Here's Your Monday Update

SUSTAINING HOPE FOR LIFE IN 2024

Whether it be a person or a non-profit, those who take up the task to save children must prepare themselves to be strong and solid in their convictions. There often proves to be some form of disappointment or deep loss that comes with this form of crusading for life. We must remind ourselves of what Paul said in Ephesians 6:10-12:

“My brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].”

We must be willing to preserve and protect the rights of those who are muted, even if we feel that the fight is being lost. All of God’s children are put on this earth to act as his servants, and he calls upon us to give and share his gospel. He speaks to each human heart with a message that serving others and living a life of purity will find you with the ultimate reward. As stated in Colossians 3:23-24:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.

Now, even though there are associated challenges to this cause, there is also immeasurable happiness and wholeness in heart when one can witness that lives are being saved. Each day across our nation, numerous sidewalk counselors give of their time and talents to encourage mothers not to abort their babies. Scientific data has been released which indicates that since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, there were more than 1,503 new births in Wisconsin. Madison houses one of the highest performing hospitals for maternity care, ensuring the safety of pregnant mothers and their babies. Dr. Randolph Ashton of UW-Madison has developed a screening tool called RosetteArrays, and this could help scientists to identify developmental disorders within the first trimester of pregnancy. This would allow physicians to get a jump start on providing effective medications and treatments to these children. Providing positive medical outcomes go a long way in preventing women from choosing abortion as an option. Finally, the Wisconsin Senate passed a bill that would Medicaid coverage to postpartum women for up to one year and is just waiting on approval in the Assembly. This legislation will guarantee that issues developed both during and after birth are addressed.

As you can see above, the work of each and every pro-life advocate is resulting in a greater respect for human life. It may not be apparent to all when you see the actions our of our society, however, we are truly winning the war - one day at a time. Thank YOU for choosing to sacrifice so that others can have life. May this New Year bless us with many more beautiful babies being born.

God Bless!

Cindy Mich
Communications Director

JANUARY IS CELEBRATION OF LIFE MONTH

This month, we celebrate the mere miracle of our very existence as human beings. There are many times in life where we as individuals take for granted that we are allowed the gift of life all year round. It is a blessing that we can wake each day, share our lives with our friends and families, as well as attempt to make an inspirational impact on our world. God put us on this earth to bring kindness to others; follow his teachings and fulfill his commandments. Pro-Life Wisconsin recognizes these facts and works diligently to make sure that his word is spread, and that his wishes are carried out.

You may be asking yourself; how can I honor Celebration of Life month? We have compiled a list of ideas for you to consider.

Making your physical and psychological health a main priority. One must preserve their body and brain to ensure high quality of life.
Set aside time to spend with your loved ones, as they are an essential element of your daily lives.
Devote some of your energy to educating your children about the value of human life. There are a healthy number of publications and published works that can assist with this endeavor.
Participate in various March for Life/pro-life events in your community.
Devote more of your attention to elderly neighbors or relatives. If you reside in an area with an assisted living facility, stop by for a visit with those shut in.
Find some way to commemorate the life of a deceased person. Have a Mass said for them; share stories about their lives, or even purchase a memorial token in their memory.
Donate time or money to organizations who support the sanctity of life. You could also donate items to a baby shower provided for pregnant mothers.
Finally, prayers. Pray for all pregnant women and unborn children. Pray for those whose lives may be close to ending. Pray for those women who have lost their babies. Pray for women who have chosen to end the life of their child. Prayer is powerful.

Whether it be a small or sizable action, Pro-Life Wisconsin encourages all to rejoice and respect life today!

2024 PRAYER CARD ART CONTEST

Do you have a child at home that is an artist? Someone who enjoys painting, drawing, photography, or graphic design? Starting January 1, 2024, we are accepting submissions for our 2024 Prayer Card Art Contest. Children in grades 1-12 are eligible to participate, and one winner will be chosen from each grade level. All entries must be postmarked no later than April 10, 2024, and finalists will be announced on May 31, 2024.

