Priests for Life Canada

United clergy key to struggle

I shall really be mostly copying from an article in the introductory "Priests for Life" newsletter.

The founder of Priests for Life in Canada is Michael VandeWiel, a lay person from the Diocese of Pembroke, Ontario. In 1995, Michael felt the urge to start an organization which would help priests to be more practically active in spreading the "Gospel of Life."

He met with Father Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life in America. Father Pavone, whose organization has been effective in the U.S., was most helpful and assured Michael of his complete support for the Canadian organization.

National director

As Michael says: "Within a very short time, Archbishop Marcel Gervais of Ottawa, who had received the Priests for Life information package, suggested one of his priests, Father James Whalen, for the position. Father Jim agreed and it would be difficult to think of anyone more suited.

Father Jim is not new to the pro-life movement. In 1991, he was designated as pro-life researcher and analyst for the Archdiocese of Ottawa. Prior to becoming a priest (1972), he taught in the separate school system for eight years. He holds a doctorate of philosophy degree in formation spirituality and he taught religious science at the Ottawa University.

As well as being the present pastor of St. Margaret Mary bilingual parish in Cumberland, Ontario, Father Jim is Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary Senatus in Northern Ontario. We had a saying long ago in one of our religious houses in Ireland: "If you want a job done well, ask the busiest man in the house to do it." We seemed to have applied the same principle here.

When asked if he was willing to take, on the challenge as National Director of Priests for Life, Father Jim replied, "As priests, we cannot not be involved."

Here are some questions and answers:

1. What is Priests for Life, Canada?

Priests for Life, Canada is an association of priests, deacons and lay people, who give emphasis to promoting and defending the sanctity of human life.

Objectives

a) Priests for Life seeks to link up priests across Canada who are actively involved or wish to be, in the pro-life movement.

b) to help all priests, deacons and Catholic lay people speak and act against abortion and euthanasia.

c) to distribute Priests for Life newsletters, a practical aid in preaching and activity.

d) to provide priests with homilies, bulletin inserts, tapes and other pro-life resources.

e) to provide priests with pro-life information, audio tapes, videos, pamphlets, etc. that are specifically directed towards Catholics.

f) to provide lay pro-life groups an effective link with the clergy.

g) in some areas, Priests for Life gather in small groups on a regular basis to pray and share ideas on pro-life issues.

While we believe and hope that all priests are pro-life, as in every other movement with a purpose, it is very important to have united plans and communication. For this, meetings are essential and can be a source of strength and unity.

The statement of former abortionist - now an ardent pro-lifer - Dr. Bernard Nathanson to the American clergy is very significant, "We would never have gotten away with what we did if you had been united, purposeful and strong."

One of the chief purposes of Priests for Life is to help us to be just that - united, purposeful and strong.

At the present time, the Priests for Life, Canada newsletter and other information is being sent to over 900 people across Canada. This mailing list, which is growing steadily, includes all Canadian bishops (20 of whom have become members), over 500 priests and deacons and the remainder to lay people who have taken a supporting membership.

The Holy Father has given his personal endorsement to the Priests for Life movement. He has called Father Frank Pavone to Rome to establish "Priests for Life" internationally. Here in Canada, the movement has recently produced a publication entitled "Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide." It gives facts and information on both these topics. They are available for parish and other distribution at 12 cents a copy. Over 20,000 have already been distributed.

Youth outreach

The importance of encouraging our youth to be actively pro-life should be obvious from the fact that in Canada - which claims to be a land that is "glorious and free," well over a hundred thousand babies are murdered by abortion each year. This works out to almost 300 babies per day.

I was pleased to be invited to become a board member of Priests for Life, Canada and readily agreed. In that capacity, I not only invite but implore all priests and deacons to become members. But we also need the laity to become "supporting members." The annual membership fee is only $15 per year. It is impossible to run an organization like this without ample funds. We also aim at opening a central office.

Much of the office work at present is being performed by one man - Michael VandeWiel - from his home in Pembroke. The address is Priests for Life, Canada, P.O. Box 8087, Pembroke, Ontario, K8A 6W8.

I take this opportunity of asking for your prayers for the success of this most important pro-life venture.

But I also implore your personal support as priest, deacon or a lay person to help us conquer the "Culture of Death" and bring victory to the "Culture of Life."