Survey says man
y U.S. Catholics at odds with Church on abortion
Read this article here: California Catholic Daily
Monday, June 30, 2008
Don’t count on the Catholic vote
Read this article here: California Catholic Daily
A Moving Funeral
I prayed the words of the Church's liturgy, "Tender Shepherd of the flock, Rachael, Joshua, Victoria, Adam, Mary, Jacob, and Grace now lie cradled in your love…. Comfort us with the hope that these children live with you and your Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever."
The crowd responded with a vigorous "Amen!"
Four people who had helped to rescue the bodies of these children from the garbage dumpster outside the abortion clinic where they had been killed then came forward. They took the casket and lowered it into the grave. Each of us then took a handful of dirt and put it into the grave.
Children then released a beautiful white dove, who flew into the blue, sunny sky to the applause of all who were gathered.
It was a powerful morning in Detroit on Friday, June 27, at the Assumption Grotto. Bishop John Quinn celebrated a beautiful funeral Mass for these aborted children (as well as three additional children who had died from miscarriage). They all fit in the one small white casket, which was in the center aisle of the Church.
In his homily, the bishop praised the tireless work of pro-life activists. We then all processed to the cemetery next to the Church, where I conducted the graveside service.
I preached about the lesson from Deuteronomy 21, where we learn that there is no such thing as the "private" shedding of innocent blood. Whenever someone is murdered, that is everyone's concern, and everyone must answer for it. Therefore God commanded that when a body was found slain out in the country, there should be a public ceremony, and the people should ask forgiveness, even if they did not do the killing.
So we had a public funeral, and we did ask forgiveness, for not having done more to stop the abortions of these children.
Funerals like this should be held, they should be public, they should be massive. After all, the killing of these children takes place in publicly advertised abortuaries, and is sometimes paid for by public funds. We have no reason to fear publicity and media for carrying out the corporal work of mercy of burying the dead, and restoring in some way the dignity of which these children were robbed when abortion dismembered them.
On July 27, I will be entrusted with two more aborted children, and that same day will conduct another burial at 3pm in Hanceville, Alabama at Mother Angelica's Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament. All are invited to come.
On Saturday July 12, I will have a more joyful event, to which I also invite you. At 8am at Notre Dame Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, I will baptize two babies who were saved from abortion outside a local killing center!
People of Life, let us together protect the living and honor the dead!
This column can be found online at
http://www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2008/08-07-14-a-moving-funeral.htm
Fr. Frank's columns can be heard via podcast. See www.priestsforlife.org/podcast for more details.
Fr.. Frank's columns can be listened to in MP3 format at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2008/index.htm
Wisconsin 2007 Abortions Fall a Dramatic 14%
"We are absolutely elated to learn of this stunning decrease," declared Barbara Lyons, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. "Wisconsin Right to Life to Life uses a multi-faceted strategy to reduce the number of abortions and the continued declines year after year prove our strategies are successful.
"A word of caution, however. Planned Parenthood was forced to close two of its abortion clinics in Milwaukee and the Appleton area for seven months in 2007 due to having no one willing to perform abortions. That represented closure of 40% of abortion clinics in Wisconsin. The two clinics are now operating again but it is unknown if they are at previous strength. It is very possible that we will see an increase in the abortion numbers in 2008.
"Nonetheless, circumstances should not in any way diminish the fact that 1,313 babies who might have been killed by abortion are alive today," continued Lyons.
The 2007 report available from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services reveals that women aged 20-24 are ones most likely to have an abortion with their numbers at 34% of all abortions performed. Women 18-34 account for 81% of abortions performed. African-American women continue to abort at the alarming rate of 24% while Latino women acquire 9% of all abortions. Women who are not married obtain 88% of abortions, indicating that the absence of the father in the woman's life impacts her decision to abort.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
U.S. appeals court upholds S. Dakota informed consent law
.- The U.S. Eight Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday against a temporary injunction filed to block the implementation of an informed consent law requiring abortion providers to inform women patients, in writing, that an abortion procedure "will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being."
Read this story here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13083
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Multimedia Pro-Life News
Black leaders from across America today assembled in front of the RNC and DNC buildings in Washington D.C. to demand that the politicians stop funding Planned Parenthood, and also to stop taking political contributions from them, which they claim is 10 million dollars this year alone.
Students for Life of America sponsored the two press conferences, and brought in leaders like Dr. Johnny Hunter, Jesse Lee Peterson, Dr. Alveda King and Day Gardner.
The morning conference at the DNC wasn’t without difficulty. Someone in the DNC building set off the alarm of their car, one that was parked right in front of where the conference took place. It was obvious the Democrat was trying to interrupt the speakers. Democrats have spoken out for so long in support of free speech, and have claimed to be in support of minorities as well. It didn’t appear the Democrat in the building who was setting off the alarm felt that way. Since it went off regularly, it was obvious the other representatives in the building weren’t interested in doing anything to end the annoyance.
Two large, symbolic 10 million dollar checks were ripped up, one at the DNC and one at the RNC. They represented the money given to pro-abortion representatives in government.
Click here to view the online photo album of the day
Click on the video below to view the press conference at the Republican National Committee. To view the video in full screen, click on the TV icon in the lower right of the video window after you have started playing it.
