Friday, November 14, 2014

Spirit and Life: From the Fields of God's Glory

spiritlife
This week's disturbing headlines from Kenya and India have shed new light about the aggressive assaults on women, pre-born children, and families around the world.

Behind these tragic headlines are courageous men and women who expose the injustices, including those that have left Indian families to grieve the inexpressible loss of wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters. Men like beloved Cardinal Burke, who influence many through his eloquent and reasoned defense of Church teaching on marriage, family, and the Eucharist. Brave men like the Kenyan Bishops whose appeals to protect those in their care have been heard around the world.

I can tell you personally our own courageous men and women -- our regional directors and affiliates -- have exposed and addressed such assaults over the years. This crucial work takes courage, but as we have discussed before, we must use our spheres of influence to bring about a Culture of Life.

Below we have reports on the good news in the field -- the good works that our HLI missionaries do for the glory of God. Thank you as always for your prayers and support for our missionaries!


Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International


Study Reveals Better Maternal Health Possible Where Abortion Prohibited by Law
by HLI Reports
baby, feet, hands, maternal health

A report based on new research from Chile demonstrates that legal abortions are not any safer than illegal abortions. Researchers at the MELISA Institute have analyzed data which shows "that not only abortion-related mortality continued its decreasing trend in Chile after its prohibition by law in 1989, but also hospital discharges due to abortion have significantly decreased during the last decade."
The scientific study, conducted by Doctor Elard Koch, epidemiologist and Director of Research at the MELISA Institute, states that the Chilean experience supports what is to many the paradox that "even under a less permissive abortion legislation, maternal health indicators can be significantly improved by other factors, including a noteworthy reduction in mortality and morbidity associated to abortion." -more-



by Father Rafael Wanjohi

kenya walk for life, october 2014Human Life International Kenya mobilized over 400 pro-life demonstrators for a peaceful "Walk for Life" in Nairobi last month. The October 11th event was staged to counter the media's increasing promotion of Western anti-life values.

The public demonstration stressed the importance of defending the miracle of human life, but also focused on anti-life abuses: abortion, effects of contraceptives, alcoholism and drug abuse, human trafficking of children, reproductive health, and controversial immunization programs that have recently been proven to be more about population control than preventing disease. -more
From Truth & Charity Forum

by Don DeMarco, Ph.D.

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, may have coined a new word when he described contemporary American society as "defamilied". While some participants in the Synod of Bishops may think that the Church should make things easier for Christian spouses, the archbishop contends that "We have to ask more of families."

His position is well taken. Contraception, sterilization, abortion, same-sex marriage, certain forms of reproductive technology, the negative birthrate, along with other divisive factors, have, according to Archbishop Paglia, caused the family to be "torn apart for the first time in history." -more



Real Estate for Life