Lord, make us grow in respect for your most amazing gift, the gift of life. Remind us that wherever we are at, you cherish our lives and are reaching out to us. Amen.
Tabloid socialite and TV personality Kourtney Kardashian recently made a decision that shocked Hollywood and rocked the reality TV world. The pop media is still in a frenzy over the news.
Kourtney, who is 30, is the oldest sister on the E! network’s Keeping Up With the Kardashian’s, and recently finished a season of her own show: Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami with her sister.
Los Angeles native Kourtney Mary Kardashian is the daughter of the late Robert Kardashian, who was OJ Simpson’s famous trial lawyer. Her mom, Kris, is married to Bruce Jenner, the 1976 Decathlon Gold Medalist. Kourtney is a graduate of Marymount High School, an all-girls Catholic school in LA. She earned a degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Arizona in Tucson, in May, 2002. After that, Kourtney assisted her mom in opening several children’s clothing boutiques in New York and LA called “Smooch”.
Reality Shows
Her first stint with reality TV began in 2005 with Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive, a show that followed celebrity kids working on a Colorado cattle ranch. The premiere of Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s in 2007 featured models Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe, who were joined by the rest of their family. This includes brother Robert, Jr. also a model, and step-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner and their parents Kris and Bruce Jenner.
Moving to Miami, Florida, Kourtney and Khloe began shooting their own reality show Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, which aired on August 16, 2009. But that’s not all that aired that week. Kourtney also broke the news that she was pregnant.
Reality Bites
In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, (August 12, 2009) Kourtney revealed her thoughts as she struggled with what to do next.
“I definitely thought about it long and hard, about if I wanted to keep the baby or not.”
Kardashian reflected that the “choice” of abortion is often made without a lot of thought and information:
“… I don’t think it’s talked through enough. I can’t even tell you how many people just say, ‘Oh, get an abortion.’ Like it’s not a big deal.”
She felt a lot of confusion and turmoil at this point.
“I called my best friend crying, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ She said, ‘Call your doctor, and at least find out the risks and stuff.’”
Alternate Reality
Kourtney’s doctor suggested that she do research in order to make an informed decision.
“I looked online, and I was sitting on my bed hysterically crying, reading these stories of people who felt so guilty from having an abortion,” she recalls.
“I was reading these things of how many people are traumatized by it afterwards.”
It began to dawn on Kourtney that abortion was not a choice for her after all.
“I was just sitting there crying, thinking, ‘I can’t do that,’” she said. And I felt in my body, this is meant to be. God does things for a reason, and I just felt like it was the right thing that was happening in my life.”
“For me, all the reasons why I wouldn’t keep the baby were so selfish…”
Reality, Man…
Her boyfriend, Scott Disick, 26, came to her side to offer his support even though she had broken up with him already.
“He wanted me to talk about it more, but I just kept to myself.”
He said, ‘I really want you to keep it [the baby], but I will support you whatever you decide to do.’”
“I really wanted to think it through for myself, and not hear what my sisters were saying, or what Scott was saying,” Kourtney explained.
“Even though I took it all in, I wanted it to be my decision.”
But the advice her doctor had given Kourtney at that first visit stayed with her.
“My doctor told me there is nothing you will ever regret about having the baby, but he was like, ‘You may regret not having the baby.’”
“And I was like: ‘That is SO true.’”
“And it just hit me. I got so excited, and when I told Scott, he was so excited.”
When asked about future plans for marriage to Disick, Kardashian said,
“We talk about marriage all the time.”
Then she adds:
“I just feel like there is so much to do… We should do everything for the baby right now and I’ll worry about myself later.”
Harsh Reality
Perhaps the most convincing information about the effects of abortion comes from those who know first hand what an abortion can do to both a mother and her baby. Some women who have had an abortion write their testimonies, the stories of their sufferings, and post them on web sites such as silentnomore.org , afterabortion.org , or abortionfacts.com . These post-abortive women hope others read the testimonies and learn from them, and might be spared the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual suffering they experienced after their abortion.
Dr. Alveda King, Director of the African American Outreach at Priests for Life and niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., applauded Kardashian’s decision. In a LifeNews.com interview Dr. King said,
“I am a member of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, which posts the largest collection of such testimonies on the internet precisely for the purpose of exposing the truth about abortion.”
