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December 5, 2011
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"Mary's Ultrasound" billboards are back! 


Last year’s “Mary’s Ultrasound” billboards (left) were a huge success, in communities across Wisconsin. Viewers in Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse and beyond were touched by a simple image of the preborn Christ Child. The pro-life effort raised the ire of the former president of Catholics for Choice, Frances Kissling, who wrote about the billboards in the Washington Post.

Kissling even referred to Pro-Life Wisconsin as the “grinches that stole Christmas!”

And now, thanks to some awesome PLW supporters, the billboards are back!

You can find the billboard in Milwaukee, Green Bay and La Crosse. The billboards feature an ultrasound image of Baby Jesus, with a halo and the words “He’s on His way… Christmas starts with Christ.”

The Milwaukee billboard is located at the intersection of N. Humboldt Blvd. and E. North Ave.

The Green Bay billboard is located on Highway 41, south of Green Bay, facing northbound traffic. To see the billboard on a map, click here. We would like to especially recognize 40 Days for Life of Green Bay. Due to their invaluable assistance, the Green Bay billboard was made possible.

The La Crosse billboard is located at the intersection of George St. and Clinton St. (near the Caledonia St. Options Clinic).

The image on the billboards placed by Pro-Life Wisconsin is compliments of ChurchAds, a Christian nonprofit in England, dedicated to the idea of keeping Christ in Christmas.

We encourage people to download the image and distribute it at schools, parishes and anywhere else that would benefit from seeing the joyful preborn Baby Jesus.

Click here to donate in support our pro-life billboard effort.

Empty Manger Christmas Caroling


Last year's Empty Manger Christmas Caroling effort was so popular, we're doing it again this year, and in more cities to boot! 

What better way to bring the joy of Christmas to a place where hopelessness abounds?

Dates, times and locations as follows (please note the La Crosse location has been added and the Appleton time is finalized):
- Milwaukee: Pro-Life Wisconsin and 40 Days for Life of Milwaukee will be singing Christmas carols on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. both days, outside Affiliated Medical Services. Affiliated is located at 1428 N. Farwell Ave, Milwaukee.
- Madison: PLW affiliate Vigil for Life will be singing Christmas carols on Dec. 22 at 5:30 pm at Planned Parenthood, 1306 Orin Road, Madison. 
- Green Bay: Pro-Life Wisconsin and 40 Days for Life of Green Bay will be singing Christmas carols on Dec. 23 at 3pm at Bellin Hospital, 744 South Webster Avenue, Green Bay.
- Appleton: Pro-Life Wisconsin will be singing Christmas carols on Dec. 23 at 5:30 pm at Planned Parenthood, 3800 North Gillette Street, Appleton.
- La Crosse: PLW affiliate 40 Days for Life of La Crosse will be singing Christmas carols on Dec. 22 at 3 pm at Options Clinic, 1201 Caledonia Street, La Crosse.

We will have copies of Christmas carols and the empty manger. Please spread this message far and wide. Most of all, prepare the way of the Lord by joining us in song to glorify the King of kings.

Report: Wisconsin Catholic hospitals reimbursed under Family Planning Waiver program


From the Badger Catholic blog:
Recently-obtained figures from the state of Wisconsin show that from 2007-2010, all of Wisconsin’s Catholic hospitals received taxpayer funds for participating in the so-called Family Planning Waiver (FPW) program. Document, here, details the Catholic hospitals by name and by amount per year. It is entirely plausible the figures are actually higher, due to how the funding recipients are organized (as you can see, pharmacies are separated from physicians groups, etc.)

To be fair, the FPW program does cover "natural family planning supplies". Many Catholic hospitals employ NFP personnel.

The FPW program, per the state of Wisconsin website, covers:
  • Contraceptive services and supplies (such as birth control pills, condoms, the morning-after pill, Ella, the IUD, etc.)
  • Natural family planning supplies
  • Family planning pharmacy visits
  • Pap tests
  • Tubal ligation
  • Tests and treatment for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes and syphilis as well as certain other lab tests
  • Routine preventive primary services only if related to family planning
  • Mammograms and hysterectomies are not covered
Sadly, Catholic hospitals dispensing contraception isn’t a surprise to some Wisconsin faithful.