Posted by News at 10:44 PM. Filed under: Multimedia • Video • Photos • Events • Washington D.C. • News • Press Releases • Pro-Life On The Road • Pro-Life Groups & People • BOND • National Black Pro-Life Union • Pro-Life Unity • Students for Life •
New Ad Takes Obama to Task for His Abortion Record
By Peter J. Smith
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is being taken to task for his recent Father's Day message in which he said that fatherhood begins at conception. A pro-family group says Obama's seemingly "pro-family" statements stand in a stark, disturbing contrast to his radical support for abortion, which is anything but "pro-family."
The 30-second television ad by Family Research Council's lobbying arm, FRC Action, airs today in several cities across the United States.
The ad begins with a clip of Obama's recent Father's Day speech at a Chicago Church in which Obama was addressing the problem of absent black fathers. He said, "We need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn't just end at conception."
The camera then turns to FRC President, Tony Perkins, who holds his squirming young son Samuel in his arms and then asks the Senator, "If, as you say, fatherhood begins at conception, when does life begin?"
Perkins says that as a father of five, he thanked Obama for promoting fatherhood in his speech, but added that as a US Senator, Obama voted to devote taxpayer dollars to promote abortion in the United States and overseas.
He then says pointedly, "If I became a father at conception, when did Samuel here become my son?"
Obama has a long history of defending unrestricted abortion as a legislator and has stated that he would never want his two girls "punished with a baby" if they made the mistake of engaging in pre-marital sex. (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08040105.html)
The Illinois Senator even went so far as to vote against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which would have protected children who survived failed abortion attempts from infanticide. Obama argued that recognizing the rights of those children under the 14th amendment would lead to the equal protection of the unborn and thus endanger the legal footing of abortion.
Sen. Obama has promised to make abortion a priority of his presidency, including the passage of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), legislation that would annihilate every single state law limiting or regulating abortion, including the federal ban on partial birth abortion. (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061010.html)
"Barack Obama has made some very important points in his speeches, particularly his speech about fatherhood, but there is a disconnect between what he is saying and the political positions he has taken," Perkins told The New York Times. "If he is going to be pro-family, he has got to be pro-family."
The ad begins in Cincinnati and will appear later in Dallas, and Atlanta.
To view the FRC Action ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCm8a5e47Kw
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
Obama's Abortion Bombshell: Unrestricted Abortion Over Wishes of Individual States a Priority for Presidency
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061010.html
Barack Obama Wrests Pro-Abortion Pro-Gay Standard of Democratic Party from Hillary Clinton
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08060409.html
"Philosopher of Abortion Movement" Says Obama A Better Choice than Hillary
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021910.html
Obama Declares He Doesn't Want His Children "Punished with a Baby"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08040105.html
North American Leaders Bid Farewell to Pro-Life Hero Archbishop Burke
Pro-life "hero" to head to Rome to take position as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
By Tim Waggoner and John Jalsevac
ROME, June 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Vatican announced today that the Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Raymond Burke to the prestigious position of Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome.
As Archbishop Burke leaves the St. Louis diocese, he is praised by North America's pro-life leaders as one of the most staunch and courageous defenders of the culture of life that his country has ever seen.
Judie Brown, the president of the American Life League, spoke glowingly of about the Archbishop, telling LifeSiteNews.com today, "Archbishop Burke's contributions to the Church go beyond anybody's imagination. He is among the most courageous bishops that I have known in my entire life."
Deirdre McQuade, the Assistant Director for Policy & Communications at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, lauded the Archbishop, saying, "In an age of many direct attacks against life, Archbishop Burke has been a strong, clear voice in defense of human dignity - especially with regard to those most at risk every day in this country: the unborn."
Fr. Euteneuer of Human Life International called Burke a "hero" of the Church in the United States. While Jim Hughes, the vice president of International Right to Life, said of Burke, "He's one of those churchmen that Canadian pro-lifers pointed to all the time and said, well, we're looking for leadership, there's no finer example than Burke."
"He's been unequivocally pro-life and not afraid to speak up and tell it like it is. And that's what we have needed for a long time."
Burke, who served as a priest in Wisconsin for 20 years before being ordained Bishop of La Crosse in 1995, will now head the Vatican's highest court, an appointment that is expected to come with a cardinal's hat.
While the pro-life movement in North America will miss Burke's presence, the leaders of the pro-life movement said they are pleased with Burke's new appointment, which will give him a wider influence in the global Church.
"I think it's a wonderful thing for the Church," said Hughes. "It's a temporary loss for the United States and people in North America that have come to appreciate his leadership. But the role that he will play in the Vatican is going to affect much more than just the United States. So I'm very happy for him. It's a good appointment, a powerful appointment in my opinion."
Since his appointment as Archbishop of St. Louis in 2003, Burke has courageously spoken out against all attacks on the culture of life. He has served the Church in St. Louis admirably, acting as a model not only for bishops, but all Catholics alike.
Burke has been at the centre of numerous controversies for his uncompromising application of the Church's teachings. Judie Brown recollected how, in 2004, during the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, he publicly spoke out against pro-abortion politicians receiving Holy Communion, saying he would deny John Kerry the sacrament. "He was the first bishop to publicly announce that he was going to enforce Canon law 915 and deny Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians," said Brown.
Fr. Euteneuer, on the other hand, said that one of the most memorable examples of Burke's leadership came in 2007, when the Archbishop resigned from the board of a Catholic charity after they booked pro-abortion singer Sheryl Crow for a benefit concert. Jim Hughes highlighted how the Archbishop stood firmly against embryonic stem cell research in the US. "I think he played a forefront role in the whole thing, working like heck. He was tremendous in that," said Hughes.
