Monthly pro-life rosary

Saturday, April 9th at 6:30pm EST - general monthly meeting.

This month we will be going over our newly-approved group bylaws and voting on next year's leadership team. This is such an important meeting for the future of our group, so we ask that each of you make the time to attend. If you would like to apply to be on the leadership team, you can still do so before April 9th here: https://forms.gle/2GJR99jxEUmmyBNp7

Submit Content:

This newsletter relies heavily on the contributions of group members. There are a number of items we are looking for:

1. Creative content: We have implemented a segment of the newsletter dedicated to the topically relevant artistic contributions of group members, regardless of medium. If you have anything to share, please send it in. We'll accept most mediums, including (pictures of) paintings, graphic design pieces, songs, videos, poems, etc.
2. Articles: We are accepting topically relevant articles from group members. Please note, however, that the newsletter editors reserve the right to modify articles in order to make them suitable for publication. Such modifications may include grammatical corrections and removal of potentially offensive content.
3. Quotes & Literary Passages: We are also looking for any topically relevant quotes or literary passages to fill a segment of the newsletter. Anything from a simple sentence spoken by a saint to a paragraph from a book can be accepted.

If you want to submit anything from the above categories, or you simply want to provide feedback or suggestions, please email us at hscstudentsforlife@gmail.com and we will get in touch with you shortly.