Wednesday, March 31, 2010

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report 4/1/10





LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report

Thursday, April 1, 2010

For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.

Current Headlines

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Urges Canada to Promote Abortion at G8 Mtg
Terri Schiavo's Brother Bobby Schindler Recalls Five Years Since Sister's Death
• Pro-Life Advocates Remember Terri Schiavo Five Years After Euthanasia Death
Abortion is Safer Than Childbirth? Studies Show Abortion More Risky for Women
Eugenics in 2010: Obama Officials Follow Gattaca Movie, Genetic Discrimination
Thousands of Pro-Life People Attend March for Life Europe Against Abortion
Lilith Fair Concert Tour May Donate Ticket Proceeds to Pregnancy Centers
Nebraska Bill to Ban Late-Term Abortions Based on Fetal Pain Passes First Vote
Tennessee House, Senate Pass Pro-Life Bill to Help Stop Pressured Abortions
Kansas Sends Bill to Enforce Late-Term Abortion Laws to Governor Parkinson
San Diego Schools No Longer Require Parental Consent for Teen Abortions
Pro-Life News: Tennessee, Oklahoma, Abortion, New York, Post-Abortion,

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Urges Canada to Promote Abortion at G8 Mtg
Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- After signing bills over the last two weeks that promote taxpayer funded abortions in a national health care program, the Obama administration is taking its promotion of abortion abroad. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attacked Canada's Prime Minster for not promoting abortion at an upcoming conference.

At issue is the decision by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is promoting better maternal mortality as its signature initiative at the upcoming G8 summit Canada is hosting in June.

Harper was initially reluctant to include contraception in the centerpiece plan Canada is advocating, but he has ruled out including abortion.

That met with opposition from Clinton, a longtime abortion advocate and the top international official in the administration of pro-abortion President Barack Obama.

"You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health," Clinton said at a Tuesday news conference. "And reproductive health includes contraception and family planning and access to legal, safe abortion."

"I've also been very involved in promoting family planning and contraception as a way to prevent abortion. If you're concerned about abortion, then women should have access to family planning," Clinton added. "And finally, I do not think governments should be involved in making these decisions."

But research shows if the Obama administration and world governments want to lower maternal mortality, expanding abortion isn't the way to go. Full story at LifeNews.com

Terri Schiavo's Brother Bobby Schindler Recalls Five Years Since Sister's Death
by Bobby Schindler
March 31st will mark the five-year anniversary of the needless death of my sister, Terri Schiavo.

It is difficult to believe this much time has passed since that horrible event which will be forever seared into my memory.

I wish I could say things have changed for the better since my sister s death or that people with cognitive disabilities are now better protected in response to the horror she had to endure.

Tragically, however, it seems the rights of the brain-injured, elderly and others are still being violated.

All one has to do is look at what happened just last week. On March 21st, Fox aired an episode of The Family Guy that featured a "sketch" called "Terri Schiavo: The Musical." I was astonished at the producer s cruel bigotry directed towards my sister and all cognitively disabled people.

Sadly, although more offensive than what my family has seen in the past from the media since Terri died, the bald-faced ignorance expressed in that episode of The Family Guy was nothing new. In fact, all signs indicate that we have embarked on a very disturbing path.

There is no disputing that Terri s life and death had an astonishing impact on our nation. Our family still receives letters, emails and phone calls almost every day from people who tell us how Terri s story touched them in profound ways, particularly when they come to know the facts. Full story at LifeNews.com

Pro-Life Advocates Remember Terri Schiavo Five Years After Euthanasia Death
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Five years after Terri Schiavo died as a result of a painful starvation and dehydration euthanasia death her former husband subjected her to, pro-life advocates haven't forgotten. If anything, they are pushing forward with plans to do more to help the disabled and terminally ill.

Fr. Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, remembers Terri as he was on-hand with the Schindler family in the hours before the minimally conscious woman died.

"On March 31, five years ago, Terri Schiavo died a court mandated and government enforced death," he told LifeNews.com Wednesday morning.

"I saw for myself, as I held her hand and prayed at her bedside that this death was not 'peaceful' and 'beautiful' as euthanasia advocates want us to think," Pavone said. "Moreover, as health care is placed more and more in the hands of the government, we have to be more vigilant than ever to protect the Terris of today and tomorrow."

