Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

See more details at March 25-28: Encircle the Supreme Court with Prayer

On March 23, 2012, just three days before the U.S. Supreme Court hears cases contesting the constitutionality President Obama’s healthcare law, Reverend Rob Schenck and Father Paul Schenck will join other religious and pro-life leaders in educating the public about the Obama administration’s mandates violating religious freedom.

The Rally for Religious Freedom will take place at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, acknowledging every American’s “unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Philadelphia is also home of the Liberty Bell and the city where 38 of 41 founding fathers signed the U.S. Constitution.

Rev. Rob Schenck is co-founder and president of P & R Schenck Associates in Evangelism, Inc., the parent corporation to Faith and Action in the Nation’s Capital, the National Clergy Council, and the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill.

His twin brother, Father Paul Chaim Benedicta Schenck, is founding director and chairman of the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill, and a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he is director of the Respect Life Office.

Philadelphia Rally for Religious Freedom
This event is sponsored by the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Respect Life Office and Office for Catholic Education, the Prolife Union of Southeastern PA, Generation Life, and StandUpforReligiousFreedom.com. (For those who don’t live in or near Philadelphia, consider attending one of the many rallies nationwide. See StandUpforReligiousFreedom.com/locations/)

When: Friday, March 23, 2012
Time: Noon- 2 p.m.

Where: Independence Hall
520 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Summary from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
On January 20th, the Obama administration made it clear that the new HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] mandate requiring employers to provide free contraceptives, sterilization and abortifacient drugs through their insurance plans would be imposed on religious institutions.

The HHS provided a “religious exemption” so narrow that it would exclude Catholic hospitals, universities and charities, forcing these institutions to act in direct opposition to Catholic teaching through the health care plans they provide. Institutions run by other religious organizations would be similarly affected.

Religious leaders across the country have been speaking out against the HHS mandate, including 171 Catholic bishops, and numerous lawsuits have been filed by Catholic institutions.

What every citizen must know about the HHS mandate

• The mandate does not exempt Catholic charities, schools, universities, or hospitals.
• The mandate forces these institutions and others, against their conscience, to pay for things they consider immoral.
• The mandate forces coverage of sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and devices as well as contraception.
• Americans of all political persuasions and religious backgrounds are unified in their opposition to the mandate.
• Abortion and contraception are not healthcare.

Faith and Action and its partner the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill decry the unconstitutional law and mandates for the sake of all Americans.

For more information on the perils of the “healthcare” law and President Obama’s orders, see our previous articles Feb. 16: Join Faith and Action on Capitol Hill; Clergy Declare State of Emergency for Churches Over Obama Demands; Emergency Declaration to President Obama; Faith and Action Partner Sues Obama Administration; and Seven States Sue Over Obama Mandates.

Please also see and share our invitation to March 25-28: Encircle the Supreme Court in Prayer.

Faith and Action & the Christian Defense Coalition invite you to
“Justice at the Court: Encircle the Court with Prayer”

West Facade of the Supreme Court by Franz Jantzen

March 26-28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama. Numerous plaintiffs, including 26 states, will argue to the U.S. Supreme Court that this law is unconstitutional.

Under this law, the government has ordered churches, synagogues and religiously affiliated and pro-life organizations to provide health insurance policies that cover abortion-inducing drugs and other procedures that violate the consciences of many people of faith. When religious leaders across America strongly protested, President Obama “compromised” by directly ordering all health insurance companies to provide the offensive drugs and procedures. Therefore, we continue to object to this political shell game.

In partnership with the Christian Defense Coalition and the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill, Faith and Action is calling people from all across America to join us outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. and prayerfully cry out to God to preserve our fundamental human rights, including our religious freedom. We pray hundreds of Americans will encircle the Supreme Court on the eve of these historic arguments and while the Justices are hearing these cases.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition said, “When Roe v. Wade was decided, the Christian community was detached and uninvolved. We want to make sure that is not the case this time as we challenge people of faith to publicly pray and speak out with boldness and passion.”

