Please take a few minutes to carefully read this important message that the Diocese of Lansing has sent out to all parishes from Jenny Ingles, the diocesan Director of Fertility and Life Ministries, and a parishioner here at St. Mary.

Fight Like Heaven

While many of us are eagerly anticipating the US Supreme Court will rule favorably on the side of life in the Dobbs Case, the pro-abortion side is taking proactive steps to enshrine abortion at all stages in the Michigan Constitution.
 
Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are actively collecting signatures for the “Reproductive Freedom for All” petition which seeks an Amendment to our Michigan Constitution. They need only 450,000 signatures by July 11^th for this to appear on this November’s ballot.
 
This petition would protect abortion as a fundamental right that cannot be restricted and would be allowed at any stage of pregnancy. This would have the effect of eliminating many of Michigan’s existing abortion limitations, including parental consent requirements for minors seeking abortion, screening measures designed to protect women from being coerced into having an abortion, and safety requirements for abortion facilities.

 

Please DO NOT SIGN this petition. 

 
In his letter published in FAITH Magazine this month, Bishop Boyea stated that signing it “is to place oneself in danger of grave or mortal sin because of this active and direct cooperation with evil.” 

More information and resources are available here:
Decline to Sign Webpage

In addition, Governor Whitmer and Planned Parenthood of Michigan announced separate lawsuits last week that aim to preserve abortion in Michigan. Governor Whitmer’s lawsuit seeks to circumvent a Michigan law that protects pregnant women and unborn persons from the harms of abortion.
 
The lawsuit also seeks to reinterpret Michigan’s Constitution, which is silent on the subject of abortion, to protect abortion as a constitutional right. The governor falsely frames her endeavor as an attempt to preserve women’s health and healthcare. However, true healthcare does not seek to end life. True healthcare seeks to preserve life and health, both of the mother and the unborn child.

 
Governor Whitmer argues that abortion is the answer to women who are pregnant and in crisis. Yet, this “answer” ends the life of the child and assumes that the mother suffers no harm from it.  Experts have demonstrated that abortion causes long-term emotional and mental trauma for mothers. And abortion always ends in death.
 
Women who are pregnant and in crisis should be met with empathy, compassion, resources, and medical treatment that allows both mother and child to thrive, and assistance in raising their children or placing them for adoption. 

Let us Walk with Moms in Need
https://www.micatholic.org/advocacy/focus/2022/how-catholics-walk-with-moms-in-need.pdf

Please register at https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/WWMN if you are interested in helping start a Walking with Moms chapter in your parish/grouping.

Most importantly, Bishop Boyea has responded to Governor Whitmer’s lawsuit and pronouncement that she will “Fight Like Hell” to preserve abortion. Bishop has asked all of us to “Fight Like Heaven” and participate in a Holy Week of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. \

His letter is here: https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/news/read-fight-heaven-bishop-boyeas-response-governors-pro-abortion-legal-move

We have also built an accompanying Fight Like Heaven Webpage here that includes excerpts from his letter and the ways he is specifically asking us to pray, fast, and give alms, as well as social media and Flocknote graphics for you to use. 

Yours in Christ,
Jenny