Support Archbishop Nienstedt

Archbishop John Nienstedt

Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis

Please read the attached article from Catholicvote.org and sign the petition showing your support of Minnesota's courageous archbishop.  I know I've blogged about this a few times before, but both he and the Church are being attacked from all sides.  We need to stand strong in prayer and ask that the Holy Spirit will lead us all to truth and understanding, especially during this election season.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Preserving Marriage in Minnesota

I just watched the Archbishop's DVD that was sent out to all Minnesota Catholics.  It was very well put together and logically lays out the argument for the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman.  Marriage is primarily about bringing children into the world and raising them to be productive, well-adjusted citizens.  This is best done in a loving, secure home with both a mother and a father.  While this is the ideal, we all know that it is not always the case.  But, by the government throwing its support behind gay marriage, it is essentially saying that this ideal is not necessary and should no longer be held as the norm.  There are many legal and moral ramifications of this, which are very well explained in the DVD.

Please find 15 minutes in your day to view this video, whether you live in Minnesota or not.  This is a topic that impacts us all in this country and you need to be informed so that you are able to defend your position.

There has been a disturbing development within our local Catholic Church in Minnesota.  Instead of embracing the Church's teachings and truth, there is a dissenting population who is encouraging people to send back their DVD to the Archbishop.  Actually, they want to collect them and make them into some "work of art" to promote their cause.  What is their cause?  They claim that it is to raise funds to bring families out of poverty and they're upset by the Church spending money on the campaign to educate its members about the sacramental and natural meaning of marriage.  While I agree that poverty is a real problem which needs to be addressed, there still are other issues which are equally pressing for today's Catholics to be educated about and understand.  We need to pray, now more than ever, for our leadership within the Church, especially Archbishop Nienstedt, to remain strong in shepherding their flock toward truth.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Show Your Support for Archbishop Nienstedt

You may have heard about the DVD that the Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul is sending out to it's nearly 800,000 Catholics.  In it, the Archbishop lays out the Catholic Church's teachings on marriage and why it is not possible to "redefine" marriage as anything other than a sacrament between one man and one woman.  I am so proud to have a shepherd like Archbishop Nienstedt who is not afraid to speak the truth!

While he is careful not to promote any political party or candidate, this DVD has come out during the election season.  This has raised the eyebrows of many critics who are calling for the Church to lose its tax exempt status which is totally unprecedented.  The repercussions of any redefinition of marriage are far reaching, both secularly and legally.  It is important for all citizens of this great country to inform themselves and really understand the issue.  The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has some great talking points on their website to help you discuss the issue.

The Catholic Church has no interest in promoting hatred or bigotry.  What they are trying to do is help people understand that marriage is about procreation and raising children in a two parent family with both a mother and a father which is not possible in a homosexual relationship.  I completely understand that there are many failed heterosexual marriages, but that doesn't mean that the sacrament of marriage should be disregarded and thrown out.

I am asking you to join me in praying for our brave Archbishop who is leading his flock toward the truth about the sacrament of marriage.  It would be great to send him a letter or e-mail to show your support, as I'm sure that he has gotten plenty of mail from those opposing the Church's teachings.  Most importantly, educate yourself about the truth of this issue.  Don't listen to the secular media and their negative sound-bites about the Catholic Church and its leadership.  A perfect example is the following article.  The Archbishop was interviewed on NPR about the DVD "Preserving Marriage in Minnesota" that is going out to Minnesota's Catholics this week. The interview is entitled "Archbishop John Nienstedt on Catholic Church's opposition to same-sex marriage."   Notice the word "opposition" and how it immediately brings negativity to the topic and the reputation of the Church.  This article from a local television station has the headline "Anti-Gay Marriage DVD will be mailed to all MN Catholics."  Again, the negativity right from the start.  It's no wonder most people feel so defensive before the discussion can even begin.

As the Archbishop has said, "We are not a political force, but we are a religious force. So we think we should be part of the conversation."  Make sure that you are part of that conversation!

God Bless!

Heather :-)