Celebrate NFP Awareness Week July 20-26 and check it out for yourself. Then share the good news!

Written by: Deborah Bloomfield

Natural Family Planning offers a pure and fresh alternative

DETROIT: Modern methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP) are pure, organic, healthy and risk-free, and are deserving of more attention. To that end, the Couple to Couple League (CCL) joins the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in celebrating NFP Awareness Week July 20-26, 2014.

The dates of NFP Awareness Week are significant in that they include the anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25), which reaffirmed Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, marriage, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. That week also marks the feasts of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Because NFP does not rely on artificial hormones, chemicals or barriers, it has no side effects. Women who practice NFP report less irritability, depression, weight gain, and headaches, plus they completely avoid the increased risks of blood clots, strokes and certain cancers that are associated with hormonal birth control methods.

NFP methods teach couples how to observe and interpret the woman’s natural signs of fertility and infertility, uncontaminated by drugs and devices. It leaves the woman whole and complete, which is why women leaving artificial methods for NFP often experience an increased sex drive, and feel empowered through having a better understanding of their own body and dignity.

A natural approach to family protects and enhances the purity of the marital relationship. In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, NFP methods “respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them and favor the education of an authentic freedom” (CCC, no. 2370).

Couples today are increasingly looking for natural and organic alternatives wherever possible. Their choice of family planning method should be no different. CCL urges couples to “keep it pure…your body…your water…your marriage.”

With over 600 certified volunteer teaching couples, CCL is the largest provider of NFP services in the United States and its programs are approved under the U.S. bishops’ Standards for NFP. CCL provides a main NFP course, as well as postpartum and premenopause classes, in a classroom setting, through live online classes, and through a home study program, all in both English and Spanish. Mobile charting app, ongoing followup, and their award-winning magazine, Family Foundations, are also available.

To learn more about the CCL organization and the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP, visit www.ccli.org.

In Metro Detroit, there are a number of events to celebrate NFP Awareness Week beginning with a Family Picnic on Sunday, July 20 from 1-5 pm at Livonia Rotary Park, Pavilion 4.  For more information and other events contact Jenelle at nfp@aod.org or 313-355-4NFP.

Why contraception? Letter to the editor

July 15, 2014

To the Editor:

With all of this talk about who should pay for contraception, let’s dig a little deeper and discuss a more basic question:  WHY contraception?

In a perfect world, only husbands and wives would engage in the marital act, which would help them to pro-create children and raise a family. 

But it’s not a perfect world.  Some married couples want all of the pleasure and none of the responsibility of raising children.  And married couples aren’t the only ones having the fun.  Contraception makes pleasure without responsibility lots easier for everyone!

But let’s ignore the morality of the issue for the moment and take a look at the serious health consequences of contraception.  They seem to be ignored with the HHS mandate that employers must pay for contraceptive coverage under the so-called Affordable Care Act.  We assume that the ACA wants to encourage healthy life styles to reduce medical costs.  Right?

Not so with contraceptives!

It is obvious that many people are engaging in sexual behavior outside of marriage.  That is why there are so many babies born or aborted to unmarried women.  Even if they all used contraception all of the time (which they don’t), and even if it were 100% effective (which it isn’t), what are the health consequences?

Contraceptive availability encourages unhealthy sexual relationships, emotionally, physically and socially.

Sexually transmitted diseases have increased in types, treatment resistance, and frequency since the late 1960s introduction of “The Pill” and sexual revolution.  Hormonal contraceptives actually reduce a woman’s resistance to sexually transmitted diseases.

The Pill and other hormonal contraceptives are responsible for increases in other women’s health issues:  breast cancer, blood clots, strokes, headaches, weight gain, irritability, loss of libido, and depression.  Treatment of even the least serious of these increases health costs. 

Yes.  Sometimes The Pill is prescribed for reasons other than birth control.  But it should never the only treatment option available!  And often it only masks the real hidden issue.

Even if contraceptives are free, they are not healthy and there is a cost.

I think that women and men don’t realize that modern, scientific, 97% effective Natural Family Planning is the solution!  It helps a woman to better understand her body (we are very complex creatures!) and often helps to pin point other under lying medical issues.  It has no side effects.

NFP methods teach couples how to observe and interpret the woman’s natural signs of fertility and infertility, uncontaminated by drugs and devices. It leaves the woman whole and complete, which is why women leaving artificial methods for NFP often experience an increased sex drive, and feel empowered through having a better understanding of their own body and dignity.