In 2008 Burke made headlines by invoking the Catholic University of St. Louis to discipline an employee for publicly announcing his support for abortion and embryonic stem cell research.
These are only a few examples of how the Archbishop truly led his flock by example and explain why many pro-life leaders throughout North America are bidding him a heartfelt farewell.
Judie Brown told LifeSiteNews.com that the Archbishop stood out as a leader for having "truly catechized the people entrusted to him by teaching them the truth about what Humanae Vitae teaches, the truth about what the Church has to say about abortion, the sanctity, the dignity of human life. He has been a forceful advocate for the pro-life cause everywhere he's been. And always with a tremendous amount of compassion."
"He's never been harsh in his statements," she said, "He's never been judgmental. He's always been compassionate, yet firm in the faith."
When Brown was asked what in particular she thought made the Archbishop such a extraordinary bishop, she responded, "His openness to grace made him great. His devotion to the Lord in the Eucharist made him great. And his imitation of Christ - I mean, in every aspect of his life, and I know him quite well - he is simply, and purely a priest."
Brown concluded, saying, "[Archbishop Burke] is one of the most loving, humble, holy men I've ever met in my life, and he will be sorely missed. But we know that great things will come of this move, even though we are heartbroken."
"Every time LifeSiteNews has encountered the Archbishop", says Steve Jalsevac, "we have been taken aback by his always gentle and humble character. Before I actually met Archbishop Burke in person I had this media image of a sort of Catholic bulldog, but he is not like that at all."
When asked what she had to say to Archbishop Burke as he goes to his new post in Rome, Deirdre McQuade of the USCCB responded, "Your wise and courageous presence will be deeply missed on the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Affairs. Be assured of our prayers as you assume your new post serving the universal Church in Rome."
Brown concurred, saying, "We wish Archbishop Burke every great grace that is due him."
Friday, June 27, 2008
Fr. Pavone on Abortion Ruling: Now the Truth Can be Told in South Dakota
AMARILLO, Texas, June 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, said today that this morning's Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling lifting an injunction against South Dakota's informed consent for abortion law is a victory for basic truth.
"The court held that the law's requirement that a woman be told that an abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being 'generates little dispute,'" said Fr. Pavone. "Many within the abortion industry have actually admitted this for a long time. It's good that the courts are catching up."
"In my work as National Pastoral Director of Rachel's Vineyard, the world's largest ministry of healing after abortion, I meet so many women who wish someone had repeated this basic fact to them before they had their abortion. A key aspect of women's rights is the right to know the truth about abortion."
Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro- life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.
From Priests For Life:
WASHINGTON, June 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., joined African American leaders on Capitol Hill to ask Congress to stop funding Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business.
"The curtain over Planned Parenthood's racism has been pulled away," said Dr. King. "It's on record as being willing to accept donations to abort only black babies. Congress wouldn't give the public's money to the Klan, it shouldn't give it to Planned Parenthood."
The group, which included several African American religious leaders, met with pro-life Congressional leaders Chris Smith (NJ), Mike Pence (IN), Joseph Pitts (PA), Trent Franks (AZ), and John Boehner (OH), along with Dr. King's home state Congressmen Paul Broun (GA) to urge support for Rep. Pence's Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act. The group also asked Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop to support the measure, which would insure that all federal family planning funding would be given to groups that do not perform abortions. Last year alone, Planned Parenthood received over $300 million in government grants and contracts while performing over 250,000 abortions.
"Planned Parenthood admits that it made over $100 million in profits last year from its businesses," added Dr. King. "There's no reason, none at all, for Congress to be giving our money to a billion dollar enterprise like Planned Parenthood that preys on women and targets African Americans and other minorities with its deadly offerings."
Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro- life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.
South Dakota Women's Group Applauds the 8th Circuit Court for Upholding "Informed Consent Legislation."
"A woman seeking an abortion is often in a crisis situation or is under pressure from the child's father or her parents. She deserves to be fully informed with accurate and scientific information concerning a procedure that ends the life of her baby and is likely to have a detrimental effect on her for the rest of her life.
"The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld the ban on the gruesome partial birth abortion, gave credence to South Dakota's informed consent legislation," continued Schauer. The Supreme Court acknowledged the "special relationship that a mother has with her unborn child that ought to be respected in the eyes of the law." HB1166 requires that the woman seeking an abortion be told that she "has an existing relationship with that unborn human being and that relationship enjoys protection under the United States Constitution."
The Supreme Court affirmed informed consent statutes by saying the "state has an interest in ensuring so grave a choice is well-informed."
Women have been sold a pack of lies by abortion providers, who tell them that they were pregnant with a "blob of tissue." According to the deposition for HB1166, abortionists at Planned Parenthood in Sioux Falls use dehumanizing terms for the baby such as "remove the pregnancy" or "contents of the uterus." The staff fails to provide any information on fetal development unless requested by the woman. Furthermore, neither the state director nor the "patient educators" have any knowledge of fetal development.
Any responsible doctor would reveal all the known risk factors regarding a condition, procedure or drug. Why should we expect anything less for a procedure that ends the life of an unborn child and causes deep emotional trauma and many times causes physical risks to the mother?
