Your prayers over the past few weeks are greatly appreciated as they have really sustained me.  So I hope I am not abusing your charity by requesting more prayers.  But the truth of the matter is that like my namesake St. Peter, I've got a serious decision looming whether to stand and fight or to walk away.

Earlier today, Marc Balestrieri invited me and a handful of other gen-x lay canonists to join his canonical petition to the Archdiocese of Boston concerning John Kerry's heretical views vis-a-vis abortion.  I had already committed to publicly defending him in the media as well as raising money to help the cause, because it is the right thing to do.  But getting involved with the procedural end of things requires a whole other level of committment that those of us invited to join must carefully weigh.  In for a penny, in for a pound as the old saying goes.

Having spoken to a mutual friend of ours who is also a lay canonist that has fought some of the battles against pro-abort Catholic politicians -- I will call him Anselmo for the moment -- we recognize that we need to stand by Marc. Even before Marc extended the invitation, Anselmo expressed his eagerness to get in on the procedural action and is just looking for the best means to do so.  I'm hoping he can come up with something in the next week, since Anselmo is noted for his careful preparation and meticulous canonical research before going into battle, so it will be a lot easier if I can just add my name to whatever he comes up with.

On the other hand, with my canon law books presently in boxes, I'm in no position at the moment to go it alone in supporting Marc right now.  In short, I'm just not properly prepared at the moment to fight the procedural end of this battle.  On the other hand, given the grave scandal involved and the great number of innocent children in the womb whose blood is being shed, I cannot in good conscience allow Marc to go it alone as is the case right now.

It's a tough decision, and John Pacheco has invited our family to spend the weekend with him and his family in Ottawa.  This will give John and I the opportunity to discern possible ways of supporting Marc and this canonical action.  Please pray that God grants me the wisdom to discern the right decision and the courage to follow it through.