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What does it mean when the Catholic Church makes someone a Saint? I come
from a protestant background and we don't have any Saints to my knowledge.
I've been to a non Christian Church called St Peter's it wasn't catholic but
anyhow who is Saint Peter? When the Catholic Church calls someone a Saint all this means is that we have recognized that the individual lived an exemplary life of holiness. The person whom is declared a saint often has founded an order within the Catholic Church dedicated to the mission of the Gospel and one often serving the poor. In the history of the Church there is usually two miracles which have to occurred as a result of intercession on behalf of that particular Saint. So for example; if a nun were to pray asking Pope John Paul II to intercede on her behalf to the Lord for a healing from cancer then if that cancer miraculously disappeared without any scientific cause or explanation we can be certain that this miracle can be attributed to Pope John Paul II. This is usually when the Church begins looking seriously at the cause for the canonization of the individual in question. The process of canonization refers to the process where the Church discerns, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whether there is sufficient evidence within the life of and miracles attributed to the individual in question. These event give glory to God and witness to the power of Jesus Christ. Nothing within the life of the individual contradicts the Catholic faith. When speaking about Saint Peter we are usually referring to the first pope of the Catholic Church Saint Peter the Apostle. Saints are a great gift to us! They help intercede on our part from heaven where we cannot yet be.
Really a Saint is someone whom we can look to as an exemplary model of the Christian life. We can see in their actions, their writings, and their works the image of Jesus and a life of Holiness. The Church when they declare someone to be a Saint believes that the individual is now in the Kingdom of Heaven with the Lord. Until the end of time they will pray and intercede on our behalf to make sure we end up in heaven also. Saints are witnesses to the faith and in a sense role models to us of what it means to be a true Christian.
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Why do Catholics go to confession and then go out and do the same things the following week. I think confession is just an excuse for people to do things and get away with them. If you recall the story of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery, after the Pharisees tried to test Jesus, Jesus turned to the woman and said "Does no one condemn you?" The woman answers "no" and the lord says "Neither do I. Go and sin no more!" (Jn 8:11). You will find that anytime in the bible, Jesus when he healed or forgave someone of their sins he commanded them "to go and sin no more." So when a catholic goes to confession one of the requirements as stated in the catechism is not to sin again CCC 1451 Among the penitent's acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again." There a catholic cannot go to confession with the intention of committing that same sin again or with the thinking that if I commit this sin again I can always go to confession next week. One has to have the firm resolution and intention to do everything in their power to avoid the occasion of that sin and to avoid committing that sin. A catholic who approaches the sacrament in such a manner is actually committing a very serious mortal sin called the sin of sacrilege. Therefore confession cannot by its very nature excuse a person from being personally accountable for their actions. Jesus established the sacrament of penance when he told the apostles in the upper room; “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." (Jn 20:22-23) But confession as an act of the penitent has existed right from within the Book of Genesis when God asks Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden "Why are you hiding?" God has no need to ask us anything. He sees everything. Right from the first sin God calls man to confess his evil doings. Therefore God has established a formula through which we are to be forgiven. This formula is confession. This was laid out by the father in the Old Testament, brought to perfection through the son in the New Testament and continues to be exercised through the Holy Spirit in the present through the ministerial priesthood. But even with this forgiveness there is still a cost to our sins. Paul makes reference to this when speaking about sacrilegious reception of the body and blood of Christ present in the Eucharist. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment 14 on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. (1 Cor 11:27-30) Paul says this is the reason why some of you are sick and dying. So to think that there is no consequence to sin and that confession is an excuse to sin completely contradicts the teachings of the church which clearly teaches that in order for a sin to be forgiven there must be sincere repentance which includes the authentic desire not to sin again. We can only repent of something that we feel sorry for. And if we feel guilty that we have offended someone, in this case God, then we do try and avoid doing the same thing again. Also if illness and dying are a result of receiving communion sacrilegiously then one can logically conclude that there is no escaping the consequences of sin even here on earth. To believe otherwise is to put oneself in the position of being an obstinate sinner which Jesus tells us is the unforgivable sin. Unforgivable because we reject the Holy Spirit and the ability of God to forgive us of our sins. This position unfortunately will lead a soul straight to hell upon death. They are lead to hell because they choose to reject God’s mercy and refuse to be in His presence of sanctifying grace. Holding this position is nothing more than self deception if one thinks they will get away with away sins in this life or the next. All in all a Catholic must go to confession to be forgiven of mortal sins and in order for that confession to be valid they must fully confess all they consciously know they have done with the intent of conversion from those sins through the graces received in the sacraments of confession and then strengthened through the reception of Jesus in the Eucharist.