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
Grassroots Pro-Life Victory: Wal-Mart Tells Planned Parenthood - Not in Our Parking Lot
MEDIA RELEASE
Grassroots Pro-Life Victory: Wal-Mart tells Planned Parenthood - Not in our Parking Lot
Washington, DC (27 June 2008) - A Wal-Mart parking lot in Richland, Washington is the latest front-line in the battle against abortion-giant, Planned Parenthood.
At the request of hundreds of pro-lifers, the store cancelled an event in which Planned Parenthood would pass out information in the lot June 27.
American Life League sent out a press release June 26 to pro-lifers across the country informing them of this latest Planned Parenthood encroachment into neighborhood retailers.
"It's hard enough for parents to safeguard their children from Planned Parenthood's pervasive sexualized propaganda," said Marie Hahnenberg, a researcher with American Life League. "They shouldn't have to worry about exposing their kids to Planned Parenthood's aggressive agenda even in Wal-Mart's parking lot."
Local protests were led by Jim Toth, pro-life chairman of the Knight of Columbus for the state of Washington, and after reportedly hundreds of calls and e-mails, the store decided to cancel the event.
"We thank Wal-Mart for taking a stand against Planned Parenthood," Hahnenberg continued. "In the spirit of Sam Walton, Wal-Mart has put the best interest of its customers first and they are to be commended for their decision. We'd also like to especially congratulate Jim and the Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph Council in Kennewick, Washington, as well as the hundreds of pro-lifers across the country who responded with calls, prayers, and support."
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
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_______________________________
Katie Walker
Director of Communication
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4942
kwalker@all.org
http://www.all.org/
Stealth assisted-suicide bill amended to death by committee
"An important win for us"
The sponsor of a stealth assisted-suicide bill pending in the state legislature has agreed to amendments that remove most objections raised by pro-lifers, including the California Catholic Conference.
"Late on Wednesday, June 25, Assemblywoman Patty Berg (D-Eureka), the author of AB 2747 – 'End of Life Care' -- was forced to take the amendments which removed the language creating a platform for the legalization of assisted suicide," the Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state's bishops, said in a statement posted on its web site. "She accepted the amendments -- which had been requested since the introduction of the bill in February -- in order to secure the votes needed for her bill to pass the Senate Health Committee."Continue reading here: California Catholic Daily
DEMOCRATS REACH OUT TO CATHOLICS
June 27, 2008
Two evangelical leaders, Rev. Jim Wallis and Rev. Tony Campolo, have pledged to reach out to Catholics and evangelicals by pushing the Democratic Party to change its Party Platform on abortion. Wallis told ABC News that "Abortion reduction should be a central Democratic Party plank in this election." But he also stressed that no legal restrictions need to be embraced.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows:
"Rev. Wallis and Rev. Campolo are to be commended for at least triggering a discussion within the Democratic Party on the subject of abortion. But by explicitly ruling out any legal restrictions, practicing Catholics are not likely to support them.
"After the Democrats lost in 2004, Paul Begala and James Carville wrote a book, Take It Back, admonishing their fellow Democrats to oppose partial-birth abortion and support parental consent laws. Such policy modifications were necessary, they said, because the public wants abortion restrictions. Evidently, Wallis and Campolo disagree.
"Two months after the Democrats lost in 2004, Sen. Hillary Clinton angered a pro-abortion crowd when she said abortion was a 'sad, even tragic, choice.' They didn't want to hear it then, and they don't want to hear it now. The most they are willing to accept is what Howard Dean told them at the time: no need to change positions, but 'we can change our vocabulary.' There's the rub: This is the politics of deceit.
"Wallis and Campolo have a bigger problem this time around. The presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, has voted to legalize selective infanticide. So how can the Democrats amend their Party Platform on abortion and reach out to Catholics when their man—who says he supports universal health care—thinks it is okay for a baby who survives an abortion to be denied medical treatment? Sorry, but it will take more than linguistic acrobatics to persuade the faithful. They should have listened to Begala and Carville."
Thursday, June 26, 2008
FROM LIFESITENEWS.COM:
France's Cardinal Barbarin on How Denial of the Eucharist Can be an Act of Love
By John-Henry Westen
QUEBEC CITY, June 25, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Philippe Cardinal Barbarin is the Archbishop of Lyon, in France. Born in 1950, Barbarin is one of the youngest Cardinal's in the Catholic Church. He also has a reputation for speaking plainly and openly.
In 2005, the Cardinal was in the public spotlight after publicly informing women who underwent fake ordinations to the priesthood that they had automatically excommunicated themselves. In light of such seemingly hard-line actions, LifeSiteNews.com asked the Cardinal how the recent controversy over denying pro-abortion politicians Holy Communion should be seen from a truly Catholic perspective.
Even such actions, he said in response, are acts of love - of charity.
"Normally every act of the Church is an act of charity," Cardinal Barbarin told LifeSiteNews.com last week. "Every word of Jesus is a word of charity. Yet, at times Jesus was angry. He took cords and knocked down the change tables and chased the sellers from the temple - solely for His love for them."
The Archbishop of Lyons added that when Christ called the Pharisees "hypocrites" it was the same - an act of charity. "Jesus spoke with them with much force to change their hearts," he said.
On his arrival as Archbishop in Lyon in 2002, Babarin issued a challenge to Catholics to "Turn off the TV and turn on the Gospel." The Archbishop expressed hope that the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, where the interview took place, would launch a spiritual revival in Quebec. "I wish with all my heart," said the Cardinal, "that this Congress will bring a new springtime for the Church in Quebec."
