By Jason and Ryan McBride
Story provided by Holt International
Eugene Oregon

We read an interesting comment on an adoption blog recently. It said: “My infertility is a blessing.” It was made by a woman who had adopted two children of her own, then dedicated her life to helping others who couldn’t afford it.

It immediately sparked a conversation in our house, where one of us said what an absolutely bold, mildly insensitive, yet positively true statement it was.

Years ago, had we read a statement like this, we probably would have thrown the laptop into the sink, cursing its author as an ignorant fool with no concept of what we’d just gone through.

See… we struggled with infertility for a long time. Three years in fact.

Not the easier “I can’t get pregnant” kind of infertility either. Ours was worse. We had the kind where you waited month after disappointing month in the world of “infertility treatment” – a years-long saga of waiting rooms, biweekly ultrasounds, weight-gaining medications, morning “donations” before work and, of course, the ever-invasive IVF sessions where you pray for twins but… get neither. All of this inevitably ended in disappointment and the usual “We’ll get em’ next time, honey” conversation.

Yeah, it’s safe to say our battle with infertility was the most challenging, rock bottom point in either of our lives.

So how on earth could this woman dismiss her infertility so easily? Didn’t she know how tragic a subject this was for so many couples out there? It took us another three years, two adoptions, and two wonderful trips around the world to answer that question. The answer? Because it’s true. Our initial misfortune of infertility was a blessing in disguise. We just didn’t know it yet.

We came to Holt International in the summer of 2009 after years of failed infertility treatment. Don’t get us wrong, this wasn’t exactly a “second choice” for us. We had always planned to adopt, just not yet. Biological children were our first priority because well… that’s just what people do, right?

We inquired with a local branch office, having heard about Holt through a friend of a friend who had adopted two children from Korea and raved about their services. We were cautious in our optimism, but hopeful we’d find the next phase of our lives.

We were looking for a miracle.

Our initial optimism turned to skepticism. We preferred international adoption to domestic, so when we heard about the extremely long waiting period for one of Asia’s most stable programs, China, we began another round of disappointment. How could we possibly wait another five years to have children?

Then we heard about children in China with “minor correctable problems.” Not special needs, but children who are basically healthy with the exception of some needed medical attention. This was a shorter, easier option to pursue.

At first, the program received cold reviews on our end. All sorts of questions sprung up, many of which we hear all of the time in our conference calls with families who are potentially interested in Holt’s China program.

“Can we really handle this?”

“What if we’re pressured into something out of guilt and regret it later?”

“We’ve waited so long. Don’t we deserve a ‘perfect child’?”

We know skeptical questions like these don’t sound very charitable, but that’s OK. They’re normal. They should be asked. Adopting a child is a big deal!

Luckily for us, we’re big believers in “signs.” For us, the signs were pointing toward an available option, so we took a chance despite our lingering questions and followed our hearts. In the summer of 2009, we officially applied to Holt’s China program that focused on the adoption of children with minor, correctable problems. Exactly one year later, we returned home from China with our son, Wyeth Michael, a perfectly healthy and beautiful baby boy of 16 months.

Wyeth was nothing short of a miracle child.

In his evaluation at Children’s Hospital weeks after returning home, he was determined to be right on pace with his age in both cognitive and physical skill. By the end of our time in China together, which lasted all of ten days, he was counting “1, 2, 3”, eating with a fork, calling us “Mama and Baba,” and cuddling with us every chance he got. His minor, correctable problem? Cured by an over-the-counter medication. Our leap of faith had paid off.

Weeks after returning home, as things began to settle, we sat in the family room and reflected on our lives. With the sounds of our child playing in the background, things suddenly felt as they were supposed to and a tremendous sense of calm relieved what had been years of sadness.

We had finally become parents.

The discussion quickly turned to our wanting more children. After all, we’d waited over four years for what many of our friends and family had achieved in a year or less. Both of us knew in our hearts what we wanted, but we needed to make sure.

We first asked ourselves a simple question: Do we need biological children in order to be happy? This may sound harsh to admit out loud, but in the adoption world – and perhaps in the infertility world too – everyone asks this question at some point. Biological vs. adoption is one of the major hurdles in a couple’s decision to either adopt or continue trying for pregnancy.

Due to our ages, this was an important question to answer because we knew the decision to adopt again may put our chances of ever having biological children in jeopardy. Were we ready to accept the potential of never having children through pregnancy? Would we get pressure from our family because they might not understand?

In some respects, the decision to adopt a second time was harder than the first.

Despite these reasonable questions, we agreed on something we knew the minute we first laid eyes on our son back in China: biological relation wasn’t important, love was. Our hearts were telling us that the chance to adopt again was the thing we couldn’t pass up the most. Having experienced the journey of finding our son – of traveling across the world in what seemed like the most random and unforeseen way of linking three human beings together – we knew this was God’s plan all along. This was what we were meant to do, and though painful, our long battle with infertility was necessary to ensure this wonderful little boy had a family.

How could we not give that gift to another child, much less to ourselves for a second time?

Four months later, in December 2010, we applied once again to Holt’s China program, this time to adopt a little girl. Exactly one year later to the day, in December 2011, we traveled to China to adopt our 12-month-old daughter, Channing Elizabeth. Her minor, correctable problem was a minor ASD in her heart, which we later found out never existed; she had been misdiagnosed in China. Today, she’s completely healthy.

Two years, two adoptions. When we think about our family in those terms, it’s nothing short of amazing. In early July of 2010, we had no children. This July, two years later, we’ll be enjoying summer picnics, birthday parties, and trips to the beach with our 3-year-old son and his younger sister, who will have been home with us for six months.