“The First Amendment expressly forbids President Obama from prohibiting the free exercise of religion,” said Faith and Action’s Rev. Rob Schenck. “This action is reason for all religious people – all people of goodwill – to declare a state of emergency. We must speak now or be forever forced to hold our peace.”

“The outcome of the Supreme Court cases does not depend primarily on the attorneys, the arguments or even the politics, but rather on how many of God’s people will use the weapons of prayer to restore America’s religious freedom and respect for life,” said Father Frank Pavone of the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill and Priests for Life. “Join us in prayer at the Supreme Court — or wherever you may be — from March 25th to 28th.”

“We, as Christians, know the power of prayer. That’s why it is important to gather around the Supreme Court if you are at all able to do so — and if not, to pray where you are,” added Dr. Day Gardner of the National Pro-Life Center and National Black Pro-Life Union. “In these last days, it’s especially important to stand firm for our right to serve the God we love — now more than ever before.”

Calling all faithful Americans to Justice at the Court!

Yes friends, once again the God-given right of all Americans to religious freedom is under review by the Supreme Court. We pray the Justices will rule against the government’s violation of our religious liberty and conscience – we pray they’ll rule in favor of the free exercise of our faith in keeping with the First Amendment. We pray for “Justice at the Court”!

Schedule
Sunday, March 25
2-4 p.m.
Rev. Mahoney will lead the prayer vigil and the laying of 3,300 flowers around the Supreme Court as a prophetic witness to the 3,300 children who die every day from abortion.

Monday, March 26
8 a.m.-Noon
Prayer vigil and prophetic witness

Tuesday, March 27
8 a.m.-Noon
Prayer vigil and prophetic witness

Wednesday, March 28
8 a.m.-Noon
Prayer vigil and prophetic witness

Location: All prayer events will begin on the public sidewalk right in front of the steps leading up to the plaza of the United States Supreme Court on 1st Street NE. The address is East Capitol Street NE and 1st Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Metro Stops & Parking
We recommend taking the Metro. Union Station and Capitol South are the Metro stops nearest to the Supreme Court.
If you choose to drive, parking is available at Union Station from where you may walk to the Supreme Court, and street parking may be available behind the Supreme Court.

– Pro-Life Nation and Reabhloid DC are co-sponsoring Justice at the Court –

For more information, contact:
Peggy Nienaber
Faith and Action
(202) 546-8329, ext. 104
Peggy@FaithandAction.org

or

Rev. Patrick Mahoney
Christian Defense Coalition
(540) 538-4741
RevMahoney@aol.com

– If you cannot make this pilgrimage to Washington, please join Faith and Action by praying for justice wherever you are. Kindly share our invitation and prayer requests with your family, friends and neighbors of goodwill. –

This event will cost Faith and Action $16,000.00 and we need your help. Please make a tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. With deepest gratitude, your missionaries on Capitol Hill will cry out to the Lord for Justice at the Court!

For more information on the perils of the “healthcare” law and President Obama’s orders, see our previous articles Feb. 16: Join Faith and Action on Capitol Hill; Clergy Declare State of Emergency for Churches Over Obama Demands; Emergency Declaration to President Obama; Faith and Action Partner Sues Obama Administration; and Seven States Sue Over Obama Mandates.

The Supreme Court will hear five cases against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or President Obama, and one U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lawsuit against 25 states. See all the petitions by clicking here.

Rev. Rob Schenck invites you to a premier event in Washington, D.C.

A few weeks ago I told you about my good friend, Eric Metaxas, author of the new blockbuster biography, “BONHOEFFER: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy,” and his prophetic message at the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast. As Eric stood at the podium, President Obama sat immediately to his right. In that moment, Eric delivered a powerful word to the president, the 4000 movers and shakers in attendance, and to the world via C-SPAN. It was a moment my hero, German pastor and Nazi-era martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, would have called ‘status confessionis’–a time for God’s people to speak!

