DEACON FOR LIFE

Were there to be no support in the whole history of ethical and moral thought, were there no acknowledged confirmation from medical science, were the history of legal opinion to the contrary, we would still have to conclude on the basis of God's Holy Word that the unborn child is a person in the sight of God. He is protected by the sanctity of life graciously given to each individual by the Creator, Who alone places His image upon man and grants them any right to life which they have.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Pro-Lifers celebrate enactment of pain law

Arkansas becomes eighth state to ban elective abortions
when the unborn baby is capable of feeling pain.

For those faithful pro-life activists who have slogged through the many years when Supreme Court rulings prevented any unborn children from being directly protected from abortion, today is another great day!

Forty years ago, on January 22^nd, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings – Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which, when taken together, prevented states or Congress from stopping any abortions right up to birth.

Of course, pro-lifers never accepted this travesty of justice. When we could regulate abortion, we did. When we could stop taxpayer funding, we did. Each of these regulations saved precious lives. But we never gave up our efforts to directly prevent the killing of innocent unborn through protective legislation.

By electing pro-life presidents and Senators who determine who’s on the Supreme Court, and through the wise presenting of cases that caused the Court to re-examine its earlier abortion rulings, we’ve been able to change the jurisprudence of abortion. In 2007, the Supreme Court for the first time allowed the banning of a specific method of abortion – partial-birth abortion.

Now, states are passing laws to protect even more children. National Right to Life has devised life-saving legislation designed to be upheld by the current Supreme Court – the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Now enacted into law in eight states, the law says that unborn babies cannot be aborted from the point that compelling medical evidence exists that they can feel pain.

Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and now Arkansas have enacted these laws. Protecting the lives of so many innocent human beings from death and suffering is a great victory for the pro-life movement, a victory we thank you for helping bring about with your support!

Sadly, the Arkansas legislature had to enact the law by overriding a governor’s veto. On Tuesday, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, announced he was vetoing the bill that had been passed by the Republican legislature with the support of many Democrats. But yesterday and today, the Arkansas House and Senate voted by wide margins to override his veto and make the bill law.

National Right to Life is working to pass this and other laws that protect unborn babies in many other states. Your support can help us make the case for these life-saving laws – both to the general public and with the direct testimony that we arrange for legislative committees by medical experts on fetal pain.

Now I want to see us pass this important law in a ninth state, and then a tenth, etc. Can you help us stop what one media commentator is calling “barbarism” with a generous donation to help us protect these children? Can I ask you to help pass this needed law in a 9^th state with a donation of $90 today?

Or could you give a gift of $42 to represent the 42 states that still need to protect their children with this law? Or any gift amount to help us spread the facts about fetal pain and the need to protect babies from it?

I hope to be able to report soon that other states have passed this landmark legislation. For the sake of the unborn babies these laws will save, please help with your generous support so we can make that a reality and save babies’ lives!

Thank you!

Carol Tobias
National Right to Life President

National Right to Life
512 10th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
202.626.8800 - www.nrlc.org

National Right to Life
512 10th St., NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
US

Heroic News: “Yale considers footing bill for student sex changes” plus 6 more

Yale considers footing bill for student sex changes
Human Life International Proud to Participate in March for Marriage
Leading British politician backs giving out morning-after pill at schools
Mom performs CPR on newborn daughter, saves her life
Suicide decriminalization does not create a right to die
Michigan college hosts 'STD Bingo' night on campus
Doctors warn against expanding abortion 'rights' in New York

Yale considers footing bill for student sex changes

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 11:42 AM PST

Yale is considering joining Brown, Penn, Harvard and Cornell universities by picking up the tab for Ivy League students who want sex changes.

Human Life International Proud to Participate in March for Marriage

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 11:33 AM PST

Human Life International is proud to participate in this historic March for Marriage.

Leading British politician backs giving out morning-after pill at schools

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 11:28 AM PST

It is a “great idea” to allow the morning-after pill to be handed out in schools, a leading GP in England has said. But there is concern that such a move would seriously undermine parents.

