in this issue:
abortion: BREAST CANCER LINK — BRITAIN / DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS / PRACTITIONERS IN TROUBLE
activism: JANUARY 22 / PROTESTING IVF
bush watch: RACICOT
contraception: ACCESS
down syndrome: TARGETING
eugenics: PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS
stem cell research: ETHICAL / KILLING HUMAN BEINGS
sterilization: ESSURE
web news: CLONING HUMANS / CONSCIENCE LAWS / GOD’S PLAN FOR LIFE / HEALING THE CULTURE / PREGNANT AND NEED HELP?
zinger: KILLING A PATIENT AS A CARING ACT
reflection for prayer: THOMAS MERTON
abortion
BREAST CANCER LINK — BRITAIN: Life, the leading pro-life charity in the U.K., is providing the media with copies of an important new study, “Abortion and Other Pregnancy-Related Risk Factors in Female Breast Cancer.” The study is authored by Patrick Carroll and is available online, along with other related materials.
DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS: David Reardon, Ph.D., announces that “Detrimental Effects of Abortion” is now available for $35 (shipping and handling included). To place a credit card order, call 888-412-2676. For information, e-mail “>.
PRACTITIONERS IN TROUBLE: The Boston Rescuer publishes an ongoing, updated and accurate report on abortionists facing criminal charges or other problems.
activism
JANUARY 22: In Atlanta, Georgia pro-lifers are sponsoring an event called “Strolling for Life.” There will be a procession of EMPTY baby strollers representing children list to abortion since the 1973 Roe and Doe decisions. For details, contact “>Michele Roman.
PROTESTING IVF: Come to the December 28 pro-life protest in Norfolk, Va., sponsored by American Life League, and learn how to speak out against the mass killing that results from in vitro fertilization.
bush watch
RACICOT: Pro-abortion former Montana governor Marc Racicot is the new head of the Republican National Committee. Though Racicot is confused about when a person is a person and when that person’s life begins, National Right to Life says he was “a strong pro-life governor.”
(Reading: “Bush’s choice for RNC Chairman draws fire from conservatives,” Cybercast News Service, 12/5/01; also see “How Ashcroft Happened,” The American Prospect, 2/26/01)
contraception
ACCESS: NARAL has posted a state-by-state review of access to contraception.
down syndrome
TARGETING: Researchers and editorial writers suggest that fine-tuning the first trimester screening process has advantages, including “an early diagnosis with consequent safer and less traumatic therapeutic abortion.”
(Reading: “Time for total shift to first-trimester screening for Down’s syndrome,” The Lancet, 11/17/01, pp. 1658-1659, and search for title; “Absence of nasal bone in fetuses with trisomy 21 at 11-14 weeks of gestation: an observational study,” The Lancet, 11/17/01)
eugenics
PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS: Australian researchers claim that analyzing the genetic makeup of previously frozen human embryos prior to thawing and placing them in the mother’s womb allows the elimination of chromosomal anomalies by eliminating the embryos diagnosed as having the problem. “The embryo diagnosed as normal by comparative genomic hybridization was thawed and transferred and resulted in a pregnancy.” An accompanying editorial states: “In contrast to amniocentesis and chorionic-villus sampling, techniques for preimplantation genetic diagnosis are performed before the establishment of a pregnancy, thereby sparing women from carrying a pregnancy to the first or second trimester before learning of a serious genetic abnormality. This distinction is especially important to some couples who find termination of even a genetically abnormal pregnancy unacceptable for religious, moral or other reasons. Only embryos found not to be affected by the genetic abnormality in question are selected for transfer to the uterus.”
COMMENT: According to this eugenic standard, only perfect people are allowed to continue living. The embryo is, after all, a human being regardless of his or her chromosomal anomalies.
(Reading: “Birth of a health infant after preimplantation confirmation of euploidy by comparative genomic hybridization,” New England Journal of Medicine, 11/22/01, pp. 1537-1541; “Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis by Comparative Genomic Hybridization,” New England Journal of Medicine, 11/22/01, pp. 1569-1571, click on article)
stem cell research
ETHICAL: Researchers working with rats at McGill University in Toronto are heartened by initial results using adult stem cells from the bone marrow to generate new heart cells, suggesting a possible treatment for heart disease.
(Reading: “Adult stem cells may help regenerate heart tissue,” C-Health, 11/13/01)
KILLING HUMAN BEINGS: New Republic published a column by Andrew Sullivan entitled “Only Human.” Sullivan argues against embryonic stem cell research, writing, “Some may say that nature itself allows many blastocysts to die. What else are miscarriages? It is true that such tragedies happen all the time. But just because earthquakes happen doesn’t mean massacres are justified.”
sterilization
ESSURE: Conceptus, a California-based company, told the media that FDA approval of its coil, designed to block the fallopian tube, is expected early in 2002. See Essure for details about the method.
web news
CLONING HUMANS: See the new web site, constructed by Americans to Ban Cloning, for well-developed arguments against any type of human cloning: Cloning Information.
CONSCIENCE LAWS: A virus has destroyed much of the information on the Protection of Conscience Project web site. Please visit their web site to be restored to their contact list.
GOD’S PLAN FOR LIFE: Check out this solidly pro-life educational web site.
HEALING THE CULTURE: Human Life of Washington is posting a series of articles by Dan Stevenson analyzing the book, Healing the Culture. To learn more, see the web site dedicated to Father Robert J. Spitzer’s work: Life Principles.
PREGNANT AND NEED HELP? The timeless book, “You Can Have Your Baby When Others (or You) Say No,” by Madeline Pecora Nugent, is now available on the internet. Theresa Burke, Ph.D., of Rachel’s Vineyard points out that the book empowers the woman to maintain her pregnancy despite pressure from professionals and others.
zinger
KILLING A PATIENT AS A CARING ACT: Peter Wright asks readers of The Lancet, “How can it be the duty of a caring doctor who respects his patient’s autonomy to refuse the help to a good death that only a member of his profession is in a position to give?”
(Reading: “Challenge to law on right to die,” The Lancet, 11/17/01, search by title or writer)
reflection for prayer
THOMAS MERTON: “What is uncertain is not the ‘coming’ of Christ but our own reception of Him, our own response to Him, our own readiness and capacity to ‘go forth to meet Him.’ We must be willing to see Him and acclaim Him, as John did, even at the very moment when our whole life’s work and all its meaning seem to collapse.”
(Reading: “Seasons of Celebration,” pp. 90-91, quoted in Vatican II Daily Missal, p. 105)