Further requirements for participation include:

1. Only one 8.5 ̋ x 11 ̋ size entry per person.
2. Theme must be either pro-life and/or Christian.
3. All artwork must be original in nature.
4. No copies are allowed.
5. Entries will not be returned.

6. Mediums for submission include: acrylic, marker, crayon, pencil, oil, watercolor, photography or graphic design.

Winners will be announced in June of 2024. One from each grade level will receive the following: their design featured on a prayer card, three tickets to the 2024 PLW Gala and 500 prayers cards for their church. One grand prize winner will receive $100 and all of the above listed items.

To learn more, go to: Prayer Card Art Contest — Pro-Life Wisconsin (prolifewi.org)

Since late October 2017, "Choose Life" license plates have been available to Wisconsin motorists, and every penny earned through the sale of the plates directly aids Wisconsin's incredible pregnancy resource centers and initiatives. Choose Life Wisconsin license plate sales have resulted in over $279,508 granted to Wisconsin pregnancy resource centers to date.

With a greater need to serve pregnant women in our state, please be a part of the mission to save lives and aid women, and get your Choose Life Wisconsin license plate today! For more information call Pro-Life Wisconsin at 262-796-1111 ext. 110.

For a list of pregnancy resource centers in Wisconsin, visit CrisisPregnancies.org

Planned Parenthood in Sheboygan resumes abortions, protestors rally outside: (Radio 620/WTMJ) – “Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumed abortion services at their Sheboygan Health Center as of 9:00 a.m. on December 28, drawing a crowd of dozens of anti-abortion protestors to the sidewalk outside the clinic for a rally organized by Pro-Life Wisconsin. […] Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin confirmed to WTMJ in September that the organization was always planning to reopen the Sheboygan clinic for abortions, and that the reason for the delay was related to staffing issues. To Pro-Life Wisconsin State Director Dan Miller, however, the timing had a different meaning. ‘I appreciate all the people who have come out today to stand up for life for these precious little babies who Planned Parenthood – three days after Christmas – wants to kill,’ Miller said. Miller said part of the goal was to make a statement against the resumption of abortions in Sheboygan, and in Wisconsin overall, but that Pro-Life Wisconsin is aiming for a much higher goal. ‘We want Planned Parenthood gone; we want it closed,’ he said. […] Beyond prayer, Miller said a main goal of the rally was to continue to encourage women to seek out Pro-Life Wisconsin’s preferred alternative, Anchor of Hope, a pregnancy center that sits across the street from the Planned Parenthood clinic.” Read the full story here.

Images of aborted babies are necessary to change the hearts of abortion supporters: (LifeSiteNews, by Susan Ciancio, American Life League) – “A new video from Protect Life Michigan highlights the reasons why the group believes that showing pictures of aborted babies is vital to the pro-life movement. In an extremely well-done, six-minute video explaining their reasoning behind why their organization chooses to use images of aborted babies to spread their pro-life message, Protect Life Michigan states that ‘showing the victims is crucial to eliminating the injustice’ of abortion. They then go on to address and refute three objections that people have voiced about showing such pictures.” Read the full op-ed here.

U.S. Supreme Court to decide if ER doctors can commit abortions regardless of state law: (LifeSiteNews) – “The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to add another abortion case to its docket: whether emergency room doctors can commit abortions in Idaho despite the state’s law banning nearly all abortions. […] ‘Hospitals – especially emergency rooms – are centers for preserving life. The government has no business transforming them into abortion clinics,’ Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Hawley said in a November 2023 press release about the case. ‘Emergency room physicians can, and do, treat ectopic pregnancies and other life-threatening conditions. But elective abortion is not life-saving care – it ends the life of the unborn child – and the government has no authority to override Idaho’s law barring these procedures,’ continued Hawley, who is the wife of Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.” Read the full story here.