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Commentary Question: The vatican is a crime syndicate, I’ve been to St peters basilica, I was askin my wifey, where do you think all this marble, ivory and gold came from? That place has so much marble, gold, ivory and silver they could build up africa for the african people and still be filthy rich. They should practice what they preach. Even sadder outside of the vatican by the gift shops across the way there's dozens of panhandlers.
To answer your question the art in the Vatican came from (mostly) Catholic artists who decided to offer their talents and gifts in order to give Glory to God. During the middle ages until the beginning of the modern age (1700-1800's), in order to show the splendor of what something means Kings, Queens, Sculptors, Artists, Architects built castles, sculptured marble statues, painted huge frescos. Most of the works you see in churches are donations from obviously wealthy or talented people. Art and Architecture had a very different meaning than it does today. It was also not uncommon for people to leave valuables to their church parish in their wills. The way a Church is normally built is that a priest is sent to minister to a town, village or specific location and finds a place to offer mass. Once people start attending or converting offerings were made by the people on their own accord so that they would have a place to worship. Some people donated silverware to use during the mass. Others offered their time to paint or build Churches. Parishes are still built the same and the people determine what goes into them not necessarily the priest. While it is not as common to donate a particular item people often offer to pay for a pew or an organ or the chalice etc… The money in a particular parish does not come from the Church the people raise the money in order to have a place to worship.
In regards to your comments there is a contradiction here, being that many museums and buildings throughout the world are filled with gold and priceless artwork that were created in the image of man or for men. The contradiction being; that few people comment or have a problem with the "jewels" of museums or art galleries but the gifts that were given to the church people have difficulty with and use as a means to criticize the institution. Most of these gifts are art some of them don't even have a material value. If we were to take all art out of museums and sell them we would be destroying someone's work of art and a gift that had been given. This would be an action however noble still an action which is done in bad taste. If one thinks about it the majority of people who received a gold chain as a graduation gift or a Rolex watch for a 25 year employment anniversary or the ipod you got for Christmas would not turn around and liquidate the item and give the money to the beggar on your block. There was a study done on this once and the estimate was that if all the gold in Churches were melted etc... that every poor person would receive approximately 34 cents.
The church does practice what it preaches even though some of its individual members may not. The Catholic Church for example in 2006 received 251 million dollars from their collections and paid 263 in expenses. In comparison that is a rather insignificant sum for an institution which holds over 1 billion members and operates Churches in almost every country in the world plus the fact that it's running a deficit. This is an unfair attack to say that they are not practicing what they preach. The book of revelation talks of all kinds of gold in the temple in heaven where God is present. In the Old Testament God orders people to build gold statues. So if we have gold in honor of God in heaven and on earth there is no contradiction in having it in a Catholic Church. Jesus said that "The poor you will have with you always" (Matthew 26:11). Coincidently He said this at the time when a woman happened to pour expensive oil over His feet. If you recall the story (Matthew v 8-9) the disciples questioned the woman saying that the oil should have been sold and given as alms to the poor. But Jesus rebuked them and stated that there was nothing wrong with pouring this expensive oil over his feet. If the Lord said this than there is nothing wrong with people donating gold or expensive items in order to give glory to God.