Is there any doubt this wasn’t supposed to be our family all along? We don’t think so.

Holt International is a wonderful agency to work with. Their staff is knowledgeable, they’re consistently precise in their time estimations – both at the beginning and during the process – and they help you every step of the way in the maze of paperwork and regulation that comes with adopting a child. Their organization is reputable around the world, which is important considering the constant changes in adoption laws and agreements with other governments. Concerning our own initial questions about “minor correctable problems,” Holt was pressure-free about the conditions we were open to. Both of our child referrals reflected those conditions accurately.

No guilt was ever given to take on a child we couldn’t handle, because as they put it: they’re in the business of matching the right child with the right parents.

Words are important, but the best testimonial we can give is in our actions, as well as in the actions of others we’ve met through Holt’s China program. It should say something that during both of our trips to China, we were surrounded by parents who were second, third, and even fifth-time adoptive parents – with Holt specifically. As for us, within four months of returning home with our son, we chose Holt a second time. If we decide to adopt again, there isn’t any question where we’ll turn in this most intimate and personal of choices.

Beyond just thinking of the best agency, however, we hope this article speaks to you about the beauty of adoption itself. It has changed our lives for the good in so many ways. Adopting children has not only given us a new perspective on how important family is, it’s helped us understand that all children deserve a forever home with good parents and lots of love. Adoption didn’t just give us our family, it gave us a calling.

However you came to consider it – whether because of infertility, through your faith’s teachings, or maybe something else that’s interested you – we hope you’ll not only choose adoption as a way of building your own family, but for the sake of making the world a little better.

It is an amazing experience that everyone should have.

Beaverton church-blogger case goes national!

A local Oregon pastor is suing former members for a half million for their stinging review of their church on their blog. The former members said the church acted cult-like, was “creepy” and used “control tactics” and posted the reviews on Dex and Google review pages. The case is putting the test to free speech and libel. The pastor says its defamation. The blogger said,”I thought, I’m just going to post a review, We do it with restaurants and hotels and whatnot, and I thought, why not do it with this church?”

The case has attracted national attention.

Watch the two videos below.

 

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Here is where the story goes national.
Fox News debates the issue with two experts below

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

CNN brought in two African American pastors to discuss President Obama’s change on same-sex marriage. Below is what they said.

Fight for religious freedom with stage power?
By Saint Luke Productions
Battleground Washington

On April 12, 2012 the U. S. Catholic Bishops called on all dioceses and parishes to sponsor “special events that would constitute a great national campaign of teaching and witness for religious liberty.”

Here’s a perfect answer to their call to action:
Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz, performed live by actor Leonardo Defilippis!

This powerful one-man production is touring North America, and performance dates are still available. Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz, performed by Leonardo Defilippis of St. Luke Productions, holds a powerfully relevant message for our culture at a time when religious freedom and values are under attack.

The drama poignantly illustrates the life of Father Maximilian Kolbe, whose courage in the face of attacks against his Catholic faith led to his imprisonment in the Auschwitz concentration camp. He was forced into slave labor, tortured and finally came forward to take the place of a married man, who was condemned to death by starvation. Witness Fr. Maximilian as he boldly confronts the Nazi regime and asks, “What if they kill us? That would be free passage to Heaven….In short, we are invincible!”

St. Maximilian holds the key for us in our present day – Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God. It is important that we turn to her now, for our country is consecrated to the Immaculate Conception, and it is Our Lady who will come to the defense of the family and the child in the womb, whose existences are gravely threatened with the current healthcare mandate.

Answer the bishops’ call. Encounter St. Maximilian’s example of heroic courage and conviction, defending religious freedom by the sacrifice of his very life. Schedule a performance today.

Watch a short video clip and learn more about Maximilian – visit www.StMaxDrama.com.

By Guest Opinion,

Blanchet Catholic School in Salem, Ore., had 110 students when it opened in 1995; now it has 375 students. But the school is hardly finished with its plans to improve; in fact, it has just finished the first year of a five-year plan to expand its facilities. Rather than attracting new students, the school is attempting to improve the academic experience of the students it already has.

During the 2009-2010 school year, the school studied how to improve, as the administration and board of directors sought to figure out what students and teachers wanted to see changed. Now, the school has a new website and renovated buildings—but it still needs a commons area. In April, Blanchet broke ground for a projected 10,600-square-foot commons building to be the heart of its campus. The building will contain both cafeteria space, kitchens, and locker rooms; students will no longer need to study in the hallways.

The building program comes even as other Catholic schools around the country have been forced to close: out of a total of 6,841 Catholic schools in the U.S., 167 closed or consolidated in 2011, and just 34 schools opened. Oregon has few Catholic schools; 82% of the Catholic schools in the U.S. are east of the Rockies.

Blanchet’s new building will cost $1.7mil, and is scheduled for completion in September. The school hopes to find additional sources of revenue so that it can offer parents a break from steep tuition: Blanchet costs more $5,000 for sixth grade (not including fees), and higher grades are even more expensive.

D-Day Landing Prayer Act Introduced in U.S. Senate
FDR’s D-Day Landing Prayer Act is introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Rob Portman of Ohio

The D-Day Landing Prayer Act took another step closer to becoming a reality. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, responding to the wishes of veterans and their families, introduced this legislation which will add FDR’s D-Day Landing Prayer in its entirety to the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., and urged his colleagues to pass it quickly.

