Gabriel's Corner

Father Weslin's 25 Year Anniversary

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:21:00 +0000

Please come join us for Father Weslin's 25 Year Celebration of Priesthood in Council Bluffs at Mary Weslin Home. Father Weslin will be back here in our area for this celbration.

Date: Sunday July 10th 3:00 PM beginning with Mass

Where: Mary Weslin Home 19117 Mynster Springs Road Council Bluffs, Iowa

Meat will be provided, bring your favorite dish

Father Weslin would prefer donations to Mary Weslin Home instead of gifts.

For more information, please Jean & Kathy Plourde 402-690-2905

Feel welcome to invite those who would know Father.

Thank you & God Bless!

Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition Legislative Report

Tue, 24 May 2011 15:09:00 +0000

IOWA FAITH & FREEDOM COALITION LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Norm Pawlewski – LobbyistMay 14, 2011 ELOQUENT NONSENSE AND DELIBERATE DISTORTIONSABOUT THE LATE-TERM ABORTION BAN After 24 Republicans and 2 Democrats forced HF 657 to the calendar by successfully employing a little, almost never utilized “discharge petition,” Sen. Gronstal again showed his disdain for the process by assigning the bill to Sen. Joe Bolkcom. Sen. Bolkcom, recently divorced from Karen Kubby, executive director of Iowa City’s most prominent abortion facility, the Emma Goldman Clinic, is the Iowa Senate’s number one abortion supporter. Sen. Bolkcom immediately declared HF657 as unconstitutional and pledged to offer an alternative bill that would keep LeRoy Carhart from opening his butcher shop in Council Bluffs without infringing on the right of a woman to “choose” the outcome of her pregnancy.

The Republicans in the Senate, recognizing that Bolkcom had no intention of allowing HF657 to be debated, tried twice to bring the bill to the floor by amending it to the Human Services Appropriations bill HF 649. Each time, Sen. Jack Kibbie (D) Senate President, ruled the amendment not germane. Without going into any detail, I can tell you that there were many other amendments on HF 649 that were far less germane than was HF 657. Sen. Kibbie’s decisions were, without question, political.

Whether Sen. Kibbie was following orders from Mike Gronstal or decided on his own to betray his constituents, his church or the unborn children who could die as a result of his decision, only he and his God know.

Early on, even before HF 657 had cleared the House, another pro-life lobbyist and I met with Jack Kibbie. He assured us he was pro-life, did not support the establishing of a late-term abortion facility and would support legislation to keep that from happening. He was, to put it kindly, disingenuous. This professing member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Ayrshire Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and numerous business and agriculture-related organizations quietly apologized for his first decision to rule HF657 not germane, claiming he did so reluctantly. But that only worked once. His second ruling left no doubt his decision was politically motivated. Shame on you Jack Kibbie, honorable Korean War veteran, man of honor, public servant, father to eleven children. You had an opportunity to rise above politics and do the right thing. You failed.

BOLKCOM INTRODUCES SF 534 (WAS SSB 1212) Sen. Joe Bolkcom, as chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, decided that HF 657 was unconstitutional (I didn’t know the Senator was also a Supreme Court Justice) and took it upon himself (with the extensive help of Planned Parenthood) to introduce SSB 1212 (now SF 534).

This proposed legislation would not only not prohibit late-term abortions, it would facilitate them by creating a system for legalizing a “specialized outpatient surgical facility ………in which surgical abortion procedures are performed after the fetus has attained post-fertilization age of twenty weeks or more.” The bill would “require that the ‘facility’ be within ‘close proximity’ (whatever that means) to a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 135B that provides the appropriate level of perinatal care consistent with 641 IAC 150 for patients of the facility in order to preserve the life or health of a pregnant woman or fetus” (underlining mine).

I know this sounds like mumbo jumbo, because it is. If you read the bill in the context of the Code of Iowa, Chapter 135, sections 61 through 63, you will note that these “abortion surgery centers” have to apply for a “certificate of need,” pay a fee, meet no standards except being within “close proximity” to a hospital that is certified as a neonatal center. Because there are only five of these hospitals located in Davenport, Iowa City, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, this solves the Council Bluffs, Dr. Carhart problem. Or does it? One section of the bill, Sec. 3, restates Iowa Code Section 135.63 subsection 2, paragraph a, and amends into it these “specialized outpatient surgical facilities.” Essentially, this provision in the code exempts “private offices and private clinics of an individual physician, dentist or other practitioner or group of health care providers.” Because physicians’ offices and clinics are not subject to licensure, inspection or any other regulation, Dr. Carhart or any other physician could perform these abortions in their own clinic without applying for a “certificate of need.”

