He who cleaves to God is indeed translated into the light, while he who clings to the world is in the dark. So the supreme perfection of man in this life is to be so united to God that all his soul, with all its faculties and powers, are so gathered into the Lord God that he becomes one spirit with him, and remembers nothing except God, is aware of and recognizes nothing but God, but with all his desires unified by the joy of love, he rests contentedly in the enjoyment of his Maker alone. - Saint Albert the Great (1206-1280)
Dear Excellency:
Thank you, in advance, for reading my letter.
As an American, I too felt the stirring of pride in my country that we have, in such a short time, overcome so much of the racial hatred that has divided mankind by electing a man of color to the highest office in the land. There is much to be said for the 'healing' this indicates.
However, as a Catholic I am dismayed that so many of us now must defend the unborn against the Leader of the Free World. It is said that a government that does not value the least and most vulnerable of its citizens is a country that does not deserve to exist. I pray that my country does not pay dearly for electing a man that sees a child conceived out of wedlock as a punishment, or a human embryo as worthy of scientific experimentation.
Your comments about President Obama's role in American History, while understandable, fly in the face of Church teaching.
I am a post-abortive woman; I am a woman who believed the lie of a culture that told me my equality was rooted in my ability to have sexual relations, outside of matrimony and without any consequences. When I 'made a choice' I had been convinced (sometimes by 'Catholic' teachers) was my 'right' and began to reap the results of that choice none of the people who had vigorously pushed this line of false reasoning on me were there to comfort me and catch me when I fell.
In fact, imagine my surprise that 10 years after making choices that lead to a life scarred by death, alcoholism and drug addiction, the only people who were there to hold me up were people of Christ.
Being Home to the Holy Mother Church for the past 15 years has allowed me to not only heal from the terrible consequences of my actions but it has allowed me to examine, in the light of Faith and Reason, where I went terribly wrong. And while I would never point a finger at another person and blame them for my mistakes, I do unflinchingly remind you that for years in the US we were bereft of strong, moral leadership from the clergy. Priests and religious, too worried about being seen as 'moralists' did not stand up and fight for my right to be a woman of grace and dignity. We reap the results of that cowardice today.
I pray for my new president. I pray that President Obama will open his heart to the love of The Holy Spirit and begin to realize that his role in the world is more important than votes, than polls and cheering crowds. His place in history is more important than an address in Washington, D.C. President Obama, my commander-in-chief and my president, will one day be in either heaven or hell. My prayers are that he recognizes this, and governs accordingly so that some day he may hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
Please, Excellency, do not abandon me again. Be strong. Be courageous. Stand up for Truth. Your people will love you for being the shepherd you were called to be, rather than the one you WANT to be in the eyes of the world.
My prayers are with you, Sir. Be not afraid.
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