Cardinal Dziwisz on life, family struggle in Europe
Interview with Pope JP II Secretary: Catholics May Not Vote for Pro-Abortion Politicians
By Maria Dalgarno and John-Henry Westen
QUEBEC CITY, June 26, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz was personal secretary to Pope John Paul II. After the Pope's death he was appointed Archbishop of Kraków in 2005, and in 2006 was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. LifeSiteNews.com spoke with Cardinal Dziwisz at the International Eucharistic Congress last week.
Asked if it was permissible for Catholics to vote for politicians who support abortion, Cardinal Dziwisz replied, "No we cannot vote for these people because for us the Supreme Law of God is the Ten Commandments - which is the Law written into human nature."
Asked about the European Union pressure on Poland to abandon its moral stands in favour of life, the Cardinal said: "Poland is the only country that, after years of abortion being practiced, abolished it when freedom arrived after the fall of communism. We absolutely want to keep this law which defends life - but all the liberal and leftist forces from Europe are against Poland.
"They say there is no freedom in Poland and that women are oppressed. However, we want to bring these (our) moral values to Europe because this is the richness of Europe. But they still don't understand. We hope that in the future they will understand that the real and true richness that Poland gives to Europe is faith, life and the family - a healthy family."
The Cardinal also encouraged the pro-life movement all over the world to remain active. "You can create a pro-life atmosphere. If the 'movement for life' is present in the world - this helps us (referring to the Church in Poland) and we help you from our position," he said.
On the discouragement sometimes felt in the pro-life movement, the Archbishop of Krakow said, "To win we need to pray, to pray, and this Congress gives us the way - we can renew ourselves by returning to Mass, going to adoration and confession."
Cardinal Dziwisz also spoke about homosexuality and the efforts to alter the definition of marriage. "Sin can never be a right or law. Herein is the ruin of a culture when sin is called 'normal'," he said. "We can never accept bad for good. We cannot share in sin."
"For us the Ten Commandments are important because they saved many peoples throughout the centuries and they will save them in the future," he added. "We cannot therefore abandon the Ten Commandments for other laws made democratically. We need to respect the laws of nature - respect the laws that the Lord gave us."
The former secretary to John Paul II was pleased to hear of LifeSiteNews.com editor John-Henry Westen's seven children. "Seven children, seven children," he said smiling. "You have a football (soccer) team - so your wife could be at one goalpost and you at the other and the children in between."
Concluding the interview, the Cardinal imparted his blessing on LifeSiteNews.com and handed the reporters a prayer card with the image of John Paul II and an embedded relic.
Fr. Tom Euteneuer: Why a Pledge on Humanae Vitae?
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| "The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63) Human Life International e-Newsletter Volume 03, Number 26 | Friday, June 27, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Why a Pledge on Humanae Vitae? To [Christian married couples] the Lord entrusts the task of making visible to men the holiness and sweetness of the law which unites the mutual love of husband and wife with their cooperation with the love of God the author of human life. [Pope Paul VI, Humanae vitae, ¶25]. It may seem odd to take a pledge to do what we are supposed to do anyway - follow the teachings of the Church. By our baptism and confirmation we are already vowed, at least implicitly, to do so. But we are living under special circumstances in a secular society where many Catholics have, knowingly or unknowingly supplanted their faith with another code by which they live, deeming it more "realistic." But nothing is more realistic or "practical" than eternal salvation and living this life in accord with God's designs. So why do we pledge to assent to something as beautiful as God's natural designs? Something, which in a less darkened world that ought to go without saying? For two reasons, at least: First, as an act of reparation for forty years of public dissent that led so many people astray by treating this ignorance of our Church as some kind of "enlightenment" or "liberation." Second as an act of witness and assent to counter the anti-witness of this dissent, which brought so much incalculable damage to our Church and world, and indeed the witness of the Church. We stand up as confessors of the Faith. In the ancient Church, after the great martyrdoms ceased, those who stood for the Faith in a hostile climate were known as confessors of the Faith. In taking this pledge we stand with the martyrs and confessors of the past in giving public witness not only to the Truth of our Church but her beauty. Human Life International has an ongoing campaign of collecting this Pledge from clergy members and seminarians. This week we announce and offer a similar pledge to members of the lay faithful. To sign the Pledge electronically, click here. To download a pdf copy of the Pledge to sign and distribute to others to sign please go here. [Laity Pledge in PDF] We recommend pastors include it as a bulletin insert and lay people distribute it among friends and family. |
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| Sincerely Yours in Christ, Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, | |||||||||||||||||||||
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LifeSiteNews.com - NewsBytes June 26, 2008
LifeSiteNews.com NewBytes - Catch Up For Last Week
Today's smile; Short video 14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands
http://www.vimeo.com/1211060
US POLITICS - OBAMA, MCCAIN, GILL ACTION FUND
Daily Slaughter of Children Means Very Little to Our Major Presidential Candidates
http://christiannewswire.com/news/128846997.html
Dobson accuses Obama of `distorting' Bible and pushing "fruitcake interpretation" of Constitution - "... He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter."
