J.M.J.
I must admit that among the many doctrines of the Catholic Church, it was the doctrine of the Sanctity of Human Life that I never made an extra effort to learn more and be passionate about in the past. While others have spiritual blindness on the truths of the Sacraments, such as the Holy Eucharist and Penance, of Marian dogmas, such as the Immaculate Conception, and of the Papacy, such as Papal Infallibility, I have always accepted them as true and respected them in my heart. I spent a whole lot of time reading about those topics and found them absorbing and helpful as I tried to get deeper in the Faith. I have always been quite knowledgeable too with the doctrines of the Church against Premarital Sex, Contraception, and Homosexuality. Becoming a Thomasian in University of Santo Tomas, which is the Pontifical and Catholic university of my country, run by the Order of Preachers or the Dominicans, also contributed to my knowledge through the Theology and Philosophy courses I had studied.
As for the doctrine on the Sanctity of Human Life, it just did not really catch much of my attention. Not that I didn’t care or understand the teaching, but my focus before was on other matters of the Faith. I was just ‘not into it’ perhaps. Well, not yet… back then.
I dedicate this Post to the Unborn Babies
lost through abortion.
As you read through everything,
let us remember them,
and entrust their souls to God’s Mercy.
What My Mother Taught Me
Growing up, one thing I knew about abortion was that it’s “bad.” Thanks to my mother, she taught me and my sister, Ate (how we call an older female sibling in the Philippines), about the sacredness of life in ways that we understood it even as children.
One way she did that was through a song, a ballad, “I’ve Never Been to Me,” originally sang by Charlene Duncan in 1977, and became popular with its re-release in 1982. Whenever my family heard it played on the radio or on TV, we would give an extra attention to a few particular lines in the stanza right after the bridge. (If you want to know the lyrics, please look them up, since song lyrics are not allowed to be published, due to copyright.)
Mommy would remark, “I think those are the literal reference that the woman narrator in the song is speaking about having committed an abortion.”
Since I’ve recently realized that this song can be open to interpretation, I thought that those lines could simply mean that the woman narrator in the song lived an easy life of pleasures. Though actually, it can really be understood figuratively that she ‘took abortion,’ just as how those women who had ‘word’ the process of undergoing abortion that takes the innocent life of the unborn. It even sounds like it is what she regrets the most, among the many things she says she did.
Our mother also explained to us that only a bishop could absolve the mortal sin of abortion, and not priests, because that’s how “grave” it was.
[Revision in the absolution of sin of abortion: Some of you might be unaware that Pope Francis signed an apostolic letter called “Misericordia et Misera” (Mercy and Misery) on November 20, 2016 at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. In that document, he wrote in part about Confession, and formally extended the “faculty” or authority he had given to priests at the start of the said Extraordinary Holy Year to grant absolution to those who would confess the sin of abortion.]
Like I have said, I didn’t have much knowledge about abortion as a young adult, until…
Saint John the Baptist came to my life
I believe that my journey as Pro-Life started when my spiritual connection with Saint John the Baptist had begun.
By the way, being “Pro-Life” basically means protecting the sanctity of human life- at every stage, which is from the very beginning, at its conception, to its natural death. Pro-life issues are usually centered on abortion and euthanasia. In this Post, I’m focusing on abortion.
In my younger days, I didn’t really think much about St. John the Baptist. To me, he was a mere cousin of Jesus, who baptized Him, and was beheaded by Herod at the request of his unlawful wife Herodias and his step-daughter Salome. I personally believe though that a soul who honestly tries to seek the path to holiness is usually chosen by the Saints he or she never liked before. That’s exactly what happened to me in mid-2017. I suddenly realized in my heart that St. John the Baptist closely resembled those Catholics like me who struggle in the secular world as being “a voice crying in the wilderness.” I then felt remorseful that I had thought less of him before.
