Support Project Aurora in Oregon

The world needs healers, and Project Aurora needs you! 

Project Aurora creates and sustains dignity based youth and family services throughout Oregon. They act to offer our youth all the tools and life strategies necessary in order that they may be well equiped in first understanding, and then, living authentic sexuality.

On the other end of the spectrum, Project Aurora also provides abortion healing and recovery services via annually scheduled Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats in Portland, Salem, and Medford.

I encourage you to join me in supporting the good works of these healer’s below through your financial contribution. For an in-depth illustration of this organization’s work in our communities and to donate click here. 

Thanks for your consideration…jme

Lori Eckstine, the director of Rachel’s Vineyard retreats is a native Oregonian. Seeking to serve her community and state she was a co-founder in 2001 of the Rachel’s Vineyard retreats offered in the Southwestern part of the state. Lori has been facilitating the retreats for 5 years. Under her co-leadership a parent non profit organization called Project Aurora was formed to include Rachel’s Vineyard retreats.

Her background includes marriage in 1972 to her husband Jerry. They are the parents of five grown children. For 4 years Lori was the right to life chairperson for her community. She volunteered for 1st Way, a pregnancy support center for 4 years. Having experienced an abortion herself when she was age 16, participating in a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in 2000 for her own healing was the pivotal episode in bringing her to become involved in offering the retreats in Oregon. She has helped retreat teams in other states with her skills.

Lori has spoken about abortion healing to many groups in Oregon and other states and to numerous churches all over Oregon.

2001 – Wyoming Council of Catholic Women state convention
2002 – Oregon Catholic Daughter’s convention
2003 – Baker Diocese Pro-life Conference
2004 – Catholic Daughters of St. Henry’s parish in Gresham
2005 – Eugene Right to Life Rally
2005 – panel speaker at Rachel’s Vineyard national conference
2006 – Baker Diocese Pro-life Conference

Jeanine Mudd is a registered Nurse with years of experience as a volunteer for 1st Way, a Nationally Certified Abstinence Educator, an affiliate of National Abstinence Clearinghouse. Jeanine dedicates her efforts to save the unborn and to give her voice to the movement that speaks for innocent lives.

Jeanine Mudd has a powerful message to convey to those who hold her views and need more solid information to defend their beliefs as well as to those who have opposing beliefs and misconceptions. Bringing to presentations compelling and accurate information, Jeanine has informed and strengthened the hearts of many as well as transformed the hearts of some. There are those who have rejected her message and information yet have respected her presentations. She is not what the other side expects.

Jeanine is uniquely qualified to present information, promote discussions, and lead group exercises on the issues of Pro-Life and Chastity. As a practicing nurse since 1987, she worked in diverse and demanding health care areas including patients with chronic illnesses, AIDS, and those undergoing Chemotherapy, as well as an OB/GYN and Labor and Delivery nurse. These experiences gave Jeanine a valuable perspective on life and the consequences of life-style choices.

From 1996 to 2002, Jeanine volunteered at 1st Way, a crisis pregnancy – medical center, served as a 1st Way Board Member, Media Spokesperson, Events Coordinator, high School and Youth Group Guest Speaker. Given the depth and breadth of the personal and professional life Jeanine Mudd has lived (she is also a wife and mother of two small children) she brings a tremendous amount of first account experiences as well as factual information to both captivate and convince her listeners. Jeanine knows that the truth about the gift of human life and the gift of sexuality in marriage will enlighten her listeners and will bring about successful life-style choices, beliefs, and behaviors. Her message is upbeat and motivational. Her faith enables Jeanine to stand up and speak on the behalf of the unborn, the born, and for the choice of chastity.

Nursing Experience Operating Room Nurse Chronic Health disorders – Sickle Cell Anemia, Diabetes, Heart and Kidney Disease. Chemotherapy patient care – caring for those terminally ill – their family, and present at time of death AIDS patient care OB/GYN Nurse – worked for the only OB doctor in a 200 mile radius in a county with a high teen pregnancy rate. Labor and Delivery and Maternal Special Care Nurse New Born Nursery and Intermediate Care Nursery Pro-Life Organization Volunteer Crisis Pregnancy Counselor – 1996 1st Way Board member 1997-2001 Media Spokesperson – Radio and television interviews in which Jeanine represented the organization as well as the Pro-Life platform Guest Speaker – State and National Conferences, High Schools, Middle Schools, Church Youth Groups, University of Oregon. Developed policies and procedures Coordinator of city wide events in Eugene Nationally Certified Abstinence Educator

Project Aurora – A multi-faceted approach to educating and guiding on healthy human sexuality from a Natural Law foundation, as well as offering the option of Catholic moral teaching about human sexuality.

