Christian Living

Don’t Let Fear Stop You From Saying “Yes”!

Jun 17th, 2013

“If you want to do something for the Lord, do it! Whatever you feel needs to be done, even though you’re shaking in your boots and you’re scared to death – take the first step. The grace comes with that first step, and you get the grace as you step. Being afraid is not a problem. It’s doing nothing when you’re afraid, that’s the problem.” (Mother Angelica)

It’s okay to be afraid.

Are you kidding me? The author of A Worrier’s Guide To The Bible and a frequent speaker on conquering anxiety is saying that there’s nothing wrong with being afraid…what’s going on here? Well, friends, I really did mean what I said. As I often state in my parish talks, fear is a perfectly normal emotion in certain circumstances. It can even be helpful, especially when it motivates us to DO something. On the other hand, fear becomes a problem when it leads to worry or causes us to NOT do something that we should do.

God often asks us to do things that frighten us…

Share our Faith with others, some of whom may react in a hostile manner.

Apologize to someone we have offended.

Trust in His providence by accepting a lesser paying, but more rewarding job.

Offer up our illness or suffering.

Two years ago, after dismissing the idea numerous times as being “impossible”, my wife and I felt that we were being called to homeschool our children. Although we were afraid and skeptical, we trusted (barely) that the Lord would be there for us. We said, “yes”. A few months later, I was laid off from my day job, and we decided that I should finally try to earn a living as a full time Catholic Evangelist. Again, we again said, “yes”. To be totally honest, however, we were scared to death both times. What we’ve discovered in the past two years is that if you say “yes” to the Lord (even if you’re terrified), He can do some incredible things in your life. Even better is that, the more you trust, the more He’ll increase your faith.

The Bible contains numerous stories of people who went along with God’s plan for their lives. Moses, Abraham, Jonah (reluctantly!), Samuel, Isaiah, Mary, Sts. Peter and Paul all said “yes” to the Lord without knowing most of the details. As a result, God was able to use them in amazing ways. In the same way, He wants to use us. Best of all, even our fear isn’t enough to thwart His plans. The only thing that will stop it from happening is when we answer with one word…

“No”!

Congratulations, Mary And Elizabeth!

Jun 14th, 2013

by Gary Zimak.

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A few years ago, my wife Eileen and I got the “crazy” idea that we should homeschool our daughters. They were in the sixth grade at the time, but we felt that the Lord was telling us we should do what we previously thought to be impossible. We prayed for several months, attending a Catholic homeschool conference and talked to many people. Finally, we reached the decision to move forward, believing (kind of) that if God really was calling us to do this, He would provide the needed graces. In September of 2011, Mary and Elizabeth started the seventh grade with their teacher, Eileen. After a shaky start (lots of adjustment for all), things got even crazier a few months later when I was laid off from my job as a project manager. Eileen and I then reached the “even crazier than homeschooling” decision that I should try to “make it” as a full time Catholic Evangelist!

After two amazing years, Mary and Elizabeth graduated from the eighth grade this week. I couldn’t be prouder of them and their wonderful teacher(a.k.a. my lovely wife). They have all worked very hard and have done a FANTASTIC job. Since I’m working at home, I had the privilege of being their religion teacher this year and they both received an “A+”! This experience has drawn us closer together as a family and we’ve learned the meaning of the phrase “if God brings you to it, He’ll bring you through it”.

Congratulations, Mary and Elizabeth. Your Mom and Dad are VERY proud of you. And, while I’m at it, I’d like all of you to know just how much I love and respect Eileen for sacrificing so much for the sake of our girls. She’s taught me the meaning of the word “selfless”. Thank you, Jesus, for providing us all with this great opportunity to do your will. Please guide us as we continue this amazing journey!

10 Positive Things That Happen When We Pray

Apr 2nd, 2013

by Gary Zimak.

5 comments

Why should I bother to pray?

If you’re like me, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once in your life. Whether it’s motivated by the fact that “God already knows what I need” or by “God doesn’t answer my prayers”, the fact of the matter is that the question does get raised by all of us. Even worse, we sometimes take it a step further and stop praying. In an attempt to highlight the importance of prayer and combat the desire to give it up, here are 10 positive things that happen EVERY time we pray from the heart:

1. We Receive – Without exception, sincere prayer is always effective. Although we don’t always receive what we want, we always get “something”. According to Jesus, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mt 7:7-8) As we read further, however, He assures us that we’ll only receive good things and will never get something that will hurt us (spiritually). Sometimes this frustrates us because we’re often confused about what we TRULY need. If we look at this from a “glass half full” point of view, even when God says “no” to our requests, we are receiving protection from something that could potentially hurt our chance at salvation!