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080624/D91G8E200.html
Barack Obama said Tuesday evangelical leader James Dobson was "making stuff up"
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/24/obama-dobson-is-making-stuff-up-with-bible-criticism/
Obama, New Web Site Disparage Dr. Dobson
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000007695.cfm
Obama: America is 'no longer Christian' - Democrat says nation also for Muslims, nonbelievers
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=67735
The Case Against Barack Obama by Deal W. Hudson
http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3953&Itemid=48
NARAL Catholics Line Up for Obama - what do you do when the majority of the elected officials on your National Catholic Advisory Council have the seal of approval from NARAL Pro-Choice America?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121426513087798463.html?mod=todays_columnists
How the Democrats Lost the Catholics and How the Catholics Can Save the Democrats
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/25/AR2008062503063.html
Mark Steyn: Obama the humble savior
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/obama-speech-remake-2061941-sen-great
Young People Plan to Join Major Protest to Expose the Extremist Abortion Policies of Senator Obama as He Speaks at a California Fundraiser
http://christiannewswire.com/news/750056994.html
McCain bucks Bush on climate change
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080624221057.0ww93x2w&show_article=1
Planned Parenthood - A Dark Past - Contraception, abortion, and the eugenics movement. The Greening of Planned Parenthood, An opportunity for John McCain.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZWU1YmMzNWVhMTFhYTQxNjliZGIxMTcxYWU2NTMyNTQ=
McCain, Obama or 'none of the above'? 2008 could be historic election of non participation; Whoever wins among the two major-party candidates will lead America in the wrong direction
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=67393
Inside the Gill Action Fund, the most effective pro-gay political weapon you never heard of; they don't want Gill Action to be a centerpiece of the article, nor do they want any of its internal or external machinations to be revealed. Targeted approach to developing what they call "fair-minded majorities" in state legislatures across the country - planting one school board member or city council person at a time until Congress is eventually overrun by politicians who support LGBT rights
http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid56393.asp
LIFE ISSUES
Planned Parenthood provision in War Supplemental funding bill defeated
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=150314
Flush with cash, Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide aggressively expanding their reach, seeking to woo more affluent patients with network of suburban clinics and huge new health centers that projectdecidedly upscale image.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121417762585295459.html?mod=hps_us_pageone
The shameful history of population control
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/the_shameful_history_of_population_control/
Black Pro-Lifers to Protest NAACP Convention
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000007678.cfm
Pro-Lifers Encouraged to Picket NEA Convention & State HQs
http://christiannewswire.com/news/783466995.html
Down Syndrome Babies Have Rights, Too, By Father Jonathan Morris, FOX News Religion Contributor
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/06/23/down-syndrome-babies-no-more/
When the leading advocates of reproductive choice cannot agree, things begin to look interesting.
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/cracks_in_the_population_consensus/
Selective abortion causes severe imbalance of sexes in Indian regions
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13029
Ira Byock: "How to Die"; a pioneer in treating patients with terminal illnesses. His book Dying Well is a must read for people facing the end of life - Wesley Smith
http://www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog/2008/06/ira-byock-how-to-die.html
Cancer Patient Commits Suicide When Told NHS Will Not Cover Chemo
http://www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog/2008/06/cancer-patient-commits-suicide-when.html
STEM CELLS
Another Stem Cell Disinformation Alert
http://www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog/2008/06/another-stem-cell-disinformation-alert.html
Pfizer betting that a radical new adult stem-cell treatment may be able to stave off diabetes-induced retina damage
http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/06/21/pfizer-blindness-research-biz-health-cx_rl_0623stemcell.html
CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS
Who died and made Rob Wells pope? Ezra Levant on the Human Rights Commission charges against Catholic Insight
http://ezralevant.com/2008/06/who-died-and-made-rob-wells-po.html
Human rights complaint languishing - Commission has yet to rule whether Catholic Insight mag promotes hatred against gays - Toronto Sun
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/06/23/5959926-sun.html
Freedom of expression and Canada's "Conservative" government By Stephen J. Gray
http://catholicinsight.com/online/political/article_823.shtml
RELIGION
How Much Time Does the U.S. Have? Without the foundation of Religion and Morality that George Washington and the other founding fathers provided for us, there is simply no real hope for the future of this country.
http://www.catholicexchange.com/2008/06/19/112901/
Poll: More than nine in 10 Americans say they believe in God or a universal spirit, and 58 percent say they pray every day
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/06/23/Most_in_US_believe_in_God_or_spirit/UPI-87671214268275/
More than half of Britons think Christianity is likely to have disappeared from the country within a century, according to a survey.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2160495/christianity-%27could-die-out-within-a-century%27.html
Survey shows Californians less religious than rest of nation
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-me-faith24-2008jun24,0,4300244.story
Court order stops Grand Rapids ordinance from prohibiting spontaneous Christian speech
http://www.alliancealert.org/2008/06/20/court-order-stops-grand-rapids-ordinance-from-prohibiting-spontaneous-christian-speech/
Only 19% of Catholics asserted that there is only one way to interpret the teachings of their faith, compared to 41% of Evangelical Christians.
http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=b904d27b-9dae-4ad2-9d51-35ab393c560b
Russian Orthodox leader says Vatican is a 'key ally' in defense of morality
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13052
Pope denies divorced Berlusconi communion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7468860.stm
Spiritual frenzy marks Pfleger's roof-raising return to pulpit
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/1019140,CST-NWS-sabina23.article
Christians and Muslims: religious freedom to avoid clash of civilisations
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12583&theme=5&size=A
To meet the challenge of radical Islam and jihadism, the Christian West must return to its roots.