A natural approach to family protects and enhances the purity of the marital relationship.  Couples today are increasingly looking for natural and organic alternatives wherever possible. Their choice of family planning method should be no different.

Celebrate NFP Awareness Week July 20-26 and check it out for yourself.  Then share the good news! 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Deborah Bloomfield

My husband and I have been NFP users for more than 35 years.  We are volunteer promoters for the Couple to Couple League International www.ccli.org.

2014-07-16 UPDATE Upcoming Pro-Life Events and News for Washtenaw County & Beyond

Partial list as of July 16, 2014 Compiled by Sandie Weathers

Show your support of the Right to Life booth at the Ann Arbor Art Fair! The Ann Arbor Art Fair runs from this Wednesday, July 16th through Saturday, July 19^th.  Hours of the event are: Wed. - Friday:  10 am to 9 pm and Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm. Right to Life of Michigan, Educational Resource Center will be sponsoring a booth this year, located in the Non Profit Section on Liberty between Division and 5^th Street. Please drop by and say hello to the volunteers. For more info, please contact Karen Walacavage at 734-930-7474 or kwalacavage@rtl.org.

Come join Sidewalk Advocates for Life in celebrating our new international sidewalk counseling program. When: this Saturday July 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Christ the King Catholic Church Gym, 4000 Ave Maria Dr (near Domino’s Farms) Ann Arbor, MI 48105. There will be coffee and desserts served and the national SAFL director, Lauren Myzyka will be discussing the mission of Sidewalk Advocates for Life and our life-saving impact. Ann Arbor will began a 3 month Sidewalk Advocates for Life Campaign July 1^st, so this is a great opportunity to find out more about how you can save lives and support those on the front lines of the battle to save unborn babies. God bless you and hope you can make it. More info: Michael Arthur Vacca, (734) 582-3688 or michaelvacca7@gmail.com. Our mission: "To train, equip, and support local 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 the abortion center, thereby eliminating demand and ending abortion.

On Going: Protest at Providence Park Hospital every Tuesday! Hope to see you this Tuesday, July 22nd at Providence Park Hospital from 4:30 to 6 pm on the corner of Beck & Grand River Roads. Please DO NOT park at Providence. You can park at the Kroger grocery nearby and walk over to the intersection. This is an on-going and important initiative to draw attention to the horrible FACT that this Catholic Hospital has a number of abortionists on staff (they do the abortions elsewhere) including Glenn Taylor who is no less than the "medical director" of Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Ann Arbor. The ultimate goal is to urge St. John's to remove these killers of the innocent unborn from the staff--and to end the scandal of Catholic hospitals harboring abortionists all in contradiction to the very essence of Catholic health care!  For info contact Lynn Mills at lynnspl81@aol.com. 

ArborVitae Women's Center invites you to join them for 18 holes of golf, followed by dinner & a live auction at one of Michigan’s premier golf facilities – Barton Hills Country Club - on Monday, August 11. Your participation in "On Par for Life" will help ArborVitae continue providing women and young University of Michigan students who are facing unexpected pregnancies with free and confidential services:  pregnancy testing, ultrasound, pregnancy options counseling, and material resource referrals. Sponsorship opportunities and event tickets are still available.  Noon shotgun start includes lunch followed by cocktails, dinner and a live auction. Not a golfer? Join us at 5pm for cocktails and dinner.  Golf, cocktails & dinner is $250. Cocktails & dinner only is $110.  Visit www.onparforlife.com to register, see event details and sneak a peek at auction items featuring tickets to U of M vs. Notre Dame Football Game under the lights in South Bend on Sept 6, 2014 – includes hotel, parking, breakfast. Grab a foursome. Become a sponsor. Help us help women choose life! We look forward to seeing you on August 11^th. For additional information contact Iris Proctor, Executive Director at 734.994.8863 or director@annarborvitae.com. 

Be sure to register for the 2014 Walk for Life to benefit Family Life Services of Washtenaw County and spread awareness about our services.  The Walk will be held on Saturday September 6, 2014 at Concordia University.  Registration is Free and Now Open @ www.flswalkforlife.com  Even if you cannot make it, please take the opportunity to help other walkers reach their goals and support Family Life Services.  This is a family friendly event with walking, food, a raffle, and entertainment!  We look forward to seeing you there.  Prizes will be given to churches, individual walkers, and teams who raise the most money. For add’l info contact Karalee Robison at admin@flscenter.com or 734-434-3088.