2. We Follow God’s Will – In the Bible (the inspired word of God), St. Paul writes that we should “pray constantly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and goes on to say that this is God’s will for us. When we pray, we’re doing exactly what God wants us to do at that moment in time. How often can we say that with certainty about our other activities?

3. We Profess Our Faith – When we pray, we acknowledge our belief in God. While it sounds like a “no brainer”, it really is a significant profession of faith. We’d be foolish to pray to Him if we didn’t believe that He exists or that He can help us. Each time we turn to the Lord in prayer, we’re saying “Lord, I believe in You”.

4. We Imitate Christ – The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that Jesus prayed often, especially before the decisive moments of His mission (CCC 2599 – 2606). Whenever we pray, we imitate Our Lord. Whenever we’re tempted to think that “prayer doesn’t do any good”, thinking about Jesus at prayer should put an end to that baseless line of thinking.

“If He who is without sin prayed, how much more ought sinners to pray?” (St. Cyprian of Carthage)

5. We Enter Into A Relationship With God – In her autobiography, St. Teresa of Avila stated that prayer is “being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing with Him who, as we know, loves us.” According to the Catechism, “prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with His Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.” (CCC 2565)

6. We Increase Our Chances For Salvation - To put it simply, prayer will help you get to Heaven. Far from just “asking for things”, prayer is an expression of love and a relationship with God. When we pray, we show our love for God and express a desire to do His will. How important is that? Here’s what St. Alphonsus Liguori had to say…

“Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

7. We Obtain What God Wants To Give Us – While there are some gifts that God will give us even if we don’t ask (the grace that moves us to grow closer to Him, for example), there are other gifts that won’t be granted unless we ask. Jesus attests to this with the words of the Lord’s Prayer (which contains several petitions) and with His teaching that the Father will “give good things to those who ask Him.” (Mt 7:11) Further evidence can be seen in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians when he urges us to let our requests be made known to God (Phil 4:6). By not asking, we deprive ourselves of many good things that God wants us to have.

“God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what He is prepared to give.” (St. Augustine)

8. We Practice Humility – The Bible is filled with verses supporting the virtue of humility:

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:10)

Every time we pray, we acknowledge that we are dependent on God and that He is almighty. This holds true whether our prayer is one of praise, petition or thanksgiving. It’s difficult to be proud when you’re kneeling in prayer

9. We Obtain Peace – Praying will bring us peace. According to the Bible:

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer = Peace. This is VERY appealing to those of us who are prone to anxiety!

10. We Use Our Time Wisely – Unlike useless activities such as worrying and complaining, prayer is a very good use of our time. Since studies have shown that the brain can’t think about two things simultaneously, time focused on prayer means time not spent worrying or pursuing other destructive tasks. Jesus told us to “ask and we shall receive” (Mt 7:7) and that worrying does no good (Lk 12:25). It makes sense to listen to His advice!

Obviously, the prayer that I’m speaking of above is sincere, “from the heart” dialog with God. “Going though the motions” or babbling rote phrases will not produce the above results. When we truly mean the words we pray, however, we can count on every one of these benefits. Remember this the next time you’re tempted to put off praying, thinking that it will do no good. There is no more productive activity we can do on this earth!

5 Habits That Are Hazardous To Your (Spiritual) Health

Mar 17th, 2013

by Gary Zimak.

20 comments

Although Lent is winding to a close, there is still plenty of time to work on the many bad habits that hurt our relationship with the Lord. If you were to make even the smallest progress overcoming one of your bad habits, then your Lent would be a success. While God never expects us to overcome our imperfections by ourselves, He does expect us to take the first step and try to fight against these tendencies. Here are 5 bad habits that, if not controlled, will keep you from growing closer to Christ. Are they the worst ones in the world? Maybe or maybe not, but every one of these tendencies will keep you from being the best Catholic you can be.