I’m writing now to invite you to meet Eric Metaxas personally in an intimate and dynamic setting as he hosts a forum in Washington called Socrates in the City. This is a unique approach to ministry–both to believers and nonbelievers.

Please make a sacrificial commitment to register and attend the March 15 Socrates in the City forum with my friend, Eric Metaxas. He and I will both appreciate your prayerful presence. Of course, if you have an interest in Intelligent Design–the case for the Creator’s mark on the natural world and the truth of the Bible’s account of creation–you’ll get even more out of this presentation.

Eric is not only very smart–he’s very, VERY-funny! I guarantee you won’t be disappointed–and you’ll wish you had brought others when it’s over. (Having said that, why not invite family, friends and fellow church members to join you? Especially your pastor!)

Your grateful missionary to Washington, D.C.,

Rob Schenck

Event: Is It Anti-Science to Question ‘Consensus’ Science?

Growing voices in the media and elsewhere claim it’s “anti-science” to question the “scientific consensus” on such varied issues as climate change, embryonic stem-cell research, and Darwin’s theory of evolution. But is challenging “consensus” science really anti-science? And is it good public policy for public officials to ignore dissenting voices in the scientific community?

Rob invites you to join Faith and Action’s Peggy Nienaber in welcoming Eric Metaxas and Dr. Stephen Meyer to Eric’s premier Washington Socrates in the City event.

Join us for a talk and conversation with Stephen C. Meyer, Ph.D., director of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. Dr. Meyer is a Cambridge University-trained philosopher of science, and author of “Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design.” He’s an editor of “Darwinism, Design and Public Education,” and co-wrote “Science and Evidence of Design in the Universe.”

Is It Anti-Science to Question ‘Consensus’ Science?
When: Thursday, March 15, 2012
-Dr. Meyer will begin speaking at 6 p.m. sharp
-He will sign books at 8 p.m.

Where: The University Club of Washington, D.C.
1135 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Admission is $25 per person for those who register by Feb. 29, 2012
$35  for those who register March 1-10
$45 March 11-13 or at the door

Peggy looks forward to seeing you! Register by clicking here

After many religious leaders, including Catholic bishops across America, publicly refused to comply with President Obama’s unconstitutional order to pay for abortion-inducing drugs and other unethical procedures including sterilization, Obama announced an “accommodation” to his orders. He now orders all health insurance companies to provide abortion-inducing drugs“free of charge.”

Thus, Faith and Action’s president, Rev. Rob Schenck, said this is no compromise because it violates the natural rights and liberties of all conscientious objectors and Faith and Action is taking your concerns to Capitol Hill.

Rev. Rob Schenck said, “It’s ludicrous for President Obama to offer a so-called compromise on this egregious violation of religious freedom. The First Amendment expressly forbids him from prohibiting the free exercise of religion. The U.S. founders were crystal clear on that. What’s there to compromise? Certainly not a constitutionally-guaranteed liberty. This action is reason for all religious people – all people of goodwill – to declare a state of emergency. We must speak now or be forever forced to hold our peace.”

Faith and Action invites you to join our chief of program, Peggy Nienaber, and many of our allies to combat this deadly and unconstitutional mandate on Capitol Hill. Here are the details:

Event: “Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?”
Hearing by the House Committee of Oversight & Government Reform
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2154, Washington, D.C.

Update: The House Committee of Oversight & Government Reform has provided the following video segment from today’s hearing. It features Bishop Lori and Rev. Harrison answering questions by Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan in addition to commentary by Rep. Walberg:

Also on February 16, our longtime partner Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition will lead a prayer vigil and protest the mandates outside the White House at 10:30 a.m. Members of our partner organization Priests for Life will join forces with Pat Mahoney, along with Operation Rescue, Rock for Life, Students for Life of America, and Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust.

Update: Rev. Mahoney and Father Denis Wilde, O.S.A., a Priests for Life associate, were among six pro-lifers arrested. They were cited for “failure to obey a lawful order” as they knelt in prayer in front of the White House. Each paid a $100 fine and was released from custody.