Why Oregonian’s Should Attend Roe v. Wade Memorial Rallys… Oregon Rated Worst Pro Life State in the Union! …[Dates and Times]

First, the good news… Abortions have fallen nationally 25% from their all time high in 1990, so says a new study. Now the bad news… Oregon has been rated the worst pro life state in the union! Get the full story by reading the excellent overview on this post below–provided by the good folks over at: Americans United for Life

To find a R v. Wade Memorial March in your area of Oregon, Go Here. Then go!!!

To find the path of healing and renewal (men and women) from abortion, Click Here. 

 

Oregon 

# 50 Most Pro-life State

Overview

Oregon has a dismal record of failing to protect women, the unborn, the sick, and the dying. For example, Oregon does not mandate informed consent or parental involvement for abortion, does not recognize an unborn child as a potential victim of homicide or assault, and does not limit destructive embryo research or human cloning. Most disturbing is Oregon’s law permitting physician-assisted suicide.

Abortion and Protection of the Unborn and Newly Born

Overall Assessment: Dangerous

Women’s Health & Safety

• Oregon does not provide even rudimentary protection for women considering abortions. The state does not have an informed consent law, a parental involvement law for minors seeking abortions, abortion clinic regulations, ultrasound requirements, or a prohibition on anyone other than a licensed physician performing an abortion.
• Oregon taxpayers fund abortions for women eligible for state medical assistance for general care.
• Oregon has established the Sexual Assault Victims’ Emergency Medical Response Fund, which pays for medical assessments and the provision of emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
• Health plans that provide prescription coverage must also cover prescription contraceptives. Religious employers may refuse coverage if their primary purpose is the inculcation of religious values; primarily employ and serve people with the same values; and are nonprofit entities under federal law.
• Hospitals must provide sexual assault victims with information about and access to emergency contraception. Further, the state department of justice must pay for medical assessments of sexual assault victims, including the provision of emergency contraception and the prescription for emergency contraception to minors.

Protection for the Unborn & Newly Born

• Current Oregon law does not recognize an unborn child as a potential victim of homicide or assault.
• Oregon does not require that an infant who survives an abortion be given appropriate, potentially lifesaving medical care.
• Oregon has a “Baby Moses” law, establishing a safe haven for mothers to legally leave their infants at designated places and ensuring that the infants receive appropriate care and protection.

Bioethics Laws

Overall Assessment: Dangerous

• Oregon maintains no laws regarding destructive embryo research or human cloning.
• Oregon requires that physicians perform artificial insemination procedures.
• Oregon allows health insurance companies to ask for genetic testing, but prohibits discrimination in payment for hospital or medical expenses based on the results of such testing.

End of Life Laws

Overall Assessment: Dangerous

• Oregon permits physician-assisted suicide under statutorily specified circumstances.
• In cases involving life-sustaining treatment and a healthcare provider’s refusal to provide that treatment, Oregon law offers no effective protection for a patient’s wishes as expressed through his/her advance directive. Moreover, there is no duty to provide lifesustaining treatments while a patient waits for transfer to a facility willing to comply with the patient’s wishes.

Healthcare Rights of Conscience Laws

Overall Assessment: Dangerous

Participation in Abortion:

• A physician is not required to participate in or give advice about abortion if he or she discloses this election to the patient.
• A hospital employee or medical staff member is not required to participate in abortions if he or she has notified the hospital of this election.
• A private hospital is not required to admit a woman for an abortion.
• Department of Human Services employees who object in writing may refuse to offer family planning and birth control services.

Participation in Research Harmful to Human Life:

• Oregon currently provides no protection for the rights of healthcare providers to conscientiously object to participation in human cloning, destructive embryo research, or other forms of immoral medical research.