Secondly it is not a very accurate assessment of the men and women who serve God in the Church to refer to them as a "crime syndicate" because what you're saying is that the men who give up their lives to preach the gospel are a network of criminals! It's a pretty big sacrifice to give up your life for your faith; no women, measly salary (most priests retire with no money), never knowing where your next place of assignment may be, some countries there is a significant risk that you will be murdered for your beliefs. Could you do that in order to serve God and humanity? This also points to another distinction that needs to be made. This being that the Catholic priests do not own their Churches. They belong to the parishioners. The Archdiocese oversees the regulation of the sacraments, the land, and the management of the money for taxation and expenditure purposes. But the priest and the diocese do not own the materials within Church per say. They are God's! The priest and the diocese oversee the use and management of the building and what it contains within.
In regards to the panhandlers they are exactly as you said outside St Peter's so the relevance of this statement does not really have any reflection upon the Vatican itself. In some ways we could say that if it wasn't for the presence of the Vatican these people who are pan handling would have less opportunity to sell their products than if the Vatican wasn't present (whether this is right or wrong is beyond the scope of this dialogue). For instance we see panhandlers outside every major sport arena yet we don't draw criticism upon them for not giving part of the game revenue's to the homeless. Let's learn to be open minded about God's Church because it is God's Church, it is for all mankind not the rich or the poor. Remember we are instructed to give to Caesar what is Caesar give to God what is God's. Let us rejoice that such Glory is given to God and that we have a place such as the Vatican where we can work to alleviate nations that are poor and struggling such as Africa. All of this time spent attacking the Catholic Church and criticizing it is time wasted. We don't have a lot of time in our lives so let's try focusing on what is good and doing what is good. Maybe then we will have less poor people. It would be wiser instead of sitting around trying to find ways to criticize what others are doing we will use that time to help others find a way to achieve the same blessings we have.
God bless your angel!
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question : I recently spoke to a friend who is Christian and says she does not participate in Halloween. Is it wrong for Catholics to take part in Halloween Celebrations? ------- Confused mother.
Catholics Celebrate the Feast of All Saints on November 1st and All Souls on November 2nd. The word “Hallowe'en” is the proper term for the Vigil of All Saints Day. In The British Isles it was called All Hallows Eve. Halloween in and of itself had two origins. The first being in good ol’ Celtic Ireland. Halloween was the Celtic feast associated with the Celtic New Year. Human sacrifices and blood rituals were often performed. Many Celtics believed that at this time of year those who died in their sins and according to Celtic Belief were trapped in the bodies of animals could be freed by sacrifices to the lord of death. The belief in the wandering of spirits, demons and witches on this night was also a Celtic Belief. The other origin of Halloween was in the Catholic Church. On All Saints and Souls Day a Solemnity was established to commemorate the dead and to remind us of the need to pray for the souls in purgatory. Halloween in more recent years has lost all touch with its original Catholic meaning. In Catholic tradition Halloween (All Hallows Eve, All Souls, All Saints) was a time for us to reflect on the reality that one day we are going to die and meet our Judge. In Catholic and Jewish Tradition there has been the belief in Purgatory or Limbo. This is why we commemorate All Souls Day. It is a time when the whole Church celebrates the Sacred Mass and prays for those souls which may not have entered into the kingdom of Heaven yet. It is also a day which calls us to reflect on our sanctification and purification. We are reminded by the Saints of their martyrdom and self sacrifice, an example which we are to follow.
