Well-Known Local Pro-Life Activist Gunned Down in Michigan

Well, this is a very sad story indeed from Lifesite news. I wonder if the pro abortion people will condemn the killing. So far I haven't heard much about it from our mainstream media.
Maureen

In the wake of the tragedy, Fr. Pavone of Priests for Life told LifeSiteNews.com that he hoped to see “a strong expression of indignation from the pro-abortion community, just like there was a strong expression of indignation from the pro-life community at the killing of Dr. Tiller.”

Secondly, Fr. Pavone called for “a renewal of unity within the pro-life community, coming to one another’s assistance supporting one another, and by no means allowing fear or intimidation to have any role in our lives, but rather to move forward in peaceful organized ways to stand against this evil of abortion.”

Please read more from lifesitenews below

By Kathleen Gilbert

OWOSSO, Michigan, September 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Jim Pouillon, the pro-life activist shot and killed outside a high school in Owosso Friday morning, is being remembered today by friends as a peaceful and dedicated defender of the unborn. Those who knew him say that, in the face of the frequent physical harassment and death threats aimed at him for his pro-life work, the veteran pro-lifer always responded with charity.

According to friends, Pouillon, 63, was a born-again Christian and longtime resident of Owosso. They say he was divorced, with a son and a daughter as well as grandchildren.

LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) spoke with Cal Zastrow, a longtime friend of Pouillon's, who described the pro-life activist as "one of the most loving, compassionate people, peaceful people I've ever met in my life."

Zastrow says Pouillon began his pro-life work with the rescue movement spearheaded by Operation Rescue in Atlanta, Georgia in 1988, and has been active ever since.

"He was 100% non-violent. He never threatened anyone. He never condoned violence ever," said Zastrow.

While known to travel to pro-life events throughout the country, Pouillon's most frequent method of witnessing was by holding signs on the street corners in his hometown. And that was what he was doing when he was gunned down this morning - holding a sign depicting the beaming face of a newborn baby, with the word "LIFE" superimposed.

In his hometown, residents grew to expect the large bearded man, sitting in a lawn chair and holding pro-life signs with images of babies or aborted children. Suffering from weak lungs compromised by smoking earlier in life, he depended on a portable oxygen tank.

Occasionally, as he was doing this morning, Pouillon was known to stand near Owosso high school to discuss abortion with the students there.

He became known, after at least fifteen years of steady witnessing in Owosso, as "Jim the sign guy" or "the abortion sign guy," a ubiquitous presence that always drew reactions, whether of praise, anger, or hatred.

Various sources have described Pouillon as the frequent target of screaming, spitting, and even throwing fruit. Zastrow said that he and Pouillon often received verbal abuse and death threats from passersby.

But, he would just "smile and laugh, and say 'Thank you, Jesus,'" Zastrow said of his friend. He noted that he and Pouillon had been physically assaulted on separate occasions "for peacefully praying and witnessing."

"He would say, 'God forgive you, I bless you,'" he added.

Court records published by local news reports show that Pouillon has been cited on charges connected to his pro-life activities, mostly minor infringements related to property laws, many of which were dismissed. In 2000, Pouillon was found guilty for stalking - a charge Zastrow says was unjustly brought against the veteran pro-lifer.

"Once they lied about him and put him in jail for stalking, and they said he threatened somebody, but it wasn't true," said Zastrow. "He never threatened anybody."

Zastrow expressed concern that media reports would portray Pouillon as violent. "He never was," said Zastrow. "He's America's first peaceful pro-life rescuer martyr."

Pastor Matt Trewhella of the Missionaries of the Preborn described his friend of 7 years as "so soft-spoken, but persevering, faithful." Trewhella said Pouillon began his ministry after he saw images of unborn children killed by abortion.

"He was moved with compassion and decided he had to speak up for them," said the pastor. "He was a good man."

Operation Rescue president Troy Newman told LSN that Pouillon, who participated in Operation Rescue, was a "dear friend" and "always an encourager."

"He's the sort of guy who always gives you a big bear hug, tells you he loves you," said Newman. "I know he was always out on the street carrying a sign whether it was the dead of winter, or the middle of summer.

Newman said Pouillon's faithfulness was evidenced by the way he died. "He was faithfully out on the street holding a sign in the middle of the week with a beautiful picture of a baby and it said 'life' on it. 'Life,' and a picture of a baby. And he was shot down for it," said Newman.