I won’t go into all the nuances of what can or cannot be done in a private physician’s office or clinic and what restrictions, if any, there are on these practices, but suffice it to say that this bill will not solve the Council Bluffs problem. It does, however, create a new problem for Des Moines, Davenport, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. They now become fertile ground for a late-term abortion entrepreneur.

In the last full year of his practice, George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas performed 1,138 late-term abortions. At a low-ball price of $4,000 per, he grossed over 4.5 million dollars. Since almost all of the states in the Midwest have now banned late-term (20 to 22 weeks) abortions, how attractive does Iowa become for a no-conscience, greedy entrepreneur to kill babies for profit?

Bolkcom’s bill is badly written and patently unconstitutional on its face. But that really doesn’t matter. It was not written to become a law but a diversion and cover for Gronstal and others who are not serious about protecting any in-the- womb babies, regardless of their gestational age. Three Democrats on the Ways and Means sub-committee and full committee spoke in support of this farce, SF 534 (SSB 1212): Bolkcom of Iowa City, Dotzler of Waterloo and Quirmbach of Ames. Their oratory, laced with sympathy for the women “who really wanted to be mothers but had tragic complications that necessitated the killing of their unborn child,” would have been comical if the issue were not so serious and life-changing.

Four Republicans, Bartz of Grafton, Chelgren of Ottumwa, Smith of Davenport and Feenstra of Hull, questioned Sen. Bolkcom and spoke against his bill. Sen. Feenstra (I wish I had written down what he said) was concise but accurate when he said this bill would not ban one late-term abortion and called it what it is--- a sham, a nothing bill that saves not one life. The bill passed out of the Ways and Means Committee on a party line vote.

It was exceedingly frustrating to sit in that room for four or five hours, with time out for party caucuses, and listen to public servants defend what I know is a Planned Parenthood bill, designed to derail a real attempt to put some limit on the taking of innocent life.

Please understand, I oppose all abortions. I believe life begins at fertilization and every life deserves protection. HF 657 only protects some of those at risk, but it will save some lives. It is the most significant pro-life bill to be considered by the whole Legislature since Roe v Wade. It deserves your support and warrants your efforts. The current version, as passed out of the House, needs no amendments and will withstand a court challenge. Continue to pray for its passage and for those who support the bill and those who oppose it. ……………..

~~In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ~~1st Peter 1:6,7~~For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.~~1st Peter 2:15

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Iowa-Faith-Freedom-Coalition/172788926072675

Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition939 Office Park Rd. - Suite 115 West Des Moines, IA 50265

515-225-1515www.ffciowa.com

Prolife Rally May 7th

Fri, 06 May 2011 17:18:00 +0000

For Immediate Release

May 5, 2011

Contact: Jenifer Bowen

515.419.7246 Cell

Council Bluffs, Iowa—May 5, 2011—With pending pro-life legislation hanging in the balance, Council Bluffs residents are coming together again to ensure that Iowa does not become the late-term abortion capital of the Midwest.

A rally will be held this Saturday, May 7, at 10:30 am. Due to the expected crowd, this event will be held outdoors at Bayliss Park, in the Performance Space, 100 Pearl Street in Council Bluffs. Local speakers will be joined by Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa.

“With state-wide, bi-partisan support for the Late-Term Abortion Ban (HF 657), Iowans now recognize that with one statement from Senator Gronstal; “Yes, we will debate this bill”, this ban would ultimately become law”, stated Jenifer Bowen, Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life.

“Such a diverse, strong local leadership and grassroots voice should not be quelled by one man, their Senator, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal. The citizens of Council Bluffs have worked unwaveringly, in unison, for months to keep a notorious late-term abortionist out of their city and ultimately out of our state,”

For More Information:

Jenifer Bowen

Executive Director

Iowa Right to Life

515.244.1012 Office

515.419.7246 Cell

877.595.9406 Toll Free

jenifer@iowaRTL.org

URGENT: Video

Tue, 03 May 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Iowa needs the bill to ban late-term abortion to go to the Senate floor this week. Not convinced that late-term abortion is a bad thing? Watch this video of a late-term abortion being performed and judge for yourself:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdj7zKGiDNw

URGENT- - We need your help today!