“Occupy Wall Street protesters have been occupying federal property for months, but when we kneel in prayer, the police are called in and we are arrested,” said Fr. Wilde. “We knew that was the risk when we gathered today and we will do it again regardless of the risk. What people of faith – of every faith – need to do now is stand with us.”

We humbly request your prayers for the success of all efforts to secure the unalienable rights to life, true liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Of course we are with you in faith and action!

Even though January 22, 2012 was the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it became a day of rejoicing as Rev. Rob Schenck welcomed Mrs. Caroline Ball, widow of the late great Supreme Court lawyer William Bentley Ball, along with their daughter Mrs. Virginia (Ginny) Duncan, and her husband Mr. Sandy Duncan to Faith and Action, which houses the new William Bentley Ball Memorial Archive and a view of the very Supreme Court where Mr. Ball argued for justice and  religious liberty.

About William Bentley Ball (1917-99)
Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1969, William (Bill) Bentley Ball, Esq. argued nine cases as lead counsel and assisted in 25 other Supreme Court cases. In his many appearances before the Supreme Court and federal courts, Bill Ball defended religious freedom as the first freedom and a fundamental human right, second only to life.

He graduated from the University of Notre Dame School of Law in 1948 and upon graduation, he practiced corporate law at Grace & Company and Pfizer, Inc. 1955-60, he served as founding faculty member of the Villanova University Law School. 1960-68, Bill served as executive director and chief legal counsel for the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference in Harrisburg. In 1968, he founded the law firm Ball, Skelly, Murren & Connell in Harrisburg, which then served as legal counsel for the Catholic Conference. He also was active in the Pennsylvania Equal Rights Council, the Christian Legal Society, and the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. 

William Bentley Ball wrote articles for prestigious law journals. 

A treasury of articles by and about him is available online at First Things. 

After his death in January 1999, the New York Times recognized William Bentley Ball, and scholars praised his wit and wisdom in the National Catholic Register.

Considering all Bill’s accomplishments, Caroline said her beloved husband had a small staff and did most of the work on his own.

William Bentley Ball’s intellectual treasures will be archived at WilliamBentleyBall.org.

Celebrating William Bentley Ball
Rob said, “You’re all friends or family or connected in some way to us and we’re so happy to have the Balls with us at Faith and Action, which is the hospitality and outreach center to our elected and appointed officials. Faith and Action’s mission is to bring classical Christian moral instruction into the conversation, into the debates around public policy and we do that from this platform. What a pleasure it for us to host the tribute to a great man, William Bentley Ball, in this facility.

“This is a great day for rejoicing,” said Rob before he sent all guests to partake of a feast.

Faith and Action staffers Peggy Nienaber and her twin sister Patty Bills welcomed and served the Ball family along with Greg Cox of our communications team. Peggy, of course, oversaw the renovation of our second floor room into the William Bentley Ball Memorial Archive.

The archive contains a striking photographic portrait of William Bentley Ball shown above, his desk, his Supreme Court briefs, news clippings about him, his favorite law and classical books, and books he authored, namely “Mere Creatures of the State: On Education, Religion and the Courts” and “In Search of a National Morality: A Manifesto for Evangelicals and Catholics.” It also features some his drawings and handwritten poems.

“Married Togetherness,” one of Bill’s love notes to Caroline, is on display and it goes like this:

I’m not you, and you’re not me,
And neither one should try to be.
It’s not a question of being either;
A loving us is really neither.

After everyone had dined, Faith and Action cofounder Fr. Paul C.B. Schenck of our partner organization the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill, blessed the archive with assistance from Deacon Keith Fournier, the executive director of the William Bentley Ball Memorial Archive. Paul’s wife Becky was there with the couple’s youngest daughter. Other guests included Day Gardner of the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill, Crista Childs of Priests for Life, and Father Denis Wilde, O.S.A., a Priests for Life associate.

Paul explained how the memorial archive ended up at Faith and Action.