"If the purveyors of death think this is going to stop us, they're absolutely dead wrong," said Newman. "History is replete with martyrs who have stood sacrificially and even given their own lives so that others may live. And that has always been the premise of the pro-life movement, and we will continue steadfast marching forward in that direction.

"Was he a perfect man? No, none of us are. But he stood faithful to the end."

Exposing Coercion: Pregnant Women Stand Up

Ann Lowrey Forster discovered she was pregnant in the fall of her sophomore year in college.

Watch "Exposing Coercion: Pregnant Women Stand Up" to find out how her loneliness, anger, and sense of betrayal turned into indignation, then a defiant drive to succeed.

http://www.feministsforlife.org/video/exposing-coercion.htm

Great Article in today's Ottawa Citizen by Margaret Somerville

The Flawed Quest for Perfection by Margaret Somerville, Citizen Special, August 7, 2009
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/flawed+quest+perfection/1868848/story.html Technology can eliminate many human imperfections, but we risk losing that messy quality that is the essence of our humanness

Terri Schiavo's death not peaceful, says brother

Terri Schiavo's death not peaceful, says brother In his keynote to the 26th National Conference of Lutherans For Life (LFL), July 24-25 in St. Louis, Bobby Schindler said his sister, Terri Schindler Schiavo, did not die a peaceful death as her husband had said.Terri Schiavo's 2005 starvation was "the most heinous, barbaric thing I ever had to witness," Bobby Schindler told the 26th National Conference of Lutherans For Life. for more information see http://www.terrisfight.org/

Helping People Die Well

A link to an interview of Dr. Jose Pereira who is in charge of palliative care at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Pereira had spent 3 years as a palliative care specialist in Switzerland and explains how assisted suicide completely changed the application of end-of-life care in Switzerland.
In this video Helping People Die Well Dr. Jose Pereira tells of the slippery slope of assisted suicide.

Annual March for Life, Thursday March 14, 2009

My sister Pat and I met our friend Jennifer at Saint Patrick Basilica for the Mass at 10:00.

The celebrant was Bishop Plouffe of Sault Saint Marie. He gave a terrific homily. He said being pro life is not just a cause, it is a calling. We are men and women who are called to be artisans of a culture of life. We know in our hearts that human life is to be respected because it is sacred, because we are made in God's likeness. It is not mere religious opinion. Upholding the right to life is speaking up for a basic fundamental human right. We are called to give our lives so others may live, not counting the cost and not afraid to acknowledge the truth. Our vocation is love and it is by our love that we will win the hearts of others and the world will come to know the truth.

There were many other priests concelebrating mass including pastor Monsignor Martineau and assistant pastor Lindsay Harrison. Among the visiting priests was Father Anthony Hannon, the spiritual director of the legion of Mary in Ontario.

After mass, the three of us had lunch at 240 Sparks Street before proceeding to Parliament Hill. The rain had started and continued til about 3:00PM We listened to the uplifting speeches of the MPs before heading over to the eternal flame at 1:00 Pm to meet with the Priests for Life. We met a few French speaking people from St. Hyacinthe. My French is not very good but I did manage to carry on a sort of conversation with them as well as take a few pictures of them sitting in front of the flame before the battery died on my camera.

Then I ran into Deacon Lee Winchester and around the same time I saw Father Tom Lynch who is the director of Priests for Life and Fathers Larry McCormick and Paul Burchat also of Priests for Life. We joined with the priests for the March. The rain grew heavier and the wind was very strong at times but it did not deter the more than ten thousand peaceful and joyful participants in this annual event. And there were so many youth! I think this is what give me so much hope each year. Every year there are more and more of our young people.

Along the way we met many of our Bishops and it was just so wonderful to see so many of them this year. After silently and prayerfully passing the abortion clinic at 65 Bank Street we returned to Parliament Hill to hear the poignant speeches of the many women and men of Silent no More. It was three o'clock the hour of mercy and the rain had stopped.

After that the three of us met Barb our other sister who works in the West Block and we all headed out for dinner at Darcy Mcgee's a good old irish Pub on Elgin Street. It was a great day and we had lot's to talk about

To see some of the photos and links to news stories please visit my website March for Life 2009