Following Terri's death, Priests for Life and the Schindler family, Terri's parents and siblings, established Terri's Day as a means of fostering education, prayer, and activism to counter discrimination against the disabled. Full story at LifeNews.com

Abortion is Safer Than Childbirth? Studies Show Abortion More Risky for Women
by Evangeline Jones
"Abortion is safer than childbirth." This statement is ubiquitous. A mantra for abortion advocates, it is repeated in popular culture and by educational and legal elites. It is common wisdom within the medical profession. For several decades now, it has shaped medical practice and public policy.

Among its progeny are newer slogans, most recently, abortion is healthcare.

The influence of elites in the medical profession should not be underestimated. Their positions can abide even where contrary evidence reveals them to be fundamentally weak, out-of-date, incomplete, and inaccurate.

Few seriously question the conclusions of prestigious medical professionals and organizations, particularly when medical studies are cited as proof. Their reports on abortion gain added importance in the vacuum created by a recast field of medical ethics that avoids evaluating the moral legitimacy of abortion under the Hippocratic Oath.

Such is the case for abortion is safer than childbirth. Its supporters claim that mortality rates for women having abortions are lower than mortality rates for women giving birth. An increasing body of evidence contradicts this. Abortion harms women by exposing them to a wide range of serious risks, both immediate and long-term. Abortion is not safer than childbirth. Full story at LifeNews.com


Eugenics in 2010: Obama Officials Follow Gattaca Movie, Genetic Discrimination
by Kristan Hawkins
Have you ever seen the movie Gattaca starring Ethan Hawke and Jude Law?

In case you missed it, here s a brief summary: Set in a future time, a genetically-inferior man (Ethan Hawke) wants to travel to space. However, society has deemed him less suitable because of his genetic make-up and has placed him in a lower class of humans only suitable for menial tasks.

Hawke s character was conceived the old-fashioned way and not in the new normal way, by in-vitro where only the best embryos are selected and then genetically enhanced. At birth, genetic counselors foretold how Hawke would die and at what age.. In order to achieve his dream, Hawke s character, through an elaborate scheme, deceives others into believing he is a part of the superior class.

The crux of the story is this: society judged Hawke s character at the moment of his birth, discriminating against him because of his genetic make-up.

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of my son Gunner s diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis, an expensive-to-treat and fatal genetic disease. Full story at LifeNews.com

Thousands of Pro-Life People Attend March for Life Europe Against Abortion
by Bryan Kemper
When I woke up on Sunday morning, March 28, I knew it was going to be a day I would never forget. I got up early and went for a walk to pray and prepare my heart for this special day; I wanted to be focused on what this day meant.

We started our journey walking from out host home to the metro station, down the hill where we would catch a metro to the city center and meet some of the March for Life team at the Cathedral. After the youth Mass we passed out more flyers about the March, taking advantage of every opportunity to get the word out.

We joined up some of the team from Belgium and Austria and walked over to the Royal Palace to help get the starting point set up. We set up the small Stand True booth off to the side of the steps and helped get the banners hung and signs into place.

I sat off to the side watching this group of young people from different countries, some of them not understanding each other s language, all working together to make this event amazing. Full story at LifeNews.com

Abortion Scandal at Catholic College Sign Protest Here: Planned Parenthood and the National Organization for Women are listed on the web site of the University of Detroit Mercy, a Catholic institution, as career resources. Please defend innocent life by signing the online protest to get these removed.

Lilith Fair Concert Tour May Donate Ticket Proceeds to Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Back in the 1990s, the Lilith Fair tour was one of the most people concert draws of the time -- with millions of people flocking to venues and festivals to see mostly female alternative rock and pop artists. Organizers of the tour, which had a distinct liberal, feminist, bent have brought it back -- with a twist.

The Summer 2010 Lilith Fair team announced a "Choose Your Charity" campaign through which Facebook users were able to vote from a pre-selected group of charities.

Those selected will receive $1 for every ticket sold in each concert city -- potentially generating tens of thousands of dollars for charities involved.

To the surprise of pro-life advocates, the Lilith Fair team included pregnancy centers in the mix of groups and the Facebook users who voted decided to award them as their charity to receive the funds.

Fans in Minneapolis and Indianapolis, for example, are given the option of supporting Metro Women's Center and Indianapolis Life Center -- both are life-affirming pregnancy centers that help women find abortion alternatives and legitimate pregnancy support. Other cities such as Atlanta and Seattle also saw pregnancy centers selected. Full story at LifeNews.com

Nebraska Bill to Ban Late-Term Abortions Based on Fetal Pain Passes First Vote
Lincoln, NE (LifeNews.com) -- A Nebraska bill that could set a national precedent for banning late-term abortions based on the concept of fetal pain has received its first approval vote from the unicameral state legislature. Nebraska lawmakers voted 38-5 for Legislative Bill 1103 so it would advance to the second round of debate.

The bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy when an unborn child can feel pain.

It has been hailed by pro-life advocates across the country for its innovative approach and focusing the public's attention on unborn babies who have been medically documented as pain capable at 20 weeks gestation.

Julie Schmit-Albin, director of Nebraska Right to Life, emailed LifeNews.com after the legislature approved the measure.

"In Nebraska we don't treat livestock or the family pets in the manner that unborn children are treated, particularly those who are 20 weeks gestation and older who are aborted at LeRoy Carhart's abortion facility in Bellevue," she said. "By his own admission Carhart does hundreds of late term abortions a year. LB 1103 would go a long way in averting late term abortions done on babies 20 weeks and older who can feel pain." Full story at LifeNews.com

Tennessee House, Senate Pass Pro-Life Bill to Help Stop Pressured Abortions
Nashville, TN (LifeNews.com) -- The Tennessee state House and Senate today both approved pro-life legislation designed to help stop abortions on women who feel pressured to get them. Interviews and research studies have shown women can be pressured by a husband or boyfriend, employer, friends or family to get an abortion.

The chambers both voted on the Tennessee Freedom from Coercion Act (House Bill 3301/Senate Bill 3812) sponsored by pro-life Rep. Susan Lynn and pro-life Sen. Jack Johnson.

The bills require abortion facilities to post signs saying women can't be pressured, forced or coerced to have an abortion against their will.

During the debate, Johnson, according to the Tennessean, said as many as 64 percent of women having abortions have said they felt some pressure to have one.

The Senate voted 28-2 for the bill and the House followed suit later Wednesday voting 87-8 for it.

The signs would read: "It is against the law for anyone, regardless of the person's relationship to you, to coerce you into having or to force you to have an abortion." Full story at LifeNews.com

Kansas Sends Bill to Enforce Late-Term Abortion Laws to Governor Parkinson
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- The Kansas state House approved a bill that would mandate that the Kansas health department obey the state's late-term abortion law. The House approved HB 2215 83-36, one vote shy of a veto proof majority and now the bill goes to Governor Parkinson, who may veto it.

The Senate approved the measure hours before the House on a 24-15 margin.

This is the fifth year in a row the legislature has sent a similar bill to the governor's desk attempting to stop late-term abortions and ensuring any done in the state follow current laws limiting them. Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed previous versions.

The current version of the bill also allows women to sue an abortion practitioner if they believe the late-term abortion was done for illegal reasons.

Kathy Ostrowski, the legislative director for Kansans for Life, told LifeNews.com that she is concerned the legislation will be vetoed again. Full story at LifeNews.com

Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker for 2010?
Looking for a pro-life speaker for your next banquet, conference or convention? LifeNews.com editor Steven Ertelt is a low-cost speaker who can entertain and educate your audience as well as help you with a fundraising pitch if necessary. He can also speak on any pro-life topic. For more information, email news@LifeNews.com.

San Diego Schools No Longer Require Parental Consent for Teen Abortions
San Diego, CA (LifeNews.com) -- San Diego school officials have upset pro-life advocates by adopting a new policy making it so teenagers no longer need parental consent for a host of activities, including abortion. The new policy makes it so teens can go on their own for confidential medical appointments without parental involvement.

The San Diego Unified Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to revise the policy without any opposition or debate.

Both pro-life and pro-abortion advocates spoke out about the changes in interviews with 10 News.

Leslie Brunolli said she opposed the change because she had an abortion she now adamantly regrets and doesn't want young women to make the same mistake.

"I wanted to finish college. I wanted out of the situation and I had no idea that I would have any ramifications at all, but I did," she said of the abortion that took away 20 years of her life with regret and heartache until she sought help. Full story at LifeNews.com

ACTION: Contact the board at http://old.sandi.net/board/boe_members.htm

Pro-Life News: Tennessee, Oklahoma, Abortion, New York, Post-Abortion, Women

Tennessee Committee OKs Bill to Opt Out of Abortion Funding Under Health Care
Nashville, TN (LifeNews.com) -- Tennessee would opt out of using state tax money to pay for abortions in state health care exchanges under legislation passed on a voice vote by the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday.

