Pulse board president, Tom Quiner, spoke at Man-Up on Mark Twain’s book on Joan of Arc.
Who is the greatest college women’s basketball player? Duh! Caitlin Clark.
Who is the most noble person who ever lived?
If you asked Mark Twain that question, his response would’ve been instant: Joan of Arc. Said the great writer, Joan of Arc is “the most noble life that was ever born into this world save only One.”
Joan of Arc really touched the heart of a cynical man who considered his 1886 novel, “Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc,” to be his masterpiece, despite his hostility towards Catholicism.
He conceded that he had been “educated to enmity toward everything that is Catholic.” And yet he spent a dozen years researching and writing a most reverent and riveting narrative on the life of a 15th century peasant girl whose greatness was defined by her Catholic faith.
Mark Twain’s novel is more relevant than ever, because the essence of Joan’s saintliness is needed more than ever. And what is this essence? Faith. Trust. Courage.
C.S. Lewis tells us in the Screwtape Letters that “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.”
Joan of Arc lived this reality:
“Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well.”
She said:
“I am not afraid; I was born to do this.”
Joan of Arc’s life was a miracle. Born in lowly circumstances, she was uneducated but strong in her faith. At the age of 13, she began to hear voices from God. The voices included angels and saints who presented her with a directive: free France from English occupation.
The voices, which included those of the angels Michael and Gabriel, and Saints Margaret and Catherine of Alexandria, provided counsel to help Joan govern herself. But by the time she reached the age of seventeen, her voices’ directive expanded to liberating France from the English. And she did it, at a steep price.
Pulse Life Advocates believe that Joan’s example of utter faith in God and the courage to trust his promptings are immediately relevant to our age. We see the need in the pro-life movement. Imagine: if a single Catholic teenage girl relying on nothing other than faith in God could liberate an entire country, just think what an entire Catholic community could do today.
Miraculously, this peasant girl from Domremy, France, some 42 miles from where St. Bernard composed his Memoraré prayer, got an audience with the king-in-waiting, known as the dauphin.
The future King Charles and his court were amused at the boldness of the unschooled peasant girl who managed to wrangle an audience at court. She was there to tell him that God told her to lead the French army to drive the English out of France and see the dauphin crowned king.
To mess with her, they put one of the dauphin’s pals on the throne to fool her into thinking he was Charles. Keep in mind, there were no photographs or television in those days, so a peasant girl from Domremy would have no idea what the Charles really looked like.
So Joan entered the court amidst a snickering throng of royal hangers-on. Remember, she was called to venerate Charles. So she walks up to who is being presented to her as Charles, and she stops.
She looks around the hall until she spots the real Charles, to whom she approaches and venerated to the astonishment of everyone.
Charles gave her a private audience, and she revealed a secret known only to Charles that confirmed the legitimacy of her visions.
The rest is history. She eventually led the French army against the English, most notably freeing Orleans from a protracted English occupation. She scored victory after victory for awhile, before eventually being captured and put on trial. King Charles VII, now crowned thanks to Joan, refused to pay a ransom which could have freed her.
The English and French Burgundians charged Joan with heresy and for being a witch. Her trial lasted four and a half months. She was convicted and burned at the stake.
A complete transcript exists of the trial revealing Joan’s grit and preternatural wisdom which so often outfoxed her interrogators. Here is an example. When asked,
“Joan, are you in a state of grace?”
She responded,
“If I be not in a state of grace, I pray God place me in it; if I be in it, I pray God keep me so.”
Twenty-five years after her death, the Pope absolved Joan of all charges in a posthumous retrial. She was formally canonized as a Catholic Saint in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
Joan’s wisdom
Here is a sampling of her wisdom from her trial:
• All battles are first won or lost, in the mind.
- Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, nevertheless they give up their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it, and then it’s gone. But to surrender what you are, and live without belief – that’s more terrible than dying – more terrible than dying young.
- It is better to be alone with God. His friendship will not fail me, nor His counsel, nor His love. In His strength, I will dare and dare and dare until I die.
Here’s what she said about her visions:
- I saw them with my bodily eyes as clearly as I see you. And when they departed, I used to weep and wish they would take me with them.
- I die for speaking the language of the angels.
• The angels are as perfect in form as they are in spirit.
Here are quotes revealing the depth of her faith:
- I place trust in God, my creator, in all things; I love Him with all my heart.
- I fear nothing for God is with me!
- About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they’re just one thing, and we shouldn’t complicate the matter.