1. Anger – Despite the Lord’s repeated warnings, we often feel justified getting angry with others on a daily basis. Anger can be lethal to our spiritual lives and should be high on our list of faults to eliminate this Lent. How can we overcome it? With lots of prayer, receiving the Sacraments and by reading (and re-reading) the Lord’s words:

“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.” (Mt 5:21-22)

2. Impatience – Although this fault is more subtle than anger, it can be very destructive to our spiritual lives. St. Paul tells us that “love is patient and kind” (1 Cor 13:4) and to “be patient with them all” (1 Thess 5:14), but we tend to lose sight of this when someone doesn’t move fast enough or disagrees with us. Let’s face it, we get annoyed with others several times each day, despite the fact that God is ALWAYS patient with us. For many years, I was a lukewarm, apathetic Catholic who’s purpose in life was to have a good time. By the grace of God, I’m still here and so are you. We should work on becoming more patient while we still have time. As a word of warning, if you pray to become more patient, expect people to pop up in your life who will give you PLENTY of practice!

3. Worry – Often we think of worry as something that’s inevitable. Many people have told me that “everyone worries”. I disagree. I’ve met people who, although they experience fear and even anxiety, don’t worry. Why? Because they have a deep trust in God. This is going to be painful to hear, but when we worry, we tell God that we don’t trust Him. Even though He tells us in Scripture that “all things work for the good” (Rom 8:28), we sometimes worry about events that are happening or MAY happen in our lives. Citing the previous Bible verse in his book Uniformity With God’s Will, St. Alphonsus Liguori stated that if God sends us suffering, it’s for our own good. After proclaiming the famous “Let not your hearts be troubled” (Jn 14:1), Jesus told us to believe in God and to believe in Him. Do we?

4. Lack of Charity – In our zeal to spread the “Good News” of our Faith, we sometimes overlook the need to do it WITH CHARITY. I’ll defer to Sts. Peter and Paul, who make the point more effectively than I ever could:

Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence. (1 Pt 3:15)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor 13:1-3)

5. Over Sensitivity To Criticism – We sometimes try harder to please others than to please Christ. Many of us “like to be liked” and that desire can sometimes get in the way of our relationship with the Lord. Today’s world is not very friendly to Catholicism and the message of Jesus Christ. When we live and share our faith, we can expect to be criticized. In fact, the Lord told us exactly what would happen when He said “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Mk 13:13). A bitter pill to swallow, right? Maybe, until we hear what He says next. “But he who endures to the end will be saved”! As we continue to travel the road to heaven, we should strive to make all of our actions pleasing to Jesus. As long as we do that, we’re in great shape!

If you’re like me and can identify with more than one of these bad habits, don’t panic! Pick one of them and make up your mind to use the remainder of Lent to work on it. Above all, don’t forget to ask the Lord for the grace needed to improve. Also, make it a point to receive additional grace through the Sacrament of Confession. Once you begin to see good progress (and you will, if you keep at it), tackle another one and keep going. While working on our bad habits should be a year round pursuit, Lent is a great time to get started. When we start to attack our faults like this, Jesus begins to increase (in us) and we begin to decrease (Jn 3:30). Ultimately, we’ll be able to echo the words of St. Paul and proclaim:

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

Deacon Bill Steltemeier – A Death In The Family

Feb 16th, 2013

by Gary Zimak.

6 comments

I’m sad.

Yesterday, I learned of the death of EWTN’s Deacon Bill Steltemeier and it hit me hard. Although I’ve never met the man, I feel as I’ve lost a member of my family. And as I’ve thought about it over the past 24 hours, I realize that I DID lose a member of my family. While Deacon Bill was certainly a family member, as we are brothers in Christ, our relationship is even more personal. He is a member of my EWTN family and, along with Mother Angelica and many other EWTN friends, that makes us very close.