Save the date! Join other intercessors and prayer warriors for a solemn prayer assembly on the MI capitol’s east lawn in Lansing, on Saturday, Sept. 6^th at 2pm. Stay tuned for list of speakers and more details. Prayers will be offered for three key battlegrounds: Life, Traditional Marriage and Family, and the persecuted church. For info contact Nick Zabrodsky at nickzabrodsky@gmail.com

Mark your calendars: Saturday, September 13^th is the 2^nd Annual National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

Register today at: http://rtl.org/events/conference/index.html, for the Right to Life of Michigan. 41st Annual Conference on Thursday, September 25, in Lansing. Ryan Bomberger, Emmy Award-winning creative professional and Chief Creative Officer for The Radiance Foundation, will be our guest speaker at the RLM annual conference.  Invite your friends and family & take advantage of the group rate. 

NEWS: If you missed the recent Sidewalk Advocates Training, please check out Sidewalk Advocacy Training Comes to Ann Arbor by Iris Hanlan by going to: http://pro-lifeactionnetworkblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/sidewalk-advocacy-training-comes-to-ann.html.  For more info about Sidewalk Advocates, please contact Paul Dobrowolski (saflannarbor@gmail.com or 734-944-7790).

NEWS: For an update from Dr. Monica Miller, Director of CPLS on the 20 Week Pain Capable Abortion Ban Update for Lathrup Village -- and Shalonda TOO! go to: http://pro-lifeactionnetworkblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/20-week-pain-capable-abortion-ban.html

PREGNANT?  Know someone who might be? Find out for sure. Free and confidential services for all ages including pregnancy testing, ultrasounds to date and confirm pregnancy, pregnancy options counseling and post-abortion counseling. Where: ArborVitae, downtown Ann Arbor located at the corner of State and Liberty (below Starbucks) When: Monday and Thursday 9am-4pm; Tuesday 2pm-8pm How: Walk in or make an appointment online at http://arborwoman.com/request-an-appointment/Questions: Call 734-994-8863.

To be added to the Prolife Action Network email group and receive updates for Life Chain,

Local Pro-Life Events and Religious Liberty Issues and Events

and to submit info on a Pro-Life event:

Contact Sandie Weathers prolifeactionnetwork@gmail.com or

Marilyn Geyer at 734-973-2422 or mgeyer@provide.net

Visit us on Facebook: Prolife Action Network

2014-07-14 Upcoming Pro-Life Happenings & News Washtenaw County and Beyond

Partial list as of July 14, 2014 Compiled by Sandie Weathers

On Going: Protest at Providence Park Hospital every Tuesday! Hope to see you this Tuesday, July 15th at Providence Park Hospital from 4:30 to 6 pm on the corner of Beck & Grand River Roads. Please DO NOT park at Providence. You can park at the Kroger grocery nearby and walk over to the intersection. This is an on-going and important initiative to draw attention to the horrible FACT that this Catholic Hospital has a number of abortionists on staff (they do the abortions elsewhere) including Glenn Taylor who is no less than the "medical director" of Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Ann Arbor. The ultimate goal is to urge St. John's to remove these killers of the innocent unborn from the staff--and to end the scandal of Catholic hospitals harboring abortionists all in contradiction to the very essence of Catholic health care!  For info contact Lynn Mills at lynnspl81@aol.com.

Show your support of the Right to Life booth at the Ann Arbor Art Fair! The Ann Arbor Art Fair runs from this Wednesday, July 16th through Saturday, July 19^th.  Hours of the event are: Wed. - Friday:  10 am to 9 pm and Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm. Right to Life of Michigan, Educational Resource Center will be sponsoring a booth this year, located in the Non Profit Section on Liberty between Division and 5^th Street. Please drop by and say hello to the volunteers. For more info, please contact Karen Walacavage at 734-930-7474 or kwalacavage@rtl.org.

Come join Sidewalk Advocates for Life in celebrating our new international sidewalk counseling program. When: this Saturday July 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Christ the King Catholic Church Gym, 4000 Ave Maria Dr (near Domino’s Farms) Ann Arbor, MI 48105. There will be coffee and desserts served and the national SAFL director, Lauren Myzyka will be discussing the mission of Sidewalk Advocates for Life and our life-saving impact. Ann Arbor will began a 3 month Sidewalk Advocates for Life Campaign July 1^st, so this is a great opportunity to find out more about how you can save lives and support those on the front lines of the battle to save unborn babies. God bless you and hope you can make it. More info: Michael Arthur Vacca, (734) 582-3688 or michaelvacca7@gmail.com. Our mission: "To train, equip, and support local 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 the abortion center, thereby eliminating demand and ending abortion.