Federal court blocks Biden admin from forcing states to allow ‘emergency’ abortions: (LifeSiteNews) – “Doctors cannot be forced to commit abortions under a law meant to ensure poor people and pregnant women receive medical care, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday. The three-judge panel ruled against President Joe Biden’s attempt to use the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 (EMTALA) to force states with abortion restrictions to allow for the killing of preborn babies for ‘emergency’ reasons. EMTALA is intended to ensure hospitals do not force low-income or uninsured patients onto other facilities when they are in need of ‘stabilizing’ medical care, according to the law. It also ensures women in labor can have a baby at any hospital, regardless of her financial situation. However, the Biden administration sought to reinterpret EMTALA to include a right to abortions in the wake of the June 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade.” Read the full story here.

After embryo adoption brought them twins, this couple is encouraging others to consider it: (Live Action) – “An Alabama couple recently shared their story of embryo adoption success with PEOPLE – and they’re encouraging others to step forward and consider it as well. After years of struggling with infertility, Mary Leah and Rodney Miller welcomed twins Dalton and Mary Elizabeth in December 2022 via embryo adoption. The rise in assisted reproductive technology like IVF has led to a ‘surplus’ of frozen human embryos – many whose futures remain uncertain as their parents are unsure what to do with them. The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) estimates there are as many as one million such embryos in the United States alone. The NEDC is just one organization that works with families who have these embryos, facilitating adoptions with recipients like the Millers who are eager to start a family.” Read the full story here.

CRAWFORD COUNTY: Life Guardians pro-life group meets monthly in Boscobel. Email Heather at heatherkramer79@gmail.com for more information or check out the Facebook page here.

PLW-DANE COUNTY: Vigil for Life uses its unique spiritual focus to build the culture of life in cooperation with other pro-life groups. Our "365 for Life" initiative brings peaceful witness and prayer to Madison's Planned Parenthood on a daily basis. For those wishing to sign up and pray with us outside of Planned Parenthood, please do so using this link: Vigil for Life - Madison, Wisconsin. For additional information, contact Gwen at (608) 393-8545 or info@vigilforlife.org.

GREEN BAY: Pro-Life Green Bay is an active pro-life ministry in Northeast Wisconsin and meets regularly throughout the year. For more information, contact prolifegreenbay@gmail.com.

LA CROSSE: We would like to see at least two people pray every day of the week outside Planned Parenthood (1201 Caledonia Street, La Crosse, WI 54603). If you can commit to this weekly prayer, please let Marie Allen know. We encourage people to pray in groups of two if possible. You may choose your own time, and sidewalk counseling and signs are optional. Pro-Life literature is available if anyone wishes to distribute it. Questions? Call 608-784-5189.

MILWAUKEE: Join us every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. (rain or shine) to pray the Angelus followed by the Rosary in preparation for sins of ingratitude at the Fatima Shrine (141 N. 68th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53213).

PRICE COUNTY: Join Pro-Life Wisconsin Price County for our monthly meetings. We meet every second Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at First National Bank in Phillips (366 N. Lake Drive, Phillips, WI 54555). Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact Patti McCormick at jandpmac6@gmail.com.

Price County Respect Life, St Therese of Liseux Catholic Church, and the Phillips Area Clergy Association, would like to invite you to attend an evening of reflection, comfort, hope and forgiveness. The evening's main events include dinner and a screening of the made for TV production, 'Tilly" - which brings Frank Peretti's novel to life and gives you a new perspective on the preciousness of an unborn child. All ages are welcome. The event is being held at St. Therese of Liseux Catholic Church, Highway 13 North, Phillips, WI on February 13, 2024 at 6:00pm.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY: Please join us in prayer every first Monday of the month from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. to exercise your First Amendment Free Speech rights in the public right of way (nearest to Marcus Cinema) in Oshkosh, near Planned Parenthood (3768 Koeller Street, Oshkosh, WI 54902). Bring your own sign or use one of ours! Contact Don Doro at 920-279-3496 or at ddurawa1@yahoo.com.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS: Please join us in prayer on the 2nd Monday of each month at 4:00 p.m. along 8th Street near Planned Parenthood (1355 S. 8th Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494). Gather in the parking lot at 3:45 p.m.

