Live LIFE

Life is fleeting, and every moment passes by before you know it, but loving deeply makes it meaningful and fulfilling. So cherish each day with those you love and make every moment count.

Sometimes, we are blinded by the belief that acquiring more will bring us fulfillment and respect. We often place ourselves under immense pressure and fear, leading us to be hard on ourselves. May we learn to release the burdens of hatred, and embrace gratitude and contentment for what we have now.

Here's a sharing by Cata Deveza-Yap on cultivating forgiveness in her life.

True Healing Starts With Forgiveness - Live Life Does money bring value to your life? To some extent, maybe it does and it isn't bad. We need to make use of what God gifted us with to live a decent life and

🌟 Family and Life Congress 2024: UNITED 🌟

Join us this September as we gather synodal families in prayer and penance, journeying with the Holy Family. Let’s come together in faith and unity! ✨

📅 Date: September 2024
📍 Venue: Diocese of Maasin

Let’s live our faith and strengthen our bonds as one family in Christ. 🙏

In our pursuit of being trendy and trying to be "woke," is our generation losing sight of both empathy and logic?

Being "woke" is often associated with a heightened sense of awareness and activism, but beware because it can lead to a narrow view of the world. When we become too “woke," we are likely to miss the complexities of the issues we care about. Worse, we cancel the dignity of people and resort to unnecessary hatred and negativity.

Sadly, this is a common occurrence now. Woke Culture created an environment where virtue signaling takes precedence over meaningful action, and where disagreement is met with hostility rather than respectful dialogue.

In addition, the pressure to follow and adhere to "woke" ideals on social media can prevent critical thinking. In an time where everyone is expected to have a strong opinion on every social issue or even trend, the fear of being labeled as ignorant or insensitive can prevent us from asking important questions and exploring different perspectives. It can lead us to blindly believe corrupt and harmful ideologies without understanding their evil consequences.

Instead of striving to be "woke," we should focus on being awake—awake to the realities of our world and the need for true, thoughtful and informed action. Being awake means recognizing that beyond ideologies are people who need help and care. And that if we want real change, we must remember that it requires more than just awareness or hopping on trends. It asks of us a deep understanding of the problems we are trying to solve and a willingness to engage in meaningful conversations as we seek the truth, even when the majority seems to disagree with us.

Saint John Paul II in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae speaks to the heart of post-abortive mothers. He lovingly tells them:

"I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To the same Father and his mercy you can with sure hope entrust your child. With the friendly and expert help and advice of other people, and as a result of your own painful experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone's right to life. Through your commitment to life, whether by accepting the birth of other children or by welcoming and caring for those most in need of someone to be close to them, you will become promoters of a new way of looking at human life. "

Family and Life Commission - Diocese of Novaliches will be hosting an online forum on Divorce and Canon Law on Marriage tomorrow at 2:00 PM PHT. Check out the details below:

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𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓:

𝑱𝒐𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏

𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐍 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒
𝑨𝒏 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒖𝒎 𝒐𝒏 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏 𝑳𝒂𝒘 𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆

Resource Speaker: FR. JAIME ACHACOSO, JCD
Secretary, Canon Law Society of the Philippines

Saturday l 10 August 2024
2:00 PM Via ZOOM

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬:

•𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.
•𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤&𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
•𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐃: 𝟖𝟑𝟏 𝟒𝟗𝟒𝟔 𝟒𝟒𝟏𝟎
𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞: 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐃

Today, let us embrace the transforming power of love.
Seek what is true, good, and beautiful, and let it move and change our soul.

LIVE LIFE is joining forces with Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas in promoting the gospel of life! If you need assistance in explaining family and life issues in your parish, community, or institution, send us a message.

When we collaborate, we become stronger together!

