The document discusses various internal and external sources of stress and strain faced by pro-life activists. It identifies conflicting strategies within the movement regarding exceptions and issues. Sources of stress include opponents, doubts, and unrealistic standards. Symptoms range from temporary illness to burnout. The document recommends managing stress through prayer, community, breaks from activism, and focusing on one's spiritual life.

1. Conflicting Strategies and Tactics
Within the Pro-Life Movement
Purity (“no exceptions” vs. pragmatism).
Single issue vs. multi-issue.
Being “nice” vs. being direct.
Violence vs. non-violence.
Abortifacients and contraception.
Sanctions against aborting women.

2. The Definitions of
“Stress” and “Strain”
Stress is the external or internal pressure on a
person.
Strain is the tension the person suffers in
response to stress.

3. Sources of External Indirect Stress
• Pro-abortionists
• Self-styled “women’s rights” groups
• Bogus “civil rights” groups
• Organized homosexuals
• Euthanasiasts
• The “arts community”
• Pornographers
• Legislatures and courts
• The biased “mainstream” media
• Indifferent or hostile clergy

4. Sources of External Direct Stress
• Family members.
• Well-meaning friends.
• Co-workers.
• Pastors and fellow churchgoers.

5. Sources of Internal Stress
Unrealistic self-imposed deadlines and standards.
Doubts about one’s own ability, qualities and
motivations.
Doubts regarding the philosophy, goals and
methods of the pro-life movement.

6. Temporary burnout.
Strained family relationships.
Irritability and impatience.
Excessive fatigue and/or problems getting to
sleep.
A persistent sense of doom or impending
disaster and/or preoccupation with abortion-
related subjects.
Symptoms of Temporary
or Less Severe Strain

7. • Increased low-level chronic illness.
• Loss of perspective resulting in one or more of
the following:
–The “Messiah Complex.”
–A feeling of personal worthlessness.
–Belief that the pro-life movement is failing.
–Anger or irritation at uninvolved churches
and individuals.
Symptoms of Temporary
or Less Severe Strain

8. Symptoms of Permanent
or More Severe Strain
Flameout (permanent burnout).
Hostility towards former movement and pro-life
friends and, in very rare cases, conversion to
pro-abortionism (politicians only).
Seeking approval or solace outside established
norms of Christian behavior (i.e., adultery or
fornication).

9. How to Beat Stress and Strain
Pray and contemplate the eternal context.
Decrease the time spent on pro-life activism.
Transfer to a less stressful activity.
Take a short vacation from pro-life activities.
Cultivate a sense of humor.
Spend time on an unrelated hobby.
Consult with a pro-life spiritual advisor on a regular
basis.
Have social get-togethers with pro-life friends.
Annual pro-life retreats.

10. The Third Foundation Stone
of Christian Activism:
Information

11. Information Allows
Pro-Life Activists to;
• Answer objections to the pro-life philosophy.
• Rebut the most common pro-abortion slogans.
• Know the principles of the Church’s teaching on
abortion.
• Outline and understand the pro-life mission.
• Know the strategies and tactics of the pro-life and
anti-life movements.
• Know how to deal with stress and strain.

12. What Information Must You Know?
“I have six kids. The Church doesn’t care if I
get sterilized.”
“We want to have more kids, but my husband
had a vasectomy.”
“80 percent of all abortions are for rape, incest
or to save the life of the mother.”

13. • “Vatican II said we can use our consciences now
on birth control and abortion.”
• “The birth control pill is a contraceptive. It
doesn’t cause abortions.”
• “We can’t have more kids now because we’re
forty. There’s a 30% chance of Down’s
Syndrome.”
What Information Must You Know?

14. What Kind of Information
Must You Be Able to Find?
Where does the Red Cross stand on abortion?
How much does a vasectomy reversal cost? What are the
chances of success?
What is Planned Parenthood’s involvement in eugenics?
How have native peoples of North America, Africa and
Australia been decimated by aggressive population
control programs?
Is it true that abortifacients such as Norplant and Depo-
Provera were tested on poor women in developing
countries before they were approved for use by
European and North American women?

15. Leading Pro-Life Periodicals

16. The Importance of
Gathering Intelligence
“I have studied the enemy all my life. I have read the
memoirs of his generals and his leaders. I have even read
his philosophers and listened to his music. I have studied
in detail the account of every damned one of his battles. I
know exactly how he will react under any given set of
circumstances. And he hasn’t got the slightest idea of
when I’m going to whip the hell out of him.”

