Madrid Rally for Marriage, Family, and Life Gets HUGE Crowd

Spain's socialist government which has legally recognized same-sex marriage and has removed restrictions on abortion is not without its detractors. Almost 2 million people gathered yesterday to send a message of love for the family.

Pope Benedict spoke to the crowd by video link about how a family built on "an indissoluble union between a man and a woman, is the privileged place in which human life is welcomed and protected."

Bishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Bilbao spoke in person shortly after and stressed that the essence of marriage does not change with political conditions or with passing generations.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55661

UN University Desires to Revisit UN Negotiations on Cloning

From 2002 - 2005, the UN held some hotly contested debates on cloning and closed the sessions with a non-binding statement that prohibited any human cloning - for reproductive or therapeutic research. Now, the UN's university in Tokyo has submitted a report that warns of the need for a legally binding ban of reproductive cloning only - due to the possibility of raising cloned human beings in countries where the research is not prohibited.
The UNU wants to reach a compromise that will allow for therapeutic cloning where human embryos are created, used, and then destroyed at some point and the report speaks of respecting "ethical diversity".
In Missouri last year, the pretense of a ban on cloning was raised to essentially ban reproductive cloning, but protect therapeutic cloning for research. The effort narrowly passed and the fear that reproductive cloning was a greater immediate threat may have played a part.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55632

Three Die as Christian Churches & Other Buildings are Burned in India this Christmas

Hindu extremists began by pulling down Christmas decorations off of houses and church buildings and eventually "carried out at least 20 assaults on Christian institutions in Orissa. The wave of violence led to the destruction of 18 churches and village chapels, 4 convents, 8 hostels run by Church groups, and 15 shops belonging to Christian vendors. " The article states that three died, but does not go into further detail on the loss of life. http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55578

Jamie Lynn, sister of Britney Spears, in undesirable situation chooses life

Although she regrets having premarital sex, and encourages others to wait, she has said she will take responsibility for her actions. Jamie Lynn, who has become pregnant at 16, is going to not have her child killed, but is going to try to do the best she can to provide care for the child along with the help of others. We can be thankful to God she has decided to not make a difficult situation worse. We can applaud her for this and pray for her, the child, and the others around her. To read more about this situation where good came from difficulty click below.

Britney Spears' 16-Year-Old Sister Jamie Lynn Decides Against Abortionwww.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26247

Filipino Churches Patrolled by Muslim Citizens - Enabling Masses to be Celebrated

On the island of Mindanao, local Muslim citizens have answered the call of a village chief, Sukarno Utto. The charge they are carrying out is to protect Christians during Advent by walking in patrol groups every night, for Filipino tradition calls for daily Masses to begin at 4 am.

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11093&geo=5&size=A

Indonesian Churches Influenced into Closing by Islamic Pressure

The Catholic bishops of Indonesia spoke out yesterday and have issued a new report on a Muslim extremist plan to close churches. Indonesia has lost 108 churches in the last 3 years to external coercive influence. The country is 3% Catholic and 85% Muslim with the world's largest Muslim population of 220 million.

Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the bishops would like to remind the government of their obligation to defend against extremist activity.

Prison Litigation Reform Act May Require Reform

The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) was passed to stop trivial lawsuits from prisoners and has largely been effective. However, in some cases religious practice has been trampled without redress and prison rapes have been difficult or impossible to report and/or receive a trial. There are two bills that currently seek to reform PRLA.

Caution: this article mentions graphic details of prison crimes such as rape.

4 Key Elements in a World "fit for children": Family Rights, Education, Eradication of Poverty, Better Health Care

Cardinal Migliore, one of the Holy See's permanent observers to the UN, discussed the Vatican's hopes for children at a follow-up discussion to the 2002 special session on children. He affirmed the fundamental principle of rights of children born and unborn, stressed the areas that require more effort in fighting AIDs, and described sanitation as one of the basic human needs that is most often overlooked or brushed aside.


http://www.zenit.org/article-21313?l=english

USCCB Official Praises Legislators Casey and Davis for Introducing Bills to Assist Pregnant Women

DiedreMcQuade, Director of Planning and Information in the USCCB Pro-Life Office, refers to the senate measure as a "common- ground initiative" to lower the number of abortions in the U.S. through resources and information. McQuade mentions several categories of women that this bill is geared to assist: women who are financially weak, women suffering domestic violence, women studying in college, and those whose insurance fails to provide for prenatal care.

Note: The article discusses codifying SCHIP to try and provide assistance to the child in the womb. This may be necessary to procure again. However, in earlier entries on SCHIP, the articles reviewed indicated that SCHIP already provided this aid. New additions to SCHIP cover contraception, abortion, and sterilization. KSJ will post more on this topic as time permits.
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-206.shtml

New stem cell technique determined without killing humans

"The new technique, developed by US and Japanese researchers, reprograms skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells."