- [Before being burned at the stake for her faith:] Hold the cross high so I may see it through the flames.
What a saint!
***
Movies on Joan
The Messenger
- 1999 action film starring Milla Jovovich, directed by Luc Besson. The film gets Joan’s motovations wrong.
Joan of Arc
- 1948 film that gets the full Hollywood treatment, starring Ingrid Bergman, directed by Victor Fleming.
The Passion of Joan of Arc
• 1928 silent film directed by Carl Dreyer and focuses only on Joan’s trial. It stars Marie Falconetti as Joan of Arc in what movie historians call the greatest screen performance in history.
Politics
ABRAHAM LINCOLN? “You have to be honest with the American people. Slavery is a personal issue. I am unapologetically pro-emancipation for the slaves. But we have to acknowledge that the courts have given the power to make this decision to the individual states.
And as much as I am pro-emancipation, I don’t want anyone being judged for being pro-slavery, and I don’t want them to judge me, because there are some things that are going wrong on the pro-emancipation side. The same on the pro-slavery side.
When it comes to the federal law, it will take 60 senate votes, a majority of the house and the president to sign it. We’ve never had 60 senate votes. Ever. No Republican president can ban slavery anymore than the Democrat president can ban state laws.
Let’s make sure that none of these laws put slave owners in jail or give them the death penalty for depriving black people of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and let’s focus on freeing as many slaves as we can and stop the judgment. We do not need to divide America over this anymore.”
Obviously, Lincoln didn’t say this. But these are the exact words used by a so-called pro-life president candidate earlier this year. I simply substituted slavery for abortion.
THE PROBLEM: Abortion is not a states rights issue, it is a human rights issue. A person can’t be a human being in Iowa but only a clump of cells in Illinois whether you’re considering the issue through the prism of faith, science, or philosophy.
THE SOLUTION: The courage to speak the TRUTH always. That’s what Joan of Arc would tell us. Make the other side PROVE that the thing in the womb isn’t human despite scientific and theological evidence to the contrary. Leadership is needed, not retreat.
The Abortion Landscape
Knights of Columbus Marist Poll:
- 66% of Americans support placing legal limits on abortion
- 6 in 10 support limiting abortion to first trimester
- 83% support pregnancy resource centers, centers that don’t provide abortions, centers with which Pulse is very much involved. We may have more news on that front in the near future.
- 2 out of 3 believe healthcare professionals with religious objections to abortion should not be legally required to perform them.
- 86% believe laws can protect both the mother and her unborn child.
- 37% of Democrats believe abortion should be limited to first trimester at MOST; 22% of Dems believe it should be limited to cases of rape, incest, or the mother’s life … at MOST.
Art
In order to inspire our local Catholic community, Pulse is hosting a musical event this Sunday, April 14th, with the theme of “Women of Worth.” It will feature a set of songs composed just for this event that honors the Blessed Mother, Ruth of the Old Testament, and especially Joan of Arc in a piece presented theatrically.
The price is $10 per person or $25 per family, and the performance takes place here in St. Francis church at 3PM. It’ll be followed by a wine/cheese/cookie reception.
Mark Twain’s book and Joan of Arc’s life inspired me to write a song about the Maiden of Orleans. The song grew into something much more. Hope you can come and hear it performed.
Joan of Arc said something interesting at her trial:
“How else would God speak to me, if not through my imagination?”
C.S. Lewis said that “the imagination is the organ of meaning.”
St. Thomas Aquinas said it takes the power of the imagination to understand reality.
And that is why I have been writing music and plays for the past quarter of a century, and why Joan of Arc is so important to me.
Art is essential to helping us understand the meaning of life and its objective value.
We’re performing “The Story of Joan” theatrically. I think you’ll be entertained, and hopefully inspired. I framed my piece around three Psalms which I believe capture the essence of her story: 42, 22, and 116:
42: Like a deer that longs for running water, my soul longs for you my God.
22: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
116: I am greatly afflicted, precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones.
I read on the Word on Fire website something that had quite an impact on me:
“Our art takes the raw materials of God’s creation and ‘makes them anew,’ casting them in new light. When our creations are aligned with truth and goodness, they become unique contributions to the ongoing creation of the world. Good art is, therefore, a vital aspect and symbol of man’s inherent dignity.”
… Dignity, I might add, bestowed on us at the moment of conception.
The Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which converted the Aztecs has been replicated and travels the United States on an explicit mission to end abortion. It is carried into Churches and it is brought in front of abortion clinics nationwide.