Words cannot describe my gratitude to Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill. I was a lukewarm, lazy, self-centered Catholic for most of my life. Even though I went to Mass each week, I had no real faith and no personal relationship with the Lord. None! Although I had “on and off” conversions through the years, nothing ever lasted. I’d be somewhat zealous about my Catholic faith for a time, but eventually I’d backslide. In late 2004, I experienced some strange medical symptoms that caused me to think I was dying. Realizing that I was not ready to meet the Lord, I made the decision to embrace my faith. I stopped caring about all of the “important” things that preoccupied so much of my time and I started watching EWTN TV and listening to their radio programs. I started going to daily Mass (even though I felt horrible) and I listened to EWTN radio as I drove to and from the church. I somehow managed to go to work during this ordeal and EWTN radio was a regular part of that trip as well. In addition to finally starting to embrace my faith, I began to feel a family association with everyone at EWTN. I remember being comforted by Mother’s words and by Deacon Bill’s warm and loving personality. Eventually, my symptoms vanished and no diagnosis was ever made. But, as far as my faith goes, I never looked back. EWTN changed my life forever!

Last night, I told my wife that I was sad about Deacon Bill’s death and had to write something. This morning, the ideas started to come to me. Quite simply, his death has left a void in my life. I’ll miss his kind (but strong) spiritual advice, his loving praise for Mother Angelica (another family member of mine) and the way he always reminded us that we were “family”. Although I’m happy that his suffering is over, I’m sad for myself and all those who are grieving his passing. Rather than dwell on sadness, however, I’d rather focus on my admiration for the way he chose to live his life. Just like the Apostles, Deacon Bill left everything behind all followed the Lord. After meeting Mother Angelica in 1978, he began helping out at EWTN on a part time basis. In 1985, he resigned from his law firm to work full time with Mother Angelica at the network. He remained devoted to the mission of EWTN until his death.

Every day, I fail in some way to do what the Lord asks. I don’t trust in His providence, I get annoyed with people, I have a negative outlook, I doubt that He can perform miracles in my life. When I look at Deacon Bill, I not only admire Him, but I want to be like him. I want to trust when all seems hopeless, I want to be kind to everyone I meet, I want to love the Lord so much that I’d be willing to leave everything for Him. And I know that if I could meet Deacon Bill, he’d want me to do that too.

Goodbye for now, Deacon Bill. Thank you for all that you did to help me and so many others, through EWTN. Please pray for me, a weak sinner, that I may be able to imitate you and courageously follow the Lord even when it requires great sacrifice.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Continuing The March For Life

Jan 27th, 2013

by Gary Zimak.

2 comments

I’ve just returned from Washington, DC where I had the honor of participating in a 2 day book signing at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. On January 24 & 25, I signed copies of A Worrier’s Guide To The Bible, along with fellow Catholic authors Teresa Tomeo, Dan Burke, Fr. Michael Gaitley, EWTN’s Brother Leo, Regina Doman and Dr. Monica Miller.

I had the opportunity to sign lots of books and meet many friends but, most importantly, I was able to be with hundreds of thousands of people who believe in the sanctity of life! As I sat at my table outside of the book store, I witnessed an endless stream of individuals who journey to the nation’s capital to attend the March For Life. Clergy, religious and lay people all came to make a statement that ALL life is sacred and needs to be protected. I felt an incredible sense of unity as well as frustration as so many people were there to protest the killing of innocent babies. Something about that thought just boggles my mind…we were there to protest the legal murder of the unborn. Huh? Isn’t it true that we live in a “civilized” society?

Rather that get depressed, however, we need to keep doing what 650,000 of us did that day in Washington. We must continue to stand up for life, which means telling the truth about abortion. It’s up to us to do the job that the mainstream media refuses to do. We need to continue to speak up for the silent victims of this modern day holocaust. Take it from me…our workplaces, schools and even our Catholic churches are filled with people who have been tricked into thinking that abortion is simply “the right to choose”. We have to inform them that it is nothing more than violent, bloody and gruesome murder. Since abortion was legalized in the United States, 55 MILLION BABIES have been legally murdered. 55 MILLION! Although it’s important that so many of us came together to visibly march on behalf of life, it should not be a one day event. We should continue to “march” as we return to our homes. The stakes are high, my friends, and it’s up to us to spread the word. Please continue to pray, fast, volunteer and speak out on behalf of those little ones who can’t speak for themselves. Let people know what abortion really is. As Bishop Farrell proclaimed in his homily during the closing Mass for the March for Life, we are making a difference and we WILL one day win the battle. Until then…

we MUST continue to fight!

Are You A Lukewarm Catholic? You Better Read This!

Nov 20th, 2012

by Gary Zimak.