Read more from the article below:

Ethical stem cell technique confirmedwww.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=26139

UN Organization Seeks to Introduce New Sexual Orientation "Rights" in Part by Restricting Language

CWNews relates,
"The UNESCO guidelines, set forth for UN documents on the topics of HIV and AIDS, is designed to “provide guidance towards using uniform, correct, gender-sensitive, non-discriminatory and culturally-appropriate language that promotes universal human rights,” and to rid UN discourse of “problematic terminology.” According to UNESCO, terms such as “risky sex,” “promiscuous,” and “prostitute” are discriminatory and should be replaced with “unprotected sex,” “having multiple partners,” and “commercial sex worker."

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had a budget of 544 million dollars over the period of 2002-2003. The U.S. withdrew in 1984, but rejoined in 2003 and is the 10th largest bilateral donor.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55205

Pope calls Catholics and Baptists to unity for the sake of Christ

Hopefully Catholics and Baptists, as mentioned in the article linked below, can work towards unity among all Christians, and we can better serve Christ. For through a united witness to Christ we can better work towards bringing about justice in the world and the good news of salvation.

Here is the article of the Pope calling to unity Catholics and Baptists for the sake of Christ.

Pope calls Catholics and Baptists to Common Witness www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=26130

Pope Benedict to NGO's: Promote Catholic Social Doctrine to Further Human Rights

A few days after the U.N. voted to pay 11 million dollars to the radically pro-abortion CEDAW committee, Pope Benedict spoke to non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and instructed them that the international discussions are often ruled by relativistic thinking. This faulty logic produces, "certain self-centered lifestyles; a lack of concern for the economic and social needs of the poorer nations; contempt for humanitarian law, and a selective defense of human rights."

The answer, he said, is the promote, "the great truths about man's innate dignity and the rights which are derived from that dignity" and these are contained in Catholic social teaching.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55092

Abortionist under investigation in Kansas

Abortionist George Tiller will in fact be investigated by the grand jury in Kansas. He now faces 19 charges for allegedly executing illegal late term abortions.

Grand Jury in Kansas Can Proceed against Abortionistwww.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26067

Salt Lake City Bishop Speaks Out on Immigration

Bishop Wester, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, chastizes the politics of scapegoating legal and illegal immigrants in the article below.

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_7611163

Inappropriate Childrens Book backed by Planned Parenthood

This is a concern. Just thought I would pass this article along. God bless.

'Perfectly Normal?' Planned Parenthood assaults childrenwww.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26047

UN Passes Large Sum of Money to Pro-Abortion Women's Rights Committee

The U.S. was the only country to vote against this measure. The "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women" or CEDAW committee receiving the funding has assisted in legalizing abortion in sixty countries through a process that forces sovereign governments to meet the approval of radical non-governmental organizations such as International Women's Rights Watch.
Read the story here:
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55065

Catholic Bishops of England and Wales and the Church of England Issue Memorandum on Upcoming Hate Crime Legislation

The article immediately above the memo points out the following:
“Our main concern,” the Churches point out, “is that any legislation on incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation permits the expression of traditional Christian (and other) opinions on sexual behaviour and consequent criticisms of particular forms of behaviour or lifestyle. As with incitement to religious hatred, we believe it is vital that there should be the maximum possible clarity about what is forbidden and what is permitted. Christians engaged in teaching or preaching and those seeking to act in accord with Christian convictions in their daily lives need to be assured that the expression of strong opinions on marriage or sexuality will not be illegal.”

"Incitement to Hatred on Grounds of Sexual Orientation"

Iran May Ask Vatican to be Mediator in Talks with U.S.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54982

Human Skin Cells May Yield Same Qualities as Desired From Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists in the USA and Japan have found that human skin cells are just as 'pluripotent' as embryonic stem cells - they are more adaptable to scientist's various needs for research and hopefully to patient's needs someday. This discovery may eliminate the need for hotly contested embryonic stem cell research, and demonstrate that ethics need not be forgotten even at the cutting edge of scientific research.

National Review Article

Pope Thanks UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Exhorts Them to Ensure That No One Goes Hungry

http://www.zenit.org/article-21075?l=english

Happy Thanksgiving!