Every infant is a unique masterpiece that offers a glimpse of God's wonderful creation. ✨

"It is a shame and a sorrow that as faithful people, we have neglected the sanctity of human life and dignity, as well as our duties as stewards." -Ralph Louie Neo, Lay Minister, Our Lady of the Gate Parish, Daraga, Albay

It is undeniable that our generation has been passive in defending the value and dignity of human life. Consumed by fear, we have forgotten that at the heart of our mission is to make Christ known to the world. Protecting this precious gift of life is integral to fulfilling that mission.

https://lcsclivelife.com/gods-great-gift-to-us/

God's Great Gift To Us - Live Life "I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full." -John 10,10

The influence of woke propaganda and gender ideology today distorts our perception of reality, creating a divisive and chaotic landscape in social media and different circles. Traditionally, men and women are seen as complementary beings, each with unique roles and strengths. However, radical feminism has challenged this complementarity, leading to increased antagonism between the two s*xes. Many women now view men as adversaries rather than powerful allies in the grand design of creation. This growing hostility is promoted by radical feminists who reject their womanhood and sow discord among men.

It's crucial to recognize that men and women are inherently different by God's design. We are meant to be partners, working together to nurture and sustain God's creation. Both men and women are called to embody God's eternal plan, joining forces to combat the harmful ideologies of transgenderism and wokeism. By embracing our complementary roles, we can unite as a powerful force against these corrupting influences.

Author: The Imperial Patriarch

I waited to know all the facts before I started writing.
No, Imane Khelif is not a transgender nor has he identified as one.

He has the genotype of a male (XY) and phenotype of a male (XY).
For reasons unknown, he was raised as a girl by his parents - most likely because even though his chromosomes (inside) and his observable physical features (outside) show us he's a male, his ge****ls were likely not of male.

Typically, when babies are born, the medical staff or doctor would just look at the ge****ls to determine the s*x. They don't do kayotype tests at birth, and there's really nothing else that you can observe that would confirm otherwise.

In no way is he at fault for being born that way.

That being said, competitions have guidelines so people can fight in equal standing.

There are several cases in the past where athletes with similar cases of Imane were either allowed or banned from participating.

Previously, Imane and one other competitor, were banned from a previous (IBA) World Championship in 2023 after they failed the gender eligibility test.

The result showed that he has an XY chromosome (male).

Today's Olympics in Paris has a different ruling body, different rules, as the IBA, which had the gender-test requirement, has been replaced by the IOC.

IOC does not have this requirement - no chromosome test, and the two didn't take any testosterone test.

-

WHY is this important?

First, any naturally born biological male - will ALWAYS have an unfair advantage over others.

It does NOT matter if the person has DSD (the case with Imane), Inters*x, or artificially altered themselves (transgenders).

Paris 2024 guideline says:
"The athlete must demonstrate that her total testosterone level in serum has been below 288 ng/dL for at least 12 months prior to her first competition"

The average female has 15 to 70 ng/dL of Testosterone.
The average male has 300 to 1,000 ng/dL of Testosterone.

The guideline already made adjustments for those going "a little bit" above the testosterone level because nature is weird sometimes and hormone levels fluctuate and is a spectrum for everybody.

However, you can CLEARLY see the obvious and huge gap between the testosterone range the average male has over the female. The average male has at most 1900% more testosterone than females.

If they were born a male, they would have developed increased muscle mass and strength, higher bone density, more fast-twitch muscle fibers (explosive power), higher red blood cell / oxygen capacity), and many more.

Even IF they transitioned to female and reduced their overall serum testosterone for 12 months, these unfair advantages don't magically disappear. A lot of these features are retained permanently.

In competitions, anyone with the XY chromosome (males) will always have an edge over females.

-- Trivia --

Back in 1998, Tennis Champions Serena and Venus Williams were feeling confident and wanted to test their skills against a male player. They put out a challenge to any guy ranked outside the top 200. Karsten Braasch, who was ranked 203 at the time, took them up on it. The match went down during the Australian Open.

Braasch, known for his quirky style, ended up beating Serena 6-1 and Venus 6-2. What’s interesting is he didn’t take it too seriously - he even had a cigarette and a beer before playing.
-- --

Men and women are not equal.

They are born different.
Anyone who says otherwise is a fool.