Oklahoma Legislature Passes Three Pro-Life Bills on Lopsided Margins
Oklahoma City, OK (LifeNews.com) -- The Oklahoma state House approved three pro-life bills Monday. The first bill would outlaw sex selective abortion and passed on a 95 to 1 vote.

New York Woman Attacked by Husband After She Refuses Abortion Request
Queens, NY (LifeNews.com) -- The New York Daily news reports on a woman who was attacked by her husband after she refused his request to get an abortion. Patrona Kates said she feared for her life when he slashed her throat and stabbed her sister in a meltdown over her pregnancy.

Abortion Recovery International to Host recovery Symposium in California
Anaheim, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Abortion Recovery InterNational (ARIN) will host "Come Aboard," its Second Annual SHARE Symposium, from July 20-22, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Anaheim, California.

Full stories at LifeNews.com

 

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Mexico: 18 of 31 States Protect the Unborn!

18 of 31

Mexican pro-life leader praises majority of country's states for adopting legal protection for unborn, calls on rest of states to follow suit


Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 29, 2010 (CNA) -- In a recent article for the newspaper, El Grafico, Mexican pro-life expert Carolina Beauregard applauded actions by 18 of the country's 31 states to establish legal protections for the unborn and encouraged the remaining 13 states to pass similar pro-life laws.

Beauregard, who advises several Mexican pro-life groups, wrote that the constitutional reforms protecting life in 18 Mexican states advanced with the overwhelming majority of political parties and strong support by the people. She added that support for the right to life is on the rise, despite efforts by some groups in opposition.

"Lawmakers are seeking to protect the lives of the unborn and the mother at the same time," she explained, noting that in some states, women who undergo an abortion are sentenced to community service instead of a prison term.

Beauregard called on all organizations in Mexico to safeguard the right to life, underscoring that "we should reflect on the kind of society that we want -- one in which life is valued and defended above any circumstance."

From http://www.calcatholic.com



Defend Pope Benedict: Join the National Prayer Bouquet



Dear Fellow Catholic,

Urgently, we ask you TODAY to join Catholics nationwide in an Easter
Prayer Campaign for Pope Benedict. . . and spread the word!

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is suffering "some of the same unjust accusations, shouts of the mob, and scourging at the pillar as did Jesus"!

Those are the words of Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, who on Palm Sunday urged prayers for Pope Benedict as he is viciously and unfairly attacked by the secular media and sadly even many dissident Catholics.

Pope Benedict is being assaulted with "unrelenting insinuations," said Archbishop Dolan, ". . .as certain sources seem frenzied to implicate the man who, perhaps more than anyone else, has been the leader in purification, reform and renewal that the Church so needs."

When he was installed as Pope five years ago, the Holy Father himself asked us to help him, saying:

"Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.
Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another."

Pope Benedict has never fled from the wolves, and he remains dedicated to renewing Christ's Church built on a foundation of strong Catholic identity.  It is by his example that The Cardinal Newman Society and so many others are struggling to renew Catholic life in America.
We are assembling an Eastertide spiritual bouquet for the Holy Father and need your prayers for him today!

Please pledge to pray for the Pope during the 50 days of Eastertide
by joining our spiritual bouquet.

Last year, thanks to your help, we collected more than 722,000 prayers for U.S. bishops, including 146,944 Rosaries and 28,862 days of fasting, as a token of appreciation for their strong stand for Catholic identity at Notre Dame.

But now, "The father of our family, 'il papa,' needs our love, support, and prayers," as Archbishop Dolan has pleaded.

Catholics nationwide are praying for Pope Benedict,
won't you join us?

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!  And may God bless you and your family.

Yours in Christ,

The Cardinal Newman Society



Today Marks Fifth Annual National Memorial for 'Terri's Day'

The Oratory is the center of the town of Ave M...

Ave Maria Oratory Image via Wikipedia


AVE MARIA, Fla., March 31 /Christian Newswire/ -- Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, will be the celebrant and homilist tonight at the Annual National Mass for Terri's Day at the Ave Maria Oratory of Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida.

"On March 31, five years ago, Terri Schiavo died a court mandated and government enforced death," said Fr. Pavone. "I saw for myself, as I held her hand and prayed at her bedside that this death was not 'peaceful' and 'beautiful' as euthanasia advocates want us to think. Moreover, as health care is placed more and more in the hands of the government, we have to be more vigilant than ever to protect the Terris of today and tomorrow."