Venezuelan Seminarians Loyal to Church

This December 2 there will be a vote on the reforms to Venezuela's constitution. Seminarians from the country have written a letter to the Venezuelan Bishops' conference expressing their support for the Church in opposition to the "morally unacceptable" revisions that are "irreconcilable with the Christian Faith and its view of man and society". Additionally, they expressed concern that that human rights would be infringed upon. They go onto cite Pope Benedict from his encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, on government and its role with respect to human freedom.



http://www.kirche-in-not.org/acn-news/newsy/november_2007.html

Positive Pro-Life News from Brazil and Ireland

At Brazil's National Health Conference (NCH), a proposal to legalize abortion was raised by feminist groups as a solution to a 'public health' problem. The delegates voted on whether or not to include this recommendation in their report to the national government and the proposal sank with 70% of the 2,627 members voted no.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54920

Within the EU, Ireland has pointed out that support for Africa must remain within previously established guidelines on abortion. In January, the African Union had advanced a resolution in favor of legalizing abortion in African countries under the pretext of eliminating 'unsafe abortion', and support for the African Union's "Maputo Plan of Action" is being discussed in the EU. The EU had outlined as part of it's policies that it would not endorse abortion in other countries, and the Irish government brought this framework back up.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54911

2008 Presidential Candidate Stances on 3 Big Pro-Life Issues

National Right to Life has an interesting chart with all of the U.S. Candidates and their stances on the three major pro-life issues - embryonic stem cell research, Roe vs. Wade, and partial birth abortion.

Republican lineup: Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, McCain, Huckabee, Hunter, Paul, Tancredo

Democratic Lineup: Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Biden, Kucinich, Dodd, Gravel

http://www.nrlpac.org/pdf/candidates_08.pdf

Note: This critical election is less than 12 months away.

18th Annual Protest at Army School

On Sunday November 18, 2007, about 10,000 people came out to participate in the 18th annual protest against the School of Americas, also known as the school of assassins. The protestors demanded the closure of the school, as massive crowds gathered at the school’s gate in Columbus, Georgia. The 18th annual protest of the school at Fort Benning brought Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich. In his address to the crowd, Kucinich said that “the thinking that went into producing an Army school blamed for human rights abuses in Latin America was the same that led the U.S. to war in Iraq and could cause it to raid Iran.” Kucinich also said that if elected as president of the US, he would immediately close the school that trains Latin American soldiers, police and government officials.
The 18th annual protest also coincided with the anniversary of the six Jesuit priests who were killed along with their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador on November 19th, 1989. All throughout Latin America, many religious people and civilians were victims of repression and mass killings from some of the soldiers and police men who attended the School of the Americas.

http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/internacionales/678782.html

Newsweek At Odds with Missouri Over Abortion Access

Newsweek's recent article, "Crossing the Line", looks at Missouri and Illinois in terms of their abortion legislation and finds Missouri cold by comparison. Furthermore, the writers do not speak well of Angela Michael who has tried to protect women and their babies outside the Hope Clinic in Granite City, IL for more than 10 years. This is the same Angela Michael who runs the "Window to the Womb" van for her (warning: graphic picture on following weblink) "Small Victories" crisis pregnancy service.

Muslim Nations Spark Debate at UN as They Voice Concern for the Unborn

Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Libya, Kuwait, Mauritania, and Sudan ignited a debate over the value of unborn life at the UN today. These nations proposed two amendments to protect the lives of the unborn to be added onto the EU - driven bill to formally condemn the death penalty.

The first amendment read that it “urges Member States to take all necessary measures to protect the lives of unborn children.” It lost 83 - 28 with 47 abstentions. The United States voted for the measure.

The second amendment "reaffirms that every human being has the inherent right to life and stresses that abortion should only be admissible in necessary cases and only when the life of the mother or child is at serious risk.” It fell 84-26 with 46 abstentions.

The overall resolution to condemn the death penalty (which failed to mention protection of unborn life)was passed 99 - 52 with 33 countries abstaining. This is a non-binding resolution.

Poland has been snubbed for making the same point about the EU and abortion earlier in the year (as featured in a September blog entry).


http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54827

Sign of hope in protecting babies in Colorado and elsewhere

According to the below article, the Colorado Court has allowed a ballot initiative that seeks to define children in the womb as persons. This would give them protection under law. This is hoped to be voted on in the November 2008 elections. Efforts like this are under way in other states such as Montana, Georgia, Oregon, Michigan, and South Carolina.

ANALYSIS: Will Children in the Womb Receive Constitutional Protection in Colorado?www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=25910

New Jersey law forces filling of abortion causing drug

The article below is from last week (11.8.2007). New Jersey has passed a law forbidding pharmastists to object to filling the perscription of a contraceptive drug that causes abortions. Further from the article, the President of Human Life International, Father Euteneur says, “this is not yet another action by government in America leading to tyranny, it is tyranny." It also indicates this is a reminder for us to do what we can with our vote and other efforts to help ensure that the freedoms our country was founded on stay intact. Here is the article on this matter below.

'New Jersey Law is Tyranny' says Human Life Internationalwww.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=25855

National Right to LIfe endorses Thompson

For all of those interested in politics, here is an update on the National Right to Life Committee endorsing Fred Thompson from CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/13/thompson.endorsement/

Status on Cloning in MO

Last year, Amendment 2 passed in MO which redefined 'human cloning' so that this new faulty definition could be banned while permitting embryonic stem cell research to proceed (which involves actual cloning). There is an amendment in the works to ban this research, but it is facing a fight, as the writers of the ballot measure have crafted the proposal to appear as a repeal of the above mentioned 'ban'. This blog has the disguised propostion and the originally intended proposition beneath it.

