National Pro-Life Report September 2012

“Fantastic weekend!”

“Brilliant talks!”

“People in Ireland are starved of this information!”

“World-class. You couldn’t get better if you tried!”

Just four of the many comments flowing in response to the talks, workshops and healing services we had with Fr Philip Scott and Johnnette Benkovic this last few weeks.

You just had to be there!

CDs a goldmine

The CDs – a veritable goldmine of unprecedented inspiration and exhilarating hopefulness – available on order form enclosed.

Healing the Father Wound, Catholic Leadership Institute, unmasking New Age, a day for men, the Women’s healing retreat and the priests’ retreat where absolute highlights.

Johnnette and Fr Philip worked hard, delivering a whopping 35 talks and homilies over two and a half weeks.

The Eucharistic healing services for both laity and the priests were the HIGHLIGHT of my 15 years involvement with HLI (Ireland). What a privilege!

I couldn’t recommend the CDs enough. After reading this report, you’ll have a better idea why. Why not order some for yourself and friends?

Heart Wounds – what causes them?

Even with the very best of parents in the world – every one of us carries some degree of Father Wound.

Fr Philip Scott and Johnnette powerfully outlined what causes them, how to deal with them and how each one of was fathered (and mothered) in our childhood affects us one way of another.

The sins of others against us – whether verbal or physical, slander, abuse or unjust treatment all affects our view of ourselves, of others and of God himself, thus impacting how we relate to others. There is also the role of forgiving ourselves.

Being Fathered

Those of us who are Fathers need to have known the love of our earthly father to be able to give our best to our own children in turn.

Our relationship with our earthly father directly affects our view of and relationship with God the Father.

How we were disciplined, whether it was administered with love or not, whether it produced good fruit or not also affects our view of self.

Fr Philip outlined that - for those who have had a less than good experience with their earthly dad – healing and restoration is possible for all concerned.

Writing down our experience, bringing it all to Blessed Sacrament, forgiveness of others and ourselves as well as prayer for healing ministry are all key components to bringing us into a greater place of wholeness.

Love is spelt T-I-M-E

It’s God’s plan we feel we are the ‘apple’ of our daddy’s eye – both earthly and heavenly. How does a son feel important? It is spent T-I-M-E.

Words of blessing and affirmation are pivotal. Fr. Philip asked us to consider “What words do you remember from your father?”

Lost Inside

Fr. Philip cited the example of TV actor Burt Reynolds who reported his dad couldn’t hug, couldn’t say “I love you”, couldn’t cry together. Burt told he was “lost inside” and “I felt incomplete and empty”. They couldn’t connect.

The Father wound affects men in a way they have no direction in life, they are not empowered as men. 65% of babies in Peru, for example, are abandoned by their father before they are borne.

In Fr Philip’s experience, men who not have known the Father’s blessing are candidates for same-sex attraction.

Father Wound and Women

Daughters who did not know their Father’s blessing and affirmation seek love in all the wrong places.

They dress provocatively and unchastely in a desperate attempt to attract the attention and love they were deprived off and crave.

Fr Philip told the story of his being approached by a young woman dressed like a prostitute and when he told her she had a big father wound she broke down and wept.

In contrast, family planning agencies would kit our youth with more contraceptives. What a superficial, tragic, scurrilous response.

Catholic Femininity

Johnnette, her team and I travelled to Birmingham, Dublin and Limerick for presentations on the beauty and dignity of women before eventually arriving in Knock for 7 days of presentations on a whole range of themes.

Her talks were powerful and thrillingly uplifting for all present, as she led us all on a journey of greater realisation of who we are and what God’s plan is for us as men and women.

Six ladies bought the “Women of Grace” facilitator kit to start Women of Grace spreading across England.

Please keep the flowering of England with “Women of Grace” in your prayers.

Women's Retreat

During the Women’s Healing retreat, Johnnette spoke of the power and symbolism of women in God’s plan for the world, highlighting how the devils fears woman when she walks in the power of her sign and symbol.

“The devil tries to get you to neutralises your ‘surrender’ symbolism which symbolises the posture of the whole human race before God” she said.

She also dealt with restoration, healing, growing in the ideal of Mary, the Mother of Christ and Marian consecration.

Listening to Johnnette directly on CD will illuminate these matters further.

New Age Deception

Between them, Johnnette and Fr Philip gave an authoritative exposé on the new age movement including the reality of the supernatural, discernment of Spirits, unmasking the deception and healing or hoax in new age “healing”.

An eye-opening insight into the workings of the angelic realm and how dabbling in the New Age, even innocently, opens a door into the realm of the powers of darkness. All talks on CD order form enclosed.

Catholic Leadership Institute

In this new venture for HLI (Ireland), participants learnt more how to confront the Culture’s attack on the Church.