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/faith_reason_and_the_war_against_jihadism/
Europe must proclaim Christ's lordship to survive, Austin Ruse says
http://europenews.dk/en/node/11467
ATTEMPTS TO SUPRESS US TALK RADIO
Laura Ingraham Calls for an End to the Fairness Doctrine
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/seton-motley/2008/06/23/laura-ingraham-calls-end-fairness-doctrine-factor-contact-congress-do-
Conservatives Criticize Pelosi's Support of 'Fairness Doctrine'
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200806/POL20080626e.html
Dr. Dobson Calls on Family Advocates to Protect the Airwaves
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000007679.cfm
MISCELLANEOUS
'Homeschoolers are Only Good for Cleaning Toilets'
http://christiannewswire.com/news/489796986.html
Legal victory predicted for home California schoolers
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=150744
A third of uk secondary schools have a sex clinic
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1028554/A-secondary-schools-sex-clinic.html
Nearly 1,000 secondary schools in UK are providing 'sexual health services', including morning-after pills, for pupils as young as 11, whether their parents like it or not.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1028907/As-mother-12-year-old-girl-I-feel-helpless-rage-morally-bankrupt-sex-education-just-encourages-age-flings.html
New iPhone Provides Easy Access to Porn
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000007691.cfm
Here comes the sun - Nanosolar's breakthrough technology is 10 times more powerful than a nuclear reactor and cheaper, too - Lawrence Solomon, Financial Post
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=608680
Copyright lobby hunkering down, studying Canadian Bill C-61, and building alliances
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2008/june/23/lobbying/&c=2
HOMOSEXUALITY
Major U.S. newspapers express misgivings about California Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decision
http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=a464c67a-00b8-48bc-a405-c4ab021e38ec
Homosexual Activists Seek to Block Vote on California Marriage Amendment
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200806/CUL20080624b.html
At least 14 employees in the San Diego County Clerk's Office raised religious objections to performing gay wedding ceremonies; told they would have to perform the ceremonies without discrimination or seek a reassignment within the department or the county.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080619-9999-1m19clerk.html
Gay Marriage and the Slippery Slope to Polygamy
http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3918&Itemid=48
New international pact seen promoting homosexuality
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=59219
Heinz sells mayo with homosexual kiss
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=67927
Lisa Miller, former lesbian partner, has filed a motion for full custody of Isabella in an effort to terminate the parental rights of the child's only parent and natural mother who left their lesbian relationship and is the natural mother of the child.
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/15416/CFI/family/index.htm
Cross-State Custody Battle Tests Two Definitions of Marriage - Social experiments like the Vermont "civil union" law have painful consequences. Caught between contradictory state mandates, anxiously awaiting a March ruling of the Virginia Supreme Court, Lisa Miller asks for your prayers.
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/14681/FIELD/family/index.htm
Lisa Miller, former lesbian partner, has filed a motion for full custody of Isabella in an effort to terminate the parental rights of the child's only parent and natural mother who left their lesbian relationship and is the natural mother of the child.
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/15416/CFI/family/index.htm
Cross-State Custody Battle Tests Two Definitions of Marriage - Social experiments like the Vermont "civil union" law have painful consequences. Caught between contradictory state mandates, anxiously awaiting a March ruling of the Virginia Supreme Court, Lisa Miller asks for your prayers.
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/14681/FIELD/family/index.htm
Blaming the Victim -- Again; Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests accused of having a deep ideological and financial investment in painting the Catholic Church as a villain."
http://www.newoxfordreview.org/note.jsp?did=0608-notes-victim
After turning in names of homosexual priests, Father James Haley was suspended by Arlington VA Bishop Paul Loverde
http://catholiccitizens.org/press/contentview.asp?c=46855
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FROM LIFENEWS.COM
Jack Kevorkian Confronted by Assisted Suicide Victims' Son as He Campaigns
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
Royal Oak, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Jack Kevorkian claims he was harassed by someone who appeared to be a family member of two of his assisted suicide victims. Kevorkian is collecting signatures to get on the ballot in the Detroit area as an independent Congressional candidate and the incident occurred as he petitioned voters.
A man Kevorkian approached reportedly indicated he would sign Kevorkian's petition and then drew a large "X" across the entire page.
The man is said to have told Kevorkian that he killed his parents and that he could kill Kevorkian.
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.lifenews.com/bio2496.html
FROM LIFENEWS.COM
Barack Obama May Throw Bone to Pro-Lifers With Abortion "Reduction" Plank
Read this article here: http://www.lifenews.com/nat4005.html
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In an idea that is more symbolism over substance, a leading Democratic Party activist says he's going to talk to Obama about adding language to the Democratic Party platform calling for the "reduction" of abortions. Yet the proposal wouldn't call for any actual bills or efforts to limit abortions.
Rev. Jim Wallis, who hosted a Democratic candidates forum for CNN last year, says he plans to share the idea with Obama and his campaign before the Democratic convention.
"Abortion reduction should be a central Democratic Party plank in this election," Wallis told ABC News. "I'll just say that flat out."Read this article here: http://www.lifenews.com/nat4005.html
Deal Hudson says Catholics don’t know the real Obama
.- Deal W. Hudson, a Catholic political analyst, has criticized Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, for his stands on abortion and marriage. Hudson has also alleged that some Obama supporters are concealing aspects of the senator's record which would negatively affect Catholics' opinions of him.