The Missionary Image you see is one of four actual (4’X6’) replicas of the original Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They were made from a digital image of the tilma in 1999 and the digital image was blessed by St. John Paul II, and by Monsignor Ponce, Rector of the Basilica of Guadalupe to bring conversions, reverence for life, respect for the sanctity of the family and solidarity of the Church in America.
The images have visited every state in the U.S. and traveled around the world. Many signs, wonders, conversions, healings, reconciliations and graces have been reported. Abortions have been prevented and many abortion centers have closed after visitations by the Miraculous Image. In Iowa, since the 2012 visitation of the Missionary Image, 20 of 26 Planned Parenthood centers have closed. You are invited to touch this important sacramental and ask our Mother to pray for you and your intentions.
Mary’s Helping Hands
Bring diapers, nursery items, or clothing for 2 and under.
Joan’s final words to us:
“Courage! Do not fall back.”
(Des Moines, IA) – Through the Safe Haven Law, two infants, a baby girl, born March 17, and a baby boy, born March 20, are now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be placed with foster families until permanent placement is determined. This brings the overall total to 68 infants since the law went into effect more than two decades ago.
“I want parents to know that they have this safe and trusted option at such a critical time in their lives,” said Iowa HHS Director Kelly Garcia. “Accessing Safe Haven is assuredly not an easy decision, but this law exists to protect newborns and its success is evident by the number of families that have trusted in the Safe Haven Act. Our goal is to protect these newborns and provide them with the best permanent home possible.”
Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is as an option for parents in crisis to who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated locations like hospitals, police and fire stations, etc. HHS then works to place infants in in approved foster homes while awaiting permanent adoption. These are the only two cases so far in 2024. In 2023, ten infants were relinquished to HHS custody under the Safe Haven Act.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting a child, visit https://iowafosterandadoption.
Here is Donald Trump’s abortion statement released Monday:
“Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving and healthy American families. We want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder. That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every state in America.”
“Like the overwhelming majority of Americans, including the vast majority of Republicans, conservatives, Christians and pro-life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby. What could be more beautiful or better than that.”
“Today I’m pleased that the Alabama Legislature has acted very quickly and passed legislation that preserves the availability of IVF in Alabama. They really did a great and fast job.”
“The Republican Party should always be on the side of the miracle of life and the side of mothers, fathers, their beautiful babies, and that’s what we are. IVF is an important part of that, and our great Republican Party will always be with you in your quest for the ultimate joy in life.”
“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights, especially since I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of something that all legal scholars, both sides, wanted and, in fact, demanded be ended: Roe v. Wade. They wanted it ended.”
“It must be remembered that the Democrats are the radical ones on this position because they support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month. The concept of having an abortion in the later months, and even execution after birth — and that’s exactly what it is. The baby is born, the baby is executed after birth — is unacceptable, and almost everyone agrees with that.”
“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint. The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state. Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be.”
“At the end of the day this is all about the will of the people. You must follow your heart, or in many cases your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself, do what’s for your children, do what’s right for our country, and vote. So important to vote.”
“At the end of the day it’s all about will of the people. That’s where we are right now, and that’s what we want. The will of the people.”
“I want to thank the six justices — Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — incredible people, for having the courage to allow this long-term, hard-fought battle to finally end.”
“This 50 year battle over Roe v. Wade took it out of the federal hands and brought it into the hearts, minds and vote of the people in each state. It was really something. Now it’s up to the states to do the right thing.”
“Like Ronald Reagan, I am strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.”
“You must follow your heart on this issue, but remember, you must also win elections to restore our culture and in fact to have our country, which is currently and very sadly a nation in decline. Our nation needs help. It needs unity, it needs all of us to work closely together. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, everyone. We have to work together. We have to bring our nation back from the brink, and that’s where it is. It’s at the brink. And we will. We will do it. I promise you, we will do it.”
“Always go by your heart, but we must win. We have to win. We are a failing nation, but we can be a failing nation no longer. We will make our nation great. We will make our nation greater than ever before. Thank you very much.”
Pulse Executive Director, Maggie DeWitte responded to Trump’s abortion statement:
Donald Trump made an announcement this week that was hard to listen to. As a Catholic, I follow the teachings of the church that Invitro Fertilization (IVF) is not permissible. (CCC 2270). The IVF process is fraught with ethical and moral issues that often result in the destruction of a living human embryo. While I grieve with couples experiencing infertility, IVF is not something I would recommend for those wanting to start a family.