Mom performs CPR on newborn daughter, saves her life

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 10:33 AM PST

Just after giving birth at her home, one mother had to use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her newborn daughter in order to save her life.

Suicide decriminalization does not create a right to die

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:39 AM PST

The Irish Supreme Court has ruled that the decriminalization of suicide does not necessarily create a 'right to die,' despite euthanasia proponents' arguments to the contrary.

Michigan college hosts 'STD Bingo' night on campus

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 03:38 AM PST

Central Michigan University (CMU) will host a “Condom Casino” on Wednesday night, in which students can gamble to win condoms in games such as “5 Card Foreplay Poker” and “STD Bingo.”

Doctors warn against expanding abortion 'rights' in New York

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:47 AM PST

ALL Pro-Life Today: 40 years of the culture of death: A pastoral letter on the occasion of the anniversary of 'Roe v. Wade'

Thursday, February 28, 2013

40 years of the culture of death: A pastoral letter
on the occasion of the anniversary of 'Roe v. Wade'

By Archbishop Samuel Aquila

I went to college in 1968 with the idea of becoming a doctor, like my father. College campuses in the late '60s and throughout the '70s were places of turmoil. I didn't practice my faith much in the first three years of college and I certainly never imagined that the Lord would one day make me a bishop. I spent my first three years of college working as a hospital orderly and assisting in the emergency room, at a university student health center, and in a hospital in California during summer break. When I began the job, I hadn't thought much about human suffering, or about human dignity. But during my employment in hospitals, something changed. At that time, some states had approved abortion laws that I wasn't even aware of. Because of those laws, when I was in college I witnessed the results of two abortions.

[ Click here to read more. ]

Reply from U.S. Senator Pat Toomey

February 28, 2013

Dear John,

Thank you for contacting me about religious freedom. As someone who believes in protecting our religious liberties from government overreach, I appreciate hearing from you.

In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) mandate that incited a national debate about the appropriate role of government in our lives and the right of religious institutions to the free exercise of their faiths. This mandate, which I oppose, requires employer-sponsored health insurance plans to provide coverage for prescription contraceptives, including abortion-inducing pills, and female sterilization. Many faith-based institutions believe these services to be deeply immoral.

After weeks of public outrage from religious members of many different faiths, the administration responded by offering what it called an "accommodation." Under this deceptively modified rule, these very same plans will have to be provided to the same employees of the same institutions. The only difference is that the administration would have us believe that certain services would now come without any cost. However, businesses do not really provide services for free, regardless of fiats issued by the government. Clearly, the costs of contraception services will be passed along in higher insurance premiums for employers. In the end, all institutions will still be required to pay for all mandated services, including those services deemed objectionable on moral grounds.

In the 112th Congress, I joined my colleagues in fighting this mandate, co-sponsoring two important pieces of legislation. The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S. 1467), introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), would have protected individuals and medical providers from new federal mandates under PPACA that could undermine rights of conscience. Similarly, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (S. 2043), introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), would have provided a religious exemption from forcing members of religious entities to violate their deeply-held religious beliefs by mandating coverage for contraception and sterilization. You may be interested to know that Senator Blunt offered S. 1467 as an amendment to the highway bill (S. 1813) on March 1, 2012. Unfortunately, the Senate rejected this bipartisan amendment, in spite of my support for it, on a 51-48 vote (60 votes were required for adoption).

On February 1, 2013, HHS published additional detail on how the so-called "accommodation" will be enacted. Unfortunately, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking only confirmed the administration's refusal to provide a meaningful exemption for religiously affiliated entities. In spite of this setback, please know that I remain committed to upholding our constitutional right of conscience and will continue to do so in this new Congress.

Thank you again for your correspondence on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Pat Toomey
U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

Human Life International Proud to Participate in March for Marriage

Check out this website I found at campaign.r20.constantcontact.com

FRONT ROYAL, Virginia - The following is a statement from Father Shenan J. Boquet, president of Human Life International (HLI), about HLI's participation in the first ever national March for Marriage on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

"Human Life International is proud to participate in this historic March for Marriage. Twice in the last month we have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets and march to defend marriage in Paris and in Puerto Rico. At these marches, Christians stood shoulder to people of other faiths, and even those who profess no faith, to defend marriage between one man and one woman against those who would redefine marriage to suit their own lifestyle. This natural union is what creates stable families for children, and is the underpinning of society. This is an issue of natural law and the most basic natural institution, although people of all faiths have a right to defend their beliefs in the public square.