“I was aware of the work of William Bentley Ball, somewhat like I’m aware of the work of George Washington or Erasmus or some grand and almost mythic personality. Much of the work that we have the blessing and privilege of being a part stood on the foundation that includes William Bentley Ball.

“Then when I became a lowly priest of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg and was floundering around and just getting my sea legs, a knock came on my door and a woman presented herself as Ginny Duncan – no association in my mind with the mythic William Bentley Ball. She directed the Office of Ministry with People with Disabilities and I was very pleased to meet her.”

Paul leads the Respect Life Office in his diocese and further explained: “Ginny said she was a zealous pro-lifer who wanted to work together and cooperate between our two offices, and I was thrilled with that. Then she said her dad was Bill Ball, William Bentley Ball. I said fine, that’s nice to know too. Then it started processing. This is the daughter of William Bentley Ball!”

Soon after meeting Fr. Schenck, Ginny offered him the entire collection of her father’s books, Supreme Court briefs, and personal artifacts from his law office.

Paul said the more Ginny told him, the more he realized that Faith and Action would acquire the treasures of a visionary who was much like Blessed Pope John Paul II – a visionary who helped establish legal precedents for people of faith and religion, precedents that would help Americans in the 21^st century and beyond.

Ginny thanked Paul, Rob and the Faith and Action team. She said, “I just want to mention that we tried to contact several places to see if they were interested because my father’s belongings were in my basement, my mother’s basement and a carriage house at his law firm – everywhere. And it was deteriorating by the moment. So I thought we’ve got to do something or it’s all going to be lost.”

Paul and Ginny agreed that God wanted William Bentley Ball’s archives at Faith and Action in the very neighborhood where he championed human rights at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Greg treated everyone to a recording of William Bentley Ball’s booming voice as he argued a case before the Supreme Court, and after everyone celebrated the Ball family, Rev. Dr. Allen Church of the Reformed Presbyterian Church-Hanover Presbytery offered a closing prayer.

The next day, immediately after Faith and Action’s 2012 National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers, Fr. Paul Schenck celebrated Mass for the Ball family and other Catholic pro-life pilgrims at Faith and Action headquarters. 

Tony Melendez, the Catholic artist who describes himself as the “successful toe-pickin’ guitar player and vocalist, born without arms and a club foot” brought “the sound of hope and courage” to that Mass as he played guitar and sang the praises of Jesus Christ. Tony was accompanied by his brother and manager Jose Melendez, as well as fellow musicians Patrick Smith and Roland Guerrero. So even Tony’s performance was a tribute to William Bentley Ball, who had championed cases for the disabled. 

Faith and Action is grateful to offer the world William Bentley Ball’s wisdom and grateful for his beautiful life.

On January 23, Rev. Rob Schenck and other ministers addressed some 200 Christians at Faith and Action’s 18^th National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers, which took place at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. Since all events at the Capitol must be sponsored by a member of Congress, we humbly thank Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey for sponsoring us.

As noted in our invitation, our partner is Rob’s twin brother, Fr. Paul C.B. Schenck of the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill. Rob and Paul founded the National Memorial Conference for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers 18 years ago. Our sponsors are now the Gospel of Life Ministries, the National Clergy Council, the National Pro-Life Religious Council, National Pro-Life Radio, and Priests for Life.

