in this issue:
bulletin: BISHOP RAYMOND BURKE
abortion: HAPPY TO ABORT
congress: UNFPA
human cloning: NEW JERSEY / VATICAN TO UNITED NATIONS
planned parenthood: WASHINGTON / WISCONSIN
politics: ANALYSIS / BIG TENT / CHRISTIAN VOTING
stem cell research: ETHICS
vaccines: MMR/RUBELLA
reflection for prayer: CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER
bulletin
BISHOP RAYMOND BURKE: The bishop of La Crosse, Wis. (who is soon to be installed as archbishop of St. Louis), has issued an order stating, “a Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion or euthanasia, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons ‘are not to be admitted to Holy Communion’ (Code of Canon Law, can. 915).”
COMMENT: American Life League, which has pointed out on numerous occasions that this remedy is available to Catholic bishops, has expressed its gratitude to Bishop Burke.
(Reading: “Notification,” Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., 11/23/03; “Wisconsin bishop tells pro-abortion Catholic politicians: Change your stripes or stay away from Holy Communion,” American Life League news release, 1/8/04)
abortion
HAPPY TO ABORT: The National Coalition of Abortion Providers devotes a portion of its web site specifically for parents who have aborted their children.
COMMENT: Be prepared to be sick upon reading some — if not all — of these letters.
(Reading: “The women speak,” National Coalition of Abortion Providers)
congress
UNFPA: Reps. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) claim a House-passed appropriations bill will restore “$59 million in international family planning funds withheld from the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) by the Administration over the last two years.”
(Reading: “Crowley and Lowey praise release of $59 million in international family planning funds held by administration,” Crowley news release, 12/8/03)
human cloning
NEW JERSEY: Gov. James McGreevey has signed legislation that would allow human cloning experimentation under the guise of stem cell research. The bill specifically permits somatic cell nuclear transplantation, which is a human cloning technique.
(Reading: “McGreevey signs landmark stem cell research act,” McGreevey news release, 1/4/04)
VATICAN TO UNITED NATIONS: “The science may be complex, but the issue for us is simple and straightforward. The matter of human cloning that involves the creation of human embryos is the story of the beginning of human life — a life that is not just a local issue, not a national issue, not a regional issue. It is above all a universal issue, because an embryo is a human being regardless of its geography. If reproductive cloning of human beings contravenes the law of nature — a principle with which all delegations appear to agree — so does the cloning of the same human embryo that is slated for research purposes. A cloned embryo, which is not destined for implantation into a womb but is created for the sole purpose of extraction of stem cells and other materials, is destined for pre-programmed destruction. … If human rights are to mean anything, at any time, anywhere in the world, then surely no one can have the right to do such a thing. Human rights flow from the recognition that human beings have in intrinsic dignity that is based on the fact that they are human. Human embryos are human, even if they are cloned. If the rest of us are to have the rights that flow from the recognition of this dignity, then we must act to ban cloning in all its forms.”
(Reading: “The science may be complex, but the issue is simple,” L’Osservatore Romano, 10/24/03)
planned parenthood
WASHINGTON: A Planned Parenthood office in Puyallup, Wash., is setting aside drop-in hours for teens. A Planned Parenthood employee will be available to “educate” teenagers about birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and emergency contraception “in a safe and confidential setting.” The Tacoma News Tribune notes that “free condoms are available in the lobby.”
(Reading: “Planned Parenthood to open clinic for teenagers in Puyallup,” Tacoma News Tribune, 1/2/04)
WISCONSIN: Pro-Life Wisconsin is calling a new Planned Parenthood abortion facility “disgraceful.” The pro-life group took note of the new center’s “Wall of Honor,” noting it is actually a “Wall of Shame.” The display is dedicated to a deceased abortionist and lists the names of Planned Parenthood benefactors.
(Reading: “‘Grand’ opening of Planned Parenthood abortion mill disgraceful, says Pro-Life Wisconsin,” Pro-Life Wisconsin news release, 1/8/04)
politics
ANALYSIS: Thomas Droleskey’s recent article analyzing the problems with unilaterally equating Republicans with pro-life opines “Our cause is not the conservative cause. It is not the Republican cause. It is not the American cause. It is the cause of Christ the King and Mary our Queen. It is the Catholic cause. … Let’s not be apologists for false friends, who are in most cases far more dangerous than open enemies.”
(Reading: “As arrogant as Clinton himself,” Thomas Droleskey, 12/20/03, currently not on line)
BIG TENT: F.R. Duplantier notes:
Though we don’t want to alienate our core,
we are anxious to add even more;
So to make greater strides,
we’ll appeal to both sides,
and oppose all the things that we’re for.
(Reading: “Big tent,” Politickles)
CHRISTIAN VOTING: Based on the dismal record of both parties in actual efforts to substantively protect every single preborn baby from conception, South Carolina pro-life activist Steve Lefemine said, “In the November 2004 elections, my plea with Christians is to vote for righteousness. The Bible says that righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). If Christians vote for Republicans or Democrats, they are wasting their votes. … God has not called us to a lesser evil. He’s called us to holiness.”
(Reading: “Christian voters wasting their votes on both parties,” Agape Press, 12/15/03)
stem cell research
ETHICS: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided a fact sheet that outlines progress in ethical research, thus denying the value of human embryonic stem cell research.
(Reading: “Scientific experts agree: embryonic stem cells are unnecessary for medical progress,” Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 12/15/03)
vaccines
MMR/RUBELLA: Improved distribution of an untainted MMR/Rubella vaccine may be the result of a meeting later this month involving officials of Chiron Corporation and the Kitasato Institute of Tokyo. Debi Vinnedge of Children of God for Life describes the talks as “extremely promising.”
(Reading: “Chiron Corporation and Japanese to meet this month,” Children of God for Life Vaccine Update, 1/6/04)
reflection for prayer
CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER: “The Bible sets a higher value on mankind. It tells us that God created us for the truth. The joyfulness of its message is precisely this: that we encounter in Jesus Christ the one genuine truth about God and ourselves. If only we Christians were to find once again the courage to say this and think it, what joy would dwell in us! What joy would radiate from us.”
(Reading: “Co-workers of the Truth,” Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, p. 275)