What Happened in 2007

• Oregon enacted a measure requiring health plans that provide prescription coverage to also cover prescription contraceptives. Religious employers may refuse coverage if their primary purpose is the inculcation of religious values; primarily employ and serve people with the same values; and are nonprofit entities under federal law.
• In addition, the measure requires hospitals to provide sexual assault victims with information about and access to emergency contraception. Further, the state department of justice must now pay for medical assessments of sexual assault victims, including the provision of emergency contraception and the prescription for emergency contraception’ to minors.
• Oregon considered a measure directly attacking the mission of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). The measure would have established a study committee to “review” the policies and procedures of state CPCs. The alleged impetus for the bill was that CPCs are providing women with so-called “misleading” and/or “false” information.
• Oregon also considered measures regulating abortion facilities; relating to informed consent and information about fetal pain; requiring parental notice; and protecting unborn victims of violence.
• On the bioethics front, the state considered measures banning cloning, as well as a measure promoting destructive embryo research. It also considered a measure requiring insurance coverage of infertility treatments.
• In addition, Oregon considered measures related to advance directives.

Future Opportunities

(Note: Oregon will not hold a regular legislative sesion in 2008.)

• Oregon lags far behind other states in ensuring that women considering abortion receive accurate and complete information about abortion, the risks of abortion, alternatives to abortion, and the availability of public assistance to help women who want to carry their pregnancies to term.
• Oregon does not protect the health and well-being of minors by requiring parental involvement before an abortion is performed on a minor.
• Oregon does not license and regulate abortion clinics, thereby failing to ensure that minimum health and safety standards are met.
• Oregon does not protect the unborn or newly born by recognizing an unborn child as a potential victim of crime or requiring that infants who survive abortions be given appropriate care.
• Oregon does not ban human cloning or destructive embryo research.
• Because Oregon does not protect the wishes of patients as expressed in their advance directives, patients are vulnerable to the wishes of physicians and hospitals unless the state enacts a statute mandating transfer and requiring life-sustaining treatment pending transfer (and without a time limit).
• Oregon provides no protection for healthcare providers to conscientiously object to participation in procedures other than abortion, such as destructive embryo research or physician-assisted suicide.

Looking Back And Pressing Forward For Christ: Reflections of an advocate for life in the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon

From his perch of absolute human torment, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man listened to the men beneath his cross. “Save yourself,” they said. ‘Come down from the Cross!'” He did not until after all was accomplished: for their sakes…

In many ways today, this same scenario is being carried out in the lives of all those who have chosen to remain with Jesus on their cross. And they themselves hear the very same: ‘Come down from your cross.’ “Save yourself, but, leave us alone.”

This is particularly true of all men and women of goodwill in this age who carry the cross of convincing the world concerning the grave sin of abortion. If one has spent time protesting outside of any abortion clinic, stood on a street corner with a sign, or simply marched for life–that one has known and experienced in some form derision. Yes, the words they sometimes hear are surely different, but, the meaning is the same, “Come down from your cross.” “leave us alone.” “This cross is senseless to us.”

And it is, presently.

Below I offer the reflections of a pro lifer found in the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon. I was attracted to her article not so much because of her complaints, (for there are always aches, pains, irritation and turmoil when one is carrying their cross) but, instead for the simple reason of her perserverance for the sake of love and life–and it is the same love of Christ Jesus hanging on the cross in whom she perserveres for the sake of life, for both know that in order for one to enter life the commandments must be kepted… On earth as it is in heaven.

From the beginning, the living Tradition of the Church—as shown by the Didache, the most ancient non-biblical Christian writing–categorically repeated the commandment “You shall not kill”: “There are two ways, a way of life and a way of death; there is a great difference between them… In accordance with the precept of the teaching: you shall not kill…you shall not put a child to death by abortion nor kill it once it is born…. The way of death is this: …they show no compassion for the poor, they do not suffer with the suffering, they do not acknowledge their Creator, they kill their children and by abortion cause God’s creatures to perish; they drive away the needy, oppress the suffering, they are advocates of the rich and unjust judges of the poor; they are filled with every sin. May you be able to stay ever apart, O children, from all these sins!” 

Evangelium Vitae, John Paul II 03.25.95.

