Friday, November 22, 2013

Spirit and Life: 250,000 Miles for Life

spiritlife

250,000 Miles for Life
Dear Friends,
November 1 marked my second anniversary as president of Human Life International. I made my transition from Louisiana to Front Royal, Virginia on the evening of October 30, 2011. Yet I didn't have much time to settle or unpack because two days later I departed for Sao Paulo, Brazil for my first pro-life missionary trip overseas. Since then I have traveled over 250 thousand miles in our mission to defend life, faith and family. And while sitting in an airplane for long hours isn't always the most comfortable, I have thoroughly enjoyed my many experiences traveling the world spreading the Gospel of Life. I often reflect on Jesus' words from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, "Go out to the ends of the earth and make disciples, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). I have always understood this passage in the context of my pastoral work; however, I never thought I would be living them out so literally.

I have been on missionary trips for most of the past month. On November 4 I began a week-long mission trip in Ecuador traveling to Quito, Tulcan and then to Guayaquil where I spoke at the VI International Pro-Life Congress. On November 10, I returned home, but left the next day for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia for HLI's 19th Asia Pacific Congress on Life, Faith and Family (ASPAC).

Each event was a huge success, reaching thousands of people with the pro-life message. In Guayaquil, it was estimated that among the 1,000-plus participants were 500 young adults from across Latin America. In Malaysia, participants of the 19th ASPAC represented 15 countries from across Asia and Oceania. Prior to the official start of ASPAC, HLI hosted an event for bishops and priests. Three archbishops, three bishops and eighty priests participated in the two-day program.

Both congresses welcomed international and regional experts who covered a wide range of subjects and issues confronting the dignity of human life and the family. The peddlers of death are making a concerted effort to globalize their agenda, and each event attempted to avail the participants of the various components being used.

Continue reading on HLI.org...   
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr Boquet signature
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International

HLI in Europe
by Imre Téglásy, Ph.D.

In a very rare event earlier this year, a pregnant women in Hungary who was declared "brain dead" was kept alive for three months on life support by doctors until her baby could be safely born. ... Let this serve as an example to all of the great harmony between being open to life, and providing the best care possible for everyone. Read More...
Commentary
by Denise Hunnell, M.D.
Writing in the Journal for Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, a team led by Dr. Elizabeth G. Raymond calls on the medical community to pave the way for the acceptance and development of new abortifacients. The first step is again a semantic maneuver with the adoption of the term "post-fertilization contraception" for medications and procedures that prevent implantation. Read More...
Ocean to Ocean Pilgrimage
by Fr. Peter West
Twelve years after that terrible September day, Our Lady brought her healing presence to a place where so much death and destruction occurred. ... We pray that Our Lady's visit also turned hearts and minds away from the Culture of Death and will continue to bring her healing presence to those who have yet to come to terms with the guilt and grief of past abortions. Read More...