In another interview Dr. King said:
“Kourtney’s testimony is so encouraging. She found messages from post-abortive women like myself on the Internet.”
It takes a courageous woman to give a testimony of the painful results of choosing abortion, as Dr. Alveda King knows. But saving a child’s life makes it worth the pain.
Reality Check
The flashy, anything-goes lifestyle of reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian and the decision she made proves a very important point. Anyone, no matter who they are, no matter how they live, no matter what they do, can find the truth by seeking it with an open heart.
Kourtney didn’t want opinions. She began to ask real questions about abortion. What will it do to me? What will it do to my child? Before she made up her mind, she gave herself the chance to really check things out. Asking was the most important thing in the life of her unborn child. It saved his/her life.
Kourtney Kadashian’s current lifestyle may not change much right away. She is still the glitzy socialite chic with a TV camera covering her every move.
But who knows what questions she may ask in the future? One thing is for sure. If she asks God for His help, she is sure to get it.
Reality Babe–y
Kourtney Kardashian soul-searched until she found the courage and determination to accept new life.
“This baby was unexpected, but it’s 100 percent still a blessing,” says Kardashian. (8/26/09 from TransWorldNews)
Her choice of love over selfishness was a life and death decision. True love makes sacrifices.
Regardless of her career, or what others would think about her decision, regardless of what might happen to her in the future, Kourtney chose the life of her baby over her own needs.
For her, it was selfishness to do anything less.
Kourtney’s baby is due around Christmas. We pray she will continue to hear the voice of God.
The following resources were used for this article:
http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/
Bible Blurbs
“Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.”
Isaiah 49:15
“Children, too, are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children born in one’s youth.”
Psalm 127: 3-5
“You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb… My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth… my days were shaped, before one came to be.”
Psalm 139:13-16
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Luke 1:44
CLICK HERE to read and search the entire bible, ONLINE!
Catechism Clips
1738: “….Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect…”
1931: “Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that “everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as ‘another self,’…”
2227: “Children in turn contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents.”
2271: Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable…
2323: Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed like every other human being.
Ever wonder what the church REALLY says about something? Ever hear people talking about what Cathoics believe and think, “That doesn’t sound right?” CLICK HERE and check it out for yourself!
Pope Quotes
“How bitter the irony of those who promote abortion as a form of ‘maternal’ healthcare! How disconcerting the claim that the termination of life is a matter of reproductive health!”
Pope Benedict XVI, Angola, March 23, 2009
“… we ask Mary, Mother of the incarnate Word and our Mother, to protect every earthly mother: those …together with their husbands, …and those that, for so many reasons, find themselves alone in facing such an arduous task.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Sept 7, 2008
“Selfishness and fear are at the root of (pro-abortion) legislation. We in the Church have a great struggle to defend life… The Church says life is beautiful, it is not something to doubt, but it is a gift even when it is lived in difficult circumstances. It is always a gift.”
May 9, 2007
“Children are the major richness and the most precious good of a family.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Dec. 3. 2005
“…This unique contact (of a mother) with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude toward human beings – not only toward her own child, but every human being – which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.”
The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II
CLICK HERE to see all the Pope’s writings! You might be surprised at what they have to say!
Saints & Heroes
Found his faith, lost his head
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter
Lived in Austria
May 1907 – August 1943Franz was born shortly before World War I. His parents were not married, and his early years were spent living with his grandmother. When he was 9, his father was killed in the war. His mother then married his step father, who adopted him and gave him his last name.
As Franz got older, he became a bit wild and liked to party. He got a girl pregnant and had a daughter. A few years later, he met Franziska Schwaninger, who was from a nearby village. He fell in love with her and the two were married. They decided to go to Rome for there honeymoon. Something happened to Franz during this time. His heart began to feel drawn to God and his Catholic faith.
Franz and Franziska had three daughters. He became very involved at his church, eventually being made responsible for taking care of the church property and things, and setting up for Masses and ceremonies. Franz became a Third Order Franciscan, meaning he was a lay married man who had a normal job and family, but did his best to live a life like St Francis and his Friars.