NEWS: If you missed the recent Sidewalk Advocates Training, please check out Sidewalk Advocacy Training Comes to Ann Arbor by Iris Hanlan by going to: http://pro-lifeactionnetworkblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/sidewalk-advocacy-training-comes-to-ann.html.  For more info about Sidewalk Advocates, please contact Paul Dobrowolski (40daysannarbor@gmail.com or 734-944-7790).

NEWS: For an update from Dr. Monica Miller, Director of CPLS on the 20 Week Pain Capable Abortion Ban Update for Lathrup Village -- and Shalonda TOO! go to: http://pro-lifeactionnetworkblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/20-week-pain-capable-abortion-ban.html

WANTED PEOPLE WITH PASSION

FOR ART AND THE UNBORN!

To Counteract Message in

4000 Years For Choice Display

Congratulations Hobby Lobby!

Save the date! ArborVitae Women’s Center 3^rd Annual ON PAR FOR LIFE GOLF OUTING will be held Monday, August 11^th at Barton Hills Country Club. Visit www.onparforlife.com to register.  For additional info contact Iris Proctor at 734-994-8863 or director@annarborvitae.com.

Save the date! Join other intercessors and prayer warriors for a solemn prayer assembly on the MI capitol’s east lawn in Lansing, on Saturday, Sept. 6^th at 2pm. Stay tuned for list of speakers and more details. Prayers will be offered for three key battlegrounds: Life, Traditional Marriage and Family, and the persecuted church. For info contact Nick Zabrodsky at nickzabrodsky@gmail.com

Mark your calendars: Saturday, September 13^th is the 2^nd Annual National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

Register today at: http://rtl.org/events/conference/index.html, for the Right to Life of Michigan. 41st Annual Conference on Thursday, September 25, in Lansing. Ryan Bomberger, Emmy Award-winning creative professional and Chief Creative Officer for The Radiance Foundation, will be our guest speaker at the RLM annual conference.  Invite your friends and family & take advantage of the group rate. 

PREGNANT?  Know someone who might be? Find out for sure. Free and confidential services for all ages including pregnancy testing, ultrasounds to date and confirm pregnancy, pregnancy options counseling and post-abortion counseling. Where: ArborVitae, downtown Ann Arbor located at the corner of State and Liberty (below Starbucks) When: Monday and Thursday 9am-4pm; Tuesday 2pm-8pm How: Walk in or make an appointment online at http://arborwoman.com/request-an-appointment/Questions: Call 734-994-8863.

To be added to the Prolife Action Network email group and receive updates for Life Chain,

Local Pro-Life Events and Religious Liberty Issues and Events

and to submit info on a Pro-Life event:

Contact Sandie Weathers prolifeactionnetwork@gmail.com or

Marilyn Geyer at 734-973-2422 or mgeyer@provide.net

Visit us on Facebook: Prolife Action Network

Pro-Life Candidate Tom McMillin, Running for US Congress in 8th Congressional District, Needs your Help!

The Following message is from Dr. Monica Miller, Director of CPLS

Dear Defender of LIFE--   PLEASE--  this is very important--   our ally in stopping the PP mega-mill from opening in Auburn Hills, Tom McMillin, is running for Congress!  If you want to see a real advocate for LIFE in the halls of federal government--  TOM needs your help to win his campaign.   Here is all the info you need to volunteer for him!    Time is of the essence !

I wanted to let you know about Tom McMillin, a strong PRO-LIFE candidate running for U.S. Congress in the 8^th Congressional District (Ingham, Livingston, and North Oakland Counties.)

​State Representative Tom McMillin has a history of standing up for the right to life, traditional marriage, parental rights, limited government, and constitutional freedoms. Tom currently serves in the Michigan House of Representatives, and has a 100% voting record in defense of the sanctity of life.

Tom is treasurer of Crossroads Crisis Pregnancy Center in Pontiac, former state director of the Christian Coalition, and has been endorsed by the Michigan Right to Life, and Family Research Council among others. Click here to see how Tom has been standing up for the unborn and other issues.

It is critically important that we support candidates that have a proven record of leadership in defending these issues that are core to the fabric of our society.

Would you consider supporting Tom McMillin in his race for Congress, either financially or by volunteering? Tom is in need of volunteers to spread the word by leaving literature at doors, making phone calls, putting out yard signs, and most of all, spreading the word to your friends and neighbors!