"Terri's Day" was established by Terri's family and Priests for Life to foster education, prayer, and activism to counter discrimination against the disabled. We urge Churches, schools, organizations, families, and individuals to observe this day. Suggested prayers and activities are at www.TerrisDay.org.

The National Mass for Terri's Day will be held tonight, March 31, at 5:00 pm, at 5040 Ave Maria Boulevard, Ave Maria, FL 34142. A light reception will follow.

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.



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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report 3/31/10




LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.

Current Headlines

Obama Signing Reconciliation Health Care Bill With No Fixes for Abortion Funding
New Catholic Bishops Memo: Abortion in Health Care Despite Obama Order
USA Today Poll Confirms: Americans Disapprove of Obama, Health Care Bill
• No Reproductive Justice for Women When Prenatal Diagnosis Pushes Abortion
Pro-Lifers to Challenge Obama's Calling Saving Terri Schiavo a "Mistake"
Getting Lower Maternal Mortality Worldwide Shouldn't Mean Promoting Abortion
Nevada Senate Candidate Sue Lowden Gets Pro-Life Women's Group's Backing
Baltimore Archdiocese Sues City over New Law Targeting Pregnancy Centers
Missouri House Approves Abortion Waiting Period, Stopping Pressured Abortions
Idaho Gov Allows Conscience Rights for Pro-Life Medical Staff to Become Law
Duke University Women's Center Issues Apology to Pro-Life Group After Dustup
Pro-Life News: Terri Schiavo, Indiana, Planned Parenthood, Iowa, Nevada, Abortion

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Obama Signing Reconciliation Health Care Bill With No Fixes for Abortion Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama is signing the reconciliation bill -- the second part of the new government-run health care system that makes changes to the law he signed last week. Although the bill "fixes" problems on unrelated political issues, it does not alter the abortion funding or promotion in the law he signed.

Obama's signing comes as Americans still oppose the pro-abortion health care bill, give him low approval ratings and support lawsuits seeking to overturn it in court.

The "fixes" bill received final legislative approval last Thursday with a 220-207 vote in the House and a 56-43 vote in the Senate. In both cases, some pro-life Democrats joined all Republicans to oppose the bill.

Before the final Senate vote, senators rejected a pro-life amendment that would have denied coverage of the dangerous RU 486/mifepristone abortion drug responsible for killing more than 13 women worldwide and injuring at least 1,100 in the United States.

Senators voted 57 to 42 to kill the Coburn amendment and the vote saw pro-life Democrat Ben Nelson, who came under fire for putting abortion funding in the Senate health care bill, join all Republicans in voting against the motion to table.

Under the health care bill Obama signed, there is no ban on abortion funding. While some states can opt out of funding abortions under the plan, taxpayers in other states will be forced to pay for them. Full story at LifeNews.com

New Catholic Bishops Memo: Abortion in Health Care Despite Obama Order
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops have released a new detailed legal memorandum analyzing both the health care bill President Barack Obama signed into law and the executive order he issued. The memo says abortion funding is still present in the new law despite the executive order.

It confirms what other USSCB officials and pro-life groups have said about the abortion funding the the failureof the executive order to correct the problems.

Anthony Picarello, General Counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Michael Moses, the USCCB Associate General Counsel, authored the extensive memo.

"Although we wish it were otherwise, we must conclude that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, poses serious problems in these two areas [abortion funding and conscience protection] and that the Executive Order does not correct those problems," they conclude.

They say the health care bill violates both provisions of the Hyde amendment -- which, only pertaining to the federal budget, stops abortion funding and funding abortions in federal health insurance programs.

The attorneys note that, since the bill lacks any specific ban on abortion funding, "federal funds that PPACA appropriates anywhere else, including, at a minimum, Community Health Centers, are unrestricted by Hyde and so must be used to pay for abortions."

"Thus, the stated purpose of this provision of the Executive Order is commendable, but the provision is ineffective apart from the two particular contexts where Hyde-like statutory protections actually apply," they write.

The attorneys say court rulings make it so the federal government is required to pay for abortions if an abortion funding ban is not present in language dealing with health issues. That means the health care bill will fund abortions even without explicit language authorizing funding. Full story at LifeNews.com

USA Today Poll Confirms: Americans Disapprove of Obama, Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new USA Today poll confirms what others released yesterday show: Americans disapprove of both pro-abortion President Barack Obama and the pro-abortion health care bill he signed. The survey comes after ones from CNN and Rasmussen showing voters upset with Obama and wanting the law reversed.

Nearly two-thirds of those polled by USA Today and Gallup say the new health care law costs too much and expands the government's role in health care too far.