8 comments

“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rv 3:15-16)

For the majority of my life, I was a lukewarm Catholic. I went to Mass each Sunday, received Holy Communion and even went to Confession a few times each year. What’s interesting is that I thought I was being a good Catholic. My attitude at the time – “Hey, I go to Mass each week…what more do you want?”

My problem was that I…

1. Only prayed when I needed something.
2. Repeatedly committed many serious sins even though I knew they were wrong.
3. Didn’t care about serving others, just myself.
4. Did not read the Bible or any spiritual books.
5. Didn’t feel the need to learn about my Catholic Faith.
6. Never spoke about my Faith to anyone…(c’mon, Catholics don’t evangelize!)
7. Looked down on other Catholics who didn’t attend Mass.

But most of all, my most pathetic quality as a Catholic was that I just didn’t care about my Faith…AT ALL!

Fortunately, I am still alive and have not yet been judged by the Lord. Furthermore, I now do care about my Faith, but I need to be careful each day that I continue to care! When I look at Our Lord’s words about the lukewarm (in the Book of Revelation), I cringe because I know that some people will not take them seriously. If you’re a lukewarm Catholic, please listen to what Jesus is saying. You do not want to hear these words on your judgment day (which could come at any time). I encourage you instead to accept His offer, which appears a few verses later. It is something you’ll never regret!

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.” (Rv 3:20-21)

How Should Catholics Vote?

Nov 3rd, 2012

by Gary Zimak.

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Sorry if this disappoints you, but I’m not going to tell you who to vote for in the upcoming United States presidential election. What I will do, however, is give you some Catholic voting guidelines based solely on Church teaching. I will echo the words of Philadelphia’s Archbishop Charles Chaput and remind Catholics that primarily we should primarily vote AS CATHOLICS, not necessarily as Democrats or Republicans. And we should not take that responsibility lightly, as one day we’ll have to defend our position when we stand before God on our judgment day.

How should we vote in the upcoming presidential election? Let’s look at some comments by the United States bishops, from their document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States) as well as my own observations. For the sake of brevity, I will focus on one issue, the right to life. There are other issues that are important, but this one should be at (or VERY near) the top of every Catholic’s voting issues list.

As Catholics, who should we vote for?

7. In this statement, we bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom or against whom to vote. Our purpose is to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth.

This is good. While the Church will not tell us who to vote for, she should and will provide us with the guidelines needed to vote as Catholics. More than “just another opinion”, when the successors of the Apostles speak…we should listen!

How should conscience come into play when voting?

17. Catholics have a serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with human reason and the teaching of the Church. Conscience is not something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a mere “feeling” about what we should or should not do.

In other words, we MUST look to the teachings of the Church when making moral decisions. Voting is a very serious moral obligation and should be done in accordance with the teachings of the Church. As Catholics, we have the responsibility to explore and understand the teaching of the Church before voting.

Are some things always wrong?

22. There are some things we must never do, as individuals or as a society, because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. Such actions are so deeply flawed that they are always opposed to the authentic good of persons. These are called “intrinsically evil” actions. They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned. A prime example is the intentional taking of innocent human life, as in abortion and euthanasia. In our nation, “abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human dignity because they directly attack life itself, the most fundamental human good and the condition for all others” (Living the Gospel of Life, no. 5). It is a mistake with grave moral consequences to treat the destruction of innocent human life merely as a matter of individual choice. A legal system that violates the basic right to life on the grounds of choice is fundamentally flawed.

Abortion and euthanasia are ALWAYS evil and must ALWAYS be opposed.

Are there any cases when abortion and euthanasia can be supported?

28. The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed.

As a Catholic, can I morally vote for a candidate who supports a grave evil such as abortion?

34. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter’s intent is to support that position. In such cases a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.

35. There may be times when a Catholic who rejects a candidate’s unacceptable position may decide to vote for that candidate for other morally grave reasons. Voting in this way would be permissible only for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental
moral evil.

Technically yes, but only if the alternative is worse. If you are voting for someone who supports abortion, there has to be an EXTREMELY good reason. For example, his opponent must pose an even greater threat to life than murdering the unborn. In my opinion, that’s just about an impossibility.

How about if neither candidate is perfect when it comes to issues of life?

