Indeed she is right. Were we not all horrified to hear reports that women - even mothers- were being held captive by enemy soldiers? Although two of these women made it back alive, one did not. The mother of a 4-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughrer, Lori Piestewa, was killed, and her body was found in a shallow grave. "Did the Iraqi threat to U.S. national security really require those two children to sacrifice their only parent?" asked Mrs. Schlafly. Can we expect an answer?

Without letting this become a personal political commentary, I follow the same reasoning as Mrs. Schlafly in assessing the true nature of blame for this other side of the horrors of modern warfare. While it is true that the men who lead the armed forces are to be severely chastised for such decisions, it must be noted that women of our time have brought these sad facts on themselves. Don't get me wrong: these three women, and others like them, did not necessarily request front-line combat duty. However, those who are responsible for "women's rights" in our age (people known - even among themselves - as the feminists) set the stage for this long ago. These vociferous and unwomanly women decried the lack of feminine "equality" in all areas of life, even in the military. "The reason these sorry things have happened writes Mrs. Schlafly, "is that the men in our government, and in our military, lack the courage to stand down the feminists and repudiate their assault on family and motherhood." She concluded: "The poiliticians have brought the enbarrassment on our natuon because they allowd themselves to be henpecked by the militant feminists. The whole idea of men sending women, including mothers, out to fight is contrary to our belief in the importance of the family and motherhood."

Ah, but does the blame stop there? Is the rise of feminism in war solely the fault of the male politiians and military leaders who haven't the courage, nor the conviction, to see how destructive the feminist agenda is for our nation and the entire world? Do women have some share in the blame? I think they do, and I'm willing to bear the chastisement I will receive for saying this. For too long, good decent women of faith and love have contented themselves to stand by as a "silent minority" against these feminists. Catholic women have been largely silent on the issue, letting the more militant of their gender have their way. Women can be "henpecked" as well. What is more, two generations of Catholic women have been raised on the feminist agenda, having been indoctrinated with its sopohistic language especially as the attend our colleges and universities. Catholic women, supporting traditional religious values, are falling prey to the femninist "logic," and we are all suffering for it. "As the women go, so goes the nation." Let us pray this Mothers' Day for our Catholic women. Through them we can win back society, and even our Church.

*May Devotions
The Prayer of St. Pius X for the Month of May will be recited each day after Mass.
A May Shrine has been erected in the church. All are encouraged to bring flowers to decorate the May Shrine, even though someone is assigned to do so for that week. A small bouquet of flowers is a fond token of love for our heavenly Queen.

* Catholic Action Study Group: No meetng this month.

*Catechism Classes: Each Sunday at 9:45 am. Please make every effort to be on time for class! There will be no classes on May 11 (Mothers' Day). The last class of our schoool year is May 25.

*Rogation Days:The Litany of the Saints will be prayed after Mass on May 26, 27, & 28. These are the Rogation days - days of special prayer set aside by the Church as we prepare for the feast of the Ascension by publicly praying for the wants and needs of the Church, the successful planting of crops, world peace, and so many other intentions. If you cannot be present at Mass on the three Days of Rogation, please make the recitation of the Litany of the Saints part of your family prayers each of those days.

*Feast of the Ascension: Thursday, May 29. A Holy day of obligation. Mass times are 6:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

*Feast of the Queenship of Mary:Saturday, May 31. According to the wishes of Pope Pius XII when he instituted this feast day, as a parish we will publicly acknowledge Mary as our Queen and our Mother through the ceremonies in her honor. These ceremonies will conclude with the Prayer on the Queenship of Mary. All are encouraged to be present for this important parish observance.

*New to the parish? Please fill in the Paeish Census card and return it to Father.

*Mission Sunday is the third Sunday of each month. The 10:30 am Mass is offered for those who are enrolled in the Mass Guild of the Missionaries of the Holy Ghost. The Mass Guild is a wonderful gift opportunuty for family and friends and an important means of support for the Sisters. The fee is $12.00 per yer and those enroled will have their names and intentions remembered at one Holy Mass each month, for an entire year.

*Please remember in your prayers the sick of the parish and our continuing effort to work and pray for the Restoration of the Tridentune Larin Mass. One method is by participating in our on-going fund-raiser using the plastic church banks. To date we have collected nearly $1,680.00.

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~cassie~

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Continued from column one:

Pope St. Pius not only decried these abuses, but he made firm (or "canonized") the rites of the Mass to be observed by the majority of Roman Cathoics throughout the world, stating that this form of the Roman Missal was to be held "in perpetuity," and that if anyone dared to change this Missal, he would "incur the wrath of Almighty God and blessed Peter and Paul, His Apostles." Until 1962, no one dared violate the sacred instruction.

On May 5, let us pray this prayer of the Mass with extra fervor: "Make us to be defended by his watchful care and so adhere to Thy service that, all the contrivances of our enemies being overcone, we may rejoice in everlasting peace.