Meanwhile, 50 percent disapproved of the job Obama is doing as president while just 47 percent approved -- mirroring the bad numbers he had in the Rasmussen poll from yesterday. This is the first time his disapproval rating hit 50 percent in the USA Today poll.

When it comes to health care, those who oppose the bill are more likely to say it will impact their vote in the November mid-term elections. While about 30 percent of Americans are more likely to support candidates who oppose the bill, a lower 25 percent are more likely to support candidates who favor it.

Half call passage of the bill "a bad thing" and 47% "a good thing." And 53 percent said Democrats engaged in "an abuse of power" by enacting the measure without any Republican support and employing rarely-used procedural tactics to do it. Full story at LifeNews.com

No Reproductive Justice for Women When Prenatal Diagnosis Pushes Abortion
by Anna Franzonello
Recognizing that the majority of Americans are not comfortable with our abortion-on-demand jurisprudence, the mantra of abortion advocates is almost always tempered. The former catch-phrase safe, legal, and rare has recently morphed into reducing the need for abortion.

(The Obama Administration made it clear that it was not numbers of abortion that they are looking to reduce.)

Yet, when we talk about making abortion rare and reducing the need for abortion, I always wonder where do the babies who are aborted because of a prenatal diagnosis fit in?

What I have come to realize is, for those that subscribe to this rhetoric, they don't.

A recent AP article announced that, Some of mankind s most devastating inherited diseases appear to be declining, and a few have nearly disappeared, because more people are using genetic testing to decide whether to have children. However, it is not entirely accurate to state that the diseases are disappearing. Full story at LifeNews.com


Pro-Lifers to Challenge Obama's Calling Saving Terri Schiavo a "Mistake"

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Representatives of three Christian groups plan to take the message of the life and death of Terri Schiavo to the White House. They are hoping their stance at the gates will challenge President Barack Obama, who once said his biggest political "mistake" was voting to help save the disabled woman's life.

The Christian Defense Coalition, Faith and Action and Generation Life will pray and leave a single rose on the public sidewalk in front of the White House tomorrow.

They're doing so because it is the fifth anniversary of the euthanasia death of Terri Schiavo, where her husband won a court order to deprive her of food and water, the taking her life following a painful 13-day starvation and dehydration process.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition and one of the leaders who worked to save Terri's life in Florida, talked about tomorrow's event.

The participants will hold a news conference to discuss the legacy of Terri's life and death and the impact it has on the current health care debate concerning end of life issues and the controversy over "death panels."

"Terri's life had purpose, meaning and great value. It was tragic that she was brutally starved and dehydrated to death in full view of the America public. We are coming to the White House to honor her life and loudly say never again and pray this Administration embraces compassion for the disabled community," he told LifeNews.com. Full story at LifeNews.com

Getting Lower Maternal Mortality Worldwide Shouldn't Mean Promoting Abortion
by Mary Harned
The term "reproductive justice" took on a personal meaning for me in April of 2008, when I underwent an emergency C-Section. In spite of a flawless pregnancy and topnotch prenatal care, my labor completely stalled my body simply could not do what it was supposed to do.

Fortunately, there was no panic, no fear; in fact, there was never a moment when my husband and I wondered whether we would be able to safely bring our son into the world.

It is difficult to imagine anything more in keeping with reproductive justice defined by one reproductive rights group as the complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, economic, and social well-being of women and girls than for women to have access to all existing means to safely deliver their children.

We have this form of reproductive justice in the United States. Because of the excellent obstetric care we received, our son was born pink and healthy, I was fine, and I should have no trouble bearing more children.

However, one of my nurses told me that this form of reproductive justice is terribly absent in many parts of the world. She explained that while a C-Section performed in a developing nation only costs US$60.00, millions of women do not have access to the procedure. For a woman without access to quality obstetric care, facing a complicated delivery is devastating her baby often dies and if she survives, she is left with empty arms and a serious medical condition called an obstetric fistula. Full story at LifeNews.com

Abortion Scandal at Catholic College Sign Protest Here: Planned Parenthood and the National Organization for Women are listed on the web site of the University of Detroit Mercy, a Catholic institution, as career resources. Please defend innocent life by signing the online protest to get these removed.

Nevada Senate Candidate Sue Lowden Gets Pro-Life Women's Group's Backing
Carson City, NV(LifeNews.com) -- The national pro-life women's group Susan B. Anthony List issued an endorsement today for Sue Lowden, one of the candidates seeking the Republican nomination to take on Sen. Harry Reid. He is the top Democrat in the Senate who pushed the pro-abortion health care bill.