Also, for a few years now, I have been praying daily the Magnificat or the Canticle of Mary. Being one of the most important and special prayers in my life, I recite it during the day and at night in the Evening Prayer of the Divine Office (the Liturgy of the Hours or the Breviary). Every time I pray it, I always reflect on that moment that Our Lady exclaimed those very words, in the presence of Saint Joseph, her Most Chaste Spouse, Saint Elizabeth and Saint Zechariah.
The thing is, not only four people, or two couples, were present in that holy moment… The unborn Baby Jesus and Baby John the Baptist were there too, in their mothers’ wombs!
I was immersed in the whole narrative of the Visitation:
“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
– Luke 1:39-45
Meditating on the most beautiful words that Elizabeth addressed to the Blessed Mother, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy,” I was reminded of those people who worship Our Lord but support abortion because they refuse to believe that a fetus is a human being already. The Bible itself illustrates what the infant John inside the womb is capable of- he recognizes sound, moves and expresses joy just like a born baby. How can ‘believers’ disbelieve that?
At the same time, I reflected on the previous verses said about John the Baptist:
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
– Luke 1:13-16
If any unborn baby has already been named by God, and his or her destiny is already known to the Creator, why do other people disregard them as a mere fetus? How can a baby, just because they still live through maternal sustenance, not be given the same respect, protection and rights as any of us who made it out of our mothers’ wombs?
Sanctified in the Womb
A very important line from the Gospel of Luke about Saint John the Baptist stated that he would be “filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.”
The Bible points out that there were only two human beings who received the honor of being sanctified in the womb: Saint John the Baptist and Prophet Jeremiah.
As for Prophet Jeremiah, God spoke to him about his calling, and this He said,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
– Jeremiah 1:5
To me, all these passages from the Old Testament about Prophet Jeremiah to the New Testament about Saint John the Baptist tell us that God treats the unborn as a living person; a human being who has a name, a soul, and a purpose to fulfill in this life. Although we do not yet see what God sees in every unborn, even their own mothers are yet to hold them, kiss them, and know them, the unborn should not be considered any less than a human being whose life is sacred.
Psalm 139 was the Responsorial Psalm, though in a song version, “You are Near,” composed by Dan Schutte, for my First Communion on December 8, 1997, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Because of that, it became one of the most special Psalms to me, and has stayed in my heart since. Up to now, it still amazes me so much how all the days of our lives are already written down in the Book of God before we were even born.
Ever since I developed a deeper connection with Saint John the Baptist, I have always felt his presence in my life. Like many Catholics say, we don’t choose the Saints; they choose us. I believe that St. John the Baptist chose me for many reasons- one of which is to be a Pro-lifer. I know in my heart that I would forever uphold the Sanctity of Human Life; that I would always be Pro-Life.
What does being “sanctified in the womb” actually mean?
It means that Prophet Jeremiah and Saint John the Baptist were chosen by God from the womb, forgiven of the original sin, and filled with the Holy Spirit. This grace of being sanctified in the womb is an exceptional and extraordinary gift that was solely given to both of them, based on Sacred Scripture. But if Church Tradition is correct, the only other person to whom it was given to was Saint Joseph. Catholic Theologians, such as Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Francisco Suarez and Jean Gerson, also believed this idea that Saint Joseph, too, was sanctified in the womb. Because of this, he was “confirmed in the grace,” and greatly filled with grace that he never ever committed both venial and mortal sins.
Mind you that this is different from the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which says that the Blessed Virgin was sanctified in the womb at the very moment of her conception; not after conception as with the three holy men mentioned.
So how is being “sanctified in the womb” related to the unborn babies? I will explain it more in My Reflection section. But before that, let me continue narrating about my journey of becoming Pro-Life, and share with you some recent news related to this topic.
March for Life
That day of January 19, 2018 truly became holy for me and my family. We went to Santo Domingo Church, or National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila of the Dominicans in Quezon City, Metro Manila, for our special devotion to Mary, where her magnificent image under this title is housed. We were able to go to the usual 6 PM Mass, followed by the Evening Prayer of the Divine Office with the Dominican priests and seminarians.
