in this issue:
hot button issues: STOPP
abortion: GEORGIA / MURDER
activism: MODESTY
birth control pill: RISKS
born alive after abortion: MICHIGAN
bush watch: MEXICO
catholic bishops: ARCHBISHOP MYERS
culture of death: DRUG DILUTING
down’s syndrome: TARGETTING
education: CHRISTIAN PRO-LIFE DEGREE PROGRAM
federal government: USAID FUNDS
fertility: OPTIMAL TIME TO ACHIEVE PREGNANCY
fetal rights: TEXAS
humor: JUNK
personhood: O’REILLY’S RESOURCE
pharmacists: CANADA
pope john paul ii: JOURNALISTS
web news: ADOPTION
reflection for prayer: JOHN 3:30
hot button issues
STOPP: A study issued by Planned Parenthood’s Alan Guttmacher Institute claims the use of so-called emergency contraceptives has reduced the number of abortions. STOPP International says the report ignores the fact that the chemicals in the “emergency contraceptive” pills are abortifacient.
(Reading: “Planned Parenthood study ignores emergency contraception deaths,” STOPP news release, 12/18/02)
abortion
GEORGIA: State Rep. Bobby Franklin has introduced a bill that would require a mother to obtain a death warrant prior to having an abortion. Pro-life Georgians are allegedly opposing the bill “because it makes them appear extreme and unreasonable,” according to Randy Hicks of the Georgia Family Council.”
COMMENT: What’s “extreme and unreasonable” is taking the life of an innocent baby.
(Reading: “Abortion bill would require women to obtain death warrant,” Associated Press, 12/14/02)
MURDER: Why is the act of killing the innocent wrong? Father William Most responds, “It is not the physical act of taking a life that is wrong, no, it is the violation of the rights of God, the supreme Lord of life. In killing a human without God’s permission, we violate His rights. He does not object if we do it in capital punishment (cf. Romans 13:4) or in a just war. But otherwise we are violating God’s rights if we kill a human.”
(Reading: “Richard McCormick vs. The Pope,” EWTN Library)
activism
MODESTY: Arizona teens are making a positive difference by speaking out against immodest clothing. A petition delivered to Dillard’s department stores resulted in the store engaging petition drive leader Amanda Smith and several of her friends as fashion consultants.
COMMENT: Bravo to Dillard’s.
(Reading: “Girls petition retailer for modest clothing,” Family News in Focus, 12/12/02; to congratulate Dillard’s stores on their response, see the company web site)
birth control pill
RISKS: A recent study presented in Toronto, Canada found that women using birth control pills and Depo-Provera are at a greatly increased risk of infection for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
(Reading: “The pill puts women at much higher risk of HIV and other STDs,” LifeSite News, 11/28/02; background information on lead researcher Charu Kaushic, Ph.D.)
(Background: “Birth control pill,” American Life League; “The birth control pill ups HIV transmission risk,” Dr. Joseph Mercola)
born alive after abortion
MICHIGAN: Three bills passed the state legislature designed to protect children born alive after abortion. HB 5994 states “A woman’s right to terminate pregnancy ends when the pregnancy is terminated. It is not an infringement on a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy for the state to assert its interest in protecting a newborn whose live birth occurs as the result of an abortion.” Such language does affirm “a woman’s right” to kill her child.
(Reading: “Michigan legislature approves bills to protect fetuses who survive abortion procedures,” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 12/16/02; “Born alive infant protection act,” HB 5994, Michigan House of Representatives)
bush watch
MEXICO: (See federal government: USAID FUNDS below) The State Department’s USAID program has been funding studies on the marketing of morning-after abortion pills in Mexico.
COMMENT: We call upon the Bush Administration to investigate the ongoing population-elimination projects at USAID and systematically weed them out with the support and proposed legislation necessary from the “pro-life majority” in both houses of Congress. To join our request of the president, e-mail . To see evidence on how the USAID works in the Philippines to control population, see Simbahayan sa Maynila.
catholic bishops
ARCHBISHOP MYERS: An incredible pastoral letter by Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, entitled “And the Word Became Flesh: A Theological Reflection on the Human Body,” can be found online. E-mails of thanks can be sent to .
culture of death
DRUG DILUTING: A Kansas City pharmacist has admitted to diluting chemotherapy drugs that had the potential of saving lives. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He admitted to diluting the medications for nearly a decade “in order to pocket higher profits.”