JANUARY 11, 2024 - From 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, Damascus Road Project is holding their 14th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day Rally. The rally will take place at the Opera House Square in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Their physical address is 315 N. Main Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901. They are asking all in the community to come out and hold signs to increase awareness on the topic. They will also be providing Awareness 101 Training on that very day from 9:00am to 10:45am in the lobby of 404 N. Main St., Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For more details, visit: www.damascusroadproject.org.

JANUARY 20, 2024 - The Milwaukee Guild of the Catholic Medical Association is hosting an event entitled “Conquering the Epidemic of Loneliness: Psychological and Spiritual Answers from a Psychiatrist and a Catholic Priest.” Loneliness contributes to premature death, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression and dementia. Youth are more affected by loneliness than adults. How do we protect people from loneliness and increase social connectivity? Dr. Krishna DasGupta, Clinical Psychologist, and Fr. Michael Lawinger, Associate Pastor of Christ King and St. Bernard’s Parish, will offer psychological and spiritual strategies and recommendations. The day’s activities include a mass at 8:00 a.m. with continental breakfast to follow. From 9:00am – 10:30am, the presentation and Q and A will take place. Location is St. Mary’s Visitation Parish, which is at 1260 Church Street, Elm Grove, WI 53122. Registration is required, and can be done by using this link: mgcma.org/jan20

ONGOING – Rachel's Vineyard of the Diocese of Madison offers Healing from Abortion. Whether recent or long ago ... Rachel’s Vineyard retreats offer hope and healing for anyone, women or men who have struggled with the emotional or spiritual pain after abortion. Confidential and private. Contact Mary: call 608-821-3177, text 608-215-0061 or email at rachel@madisondiocese.org.

Visit: www.madisondiocese.org/rachel or www.rachelsvineyard.org.

ONGOING – Help America Pray the Rosary Bumper Stickers Available at No Cost: A generous Pro-Life Wisconsin supporter wants to help you promote devotion to the Rosary! Help America Pray the Rosary Bumper Stickers are available to you and/or your organization. They come in packets of 250 and are free of charge. All questions and requests for bumper stickers should be forwarded to RosaryBumperStickers@gmail.com. God bless!

ONGOING – Walking with Moms in Need: The Catholic Church has a long history of service to those who are most vulnerable. From pregnancy care centers, to foster care and adoption agencies, and from maternity homes to parish-based ministries, the Church consistently bears witness in word and deed to the beauty and dignity of every human life—including both mother and child. This program asks parishes and parishioners to adopt and support those centers and agencies that are actively helping moms in need. View the flyer here or visit the website here.

ONGOING, KENOSHA – Participate in the Rosary in Kenosha at 6:00 p.m. every Sunday at Saint Therese Catholic Church (2020 91st Street Kenosha, WI 53143). Bring family and friends!

ONGOING, OCONOMOWOC – Public Prayer of the Rosary to entrust the whole world to Our Lady and ask her to intercede for our state, country, and world. Join us at Village Green Park (104 E Wisconsin Ave. Oconomowoc, WI 53066) every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. View the flyer here.

ONGOING – Toda America con Cristo and Family Life Council, Inc. has created pro-life resources for the Latino community. If you or someone you know would benefit from these resources please view the web pages here and here.

POST-ABORTIVE VIDEO – There is hope and healing for mothers and fathers who now regret their abortion and deeply grieve the loss of their little child. A new day is dawning; be not afraid. Seek the help you need. Your wounded heart can be healed through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. Go to Him, seek Him, and receive the help you desire to be healed and live in hope once again. Watch this video for more information on where to find help. There are millions and millions who regret their abortions. You are not alone.