Again, with your support and help, we can send a conservative leader with a proven record of leadership to Washington to defend the sanctity of life, limited government, and traditional values!

Thanks, and God bless,

Tom McMillin for Congress

248.817.8323

www.tom4michigan.com

email@tom4michigan.com

Follow Tom on Facebook

20 Week Pain Capable Abortion Ban Update for Lathrup Village, MI -- and Shalonda TOO!

This update is from Dr. Monica Miller, Director of CPLS

Dear Defenders of Life-- 

I just wanted to let you know that last week we heard back again from mayor of Lathrup Village, Frank Brock.  He told us that he has spoken with the city attorney, Matthew Quinn, regarding the feasibility of supporting a 20 week pain capable abortion ban in LV-- and that he now wants time to take the issue to the city council members and discuss it with them.   

No one is more anxious to see movement on this than your CPLS director.  Yes-- this seems to be going at a snail's pace as we sat down with Mayor Brock almost 3 months ago.

But I assure you we ARE NOT-- nor will be let this die-- and will press forward as far as we can go!  

What is really needed?   Prayers for the mayor, the city attorney and the 3 city council members--    so please pray for them-- that they will WANT to in act this law! 

UPDATE ON SHALONDA--     

Shalonda is 23 weeks pregnant now and is doing much better as we moved her into an apartment a month ago and gathered many household items, also paid off fines to have 2 warrants rescinded and paid her past due DTE bill so she could have lights turned on in the new apartment.  I take her to most of her doctor's appointments and indeed am taking her tomorrow again to see her pro-life  (Dr. Phil Fleming) Ob--Gyn.    She has hyperthyroidism which is complicating the pregnancy--  please PRAY Shalonda will take her medication!      Sad to say--  she has issues about that based on her religion!   I have lectured her many times!

A few weeks ago Shalonda told me that her sister Yolanda is pregnant with twins and also had sought an abortion--but backed out when she became conflicted over her decision due to the fact that she was having twins-- but Shalonda--having accepted the life of her baby was able to encourage Yolanda to NOT abort!   Sadly however, Yolanda lost the baby girl twin-- born prematurely, but is doing what she can to assure that the little boy twin will survive.

This means that Yolanda cannot work and thus CPLS has been helping her with payment of bills--   though she is looking now into getting unemployment but is not yet sure if she will qualify.  Her boyfriend (father of the twins) does support her--  but they need both incomes to make ends meet. She has 2 other very young children with this man. 

PLEASE Pray for Shalonda and Yolonda!      and Mayor Brock too!  

God bless you all--   Monica of CPLS

Citizens for a Pro-Life Society

67919 Eight Mile Rd.

South Lyon, MI 48178          www.prolifesociety.com      

PROTEST the Providence Park & the St. Johns Providence Health Care System (SJPHCS), AGAIN tomorrow, Tuesday, JuLy 8, from 4:30 to 6 pm.

Providence Park & the St. Johns Providence Health Care System (SJPHCS), AGAIN tomorrow, Tuesday, JuLy 8, from 4:30 to 6 pm. 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD MEDICAL DIRECTOR ON STAFF AT A CATHOLIC HOSPITAL!

Please join us as we put the so called gentle pressure on Providence Park & the St. Johns Providence Health Care System (SJPHCS), AGAIN tomorrow, Tuesday, JuLy 8, from 4:30 to 6 pm. 

THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT YOU! No one person can do this on their own. Please be a part of this important work. 

This is so much easier than being outside an abortion mill, so if you for whatever reason don't go to abortion mills, come here, we need you. WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

Is your Providence doctor an abortionist?

Remember that Providence Park has the medical director of PPA2 ON STAFF in their medical building. He claims to NEVER have committed an abortion yet he's the medical director OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD? I believe he needs the peer pressure of co-workers to see the light. JOIN US!

Thanks to all who came out and we'll be back there again next Tuesday and every Tuesday until abortionist are NOT ON STAFF!

Providence Park is vigilant about having the security WATCH US! It is laughable that they care more about if we park our cars in their lot (so please don't) than if they have abortionist on staff.

We had a visit from the security guard today informing us that Providence never told them that we cannot park in their parking lot. Today that changed. We were told that the president of Providence himself saw (two) of us getting out of our cars and issued the order that we were no longer able to park there because he wasn't comfortable, because of our public stance. So please when you join us, respect Peter Karadjoff's wishes.

I wish he were as uncomfortable with abortionist on staff as he is with his pavement.

For info contact Lynn Mills at lynnspl81@aol.com.