We examined how the Church views communism and other hostile influences to Christian order in society. We looked at strategies of the enemy and weapons for victory.

Breaking into groups, we were each challenged to devise our own personal action plan to make a difference on our own “part of the battlefield”.

We were reminded how the Church calls all her sons to “work together to perfect the temporal order” and that “it is not permissible for anyone to remain idle” (Christi Fidelis Laici n3)

Considering Jesus’ words “I came to cast a fire on the earth and how I wish it were blazing already” we discussed Archbishop Charles Chaput’s exhortation: “Our task is to start that blaze and then help it grow”

Then we brainstormed to come up with one step we each could do to start that blaze!

Priests' Retreat

It was my ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE to host HLI (Ireland)’s first priest/religious one day retreat.

Twenty two priests, seminarians and religious attended, a figure I was exceedingly pleased with for our first such venture.

Our wonderful priests are almost always in the position where they are expected to ‘give.’ It was an honour to facilitate an environment where, for a change, they were able to ‘receive’.

Fr Philip ministered and blessed throughout what was an inspiring day.

European Base

We in HLI (Ireland) printed 7,000 booklets exposing the truth on New Age, with permission from Simon Peter Press, publishers of Johnnette Benkovic’s Women of Grace literature. We are now the European Base for Women of Grace International.

This entire Benkovic Summer 2012 project was, I believe, greatly graced by God.

THANK YOU to ALL of you who attended or supported it. WE pray for the way ahead!!

Speaking at Clonmacnoise

HLI (Ireland) colleagues and myself and had the privilege to conduct a workshop on pro-life, chastity and marriage at Youth 2000’s Clonmacnoise Youth festival last month. 1100 young people attended a great weekend, addressed by Archbishop Charles Brown, Papal Nuncio.

Two ominous abortion developments

Tony O’Brien, former Irish Family Planning Association chief has been appointed head of the HSE.

Serious disquiet also ripples throughout the country re the expected publication of the so-called “expert group” recommendations on Ireland’s abortion situation.

It has been admitted by one Labour party TD, barrister Alex White, that Ireland is under NO obligation to legislate according to any recommendation by the European Court of Human Rights.

Serious prayer needed. Our national pilgrimage to Knock – see below - is one response of HLI (Ireland) to the abortion threat.

YOU’RE INVITED! to HLI (Ireland)’s annual pilgrimage.

Please note that the 6th October date, the final first Saturday of this season – is HLI (Ireland)’s official annual pilgrimage date to Knock Shrine. The theme of this our second annual pilgrimage is ‘Our Lady’s intentions.’

It is also our final first Saturday praying for legalised abortion not to come to Ireland.

On this HLI (Ireland) pilgrimage Mass on October 6th, we will offer up the intentions of all our benefactors and friends, as well as pray for all deceased benefactors.

A FREE colouring book on Eucharistic miracles available to all children and youth attending!

We plan to have a celebratory tea, coffee and light eats afterwards.

Please do put it in your diary!! The following day is our day retreat for married couples! SEE BELOW.

Married Couples Retreat Day

HLI (Ireland) is teaming our with Nazareth Family Institute to host our Married Couples Retreat Day on Sunday October 7th, feast of the Holy Rosary.

Addressing the themes: Communication, hurt and forgiveness and love and sexuality, this marriage day, facilitated by Peter and Fiona Perrem, is sure to be an experience of strengthening and reflection in this busy world!

Home Education Day

HLI (Ireland) is delighted to announce our first Home education information day. Home education is a growing movement in Ireland, increasingly needful in today’s social climate.

We are delighted to have special guest speaker Mike Donnelly, Director of International Affairs for the Home School Legal Defence Association (HSLDA), based in Virginia, USA.

Mike will address the topics of “Why Home School?”, “Parental rights in light of international law” and “Fathers – how to lead your home schooling families.”

Parents will give input on the day on their different approaches and curricula.

Venue: Barnacarroll Community Hall, 3 miles from Knock village, Co. Mayo. Mass in Knock Shrine.

Patrick McCrystal

Executive Director, HLI (Ireland)

Declared “Wonder Worker of the Nineteenth Century” and elevated to sainthood by Pope Gregory XVI, this virgin martyr saint is revealed in this book to be especially powerful in conversion of sinners, expectant mothers, destitute mothers, marriage problems, infertility, money problems, mental illness and property deals and much more.

The discovery of her bones, dried blood and symbols of her martyrdom triggered 200 years of incredible miracles, revelations and veneration.

No request, of whatever nature, is too trivial or too important as her devotees attest.

She was loved and publicly revered by a whole series of Popes.

St John Vianney ascribed all his miracle-working to her intercession!

This easily read book, crammed with stories, will delight and inspire you to greater love of God and this wonderful saint. My own children have loved it being read to them.

Our complimentary gift to you for your donation of €35 or more to our baby-saving, pro-family work.