Tue, 03 May 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Dear Pro-Life Friends:

I have just been in contact with Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa.The discharge petition has gained the required 26 signatures.It was presented with high drama to Mike Gronstal on the floor of the Senate by good Sen. Smith from Davenport.According to Rep. Hanusa, Sen. Smith asked Mike Gronstal three times if Mike Gronstal would allow the bill to go to the floor for debate: she said Sen. Smith asked Mike Gronstal three times for a yes or no.Mary Ann Hanusa indicated MIKE GRONSTAL READ THREE TIMES FROM A PREPARED STATEMENT, WHICH IS AMBIGUOUS WITH RESPECT TO ANSWERING THE YES OR NO QUESTION, REPEATED THREE TIMES BY SEN. SMITH.AT THIS JUNCTURE, IT APPEARS THAT MIKE GRONSTAL IS REFUSING TO ANSWER THE DIRECT QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE WILL COMMIT TO ALLOWING THE BILL TO GO TO THE FLOOR FOR DEBATE!!! This bill is eligible for debate this Thursday.

TELL SEN. MAJORITY LEADER MIKE GRONSTAL TO BE CONSISITENT WITH WHAT HE HAS SAID JUST DAYS AGO: Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Friday, April 29, 2011:“When a bill is filed, it becomes eligible to be placed on the Senate’s calendar, he said. Then, it’s up to the Senate floor manager to approach him when it would be ready for debate”, Gronstal said. “I have said I would not block debate on this,” Gronstal said of the ban.

This is in Majority Leader Sen. Mike Gronstal’s hands. We beg you, all hands on deck: MAKE A TELEPHONE CALL AND E-MAIL SEN. MIKE GRONSTALL NOW!!! TELL SEN. MIKE GRONSTAL TO BRING HF 657 TO THE SENATE FLOOR FOR VOTE!!!

Sen. Majority Leader Mike Gronstal contact info.:

Legislative Email: mike.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us

Home Phone: 712.328.2808

Home Address: 220 Bennett Ave, Council Bluffs IA, 51503

Business Phone: 515.281.4610

ANOTHER GRONSTAL OFFICE NUMBER: (515) 281-3901: this identified as his office.

Business Fax: 515.281.3361

We beg you, get this ACTION ALERT out to all of our lists of contacts!!! May God bless and protect all of our innocent unborn children!!!

Jon Anthony Jacobsen,

J.D.Senior Vice President - Trust & Investment

TS Bank, Treynor State Bank

712.487.3000

Fax: 712.487.3475

jjacobsen@tsbank.com

Washington D.C. Planned Parenthood Video

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Important 2-minute video outside the Washington, D.C.

Planned Parenthood with Lila Rose --

whose organization brought to light the

institution-wide scandal that is rocking the entire

Planned Parenthood abortion chain.

The video was just posted online minutes ago, and you

can be the first to watch it at:

http://exposeplannedparenthood.com/vigil

Please spread the word, and forward this message to

everyone you possibly can.

We have a narrow window of opportunity to strip

Planned Parenthood of its $363 million in annual

taxpayer funds -- but we need to act this Monday!

For Life,

David Bereit

National Director

40 Days for Life

P.S.- On the same page as the new video is more

information about the vital project I'm asking you to

participate in -- if at all possible. Watch the video

and learn more at:

http://exposeplannedparenthood.com/vigil

Day On The Hill in March

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:45:00 +0000

God bless you all in all that you do for our unborn brothers and sisters. I have personally contacted some of you concerning the Planned Parenthood protest , hosted by Teen Defenders, that will happen in Des Moines, IA on March 3rd. If I have not yet personally talked with you I will continue to try to call you. Below are the details.

On March 3, 2011 Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is hosting their annual "Day on the Hill." They will be meeting with random people from all over the state that want to participate at the Plymouth Church to do lobby training, PP will then proceed to take all their people to the State Capitol to lobby and after words will shuttle back for a party. It is my goal to be sure that Planned Homicide has the worst possible day and that we bring the truth and horror of abortion to all of their participants.