The modern Celebration of Halloween is closely associated to its pagan Irish origin. In recent years Halloween has gone from a fun event for children dressing up in playful costumes to darker and more sinister times. Television stations feature horror movies focusing usually on a creature who finds various ways to torment and murder its victims. It’s hardly a peaceful and love inspiring contrast between the Christian Celebration of Martyrdom and Salvation. Today you will find Halloween costumes in our local stores depicting darker images and many often resemble witches and images associated with witchcraft. Before I go on any further (because I can already hear some of the comments people will be making) I must distinguish between a playful Halloween and a satanic Halloween. While it is true that Halloween is just a day for children to dress up in costumes and collect as much candy as they can, (which I am not opposed to), there seems to be a growing fascination in both the costume designers and those who dress up in them to be lured towards costumes such as witches, blood covered faces, monsters, ghosts or demons, and even the devil. As Catholic should we allow our Children to dress in such a manner? There is nothing fun, rewarding or self-edifying about such costumes! On the contrary it sends the message that imitating evil creatures and their behaviors is acceptable and to be encouraged. This contradicts the very purpose of the Catholic Celebration of Halloween which is to be freed by Christ’s saving love from evil and demonic oppression, through the cross and resurrection. If a Child wishes to dress up for Halloween there is nothing wrong with doing so. As a Christian a parents is given the responsibility and accountability to ensure that their children do not try and imitate that which is evil or satanic. Mother Angelica must have been concerned with this as well. A number of years back on her show she had the Children come in their Halloween costumes. All the Children dressed up as Saints, nuns, priests, and bible characters. They had a blast (so did Mother Angelica trying to guess who they were). Halloween should be fun for your child and encourage them in their faith.
If someone chooses not to partake in Halloween because they feel there is too much focus on dark themes, then they have every right to do so. On the other hand Halloween festivities should be aligned with our Catholic Faith. Catholic children should be taught the true meaning behind Halloween, that it is a time to pray for the dead and reflect upon our death and salvation. Catholic Teachers and Schools also have a moral duty and obligation to ensure the same. For the Priests and Religious Halloween allows the opportunity to Catechize Children on the above mentioned aspects of the Faith. (Personally I would even like to see the Priests out with the Children encouraging them to dress in Christian themed Costumes.)
Halloween is suppose to be fun! It can also be a time to build our faith. Why not use the opportunity to do both? Build our faith, celebrate our saint and martyrs by imitating them in the Costumes we choose to allow our Children to wear, and at the end of the day pray and reflect upon the coming two feast days; All Saints Day and All Souls Day! God Bless!
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question: I’ve been talking to some co-workers and many of them are Christian but they don't go to Church. I myself pray and talk to God. I don’t go to Church on a regular basis. What's the point when I can talk to God on my own. Isn’t it all the same thing?
Answer: I am currently trying to get back into shape. There are many ways in which I can do this. I can go for a jog, rollerblade, maybe take a ride on my bike. Other options could include going to the gym or even finding a personal trainer. All of these will help to build up my body. The last option is probably a good idea for someone like me who really doesn’t know much about living a healthy lifestyle, eating properly, and training properly. Having a personal trainer probably would best suit my needs because it would provide me with a check point. It also would provide me with a little motivation and maybe a good kick in the behind to get going and stop making excuses for not doing my exercises.
Having assistance and direction is often beneficial to us. Going to Church is basically the same thing. When we are talking about the soul, prayer is our language of communication with God. Prayer is the start of a talk with God. This is awesome and people need to talk with God. We need to vent, we need to unleash sometimes. Prayer is also the beginning of our walk with God. But prayer isn’t enough we need guidance too!
The first visit to a personal trainer includes questions about me, where I am at, what are my habits? It’s a check point. I need to be accountable. Having a trainer makes me accountable. In our jobs we need it to become more productive. If I’m in school and I score a bad grade I realize that maybe I need to study more. It’s no different with God. If you don’t have a check point how do you know that you are on track? That’s a good reason to go to Church because it is one way of checking in with God. We hear the Gospel not just read but proclaimed. Anybody can read the bible but we need to hear and understand what is being said. We are inspired by what Jesus said through the Gospel and we learn how to live the Gospel. We are challenged by the Gospel. We come back week after week to do our spiritual workout, to be challenged spiritually!
At Church we praise which is just prayer sung. We hear the needs of the community which calls us again to prayer. It also helps us to learn to live as a community. The Church is our Community. People need community. Being in Community strengthens us! Community helps us to become better people because it challenges us to go beyond ourselves. Community challenges us to learn how to love one another. Being in a Church Community takes us out of our own world, our own struggles and gives us a chance to be free from that for an hour a week. How great is that!!
