'Gimme Shelter' in U.S. Theaters January 24th

In February of 2008, I posted about Several Sources Shelters. Today, as I write this, thousands of people are marching in Washington, D.C. at the March for Life. 'Gimme Shelter' promises to be a gritty look at true life struggles of young women who find themselves pregnant in less-than-ideal circumstances. We are called to not only fight for the life of the child, but to show undying compassion toward the women who face the most difficult intersection of their lives. We can help. P.S.: the message of the film is pro-life and I'm hoping the secular media won't notice until it is too late.

Synopsis: "A pregnant teenager flees life with her drug-addicted mother and ends up living on the street before being welcomed into her first real home in Gimme Shelter, an extraordinary tale of survival and redemption inspired by actual events. For 16-year-old Agnes "Apple" Bailey (Vanessa Hudgens), life has been a constant struggle to overcome the harsh reality of a subsistence existence with her abusive mother, June (Rosario Dawson), and June's string of lowlife boyfriends. When she finds herself pregnant and alone, Apple temporarily takes shelter with her biological father, Tom (Brendan Fraser), a wealthy Wall Streeter living in a New Jersey mansion with his wife Joanna (Stephanie Szostak) and two young children. But Apple's inability to adjust to her new circumstances, and her refusal to terminate her pregnancy, soon force her back onto the streets. Desperate to find a haven for herself and her unborn child, Apple reluctantly agrees to move into a suburban shelter that houses other pregnant teens. Emotionally scarred and unable to trust those who want to help her, it seems unlikely that Apple will be able to adapt to the shelter's strict rules and high expectations. With her safety and that of her unborn child at risk, Apple must find a way to break the shackles of her unhappy past and embrace the future with clarity, maturity and hope. Inspired by the real-life, David-and-Goliath story of Several Sources Shelters founder Kathy DiFiore, award-winning writer and director Ronald Krauss wrote his original screenplay while spending a year in a shelter for pregnant teens, and based his poignant screenplay on the lives of several of the shelter mothers. Gimme Shelter stars Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical franchise, Machete Kills), Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Trance), Brendan Fraser (Crash, The Mummy), James Earl Jones (The Great White Hope, Star Wars franchise), Ann Dowd (Compliance, Side Effects) and Dascha Polanco ("Orange is the New Black"). Also appearing in the film are several real life shelter mothers, their babies and Kathy DiFiore. The film is produced by Krauss and Jeff Rice (End of Watch, 2 Guns). Director of photography is Alain Marcoen (The Kid with a Bike, She is Not Crying, She is Singing). Production designer is William Ladd Skinner (This is the End, Pirates of the Caribbean franchise). Costume designer is Ciera Wells (All is Bright, Damsels in Distress). Executive producers are Paul Hellerman (Pulp Fiction, The Mexican) and Scott Steindorff (The Lincoln Lawyer, The Human Stain)."




'Gimme Shelter' Facebook page
National Catholic Register article on the film
Several Sources Shelters

CCHD: Same Old Thing or New and Improved?

It is that time of year again and we know that as Thanksgiving in the United States approaches, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is gearing up for the annual fund drive. Here at +Ponderings+, we've tracked the shenanigans of years past including: millions in funding to the now defunct ACORN, funding provided to groups whose missions are contrary to Catholic teaching and overall questioning of the purpose of the CCHD.

In an attempt to head off controversy this year, the Bishops have released a Review and Renewal report and it appears they listened to the concerns from the past and have made clear changes to the CCHD.

From their website (.pdf document):

What will be new as a result of the CCHD Review and Renewal report?

1. New CCHD grant agreement, application, and other materials that specify more clearly what CCHD can and cannot support, linked to stronger review and monitoring.
2. New language throughout that makes clear CCHD is not a secular foundation, but a work of the Catholic Church, outlining our mission, our principles, and our priorities.
3. A priority for Catholic participation in funded projects… the involvement of Catholic parishes, institutions will be a plus in considering applications
4. A more comprehensive, more realistic definition of poverty.
5. A continued requirement that poor people have a major role in decision-making, but CCHD will consider other measures of the participation and priority for those who are poor, in addition to the members of the board of an organization. Priests and religious living in the low-income communities they are serving will be seen as low-income decision-makers.
6. Larger grant amounts ($25,000 to $75,000) to match the needs of groups and reduce the number of grants to be monitored.
7. A new strategic grants program which uses a portion of CCHD funds to focus on neglected needs, issues, or the Bishops’ priorities as they relate to poverty
8. New structures to assist CCHD in applying its prohibitions on funding groups which act in conflict with Catholic social and moral teaching … a new staff position on CCHD mission and identity, an ongoing consulting relationship with a moral theologian, and a CCHD Review Board to advise the bishops and CCHD.
9. For Catholics, CCHD will strengthen the understanding that CCHD is important not just for what it does, but for how it demonstrates who we are and what we believe.