Contact Missourians For Cures without Cloning to help. As of this afternoon, it sounds like they need another 4,000 trained signature gatherers to petition for this measure to be put on the Missouri ballot. When any state passes legislation like Ammendment 2 last year, it is only a matter of time before the same methods are used elsewhere.

Homelessness Numbers in 2006 Show Progress

Between 2005 and 2006, there was a drop in chronic homelessness in the US of more than 11% (According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development).

"HUD says people are chronically homeless if they have been continuously living on the streets for a year or more, or if they have been homeless at least four times in the past three years. They also have to have a disability, often mental illness or substance abuse."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SP14A80&show_article=1&lst=1

New Jersey Rejects $450 Million Stem Cell Initiative

It appears the initiative was for $450 million not $450 billion. Either way, New Jersey has declined to borrow more money in further support of stem cell research at this time. The money would have been borrowed over 10 years.
In 2005, New Jersey became the first state to finance embryonic stem cell research and has recently approved $270 million for research facilities.
KSJ is unaware as to whether the grants listed in the last entry are currently being funded or were put on hold with the failure of this initiative. This article quotes Ihor (listed in last article)and would make it appear that their grant money might have been expected to come from the failed ballot measure.

Starbucks and U.S. Troops

If you read that previous post on the supposed lack of support for U.S. troops from Starbucks, please ignore it. I received an email from the Grand Knight of a local K of C council and wrongly assumed it was from someone he knew. Thanks to the gentle correction of a brother seminarian, I now know that the entire email was a hoax. It's a shame these things can circulate like that for so long. Turns out it was from over 2 years ago!

Miller Boycott Fought Particularly Hard By Detroit Chaldean Catholics Pays Off

As posted on earlier on this blog, Miller had been advertising in some extremely sacreligious ways. Due to an intense boycott, especially in the Archdiocese of Detroit, the brewer has recently pledged never to support events that insult and offend religious sensibilities again.

Chaldean "party"store owners of Detroit to put some force into the boycott by not selling any Miller beer at their 2,000 locations (which comprise about 90% of Detroit's total party store market). They were inspired by the fellow Chaldeans in Iraq.

"Our religion is important for us. I told our people Sunday (Oct. 28), 'Look how it is in Iraq, with all the pressure on them, not one (Chaldean) family has changed their religion. And here we are in the United States, and someone is mocking our religion, and we are going to do nothing?' I told them that if they support someone who is supporting such activities, it is just as if they were doing those activities too," Bishop Ibrahim, the Chaldean Bishop for the Eastern half of the U.S., said.

New Jersey Votes on Funding "Stem Cell Research" to Include Embryonic Stem Cell Research

New Jersey voters will determine whether they move to the top of the list of states using public money to fund stem cell research. The sum of money being considered is 450 billion dollars. Among the list of winning grants are listed:

Ihor Lemischka Ph.D Princeton University $300,000Genome-Wide Functional Analysis of ES Cell fate RegulationTo understand human embryonic stem cell decisions such as survival/death, renewal/determination and to understand how to maintain or induce specific cell fate with the goal of applying this knowledge to patient therapies.

and
Randall McKinnon Ph.D. UMDNJ-RWJMS $300,000Gliogenic Potential of Human Placental Stem CellsTo identify mechanisms of glial cell generation from human placental cells with the goal of identifying a potential alternative to embryonic stem cells for clinical trials. In collaboration with Celgene, a New Jersey-based biotech firm ranked sixth largest internationally.

The main stem cell research portion of the NJ website seems to bury any reference to embryonic stem cells. The use of ES cells to refer to embryonic stem cells occurs. So, don't be confused.

Twin Refuses to Die in Womb

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=491443&in_page_id=1770

China to Ban Bibles from Olympic Village and all Athletes from Wearing Any Religious Symbols in 2008 Games

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=10868

Pope Says Pharmacists Need to Conscientiously Object to Assisting in Abortions, Euthanasia

In a meeting with the International Federation of Catholic Pharmicists, Pope Benedict XVI called on pharmacists to recognize the full scope of human dignity and to stand up for their convictions.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54451

Kansas Abortion

For those who have yet to hear of Dr. George Tiller, he is the abortion provider whom the Kansas Attorney General filed charges against that made it on to the O'Reilly Factor. The Sedgick County court wouldn't hear the charges, so now 8,000 Wichitans have petitioned to have a Grand Jury trial to see if there is any evidence the Tiller has been performing illegal abortions. However, now the Kansas Supreme Court put that on hold until the middle of November.

http://www.kansas.com/611/story/211401.html

This is a little action from across the Atlantic where our friends in the UK just had their March for Life. The total babies killed since it was legal in 1967 is reported as 6.7 million.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7064964.stm

Redemptorist Priest Refuses UN Prize Money

Fr. Kocherry in New Delhi has rejected a UN Foundation prize of 646 thousand euros towards his work with Indian fisherman. He sees the money as coming from multinational companies who actually block social justice and who are interested in buying people off.