Rev. Rob Schenck opened the interreligious ceremonies by saying, “The saving of souls is paired with the saving of culture.” He added, “My brother and I have been debating since we were womb-mates. But Father Paul, I’ll give you this one today.
“The Roman Catholic Church has been saving cultures, if you will, for a long, long time. And Archpriest Alexander Webster, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say the Orthodox have been doing it just as long – or as you may argue, even longer. But I won’t open up that conversation either.
“Anyway, we Evangelicals tend to think in ten-year increments. Catholics and Orthodox think in slightly longer expansives, say thousand-year increments.
“So it’s been 18 years since we started this event. In my short-term Evangelical mind, that’s 17 years too many because in 1995 we had hoped that the conscience of the country wouldn’t allow the killing of the unborn to continue one more year. But another year did come and go. And another. And another. And here we are 17 years later.
“Now many people, among them many of my Evangelical colleagues, have been tempted to give up on the fight for the sanctity of life because, as one said to me recently, ‘We don’t seem to be getting anywhere.’ And, of course, yesterday marked the 39^th year since seven judges in Roe v. Wade created a vacuum of law leaving the most defenseless members of human society vulnerable to cruelty and death.
“Now I don’t know how some might see it, but I see the absence of law and the resultant callousness of abandonment and the burning, poisoning, dismembering, eviscerating and smothering of tiny human beings as consummately uncivilized – in fact, barbaric behavior.
“So the justices unleashed barbarism in our culture when they voted seven-to-two to strike down laws protecting vulnerable, pre-born children.
“But you know something, Rome, as they say, wasn’t built in a day and neither was Constantinople. It takes a long time, very long periods of time to build and rebuild civilizations.
“So Father Frank [Pavone], Father Alexander, my fellow Evangelicals, we have our work cut out for us. We must still save souls by announcing the Gospel whenever and wherever we can, but we must also reform civilization. We must civilize the United States of America by ending the tyranny and tragedy of abortion in our time, while modeling and teaching compassion and care for the most vulnerable in our society. And that, folks, ought to keep us all busy for at least another 18 years.”

Recording artist Kelly Clinger, former background singer for Britney Spears and member of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, sang and Dr. Alveda King, national spokeswoman for Silent No More, a Priests for Life ministry, was there in support of Kelly and all pro-life efforts.

Everyone stood to hear the Gospel of Luke 1:41-42: And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and the National Pro-Life Religious Council gave the homily.

In part, he said, “My brothers and sisters, since 1973 there has been a wound in the heart of America: A wound in the hearts of both young and old; of Republicans and Democrats; of blacks and whites; of rich and poor. There has been a wound inflicted on this great nation, which was conceived in liberty and which claimed both its freedom and its greatness in the acknowledgement of its God. This wound, perpetuated by slogans invoking freedom, has proven to be the very antithesis of freedom.”

Thomas Glessner of the National Institute of Family Life Advocates and National Religious Pro-Life Council, presented the first of two Pro-Life Recognition Awards to Karolyn Schrage, RN, BSN, who serves as executive director of LifeChoices Medical Clinic and 4U Testing Clinic in Joplin, Missouri.

Among Karolyn’s many accomplishments, after a tornado ravaged Joplin and destroyed one its hospitals in 2011, LifeChoices furnished space to the hospital’s OB-GYN staff and other physicians, and assisted in providing medical services to thousands in the Joplin community. At that time of crisis, LifeChoices also became the top distribution center for newborn supplies, and the LifeChoices staff assisted at other medical triage centers too. Amid all of this, Karolyn and her staff fulfilled LifeChoices’ primary mission of assisting pregnant mothers to choose life for their babies.

Karolyn thanked the council as one of many pro-life workers at LifeChoices and said, “May we be ready in every community in every state to serve with His hands, with His heart and with the whisper of hope that only comes from Christ Jesus.”

Fr. Pavone presented the next Pro-Life Recognition Award to Chris Slattery of EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers.

As Father noted, New York City is the abortion capital in our nation. Yet Chris is undaunted. In 1984, he opened the first pregnancy resource center in New York. Now EMC FrontLine is a network of 12 pregnancy help centers throughout New York City, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Chris also pioneered the mobile ultrasound clinic, which EMC parks near abortion businesses. Some 45,000 babies have been saved from abortion through Chris’s work.

Chris accepted the award on behalf of all his staff and volunteers. He called their work “a special challenge” because EMC has been attacked by two New York state attorneys general and two laws were written as attempts to put EMC out of business.

He said, “When you are fighting over 75, 80 abortion mills and [abortion committing] hospitals and I hear of states that might lose their last abortion mill, I just dream ‘My Lord, could we ever get to just one in New York?’”