With this being said the following will take place and I need your help to make it happen:

9a.m.-4:00p.m. protest at the Plymouth Church and State Capitol

-->Graphic signs will be used. (If any one has a bunch that we can borrow please let me know.)

--> Operation Rescue may be bringing in the truth trucks

--> Pro-Life lobbyist will be in the state capital at the same time PP is lobing

--> We will also have a couple people work as moles and go around with the PP group that day to take notes on what they are discussing.

Once again, lets be sure that PP has the worst day and knows that we are out to defeat them. God bless and please get back in contact with me ASAP! This event is less then a month away.

Jake Dagel

International

Youth Director

Pro-Life

Unity/ Teen Defenders

712.324.1919 Cell

jake@prolifeunity.com E-Mail

http://www.prolifeunity.com

http://www.teendefenders.com

http://jakedagel.wordpress.com

Southwest Iowa For Life

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Southwest Iowa For Life

Some dates to remember for fighting the good fight for Life in our State and in our Country:

•PRAYER FOR LIFE IN DES MOINES FEB 8TH

•'Prayer for Life' is a day long event held at Des Moines starting at the DM Pastoral Center 601 Grand Avenue with speaker Abby Johnson a former planned parenthood manager who crossed over to the Life side and is passionately working to shut down pp. This event also includes a trip to the State House where we will lobby our Legislative Representatives in both the House and the Senate. This event could end up being a big rallying event regarding the HF 5 Fetal Pain Bill that will prohibit late-term abortion in Iowa. This is a must attend for all Christians in our state. This event may be a large rallying point for the Fetal-Pain Law (HF 5) currently being considered at the State Legislative bodies.

•Update on the March for Life 2011 in Washington DC where as many as 350,000 annually have attended protesting the anniversary of Roe v Wade legislation allowing nationwide abortion in 1973. This year it was estimated that more than 400.000 people attended. This is amazing in a time when everyones finances are tighter due to the down turned ecomony and job shortages. Not only that but God Graced everyone with safe trips home before on to two feet of snow fell on the East Coast on our heels as everyone traveled back home. Praise God!

Please join us for the PRAYER FOR LIFE in Des Moines

Above all please pray for the Life issues and pray for those of us who are leading or working these causes, thank you. God Bless and Vivat Jesus!

Wish List December 2010

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:23:00 +0000

Hello friends. We are in desperate need of someone with a snow blower to clean our sidewalks this winter. If you would be willing to help out, please contact us. Also, we could sure use diapers size newborn to 4. God bless!

Dr. LeRoy Carhart plans to bring late-term abortion clinics to Council Bluffs, IA

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Just when Iowa thought it had seen it all with telemed abortion, we have now learned that Dr. LeRoy Carhart is planning to open a late-term abortion mill in Council Bluffs, IA. With only a limited number of abortionists performing late-term abortions in the country, Carhart has decided because of the strict abortion laws in Nebraska, to make his way to Iowa, Maryland, and Indiana. Carhart Centers for Sexual & Reproductive Services will not only provide late-term abortions, but in an effort to legitimize his egregious acts against our tiny brothers and sisters, he is also supposedly providing adoption services, vasectomies, health screenings, and services to gays and lesbians. We know that his cash-cow is abortion, and the rest of these services are just a cover to continue his late-term abortion services across the country. He has reportedly received over $1.5 million in private donations to open his so-called clinics. The devastation he will bring to Iowa will be indescribable. See the following link for the story that ran on KETV out of Omaha. http://www.ketv.com/news/25688775/detail.html

Dr. LeRoy Carhart said it's time to branch out, especially after Nebraska enacted abortion laws considered to be some of the strictest in the country. The state now bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, saying a fetus feels pain at that time.

As we have banded together to fight telemed abortion, so must we now band together to stop Carhart!

What can you do now?

1.Pray. Pray for his conversion and closure of his clinics.

2.Tell everyone in your network about this, and ask them to pray as well.

3.Stay connected to learn more information. Iowans for LIFE will be meeting with several other pro-life organizations across the state to work on strategy and also legislative plans for this coming session.

In Unity we will put an end to this before it even gets started. Everyone must do their part; the innocent of our state are counting on us to protect them!

Source: http://www.iowansforlife.org/asp/news.asp?id=702