In Umbris Sancti Petri

To my regular update-checkers, my apologies again for the lack of content on the blog. Per usual, things have been busy. Really busy.

But although my time hasn't been spent here in the last weeks, it has been spent—and doing good things, I might add!

Ecce...www.prolifepropatria.com...the newest addition to Haines-corp-blogging-enterprises-that-sometimes-(although-not-always)-come-to-fruition.

Somehow, though, I think this new one will be a hit. And not only a hit, but a big one—check it out!

In addition to that, I've begun a little gig, writing at Suite101.com, an online magazine that covers everything from cooking and travel to philosophy and Catholicism. (Guess which section I'm writing in...?) Here's a link to my profile; from there you can check out a few of my articles and see what I've been up to elsewhere.

For now, that's about all I've got. Please continue to check back, though, and encourage others to visit the ProLife | ProPatria site in particular. We are really passionate about the mission it seeks to accomplish, and we need all the help we can get!

Thanks!

Most of the time, this blog is pretty philosophical/theological. I try to keep away from political talk, etc.—there are enough other blogs out there with that kinda' stuff. But sometimes, something worthwhile comes to light, which I'm not opposed to sharing in this forum. This time, the thing that has come to light is something I'm pretty intimately involved with.

In the wake of our recent presidential election, and in the midst of the melancholy that plagues many Catholic communities nowadays, some friends of mine and I decided to initiate something productive. We started an organization (or 'movement,' if you like) that seeks to foster prudent and authentic Catholic involvement in the political life of the nation. We call it: ProLife|ProPatria.

Our mission is simple: to encourage Catholics nationwide to work toward a better social and political situation by uniting in prayer and a single vision. To do this, we think the simplest steps will be the most productive, and so we've started with a very basic but powerful one: prayer cards. The card, about the size of a postcard, has a glossy image of the Trinity on the front [above], and a prayer for President Obama on the reverse side [right].

Contrary to most pro-life prayers, though, the one we've come up with is not just about the value of life. It is about the value of life specifically within the context of the Catholic tradition, and an understanding of Catholic theology and thought. Being a pro-lifer is about more than just saving lives—it is about fostering the fullness of life, which is the life of Christ that fills and sustains his Mystical Body.

The prayer we composed is this:

O Most Holy Trinity,

Ineffable Source and Author of our being, who enlightens the world and reveals to us the nature of personal love, the model upon which society is established,

Illuminate the mind and heart of our president, Barack Obama, that he might recognize the dignity inherent in each human life, from the point of conception to natural death.

Lead him, Almighty Father, to exercise his office according to the precepts of your justice, which delivers your children from wrongful exile.

Christ Jesus, Eternal Truth, allow him to know that the glory of God is man fully alive, and that the glory of man is the vision of God.

Holy Spirit, Spouse of the Immaculate, instill in our leader pure intentions, and inspire him to choose always the value of life.

Hear our prayer, O God of Mercy, defend our nation and its leaders and guide us always toward the vision of your eternal glory.

Amen

Anyone interested in purchasing prayer cards, or knowing of a group or organization that might be interested, is welcome to contact us at prolife.propatria@gmail.com for more information; or you can download and fill out an order form. Since we are all students (and finances are scarce) we cannot give the cards away at no cost, but we have come up with a price scheme that is near wholesale.

The total cost for the prayer cards is as follows (plus S&H):

500 cards — $99.99 ($.20 per card) + S&H = $121.49
1000 cards — $149.99 ($.15 per card) + S&H = $169.99
2000 cards — $225.00 ($.11 per card) + S&H = $255.99
5000 cards — $449.99 ($.09 per card) + S&H = $485.99

We are looking forward to distributing at many cards as possible. Ultimately, we want to be faithful to the teachings of the Church, and by being faithful to be successful, for the sake of our Church and our world. Your help is very appreciated!