Right afterwards, we intentionally rushed to go home so that we could start watching EWTN TV coverage of the 45th Annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. “Love Saves Lives” was the theme for that particular year. It was a remarkable day for the Pro-Life Movement in their nation. In addition, President Donald Trump took part from his office and became the first sitting US President to directly address an anti-abortion rally.
Although EWTN does live broadcast of the March for Life every year, it was only then that we decided to stay up and watch so that we could finally know what it was all about. Even though I almost fell asleep, as the program lasted overnight, about 12 hours or so, I was so glad to be able to watch everything, up to the end of broadcast with an EWTN Mass the next morning, Manila time.
My family and I were really blessed to comprehend the fight against abortion, from the conversations of EWTN hosts to the personal stories and the speeches delivered during the rally. We found out from them that every day, more than 100,000 babies in the world die through various forms of abortion.
Since then, I have been regularly watching EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.
I felt in my heart that all of this was God’s providence, calling and leading me to make a personal stand as Pro-Life.
Recent News
In recent months, each time I read the news, there’s always been something about Hollywood celebrities, directors and producers who are saying that they will stop doing business with Georgia, a Midwestern State in the United States, because the heartbeat bill was passed into law; a legislation, which they say is “against women’s right and choice for their own bodies.” Georgia gets billions of earnings through hosting various film and TV projects. You might have noticed that the logo of Georgia® Film, Music & Digital Entertainment is in the end credits of several movies, TV series and programs. Georgia is the fourth state this year, following Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, to have enacted the said law.
What is the Heartbeat Law?
Abortion is legal in the United States until the “viability” of an unborn, which is the point at which the unborn has the ability to survive outside its mother’s womb or the capability to have a “meaningful” life. That is why abortion clinics there usually abort pregnancies up to 6 months.
Health centers under Planned Parenthood, “a nonprofit organization that provides ‘reproductive healthcare’ in the United States and globally,” are where most abortions in the United States happen, either through in-clinic abortion or the abortion pill. I read reports that President Trump, who says that his administration is Pro-life, is ‘defunding’ Planned Parenthood, blocking a significant amount of funds that they used to receive from the government. I also read that some very famous celebrities have in turn pledged to personally give financial aid to Planned Parenthood so that they could continue doing abortions and related services.
The ruling that abortion is legal prior to viability resulted from the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which prohibited states from banning abortion anytime prior to viability.
Conservative legislators, mostly from Catholic and Christian groups, have been trying long and hard for years to overturn Roe v. Wade. Submitting heartbeat bills on the state level is an aggressive part of their strategy in recent years. If heartbeat laws are going to be fully implemented, abortion will no longer be allowed in their respective states from the moment a fetal ‘heartbeat’ can be detected. Any abortion past that stage will be penalized.
For perspective, embryonic heartbeat can usually be detected early in the pregnancy, typically by 6-10 weeks of gestation using the advanced methods of standard medical practice, and by 7-12 weeks via trans-abdominal ultrasound. So what it means is that heartbeat laws will restrict allowed abortion from point of viability at 6 months to only around 3 months or as early as 6 weeks of pregnancy. It doesn’t totally stop abortion, but it is a critical step towards that goal.
None of the heartbeat laws, however, have yet to be put into effect in any of the states where it was passed. That’s because they have been challenged by pro-abortion groups in federal courts. Some of them could no longer proceed. As examples, Kentucky and Mississippi heartbeat laws were already declared unconstitutional (due to Roe v. Wade), while Ohio and Georgia laws are now being challenged. Many believe that a court battle is exactly what’s needed in order to bring the issue up to the level of the Supreme Court and challenge to overturn their 1973 decision, in favor of Pro-Life advocacy. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, and that fight is likely much more complicated than it seems. For now, heartbeat bills can be useful tools in making the public more involved and aware of pro-life issues.
(Thanks to Jonathan Abbamonte of Population Research Institute, an American non-profit Pro-Life Organization with Catholic roots, for sharing with me about their Pro-Life works and important Pro-Life updates in the United States.)