Many states will be different,” Trump added. “Many states will have a different number of weeks … at the end of the day it is all about the will of the people.” But life begins at fertilization. That is an undisputed fact and it should not matter whether you live in Iowa or New York. This concept didn’t work for slavery and will not work for the issue of abortion. This is an issue of right and wrong and killing innocent human life is always going to be wrong and cannot be supported in any way. The federal government has an invested interest in protecting its preborn citizens. This isn’t about the ‘will of the people’ to decide life and death; that is only for God to decide.
What is also troubling is the exceptions to Trump’s statement of life in that he believes in exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother, and IVF. Regardless of the circumstances of how that child was conceived, he or she is still a child and therefore deserves equal protection under the law.
It’s hard to believe Psalm 22 was written a millennium before Jesus was nailed to the cross. This messianic psalm, which describes the travails of David, surely prefigures Christ.
It is reminiscent of Psalm 51 which opens our Lenten season with Ash Wednesday, just as Psalm 22 is sung on Palm Sunday, setting the stage for Holy Week.
In Psalm 51, David has sinned deeply, and in his contrition, he promises God to redouble his efforts to “teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”
In Psalm 22, he has been deeply persecuted by King Saul. He asks God to deliver him from death, and in return, he again promises to double down in his evangelization efforts by proclaiming God’s name in the assembly:
“You who fear the Lord, praise him!”
David uses rich imagery in describing his plight, which eerily foretells the crucifixion:
“All who see me scoff at me.”
“They have pierced my hands and feet; I can count all my bones.”
“They cast lots to claim my clothes.”
So when Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” , He has allowed Himself to experience the isolation of the sinner as He takes all the sins of the world … onto Himself.
Sin separates us from God. And sin hurts.
The sin of abortion is particularly painful to women. These women often feel abandoned by a boyfriend, a husband, or their family, which can drive to the extreme in a crisis pregnancy.
In their isolation, many cry out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me!”
But He hasn’t.
God has placed angels right here on earth to tend to women dealing with unplanned pregnancies. You’ll find them in compassionate crisis pregnancy centers like these:
Crisis Pregnancy Resources
Davenport Hope and Healing Ministry (Davenport, Iowa)
Life Care Pregnancy Center ( Stuart, Iowa)
Pathways of Pella (Pella, Iowa)
Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa (Newton, Iowa)
For a more complete list of pregnancy resource centers in Iowa, click here.
Do you know someone in a crisis pregnancy with the misguided notion that God has abandoned them? Share the resources above with them.
This weekend, the entire Catholic community sings this gut-wrenching psalm at our Palm Sunday Masses. The isolated and the abandoned hold a special place in the hearts of the faithful this weekend.
Christ is with the mother in crisis. Christ is with the baby in the womb. Help is available.
You are not alone.
The mission of the Sidewalk Advocates organization is to train, equip, and support communities across the United States and the world in sidewalk advocacy: to be the hands and feet of Christ, offering loving, life-affirming alternatives to all present at abortion and abortion-referral facilities, thereby eliminating demand and ending abortion.
Our executive director, Maggie DeWitte, attended one of their trainings this year and was impressed by the practical, loving, and useful information she received. She learned powerful techniques that she was able to implement during the 2024 Spring ’40 Days for Life’ campaign.
Maggie wants to pass on what she learned has just been approved to to be a Sidewalk Advocates Trainer for Des Moines, Urbandale, and Ames Iowa. She is planning a sidewalk training class this summer 2024.
More details to follow. Stay tuned.
Finding the Meaning of Life and Meaning in Life
~By Jacinta Hamilton~
You’re a precious masterpiece
A wonderous work of art
Molded by the Master’s hand
And cherished in His heart
You are God’s creation,
He’ll never let you break,
For you’re a special work of art
That only He could make.
(Unknown Author)
Gabriel
It is very clear that Gabriel loves birthdays. I mean really loves birthdays. And not just his own birthday. Anybody’s birthday. Really! If you don’t believe me, watch him light up when he sees decorations. Wrapped presents. Someone baking a cake. But the pinnacle…singing the Happy Birthday song AND of course blowing out the candles!
Our unique birthday tradition
With our immediate and extended family, it has always been a tradition that you must sing the Happy Birthday song twice. This is to Gabe’s advantage because his entire face creases into a big toothy smile, and he just beams with pure joy when we start singing. His attitude about the whole thing is what I think is so great. He genuinely doesn’t care whether or not it’s his birthday because he finds great happiness in celebrating the special days of others. So maybe you too can start a new tradition?! Sing once for the birthday girl or boy and a second time for the people who supported bringing that life into the world.