Not going to Church for me would be the same as not having a personal trainer. I might achieve my final goal but its definitely much harder on my own. It is easier to miss something that could be essential to my health. Besides it is always more challenging doing your workout whether spiritual or physical with someone else! While there are many other reasons to go to Church, these can be good starting points. Keep praying to know what God wants you to do!
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question : Recently before mass my sister scolded me for eating. I had just woken up and was really hungry. She told me that we were suppose to fast for one hour before receiving the bread. I’ve never heard of fasting before mass. Is she correct? My mom said that when she was a child they were required to fast but since Vatican Council this was no longer practiced. Please clarify. Thanks
Answer: The first statement I have to make is in regards to your comment on the Bread. When we go to Mass we don’t receive bread we receive Jesus. After the Consecration the Host ( bread) becomes the Body of Christ. Likewise with the wine. This is not a symbolic gesture but literally occurs. This is a belief that Catholics are required to believe and have done so since the beginning of the Church. I cannot get into the specifics of this but you may read further on this matter in the Catechism or Pope John Paul’s Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. You can find this Encyclical on the Vatican Website; www.vatican.va
Regarding the Second Vatican Council. The tradition of the Catholic Church up until the Second Vatican Council 1965 was that you had to fast at least 3 hours prior to mass. Vatican II did not separate or break with Tradition rather it emphasized the restoration of the Catholic Tradition and how to apply those Traditions with the Modern World. The Vatican Council spoke nothing about changing the practices of Mass or the requirements of receiving Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist. The fast was changed to 1 hour after the Council to accommodate the modern life style people live.
The Current requirements for receiving Communion are that you have not eaten one hour before mass begins. That you are free from mortal sin. Mortal sin has three requirements; (from the Catechism) 'Mortal Sin is sin whose object is grave matter' (specified by the 10 Commandments) ‘and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.’ Examples of Mortal Sins would be intentionally getting drunk, premarital and oral sex, watching pornography, taking drugs. You must be absolved through the Sacrament of Confession to be forgiven of such sins. General Absolution at mass cannot forgive a Mortal Sin.
The last point and most important is that in order to receive the Eucharist you must be in full Communion with the teachings of the Church. If one does not fit these requirements one should abstain from communion. The Body of Christ is one and if you are separated by your own beliefs or sins then you are already cut off of the Body. The Body of Christ was offered up for our Salvation, so we must consider the seriousness of receiving the gift of Our Lord. For further information pick up a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at your local Catholic bookstore. Also visit the Vatican Website to find more writings on the Eucharist from the Popes and Cardinals. It is good to see people questioning what the Church really teaches keep on learning what your faith is all about!
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question : I have been thinking about the Priesthood for sometime. I feel confused about my vocation and sometimes feel like I would rather marry. I haven’t had much success in recent relationships. At mass I often find myself distracted during the consecration thinking about becoming a Priest. Is there any direction you can provide?
Answer: Many people may experience what you have described. The calling to the Priesthood can often be difficult to discern. First of all you must be commended for taking these stirring thoughts of a vocation into consideration. Many people won’t even give them the time of day. Knowing God’s will is a challenge and rightly so because we need to get away from life and still ourselves before God to even begin seriously reflecting upon the direction of His will.
A vocation is something that every human being has. What you must do is channel your energies towards finding out what your vocation is. Avoid what if's. What if I try it and don’t like it. What if I start dating and I’m really suppose to be celibate. Focus your thoughts and activities around cultivating your vocation. If for example you were drawn towards writing as I am it would make no sense to go out and start painting. You must take a leap of faith sometimes and see where God is leading. If your calling is serious enough that it warrants further thought try contacting the vocations office in your diocese.