During this time Hitler and the Nazi Party was in full power. The Anschluss began, as Germany started taking over their neighboring countries. In Austria, people voted to make Austria part of the Third Reich without a fight rather than be taken by force. Most Austrians knew if they voted no, they might be arrested, beaten or even killed. In his village, Franz was the only one to vote “no”.
Once Austria joined the Third Reich, the Nazis began forcing Austrian men to serve in the German Army. Franz knew that the Nazi ideals were in direct opposition to his faith. He knew it was wrong to take a persons freedom and dignity away. He also knew of the violence with which the Nazis treated those who disagreed with them, and how they treated Jews. He decided that as a Catholic, he could not fight for such a government.
His priest, bishop, and friends all encouraged Franz to go along with the Nazis, because they were concerned about his wife and children being left fatherless. But Franz had already lived part of his life ignoring his conscience, and decided he could not do that any longer. Even if he was going to be the only one, he would not compromise his morals or beliefs.
He refused to report for duty and was arrested and given a military trial. After he was convicted Franz was beheaded on a guillotine on August 9, 1943.
No one, except maybe his wife, knows exactly what caused Franz to abandon his former rowdy lifestyle and embrace his faith. In a time in his life when he was far from God, he heard and turned his life around. And as the darkness of fascism swept up everyone around him, he managed to hold on to the light of Faith. Franz made the supreme sacrifice of love for life and freedom. He was named Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on October 26, 2007, and is on his way to being canonized as a saint.True pioneer of women’s rights
Dorothy Day
Lived in New York
Nov. 1897 – Nov. 1980Dorothy was born on November 8 in Brooklyn, NY. She ended up living in Greenwich Village in the heart of the roaring 1920’s. This period of time saw many advances in technology, economic boom, the rise of communism, and a subculture of speak-easy bars opposing Prohibition. For many people, this all led to a sense of contempt for authority and traditional morals. It was against this back drop that Dorothy began pursuing her passionate career as a journalist.
As the 20’s came to a crashing end in the Great Depression, she wrote about controversial topics, such as women’s rights, birth control, and socialism. But while her political views seemed razor sharp, her personal life was a bit hazy.
Dorothy lived a loose lifestyle, having two “common law marriages”. Tragically, she ended her first pregnancy with an illegal abortion because she didn’t want to give up her career or lifestyle. When she found out she was pregnant a second time, she retreated to a beach house in a secluded vacation spot in Staten Island, NY. Here she gave birth to her only child: a daughter named Tamar. The experience of being a mother, especially after suffering the effects of abortion and years of promoting birth control, caused her to call in to question her previous thoughts about God, herself, and society. Dorothy returned to New York City a different person.
She became piously devoted to the Catholic faith, in which she found the answers to many of the social problems that concerned her. She renounced her previous lifestyle and the selfishness that went with it. She decided to live “voluntary poverty,” serving the poor, living with the poor, and being poor herself.
She started a newspaper where she wrote openly about the plight of the poor and criticized those who took advantage of them. She opened houses for homeless, and even took in the mentally ill. She helped workers protest for fair treatment. In a time when it was nearly impossible for the less fortunate to find help, but Dorothy was there with what little she had.
Dorothy also denounced the sexual revolution of the 1960’s. She said she had seen the damage that “free love” behavior could do first hand. Many people like Dorothy decided to make working for social justice more important than authentic faith. But Dorothy always held fast to Catholic teaching. The reason she did what she did was the person of Jesus Christ, and she followed and served him faithfully right where she found him present, the Catholic Church.
The Servant of God Dorothy Day died on November 29, 1980.
While her life does not follow the path one commonly associates with sainthood, Dorothy heard the voice of God in the midst of darkness and responded with abandon. Pope John Paul II opened investigation for her cause to be canonized a saint.
Virtuous Verbiage Verification
abortion – ending the life of a human being in the womb at any stage of development.
(The medical term Spontaneous Abortion refers to a miscarriage, which can sadly occur naturally and is not the result of a human action. A Procured Abortion is when the baby’s life is ended whether directly, or as a result of some other medical procedure and is immoral.)
choice – the act of selecting one of two or more options.