Fr. Kocherry is very straightforward with the reporter from AsiaNews as he says, “the time has come to reveal what is the true diabolical nature of the United Nations and all of its collaborators. I will go on doing what I have always done, maybe with the few resources that I have at my disposal but with a clean conscience, without falling into the trap of greed for money. We are in search of the Divine Kingdom and its justice, but we know that it’s a long and difficult process which foresees the cross”.

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10629&size=A

SCHIP Veto Upheld

The House voted to uphold President Bush's veto of the SCHIP bill. The government will hopefully draft another bill to reathorize this program for the poor that protects the sanctity of life. Some of the stipulations in the bill that was denied were subsidies for contraception, sterilization, and an expansion of prenatal care that would have included abortion. Planned Parenthood had been a strong supporter of the blocked legislation. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071018-4.html

Creating Life

Here is an interesting article on what some scientists are doing in their quest to create 'something that meets the criteria for life - has a metabolism, replicates and evolves'. Their plans are to use the synthetic forms to clean up oil spills and scrub the ozone. It raises some interesting questions as to what life is. They are taking different genomes and putting them together in a cell they have emptied to see it if will perform the functions listed above. I'm not a biologist, so some of the descriptions may be slightly off, but this is the gist of the story.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7041353.stm

Kansas City Planned Parenthood Charged with Unlawful Abortions and False Records

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SB7KPG0&show_article=1

USCCB Spokeswoman Takes on Guttmacher Study

Deirdre A. McQuade, a USCCB official, spoke out on Friday about the Guttmacher study that is previously mentioned in this blog. For one thing, the study tries to make the case that legalizing abortion makes abortion safe. However, the Guttmacher definition of a safe abortion is simply that it meet legal requirements in the permissive country. This can hide the number of women that actually die, not to mention are injured in the procedure. Furthermore, she notes, the infant dies in every safe abortion.

http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-159.shtml

Chinese Play Politics with Dalai Lama

Here is a little article on international politics, and how long someone can hold a grudge. The Dalia Lama is meeting with President Bush soon, but the Chinese government wants the meeting canceled as they fear it will hurt foreign relations. The Lama was exiled from China 48 years ago for an uprising in Tibet, and the Chinese haven't forgotten about him. He was exiled for attempting to gain independence for Tibet, and has worked since then for peace and human rights in that part of the world.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7046445.stm

PRI Questions the Guttmacher Numbers

The Population Research Institute is skeptical of the Guttmacher study mentioned earlier in this blog. They allege that the number of abortions assumed to be occurring illegally in countries like Columbia are inflated. Guttmacher claims the number of abortions in Columbia was in the hundreds of thousands in 2003 (the last year with available data) while the government puts the number at 50.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54125

Abortion Study Conducted By Biased Organization

The last blog entry discusses an abortion study that found results showing a strong similarity between abortion rates in countries where abortion is illegal and countries where it is legal. However, the research was done by World Health Organization and the Guttmacher Institute . The Guttmacher Institute began as a "semiautonomous division of Planned Parenthood Federation of America", and currently describes itself as a non-for-profit organization. The Guttmacher Institute was formerly known as the Alan Guttmacher Institute, named for the former president of Planned Parenthood. He was also the vice president of the American Eugenics Society which is now called the "Society for the Study of Social Biology". Guttmacher was also a member of the Association for Voluntary Sterilization. This group still exists under the name, "Engender Health".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guttmacher_Institute
http://www.guttmacher.org/about/history.html

Study Tracking Abortion Rates Claims Legality Not a Significant Factor

I came across this story this morning on Foxnews.com. The story describes a study that found that women are just as likely to get an abortion in countries where abortions are outlawed as in countries where it is legal.

One particular quote that I found particularly disturbing was a quote from Sharon Camp, president and chief executive officer of the Guttmacher Institute. She says the following: "The only way to decrease unsafe abortion is to increase contraception."

Just another example of the culture of death in our society.

USAID Quits Free Contraception Program to Philippines

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is ending its program of providing free contraceptives to the Philippines. They had stopped sending condoms in 2004 and will now halt their supply of other birth control products in the coming year. This change is in response to the country's promotion of natural family planning.