Attend a come and see retreat Spend more time in the Blessed Sacrament so you can hear God speaking to you. Pray! Pray! Pray! I cannot emphasize this enough. If you do not pray about your vocation you may find yourself constantly jumping back and forth. One minute you’ll be swearing you’re ready to join the Seminary. The next you’ll be looking for a date. Pray for wisdom so that you can identify the confirmations of what God wants of you. As Catholics we often forget that God speaks to us constantly. Our past experiences are often a reflection of the direction our life has taken and the direction it can be heading towards. These are all factors which one must seriously consider. If you have had great difficulty with Celibacy in your past then Celibacy may be difficult in your Vocation. If you are honest with yourself about who you are then you will through God’s grace realize what it is that you are meant to do with this gift of life which you have been given. Knowing God’s will in this busy world of ours is very challenging but it is not impossible. All Catholics need to spend more time reflecting upon God’s will for their lives.
If you do not have a spiritual director already then you need to find one who is available. Vocation offices and most seminaries are able to provide you with spiritual direction. You need someone who can help you discern your vocation. Do not go to a friend for spiritual direction. Friends although they may have the best of intentions at times they may be unable to relay difficult messages to one another. Trust in Christ to show you what He truly wants. He won’t ask you to do something that won’t make you happy. The Priesthood is a truly beautiful calling. Marriage is also a beautiful calling. Continue in prayer! God Bless
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question:
I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year now Valentine’s day is approaching and he wants to do something special. We’ve been talking about our relationship a lot lately. We’ve even talked about having sex. I’m only 17 and feel too young to be having sex. Is there anything wrong with me saying I want to wait? I feel like he wants to do it but I’m not sure if I’m ready. He says for Valentines Day he wants to spend some time alone together. I think he’s planning on taking me to dinner and a hotel. I’m really not sure how to handle the situation.
Answer:
Let me ask you a few questions before answering yours. What is the meaning of sex for you? How will you describe your relationship with your boyfriend? How do you define love and is it an important factor in your relationship? Can you handle the consequences or outcome of your actions regardless? Are you doing it because of the pressure from your boyfriend?
Let us discuss some potential answers. The mere fact that you mentioned you are too young could simply mean that you are not ready. There is nothing wrong with saying "I want to wait." If your boyfriend cannot have you, nobody else will. If having sex for you and him is to simply satisfy your lust then once again, it is for the wrong reasons. Close your eyes and picture yourself as a bride on your wedding day…walking down the aisle in your white gown, your veil covering your face and holding a bouquet of flowers in your hands. You are righteous and unblemished and your virginity is your most precious gift to your groom. At the end of the aisle is your boyfriend waiting to be united with you in the sacrament of marriage…longing for the much awaited gift that he sacrificed not to have until this day. You will both hear God's voice telling you "Well done, my faithful and trusted servants."
As Christopher West said in a teaching of the Theology of Body: "bet you would not imagine using the words Holy Eucharist and Sex in the same sentence." At the consecration of the bread at mass, when the priest says, "This is my body which will be given up for you", this is the comparison to the act of sexual intercourse wherein you are telling your spouse as well "this is my body which I am giving up for you" and at that very moment, your bodies become as one…with the Holy Spirit in your midst because your union is based on love for each other.
This brings us to the next question "Are you able to handle the consequences of your actions? When you wait to have sex after you are married, there are no consequences because you are ready for anything that the Lord wants for you. If you get pregnant, it should be welcomed because that is the original purpose of sex for God, to procreate. According to Pope John Paul II, God gave us sexual desire "in the beginning," to be the very power to love in the image of God through the sincere gift of self.
Animals cannot say no to their urge to mate and that is why we spay or neuter our pets. As human beings, this is how we can show our superiority over animals. This is the key differences between animals and human beings, God's gift and our responsibility that comes with free will. We are not bound by instinct like animals. We can determine our own actions. We can say "yes" or "no" to any behavior. If we cannot say no, then we are not free. Our society has much to say about sexual freedom. In the popular sense, sexual freedom means the license to have sex without ever having to say no. This is not sexual freedom, this is bondage to lust.
Many people feel that in order to have a healthy relationship you must be having sex. This idea is completely false. Sex is great! But sex is never required in order to sustain any relationship. Many people live life without sex and have very fruitful relationships. The only time when one should rightly expect to have sex is in the union of marriage.