Chris said he’s been able to persevere because so many people pray for and support him. He thanked friends in the room, his family and especially his wife, Eileen, for “putting up with him.” He stressed the importance of the religious community and said, “It is truly through prayer that we are going to save lives.”

Priests for Life and Gospel of Life Ministries announced that their 2012 pro-life award went to Victoria Hearst of Praise Him Ministries. However, Victoria was unable to attend.

After the awards, clergy members prayed by reciting the Lord’s word on life from the Old and New Testaments. In addition to the Schenck brothers and Fr. Pavone, ministers included Deacon Keith Fournier of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Virginia; Pastor Scott Leib of Manassas Assembly of God in Virginia; Rev. Kirk van der Swaagh of the Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village in New York City; Fr. Martin Eppard of the Church of the Good Shepherd Charismatic Episcopal Church in Pikesville, Maryland; and a minister from OptionLine. Two Catholic priests traveled all the way from Barcelona, Spain to march for life and join our panel. Padres Custodio Ballester and René Castillo recited scripture in their beautiful native tongue, Spanish.

This memorial was one of Faith and Action’s many events for pro-life pilgrims before and after the March for Life.

Faith and Action invites you to the 18^th National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers in Washington, D.C . on Monday, January 23, 2012. It will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Room HVC 201 of the Capitol Visitors Center – and it is the only pro-life prayer service convened on the U.S. Capitol complex.

There is much history behind Faith and Action’s annual National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers and we will share a glimpse of it here. Our partner is Fr. Paul C.B. Schenck, Rob’s twin brother, of the National Pro-Life Center on Capitol Hill and our sponsors include the National Clergy Council and National Pro-Life Radio.

In 1994, Faith and Action was renting space in the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church when its founders Rev. Rob Schenck and Rev. Paul Schenck, now a Catholic priest, organized the first annual memorial. Evidently there was need for this memorial because turnout was impressive. Members of Congress, pro-life leaders from all over the United States, Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, Rev. Johnny Hunter of LEARN and media came.

As a result of the media coverage, Rob and Paul were summoned before the board of the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church and told that these Methodists were a “tolerance congregation”; they had both “pro-choice” and “pro-life” people among their congregational leaders; and they “affirmed everybody’s right to choose [abortion].” Therefore, Rob, Paul and Faith and Action were expelled from the property and their rental lease was void, effective immediately.

The chairman of the board was a physician and Rob asked him: “Doctor, are you so tolerant as a congregation that you find us intolerable?” 

The doctor answered, “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

As Rob likes to say, in that moment God’s sovereignty and providence were evident. In that moment, Faith and Action was homeless as a ministry, a group and organizer of the annual memorial. However, then-Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma had attended the first memorial and he said to Rob, “Well, next year you’ll just have to hold it in the Capitol.” 

Since 1995, the National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers has been the only full-scale pro-life and preaching event inside the U.S. Capitol complex.

The 2012 National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers on January 23 will feature performances by Kelly Clinger, a recording artist and spokeswoman for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, and Tony Melendez, the renowned guitar player who was born without arms and plays with his feet.

The National Pro-Life Religious Council will present its 2012 Pro-Life Recognition Award to Chris Slattery, founder of EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers in New York; and Karolyn Schrage, executive director of LifeChoices in Joplin, Missouri.

With the many potential changes in Congress and possibly the White House on the horizon, we believe that our presence is needed on Capitol Hill now more than ever. 

With the National Memorial for the Pre-Born and Their Mothers and Fathers, we’re calling on national leaders to stand for a culture of life that protects the innocent and helpless, defends the traditional family, and allows for the public acknowledgement of God. 

We want everyone to know that as your missionaries to Capitol Hill, we are not in retreat! We are not going away! We are moving forward in God!

Federal law prohibits us from taking offerings during this event but – truth be told – Faith and Action needs financial support to continue our critical outreach to the nation’s lawmakers and Supreme Court justices.

