Just my view on the subject . . .

Elections are coming up and everyone is busy making their personal decisions for whom to vote. This is the American Way. You vote your conscience. If, however, all Catholics are voting their conscience, according to our Faith, why is it that we have had a pro-death president in the White House? Something isn’t right here.

When I question people about their stand on the pro-life movement, they are all for the sanctity of life . . . until they step into the voting booth. What happens to their conscience when they start to mark their ballots? What happens to saving the unborn when they put their mind to the vote at hand? And one vote does make a difference as the Catholic vote put our current president in the White House. Isn’t that sad to think about? Our faith, religion and morals should dictate caring for the unborn, no matter what. People will put their life on the line to show this yet they can’t cross party lines. Of course, everyone has a right to belong to the political party of their choice but have they taken the time over the years to find out what the party of their choice really stands for these days? I don’t think there is any pride to be found in bragging that you have never voted outside your particular political party. It shows a lack of thinking not the virtue of loyalty. There is such a thing as misplaced loyalty and it certainly isn’t anything of which to be proud.

How many parishes advocate pro-life yet the majority of their congregation votes the ticket that puts the very lives of the innocent on the line? Someone once told me that when I reach the Social Security years, I will change my political views dramatically when it comes to my monthly Social Security and related benefits. What a reality check! A living person is worried about a change in dollars and cents when they already have a full life. They vote for added comfort while unborn babies can be murdered brutally and legally even if they would be viable outside the mother’s womb. Perhaps the Social Security Catholics should worry about euthanasia as abortion is surely the precursor to that. If the life of a baby is so unimportant, how much more value would an elderly person have in this day and age?

A friend told me that her family votes for any candidate with a D following his or her name. The Democratic party hasn’t been very kind to the unborn for years. The current administration made sure that partial birth abortion remained a tragic option..

When I was in school, any time I saw a D following anything on my report card, I knew I was borderline for failure. Many of the candidates sporting that D are helping us head for moral bankruptcy with other political parties following closely in their footsteps. If we are serious in our concern for the unborn, then vote to safeguard the unborn. Wrongs never make rights and too many Catholic votes have deliberately taken away the rights of the unborn.

I like the way the priests and brothers at St. Michael’s Prep School say the Pledge of Allegiance, "with liberty and justice for all, both born and unborn." We say we are pro-life. Will the Catholic vote reflect this or will our vote show us to be selfish hypocrites again this election?

"A child is a pledge of immortality, for he bears upon him in figure those high and eternal excellences in which the joy of heaven consists . . ."

Banana Drama Cookies

I love drop cookies as they go together quickly and are almost always tasty,
moist little cakes of goodness. Save an overly-ripe banana by way of a cookie
ingredient and you have a win/win situation.

Banana Drama Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cups solid shortening
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup very ripe banana - well mashed
1 tablespoon freshly-grated lemon zest
1 cup chocolate chips - semisweet or milk chocolate, melted
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or used
vegetable oil spray.

Combine the sugar and shortening and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the
eggs and extracts. Add bananas and melted chocolate.

Combine the dry ingredients and stir into egg/shortening mixture.

Use a cookie scoop or drop by rounded teaspoonsfuls about 1 1//2 inches apart on
prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove to cool completely on wire
racks.

Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enough milk or cream to form a usable icing.

Topping ideas
Finely chopped peanuts
Candied cherries