Editorial

2012 Fighting Fund launched: support Christian values

Peter Westmore

Contents - Sep 2012 - Buy a copy now Editorial: 2012 Fighting Fund launched: support Christian values - Peter Westmore Sainthood: Cardinal Van Thuân: process to beatification 'very advanced' - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Film: 'For Greater Glory': an inspiring message for today's Christians - Babette Francis Survey confirms crisis of faith in Ireland - Michael Gilchrist Noted UK doctor slams BBC program's anti-Catholic bias - Robert Walley Interview: Egypt after Mubarak: 'Christians feel excluded' - Father Andrzej Halemba Letters: Archbishop Chaput: how to meet the challenges to religious freedom - Archbishop Charles Chaput OFM Time for women's "true genius" to reassert itself - Anne Lastman Australian Catholic Students Association Conference 2012 - Br Barry Coldrey The Church's mission priority: to search for its 'lost sheep' - Andrew Kania Letters: Media bias - Anne Lastman Letters: Achilles' heel - Fr John George Letters: Appreciation - Frank O'Connor Letters: Article of faith? - Jean-Leon Shanks Letters: Power of the Rosary - Gabrielle Gannon Letters: Old Testament - Fr Brian Harrison OS Books: A COMPANION TO CATHOLIC EDUCATION, by Leonardo Franchi (Editor) - Gerard O'Shea (reviewer) Books: THROUGH SHAKESPEARE'S EYES: Seeing the Catholic presence in the plays, Pearce - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Books: FATIMA FOR TODAY: The Urgent Marian Message of Hope, by Fr Andrew Apostoli CFR - Brother Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Fatima: Mary's appeal for penance and conversion - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

At this time every year, we commence a special appeal to readers, the AD2000 Fighting Fund.

The Fighting Fund was established by B.A. (Bob) Santamaria in the 1940s to give ordinary Australians an opportunity to support workers then involved in a mortal struggle to prevent the Communist Party capturing control of the Australian labour movement. What was at issue was the future not just of the unions or the Labor Party, but of our country.

Many things have changed since then, but the necessity to continue to fight for Christian values in public life remains. There are many examples of this today.

The battle to defend marriage against those forces which would empty it of its meaning as the union of a man and a woman, entered into for life, will be decided in the weeks and months ahead.

There are currently three bills before Federal Parliament supporting same-sex unions, and we have encouraged many thousands of Australians to lobby their MPs and Senators. Additionally, Green members of parliament have moved to legalise same-sex "marriage" at the state level.

Separately, bills to legalise euthanasia have been introduced into state parliaments and must be resisted. The silent holocaust of abortion takes the lives of about 100,000 of the most vulnerable Australians every year, and causes immense damage to Australian women.

Further, the excesses of financial capitalism, which triggered the global financial crisis, as well as the impost of damaging and futile taxes such as the carbon and mining taxes, have undermined the viability of many Australian small businesses, farms and families. They need our support.

Your donation to the Fighting Fund, PO Box 251, Balwyn, Vic 3103, will help to ensure the continuation of efforts to promote Judeo-Christian values in public life.

Peter Westmore is Publisher of  AD2000.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 25 No 8 (September 2012), p. 2