More Recent News
Just last month, I was told about this new radical abortion law in the state of Illinois, called Reproductive Health Act, which is contrary to the Heartbeat Law that makes access to abortion more restrictive. This Illinois law allows “the abortion of unborn life at any stage of pregnancy and for any reason.” It says that a “fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights.”
It made me really sad that they are going through this kind of law. When I was in Illinois, it seemed to have many devout Catholic faithfuls. I especially commend St. Mary Catholic Church of Huntley, Illinois, the Parish church I often went to, because aside from its beautiful, inviting infrastructure, I noticed their distinctively active Catholic spiritual life. All the Sacrament of Penance I received there, administered by welcoming, empathetic, holy priests, were some of the best Confessions I have had. I felt that God spoke to me through them. Their providential words in their confession advice and homilies during Masses helped me in life.
My Reflection
Why Would A Filipino Care About All This?
These recent events are all American news. But what’s a Filipino like me got to do with this, when abortion is banned in the Philippines anyway? Well, I CARE for two reasons.
First Reason: Personal
I love the United States. Several years ago, they granted me the privilege to enter their country, whenever.
I spent the whole previous Christmas season and the first months of this year there. I will always reminisce the beautiful places and sceneries during winter, the purple pink skies of twilight and dusk, the gleaming white sky before it snowed, the snow falling from the sky, the feeling of snow as it touched my face, the glowing wonderland of snow, and the spectacular shapes of snowflakes. I will always remember experiencing the historic phenomenon, known as the Polar Vortex, that gave some of the States, and to a higher extent, in the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, an Antarctica-like coldness for a day or two; the second coldest temperature ever recorded in their history. I did not see a person outside during those days at all. The houses across were barely visible due to the cold waves.
I also admire the Americans for their kindness, intellect, eloquence, and in particular, the devoutness of the Catholics there. Considering various things, I can say that it is a great nation. I hope that they are going to stand by their greatness by remaining steadfast in their Catholic Faith and fighting the threats against the Church happening everywhere.
I think the Address given by Saint Pope John Paul II during his Apostolic Visit to the United States in September 1987 somehow reflect what I’m saying:
“Yes, America, you are beautiful indeed, and blessed in so many ways…”
“This is the dignity of America, the reason she exists, the condition for her survival- yes, the ultimate test of her greatness: to respect every human person, especially the weakest and most defenceless ones, those as yet unborn.”
– Saint Pope John Paul II
Second Reason: Spiritual
Physical beauty is just one of the many dimensions of things. As Church Militant, we ought to lead a spiritual life of faith. And that is why I care; because every Catholic should care. I care about the fight for the unborn, and all matters of the Faith, not just as a Filipino, not just as a pro-lifer, but as Catholic. I love all the People of God (CCC 782); That is, I love all my fellow baptized Christians in USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, China, Saudi Arabia, India, South Africa… and all the baptized Christians anywhere in the world.
The Church is One Body of Christ, intimately united with Him as our Head, and the Church as His Bride (CCC 789). Saint Paul the Apostle calls this nuptial union “a great mystery.” All the members, not only us, the living, but those in Heaven and in Purgatory, are united to each other as a result of our union with Christ (CCC 787).
We care about the souls of those who participate in abortions
The Church affirms the existence of Hell and its eternity. If abortionists and those who procure this procedure through them, harming the life of the unborn, do not repent up to the point of death, they will die in state of mortal sin because “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense” (CCC 2272). The Church teaches that souls with unrepented mortal sins will immediately “descend into hell” after death, where they will suffer its punishments, such as the “eternal fire” and chiefly, “the eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs” (CCC 1035). Thus, no one should ever wish for a soul to go to Hell.
The story of salvation is an ongoing history up to this very day, until the Judgment Day, or the Second Coming of Christ. Every action we have ever done to another person can affect his salvation, for good or for worse. Through the preaching of the Holy Gospel in the world, through the New Evangelization, especially now with the Internet, more people of every country, race and culture are converted to Catholicism, saved from their sins, and transformed back to a loving communion with Our Father in Heaven. That is why I write. I hope that my humble work of writing contributes in the salvation of souls of people in the Philippines, in other parts of Asia, Europe… and anywhere else.
