Volume 20, Number 5
September-October 2010
Fr. Frank Pavone and Janet Morana with Judge William Clark, National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan, at the Judge's ranch in California. The judge is a longtime friend of Priests for Life and is a professed member of the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life.
Priests for Life Surveys African-Americans on Abortion
In April 2010 the polling company™, inc./WomanTrend conducted on behalf of Priests for Life two focus groups of African-American adults in Baltimore and Houston and a nationwide online survey of 700 Black adults to measure attitudes on abortion and effective pro-life messaging. Following are excerpts from a summary of the results provided by Kellyanne Conway, President of the polling company, inc./WomanTrend.
Respondents acknowledged "information underload" about several key facts related to abortion: non-abortive services available to pregnant women, the African-American abortion rate, the concentration of Planned Parenthood clinics in minority areas, and the pro-choice positions of the Democratic Party and President Barack Obama.
Forty-one percent surveyed believed that Black women obtain fewer abortions than women of other races (22% expected more and 23% as many). Recent federal statistics show that 37% of African-American pregnancies end in abortion (compared to 19% of all pregnancies), yet the plurality of those surveyed thought that less than 35% of Black women terminate their pregnancies.
Pregnancy Resource Centers were little known, yet widely embraced among African-Americans. Black survey respondents were nearly ten times as likely to react positively than negatively to a description of pregnancy resource centers (75% vs. 7%), but a major hurdle remains: self-admitted lack of knowledge about the locations, accessibility, and services of PRCs.
Outreach to the Black community on abortion requires a careful balance of message and messenger and delivery. Messaging must both "shock the conscience" and "warm the heart." Three-quarters of respondents said they knew someone who had obtained an abortion, causing some reluctance in casting judgment on those that have them.
Still, actual images of aborted fetuses … were so compelling that one Baltimore participant volunteered: "Well, I'm just going to put it out there. Before I came in to this room today, I was pro-choice. But after seeing those pictures and hearing all that, I think I've changed my ideas on abortion."
The survey showed that religious leaders, family, and friends were regarded as sources of encouragement and tangible support for unexpectedly pregnant woman; all should be engaged more vocally and visibly as defenders of life.
10StepsToEndAbortion.com
Bringing together the strategic work of Priests for Life and the various groups with which we have collaborated over the years, Fr. Frank Pavone has announced a new initiative, "10 Steps to End Abortion," which will provide activities and training for people who want to do something to end abortion. This initiative will be carried out in conjunction with the online pro-life university that we have been planning, and that will provide guided courses in pro-life activism and spirituality. This effort complements, strengthens, and unifies the work of many different organizations, and will provide for activists and donors a "map" of the pro-life movement so that they can see how the different aspects of the movement reinforce one another, and how they can be part of that process. The project builds on strategic memos from dozens of pro-life leaders over the last 25 years as well as detailed surveys of those leaders.
Voter Registration Sunday
September 12 is Voter Registration Sunday. For tips on how to conduct a Voter Registration Sunday see,www.politicalresponsibility.com
You Can Help Stop Forced Abortions!
Abortion is anything but "choice". Pressure and coercion are commonplace, especially against teenage girls. "If you have this baby, I'm kicking you out of my house." "I've made the appointment and am taking you for an abortion." "You are grounded until you have that abortion."
Abortion clinics nationwide are more than ready to collaborate with these bullying parents to kill their grandchildren.
Now, Priests for Life is collaborating with The Justice Foundation and Life Dynamics to provide for such young girls the legal tools they need to protect themselves and their children. A standard letter has been prepared, informing parents that they are subject to legal liability if they force their daughter to abort. Crimes like fetal homicide or civil torts like battery, negligence, and false imprisonment can be incurred.
Likewise, a letter is available that can be sent to abortion clinics by a counselor who has been told by a young girl that she is being pressured to abort. That letter alerts the clinic that it too can be subject to various forms of criminal prosecution and/or civil liability for performing the abortion on that girl.
Lives have already been saved because of the sobering effect of such letters on parents and abortion clinic staff.
Churches and pregnancy centers are key to making this project a success by informing teens as well as adults of their right not to be coerced into abortion, and by providing these letters. Priests for Life is ready to provide further information and training.
Prayer Intentions
You are encouraged to remember the following intentions as you pray the Liturgy of the Hours:
September intention: That schools and universities teach the full truth about the abortion issue.
October intention: That citizens may exercise their duty to vote in a way that advances the Culture of Life.
Pro-Life Novenas
Please join us at www.PrayerCampaign.org in praying and promoting the following Novenas:
September 1 to November 2, 2010: Nine weeks of prayer for Election Day
October 8-16, 2010: St. Gerard Majella
October 23–31, 2010: Novena for Priests, leading to Priesthood Sunday
November Cruise
BIBLICAL and PRO-LIFE CRUISE to Greece, Holy Land, Egypt, Cyprus! Join Fr Denis Wilde, OSA, Associate Director of Priests for Life, Nov 11-22, 2010, for an unforgettable experience of salvation history's drama of life and faith! Visit www.faithfultravels.org/trips.html and scroll down to "Pilgrimage in Thanksgiving" for itinerary, information and forms. Or call 305-664-2664. This will truly be a voyage designed to our sharing of faith, coordinated with Miami Archdiocese Respect Life Travel Ministry and Priests for Life.
