in this issue:
activism: BLACKMUN WALL / UNITY
adolescents: BIRTH CONTROL PILL USE
birth control pill: RISKS
parenting: AFFIRMATION
pediatricians: ADOPTIONS BY GAY COUPLES
philippines: VICTORY
physicians: WOMEN’S HEALTH
politics: BUSH’S PRIORITIES
reproductive technology: LESBIANS HAVING BABIES
stem cell: ETHICAL SUCCESS
web: MSNBC POLL
zinger: ANIMAL EUTHANASIA
reflection for prayer: ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN
activism
BLACKMUN WALL: Life Dynamics, Inc., has a new project focused on mothers killed by “legal” abortion. Go to Life Dynamics and click on “The Blackmun Wall.”
UNITY: Several national pro-life organizations have joined together to ask New York Attorney General Spitzer to withdraw his subpoenas from pro-life centers (see Communique, 2/8/02). The joint news release was issued by CareNet, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and Heartbeat International. For details on Spitzer’s activities, see Maggie Gallagher’s “The Right to Choose Life“)
adolescents
BIRTH CONTROL PILL USE: “Contraception Report” focuses major attention on the pill in the December 2001 issue, claiming “the average U.S. teen will view nearly 14,000 sexual references each year, yet fewer than 200 mention contraception, abstinence or risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.” Paula Hillard, M.D., points out that the pill is the most popular choice for teen girls, and says, “The most common side effect within the first few months is breakthrough bleeding [editor: may be a sign of early abortion], occurring in 20 percent to 40 percent of OC users. This may be potentially scary or worrisome if teens have not been warned about its possibility and told that it tends to resolve with continued use.”
(Reading: “Sexual behavior and contraception use among adolescents,” Contraception Report, 12/01, paid subscribers only)
birth control pill
RISKS: A new study confirms that the risk of stroke remains the same for pill users even though the newer pills have lower levels of estrogen.
(Reading: “New birth control pills don’t lower stroke risk,” Health Scout News, 2/7/02)
parenting
AFFIRMATION: An anonymous writer penned “The Cost and Benefits of Raising Children.”
pediatricians
ADOPTIONS BY GAY COUPLES: A new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics supports the adoption of children by gay or lesbian couples. The full statement is online.
(Reading: “AAP supports adoption by same-sex parents,” American Academy of Pediatrics news release, 2/4/02)
philippines
VICTORY: In a note to Communique, Rante Ramos writes, “I am very proud to inform you that here in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines, our city mayor, Hon. Dennis M. Socrates, officially declared our city a pro-life, pro-family city. Hence, with the support of his allies in the city council, he prevented the use of city funds to purchase birth control contraceptives.”
(Reading: e-mail from )
physicians
WOMEN’S HEALTH: ACOG has formed Physicians for Women’s Health, a group committed, among other things, to government involvement in birth control, and health insurance coverage for birth control and abortion.
politics
BUSH’S PRIORITIES? An interesting perspective by HLI’s Jameson Taylor includes the following: “Why didn’t President Bush decide to walk a few blocks to address 100,000 of his constituents, many of whom had come hundreds of miles to attend the March for Life? The president clearly thought it was more important to travel to Charleston, W. Va., to plug his energy plan and ‘economic security’ package.”
(Reading: “Politics of Life,” Catholic Exchange, 2/7/02)
reproductive technology
LESBIANS HAVING BABIES: Scientists at Reproductive Genetics Institute are testing a technique that may allow men without sperm — and even women — to “father” children.
(Reading: “Experimental process could help lesbians, infertile men, ‘father’ children,” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 1/29/02)
stem cell
ETHICAL SUCCESS: The Culture of Life Foundation continues to issue timely bulletins highlighting the ethical breakthroughs various scientists have announced. Most recently this includes taking bone marrow stem cells from a closely matched donor and transplanting them into a newborn who suffers from severe combined immunodeficiency. To receive these updates, contact and request Adult Stem Cell Research Breakthrough Bulletins.
(Reading: “Early stem cell therapy cures ‘bubble boy’ disease,” Health Scout News, 1/24/02)
web
MSNBC POLL: The cable channel’s web page features an online poll about abortion which asks, “Do you think federal laws regarding abortion should be changed?” There are three choices: “Roe v. Wade should be overturned and abortion should be made illegal”; “Abortion should only be allowed in rare cases, such as if the mother was raped or if her life is in danger” and “A woman should have a legal right to choose whether to have an abortion.”
(Reading: “Another round in the abortion wars,” MSNBC, 1/22/02)
zinger
ANIMAL EUTHANASIA: Associated Press reported in Michigan that workers and volunteers suffer fallout from “animal euthanasia.” Sandy Gay, director of the Oakland County, Michigan, animal shelter, told the reporter ending animals’ lives is something she has never gotten used to. “I’ve been here 33 years, 20 at animal control, and I still cry.'”
COMMENT: Yet we do not cry every 20 seconds when a baby is brutally murdered by surgical abortion.
(Reading: “Workers, volunteers suffer fallout from animal euthanasia,” Associated Press, 1/30/02)
reflection for prayer
ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN: When you fail to measure up to your Christian privilege, be not discouraged for discouragement is a form of pride. The reason you are sad is because you looked to yourself and not to God; to your failing, not to His love. You will shake off your faults more readily when you love God than when you criticize yourselves. The sick person looks happily at the physician, not at his wounds. You have always the right to love Him in your heart, even though now and then you do not love Him in your acts. Keep no accounts with God or you will always be so hopelessly in debt as to be bankrupt.
(Reading: “Preface to Religion,” p. 126)