A role model
I firmly believe that Gabriel’s simple mindset is a gift. He truly is my role model. He is not tainted by the world. Gabriel’s life, and those of individuals with Down Syndrome and special needs, exemplify living in the world but not being of the world.
I took it for granted that this is a given, that everyone thinks this way. When Gabriel was born I was just very happy. It never occurred to me to think otherwise. To feel confusion and anxiety over an unexpected diagnosis of a child does not make you a terrible person. There will certainly be challenges, but in response, I can guarantee you that your special child was given to you by God to make you a better person.
This point should challenge the way we think about people with disabilities, especially the unborn. Every person is endowed with intrinsic human dignity at the moment of conception, regardless of extrinsic physical, mental, or developmental non-conformities. Don’t wait until your child grows up or does something great to recognize that they were perfect the day they were born. Many people have regrets about how they thought or felt towards the special needs person in their life because with time, they finally came to the realization that they actually wouldn’t want to change a thing.
A dialogue on Down Syndrome
I wrote the following narrative as a dialogue to counter the lies of the world with the truths of Down Syndrome.
The world’s narrative:
Palms with extra creases. Toes with extra space. Eyes spaced further apart. Unique facial features. Poor muscle tone.
My narrative:
Ten fingers. Ten toes. Blue eyes. Wide smile. Excellent hugger.
The world’s narrative:
Rejected.
My narrative:
Two feet, so happy to explore the world.
The world’s narrative:
Extinguished.
My narrative:
Little hands ready to be held.
The world’s narrative:
Unfortunate. Risky. Disappointment. Deficient. Slow.
My narrative:
Beloved. Unique. Special. Necessary. Valued.
The world’s narrative:
You don’t matter.
My narrative:
You matter little one…more then you’ll ever know.
Every life has a story
Every life that is eliminated leaves a void–a story deprived of the chance to be written. From womb to tomb, each person has precious, infinite value. From the moment of conception to their God given natural end, every life is special.
So many people are legitimately and genuinely searching. They are doing a lot of things right. Yet, as St. Augustine said, they are restless because we were all created with a God- shaped hole in our hearts. God alone can solve that piece. Let’s help everyone see that all people are worthy, for exactly who they are. This is how a person finds the meaning of life and meaning in life.
A blessing
There is nothing “down” about a Down Syndrome diagnosis. We are uplifted and inspired every single day by the way God created those with Trisomy 21 to live their lives. It is truly possible to view a Down Syndrome diagnosis as a blessing for a special few as a response to the world’s narrative on the contrary.
Go celebrate! Happy World Down Syndrome Day!
[Jacinta Hamilton is a 4th grade teacher and children’s ballet instructor in Iowa City, Iowa. She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Iowa and is pursuing her Master of Education in School Administration from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. She is the oldest of the seven children in her family and is blessed to be the big sister of Gabriel, her little brother with Down Syndrome who has positively influenced all areas of her life and who inspires her in everything she does.]
The second legislative funnel passed this last week, and several pro-life bills made it through the committee process. Through the next several weeks, these bills will be placed on the calendar for debate in the House and Senate. Here is a list of the bills that survived the funnel that Pulse registered in support:
- SF 2251 Expands Medicaid Coverage for One Year Post-Partum – passed Senate floor
- HF2583 Expands Medicaid Coverage for One Year Post-Partum
- SF 2252 MOMS (More Options for Maternal Support) Program- passed Senate floor
- HF 2267 MOMS (More Options for Maternal Support) Program
- HF 2276 Requires Zoning of Maternity Homes as Residential Property
- HF 2617 Human Growth & Development to Include Life in the Womb
There was one bill that also survived the first funnel that Pulse was registered against:
- HF 2584 Over-the-Counter Birth Control Without a Prescription, but this bill did NOT survive the second funnel and is therefore dead for this legislative session.
—>JOIN US FOR THE “WOMEN OF WORTH” MUSICAL EVENT.
Olivia Rodrigo
How could so much talent be squandered? Olivia Rodrigo is one of the hottest female singer/songwriters around. The twenty-one year old sensation is the #2 female pop singer in the world according to Ranker, trailing only Taylor Swift. Tragically, she is leveraging her celebrity to promote abortion.