In 2007, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference was neutral on a bill, now Wisconsin law, that forced ALL hospitals in the state to dispense emergency contraception to rape victims. During testimony about the bill, Kim Wades of the WCC said many Catholic hospitals are already dispensing the abortifacient drug, so the proposed law wouldn’t change much. Wisconsin Right to Life was neutral on the bill as well. Bishops Morlino and Listecki broke with the WCC to oppose the emergency contraception mandate.

Catholic hospitals are expected to abide by the Ethical and Religious Directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The ERD includes prohibitions against abortion, physician-assisted suicide, direct sterilization, the withholding of food and water from patients, and contraceptive procedures.

In the same time frame, 2007-2010, Planned Parenthood received $26 million from taxpayers for providing contraception, etc. More on that here.

The entire cost of the program to taxpayers? A cool $81.5+ million. And that’s just in Wisconsin.

The FPW program was initiated and signed into law under Tommy Thompson, our Catholic former Governor (now running for Herb Kohl’s open seat in the U.S. Senate). The Family Planning Waiver was originally sought by Wisconsin under the Thompson administration as part of a plan to reduce teen pregnancy. The Wisconsin State Legislature passed the original bill supporting the Waiver with strong bipartisan support. Then Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the bill, and in 2002 he signed the Waiver approval as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Something else interesting in that list of places reimbursed for FPW funds – Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. Where their patients are just children. Either they’re putting kids on birth control or giving them emergency contraception or? There really isn’t an alternative, since the program covers contraception only.

You can search the entire document here.

Join PLW at the March for Life


Join pro-life Wisconsinites and 400,000 people from around the nation to mark the anniversary of the deadly Roe v. Wade decision.

The annual March for Life will be held Monday, January 23, in Washington, D.C.  Pro-Life Wisconsin's buses will be leaving on Friday, January 20, and returning Tuesday, January 24. 

Cost for the trip, including travel to and from Washington as well as hotel accommodations, is $275.

We will travel by bus and stay two nights at a Capitol Hill hotel. Register NOW to guarantee a seat!

Call PLW's office at (262) 796-1111 or e-mail info@prolifewisconsin.org for more info.

Pro-life Christmas float in Watertown parade


The Watertown Christmas Parade of Lights, held this past Saturday November 26, had a pro-life float this year!

The Watertown Catholic Pro-Life Group, a PLW affiliate, had the pictured float (left) in the parade. What a great way to spread the pro-life message, in a joyful Christ-centered way.

Pro-life news wrap-up

- Disturbing Illinois abortion facility to remain closed through 2012. Read more here.

-The drug Ambien is having a positive effect on those in a "vegetative state," leading many to wonder whether people in such a state are really "brain dead". Read more here.

- Newt Gingrich: "Life begins at implantation, not fertilization." Read more here.

Affiliate activities


Pro-Life Wisconsin Walworth Co. prays at Planned Parenthood in Delavan, WI. Signs are provided. Contact Phil Cullen for info - 262-742-3299.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Juneau County gathers for prayer witness every Monday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Family Planning Health Services, 522 State Road 82 # F, in Mauston. Please call Richard Irwin, (608) 565-6706, for more information. They meet every second Tuesday of the month at the Hatch Public Library in Mauston at 7 p.m. in the Community Room.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Marathon County prays the Rosary once a month on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at Family Planning Health Services. Call Ron Putzer at (715) 842-5368 to confirm date.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Fond du Lac County prays in front of Planned Parenthood, 333 N. Peters Ave., Fond du Lac, on the second Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For information, call Ann at (920) 921-6062. A pro-life Rosary is said at 8:30 a.m. before the 9 a.m. Mass each Saturday at St. Mary's Church, Marquette St. at E. Merrill Ave., Fond du Lac.

