Two research teams reported Nov. 20 that they have turned human skin cells into stem cells with properties similar to embryonic stem cells. It is unclear yet whether the skin cells will, in the end, prove to have the same versatility claimed for embryonic stem cells, but the discovery has been hailed as significant.
Glasgow (Agenzia Fides) - Leading members of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, and Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow, who is also Chairman of the Joint Catholic Bioethics Committee of Britain and Ireland, issued a statement on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill prior to the House of Lords debate on Monday 19 November. The HFE - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill would legalise the creation of human-animal embryos.
The Bill, formerly the Human Tissue and Embryos Bill, updates the present regulation of assisted reproduction and research with embryos in the United Kingdom. If approved the Bill would allow among other things <- provisions to recognise same-sex couples as legal parents of children conceived through the use of donated sperm, eggs or embryos. retention of a duty to take account of "the welfare of the child" when providing fertility treatment, but removal of the reference to "the need for a father"; >
The Catholic leaders say "this is not a justifiable direction for legitimate scientific research. It is a dangerous and unnecessary precedent which does not respect the dignity of the human person", noting that such practices are banned in Canada, Australia and many European countries the practice has been ruled out by Canada, Australia and many European countries. They express concern that such proposals diminish the natural status of fathers and disturb the natural bonds between parents and children.
"We are frankly appalled at proposals which would allow the creation of organisms which cross the species barrier." said Archbishop Conti, who continues "The bill includes disturbing developments in embryonic experimentation and breaks down the natural bonds of family life linked with procreation.". The Catholic Church leaders call "on the government to think again about the role of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which has proved completely inadequate in dealing with ethical issues" and stress the need for a " National Advisory Committee which is free of commercial research interests to give appropriate advice to Government on bioethical issues." (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/11/2007; righe 23, parole 293)
Links:
see statement in English
http://www.fides.org/eng/documents/human_Fertilisation_and_embryology_bill.doc
* Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of LifeSiteNews.com. They are presented only for your information.
San Francisco approves ID cards that exclude gender
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071121/a_id21.art.htm
Abortion Causes 'Hopelessness' in Black Communities, King Says
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200711/CUL20071120a.html
Brazil doles out 'morning after' pills
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1120/p07s02-woam.html
Collapse of civilization nears as U.N. identifies 'masculinization of Asia'
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58803
More Good News From Ethical Biotechnology: Potential Gene Therapy Treatment for Parkinson's
http://www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog/2007/11/more-good-news-from-ethical.html
Schindler Family Asks George Stephanopoulos and Mainstream Media to Correct Inaccurate Reporting Regarding Terri's True Medical Condition
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/907674805.html
Operation Rescue Files to Intervene in Abortion Grand Jury Case
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/14424806.html
GOP Facing Huge Losses in 2008
http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/gop_elections_2008/2007/11/19/50699.html
Giuliani's Catholic Problem Won't Go Away
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/catholics_giuliani/2007/11/19/50695.html
Huckabee: Abortion Not States' Call
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/huckabee_abortion/2007/11/18/50451.html
Warren, Clinton urged to tackle homosexual promiscuity at AIDS Summit
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/11/warren_clinton_urged_to_tackle.php
Video - Republican candidate Ron Paul gives his views on abortion and pro-life strategy
http://catholicsforronpaul.blogspot.com/2007/11/ron-paul-primacy-of-life.html
Archbishop condemns move to grant lesbians easier parenting rights
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2896619.ece
A school in Stockholm with a Christian profile has received a rap on the knuckles from school authorities for teaching children that homosexuality is sinful.
http://www.thelocal.se/9098/20071114/
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Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation. Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates. Click here to support Operation Rescue
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Pro-Lifer Claims Boycott Success Over Abortion Supporting Poinsettia Business
Says boycott must continue while flowers still being sold under original name.
Faithful Citizenship
Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
The bishops were particularly pleased with their efforts when they voted to approve their document on Faithful Citizenship on November 14. The bishops voted electronically, and then the conference President called for the results to be shown on the large screen. The yes and no votes were tabulated and displayed as two bars. The vote was almost unanimous. Only four bishops voted against the document.
The applause that then ensued was sustained, and was just as much for the process by which this document had come about as it was for the substance of it. Over the last three decades, the "Faithful Citizenship" documents, issued every four years just before a presidential election year, have been the topic of controversy and division. Those in the Church whose work is specifically to end abortion and euthanasia, which the Church has identified as "preeminent issues," have often felt that the documents have been confusing when they essentially just provide a litany of issues that voters have to consider in elections. Obviously, support for scholarships is not on the same level of urgency as the taking of the lives of the children who might one day receive them. Therefore, many argued, the document has to make the distinction clear.
On the other hand, those whose work is primarily in the area of improving the quality of life and fostering various social programs worry that some people, because they focus on the preeminent issues, will feel justified in ignoring the other issues.
Efforts were made to address both concerns. Rather than having the document issued by the Administrative Committee of the bishops, as has been the case in previous years, the document was prepared by the collaborative work of seven different committees of the conference. Then, the document was presented to the entire body of bishops for amendments and debate. I saw firsthand the seriousness of the effort.
Now that the document is issued, there are several things to keep in mind.
First, no document of the Church stands on its own. This document is meant to be read in the light of related documents, such as those listed in its bibliography, including Living the Gospel of Life.
Second, the impact of the document will be as accurate or slanted as those who present it. Given that such effort went into drafting it, we who teach and preach it should undertake corresponding efforts to do so accurately. And we should correct distortions and misinterpretations.
Third, the document does clearly distinguish some issues as more fundamental than others. The document states, "The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many." The statement, furthermore, explains that Catholics who vote for candidates because they want to keep abortion legal, or who ignore the
pro-abortion stance of a candidate and support him or her just because of party loyalty, are acting immorally.
Let us read, study, and properly teach this document.
Read Fr. Frank's full statement on the Bishops' document
Read Fr. Frank's press release on the Bishops' document
Read the entire document in PDF format
This column can be found online at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2007/07-11-19faithfulcitizenship.htm
Fr. Frank's columns can be heard via podcast. See www.priestsforlife.org/podcast for more details.