Her musical mentor is Taylor Swift; her genre is teenage break ups, focusing not so much on love, but on love lost.
“Guts World Tour”
Ms. Rodrigo was in the news a couple of weeks ago with her announcement that some proceeds from her wildly successful “Guts World Tour” will be funneled to abortion activist groups, such as:
- National Network of Abortion Funds
- Fund Texas Choice
- Jane’s Due Process
These are groups that help teens cross state lines to get abortions when their home state has laws protecting their unborn babies.
Ms. Rodrigo is a beautiful young woman with immense talent, including a soaring soprano voice and formidable song writing skills. She is a master of the power ballad, which apparently enthralls her young, impressionable fanbase. They made songs like “Good 4 U,” “Vampire,” and “Drivers License” into #1 hits on Billboard’s pop charts.
Squandered talent
These are songs with melodies that utilize more than three chords, unlike so many of the harmonically challenged songs being cranked out by her contemporaries. Hers really pull you in. And she demonstrates real potential as a lyricist, but then she squanders her talent with gratuitous use of profanity:
From “good 4 u”:
“You bought a new car and career’s really takin’ off,
It’s like we never even happened,
Baby, what the f*@# is up with that?”
From “Vampire”:
“Bloodsucker, fame f*@#er,
Bleedin’ me dry like a [Lord’s name] damn vampire.”
You get the idea.
The ‘f’ word and Lord’s name are peppered gratuitously throughout her lyrics. They reduce the overall artistry of her music, while influencing your daughters and granddaughters in ways that may not align with your values.
Olivia Rodrigo had this to say about her abortion initiative:
“ … before I pop onstage, I wanted to come on here and talk about something that I’m really excited about, which is the Fund 4 Good, which is an initiative I’m launching as part of the Guts World Tour. The Fund 4 Good works to support all women, girls, and people seeking reproductive health freedom. The fund will directly support community-based non-profits that champion things like girls’ education, um, support reproductive rights, and prevent gender-based violence.”
Reproductive ‘freedom’ = death
Ms. Rodrigo has been spoon fed Big Abortion’s propaganda, contorting reproductive rights into a license to kill inconvenient daughters and sons residing in the wombs of impressionable young women. Someone should inform that her that over half of women seeking abortions were pressured into it by boyfriends or family members.
So much for reproductive freedom.
Abortion certainly isn’t “good 4 u,” your baby, your family, your community, your state, or your country. And it certainly isn’t good for your relationship with your Creator, in whose image you and your daughter are made.
So what can you do to help counter a misguided artist like Olivia Rodrigo? Support good art, art that celebrates Godly values and beauty.
Attend the WOMEN OF WORTH musical event
To that end, Pulse is hosting a musical event on April 14th with the theme of “Women of Worth.” It will feature a set of songs composed just for this event that honors the Blessed Mother, Ruth of the Old Testament, and especially Joan of Arc in a piece presented theatrically.
The event begins at 3PM on Sunday, April 14th, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, followed by a wine and cheese and cookie reception.
This event doesn’t just support Pulse Life Advocates, it also supports our friends at Mary’s Helping Hands.
If you’re not familiar with this incredible ministry, Mary’s Helping Hands provides hope, love, and support for expecting mothers who may need a helping hand with basic needs for their child’s first two years of life.
So we’re asking you to bring diapers, baby clothing up to size 2t, and nursery items to this event for Mary’s Helping Hands to distribute to their clients.
So while Olivia Rodrigo is handing out condoms and Plan B abortifacient pills at her concerts, Pulse is collecting diapers, baby clothes, and formula to help babies after they’re born, after they survive the best efforts of Big Abortion and their celebrity minions to abort them.
Pulse’s WOMEN OF WORTH Spring fundraiser will inspire you. We will use proceeds to educate a new generation on the sanctity of human life from fertilization to natural death.
Tickets are $10 each or $25 per family. Order yours online today at www.PulseForLife.org.
STOP: prescription-free birth control is NOT a good idea
A poll conducted by the Des Moines Register shows that 79% of Iowans support Governor Kim Reynold’s proposal to make prescription-free birth control available to women over the age of eighteen.
Pulse Life Advocate’s executive director, Maggie DeWitte, testified before the legislature on our objections to the bill. Most Iowans are unaware of the real risks associated with hormonal birth control in the best of circumstances, much less when unsupervised by a doctor.