“Human life, by its nature, is 'co educative” (Theology of the Body, Oct 8, 1980). By this John Paul II means that the sexes need one another, and they need to learn to love one another rightly if human life is to maintain its proper dignity and balance.
I guess the question now is who would you rather disappoint, your boyfriend or God?
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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Question:
I just took a pregnancy test and it is positive. I’m really scared if my parents find out they are going to kill me. My boyfriend doesn’t want the baby and says I should have an abortion. I don’t want this child but I am scared to have it. What am I going to tell me parents. I don’t know what to do? Please help! Let me tell you about my story first. I was 17 years old when I found out that I was pregnant. I told my boyfriend about it and he did not know what to do. I was so scared of telling my father and my stepmother. I was in school and was taking Fine Arts and very determined to finish my studies. It was as if my whole world collapsed when I found out about it, I wasn't ready at all. The first thing that came into my mind - ABORTION, the only option I have. I thought that only abortion would save me from fear, shame and enable me to pursue my dreams and ambitions in life. But God really works in mysterious ways. I was only one week delayed, I approached my roommate who was graduating from nursing, and told her about my situation and asked what medicine I should take in order for me to abort the baby. She purposely gave me the wrong medication without me knowing it.
A couple of weeks later, nothing happened to me, I wasn't bleeding at all. I got scared all of a sudden and I decided to keep the baby. It wasn't easy for the first few years I had my baby girl. I did not have my father's support nor my mother who had left me when I was a child. I went to live with my boyfriend and his family because my father and my stepmother sent me out of my house when they found out about it. Looking back through the years, of all the things I've been through with my daughter, I'm just so glad and thankful that I kept her. If I had an abortion, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. My little angel is now a healthy, cheerful and a beautiful 12 year old.
The best thing you can do is to keep the baby. Talk to your parents about it and tell everything to them. For they are the ones who can understand your situation. Although in my situation, it didn't exactly turned out like that, but eventually, they accepted all and became very supportive of me. If you think that it will be hard for you to approach your parents, there are a lot of Community Services out there, who accommodate women or girls who had unplanned pregnancies for free. Vita Manor is an example. They give free residential accommodations for girls who are 16 years old and above, until eight weeks after giving birth. They also give workshops, counseling, recreational activities during the time of pregnancy.
Abortion is never an option, for you will just put yourself in more trouble. How many girls or women out there, who after committed abortion, gained peace of mind? Most of them have suffered the "Post-traumatic abortion syndrome or Post abortion stress syndrome", wherein they experience serious depression and massive feelings of guilt after which haunt them forever. Abortion will not only affect you emotionally but it can also leave physical complications as well. There are different side effects of abortion: Some women have excessive bleeding and need to be rushed to the hospital; Abortion can be fatal to some. Studies have shown that some women, died after taking the abortion pill.
In Sept.17, 2003, a young woman died after taking an abortion pill in Livermore, CA. She allegedly experienced bleeding and severe cramps. She went to a hospital a few days later and died on September 17. Fragments of the embryo remained inside her uterus became infected and caused her to go into septic shock. Abortion can cause infertility and miscarriage too. While performing an abortion, if the physician happened to scrape too hard, the lower lining of the uterus can be removed and cause infertility. Late abortion, done after the first trimester, requires a material called laminaria to dilate the cervix. This could weaken the cervix and conceivably cause infertility. Surgical abortion could scar a small section of the wall of the uterus and thus increase the chance of a subsequent miscarriage.
Do you think you will ever overcome all the emotional effects and surpass the physical complications of an abortion? What if the time comes when you are ready to have a child but you find out that you are infertile because of the effect of abortion? Are you going to be okay with it? Are you willing to take the risk of having an abortion now, knowing that you might have a chance of not bearing a child in the future? What's in your womb now is a gift of life, a gift from God and not all women have this gift. As a single mom, my daughter is my joy, my pride and my everything. She is the greatest gift that I received from God.
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| Posted by Dear Angel at | | | |
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