San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), is overjoyed at this turn of events. However, he has a big fight still ahead with the Philippine House of Representatives who are planning to purchase P1 billion in condoms, pills, and other agents to moderate population.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/63836/Bishop-thankful-for-USAIDs-exit-from-contraception-program

EU Death Penalty

While all 27 European Union members have banned the death penalty, only Ireland, Malta, and Poland protect life in the womb. Poland came out against an EU-sponsored event to promote anti-death penalty, saying that the issue should be broadened. Here is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7037038.stm

UNICEF Backing "Deliver Now" Initiative - Includes Advocacy for Legalized Abortion

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is helping support a new initiative - the "Deliver Now for Women and Children" campaign put together by UN agencies and non-profit groups. The goal is improved maternal and child health, yet the "professional care" extends to "safe abortion".
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=10593

Some of Burma's Protesters are Burned Alive

In the city of Yangon, the Junta Government forces have set up a crematorium where they have been disposing of the bodies of protesters and also using it to kill the severely injured prisoners taken in the recent anti-regime demonstrations.
Pro-government marches are being demanded of Burmese citizens after the recent uprising. Every family in the country is expected to send one or two people to participate and show public support for the Junta government. Refusal to march could result in a fine and up to 3 months in prison.
The Junta continue to persecute the Buddhist monks whom they claim are acting against Buddha. The state has only admitted they are holding 135 monks and 78 civilians, while other sources project 6,000 people detained with hundreds of casualties.
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10499&size=A

CHA Livid Over Insurance Bill Veto, but Bill Endangers the Unborn

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expired Sept 30, and President Bush vetoed a bill that would have renewed the program.
The Catholic Health Association is condemning Bush for failing to protect the 10 million children that it says are in need of coverage.
The president had threatened to reject the bill if it included large funding increases, and the senate bill included an additional 35 billion dollars.
The regulations for insurance coverage were also altered to subsidize contraception, sterilization, and create a potential for state funded abortion. While the recently expired SCHIP regs had a clause to cover unborn children, the new senate bill, if it had passed, would have allowed a redefinition of prenatal care to include abortion. Further changes in the program were to allow state abstinence program money to be reallocated into family planning programs - a reason that Planned Parenthood was backing the bill.

The battle rages on, as Democrats will vote to overturn the veto in 2 weeks and try to jam the highly modified program back at the GOP, and claim that the administration is against insuring children. The president has been working to renew the program, but with a lower fund increase. He has also outlined a broad private health insurance plan in here.

SCHIP is on a 16 week extension, so the 6.5 million children currently under coverage remain insured.
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53947
http://ncregister.com/site/article/4550
http://www.lifeethics.org/www.lifeethics.org/2007/10/schip-goes-on-in-spite-of-veto.html

October- Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness month

This month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. According to the USCCB, domestic violence is any violence in the form of physical, sexual, psychological or verbal- it is sinful and many times it is a crime. (When I cry for help, USCCB, 2002) Domestic violence is also a pattern of coercive behaviors perpetrated by one person with the goal of establishing power and control over the victim. The coercive behaviors may include physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, progressive social isolation, economic deprivation and intimidation. (FBI and Ohio Medical Association definition)

Prayer intention for this month:

That victims of domestic violence and their abusers may break their silence, cry out to God and find help from caring and wise people.

“Kindle a flame Lord, to lighten the dark and take all fear away.”

Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, through your unconditional love made manifest in your beloved Son Our Lord Jesus, you showed us how to manifest love, care and respect in our relationships. In our community many women, children and men are beaten and abused by those who claim to love them.
Help us to be more caring in our personal relationships and that our community be a safe environment for those who are battered. Show your love and mercy to the abusers, that they may seek sincere help and healing. We ask this through Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Amen

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost… as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Australian Bishops Call on Catholics to Reject Amnesty International

The bishops of Australia have requested that relationships with this once respected human rights group be severed. This is in response to Amnesty's recent policy decision to support legal abortion. Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide states that their current position conflicts with the Catholic understanding of human dignity. The bishops urge Catholics and others who believe that human dignity spans from natural conception to natural death to find other ways of protecting and promoting human rights.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53942

Supreme Court Rejects Plea from Catholic Charities on Contraception

A New York law requiring employers to provide contraceptive coverage in health insurance for employees. Churches are exempt, but not institutions run by them, and Catholic Charities made an appeal based on religious freedom. The US Supreme Court will not hear the case.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53887

Mass Imprisonment of Burmese Monks

4,000 Buddhist monks are being held in an unused race course and a technical college following country-wide pro-democracy protests last week. The ruling Junta military party have largely returned the country to its economic flow, but the military is everywhere stopping people to make sure they aren't trying to smuggle out pictures to foreign press. Internet access is down, and outside news agencies are being warned against as "assassins on air". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7022437.stm

Prayer for our Civil Leaders

I thought I would share this prayer for our civil leaders, composed by our first American bishop, John Carroll. Archbishop Timothy Dolan used it to conclude his homily at the Red Mass in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. For the full text of the homily, click here.

We pray Thee, O almighty and eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations ... We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through Whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy holy spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of the United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.

Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they maybe enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world can not give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen

PRD against Cardinal Rivera

Mexico, DF- October 1, 2007:
The Archdiocese of Mexico city issued a press release informing the public that most of the harsh verbal attacks perpetrated against His Eminence Cardinal Norberto Rivera is orchestrated by the Partido Revolucionario Democratico (Democratic Revolutionary Party) in their hatred and disgust to the Cardinal.
The Archdiocese said that they have invited PRD for dialogue, but they refuse to. The Archdiocese recognizes and respects politicians’ views, but does not approve of ruthless calumny against the Church and her members. The Archdiocese said that- “The Church also has opinions and viewpoints regarding social doctrine that does not coincide with politicians’ proposals. For this reason, it is not right to attack the Church’s call for the respect of life with violence and unkind remarks.” A few weeks ago, several bishops across the Mexican territory collectively supported and commended Cardinal Rivera in handling these attacks and for advocating for the defense of human life.

more on- http://www.aciprensa.com/noticia.php?n=18541&PHPSESSID=b8ceba7fd50edb8edfc0bb83a8379f75

Aurora Planned Parenthood to Open

The occupancy permit that has been denied may be granted today, as Planned Parenthood will be allowed to open in their new Aurora location. They were accused of defrauding the residents of Aurora as to what type of facility was being built. See earlier post for more information.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gyA_oJVeM8i4oNYpxyMy2Vb4wQfQD8S0OIH00

U.S. death penalty possible end in sight

The United States Supreme Court has decided hear a case regarding the constitutionality of lethal injection on the grounds that it is cruel and unusual punishment. The procedure perhaps causes great pain without the person being able to display many signs in this regard. Most death penalty cases in the U.S. make use of this type of procedure.

If this procedure were to be found by the U.S Supreme Court to in fact be cruel and unusual punishment then the use of the death penalty would be set back and hopefully set aside for the better alternative. Life imprisonment protects society adequetely. The death penalty is not necesary and puts us in the position of playing God. Which I am certainly not in the position to do. The death penalty is also quite costly.

Let's pray that killing doesn't continue with more killing. Let's pray for life in this area and all areas of life from conception to natural death.

To see the article regarding the Supreme Court hearing this lethal injection case click on the link below. God bless.

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=25513

Miller Boycot

Read this article below from the Catholic League that calls for a boycott of Miller Beer. It seems they are supporting some pretty anti-Catholic undertakings in San Francisco:



September 27, 2007

NATIONAL BOYCOTT OF MILLER BEGINS;
OVER 200 RELIGIOUS GROUPS CONTACTED
Catholic League president Bill Donohue announced a national boycott of Miller Beer on this morning’s “Fox and Friends.” He explains why today:
“Never have we experienced greater corporate arrogance than in this dispute with the Miller Brewing Company. Miller is sponsoring an incredibly outrageous and palpably anti-Christian event in San Francisco: the Folsom Street Fair (see its website at folsomstreetfair.com and be prepared to see the shocking photos of what goes on). Be sure to access our website at catholicleague.org to see the pictures not only of the fair, but of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an anti-Catholic group that is holding a mock Last Supper dinner tonight in San Francisco. The Sisters is one of the organizations that is receiving funding from this Miller-sponsored event.

“This all started when we learned that Miller was sponsoring an event that featured an obscene ad thrashing the Last Supper. After being pressured, Miller offered a lame statement of regret and said it was pulling its logo from the ad. Not only has it not done so—it is still posted on the website of the street fair—Miller refuses to withdraw its sponsorship. To top it off, when we informed them that some of the money being raised at this festival was being funneled to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, they were unimpressed.

“Accordingly, Miller leaves us with no options: we are calling on more than 200 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu organizations to join with us in a nationwide boycott of Miller beer. We feel confident that once our religious allies kick in, and once the public sees the photos of an event Miller is proudly supporting, the Milwaukee brewery will come to its senses and pull its sponsorship altogether. If it doesn’t, the only winners will be Anheuser Busch and Coors.”

Contact: Miller spokesman Julian Green at green.julian@mbco.com

Kiera M. McCaffrey
Director of Communications
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
450 Seventh AvenueNew York, NY 10123
212-371-3191
212-371-3394 (fax)

Hold On, Verizon Updated their Old Policy - NARAL Messages Okay Now

Just an update to the previous post.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2734531920070927

Verizon Refuses NARAL a Text Messaging Program

NARAL - a leading abortion rights group will not be able to start a Verizon plan of sending their mass messages. Verizon has stated this is not NARAL's position one way or the other, but the topic itself that is off limits.

http://deacbench.blogspot.com/2007/09/verizon-rejects-naral-text-messages.html

original source
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/us/27verizon.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

40 Days for Life

An exciting Pro-Life movement called 40 Days for Life kicked off yesterday, September 26th, and continues until November 4th. It takes place in many cities throughout the country. Those who participate are asked to pray, fast, and take part in a 40-day vigil at various abortion facilites. Unfortunately there is no local program here in St. Louis, but we can certainly add our efforts of prayer and fasting to this important endeavor.