They dismiss any thought about the unfairness of it all and hide behind technicalities and guidelines to tell you nothing is wrong - that a person who is biologically a man inside and out, can beat a woman up and that this is perfectly fair and normal.

In other words, they really don't care about you.
They care about their own proud agenda.

Women, listen, they are out there to replace you.

Carini, the female boxing opponent of Imane said in the interview after the fight - "I quit so I can save my life." She realized this after her nose started to bleed after the first hit. It was a punch that she never experienced before - in all her years training for the Olympics.

The same comment was released by Imane's previous opponent who he battered up severely - that it was her first time to experience such a devastating fight, and that she was glad that she finished the match alive.

If you have daughters and sisters, do not let them join any competition which allows biological males to fight them. It will never be a level playing field. It will not only be unfair, but can potentially be a risk to their lives.

-

The first step in relearning the truth is to understand one of its fundamentals that a lot have forgotten - men and women are not equal.

There is no shame or inferiority in this statement because men and women are not supposed to compete with one another and their strengths should not be measured in the same way.

Gratitude is an important virtue that comes from a humble heart. When we are grateful, our eyes see the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. It makes us see that life despite its fickleness, is and will always be a delightful gift. It teaches us that even if our family members are imperfect, they are wonderful presents from the Lord and we ought to be thankful for their presence.

May we always practice gratitude to God who is the the source of life and all things good.

There are many moments in life when we encounter contradictions and disagreements with those close to us. We may even have significant differences in beliefs and worldviews. Yet, it's essential to remember the importance of respecting others.

To build a healthier community, we must practice benevolence and treat each other with dignity. We must acquire prudence by discerning accordingly how even our choice of words and intentions can affect others.

We have to carefully consider the ramifications of our actions if we truly want to be 'inclusive' and loving.

If we want to demand respect, we must learn to also show it.

When the wounds of our painful experiences are mended by God, we are able to see and hear things clearly. When our hearts are held by the loving hands of God, we are able to experience life with gratitude and great sense of care towards others. When we let God see us through, only then will we receive the deepest longings of our hearts.
-Azenette Samson, Missionary Families of Christ Full-time Pastoral Worker

Letting God take over our lives transforms the way we live. It leads to holiness, bringing us peace and joy even in difficult circumstances.

Finding Purpose Amidst All Pain and Suffering - Live Life There is more to life than all the troubles and sorrows that may come. There is joy and hope in life amidst the hardships. There is a way through every

‼️No to Divorce‼️

“Divorce is a journey that the children involved do not ask to take. They are forced along for a ride where the results are dictated by the road their parents decide to travel.”
— Diane Greene

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔, 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒍𝒚.” -𝑴𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒗. 𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒔 𝑪. 𝑽𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒐, 𝑫.𝑫.

It is neither kind nor respectful to assert what is blatantly twisted in the first place. We cannot coerce other people into believing and participating in a lie. As creatures with moral responsibility, we humans have a duty to uphold the truth at all times, even if it means disappointing another person or being on the losing end because we might get cancelled by the mob.

Let us not wait any longer to hear more distressing stories involving such 'preferred pronouns'. Today, let us resolve to fight against this confusing and harmful gender ideology that is corrupting the minds of our brothers and sisters. We must not allow others to trample on the truth that rests in the very fiber of our being.

WE SHALL STAND TOGETHER

The server was made to stand for two hours in utter humiliation because he misgendered the customer.

The woke and the LGBTQ often talk about being oppressed, but if you can berate a server for that long because he wouldn't agree with your gender, I do not believe that you are expressing oppression.

The server might not have the right knowledge to know how to handle the situation, just like many of our fellow Filipinos.

What do you do if a person who is clearly of one s*x tells you that they're the opposite, and compels you to abide by this falsehood?

I know what you should do. YOU SHALL STAND.

You shall stand by what is true, which is that there is only male and female.

You shall stand for the truth even if others bend the knee to false ideologies.

You and I shall stand firm and strong on our beliefs and values, because our children are watching us. They shall know the value of the truth and what it means to defend it, even with your life.