36. When all candidates hold a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, the conscientious voter faces a dilemma. The voter may decide to take the extraordinary step of not voting for any candidate or, after careful deliberation, may decide to vote for the candidate deemed less likely to advance such a morally flawed position and more likely to pursue other authentic human goods.

Although the bishops allow us to make the choice of not voting, they call it an “extraordinary step”. That means it should only be a last resort. If both candidates support an intrinsic evil such as abortion, our first choice should be to vote for the individual who will do less harm. In the case of abortion, which candidate will cause less children to be murdered?

How does abortion rank when it comes to other issues? What if I feel that the pro-abortion candidate will do a better job with the economy?

37. In making these decisions, it is essential for Catholics to be guided by a well-formed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not carry the same moral weight and that the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions.

Intrinsically evil acts (such as abortion) carry more moral weight that non-intrinsically evil acts (such as economic issues).

Can I decide to NOT vote for a candidate just because he supports an intrinsically evil act (such as abortion) even if I agree with his other positions?

42. As Catholics we are not single-issue voters. A candidate’s position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support. Yet a candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support.

Yes, you can. Even though Catholics should not be “single issue voters”, you are morally justified in refusing to vote for a candidate solely because he supports abortion. That is a powerful statement by the bishops.

What is the Democratic Party’s position on abortion? This is taken from their website:

Protecting A Woman’s Right to Choose: The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way. We also recognize that health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. We strongly and unequivocally support a woman’s decision to have a child by providing affordable health care and ensuring the availability of and access to programs that help women during pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including caring adoption programs.

What is the Republican Party’s position on abortion? This is taken from their website:

The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life: Faithful to the “self-evident” truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life. We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose active and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Republican leadership has led the effort to prohibit the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion and permitted States to extend health care coverage to children before birth. We urge Congress to strengthen the Born Alive Infant Protection Act by enacting appropriate civil and criminal penalties on healthcare providers who fail to provide treatment and care to an infant who survives an abortion, including early induction delivery where the death of the infant is intended. We call for legislation to ban sex-selective abortions – gender discrimination in its most lethal form – and to protect from abortion unborn children who are capable of feeling pain; and we applaud U.S. House Republicans for leading the effort to protect the lives of pain-capable unborn children in the District of Columbia. We call for a ban on the use of body parts from aborted fetuses for research. We support and applaud adult stem cell research to develop lifesaving therapies, and we oppose the killing of embryos for their stem cells. We oppose federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

We also salute the many States that have passed laws for informed consent, mandatory waiting periods prior to an abortion, and health-protective clinic regulation. We seek to protect young girls from exploitation through a parental consent requirement; and we affirm our moral obligation to assist, rather than penalize, women challenged by an unplanned pregnancy. We salute those who provide them with counseling and adoption alternatives and empower them to choose life, and we take comfort in the tremendous increase in adoptions that has followed Republican legislative initiatives.

The two parties differ drastically when it comes to abortion. Make absolutely certain that you read and understand their positions before you vote!

Although many of us have political party affiliations that go back many years, we should take seriously our duty to vote AS CATHOLICS. There is A LOT at stake in this presidential election and we must carefully examine Mr. Romney and President Obama’s positions on critical issues, such as abortion. In the United States, it is currently legal to murder the unborn. Does this matter to you? It should. Please don’t put yourself in the position of having to explain to God why you didn’t do anything to stop the slaughter. Even worse will be having to explain why you helped the slaughter to continue!

Mark Houck – Rallying Men For The Kingdom

Oct 11th, 2012

by Gary Zimak.

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As a full time Catholic Evangelist, I have the privilege of meeting and working with many people who share the “Good News” of Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church. Although they preach a common message, their styles often differ dramatically. I find that to be a good thing because different approaches are often needed. On a personal level, some of these folks inspire me more than others. As a result, I have a set of “go to” people who I turn to when I need to get “fired up” about my faith.

A few years ago, while still working as a computer programmer, I was driving home from the office and tuned into Holy Spirit Radio (a Catholic station based in the Philadelphia area). Fully expecting to listen to an EWTN program, I was surprised to hear a local show – The King’s Men. As I started to listen, I was drawn in by the sincerity and passion of the host, Mark Houck. As a man, it meant a lot to hear another male openly proclaim His love for Christ and the Catholic Church.

