#SaveThe8th

At this time the Irish polls have closed and the ballot counting is underway.  Exit polls indicate that the snakes may have returned to Ireland, however we can still pray for a miracle.  I join some blogging colleagues in wondering why Pope Francis has been so silent regarding this vote, considering that Ireland is (or was) one of a handful of countries that ban the baby-slaughter known as abortion.  The pope certainly seemed to have enough words regarding our presidential election in 2016, but none regarding this crucial matter?

For that matter, where are the faux-prolifers who call themselves "New Pro-Life Movement" and "Rehumanize International"?  Google them and search their sites and social media pages for one word about this referendum.  Let me know if you find anything (giving url) because I couldn't find where they uttered a peep.

As I said, I believe the ballot-counting is still underway, or maybe it will commence tomorrow.  Thus it's not too late to pray your rosaries and to all the Irish saints, that the Lord may preserve intact this lonely bastion for the babies.

Father Guarnizo And The Irish Referendum

This past June it was announced that the new Irish prime minister would be conducting a referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland, to be held in 2018.  This amendment, as it currently stands, enshrines protections for unborn children in Ireland.  The general weakening of the Catholic faith in Ireland and the finger-wagging of the anti-life UN (Useless Nincompoops) are two factors.

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, along with other pro-life groups, are engaged in a battle to save not only countless Irish babies, but the vestiges of the Catholicism that at one time was so much a part of Ireland.  The Catholic faith is still manifest in Ireland's Constitution, but the removal of protection of Ireland's babies will also serve to eviscerate all law in Ireland.

A few weeks ago, Father Marcel Guarnizo addressed a gathering in Ireland and discussed many ramifications of this heinous attempt to insinuate abortion into Ireland.  Long-time readers of this blog will recognize Father Guarnizo as the priest who denied Holy Communion to a flagrant lesbian and who was excoriated by the progressive DC chancery.

The video is below.  As you listen at the 43:54 mark, note how he said that when Church officials accept money from the state, then they are tethered to the whims of that state.  It is entirely possible that he had in mind the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who long ago sold out the faith for the money (our tax dollars by the way) bestowed on them by the feds.  Father also mentioned that national conferences hold no authority over bishops.  I wonder if those two truths voiced by Father were additional causes for his ouster from the Archdiocese of Washington 5.5 years ago.  This video contains much to ponder as we pray for Ireland and for our own nations.

More On Ruse's Lapse Of Judgment

Yesterday's post was not the first occasion in which I commented on a bone-headed position assumed by Austin Ruse.  In June 2013 Father Marcel Guarnizo wrote a piece that took issue with another lapse of judgment on the part of Ruse.  On that occasion Ruse took issue with the pro-life community in Ireland, and again he shilled for imagined political expediency over true Catholic pro-life principles.  I need not rehash my earlier writing; rather, I suggest you read that earlier post and the associated linked articles.

My friend and colleague at Les Femmes penned a piece similar to mine from yesterday.  However, she herself is a Virginian and brings to bear some important facts.  It appears that this push for contraceptives is not the first time that Barbara Comstock has run afoul of moral principles.  Again, I'm not going to rehash already-written material.  Please go to Mary Ann's post and read it.

From what she wrote, I gather that there is a more principled candidate running for US Congress in VA's 10th congressional district - Bob Marshall.  Mary Ann endorses him and I defer to her opinion.  Why Ruse endorses Comstock over Marshall escapes me.  Well, maybe not.  I fear that Ruse has made an idol out of political expediency, or simply wants to get in good with the RINO establishment.  Whatever the reason, that's two significant errors of judgment on Ruse's part.

Father Guarnizo On The Situation In Ireland

On the site of Live Action appears an article penned by Father Marcel Guarnizo on the recent legal battles in the Irish Parliament.  In this article he refutes some misguided statements uttered by Austin Ruse.  I invite you to read it for yourselves.

As you read, recall that contraception is the "camel's nose under the tent".  We would not have had the Roe-v-Wade disaster if that had not been preceded by the Griswold-v-Connecticut disaster.  Even now some US pro-life leaders refuse to accept that.  Remember the Manhattan Declaration?  I've delved into its fatal flaw and why I could not sign it myself.  When will we learn??

Yesterday Live Action, Christian Defense Coalition, Students for Life and others rallied outside the Irish Embassy in Washington DC on behalf of our Irish compatriots who are struggling to keep their country abortion-free.  We join our Irish friends in prayer as we pray and work to end the bloodshed in our own country.

A Truly Blessed St. Patrick's Day

Two years ago I posted on St Patrick's Day, trying to bring the true spiritual significance in light as opposed to the giddy, superficial crap that trivializes the significance of this day.  I linked to it for I see no need to "reinvent the wheel".

There is one critical update.  Ireland is on the precipice of legalizing the murder of babies.  We need to intercede for that country as it is (currently) one of few bastions of protected places for babies.  If Ireland starts that descent to national bloodshed, perhaps we'll be seeing some real serpents return to Ireland - and this one is far more deadly than the reptile.