Senator Portman made the following statement, “On D-Day, courageous Americans risked and sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedoms and end tyranny abroad,” said Portman. “That morning, President Roosevelt asked our nation to come together to pray for the men overseas. His words brought strength and comfort to many during one of the most challenging times for our nation and will forever be etched in our history.

“This bill ensures that FDR’s prayer will become a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of those who fought in World War II, and of the power of prayer through difficult times,” he added. “I encourage the Senate to take it up and pass it quickly.”

Ohio Christian Alliance President Chris Long stated, “This legislation has received broad bipartisan support and is worthy of the Senate quickly taking up the measure and presenting it to President Obama for his signature. The vast majority of WWII veterans and their families support this initiative. Many of these brave men, now in their ’80s and ’90s, remember clearly President Roosevelt praying with the nation the morning of the D-Day landings. It is only fitting that this wonderful historical presidential prayer be added to the WWII Memorial, honoring those brave men and women who served our country in WWII.

“President Roosevelt’s prayer articulated the great crusade that was underway to liberate millions suffering under tyranny. He honored the war effort and paid respect to the fallen and those veterans who fought courageously in the conflict.

“We therefore urge members of the U.S. Senate to follow the example of their Congressional counterparts and support the FDR D-Day Landing Prayer Act and pass this legislation that will allow its inclusion at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.”

By Brenda Smotherman

Repetition can’t turn slander into truth, and old lies remain false. But when it comes to the legacy of Thomas Jefferson, renowned historian David Barton, who was the #1 trending topic on Google earlier this week, argues that generations of Americans have been deceived into believing slanderous lies about one of the greatest wordsmiths our nation has ever known, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and our third president.

History books routinely teach that Jefferson was an anti-Christian secularist, rewriting the Bible to his liking, fathering a child with one of his slaves, and little more than another racist, bigoted colonist — but none of those claims are actually true.

David Barton is revealing his discoveries about the real Thomas Jefferson in a new book, The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You’ve Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson which is celebrating its second week on the New York Times Bestseller List.

“I thought I knew Jefferson,” says Barton. “I’d certainly read plenty of books and articles about him, and I’d studied him in school and college. I’d also read much that today’s Christian writers have said about Jefferson. I had developed what I considered to be a fair breadth of knowledge about Jefferson. But over the course of the past two decades as WallBuilders collected original writings and artifacts from the Founding Era (we currently have over 100,000 documents from before 1812), a very different view of him began to appear.”

Over the years our nation has seen an increasing trending towards revisionist history. The Founding Fathers have become victims of this distortion of historical record, often times in an attempt to carve the way for various political agendas. In order to establish a firm foundation on which our country can continue to grow, it is essential to understand the truths about the people and events on which this great nation was built. In the pages of The Jefferson Lies, David Barton is taking a stand for factual history by sifting through the lies that have been planted and now taken root as fact in the general public’s mind. Barton sheds a light of truth on the real Jefferson, a man that many will be meeting for the very first time.

“The Jefferson that was readily visible in his own writings and documents, and in the testimony of those who knew him and intimately worked with him, was so different from the one about which I had been taught,” notes Barton. “I felt compelled to find out why there is a Jefferson that everyone thinks they know, but a genuine Jefferson that no one in this generation seems to really know.”

“As I began to research the answer to that question, I discovered that the current portrayal of Jefferson is a modern one rather than a historical one,” adds Barton. “Most of today’s writers about Jefferson have relied almost exclusively on sources that frankly did not like Jefferson. They have repeated only what his political enemies of the past two centuries have said about him rather than seeking to find out if the charges they made against him were actually true.”

In The Jefferson Lies, David Barton explores how modern writers could get Jefferson so wrong, unpacking the five fallacies of 21st century logic: deconstructionism, poststructuralism, modernism, minimalism, and academic collectivism. Breaking these toxic isms down, he dissects their role in tainting Thomas Jefferson’s reputation and provides tools for recognizing (and counteracting) their insidious influence today.

“As with every disputed issue, there was another side of the story — a side of the story that has not been told to this generation,” notes Barton. “There was a reason that Jefferson was venerated as a hero by American historians until this current generation of writers. Once I found out what Thomas Jefferson had actually done and said, and once I was able to document why and when the false portrayals began, I wanted to share what I found with others. I wanted others to see a true image of Jefferson — to see that much of what we have been taught about him today is not only dead wrong but is almost diametrically opposite of the actual truth.”

Barton’s keen observations illuminate Jefferson’s true heart, faith, character, and rightful place as an American hero. Both painstakingly researched — with hundreds of endnotes citing primary-source documents — and richly absorbing, The Jefferson Lies presents a rousing defense not only of its primary subject, but of the United States’ forsaken history and heritage itself.

David Barton is the founder and president of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that presents America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious, and constitutional heritage. He is the author of numerous best-selling books and also addresses more than 400 groups each year. David and his wife, Cheryl, have three grown children. He was named by Time magazine as one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals, and he has received numerous national and international awards, including Who’s Who in Education and DAR’s highest award, the George Washington Honor Medal.

Archbishop to ordain ten priests
Archdiocese of Portland

Archbishop John G. Vlazny will ordain ten priests on Saturday, June 9, at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass of ordination will begin at 11:00 am. This is the largest ordination class since 2009 when seven men were ordained priests at one time. Those being ordained are: Deacons Justus O. Alaeto, Arturo Romero-Bautista, Jeffrey M. Eirvin, Jose M. Campos Garcia, James D. Graham, J. Moises Kumul Mac, Matthew A. Libra, Joseph H. Nguyen, Benjamin A. Tapia Ortiz, and Rodel de Mesa.

