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Communique – Nov. 12, 2004


in this issue

abortion: MORTALITY
activism: GONZALES / SPECTER I / SPECTER II / SPECTER PROTESTS
birth control: IMPLANON
catholic bishops: ANNUAL MEETING / HANUS
euthanasia: BUSH AND OREGON
health insurance: CATHOLIC PLAN FOR FEDERAL WORKERS
lifelines: ARCHBISHOP SHEEN
morning-after abortion pill: ADOLESCENTS / JUST SAY NO
politics: BOOGEY MAN
stem cell research: ETHICAL
reflection for prayer: IMITATION OF CHRIST

abortion

MORTALITY: A letter commenting on research that analyzes deaths associated with pregnancy outcome states, “The higher rate of deaths that were associated with abortion, particularly those that were related to violent deaths, is disturbing. A good portion of this appears to be related to elevated rates of suicide.”

(Reading: “Pregnancy-associated mortality after birth,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10/04, p. 1016)

activism

GONZALES: Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales is cited as a man whose judicial track record suggests “the personhood of the preborn human being is secondary to technical points of law, and that is a deadly perspective for anyone to take.”

(Reading: “Gonzales wrong for attorney general; why can’t Bush pick pro-life nominee?” American Life League news release, 11/11/04)

SPECTER I: To stop Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) from becoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the following people should be contacted in order to register opposition to the appointment of this rabidly pro-abortion Republican:

Also, register your displeasure with President Bush, who supported Specter in the Republican primary: White House comment line: 202-456-1111; fax: 202-456-2461; e-mail: .

(Reading: “Specter wrong choice as judiciary chairman,” American Life League news release, 11/9/04)

SPECTER II: Columnist Chuck Baldwin examines the idea that there wouldn’t be a Specter problem if President Bush had supported Specter’s challenger, Rep. Pat Toomey, in last spring’s Pennsylvania GOP primary. “Where was the religious right when President Bush was helping Arlen Specter win reelection?” asks Baldwin. “Why do they wait until now to howl against the liberal senator from Pennsylvania? And why do they give President Bush a pass for singlehandedly giving the election to the radically liberal Specter?”

(Reading: “Concern about Arlen Specter comes too late,” Chuck Baldwin Live, 11/9/04)

SPECTER PROTESTS: A new rally has been announced in New York City on Monday, and additional details are now available concerning a pray-in Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK: Pro-lifers will rally on Monday, Nov. 15, outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. Both U.S. senators from Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, will be attending a speaking event inside. The rally is scheduled from 5:15 to 6:30 pm. The hotel is on East 42nd St. between Park and Lexington avenues. Speakers will include Chris Slattery of Expectant Mother Care, an American Life League associate group and Rabbi Yehuda Levin of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis will also speak. For additional information, please e-mail or call 914-224-5773.

WASHINGTON: Pro-lifers will rally on Tuesday, Nov. 16, as the U.S. Senate returns from its recess. Participants will meet at 12:30 pm at 109 2nd St. NE, then walk to the corner of 1st and Constitution for 1:00. There will be a news conference, followed by prayer at the Senate Office Building and at the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Speakers will include Joseph Starrs of American Life League’s Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church. For additional information, please e-mail or call 914-224-5773.

birth control

IMPLANON: Akzo Nobel announced that the FDA has approved the implant, Implanon. One year ago in Australia, Implanon, was nearly pulled off the market.

(Reading: “Akzo Nobel says its contraceptive implant wins US approval,” Agence France Presse, 11/3/04; “Contraceptive Implanon may be withdrawn from market,” ABC News (Australia), 9/30/03)

catholic bishops

ANNUAL MEETING: With the defeat of Sen. John Kerry, it is feared that many bishops may think the pressure has subsided enough for them to overlook the ongoing scandal created by pro-abortion public figures who claim the Catholic faith. American Life League is urging the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to act decisively at the bishops’ annual meeting in Washington next week.

(Reading: “What about those pro-abortion Catholics? The election is over; the scandal remains,” American Life League news release, 11/11/04)

HANUS: Archbishop Jerome Hanus reacted quickly to news reports quoting the comments of Franciscan Sister Michelle Nemmers at a political rally in Dubuque, Iowa. “She is quoted as saying that it can be acceptable to choose abortion,” noted the archbishop. “This is totally contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Abortion is the killing of an innocent human being… We know and believe this from Scripture. We know it also from human reason.”

(Reading: “Statement from Archbishop Jerome Hanus,” LifeSiteNews.com, 11/2/04)

euthanasia

BUSH AND OREGON: The Bush administration is appealing a court ruling that outgoing attorney general John Ashcroft overstepped his authority when he “threatened to revoke prescription-writing licenses for physicians and pharmacists who filled orders for life-ending drugs” in Oregon. Ashcroft said Oregon’s assisted suicide law notwithstanding, the federal government has the power to regulate lethal drugs.

(Reading: “Bush administration appeals over Oregon suicide law,” Reuters, 11/9/04)

health insurance

CATHOLIC PLAN FOR FEDERAL WORKERS: The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis now provide an option for federal workers who do not want their health insurance coverage to include abortion, contraception or fertility treatment. The health insurance plan is one of 249 being offered to federal employees.

(Reading: “U.S. workers may pick Catholic insurance,” Chicago Sun Times, 11/9/04)

lifelines

ARCHBISHOP SHEEN: Christianity is the daily struggle between love and hate.

morning-after abortion pill

ADOLESCENTS: A study involving 52 young women ages 13-16 suggests that adolescents can tolerate the pills well, experiencing “transient side effects.”

COMMENT: The question is: since when do 52 people in a study constitute a major conclusion?

(Reading: “Tolerability of levonorgestrel emergency contraception in adolescents,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10/04, pp. 1158-1163)

JUST SAY NO! That is what pharmacists are doing in Pennsylvania. The latest is Costa’s Apothecary in Ridley Park. Kathy Coll of Facts of Life reports that the trend is heartening! To learn more contact .

(Contact: Send a note of thanks to the management, Costa’s Apothecary, 113 E. Sellers Ave., Ridley Park, PA 19078)

politics

BOOGEY MAN: Columnist Chuck Baldwin notes that too many “conservative Christians” slept for four years, failing to notice that while they dozed, the Bush administration “increased federal funding for abortions at home and abroad to record levels.”

(Reading: “Christians and conservatives can go back to sleep now, because the Boogey Man is gone,” Chuck Baldwin Live, 11/5/04)

stem cell research

ETHICAL: A London-based company has announced that it can take an adult cell from a patient and use it to create a stem cell. “If ongoing medical trials being conducted in India to substantiate these claims prove successful, the whole issue will be turned on its head.”

(Reading: “Stem cell research: no ‘voodoo magic,'” The Independent, 10/31/04)

reflection for prayer

IMITATION OF CHRIST: Be not much concerned who is for you or against you, but let it be your business and your care that God may be with you in everything you do.

(Reading: “Imitation of Christ,” II: 2:1)