(In the context of Life issues, the word choice is often used incorrectly. First, an alarming number of women who have abortions state that they feel they have no other “choice”. Second, in moral situations, if someone knows something is wrong, it isn’t really a choice. But pro-abortion activists know that by labeling it a choice, they make it politically incorrect to tell a woman that abortion is not a moral option.)
compromise – when 2 sides of an argument come to an agreement by giving up something.
(Compromise can be good, unless the thing one gives up is their morals, beliefs or conscience.)
decision – something someone has made up their mind about and is committed and resolved about.
guilt(guilty) – 1) the acknowledgement that one has done something wrong. 2) feelings of remorse or sorrow for something one has done
(Guilt can be good if it leads us to repent and change. But guilt is a serious problem if we punish ourselves with these feelings to the point of despair and neglect of God’s mercy.)
post-abortive – a term used to describe the psychological, emotional and spiritual state of a woman who has experienced the tragedy of abortion.
(PAS (Post Abortive Syndrome), or PASS (Post Abortive Stress Syndrome) is a term used to describe the symptoms of this condition, which is very similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, the American Psychological Association refuses to accept it regardless of the number of women reported to be suffering from it.)
regret- sadness or disappointment, usually related to some past thing done or left undone
sacrifice – accepting suffering or discomfort for the sake of some good thing, for self or especially others
selfish(ness) – a sin of pride, which consists of holding one’s own wants and needs as being most important, above any other
testimony(ies) – when a witness tells their story about what they saw or experienced
Third Order – someone, usually a married person, who does not actually join a religious order, but lives their life following the teachings and rules of that religious community as best they can in their current state of life.
turmoil – intense stress or suffering, usually leading to chaos or disorder
Discussion Questions
- The APA, which governs the practice of psychology in the USA, refuses to accept Post Abortive Stress Syndrome (PASS or PAS for short) as a form of post traumatic stress disorder. Even though tens of thousands of women report suffering the symptoms after having an abortion, the APA insists that abortion doesn’t have a side effect on women.
- Why do you think this is?
- What reasons might they have for not wanting to acknowledge this syndrome?
- Should post abortive women be able to pay for treatment with health insurance?
- Kourtney mentions that she can keep her baby because she is well off and can afford it.
- Do you think the poor or less fortunate are limited in their actual “choice” because they can’t financially support their babies?
- Is that fair or just?
- What can or should be done about it?
- Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood International, said, “We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population.” Dr. Alveda King reaches out to African-American women because she doesn’t believe they are presented alternatives to abortion equal to other social groups.
- Is it possible that race is a factor in how and where abortion is marketed and made available?
- Obviously, not every abortion supporter thinks like Sanger, but could Planned Parenthood’s agenda be tainted by her ideas?
- Should society work to make sure all women and babies are cared for and provided for equally?
- The Kardashian sisters have not behaved like very good role models. Their provocative style of dress, sexually loose lifestyle, and often selfish and destructive behavior, seem to make them an example of what NOT to do.
- Can people who are far from God’s plan do really good things? How?
- Do you think Kourtney is responsible for this change herself, or is it a grace from God?
- Can God reach us, and can we hear Him, even if we aren’t listening?
Journal Writing
Write about the time when it was hardest for you to do the right thing. Try and remember what you were feeling and what influenced your decision. Write about the people who either helped or hindered you from doing the right thing. Then, include a paragraph or two about what you might do differently or what you might do exactly the same if you were in that situation again.
Activities
- One reason Kourtney’s decision is so shocking is the sacrifice she is willing to make for her baby. People who live surrounded by glamour and comfort often find it hard to sacrifice for others. Make a list of the people who have made sacrifices for you. Pick a way to thank them: with a card, a call, a text, or in person.
- With your teacher or parents permission, visit some of the websites mentioned in this article. Read some of the stories presented by women like Dr. Alveda King; the stories that so deeply moved Kourtney. Make sure to pray for those women, and all women faced with the “choice” of abortion.
Debate
Split in two teams. The topic for the debate is:
“Can a baby ever be an accident or a mistake?”
Be sure to use information from the lesson, the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, your Parish priest, and other reliable resources to back up your arguments.
Remember, the point is to find the truth, not just to win!
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