Those who are active in the Pro-Life Movement are examples of people who do their share in helping other souls with their salvation. American pro-lifers, for example, must be quite pleased that heartbeat bills are helping increase Pro-life awareness across the States. Through the prayers and efforts of lay people and religious orders around the world, of those in Catholic and Christian Pro-Life organizations and youth groups, and of those who pray, stand outside abortion clinics, and demonstrate publicly against it, more people are being saved from the sin of abortion. All is not in vain. But we must be vigilant because there are people or groups always trying to attack the Church and its moral teachings.
We care about the salvation of the unborn
I care as a pro-lifer because the unborn babies who die through abortion are supposed to be members of the Church, the One Body of Christ. But since they are aborted, they are also denied of Baptism that would have freed them from original sin. The question is, are their souls going to attain salvation or not?
Basic doctrine of the Church teaches us, “The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation” (CCC 1257). It is a necessity to enter into the “People of God” (CCC 804); to be “freed from sin and be conformed to Christ” (cf. Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:18-19). Without the grace of this Sacrament, it is then probable that those unborn taken through abortion, and consequently died in the state of original sin, went to Hell. No one should ever cause damnation for the soul of an innocent baby. But abortion deprives the unborn the sacrament of Baptism that “…brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one ‘can enter the kingdom of God.’ ” (CCC 1215)
What else does the Church say?
There’s really no explicit or definitive Church position regarding the salvation of unborn babies. What we can look into are official Church doctrines like the ones mentioned above, the Church traditions, the teachings of Theologians, and the statements of Church commissions.
In the Middle Ages, the Second Council of Lyons convened and was presided by Pope Gregory X. It stated that, “As for the souls of those who die in mortal sin or with original sin only, they go down immediately to Hell to be punished with different punishments.”
We know that what the Council said could be true because the original sin of the unborn is not forgiven. Between two destinies, Heaven or Hell, how can souls tainted with mankind’s original sin enter Heaven and not Hell? This is why the stories of Saint John the Baptist and Prophet Jeremiah being sanctified in the womb are related to the unborn. As Catholics, we must feel concerned about how the souls of unborn babies could be saved since no specific word from the Bible tells us that the same extraordinary and exceptional grace given to John and Jeremiah would be given to them, to free them from original sin.
For ages, the Church used the idea of limbo to describe where babies, born or unborn, who died without Baptism are destined. Limbo is not clearly founded in Sacred Scriptures although it has long been taught. Some Catholic Theologians think that limbo is part of Hell. But the punishments for the souls there are very light, and possibly, the punishment is only this- they do not have the beatific vision of God.
One of the greatest Mystics of the Church, Saint Bridget of Sweden, had a vision related to this. She saw God saying, “…the souls of such children [unborn], though they do not see my face for lack of baptism, are nevertheless closer to my mercy than to punishment, but not in the same way as my elect [those souls who will go to Heavenly Jerusalem after the end of the world].” To know that God hands more mercy than punishment to the souls of the unborn is quite comforting.
Sadly, based on the said vision of St. Bridget and opinions of some Church Fathers, the lack of baptism would deprive them of the chance to see God’s face and contemplate Him, referred to as “the beatific vision.” We cannot fully fathom the beatific vision or that glory of seeing God, but as Saint Cyprian said in one of his epistles, “How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God’s friends.” It is such a tragic thought that they may never be able to see the face of God for eternity, all because that glory was taken away from them through abortion.
There is hope.
The Church, fully aware that the necessity of Baptism is de fide or of faith, can only entrust those infants who died without Baptism, especially due to abortion, to the mercy of God. “Indeed, the great mercy of God… and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: ‘Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,’ allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism” (CCC 1261).