Reverend Mr. Justus Odira Alaeto was born in 1976 in Orlu, Nigeria. He is one of four children of Daniel U. and Cecilia E. Alaeto. Justus attended elementary school in Ideato, Imo State, Nigeria and graduated high school in 1994 from St. Mary’s Seminary Umuowa in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria. He attended the National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul in Abuja, Nigeria, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2003. He attended Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary in Ibadan, Nigeria and the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. After studying at Mount Angel Seminary, Mr. Alaeto transferred to Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, WI where he completed a Master of Divinity degree in May 2012. He was ordained a deacon on November 19, 2011.

Justus’ ministry training has included assignments at St. Anthony Parish in Tigard, clinical pastoral education at the Veteran Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis, a pastoral year at All Saints Parish in Portland, and a summer placement at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Salem.

Reverend Mr. Arturo Romero-Bautista was born in the small town of Álamo in the state of Veracruz in Mexico in 1979. He is the son of Jose A. Romero Cruz and Clara Bautista Reyes. Arturo is the oldest of five children. He attended elementary and middle school in Álamo, and then attended high school at the minor seminary Santa María de Guadalupe graduating in 1997. He attended the archdiocesan seminary Rafael Guizar Valencia in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. Arturo began his studies in theology at Rafael Guizar Valencia archdiocesan seminary and later transferred to Mount Angel Seminary. He graduated with a Master in Divinity degree in May, 2012.

Arturo’s has worked teaching music in a middle school in Álamo, Veracruz, teaching philosophy and humanities at Benito Juárez high school in Álamo. His ministry training assignments have included work in parishes in Veracruz, Xalapa, and Álamo all in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. He has also had assignments at Resurrection Parish in Tualatin and St. Anthony Parish in Forest Grove. Arturo was ordained a deacon by Archbishop John G. Vlazny on May 21, 2011 at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Reverend Mr. Jeffrey Michael Eirvin was born in St. Louis, MO in 1978. He is one of three sons of Earnest Jeff Eirvin III and JoAnn Eirvin. Jeff attended elementary school in Valley Park, MO, and graduated from John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, Manchester, MO in 1996. He attended Missouri State University and then Oregon Stated University earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design in 2001. Jeff worked as a graphic designer from 2001 – 2005. In 2005 Jeff entered Mount Angel Seminary and earned a Certificate in Philosophy in 2007. He attended the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) and earned a Sacred Theology Bachelor degree in 2010. He is currently studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome working toward a Sacred Theology Licentiate degree. Jeff was ordained a deacon at St. Peter Basilica in Rome by Bishop Bernard Hebda of the Diocese of Gaylord, MI on October 7, 2010. St. Juan Diego Parish in Portland is his home parish.

Jeff’s ministry training has included summer placements at St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius and Holy Trinity Parish in Beaverton. He has assisted with youth ministry at Queen of Peace Parish in Salem, religious education at St. Patrick Parish in Canby, a mission experience in Kowak Tanzania, Africa, hospital ministry at Salvator Mundi Hospital in Rome, campus ministry at St. Mary’s University, Rome Campus, attended Spanish language school in Mexico, a pastoral intern year at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Portland, clinical pastoral education at St. Louis University Hospital and an assignment at Santa Susana Parish in Rome.

Reverend Mr. Jose Manuel Campos Garcia was born in 1972 in El Calabozo Ario de Rosales in the Michoacán State, Mexico. He is the son of Jose Campos Oropeza (deceased) and Rosalinda Garcia Chavez. Jose entered the seminary in 2003, attending the Spanish Seminary of Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico. He graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2007. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Mount Angel Seminary in 2012. Reverend Mr. Campos Garcia was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on May 21, 2011 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Portland.

Jose’s ministry training has included a pastoral year internship at St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius, and he has served as a deacon at St. Cecilia Parish in Beaverton.

Reverend Mr. James David Graham was born in Boise, ID in 1948. He is one of three sons of David E. and Faye Graham, both deceased. James attended elementary and high school in Oregon City, graduating from Oregon City High School in 1966.

James served in the United States Navy from 1968 until 1971. He then worked for Ford Motor Company from 1976 until 1981. He attended Vanguard University (formerly Southern California College) earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion-Pastoral Ministry in 1983. He then studied at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA from 1983 until 1985. He returned to the Ford Motor Company from 1985 until 1991. James worked for the Oregon Department of Human Services, Adult and Family Services from 1993 until 2007. His home parish is Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Lake Oswego.

Mr. Graham entered into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1995 after completing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process at St. Joseph Parish in Roseburg. James entered Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Corners, WI the fall of 2007. He earned a Master of Divinity degree at Sacred Heart Seminary in 2012.

His ministry training assignments have included placements at Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Lake Oswego, St. John the Apostle Parish in Oregon City, Gesu Parish in Milwaukee, WI, and clinical pastoral education at St. Camillus Assisted Living/Skilled Nursing in Wauwatosa, WI. James was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny in May 2011, and he has served as a deacon at St. Stephen Parish in Portland and at Holy Apostles Parish in New Berlin, WI.

Reverend Mr. J. Moises Kumul Mac was born in the Yucatan Peninsula in 1979. He is the son of Alfonso Kumul Vivas and Alicia Mac. Moises is one of five children. Moises attended elementary school in Cozumel Island, in the Quintana Roo State, Mexico. He attended secondary school at the Colegio St. Ignatius of Loyola in Playa Del Carmen, graduating in 1999. Moises attended Universidad Intercontinental Sur earning a Licentiate degree in Spanish Classical Literature and Philosophy in 2004. He next attended the Franciscan University Cristobal Colon in Veracruz Puerto City, Veracruz State, Mexico earning an Administrative Licentiate degree in Educational Psychology in 2006. Moises completed a Master of Arts degree in Theology and a Master of Divinity degree at Mount Angel Seminary in 2012. He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop John G. Vlazny at the Mount Angel Abbey Church on October 26, 2011.