What is not changing?

1. CCHD’s commitment to and priority for the poor.
2. CCHD’s emphasis on self-help, bottom-up approaches, and the principle of participation.
3. CCHD’s focus on the pursuit of justice, addressing the causes of poverty, pursuing “the institutional path . . . of charity (Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 7).
4. CCHD’s policy that no group that acts in conflict with Catholic social and moral teaching can receive CCHD funds.
5. CCHD’s requirement that the local Bishop must approve before any group can be funded in their diocese.
6. CCHD’s efforts to help carry out the mission of Jesus Christ to “to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind and to set the downtrodden free” (Luke 4:18).

Read more HERE and prayerfully discern your role in funding the CCHD this year.  They have certainly taken some steps in the right direction.

UPDATE 11/5/2010:   With a hat-tip to Michael who posted a comment in the box below, follow the link for latest news from the group Reform CCHD NOW Coalition:

Reform Coalition Finds Radical Group Featured in CCHD Renewal Document;

Urges Delay of Annual Collection

HELP Save a Baby!

My mailbox is stuffed full every single day with requests for donations from various charities. Just yesterday I received three such requests (and a newsletter from the National Right to Life Committee). One from Catholic Relief Services, another from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio from the Archdiocese of Military Services, USA (never even knew such an Archdiocese existed) and the last envelope caught my eye in a special way. The return address listed Several Sources Shelters at a PO box in New Jersey. The word which caught my attention was 'shelter'.

At a meeting some weeks ago, I was discussing with some folks from our parish various topics as found in the US Catholic Catechism for Adults. One lady mentioned that you just don't hear of many places for unwed mothers to seek shelter. I thought that perhaps this envelope held the answer to our concerns. I opened it and realized I have already received a similar envelope several times in the past only to recycle the paper materials and pull out the Miraculous Medal they enclosed. Receiving so many requests had perhaps made me numb to the words printed on the folder with the medal attached. On the back, there is a photo of four little babies and a sign below them, "Happy Mother's Day."

I have been struggling to find a place to financially support which helps to save lives, and not only preach against abortion, but an organization which actually helps these girls who are at risk of making life and death decisions. Locally, we have a wonderful charity, All Babies Cherished. We support their efforts as we can, but they just don't have the resources to house and care for hundreds of women and children. Every life counts, true, yet I prayed that there was some way to save more. Believe me, our family finances are tight and we have to be choosy when deciding which causes we can support, but I believe I have stumbled upon a new personal favorite.

Several Sources was started by founder Kathy DiFiore when she took into her own home her first pregnant teenager in 1981. In 1984 when, after having housed young pregnant women free of charge in her own home, Kathy was fined $10,000 by the state of New Jersey for running an illegal boarding house. Her story appeared in newspapers along with numerous television news programs. State Senator Gerald Cardinale sponsored a bill exempting non-profit groups from the legislation.

Some important points to note:

• 15,000 babies have been brought into this world with the support of Several Sources


• Several Sources is endorsed by Priests for Life and Fr. Pavone is on their Board of Directors


• In 1988 Kathy was invited to the White House by Pres. Ronald Reagan


• Following the birth of their babies, the young ladies learn about chastity and are given a chastity ring to wear


• Several Sources has created an interactive CD ROM and a website called "The Choice Game" as a further aid to teach the merits of abstinence


• Several Sources must raise $5,000 daily in order to keep in operation


• Several Sources operates a daytime shelter, Ladies Rest


• Several Sources currently operates four full-time shelters


• Every month, they send out 200 packages containing two videos, one the Silent Scream and the other information on Several Sources and the programs they provide. There is also a small packet and when they open the packaging and remove the paper it is wrapped in, revealed is a model of an 11-12 week old 'pre-born' with a card describing the development stages.

I could go on and on about how Mother Teresa lended her support to their programs, or how many honors the organization has been given. Please, consider supporting this endeavor. Don't take my word for the worthiness of this important casue; check out the links and you can see for yourself.

Several Sources SheltersP.O. Box 157Ramsey, NJ 07446 (201)-825-7277