We shall stand together against the onslaught of woke and LGBTQ ideology which is an affront to truth and common sense.

We shall all be together, standing fast, loving those who hate us and hating the falsehood they spread.

No one should ever take the truth away from you.

On divorce –

My family has been through a lot like many of you. At 8 (and when my younger brother was 2), I witnessed my parents almost separating because of many serious factors, all of which could have been grounds for divorce based on the bill now being discussed. Years later, there were more instances like that, which again led to being on verge of separation. Eventually, they patched things up, which I believe are the fruit of prayers. They’re still together to this day, and have been so for 40 years.

We all have our opinions on divorce. Here's mine:

If you don't believe in the sanctity of marriage that was instituted by Christ, then don't have one, at least not through the Catholic Church. The Church will always intervene when it comes to faith and morals. If you don't believe in the Church’s teachings—let alone in God—then we can leave it at that.

But from a non-religious perspective, it is a binding contract similar to all contracts that shouldn’t be breached. And like any other contract, there are repercussions. If this means you’d have to go through a hard time processing papers, you should’ve known these things before entering the marriage/contract.

It’s why there's a Filipino saying addressed to couples intending to marry, "Ang kasal ay hindi parang mainit na kanin na pag napaso ay iluluwa." It is a reminder that you have to be sure that you know the person well, that you love him/her no matter what, and that you'll commit to the person until the end, regardless if the romantic feelings are still there or not. Karol Wojtyla would define love as a “decision driven by commitment.” Love is not and cannot be based on feelings because feelings are temporary—something that will never serve as a good foundation. The vows you make on your wedding day won’t change over time.

I believe that divorce will not change people’s bad behaviors, rather, it will only tolerate it if one is allowed to remarry after a divorce. Examples of this are Hollywood celebrities who decide to get married and file for a divorce even after 2-3 days, only to get married again to the next person. In this kind of scenario, it's always the kids who suffer—their psychological and emotional well-being is always at stake. When they grow up, their perception of love/relationships and how they conduct themselves to the world will be based on the lack of structural foundation at home. Showing children at a young age that the separation of parents is such a normal thing is harmful not only to them but to society at large. After all, isn't it that one of the first questions a therapist would ask is, “What was your childhood like?"

How are we supposed to end the cycle of generational trauma if we make laws that tolerate bad behaviors rather than making laws that strengthen individuals, marriages, and family counseling? Why not make them affordable and accessible?

I love my crazy family. I love my parents more for always trying to work things out and still trying to work out their differences because of their promise and commitment to God, to each other, and to us their kids. We definitely need therapy but not divorce.

For family and friends who have been through or are going through difficult times because of their parents, relationships or family dynamics, I am deeply sorry you had to go through that. The reality is, we are all broken. But we don't need to use that brokenness to break others too.

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LIVE LIFE | Life Advocate

Here are some of our favorite takeaways from the recently released pastoral statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Divorce

Read the whole article here: https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/a-nation-founded-on-family-a-family-founded-on-marriage/

READ: Here is the full text of the CBCP pastoral statement on divorce, entitled "A Nation Founded on Family, A Family Founded on Marriage."

This is how we renew the face of the Earth. 🙏

This is 6 Catholic families (with a collective total of 34 kids) getting together on a Thursday evening to have dinner, laugh together, and pray a Rosary as a community.

This is how we change the culture, the Church, and the world.

Prayer to End Abortions
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that You have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never to stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected, and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice not just for some, but for all, through Christ our Lord. Amen!

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/prayer-to-end-abortions-367

Pride has been called "the cancer of the soul," "the beginning of all sin," and "sin in its final form."

As some of our brothers and sisters celebrate Pride this month, we pro-lifers condemn the sin of pride. We believe in putting God at the center of our lives and allowing Him to fulfill His plan for us according to His design.

We are called to live in humility, to understand the value of sacrifice, and to be lovers of truth. This is true liberation—the freedom to live outside the prison of sin.

Live LIFE LIVE LIFE is an advocacy that promotes the Gospel of Life.