We are pleased to welcome Vicki Thorn as our guest speaker at the August '08 First Friday Gathering. Mass will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Family located on the 2nd floor of the Marquette Memorial Union (15th and Wells), with the speaker / discussion to follow (roughly 8-9am). For more information see our First Friday page.

Ms. Thorn is the foundress of Project Rachel and the executive director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation & Healing located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She served as the first Respect Life Director for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee from 1977 to 1988. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a certificate in Spiritual Direction. She is a bereavement facilitator trained by the American Academy of Bereavement and a prenatal loss facilitator certified by Resolve Through Sharing Prenatal Loss. She also holds a certificate in Trauma Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a long time member of the Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health.

Ms. Thorn is an international speaker and author on the topics of abortion?s aftermath in women, men and others as well as the process of post-abortion healing. She has spoken in Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Poland, Chile, Hong Kong and China. She is the primary author of the ?The Priests Manual of Post-Abortion Ministry?, published by the Pro-Life Secretariat of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

More information about Ms. Thorn's work can be found in the following article in the the St. Anthony Messenger or from the website for the National Office for Post Abortion Reconciliation & Healing.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Our friends at the Nazareth Project for Marriage and Family Formation, a part of the John Paul II Center of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, have invited members of the St. Thomas More Lawyers Society to a very special event marking the fortieth anniversary of Humanae Vitae. This is scheduled for Saturday, July 26, 2008. A 9:00 a.m. Mass with Bishop William Callahan, OFM. Conv., will be followed by a presentation by the renowned Rev. Tadeusz Pacholcyk, Ph.D., Director of Education for the National Catholic Bioethics Center on "Stem Cell Research in Light of Humanae Vitae."

Space is limited and registrations are requested no later than July 26, 2008. Attached to this email please find a letter invitation from Lydia LoCoco, director of the Nazareth Project, a brochure on the event, and a registration form. Please contact Lydia with any questions regarding the event at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or 414-758-2214.

The Society maintains its traditional First Friday hiatus for the month of July as we celebrate our our Nation's independence.

Our speaker this month will be Dr. David Lodes, the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Dr. Lodes will speak to us about the Strategic Plan for Faith in Our Future the Office of Schools and the impact of the program on that Plan.

The Faith in Our Future program is a campaign drive to attain $105 million to support the needs of the Archdiocese. A minimum of $6.85 million is for schools to fund development of best practices and strengthened accreditation standards, to enhance academic performance and professional development for teachers, the expansion of marketing/development services and grants for facility and technology needs.

Dr. Lodes has masters degrees in science (UW-Oshkosh) and education administration (UW-Milwaukee); and a PH.D from Marquette (Strategic Planning). Dr. Lodes began his education career as a science teacher (Chemistry, Physics, etc.). After serving as assistant principal and principal, he became superintendent of the Arrowhead School District, a position he maintained for fourteen years. During his tenure, the district grew from 800 to over 2300 students. In October, 2007, Dr. Lodes was named the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Mass will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Family located on the 2nd floor of the Marquette Memorial Union (15th and Wells), with the speaker / discussion to follow (roughly 8-9am). For more information see our First Friday page.