In the months that followed, I investigated Mark’s apostolate and continued to be inspired. I was especially excited when I discovered that Mark was scheduled to appear on EWTN’s Life On The Rock. I watched with admiration as Mark spoke about the need for men to embrace their faith and be witnesses to the world. He spoke about the King’s Men and their mission to combat the evil of pornography and abortion. He also explained the concept of authentic male spirituality, which was something that I needed to hear. After I finished watching the show, I told my wife that more men need to speak like this…I was energized!

As I got more involved in Catholic evangelization, I eventually was able to meet Mark. Since we both live in the Philadelphia area, I was invited to speak at a King’s Men meeting and I had the opportunity to witness the great work that these men were doing. I saw how Mark Houck and Damian Wargo (the co-founder of the King’s Men) encouraged and supported men who were struggling to live Christ-like lives. I listened as men shared their stories of struggling with pornography and the evils of the world, only to be comforted and strengthened by Mark and Damian. I left the meeting feeling inspired and confident.

When I made the decision to venture into the scary world of full time Catholic evangelization, Mark was one of the first people to volunteer his assistance. “Let me know whatever I can do for you, brother” (BTW, it’s not a coincidence that Mark calls every man he meets “brother”. He REALLY believes that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ!). After that initial offer, he continued to reach out to me and my apostolate. He had me as a guest on his radio show and even allowed me to guest host the program while he was on vacation. Unlike some people in the public eye who disappoint you once you get to know them, the private Mark Houck is every bit as passionate and caring as the public persona. He is “the real deal”!

If you ever have the opportunity to listen to Mark Houck speak…do it! If you are looking for a speaker to fire up the men in your parish or conference, Mark is your man. He will encourage you, he will inspire you and, most of all, he will help you to do what all Christians are called to do…become imitators of Jesus Christ!

(This post was written as part of Support a Catholic Speaker Month 2012)

Have You Burned Your Boat?

Oct 4th, 2012

by Gary Zimak.

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Last week, I was speaking to my good friend, mentor and fellow Catholic Evangelist Richard Lane. As is usually the case when I speak with Richard, I was feeling energized and inspired when I hung up the phone. In particular, he told me a neat story about the importance of “not looking back” once you commit your life to Christ. A few days later, I was listening to the radio and I heard the exact story. Considering that I’ve never heard the saga in my 50+ years, I assumed that there is a reason I heard it two times in a week.

The story involves Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and his arrival in Mexico in 1519. Along with 600 men (none of whom had protective armor), Cortes prepared to conquer the land that for the past 600 years had been unconquerable. As they marched inland to battle their enemies, the conquistador uttered 3 shocking words to his soldiers:

“Burn the boats!”

This radical command left this Spanish soldiers with only two choices: emerge victorious or die! The lack of an exit strategy caused these outnumbered warriors to fight as if their lives were at stake…and they were! As a result, Cortes became the first man in 600 years to conquer Mexico.

While it’s a great history lesson, what does it have to do with our faith? In reality, it has EVERYTHING to do with it! One of the costliest mistakes that we make as followers of Christ is failing to “burn our boats”. Although we profess to follow the Lord, we often have a tendency to “look backward” and hold back a bit. We’re afraid that if we get too close to Him, we might have to suffer excessively. We’re nervous about giving too much to charitable causes because we might “need that money one day”. We fail to expect miracles when we pray and often pray for “safe things” in order to avoid disappointment. While we want to be called Christians, we’re sometimes unwilling to speak out and defend our faith when necessary. If we say too much, people might not like us or think we’re strange. By holding back in these ways, we never really FULLY commit our lives to Jesus and always entertain the possibility of reboarding our boats if the Christian life becomes too challenging. What did the Lord say about this?

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
And to another he said, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”
Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

Once we make the decision to truly follow Christ, there can be no turning back. Even though we’ll be tempted to backslide and “take the easy way out”, we have to remain firm and not look to the past. We all have “boats” or “safety nets” in our lives…those tendencies, possessions or attitudes which hold us back from following the Lord as fully as possible. If we truly expect to be “fit for the Kingdom of God”, we must cease looking at what was left behind and start looking at what lies ahead.

Have you identified your “boat”? Once you do, burn it and remember that when it comes to following Christ and one day living with Him in Heaven, failure CANNOT be an option!