Read this story here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13058
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
John McCain, Republicans Shouldn't Run From Pro-Life Issues in November
by Marjorie Dannenfelser
June 25, 2008
LifeNews.com Note: Marjorie Dannenfelser is the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life political group working to elect pro-life candidates to Congress and state offices. Opinion and editorial articles like this one do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeNews.com.
Imagine you are the Karl Rove for your very own Republican candidate. Say you have stumbled upon a position your candidate holds that garners 68 percent-plus support in public opinion polls. The issue polls best among women and young people - often tough nuts for the GOP to crack.
Say you noticed Democrats getting wise to the popularity of the issue and are running and winning campaigns that include it in their election platforms. You notice that your candidate's own Democrat opponent, however, takes the 32 percent or less stance.
Further, you learn that the election your guy is running in will be decisive in determining the fate of the popular issue. Happy Day! You've got contrast. You've got a salient, winning issue around which you can organize a part of a winning coalition of voters.
What do you do? Communicate enthusiastically about it to that 70 percent majority that shares your view? Then encourage them to vote for your guy so to advance the cause?
Read the rest of this article here: http://www.lifenews.com/nat4004.html
SBA List President Available for Comment on Reaching Values Voters
WASHINGTON, June 25 /Christian Newswire/ -- Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser published a commentary in today's edition of The Washington Times that examines how the pro-life issue is a winning issue that GOP candidates ignore at their own peril. Selected excerpts follow:
"Inside the Washington DC beltway, the obvious gets murky when the unsettling abortion issue comes up. When the issue is the resounding consensus that exists on abortion and the decisive role that the make- up of the Senate and Supreme Court will play in the future of it, GOP advisers favor the latter line of thinking. Ignore or bury the consensus that consists of vast majorities in favor of parental notification for minors' abortions, and bans on sex selection, late term, tax-payer funded and Partial-Birth abortions. The advice of most: make and keep it back-burner."
"Sonograms tell the story: it is a matter of life and death. So it trumps every other issue. And for those who only support the 68 percent plus common ground abortion issues, intensity could exist. Effective and responsible communication can create it. Then, like in 2004, voters will respond to the fact that an issue about which they care deeply is on the line."
"Democrat strategists have leveraged this consensus in key races in congressional districts across the nation in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, and most recently Louisiana and Mississippi. If some GOP insiders lack in agreement or comfort level on the abortion issue, they should at least see and encourage the issue's Machiavellian advantage with voters from the district to the presidential level."
Full text of the piece is available on the SBA List website, www.sba-list.org.
SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser is available to discuss the impact of the Life issue on the Presidential race, the importance and influence of Values Voters, top Congressional races, women voters and the role of women in politics. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Joy Yearout at (703) 875-3370 or by email at jyearout@sba-list.org.
The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 146,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.
FROM LIFENEWS.COM
Abortion Practitioner Accused of Killing Baby Born Alive After Botched Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion practitioner in Kansas stands accused of killing a baby who apparently was born alive following a failed abortion procedure. Officials with the pro-life group Operation Rescue alerted LifeNews.com to the situation and said it involves infamous late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller.
Tiller runs the Women's Health Care Services abortion center in Wichita, Kansas and often employs other abortion practitioners there on a part-time basis.
Read this story here: http://www.lifenews.com/state3342.html
Romanian Government Officials Seek Abortion for 11 Year Old Girl
By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
IASI, ROMANIA, June 24, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Romanian officials are seeking to obtain an abortion for an 11-year-old girl after a hospital ethics committee refused to perform the procedure, according to news reports.
The hospital's committee issued the ruling based on the fact that the girl, who was allegedly raped by her uncle, is more than 14 weeks pregnant. According to the law, abortions may not be performed after that period.
"According to the penal code, after the 14th week of pregnancy, termination is only permitted if the mother's life is endangered or if the fetus suffers from malformation," said a spokesman for the Cuza Voda hospital. He added that the committee found the girl's pregnancy to be "proceeding naturally" and therefore would not allow an abortion, according to the French Press Agency
However, according to the Romanian publication Gandul, there are provisions in Romanian law allowing later term abortions in cases of "necessity". The newspaper reports that government authorities are investigating the case and intend to initiate proceedings to overturn the hospital's decision.
The hospital's spokesman, Vica Todosiciuc, contradicted Gandul's claim, stating that the law does not allow for exceptions.
Contact Information:
Embassy of Romania in the United States
1607 23rd Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
USA
Phone: 202-332.4846
202-332.4848
Fax: 202- 232. 4748
Email: Ambassador@roembus.org
Embassy of Romania in Canada
655 Rideau Street , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6A3
Telephone (613) 789-3709, -5345, -4037, -4038
Fax (613) 789-4365
romania@romanian-embassy.com
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Romania/romania1.html
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
From Priests For Life:
40 Days for Life
Fr. Frank Pavone and the entire Priests for Life organization calls on Christians of every denomination to go to the places where the killing occurs and to intervene for the children scheduled to be killed. Decades ago, it was asked whether a sign could be placed at every abortion clinic that says, "Open with the Gracious Permission of the Local Church." That question remains today.
Priests for Life is at the forefront of calling on people to participate in the "40 Days for Life" campaign occurring in cities throughout the nation this Fall. For a period of 40 days, Christians are asked to surround the abortion facilities with constant prayer and presence, that these places may close. Please join with us in this effort!
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