For more info, check out the website: 40 Days for Life.

Pope Describes St. John Chrysostom as a Father of Church Social Doctrine

The Pope related today that besides his role as a teacher and theologian, St. John Chrysostom was a reformer. He was concerned for women, marriage, and the family in addition to setting a high standard for austerity and almsgiving. Not afraid to take the message to the political realm, St. Chrysostom was eventually exiled for his convictions . http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53765

"Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." - St. John Chrysostom, Homily in Lazaro 2, 5; J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca (Paris, 1857-1855) http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/search.cfm

Burma's Buddhist Monks vs. Burmese Military

Apparently, a military group called the Junta runs Burma, despite losing a democratic election in 1990. Protesters, particularly local Buddhist monks have taken to the streets to demand the end of military rule for the last nine days. At least one monk has been killed, and the military has moved into position around six monasteries. The uprising has been sparked in part by the government's twofold increase in the price of fuel last month.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7013638.stm

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.html

Bishops Discuss Refugees and Security with Congress

The USCCB discussed their desire to Congress that recently modified immigration law be modified yet again to enable legitimate refugees and asylum seekers who had been denied into the country. The bishops argue that there are several cases where the system is keeping out people for providing "material support" to terror groups when this "material support" was forced upon them.
The USCCB also requested that the definitions for terrorist activity and terrorist organization be altered to exclude those groups that are not threatening the US and fail to meet terror organization activity. The USCCB site says that the current definition of terrorist activity possibly covers groups that while they may used armed force are struggling against 'brutal regimes and dictatorships'.

The USCCB site mentions that the bishops did commend Congress' role in securing the country from external threats including acts of terrorism.
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-148.shtml

full text of Bishop Wenski's Testimony

http://www.usccb.org/mrs/testimony.shtml

Scientists Growing Human Eggs - Future Use in IVF

An experimental fertility procedure is being tested in the UK. It includes a small surgery to remove slivers from the woman's ovary with potentially thousands of immature eggs that could then be 'banked' until the woman wants to have a child. At that point some of her eggs could then be grown in a lab until the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process is conducted. This will likely significantly reduce the costs of IVF, a procedure the Catholic Church is firmly opposed to, as it excludes the unitive act of procreation and generally includes the destruction of unwanted human embryos.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/22/neggs122.xml

Court Decision Delays any Aurora Abortion Mill Opening

This is great news from Aurora, Illinois where the building permit procurement for a new Planned Parenthood Clinic is legally being reviewed. Meanwhile, the doors to the travesty must stay closed. There are possible charges of fraud in PP's disclosure on who was going to be operating the facility. They were filtering their identity through a subsidiary company called "Gemini". Apparently, there's something about having a Planned Parenthood next door that isn't so attractive to a large number of people. I wonder what that could be.....

I suppose now we should look out for corporate donations to a company named Gemini as well.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-auroraclinic_websep21,0,217658.story?coll=chi-nonmmxent-utl

CDF: No Removal of Food and Water from Unconscious/Vegetative Patients for Sake of Killing Patients

A Papal Document yesterday announces that nutrition and hydration cannot be removed from a patient to starve them to death simply because they are in a vegetative state or have lost consciousness. In the rare case that providing nutrition and hydration actually do harm to the patient they might still be removed. http://jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/09/new-cdf-documen.html

Support for the Vatican's decision on this matter has been voiced from some in the Muslim community as detailed here: http://www.indcatholicnews.com/muslimvatican969.html

Poverty USA

Here is a link to Poverty USA, a website created by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development to help raise the awareness of poverty here in the United States.

Here are some interesting facts that you may not know about poverty in the U.S.:

• There are 37 million people living below the poverty line in the United States
• A single parent of two young children working full-time in a minimum wage job for a year would make $10,712 before taxes—a wage $4,865 below the poverty threshold set by the federal government.
• The poverty rate for America's elderly population - those people over 65 - stands at 10.1 percent, or one out of every ten seniors, while the child poverty rate is 17.6 percent, or one out of every six children in America.

Poland won't unite with EU against death penalty; pushes to discuss abortion ban

This is a short but interesting article from Catholic World News. Poland seems to be making a habit of going it alone in Europe. This doesn't seem to be the most overtly Christian stance it's taken. However, Poland has recently been stalwart in the defense of marriage and has upheld it's ban on almost all abortion procedures to the chagrin of the EU.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53598

KSJ has blogged on

Greetings. This is our newest piece of realty online. Hopefully, it will be easier to use and exchange information and archive with than the google group page. To start this thing off right, a quote from the CCC.

#1878: All men are called to the same end: God Himself. There is a certain resemblance between the unity of the divine persons and the fraternity that men are to establish among themselves in truth and love. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God.