Reverend Mr. Mac’s ministry training has included assignments at St. Juan Diego Parish in Portland, St. Luke Hospital in Boise, ID, Providence Health Care Center in Mount Angel, a pastoral year at Risen Christ Catholic Church in Boise, ID, an assignment at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Caldwell, ID, and a pastoral year at St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius.

Reverend Mr. Matthew Aaron Libra was born in 1980 in Klamath Falls, OR. He is one of four children of Steven M. Libra and Sylvia J. Frey-Puttbrese. Matt attended elementary school and high school in Lebanon, OR, graduating from East Linn Christian Academy in 1998. St. Edward Parish in Lebanon is his home parish.

He worked in youth ministry at parishes in Lebanon and Salem and for Reach Youth Ministry of Yakima, WA. He entered Mount Angel Seminary in 2004, and completed work for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2007. He next studied in Rome at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) earning a Sacred Theology Bachelor degree in 2010. He is currently studying at the Pontifical Institute of John Paul II for Studies on Marriage and Family in Vatican City State.

Matthew’s ministry training assignments, in addition to the youth ministry work, have included time at Marian Estates in Sublimity, Sacred Heart Parish in Gervais, at St. Mary Cathedral Parish, Portland, Hospital San Carlo in Rome, work with the Missionaries of Charity in Rome, NSA Naples Navy Base in Naples, Italy, and a pastoral year and as a deacon at St. Paul Parish in Eugene, OR. Matthew was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny at St. Edward Parish in Lebanon on September 11, 2010.

Reverend Mr. Joseph Hung Nguyen was born in Saigon, Vietnam in 1973. He is one of three children of Liem and Bau Nguyen. He attended elementary and high school in Saigon. He attended Portland Community College completing the prerequisite program for computer engineering in 1997. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering at Portland State University in 1999. He then worked at Portland State University until 2005, when he entered Mount Angel Seminary. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 2012 from Mount Angel. Our Lady of Lavang in Portland is his home parish.

Joseph’s ministry training assignments have included summer assignments at All Saints Parish and at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Portland, St. Anthony Parish in Forest Grove and at Sacred Heart Parish in Newport. Other assignments have included work at The Grotto in Portland, St. John the Baptist Parish in Milwaukie, clinical pastoral education at St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, WA, and a pastoral internship year at St. Stephen Parish in Portland. He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny May 21, 2011. His assignment as a deacon has been at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Lake Oswego.

Reverend Mr. Benjamin Alejandro Tapia Ortiz was born in 1982 in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. He is the son of Benjamin Tapia Leyra and Isabel Ortiz Torres. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Tijuana graduating in 2000. Benjamin studied at the Instituto Superior de Estudios Ecleciasticos earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 2004. He has attended St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Spirituality in 2011 and a Master of Divinity degree in Theology in 2012.

Benjamin’s ministry training has included working with a youth group in Mexico City, ministry with the poor in Bogota, Columbia, working with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults at Queen of Peace Parish in Salem, OR, working as a Jesuit Volunteer in Madrid, Spain, at St. Patrick Parish in Carlsbad, CA, clinical pastoral education at Sharp Mercy Hospital in San Diego, youth ministry at St. James Parish in Solana Beach, CA., parish ministry St. John Eudes Parish in Chatsworth, CA. Benjamin was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny at Mount Angel Abbey Church on October 26, 2011. He has served as a deacon at St. Anne Parish in Gresham, OR.

Reverend Mr. Rodel de Mesa was born in Bato, Catanduanes, Philippines in March of 1984. He is on of five children of Roger and Elena de Mesa. Rodel attended elementary school in Gigmoto, state of Catanduanes in the Philippines. His secondary education was at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Panal, Tobaco City, Philippines where he graduated in 2001. He next attended Mater Salutis College Seminary in Sipi, Daraga, Albay, Philippines earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Philosophy in 2006. Rodel completed a Master of Arts degree and a Master of Divinity degree at Mount Angel Seminary in May, 2012.

Rodel’s ministry training assignments have included a pastoral internship at The Madeleine Parish in Portland, clinical pastoral education at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA. He was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Vlazny on May 21, 2011 at St. Mary Cathedral in Portland, and has serviced as a deacon at Resurrection Parish in Tualatin.

In Aumsville Oregon a man was arrested for having child pornography on his computer. Police discovered also hidden camera videos that were taken inside a church bathroom. The man arrested, Christopher Fowler, was the church janitor and at times a youth leader and bus driver. He had been working at Bethel Baptist Church for six years. Watch the video for more news on this troubling incident.

Chuck Norris turns violent film from R to PG-13 (Expendables 2)
By Guest Opinion,

The most unlikely of movies have been renewed to fit a PG-13 rating. We are talking about Expendables 2 featuring the Hollywood A-list of brawny stars including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Swarzennegger, Bruce Willis, Jason Stratham, Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris. The first Expendables was a buffet of violence. Thanks to the new star, Chuck Norris, the sequel to Expendables is toned down.    It started as an R-rating prospect and now is a PG-13 rated film.

Here is what Chuck Norris had to say;

Screen Rant: “In Expendables 2, there was a lot of vulgar dialogue in the screenplay. For this reason, many young people wouldn’t be able to watch this. But I don’t play in movies like this. Due to that I said I won’t be a part of that if the hardcore language is not erased. Producers accepted my conditions and the movie will be classified in the category of PG-13.”