Will you please help us stand for truth? Will you help us defend innocent babies, vulnerable mothers, and the family by making a $5, $10 or $25 contribution now? 

To make your tax-deductible gift to Faith and Action, click here.

It is that time of year again; when the weather begins to cool in the Northeast and the leaves begin to change, it means that it is soon time for the annual Lancaster Family Circle Banquet! This year, the dinner falls on Monday October 17^th. As usual, it will be held at the famed Good N’ Plenty Restaurant. The Lancaster, PA dinner event is a staple on Faith and Action’s calendar.

A special feature this year is guest Jay Sekulow, renowned constitutional attorney, religious liberty advocate, author and media commentator. Faith and Action president Rob Schenck invites all who are interested to join him at the for an unforgettable evening of Christian fellowship, in-depth analysis of the big issues of our day, and insightful analysis of next year’s presidential election.

Good N’ Plenty is a famed family-style restaurant with quite a storied history. In 1969, Christ and Dolly Lapp purchased a small farm in pursuit of their dream to one day open a restaurant. Word of the restaurant’s delicious PA Dutch food spread quickly, with customers sometimes willing to wait up to two hours for the opportunity to dine at the restaurant. Initially only seating up to 114 people, Good ‘N Plenty would soon add a “Dutch Room” to the restaurant to seat upwards of 600 people. Today, Christ and Dolly Lapp—along with their children and grandchildren—continue to serve guests with their unique home-style cooking.

Good N’ Plenty maintains a unique relationship to its surrounding Amish and Mennonite culture in Lancaster County.

RSVP for the dinner, which begins at 6:30pm, is due by Wednesday October 12th. Bring some friends and come join us at our favorite restaurant located at 150 Eastbrook Rd, Smoketown, Lancaster County, PA. Cost for this one-of-a-kind event is $16.75 for adults and $11.75 for children ages 4-12.

To book your reservation now, visit: https://www.donation-net.net/donation/donation1.cfm?dn=1065&source=113&CFID=13071292&CFTOKEN=79146435

This weekend, Rev. Rob Schenck will visit one of the longest term anchor churches for Faith and Action’s ministry: Believer’s Life Family Church. Located in suburban New Orleans, Believer’s Life has had a close, working relationship with Rev. Schenck since 1986. Rev. Schenck considers it a great honor and joy to reunite with the church, and commented that he is “grateful to God” for Pastors Randy and Cathy Cilluffo. The memory about the Cilluffos and Believer’s Life that will perhaps be most lasting for Rev. Schenck is the role the church played in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. 

Rev. Schenck went down to Louisiana shortly after the hurricane to visit the church. New Orleans had been obliterated by the devastating storm. As a result, all of the schools had been closed down. Believer’s Life, which had maintained a Christian school for many years, opened their doors to any student who would want to attend their school. The response was overwhelming because they were the only functional school on that side of New Orleans. Almost miraculously, however, Believer’s Life welcomed all of those students, and expanded their programs.

Believer’s Life soon became a refuge for people as there were hundreds of trailers on their property to house the homeless. They opened their property to anyone who needed their space for trailers. The church was a safe haven for countless people for nearly two years after the storm. They were a Christlike model of bold selflessness to a community in dire straits. 

Yet, at the time, when Rev. Schenck went to them to bring a financial gift, he was sent home with five times as much as he had brought them. Any attempt to refuse the gift was turned down and would have been a disappointment to the church. This kind of astounding generosity is characteristic of Believer’s Life and its pastoral team. Faith and Action’s gratitude will know no end to this church. They helped us launch in Washington, they helped us launch every stage of our ministry, and they’ve taught us what it means to serve a city with the kind of humility that changes lives and cultures for Christ.

Rev. Schenck will speak “off the record” about his daily missional dealings in Washington DC. If you are in the New Orleans area on Sunday October 9th, plan to join Rev. Schenck and the congregation at the 10:30 am service. Then, at 4pm, you can join Rev. Schenck for dessert at La Maison Creole ($10 tickets available in the BLFC foyer).