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The Susan G. Komen Foundation announced that is has pulled all funding from Planned Parenthood due to a stipulation that the charity cannot grant funds to organizations undergoing investigations by local, state or federal authorities.

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Not long ago, my daughter, Thea, was driving me to the airport. I was headed to EWTN to produce the next round of programs for Women of Grace. Strapped into the back seat was my almost 7 year old granddaughter, Julia.

"Mom," said Julia. "It is so sad that Maggie and Elise aren't friends anymore."

"They're not?" asked my daughter. "What happened?"

"Maggie said 'duh'." Julia replied somberly.

"She said, 'duh'?" asked Thea.

"Yes," said Julia, clearly with the sound of "duh" in her voice.

"Well," said Thea. "You know Julia, there are two meanings for 'duh.' It all depends on your tone of voice. You can say 'duh' and it means you agree with someone. Or you can say 'duh' and it means the other person is stating the obvious -- you know, saying what everyone else already knows."

"I know that, Mommy. She said 'duh'!" definition two.

"That's too bad," said my daughter.

"I know." said Julia. "It's really sad."

Thea and I exchanged a knowing glance. Julia was "coming of age" in the world of social communication and beginning to realize that tone of voice matters. She was also beginning to see how fragile friendship can be -- the power of one syllable can destroy it.

Tone of voice and tonal inflection communicate -- often more directly than the actual words being spoken. Tone of voice can bring comfort and solace or hurt and misery. It can be an instrument that heals and bonds a friendship or a sword that slashes it to ribbons.

Tonal inflection is just the same -- it can indicate solidarity or derision by the mere emphasis  placed on one word over another.

Just as we ought to select our words carefully so that we properly communicate what we are expressing and are rightly understood, so too should we guard our tone of voice and tonal inflection to make sure of the same.

What we say matters. And how we say it matters, too. Both are creative forces that can bring joy and peace or sorrow and pain. What are your words saying today? Are they relationship builders or relationship busters?

 

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The Catholic Church in the U.S. is rallying in defense of religious freedom with more than 93 bishops and a new lay-run national campaign calling up on the faithful to oppose a new federal mandate that will force religious employers to violate their consciences by mandating insurance coverage for medical practices that violate the tenets of the faith.

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A major network is now casting 30-something grandmas for an upcoming reality show about mothers whose teenage daughters are pregnant at the same time.

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Faithful to the religious observances of their faith, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth to dedicate Him to God. This was an important custom of the Jewish religion. It was also customary for a wealthy family to bring a lamb and a young pigeon or turtle dove to be sacrificed. Poorer families, however, were permitted to offer two pigeons or two turtle doves for the offering. When the Holy Family arrived at the Temple, they were greeted by a just and pious man named Simeon. His words brought with them the first of Our Lady’s sufferings.

For Reflection:              Read Luke 2: 22-35. What did Simeon prophesy about Jesus? How was it the occasion of great joy and great sorrow for Our Lady? In what way was she called to exemplify the three hallmarks of a handmaid of the Lord – receptivity, trust and surrender?

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A new poll conducted by Harris Interactive found that a shocking 15 percent of U.S. adults said they would rather miss the birth of their own child than miss an opportunity to attend the Super Bowl.

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About two dozen members of Occupy Providence in Rhode Island disrupted a right to life rally last week by throwing condoms at Catholic school girls and shouting down speakers.

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The past week has seen two examples of the horrifying atrocities committed against Afghan women with news that a 22 year-old Afghan woman was strangled by her husband for giving birth to a girl instead of a boy, and Afghan immigrants in Canada were convicted of murdering three teens and a former wife because they had become too westernized.

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“God sends to us the one who personifies his love: Mary, the spouse of the Spirit – a spirit of maternal love – immaculate, all beautiful, spotless, even though she is our sister, a true daughter of the human race.”                           St. Maximilian Kolbe

For Reflection: 

Consider this quote in light of yesterday’s quote. What does it say to you? How do you think Mary personifies God’s love through the Holy Spirit? How have you experienced an increase in Mary’s maternal love through your meditations of the GraceLines this month? Have you experienced an increase of God’s love? In what ways?

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It wasn't a criminal record that caused two British tourists to be barred from entering the U.S. last week - it was two joking tweets about "destroying America" and "digging up Marilyn Monroe" that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found suspicious.

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