Dear Advocates for Life,

As we look back on 2007 we thank the Dear Lord for giving us grace to persevere through many obstacles.  We remember:

• how at the 2007 Session of the legislature the Catholics were poorly represented by Roger Martin the lobbyist who had voted to legalize abortion as a legislator in 1969. 
• how the Catholic hospitals didn’t squawk at the thought of giving “Emergency Contraception” to women as matter of course if they said they were sexually assaulted, with no definition of “assault”.
• how Our chancellor, Mary Jo Tully, is the on the Ethics Board at these hospitals didn’t submit testimony to fight for the life of children at the earliest stage.
• how the Archdiocese of Portland didn’t fight for our right to vote on homosexual issues
• how the Archdiocese has still not disclosed the letter from Bishop Vigneron from Oakland regarding the scandalous homosexual workshop at St. Philip Neri parish with Father Jim Schexnayder.
• how the Justice and Peace Office has tens of thousands of dollars in her budget and the Respect Life Office has none.
• how our battle against Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon participating churches and them allowing “masses” for Toni Tortorilla, the “first ordained woman” (impossible, VOCAL) in the Archdiocese and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council still saying that we should be involved with this pro-abortion/pro-homosexual group of Churches.

GOOD NEWS – Our faith in Jesus Christ and His Church won many battles in this spiritual warfare. 

• The embryonic stem cell/cloning bill lost by one vote.  Even though Oregon Catholic Conference didn’t lobby against this, Oregon Right to Life fought hard and had their conference speaker Father Tad Pacholczyk from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, stay two more days and change the course of this vote.
• The two referenda petition drives for the right to vote on “Domestic Partnerships” and “sexual behavior/activity as a protected minority status” truly succeeded. Thousands of Catholics, Protestants from different backgrounds came together to gather 130,000 signatures, all voluntary, in a true ecumenical effort, and NO DEBT.
• Sidenote — February 1st a judge will determine whether the “domestic partnerships” will be voted on without another signature drive…the signature drive to put “sexual activity/behavior” with no definition WILL go forward.  So….keep praying.
• The Right to Life is still alive and well in the pews.  Even though this is not a top priority with the Archdiocese, the Life is Sacred conference coming up on January 26th at the Expo Center will have thousands of lovers of life gathering.  And the churches that have respect life offices are doing such good works to save lives.
• We had a very successful Justice in Pieces series of workshops with Oregon Catholics understanding how dangerous to our souls the Saul Alinsky/Chicago/Portland connection is.  We are learning and acting on this education.  For a CD contact me and I’ll send it out….

This year is one where we will need more perseverance aka”; persisting in anything undertaken; maintaining a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. ‘ 

We really need to persist in prayer for our Archdiocese. 

On a personal note, I was “dismissed” from a volunteer position, by the Archbishop,  with the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women as Church Commission Chairman.  I had been with these great ladies for almost five years and did the prayers for priests in the Sentinel each month for almost four years. 

I kept VOCAL separate from the ACCW in many ways….I respected this relationship and didn’t misuse it.  However, the Archbishop isn’t happy with me and there was mention of the Campaign for Human Development in the “dismissal” conversation by the president of ACCW and my problems with the CHD.

There were already problems for me with ACCW because, in my opinion, we were not respected for our opinions.  For example, our evaluation of the “Safe environments” programs that our children are subjected to. A four month ad hoc committee led all ladies to submit a letter to the Archbishop stating this was not appropriate for the children. He fell back on information by Sister Rita Rae Schneider, who was very psychological, but not maternally protective and dismissed our concerns.  Mom’s know best.  There just aren’t any in leadership in the Archdiocese that I can think of.

And remember when I was “escorted out” of the Pastoral Center when I mentioned a meeting with the School Superintendent, Bob Mizia, to discuss an opt out form that Cathy Shannon, the Safe Environments director said was not a parental option in all cases.   So…..let’s keep on our knees.  For me too please. 

Remember, we are having a Spring talk by Donna Steichen of “Ungodly Rage” fame.  She is just finishing up a new book.  We will have to raise funds, I would think lots, her fee is $1,500 and she needs travel expenses from California and a hotel.  This is a great opportunity and I will have all monies posted with donors initials on the VOCAL website www.vocalnews.org so you’ll know where we are and what we need.

I pray that you had a wonderful Christmas Season and Happy New Year.  It’s going to be a good one serving Jesus Christ and His Church.God Bless you and yours,
Carolyn
www.vocalnews.org

On Sunday April 24th 1994, Pope John Paul II recommended this prayer be used by all Catholics as a prayer for the Church when he said:

‘”May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle we are told about in the Letter to the Ephesians: ‘Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power’ (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel (Revelation 12:7). Pope Leo XIII certainly had a very vivid recollection of this scene when, at the end of the last century, he introduced a special prayer to St. Michael throughout the Church. Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world.“‘

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host –
by the Divine Power of God –
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.