"We hope friends and supporters of Human Life International will be able to join us on the National Mall in a strong showing support for marriage and for our brothers and sisters in the United States and around the world who are persecuted for holding to their faith and proclaiming that marriage can only be understood as the sacred union between one man and one woman."

Organized by the National Organization for Marriage, the March for Marriage will coincide with the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of oral arguments on challenges to California's Proposition 8 and the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Coalition partners supporting the March along with Human Life International include Family Research Council, Manhattan Declaration, CatholicVote, the American Principles Project, ActRight, Concerned Women for America, C-FAM and a growing list of others. Promotional flyers (in English and Spanish), a map of the March, schedule of events, and other resources are available at www.marriagemarch.org.

About HLI: Human Life International: For the Glory of God and defense of Life, Faith and Family. Founded in 1981, HLI is the world's largest international pro-life and pro-family organization, with affiliates and associates in over 80 countries on six continents. www.hli.org

###

Human Life International - 4 Family Life Lane - Front Royal, VA 22630 U.S.A.
800-549-LIFE - Fax: 540-622-6247 - E-Mail: hli@hli.org
Copyright © 2013 Human Life International, Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Nuba Mountains to Uganda to receive new limbs thanks to the Catholic Church

AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN -

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church is sponsoring 20 amputees, all war victims, who suffered amputations in the war in the Nuba Mountains (Sudan) to reach a hospital in Uganda where they can get new implants. These people will join another 13 from Yida Refugee Camp (South Sudan).
The Sudan Catholic Network quoted a medical officer that explained how His Exc. Mgr. Macram Max, Bishop of El Obeid lobbied for funds to fit the patients with artificial limbs and allow them to lead normal lives.
The first batch of 35 people had been sent to Uganda to undergo the implantation of artificial limbs.
An amputee said he was happy to be on the list of those who will be traveling to Uganda to receive a new leg and thanked the Diocese of El Obeid for the opportunity.
Ten different groups of amputees were planned for trips to different hospitals in Uganda to be fitted with new limbs. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/02/2013)

40 Days For Life: DAY 16: Three babies saved in one day!

Dear Deacon,

When you peacefully pray outside an abortion center … your presence there matters.

When we pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil, we all yearn to be there when a baby is saved from abortion. Sometimes, we get to see it happen. On occasion, two babies are saved in one day. In one local campaign, though … THREE babies were saved recently on the same day!

It’s just a reminder that God can work through us … in what can, at times, feel like a hopeless effort.

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COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
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“We had never had three babies saved in one day!” said Rachael in Columbus. “Praise the Lord!”

The first took place when a woman pulled in right next to where one of the prayer volunteers was standing. It didn’t take long for her to show the woman that there were far better options for both her and her baby.

A bit later, a volunteer noticed a woman sitting alone in a red SUV. The woman explained she was waiting for her sister, who was in for an abortion. And she herself was a single mom – pregnant and considering abortion.

The volunteers prayed. The woman in the truck never went into the building – and her sister came out. She didn’t have the abortion.

Later, a man told prayer volunteers he was there with his ex-wife, who was pregnant with another man’s child. Abortion was a possibility – but he admitted that she might consider adoption.

The volunteers directed him to a local group that could help. So he went into the abortion center and came out with his ex-wife. No abortion!

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FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
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“Thursday is the only day they do abortions here in Fort Wayne,” said Evelyn, “but the customers come in for counseling on Mondays and Tuesdays as well, so we have worked hard to get an even larger presence on those days.”

The Fort Wayne team has a tent where people can gather to pray. Just recently, students from a local school arrived by bus to join the vigil.

“Despite the cold they bundled up and prayed at the site and their presence was a wonderful reminder of the youth that are stepping up to try and end this blight of our time,” Evelyn said.