Chuck Norris has been public over his Christian faith and even written a few faith-based and conservative books. One of Chuck Norris’ prime principles called Chuck Kuk Do, is “I will always remain loyal to my God, my country, family and my friends”. It is amazing to see Chuck Norris steer some of the biggest and violent-themed actors and get the whole project to be more family friendly. The next step is to see how the movie turns out, the box office results and finally how future Hollywood onlookers will respond.  We hope for a positive on all three factors.

Below is a CNN video of President Obama speaking for the first time on his changed views on same sex marriage. Romney responded by reaffirming his opposite position for traditional marriage. In similar news Senator Hatch has called for an investigation into the IRS leaking private information showing Romney donating to the National Organization for Marriage.
To see the President’s words watch the video below:

By University of Portland

Legendary football coach Lou Holtz mixed humor with inspiration in addressing a record 803 undergraduates participating in the 2012 University of Portland spring commencement exercises on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the Earle A. and Virginia H. Chiles Center on campus.

Holtz’s complete speech is available on YouTube here

“You’re looking at the only guy in the world who’s written more books than he’s read,” noted Holtz, the author of 10 books and currently a college football analyst for ESPN. Holtz receive d an honorary doctorate as part of the school’s 111th commencement.

Holtz was honored for his storied career, which includes coaching both collegiate and professional football. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, he is the only coach to ever lead six different programs to bowl games, and he also coached the New York Jets during the 1976 season.

A sought-after inspirational speaker, Holtz outlined for the new graduates three rules he uses to guide his life. “Do the right thing. Do your best. Show people you care.”

“God did not put us on this earth to be average,” noted Holtz, whose 1988 Notre Dame team won the NCAA national championship. “He put us on it to be as good as we possibly can.”

“Everybody needs something to do – something you’re passionate about,” he said. “Everybody needs someone to love. Everybody needs someone to believe in, and everybody needs something to hope for. And what you hope for is what motivates your life.”

More words of inspiration from Holtz: “Wherever you’ll be 20 years from now, 40 years from now, good or bad is because of the choices you make. There isn’t any problem in this world we can’t solve – sexism, racism, poverty – if enough people care.”

He told the undergraduates they will often be asked three questions: “Can I trust you? Are you committed to excellence? Do you care about me?”

Other advice to his students was a mix of common sense and humor:

“You want to be happy for an hour, eat a steak. You want to be happy for a day, play golf. You want to be happy for a week, go on a cruise – going on a cruise is like being in jail except you have the chance to drown. You want to be happy for a month buy a new car. You want to be happy for a year, win the lottery. You want to be happy for a lifetime, make sure you add value to other people’s lives.”

University of Portland president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., also addressed the new graduates, with words of inspiration.

“It is up to you whether you will make a positive difference in the world,” said Beauchamp. “Your special years here at UP must not be in vain. I pray that it will always be a place at which your mind and your heart are forever touched.”

Beauchamp encouraged the graduates to “be bold enough to be moral leaders. If our world is to change for the better, you cannot leave it up to someone else.”

“My prayer for you this day, for all of you, is that you will not accomplish all of your dreams because you dreamed too little,” he added. “I pray that you will be committed to building a new and better world, and that you will work to your dying day to accomplish it.”

“Finally,” he concluded, “I pray that you will always have a special place in your heart for our university, your university, and you will return home to the Bluff often.”

Also receiving honorary doctorates Sunday were Sister Rita Ferschweiler, S.P., a longtime figure in the Providence Health community; John Heily ’67, president and CEO of Continental Mills, Inc.; Rev. Tom O’Hara, C.S.C., who recently concluded a 12-year term as president of King’s College in Pennsylvania; and Kay Toran ’64, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Oregon.

Rev. David Tyson, C.S.C., who is concluding his tenure as provincial of the Congregation of Holy Cross’s United States Province in the summer of 2012, was awarded the University’s highest honor, the Christus Magister Medal.

By Holt International
Eugene based,

Since 1997, the adoption tax credit has helped thousands of American families offset the high cost of adoption. Beginning in 2003, families that adopted children with special needs could claim the full credit, regardless of their qualified adoption expenses.

Ultimately, this credit has made it possible for children to join loving families — families that might not otherwise have been able to afford the cost of adoption. But right now, this important resource is in peril.

The current adoption tax credit is set to expire on December 31, 2012. If that happens, many American families may not be able to afford the cost to adopt. Consequently, fewer children will find the loving, permanent families they deserve. Although the credit remains through 2012, many families will not benefit because it is not refundable. In 2013, the credit will decrease to only $6,000. What’s more, it will only be available to very few adoptive families.

The adoption tax credit must continue. For many families, it may be the deciding factor in whether to adopt. And for many children, it is the critical link to a loving, stable home.

Congress must act now to pass legislation that will protect and extend the adoption tax credit.

Take action today! You can find your representative and senator’s contact information by visiting here.

On April 17, Representative Bruce Braley introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act (HR 4373). If you are contacting your representative’s office, ask your representative to become a co-sponsor of HR 4373. There is no companion legislation in the Senate yet, so you can simply ask your senators to support an adoption tax credit that is inclusive, refundable, flat for special needs adoptions, and permanent.

For more resources and information about the campaign to save this important credit, visit Save The Adoption Tax Credit at www.adoptiontaxcredit.org.

A Church of God in Christ International Day Care center, Pathways to Learning Child Care, in Tacoma was hit by a van and then later firebombed. See video below.

