Some important acts of Catholic citizenship are fast approaching, and in fact, one is happening at this very moment through early voting.

An August ballot initiative will determine whether our Ohio Constitution continues to be a mockery of the Republic or be protected the way our forefathers designed this great nation. Issue 1 will make it harder to amend the constitution, and that’s how it should be! Catholic Vote – Ohio explains it:

On August 8, 2023, Ohioans will vote on a special constitutional amendment to raise the threshold for future constitutional amendments to 60%. Ohio has one of the most liberal amendment processes in the country: just 50% of the vote is required to change the state constitution. This allows leftist groups like Planned Parenthood to pour millions of dollars into Ohio and use deceptive advertising to put their wish list items like a right to abortion in the Ohio constitution.

The Ohio Constitution should not be up for sale to the highest bidder!

The August 8th special election is an amendment about amendments: It will require future amendments to receive 60% of the vote to be enacted. CatholicVote SUPPORTS the August 8th amendment because it will help defend Ohio values and prevent leftist groups from taking over the state.

VOTE YES ON ISSUE 1, August 8, 2023

But it doesn’t stop there. The opposition to Issue 1 appears to be largely based on the forthcoming initiative on November’s ballot to amend the Ohio Constitution, enshrining abortion forever in our state. It would take parental rights away. The diabolical mantra recently chanted, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children,” is very much the purpose of this proposed amendment. From the Buckeye Reporter…

Opposing the initiative are “a roster of left-leaning advocacy groups,” reported the Buckeye Reporter on May 1.

These groups include Black Lives Matter Cleveland, Black Lives Matter Dayton, Pro-Choice Ohio, Black Out and Proud, the Cleveland Bi+ Network, Columbus New Liberals, Democrat Socialists of America-Cleveland, Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens, New Voices for Reproductive Justice and the Ohio Federation of Teachers.

The initiative also is opposed by “Red, Wine, and Blue,” a Shaker Heights-based group of “suburban wine moms” that’s been fighting to keep pornographic books in Ohio K-12 school libraries is launching a new offensive, according to the Cleveland Reporter.

Also opposing Issue 1 is the Communist Part of Ohio, which recently “gathered to ‘stand with drag queens and families'” during a protest outside a “Drag Story Hour” event at the Near West Side Theatre in Cleveland.

It has been said that the issues are very confusing for people. The language is tricky, and the headlines can intentionally or unintentionally be misleading. I heard that even a retired judge was confused by all this.

Fortunately, the unsophisticated manner in which we simply look at WHO is supporting and WHO is opposing can quickly help clarify things. Only domestic terrorists oppose it, and some RINOs, and also those who think we are a democracy instead of a constitutional republic.

VOTE YES ON ISSUE 1, August 8, 2023

November’s Ballot Language

To alleviate confusion, read the text of the forthcoming November ballot issue that could be added to the Ohio Constitution. Emphasis is mine.

Article I, Section 22. The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety

A. Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on:

1. contraception;
2. fertility treatment;
3. continuing one’s own pregnancy;
4. miscarriage care; and
5. abortion.
B. The State shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against either:

1. An individual’s voluntary exercise of this right or
2. A person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right,
unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means to advance the individual’s health in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based standards of care.

However, abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability. But in no case may such an abortion be prohibited if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.

C. As used in this Section:

1. “Fetal viability” means “the point in a pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.”
2. “State” includes any governmental entity and any political subdivision.
D. This Section is self-executing.[5]

After preparing this post, perhaps I should have boldfaced the entire block.

The measure is intentionally designed to remove the rights of parents to have sole guardianship over their children. Furthermore, it doesn’t end with abortion. Mom and Dad will eventually have no say when school counselors, teachers, coaches or librarians give mutilation support and guidance to their children.

Voting YES, in favor of, Issue 1 on August 8th will not stop the November proposed amendment from being on the ballot. What a YES vote on Issue 1 in August will do is make the threshold for passing future amendments much higher and more difficult to attain. That’s why the Ohio bishops should not remain neutral on Issue 1, citing “…it does not have moral content.” Issue 1 is critical for thwarting November.

Catholics Can Do More Than Vote

A good Friend of the TLM sent in the following as a way for faithful Catholics to specifically wage spiritual war against these demonic forces acting to destroy family and life.

Our Lady of Good Success, who left us prophecies especially for our times, promised that she herself will be victorious and crush the proud and wretched devil who has proposed the wicked abortion amendment to the Ohio Constitution which we will vote on in November. This amendment from hell will make abortion legal until the time of birth. It will make it possible for minors to obtain abortions and “transition” from one gender to another without parental awareness or consent.

Do not be mistaken, the battle that we fight is a spiritual battle. All of our political and temporal efforts to defeat this evil amendment will be empty and fruitless if they are not backed by the fervent prayers of Christ’s Church Militant.

We must turn to Our Lady, Our Queen, who comes forth as terrible as an army set in battle array! We must throw ourselves at her feet and beg her to guide our efforts, and to teach our hands to war! We must beg her to come take her victory! To stake her claim in our home state of Ohio, and to cast out Satan and all the evil spirits who try to make the slaughter and corruption of the innocent the law of our land!

She who —with bare feet — crushes the head of the ancient serpent, has a plan to thwart his efforts here in Ohio, too! Let us ask her to reveal to us the part she wants us to play in her plan, and beg that she, the Mediatrix of all graces, will give to us everything we need to say yes to what she asks and surrender to her plan!

Please consider joining in a novena to our Lady of Good Success July 17-25 to beg her to block the abortion amendment from hell from being added to the Ohio Constitution this November! And please, help spread the word and invite your friends and family to join in the novena!

NOVENA to Our Lady of Good Success