In 2007, the Church published a document titled, “The Hope of Salvation for Infants who Die Without Being Baptized.” In it, the commission said, “It must be clearly acknowledged that the Church does not have sure knowledge about the salvation of unbaptized infants who die.” It further explained, “There are reasons to hope that God will save these infants precisely because it was not possible to do [Baptism] for them.” It must be stressed and emphasized, however, that despite our hope in God’s great mercy for the souls of the unborn, it should not diminish or oppose “the necessity of baptism” nor “delay the conferral of the sacrament.”
We care about who they could have become… in Heaven.
Those in the Pro-Life Movement have many reasons and arguments as to why unborn babies must have the right to live. Usually, they share testimonies of those women who changed their minds about getting an abortion, and would show what they and their now grown-up children have become. Pro-lifers always say that unborn babies could have become good and righteous doctors, lawyers, artists, or “somebody.”
I completely agree; they could have reached their true potential had they been given the chance. I want to add that taking the life of unborn babies also takes away their utmost potential of glory… in Heaven. Who knows, they could have become great Saints- Martyrs, Virgins and Doctors of the Church? They could have earned a very special joy and reward in Heaven, referred to as an Aureola, or a small crown of glory- that of Martyrdom, of Virginity and of Doctorship, by the merits of their extraordinary holiness, sufferings, and good works. More than the accomplishments in this earthly life, it was really the chance to merit heavenly glories that they were robbed of because of abortion.
Conclusion
My intention here is not to change the minds of abortionists and of women who are intending to go to abortion clinics, by means of philosophical arguments, humanitarian reasons, scientific proofs and statistics. Evidently, great Catholics and organizations in the Pro-Life Movement around the world are already doing that kind of work. As a Catholic blogger, my writing aims to speak to fellow Catholics about this issue based on the Word of God and the teachings of the Church. Our Faith, after all, is what should unite us.
Those who often go to Mass, or those who identify themselves as “Catholics” but are non-practicing, and at the same time, are “Pro-Choice” and supportive of abortion, should rethink such stance because being Catholic is not just a ‘ritual’ or a ‘label.’ If you are one of them, remember that when you were baptized, you have become “sharers in mission” of the Church (CCC 1213). It is about being one with the Church in our beliefs, values, and way of life. “St. Paul [the Apostle] speaks of the “obedience of faith” as our first obligation… Our duty toward God is to believe in him and to bear witness to him” (CCC 2087). Thus, being pro-choice goes against what the Church stands for and who we are as Catholics.
Those who try to talk people out of procuring or practicing abortion may find that spiritual arguments usually do not sit well with those people because many of them do not believe in God. Even if they do, some use religious ideas out of context to excuse sin, by saying, “God forgives” anyway. Be patient regardless of what others say. If you’re one of those Catholics who offer whatever you can to pro-life causes, such as personal prayers, writings, assistance to victims, counseling, rallying, etcetera, be reminded by this Post, of the spiritual reasons why it is worth defending the life of the unborn against abortion. Have the courage to keep on being pro-life amidst the indifference and secularism of many.
Those who do not believe in God and support abortion would most likely not be convinced otherwise. In the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” But as we are all children of God, if there’s any ‘Catholic’ in you and you hear His voice this very moment, let Him guide you to see things differently.
***
I’m not just a citizen of the Philippines, and so are all of you- you’re not just citizens of your countries. It is God’s will that we become eternal citizens of the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, in the future. That’s why all of us must care for what is good and moral wherever we are. I remember what Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote in The City of God, considered by many as his most important work. He said that human history is the battle between the City of God – that is, the followers of Christ and His Church, the sons of light who love God, and dedicate themselves to His eternal truths – and the City of Man – the sons of darkness who are immersed in their self-love, pride and the pleasures of this world. We must realize that we are in the midst of that battle against the evils of this world, such as abortion. We must care about each other’s salvation- to help each other be saved from the city of the Devil, which is eternal punishment, and to help one another gain the City of God, which is eternal happiness.
My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, let us care about the Sanctity of Human Life. We must pray that more mothers are protected from abortion, and more babies are given the chance to live their God-given lives, to be members of His Church, and to someday relish the beatific vision, with all of us, in Heaven.
Prophet Jeremiah, pray for us!
Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
Email: [email protected]
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