in this issue:
hot button issues: ROCK FOR LIFE
abortion: IUDs / MEXICO / RISKS
activism: MSGR. KAVANAUGH
birth control pill: MALE PILL / RISKS
congress: CLONING HUMANS
education: PRO-LIFE PROGRAM
euthanasia: HAWAII
girl scouts: GOD
humor: FR. RAWLEY MYERS
morning-after abortion pills: EFFECT ON ENDOMETRIUM
politics: BROWNBACK
web news: MEEHAN REPORTS / PHARMACISTS FOR LIFE
zinger: KILLING BABIES AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
reflection for prayer: POPE PIUS XII
hot button issues
ROCK FOR LIFE: National Pro-life T-Shirt Day is April 28. Get more information from the Rock for Life web site or via .
abortion
IUDs: Researchers studying prefertilization and postfertilization action of various IUDs summarize their findings by arguing: “regardless of the exact magnitude of the postfertilization effect of IUDs, our model illustrates that, for the IUD to achieve its effectiveness in preventing clinical pregnancy, it must have a very strong conditional postfertilization effect, even if its predominant effect is to inhibit fertilization.”
COMMENT: A human being begins when pregnancy begins at conception/fertilization, regardless of the rhetorical gymnastics of researchers.
(Reading: “Mechanisms of action of intrauterine devices: Update and estimation of postfertilization effects,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12/02, pp. 1699-1708, abstract)
MEXICO: Researchers studied the attitudes and awareness among Mexican men and women regarding the morning-after pill regimen and other abortion-inducing agents such as mifepristone (RU-486). They comment: “Two reproductive technologies — emergency contraception and medical abortion — have the potential to reduce unintended pregnancy significantly in Latin America.” The research was directed by the Population Council, a known proponent of population elimination in developing nations such as Mexico.
(Reading: “Knowledge and attitudes about the differences between emergency contraception and medical abortion among middle-class women and men of reproductive age in Mexico City,” Contraception, 66 (2002) 417-426, not online)
RISKS: Researchers reveal the connection between women who have a history of induced abortion and substance abuse during subsequent pregnancies.
(Reading: “A history of induced abortion in relation to substance use during subsequent pregnancies carried to term,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12/02, pp. 1673-1678, abstract)
activism
MSGR. KAVANAUGH: Most Communique readers know that Msgr. Edward J. Kavanaugh refused to admit pro-abortion “Catholic” California Gov. Gray Davis to St. Patrick’s Home for Children in Sacramento. Msgr. Kavanaugh told the governor that unless he would sign papers stating that he repented his support for abortion, he was not welcome.
COMENT: Please send Msgr. Kavanaugh a note of thanks: St. Patrick’s Home for Children, 5961 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95824.
birth control pill
MALE PILL: Researchers in Europe say animal studies reveal the possibility of an effective hormone-free male contraceptive. Low doses of NB-DNJ caused defective sperm in mice but had no effect on the animals’ testosterone.
(Reading: “A hormone-free male ‘pill’?” Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/8/02)
RISKS: The federal government added steroidal estrogens used in oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies to the list of “known human carcinogens,” a move that “significantly upgrades” their risk. The definition of a “known human carcinogen” is that sufficient evidence is available to show a cause and effect relationship between exposure to the material and cancer in humans.
(Reading: “Government lists all estrogens used in oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy as ‘known human carcinogens,'” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 12/12/02; “Carcinogen: Definition,” MSDS HyperGlossary)
congress
CLONING HUMANS: The Republican National Coalition for Life is calling on President Bush to issue an executive order banning the cloning of human beings. Simultaneously, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) is reported to be leaning toward holding off on his legislative proposal that, it must be noted, is not a total ban on human cloning.
(Reading: “The cloning of human beings,” RNCLife FaxNotes, 1/10/03; “Brownback holds off on pushing cloning bill,” Wichita Eagle, 1/13/02; “Human cloning ban 2001: Comments on current posting of Brownback/Weldon [2001] human cloning bills,” American Life League)
education
PRO-LIFE PROGRAM: For details on a developing curriculum for young people on the subject of the value and dignity of the human person from conception see “The missing key of the pro-life movement.”
euthanasia
HAWAII: The Hawaii Family Forum has published a fact sheet focused on the upcoming battle in the state legislature to legalize physician-assisted suicide.
girl scouts
GOD: The Girl Scout promise: “On my honor, I will try: to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.” Following these words it is stated: “The word ‘God’ can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one’s spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word ‘God’ with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.”
(Reading: “The Girl Scout promise,” Girl Scouts of the United States of America)
humor
FR. RAWLEY MYERS: Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
(Reading: Star magazine, 8/02, p. 15)
morning-after abortion pills
EFFECT ON ENDOMETRIUM: Hungarian researchers suggest that the concise description of morning-after abortion pills should include reference to the fact that these pills are “postovulatory measures.” They find that “all exert their negative effect on fertility by inhibiting fertilization of the oocyte, hindering oviductal transport of the spermium and/or the fertilized egg [sic], creating unfavorable conditions for the implantation or for the establishment of a pregnancy.” The study reveals that changes in the endometrium occur “in the proliferative and secretory phases of the cycle.” And they go on to state that these changes “embody the mainstream of the contraceptive effect.” They describe these pills as “endometrial contraception.”
COMMENT: The chemicals abort a human being whose life begins at fertilization.
(Reading: “Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) changes of the endometrium in women taking high doses of levonorgestrel as emergency postcoital contraception,” Contraception, 66 (2002) 433-437, not online)
politics
BROWNBACK: Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) wrote the following in a letter to the Catholic diocese of Brooklyn: “We must unambiguously confront the threats against human life, whether those threats emerge at the beginning of life in the form of abortion, cloning or destructive embryonic stem-cell research, or at the end of life in the form of euthanasia or assisted suicide.”
COMMENT: An unambiguous confrontation with the culture of death admits to no exceptions in any case at any time.
(Reading: “U.S. senator among recipients of New York diocese’s pro-life awards,” Catholic News Service, 1/13/02)
web news
MEEHAN REPORTS: Mary Meehan provides commentary on a variety of issues and is available as a speaker for your event.
PHARMACISTS FOR LIFE: Check out new features on the web site.
zinger
KILLING BABIES AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: Pro-abortion advocate David Grimes, M.D., writes: “Emergency hormonal contraception, like fire extinguishers, should be readily available in homes across the nation. Regrettably, it is not. Although three fourths of U.S. homes have one or more fire extinguishers, few have emergency contraception on hand. This paradox hurts women.”
COMMENT: Pardon us, but these hormonal pills kill human persons during their first week of life. Fire extinguishers, on the other hand, are designed to save lives.
(Reading: “Emergency contraception and fire extinguishers: a prevention paradox,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12/02, pp. 1536-1538, abstract)
reflection for prayer
POPE PIUS XII: No human authority, no state, no community of states, whatever be their religious character, can give a positive command or positive authorization to teach or to do that which would be contrary to religious truth or moral good. Such a command or such an authorization would have no obligatory power and would remain without effect. No authority may give such a command, because it is contrary to nature to oblige the spirit and the will of man to error and evil, or to consider one or the other as indifferent. Not even God could give such a positive command or positive authorization, because it would be in contradiction to His absolute truth and sanctity.
(Reading: “Address to Jurists,” Pope Pius XII, 12/6/53)