Vigil for Life-PLW Dane County have a perpetual presence on the sidewalks in front of Madison's Planned Parenthood abortion facility (3706 Orin Road, Madison, WI 53704). Each day that Planned Parenthood is open for business (every week day), 2 people (at least!) will be scheduled to be present on the sidewalk. The times and days are as follows: Monday-Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.; Thursday 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.; and Friday, 1pm - 3pm. Individuals or groups are needed to sign up for these 2-hour shifts, especially on a monthly basis. You may also "stop by." Those interested should click here to view the online scheduling calendar or contact affiliate leader Laura Karlen at (608) 445-2064 or email laura@vigilforlife.org.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Chippewa Valley prays and gives public witness against abortion and contraception outside the Eau Claire Planned Parenthood (1231 Menomonie St.) every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Milwaukee County gathers regularly on Saturday mornings at the Affiliated abortion center, 1428 N. Farwell Ave. in Milwaukee, between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. SIDEWALK COUNSELORS ARE NEEDED! If you can come pray or counsel women entering the abortuary, please contact Peggy Hamill, (262) 796-1111, or e-mail info@prolifewisconsin.org for more information.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Outagamie County invites you to love your preborn neighbor as yourself, by going out to the places where abortions are sold and committed. Please plan to come and sidewalk counsel (beside the driveway), pray and witness with signs at Planned Parenthood Appleton North on 3800 N. Gillett St.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Waukesha County will join other pro-lifers for monthly prayer in front of the Planned Parenthood in Waukesha, 426 W. Main St. Prayer gatherings will be held the fourth Saturday of every month at 10 a.m.

Pro-Life Wisconsin Kenosha has consecrated our fight against Planned Parenthood to Jesus through Mary.  We pray every Saturday at 11 a.m. in front of the Planned Parenthood facility, located at Roosevelt Road and 36th Avenue in Kenosha. Please come and pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and other prayers with us. For more information contact Karie Kinzler at kakinzler7@yahoo.com or at (262) 656-0301.

Please join Pro-Life Wisconsin Racine for a prayer vigil every Wednesday from 11 a.m. until noon at the Racine Planned Parenthood, 832 Main St. All are welcome to join with your presence or your prayers.

Rock County Chapter of Pro-Life Wisconsin encourages people to come to the Rockford abortion mill to pray, witness and counsel. The Northern Illinois Women’s Center is located at 10th St and Broadway, Rockford, Ill. Although the abortion facility has been closed by the Illinois Health Department, pro-lifers are encouraged to continue praying here. The Rosary begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet. For more information please call Mary Jane Stephan (815) 624-2270 or (815) 670-1166. PLW Rock County is also on Facebook!

Courtesy announcements


Missionaries to the Preborn is having a pro-life picket on Saturday, December 17 from 11:30 am to 1 pm at the intersection of S 76th Street & W Layton Avenue in Greenfield. Park on 74th Street. Signs will be provided. Any questions call (414) 462-3399 or email defendbabies@missionariestopreborn.com

 The third Monday of every month All Saints Catholic Church in Berlin says a Rosary for life at the church's monument for the unborn after a 5:15p.m. Mass. Everyone welcome.

Pro-lifers pray the Rosary every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the West Bend Planned Parenthood, 532 Shepherd’s Drive, West Bend, WI. Located on the West end of town, approximately 1-1/2 miles west of Hwy 45 on West Washington Street (aka: Highway 33) in West Bend. It is in a shopping mall on the north-side of the street. We are on the sidewalk.

Holy Hour for the Unborn: St. John the Evangelist Parish, 8500 W. Cold Spring Rd., Greenfield, Wis. We come together every fourth Wednesday of the month from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to pray for the end of abortion. The church has 24 hours of Adoration seven days a week. Contact Kathy Knaack with questions, Kathy.knaack@gmail.com.

Cenacles of Life meets every Saturday morning at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cambridge at 8:30 am to pray two rosaries for an end to the culture of death.

Cenacles of Life meets at St Mary’s Good Shepherd Chapel, 108 McHenry St, Burlington, WI every Wednesday at 6 p.m., and recites the second oral Rosary in the main body of the church, finishing at 7:15 p.m.

Cenacles of Life meets every Saturday morning at 6:45 a.m. to pray two Rosaries for pro-life intentions before the 7:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pine Bluff, west of Madison.

The Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe has a prayer vigil every Monday at 4:30 p.m. in Wisconsin Rapids on 8th St. by the Shopko mall to pray for the closing of the Planned Parenthood. If you have any questions contact Will Goodman at (608) 698-7443.

The Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe has a prayer vigil every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Stevens Point in front of the strip mall next to Family Video to pray for the closing of Family Planning Health Services. If you have any questions contact Jen Dunnett at (715) 340-2779.

If you enjoy receiving the Monday Update every week, please consider donating to Pro-Life Wisconsin’s life-saving work. For your convenience, credit card donations are accepted by phone, (262) 796-1111 or toll-free (877) GOD’S WILL or use our secure online donation form. Thank you for your generosity!