Marjorie Dannenfelser told LifeNews.com Tuesday morning that the SBA List is excited to get in Lowden's corner.

"The Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund is proud to endorse Sue Lowden for U.S. Senate in Nevada," she said.

"Sue Lowden is exactly the type of authentic pro-life candidate Americans are hungry for, and that's why the SBA List Candidate Fund is prepared to highlight her race among a handful of priority contests in 2010," Dannenfelser added. "Right now there is a crying need for a pro-life woman's voice in the Senate and Sue Lowden is committed to being that voice." Full story at LifeNews.com

Baltimore Archdiocese Sues City over New Law Targeting Pregnancy Centers
Baltimore, MD (LifeNews.com) -- The Archdiocese of Baltimore filed a federal lawsuit against the Maryland city yesterday over a law that attacks pregnancy centers that help women find abortion alternatives. Last year, the city passed the new ordinance that fines pregnancy centers $150 per day if they don't post a sign saying they do not do abortions.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the former city council president who is now the mayor, sponsored the measure that the city council approved on a 12-3 vote.

The council defeated an amendment to the bill that would have required abortion businesses to post a similar sign confirming they do not provide abortion alternatives.

Now, the Catholic diocese has filed suit saying the law violates the free speech rights of the centers and church members.

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien said the law "is hurting the good people volunteering and giving so much of their resources to come to the help of pregnant women," according to the Baltimore Sun newspaper.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore, says the law unfairly targets the centers rather than applying to medical facilities as a whole. Full story at LifeNews.com

Missouri House Approves Abortion Waiting Period, Stopping Pressured Abortions
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- The Missouri state House approved a bill today that would stop forced abortions and put a 24-hour abortion waiting period in place. The measure is designed to provide women more information than they otherwise receive from abortion centers.

The Special Standing Committee on Children and Families signed off on House Bill 1327 last month and, today, the full House voted 113-37 in favor of the legislation.

The measure requires abortion businesses, orally and in writing, to provide women information 24 hours before an abortion on the development of the unborn child, and long-term medical and mental health problems women can expect from the abortion.

The measure also allows women to find out about abortion alternatives and to see an ultrasound of the unborn child, according to a Missouri Statehouse Examiner report. Full story at LifeNews.com

Idaho Gov Allows Conscience Rights for Pro-Life Medical Staff to Become Law
Boise, ID (LifeNews.com) -- Idaho Governor Butch Otter allowed a bill to become law that will create statutory protections for health care professionals in specific areas of medical practice.

The measure makes it so pro-life health care workers don't have to fear for their jobs if they decide they don't want to dispense drugs that could be used to cause abortions or kill patients at the end of their life.

David Ripley of Idaho Choose Life, commented on Otter's actions in an email to LifeNews.com and he was surprised and disappointed by otter not signing the bill outright.

"While that is an admittedly disappointing development, we cannot allow that to take away from the huge pro-Life victory this legislation represents," he said. "Frankly, it is also rather surprising given Otter s strong constitutional orientation. SB 1353 codifies the very spirit of our 1st Amendment s promise of religious and moral liberty." Full story at LifeNews.com

Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker for 2010?
Looking for a pro-life speaker for your next banquet, conference or convention? LifeNews.com editor Steven Ertelt is a low-cost speaker who can entertain and educate your audience as well as help you with a fundraising pitch if necessary. He can also speak on any pro-life topic. For more information, email news@LifeNews.com.

Duke University Women's Center Issues Apology to Pro-Life Group After Dustup
Durham, NC (LifeNews.com) -- The Duke University Women's Center has issued a letter of apology after it denied the campus pro-life student group space for an event on motherhood. The center abruptly canceled a Duke Students for Life event on the day of the meeting because it was engaging in pro-life activities elsewhere on campus.

As LifeNews.com reported, a Women's Center representative told Duke Students for Life (DSFL) that "we have a problem" and an ideological "conflict" with the event, which was supposedly canceled to protect Duke women from encountering the event during the group's "traumatizing" pro-life "Week for Life."

The group's president has turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help and it contacted university officials.