(Reading: “Drug-diluting pharmacist gets 30 years in prison,” Reuters, 12/6/02)
down’s syndrome
TARGETTING: Researchers have found that the use of second-trimester serum testing and fetal biometry provides the same efficacy in identifying preborns suspected of having Down’s syndrome as other combined first- and second-trimester (integrated) screening.
(Reading: “Combined second-trimester biochemical and ultrasound screening for Down syndrome,” Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12/02, pp. 1168-11765)
education
CHRISTIAN PRO-LIFE DEGREE PROGRAM: Master’s Divinity School is offering a new program dedicated to providing a degree in life-issues counseling..
federal government
USAID FUNDS: Two published studies analyze the manner in which the abortion-inducing pills have been marketed and the attitudes of women in Mexico. The Population Council, with funds from the United States Agency for International Development, coordinated the research. Findings include how “training health care providers” and providing the public with “multi-faceted” information campaign can increase awareness (13% to 32%) in a three-year period.
(Reading: “Emergency contraception in Mexico City: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among providers and potential clients after a 3-year introduction effort,” Contraception, 66 (2002) 321-329; “Information campaign and advocacy efforts to promote access to emergency contraception in Mexico,” Contraception, 66 (2002) 331-337)
fertility
OPTIMAL TIME TO ACHIEVE PREGNANCY: Researchers at the University of Utah report that the use of certain methodologies such as fertility charting, fertility monitors and other such techniques provide good information on the optimum time to conceive. They conclude, “Prospectively identifying the full window of fertility may lead to higher rates of conception. Proper information given early in the course of trying to achieve pregnancy is likely to reduce time to conception for many couples, and also to reduce unnecessary intervention and cost.”
(Reading: “Timing intercourse to achieve pregnancy: current evidence,” Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12/02, pp. 1333-1341)
fetal rights
TEXAS: State Rep. Ray Allen wants to legally protect “a fetus from recklessness or violence” and said that his legislative proposal would not limit abortions. But pro-life leader Mary Quinn points out, “The illogic and hypocrisy of fetal protection laws — Fetuses can be legally murdered by a third party if a woman consents, but a third party that causes the death of a fetus can be prosecuted if she doesn’t consent.”
(Reading: “Bill alarms abortion-rights activists,” Associated Press, 12/10/02; Mary Quinn commentary with news story, 12/11/02)
humor
JUNK: Junk is something you throw away three months before you need it.
(Reading: “Just Jestin’, The Star, Colorado Springs)
personhood
O’REILLY’S RESOURCE: Many wonder why commentator Bill O’Reilly argues that the human fetus is but a “potential human being.” It is wise to recall the stunning U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) in which the justices announced a “right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” Commentator J. Budziszewski suggests that this single sentence “banished from American jurisprudence any appeal to the idea of natural law.”
(Reading: “Natural born lawyers,” Weekly Standard, 12/20/99)
pharmacists
CANADA: The Canadian Pharmacists Association has heard from Concerned Pharmacists for Conscience regarding the development of “pharmacy post-coital interceptive (emergency contraception) services.” The letter may be requested by e-mailing the author, of the Protection of Conscience Project or requesting it via their web site.
pope john paul ii
JOURNALISTS: In an address to the International Catholic Union of the Press, the Holy Father answered the question, “What does it mean to be a Catholic professional journalist?” as follows: “It means being a person of integrity, an individual whose personal and professional life reflects the teachings of Jesus and the Gospel. It means striving for the highest ideals of professional excellence, being a man or woman of prayer who seeks always to give the best that they have to offer. It means having the courage to seek and report the truth, even when the truth is inconvenient or is not considered ‘politically correct.'”
(Reading: “Audience with the participants of the International Catholic Union of the Press,” Vatican News Service, 12/6/02)
web news
ADOPTION: Christian adoption support group leader Jody Moreen () recommends a greater focus on adoption among her fellow pro-lifers. We are pleased to provide the following web sites at her recommendation: Adoption Blessings Newsletter; Jody Moreen’s web site; find experiences, Christian support and prayer at Adoptees Christian Fellowship.
reflection for prayer
JOHN 3:30: He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.