The group has a display of crosses that represent the number of abortions for each day. “We have been told that some of the cars driving by who cannot stop often look to see how many crosses are out and say a prayer,” she said. “Thanks for all you do and keep up the good work!”

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TEMPE, ARIZONA
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Lisa in Tempe recalled the verse, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

“The last two days on the sidewalk have done exactly that,” she said. Two churches took full days at the vigil and three different ministries each took multiple hours.

“We have seen people reach out for information, ask questions and request prayers,” she said. “We praise and glorify God for sending these prayer warriors to be the light to those in darkness.”

Lisa is thankful for “all who felt the call to stand witness and … show the love and passion so many have for our unborn sisters, brothers and their parents. Continue to pray for all involved in the abortion industry.”

Today's devotional is from Randolph Sly of the National Pro-life Religious Council.

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DAY 16 INTENTION
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May the mystery of the Incarnation increase our zeal for defending life.

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SCRIPTURE
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Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

-- Luke 1:30-33

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REFLECTION by Randolph Sly
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"God has assumed Humanity, joining it with Divinity, and kindled in men's hearts new love of me." These words were written by a Roman poet in the Fourth Century. He spent his life finding ways to express the greatest mystery of the world: the incarnation, in which God became man.

The womb has been referred to as the "first home of the whole human race." It is the place where life begins, where our stories start.

In the womb the great men and women of history began their magnificent march through life. In the womb Divinity met humanity, and God the Son was born into the world.

As one of the Fathers of the early church, St. Leo the Great, declared, "Within her spotless womb Wisdom built itself a house and the Word became flesh."

I was at the hospital for the birth of my fourth grandchild. Looking through the nursery window at the rows of newly born babies, I began to think of the great stories that would be written about these tiny lives.

During his visitation with the Virgin Mary, the angel prophesied to Mary about the life of her child. Here in this hospital, I pondered, what would he say about each of these?

Would they meet the one who also came from His mother's womb to redeem the world and kindle our hearts afresh for God?

I thanked God for each baby alive and prayed for each story yet to be written.

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PRAYER
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Heavenly Father, you have made the womb of each woman
a very special place.

Help us to hold fast to the sanctity of this first home of humanity, remembering the wonderful mystery, that God inhabited the womb of a young woman and came forth as the savior and deliverer of the world.

We ask this in the Name of the one who came forth, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2013day16print.pdf

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Yours for Life,

Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life

PS: What's new at 40 Days for Life in your community? Please share any blessings by replying to today's blog entry:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4095

http://40daysforlife.com/book

40 Days for Life
10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US

CMMB: Join us in praying for our Church

Dear John,

Learn more about CMMB's Vatican partnership

CMMB presents the Global Health Care Leadership Award

In November 2012, CMMB presented the Global Health Care Leadership Award to His Holiness and The Vatican’s Good Samaritan Foundation in recognition of our partnership, which has resulted in the provision of medicines and medical supplies valued at over $50 million for use in health facilities in 15 countries.

As Pope Benedict XVI prepares to retire from the Chair of St. Peter, CMMB joins its prayers with the entire Church, and with Catholics everywhere.
CMMB has a special connection to the Vatican, and to the Holy Father, through our partnership with the Good Samaritan Foundation. Since 2010, CMMB has partnered with the Vatican to send medicines and medical supplies to some of the most inaccessible places in the world.
To date, that partnership has resulted in more than $50 million worth of shipments to places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. Fifteen countries in total have received support from CMMB because of this partnership, and it has been our honor to make those gifts in honor of Pope Benedict XVI.
Please join us in praying for His Holiness, for the upcoming conclave to elect a new Pope, and for the entire Church during this time of transition. CMMB has committed to continuing the partnership with the Good Samaritan Foundation, and because of the generosity of donors like you, we will be able to continue sending medicine to those most vulnerable in our world.
If you wish, make a special gift to CMMB today in honor of Pope Benedict XVI.

Thank you, and may God bless you for all the good that you do.

Sincerely,

Bruce Wilkinson
President & CEO
Catholic Medical Mission Board