Now, Ed Morrissey of the HotAir blog has obtained a copy of a letter Ada Gregory, the director of the Women's Center, sent to the group yesterday. Full story at LifeNews.com

Pro-Life News: Terri Schiavo, Indiana, Planned Parenthood, Iowa, Nevada, Abortion

Family Research Council Hosts Lecture on Terri Schiavo and Pro-Life Culture
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Yesterday, we hosted a moving commemoration of the five-year anniversary of the death of Terri Schiavo. Terri was a disabled Florida woman whose husband successfully petitioned state courts to deny her food and water so she would die.

Indiana Becomes 14th State to Challenge Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill in Court
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- Indiana became the 14th state Monday to challenge the constitutionality of the federal health care legislation. After reviewing the sweeping health care reforms, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced he would join a lawsuit already filed jointly by 13 other attorneys general in a Florida federal court.

Planned Parenthood Closes Local Express Clinic in Monticello, Iowa
Monticello, IA (Lifenews.com) -- Planned Parenthood has closed a local express clinic in Monticello, Iowa and that closure will take place in April. Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa announced the move, saying it wants to close the center, which made abortion referrals, to consolidate its centers.

Iowa Right to Life Spring Book Sale nets $43K for Pro-Life Efforts
Des Moines, IA (Lifenews.com) -- Iowa Right to Life has gone beyond baby steps in its annual Spring Book Sale. The four-day sale, which ran from March 23 to March 27, brought in $43,000! Proceeds will go to pregnancy centers and adoption agencies across Iowa to assist women in need with their pregnancies.

Abortion Advocates Want Personhood Measure Off Nevada November Ballot
Carson City, NV (LifeNews.com) -- Abortion advocates in Nevada have filed legal papers to keep personhood amendments that would target abortion off the state ballots in those states. The measure have mixed support from pro-life advocates with some supporting them and others saying they will fail and add to pro-abortion case law.

West Virginia Woman Gets Medical Care After Hospital Refuses Treatment
Charleston, WV (LifeNews.com) -- An Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) allied attorney secured an agreed-upon court order Friday that extends care for a 40-year-old woman on dialysis at Ruby Memorial Hospital after the hospital originally said it would end treatment on March 27 against the wishes of the woman s family.

Full stories at LifeNews.com

 

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Why Abortion Breaks All the Commandments: Part 1

Moses with the Tablets of the Law (painting by...

Image via Wikipedia


 
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
 
Abortion does not only break the Fifth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." It breaks all the commandments. In this and following columns, let's reflect on how each Commandment illumines and strengthens our pro-life commitment.
 
The First Commandment is "I am the Lord your God; you shall not have other gods besides me." There are many ways of having false gods. Pope John Paul II once wrote that to think we are the ones who decide whether a child should be created is to say that God is not God. At the root of the contraceptive mentality, and at the root of the so-called "pro-choice" mentality, is idolatry. We place our choices before God's choices. We break the first of all the commandments. In the Old Testament, we read that God's people committed idolatry when they sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire to demons. Until we end the child sacrifice of legal abortion, we are guilty of the same kind of idolatry. We are called instead to worship the Lord of Life!
 
The Second Commandment is "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." This does not only mean that we shouldn't use the Lord's name in cursing when we are angry. It also means that we should not use God's name or His Word to justify actions that he abhors.
 
There are religious groups and individuals in our society who do exactly that when it comes to abortion. They say they are "prayerfully pro-choice." Groups like the "Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice" claim that God's word allows abortion. They hold "pro-choice" Bible studies, and they even carry out pro-choice liturgies to bless the "choice" of those who abort.
 
This is a distortion of God's word and an abuse of his name. It is a direct violation of the second commandment. We are called instead to honor the name of God by honoring the lives he creates.
 
The Third Commandment requires us to Keep Holy the Lord's Day. Scripture tells us the Lord rested on the seventh day. This was not because he was tired, but rather because he was foretelling the Sabbath day that Jesus would rest in the tomb after his work of offering the sacrifice of his passion and death. On that day the Lord preached to the dead and bid them to leave the place of death and to come with him into life eternal.
 
Keeping holy the Lord's Day, then, reminds us that God is on the side of human life. It also reminds us that he is Lord of life. All our activities and choices are under him, which is why we pause on the Lord's Day to worship him in Church.
 
We will continue our reflections on the Commandments in the next column. Meanwhile, those who want to nourish their pro-life spirituality with reflections like this for every day of the year can obtain my book Pro-life Reflections for Every Day at priestsforlife.org/store.
 

Comments on this column? Go to AskFrFrank.com

Fr. Frank's columns are podcast. See PriestsForLife.org/Podcast


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