From the book “Our Stories, God’s Glory“
A collection of real life inspiration stories from the NW
How about your story?
Be a part of 1,000 Oregonians sharing their faith story here.

Pastor Dick Scott,
Beaverton, Oregon

One day, when I arrived at the home of José, the native Choco Indian who was helping me translate the New Testament, he took me to his kitchen area and pointed excitedly to his wooden rice barrel—a six-foot wide wooden container about three feet high.

“Look!” he said. “Tell me! How did this happen?”

I stared at the barrel. Suddenly, I realized it was nearly full to the top with rice, but it should have been nearly empty. After all, the next rice crop was almost ready to be harvested.

“What’s all this rice doing in your barrel?” I questioned José. “Aren’t you feeding your eleven children? Isn’t this the time everybody’s rice starts running out? I know the planted rice hasn’t been harvested.”

José grinned from ear to ear. “I’m feeding my children.Here, look at my healthy sons. You can tell they aren’t starving.”

I was stunned. “But I remember seeing your barrel this full months ago. Why is it still so full?”

“That’s what I’m asking YOU,” José said. “You know that I planted less rice because I spent more time helping you translate the Bible into our native language. I thought for sure I would run out of rice some time ago.”

José’s wife interrupted. “And we have more to tell you! Many neighbors are asking to borrow some of our rice because they have run out. They take scoops of rice from our barrel and they’ve promised to pay us back when they harvest their rice in a few weeks.”

José enthusiastically embraced me. “I’m thankful to God,” he said. “My barrel is still full of rice, even though all the members of our family, along with many others, are eating from it. I don’t understand it. Is it because I’m helping you to translate the Bible? Is it because I’m working for God?”

NOTE:
José’s never-ending rice barrel was almost unbelievable. I had told José months ago to trust that God would provide for his family as he helped me translate the New Testament into Choco (the language of the local Panamanian Indians).

I had trusted God to provide food for José and his family so he could be my assistant, but I honestly didn’t expect such an overflowing of God’s goodness. I felt the Lord nudging me, “Oh, ye of little faith.”

This full rice barrel became a daily witness to everyone in the village. They saw God Almighty at work in their midst, taking care of them and blessing the time and effort given by José for Bible translation work!

“[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”
Ephesians 3:20

Pastor Dick Scott, Beaverton, Oregon
Missionary 1960-1973 to the Choco Indians of Panama

Chen Guangcheng’s Rescuer Released from Detention
Photo: Rep. Chris Smith, Reggie Littlejohn, and Wang Xuezhen with photo of He Peirong
Women’s Rights Without Frontiers

He Peirong, known as Pearl, has been released from detention and has been interviewed by the BBC. Pearl has become known as the rescuer of blind activist Chen Guangcheng, having driven the car that brought him from Dongshigu village to Beijing.

Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, has been advocating for Pearl’s release. Littlejohn testified about Pearl at a hearing before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China yesterday, and Rep. Chris Smith took up Pearl’s cause. Littlejohn stated, “I am relieved and delighted that Pearl has been released — the day after the Congressional hearing at which her case was so strongly raised. Some say that quiet, back door diplomacy is the way to deal with the detention of Chinese human rights defenders. But human rights activists have found that high profile, public pressure is far more effective.”

Pearl herself seems to have endorsed this approach in the BBC interview earlier today. According to this interview, she was confined to a hotel room. The police were “polite,” but persistent in their effort to obtain information, which Pearl did not divulge. About her own safety, she said, “I was very concerned, but once the thing went public, I was no longer worried.” Listen to He Peirong here.

Testifying with Littlejohn was Wang Xuezhen, who said that she was one of the netizens who tried to visit Chen. She was beaten and strip searched, but said that others were treated far more brutally than she.

BY Oregon State University Socratic Club

The Socratic Club at OSU will sponsor a debate on the topic, “Is Christianity anti-Science?” on Monday, May 7. in LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus, at 7 p.m. The speakers are Andrew Karplus and Victor Stenger.

The relationship of Christianity and science has long been a contentious subject. It has been argued that the condemnation of Galileo and the opposition to Darwin are evidence of the church’s opposition to the advance of science. A more recent view is that the cases of Galileo and Darwin are exceptions to Christianity’s general encouragement of science over the centuries. Two scientists will engage in a spirited debate on the subject. Andrew Karplus will maintain that Christianity is supportive of science. Victor Stenger will argue that it is hostile.

Andrew Karplus is Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at OSU, where he has taught since 1998. He holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington and was twice an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Freiburg in Germany. He has received several awards for his research and has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles on protein structure-function relationships in “Science” and other prominent journals.

Victor J. Stenger is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Hawaii and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado. He received his Ph.D. in physics from UCLA. He was a pioneer in the emerging fields of neutrino astronomy and very high-energy gamma rays. Stenger has authored ten popular books that interface between physics and cosmology and philosophy, religion, and pseudoscience. His most recent title is “God and the Folly of Faith: The Incompatibility of Science and Religion.”

The debate is free and open to the public. For more information visit the OSU Socratic Club online at http://oregonstate.edu/groups/socratic/

The Socratic Club at OSU is celebrating its tenth anniversary as a student organization at Oregon State. It sponsors 5-6 debates each year on subjects at the intersection of the Christian faith and contemporary culture. All debates are filmed and more than 20 of them are available on You Tube. See http://www.youtube.com/user/orstsocraticclub

Our last debate, “Have Science and Technology Made God Irrelevant?” has been posted on You Tube.

by Dan Quatier, Edited by Lynn Saint

Compassion Connect,

After spending a night in a squad car, observing Portland police officers assigned to the sex trafficking division, I became more acutely aware of the plight of sex slaves, especially those below 18 years old. Because of this experience, I feel compelled to present my own perspective on this blight in our community.

