The November Election and our Pro-Life Duty

You have probably read the recent insert that included a letter from Archbishop Schnurr urging Catholics to vote against the Issue 1 amendment in the upcoming November election that would greatly expand access to abortion. Abortion is a grave evil and Catholics have a duty to oppose abortion including opposing abortion at the polls. We are pro-life and see every human life as unique, valuable, and a God-given gift. While every affront to life should be resisted there are some things that make the November Issue 1 amendment particularly dangerous:

1. Puts women at risk. This amendment would enable elimination of some of the most basic, fundamental safety regulations on abortion clinics, including the current requirement for an abortion to be performed by a licensed physician.

2. Threaten parental rights. The vague language in the amendment opens the door to anyone under 18 having an abortion, or even beginning cross-sex hormone treatment, without parental consent or notification.

3. Allow abortion through 9 months of pregnancy. The amendment provides guidelines such that a healthy, fully-formed infant in the womb who otherwise could be delivered with no issues would still be a candidate for a surgical dismemberment abortion.

All of these factors make Issue 1 particularly nefarious and dangerous for our great state. Thus, I want to urge each of you get out and vote NO Issue 1 on November 7 or before if you can. It is important for each Catholic to get out and vote to protect the dignity of human life. If each Catholic takes this duty seriously, we can defeat Issue 1 and win for life!

Jesus, is with us in every battle including our struggle to protect pre-born lives. He wants us to be assured that we have everything we could from His grace. We need Jesus to do anything and I want to encourage each of you to make an effort to take time before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for our Family of Parishes and your family. One of my great desires as pastor of St. Joseph, Pillar of Families is to have a perpetual adoration chapel. A place where we could unite in prayer and worship of our Jesus Christ, our Sovereign King. How many graces could we pour out upon our Family of Parishes?

Just a note that beginning this month the Mass book will open for Holy Angels. We will be taking Mass intentions for the 2024 calendar year. One new addition to keep in mind is that the second Friday of each month will be a purgatorian Mass meaning that multiple different people can purchase Mass intentions and the multiple intentions can be added for each second Friday Mass at Holy Angels.

Unified Pastoral Council elections will be October 21-22. Please note that there will be a ballot for each parish and we will have one new member from each parish. This will be in addition to two other members from each parish making three representatives from each of our four parishes. Again, you can vote the week preceding elections at the office or by calling into the office.

Thank you to everyone who stepped up to help as a catechist, aide, or any other way you have helped with Youth Evangelization. Your generosity is appreciated more than you know.

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Jarred Kohn