We reached out to a medical doctor for a “second opinion” on this issue: Thanks to Shannon Hood DO for a doctor’s perspective on the downside of over-the-counter, prescription-free birth control.
Physicians and pharmacists need to be in sync
Below is my opinion of Iowa Bill HSB642 coming to subcommittee soon:
During my 25 years as a Family Practice Physician at Mercy Clinics in Ankeny, I worked side by side with pharmacists. We were a team. However, during those years, a large pharmacy in town had an incentive to start patients on medications such as statins and Ace inhibitors (cholesterol and blood pressure lowering medications) due to new guidelines in the management of Diabetes. The pharmacists would tell my patients that they needed to change their meds without consulting with me. It created confusion and distrust on both sides. Many times, there were reasons why the patient was not started on a new medicine, such as elevated kidney or liver labs, allergies, or previous failures on the medicines. For good reason the pharmacy program eventually ended.
Well-defined responsibilities
Both pharmacists and physicians are part of the healthcare team with well-defined responsibilities. Pharmacists are trained to prepare, dispense and educate patients about medications. Physicians (including mid-levels) are trained to obtain medical history and diagnose problems using physical exam and review of medical records. In the proposed Iowa Bill’s situation, we would use diagnosis code ICD-10 Z40 for the initiation of contraceptive management. There are algorithms and relative risk charts to review surrounding this diagnosis.
The 4 problems with prescription-free birth control
Problems I have with the Bill HSB642
- Blood Pressure is measured at first visit. Will it be measured periodically during the standing order potentially lasting 27 months? The hormonal birth control can raise blood pressure.
- If a woman has a side effect with the first hormonal birth control, will the pharmacist continue to try another medication or refer to health care?
- Key preventive care may be missed in the 27 months during the standing order. This makes me think of the loss in preventive care during COVID.
- Health is dynamic and constantly changing. Over time a woman may find a breast mass, develop liver disease, start smoking, develop migraines with aura, gain significant weight, or have a primary relative die of a pulmonary embolism, thus making the hormonal birth control offered in this bill contraindicated. Who is responsible for stopping the medication? With this bill the pharmacists are not legally responsible if no action is taken and morbidity occurs.
I do not agree with this Iowa Bill HSB642. Primary healthcare providers diagnose and treat. The treatment includes preventive care (the key to quality) and corrective action using the risk vs benefit problem solving model. The Pharmacist model of education is complementary and important, but not the same.
Presidents often use hyperbole on the stump. But at Thursday night’s 2024 State of the Union speech, the President went far beyond exaggeration in an address brazen in its deceit.
Casual viewers noticed less than forthright assertions by Mr. Biden on a wide array if issues. Pulse Life Advocates is particularly concerned with his remarks on the subject of abortion, a word, by the way, he refused to utter.
The transcript of his remarks on human abortion follow, accompanied by our comments:
***
In Vitro Fertilization
THE PRESIDENT: History is watching another assault on freedom.
PULSE: Actually, abortion is the opposite of freedom, since it kills a unique human being. The aborted girl’s freedom to grow, prosper, laugh, and fall in love are all negated, accompanied by a toll on her mother. Many women suffer physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences because of their abortion.
THE PRESIDENT: Joining us tonight is Latorya Beasley, a social worker from Birmingham, Ala. Fourteen months, 14 months ago, she and her husband welcomed a baby girl thanks to the miracle of I.V.F.
PULSE: IVF may use miraculous technology, but is it wise? As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recently wrote, “we can understand the profound desire that motivates some of these couples to go to great lengths to have children, and we support morally licit means of doing so.The solution, however, can never be a medical process that involves the creation of countless preborn children and results in most of them being frozen or discarded and destroyed.”
THE PRESIDENT: She scheduled treatments to have that second child, but the Alabama Supreme Court shut down I.V.F. treatments across the state, unleashed by a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
PULSE: False. The Alabama Supreme Court’s decision had nothing to do with Roe v Wade or the Dobbs decision that overturned it, as they made crystal clear: “The parties to these cases have raised many difficult questions, including ones about the ethical status of extrauterine children, the application of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution to such children, and the public-policy implications of treating extrauterine children as human beings. But the Court today need not address these questions because, as explained below, the relevant statutory text is clear: the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies on its face to all unborn children, without limitation.”
THE PRESIDENT: She was told her dream would have to wait. What her family got through should never have happened. Unless Congress acts, it could happen again, so tonight, let’s stand up for families like hers.