Evening shift with the Sex Trafficking Unit

Before venturing out into the icy, night air, we pore over that day’s Internet ads from two well-known sites. Girls trapped in this lifestyle are forced by their pimps to advertise themselves in explicit, pornographic poses to sell their “wares” to potential customers.

The officers recognize the teen in the first submission. They know her name and also know she is 17 years old, even though the ad discloses her age as 19. She has been “posting” (posting ads) since 14 years of age. They indicate she is very soft spoken. They have talked to her on the street and tried to get her help. Undoing months and years of brainwashing by a pimp is extremely difficult in a couple of hours.

Outside on the street, it is cold. The girls are out “working.” The officers drive and look for the young women. This particular police team has been patrolling for years and knows what to observe. They want to find the johns and pimps. The only way to find them is to hunt for “working” girls. Like vultures circling their prey, johns and pimps can be found nearby.

When a young girl is spotted entering a car, the squad car follows and pulls the vehicle over. Without exception, every john confronted has a made-up story about why the girl is sitting in his car. Upon stopping the john’s vehicle, the officers attempt to connect with the girl. They want a trust relationship with her so that she will seek help. She receives information about how to get that help. They extend an invitation to meet with her to follow up. Sometimes, if the girl exhibits an attitude, they arrest her or cite her but basically as an effort to force her to get the support she needs. One of the young women we talk to is visibly embarrassed. More than likely, she will pursue the assistance offered.

Sex Trafficking Unit from Portland police employs officers with heart
The officers, working within the sex trafficking unit from the Portland Police Bureau, are unbelievably dedicated to their jobs, very compassionate towards the girls and extremely passionate about their mission. The police, from this small unit, operate with minimal resources and often pay for items out of their own pockets to secure a girl’s safety, if only for a few days.

Arrest record statistics do not adequately portray what is happening on the streets. The police are trying to help the girls get out of the sex trade. Arresting them is not always the best approach. As officers try to develop trust relationships with the girls, they give out their personal cell numbers. They inform these teens they can call any time, 24/7. As a result, these policemen spend hours of personal time, in addition to their normal shifts, on the job. However, if they do not make themselves available, they lose credibility with the girls. The bottom line: the officers want the girls to know the police are there to help them.

Proactive responses
I asked the officers and others, “What can the community, specifically men in the community, do?”

1. Post letters and send emails to the Mayor and the Portland Police Chief.

2. Work to support the police vice squad division. It is often considered one of the first units to cut during budget talks. (Portland shows a low ranking of cities its size with regard to the ratio of officers to the population.)

3. Inform people about what is really happening and what the police are doing to combat this heinous crime. (That is why I am writing this.)

4. Support harsher laws penalizing sex purchasers thus making the business less attractive and less lucrative. Review successful laws in other areas of the country, of the world. Sweden has an excellent law that has all but eliminated sex for sale. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-31/opinion/sweden.beatrice.ask.trafficking_1_human-trafficking-prostitution-sexual-services?_s=PM:OPINION

5. Forward this article to other Portland area men for educational purposes.

6. Contribute to organizations, such as Door to Grace, that are working towards implementing “safe homes.” (See category under “Rescue” on Abolition Now website: http://www.abolitionnow.com) Officers need secure places to take the girls for their safety and care.

Is there something you can do to help in this fight?

—-Dan Quatier

Upcoming blog: What about the johns and pimps? Where are the active neighborhoods?

Love is not bound by time
By Guest Submission,

Ryan Smith loved the Oregon Ducks, football at Autzen Stadium, and Bethany Schmidt, not in that order. He and Bethany met as freshmen at the University of Oregon in the fall of 2005, and quickly became inseparable—traveling to Europe together the summer after their sophomore year, moving in together after graduation, and beginning their professional lives together. She is a graphic designer; he worked in finance.

Their romance seemed perfect—until Ryan was diagnosed with a rare form of testicular cancer in January 2011. For 10 months, Ryan and his doctors fought it with everything they had. But by November, it was clear that nothing was helping. Ryan, content with his fate, never complained, even after the decision was made to stop treatment.

Ryan and Bethany quickly realized that whatever they wanted to do needed to be done quickly. So they decided on a Thursday to get married—and three days later, on Sunday, December 11, they tied the knot. Ryan passed away a mere six weeks after the wedding.

The engagement took place in Bend last July. The couple was driving together to see their parents, but Ryan said that he needed some fresh air and asked Bethany to pull over. They got out and walked by the waterside in Drake Park, and suddenly Ryan collapsed on one knee. Bethany didn’t know what was happening until he withdrew a small box from his clothes. She fell to her knees as well, and as he put the ring on her finger, she sobbed and told him how much she wanted to marry him.

Thirty-two guests attended the wedding on three days’ notice, many of them flying in from England, Canada, and New York.

“Looking back on it, there was more love in that room than I have ever experienced in my life,” Bethany Smith wrote of her wedding day, reported MSNBC. They had six weeks of wedded bliss—and Bethany will have a lifetime’s worth of memories.

Read more or leave them a note here

 

A church in Portland, Mars Hill Church, was vandalized over the weekend. The church is a newly formed congregation with conservative views on same sex marriage in a Portland neighborhood with an active gay community. Witnesses saw six individuals damage the building at night. Repairs expected to exceed several thousands of dollars. KATU video below explains.