17. Anticipate and counter anti-life initiatives.
Take advantage of anti-life weaknesses.
Surprise and confuse opponents during formal debates,
litigation and political campaigns.
Write appealing letters to newspapers.
Write interesting newsletter articles.
Use in testimony regarding legislation.
Use in lawsuits against anti-life groups.
Share with other pro-life groups.
The Many Uses of Intelligence

18. Strategic and Tactical Intelligence
Tactical intelligence is specific pieces of time-sensitive
date about particular anti-life groups and individuals
that, when pulled together, provide information that
you can use to defeat them on the local level.
Strategic intelligence is knowledge that will never go
out of date. It includes information on how the anti-
life groups organize and operate, where their support
lies, where their money comes from, and how they
motivate people to take action.

19. Sources of Tactical Intelligence
Anti-life newsletters, Web sites
and gathering places such as
left-wing bookstores.
Local newspapers.
Anti-life organizations.
Other pro-life/pro-family
groups and individuals.
Compile dossiers.

20. An Example of Anti-Lifers
Gathering Intelligence on Us

21. Sources of Strategic Intelligence

22. The Fourth Foundation Stone of
Christian Activism:
Prayer

23. What is the Interior Life?
“The state of activity of a soul which
strives against its natural inclinations in
order to regulate them, and endeavors
to acquire the habit of judging and
directing its movements in all things
according to the light of the Gospel and
the example of Our Lord.”
–– Father Jean-Baptiste Chautard.

24. What is Prayer?
“[Prayer is] the raising of one’s mind and heart to God
or the requesting of good things from God out of the
depths of a humble and contrite heart ... A battle
against ourselves and against the wiles of the
tempter who does all he can to turn man away from
prayer, away from union with God. ... The “spiritual
battle” of the Christian’s new life is inseparable from
the battle of prayer.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church,
¶2558-2559, 2725].

25. The Four Types of Prayer
Adoration
Contrition
Thanksgiving
Supplication

26. How to Pray
With undivided attention.
With reverence.
With humility.
With a great thirst for God’s graces.
With complete trust in God’s goodness.
With perseverance.
With sincerity.
With a worthy objective.

27. Some Possible Prayer Intentions
General Intentions
For the pro-life movement
For wisdom and strength for officials
For a spirit of courage for the Church
Specific Intentions
For personal fortitude and prudence
For wise leadership for your group
For clarity of vision from God
For conversion of population controllers and specific
pro-abortionists and abortionists
“Not for a lighter load, but for a stronger back”

28. Fortifying Your Interior Life
Above all, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Sacrament of Confession.
Eucharistic adoration.
Avoid near occasions of sin!
Practice custody of the heart.
Have a good spiritual director.
Make a prayer schedule.
Do frequent pious reading.
Daily examinations of conscience.
Retreats.
Penance and self-mortification.

29. The Benefits of a
Healthy Interior Life
Stronger defense against Satan.
An increase in God’s grace.
Compete transformation of soul.
Resignation to the will of God.
Increased spiritual strength.
Fulfillment of our duty towards God.
More effective action.
Sanctification of others by our example.

30. Satan’s General Attacks
Dread
Disorder/Disorganization
Discouragement/Despair
Deception
Diversion/Distraction
Division

31. Satan’s Particular Attacks
“The conduct of our enemy may be compared to the
tactics of a leader intent upon seizing a position he
desires. A commander of an army will explore the
defenses of a stronghold, and attack at the weakest
point. In the same way, the enemy of our human nature
investigates from every side all our virtues, theological,
cardinal, and moral. Where he finds the defenses of
eternal salvation weakest, there he attacks and tries to
take us by storm.”
–– Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises.

32. Am I Making Progress
in My Interior Life?
An increase in proper desires for...
The Gospels and holy books.
Mental prayer and the spiritual life.
The Sacraments.
The truth.
Picking up our daily crosses.

33. Rigorous custody of the heart.
Active spiritual combat.
Frequent self-examination.
Penance and self-mortification.
Mistrust of self.
Am I Making Progress
in My Interior Life?
… leads to an increase in proper actions ...

34. Peace of soul and true patience.
Willingness to defend the Faith.
Pardon of all transgressions.
Unwillingness to compromise with evil.
Practice of the cardinal and theological
virtues.
Am I Making Progress
in My Interior Life?
… leads to an increase in proper results.

35. ... be steadfast, immoveable,
always abounding in the
work of the Lord, knowing
that, in the Lord, your labor
is not in vain.
― 1 Corinthians 15:58.

36. Brian Clowes
Human Life International
4 Family Life Lane
Front Royal, Virginia USA
Telephone: (540) 636-1106
E-mail address: bclowes@hli.org
Web site: http://www.hli.org