PULSE: Let’s remember what happened in Alabama. Frozen human embryos were accidentally destroyed at a fertility clinic in Alabama, leading to law suits from two couples whose posterity had been destroyed. A trial court sided with the clinic, asserting that the embryos weren’t children since they weren’t in the mom’s uterus. The Alabama Supreme Court disagreed, leaving the ‘public policy implications’ to the legislature. That is why three Alabama IVF clinics suspended services, waiting for the legislature to sort things out, but another clinic continues to operate, negating the president’s assertion that the “Court shut down I.V.F. treatments across the state.”
THE PRESIDENT: To my friends across the aisle, don’t keep this waiting any longer. Guarantee the right to I.V.F. Guarantee it nationwide.
PULSE: It’s hard to take seriously the president’s characterization that pro-lifers are his “friends” when he sends SWAT teams into their homes, labels them as potential terrorists, and begins to monitor their churches.
Roe v Wade
THE PRESIDENT: Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it right. I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader, defending reproductive freedom and so much more.
But my predecessor came to office determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned. He’s the reason it was overturned. And he brags about it. Look at the chaos that has resulted.
PULSE: Roe v Wade got it wrong, because it allowed the unfettered killing of 65 million unique human beings, a direct contradiction to the unique Creed of our nation which recognizes immutable, God-given rights of LIFE, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. It specifically violates the essence of the Preamble to our Constitution which demands that we “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our POSTERITY.”
THE PRESIDENT: Joining us tonight is Kate Cox, a wife and mother from Dallas. She’d become pregnant again, and had a fetus with a fatal condition. Her doctor told Kate that her own life and her ability to have children in the future were at risk if she didn’t act.
PULSE: False. The Texas Court wrote that Ms. Cox’s doctor, did NOT state that her patient had a life-threatening situation: “The exception requires a doctor to decide whether Ms. Cox’s difficulties pose such risks. Dr. Karsan asked a court to pre-authorize the abortion yet she could not, or at least did not, attest to the court that Ms. Cox’s condition poses the risks the exception requires.”
THE PRESIDENT: Because Texas law banned her ability to act, Kate and her husband had to leave the state to get what she needed. What her family got through should have never happened as well. But it is happening to too many others.
PULSE: But is the intentional killing of a child who is disabled really what parents need? No, and it was especially ironic to see who was sitting next to Ms. Cox at the 2024 State of the Union address: Maria Shriver, whose family pioneered the Special Olympics. Pulse reached out to an Iowa dad whose son has the same condition as that as Kate Cox’s aborted child. Ryan Buck told us: “Trisomy-18 should not be a part of the abortion debate because it results in the medical discrimination of disabled children.” Maria Shriver should be ashamed of herself for being a part of this assault on less-than-perfect unborn human beings.
Reproductive death
THE PRESIDENT: There are state laws banning the freedom to choose, criminalizing doctors, forcing survivors of rape and incest to leave their states to get the treatment they need.
Many of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom. My God, what freedom else would you take away?
PULSE: The freedom to kill innocent human beings. And we believe our God agrees with us. Abortion has nothing to do with freedom and everything to do with reproductive death. And for the record, most states permit abortion exceptions for rape and incest.
THE PRESIDENT: Look, in its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court majority wrote the following, and with all due respect justices, “Women are not without electoral, electoral power” — excuse me — “electoral or political power.” You’re about to realize just how much you got right about that.
PULSE: The Supreme Court is supposed to be independent of politics. But the president joined Senate Majority leader, Chuck Schumer, in making an implied threat to justices who continue to follow the Constitution instead of Big Abortion’s marching orders. We know the president’s threats have teeth (see above). And we know he is reluctant to protect justices who have pro-abortion mobs protesting on their front lawn (ask Justice Cavanaugh).
THE PRESIDENT: Clearly, clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women. But they found out when reproductive freedom was on the ballot. We won in 2022 and 2023, and we will win again in 2024.
PULSE: Actually, pro-life candidates who went on the offense on the Life issue smoked their competition last election cycle, as we have pointed out in previous posts.
THE PRESIDENT: If you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you, I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.
PULSE: This is the only true thing the president said on this subject. With the announced retirement of Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the end of the Senate filabuster will once again be in play. The Abortion Party has vowed to pass a number of pieces of legislation, including Medicare for All, which would nationalize abortion up until birth, remove conscience protections for Catholic doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, and require taxpayer funding to kill our posterity via human abortion.
Yes, the president was quite forthright in his deceitful 2024 State of the Union rant.