in this issue:
abortion: NEW JERSEY / NONE DARE RISK MURDER
bush watch: UNFPA FUNDS DENIED
condoms: INADEQUATE RISK REDUCTION
humor: J.D. McCOUGHEY
morning-after abortion pill: LOUISIANA / STUDENT HEALTH CENTERS
personhood: HUMAN EMBRYO THREATENED / IRVING
politics: NORTH CAROLINA / WHO TO SUPPORT / WISCONSIN
violence: MICHIGAN
world youth alliance: GET INVOLVED
reflection for prayer: POPE PIUS XII / RACHEL’S VINEYARD MINISTRIES
abortion
NEW JERSEY: An appellate court opinion clears the way for a trial that will determine if a first trimester abortion terminates the life of a living human being. The case is Rosa Acuna v. Dr. Sheldon Turkish. The lead attorney on the case is Harold Cassidy, who can be reached at 732-332-9300. An article addressing this case, “How not to overturn Roe v. Wade,” written by Paul Linton, appears in the Nov. 2002 issue of First Things.
NONE DARE RISK MURDER: Larry V. Crutchfield, Ph.D., writes, “In a powerful sermon on Romans 24, the great fourth-century preacher and bishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, speaks of ‘the harlot’ whose ‘whoredom’ leads to adultery and then ‘murder.’ He expresses shock at the thought that in an effort to make herself physically appealing to her ‘lovers,’ she will resort even to killing her preborn child.”
(Reading: “The early church fathers and abortion“)
(Background: “None dare risk murder” is based on a famous line from the 1974 Vatican Declaration on Procured Abortion which reads: “From a moral point of view this is certain: even if a doubt existed concerning whether the fruit of conception is already a human person, it is objectively a grave sin to dare to risk murder. ‘The one who will be a man is already one.'”)
bush watch
UNFPA FUNDS DENIED: On July 23, ALL issued a statement claiming that the Bush administration had taken the $34 million denied to UNFPA and provided it to a State Department agency that is involved in population elimination programs. We have subsequently learned that the final decision regarding the fate of that money is still up in the air, according to White House Presidential Determination 2002-32, dated Sept. 30. The $34 million is earmarked for USAID Child Survival and Health Program Fund which does provide for maternal health, child health and anti-life services, too. Please ask President Bush to see to it that these funds go to projects devoted specifically to maternal health and prenatal care, not so-called reproductive health, which includes early-abortion birth control and other anti-life activities.
(Reading: “Redirection of $34 million from UNFPA to USAID a ‘stab in the back,'” American Life League news release, 7/23/02; White House Presidential Determination 2002-32, 9/30/02)
(Contact: or call the White House comment line at 202-456-1111)
condoms
INADEQUATE RISK REDUCTION: The Medical Institute for Sexual Health has published a review of the literature and concludes that condoms do not provide adequate risk reduction for sexually transmitted diseases. A copy of the full study is available upon request.
(Reading: “Scientific review of condom effectiveness research reveals condoms provide inadequate risk reduction for sexually transmitted diseases,” Medical Institute for Sexual Health news release, 10/16/02)
humor
J.D. McCOUGHEY: “Some say God is dead. However, we have 50,000 social workers to take His place.”
(Reading: “Quick Quotes,” The Star, 8/02; for copies write Fr. Rawley Myers, 22 W. Kiowa, Colorado Springs, CO 80903)
morning-after abortion pill
LOUISIANA: The American Center for Law and Justice’s threat of a lawsuit resulted in the Louisiana health department reversing its position on discrimination against those health care providers who cannot in good conscience provide chemicals to women that cause the abortion of babies.
(Reading: “Louisiana Health Dept. reverses itself in ‘morning-after’ pill case,” American Center for Law and Justice news release, 10/28/02)
STUDENT HEALTH CENTERS: A recently published study indicates that of 358 university and college health centers responding to a survey, 47.8% of them did not provide access to the morning-after abortion pill. The reasons given include institutions’ religious affiliations, clinic and administrative staff objections, inability to prescribe or dispense medications, fear of liability, and no expressed need.
(Reading: “Availability of emergency contraceptive pills at university and college student health centers,” Journal of American College Health, 7/02 pp. 15-22,)
personhood
HUMAN EMBRYO THREATENED: More than 600 people gathered in Belgium to hear experts (including Dianne N. Irving, M.A., Ph.D., former NIH research scientist and professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America), discuss the fact that human embryos are persons whose lives are at stake due to current efforts to advance embryonic stem cell research, human cloning and other draconian practices.
(Reading: “Human embryo threatened by legal chaos, says forum,” Zenit News Service, 10/22/02; Medicine and Human Dignity conference)
IRVING: “The early human embryo: ‘scientific’ myths and scientific facts: implications for ethics and public policy: A one-act drama,” by Dianne N. Irving, M.A., Ph.D., is online.
politics
NORTH CAROLINA: Republican Carolyn Grant, who is running against Democrat state senator Brad Miller for a U.S. House seat from North Carolina, has been endorsed in her campaign by both an abortion-rights group and the political action committee of a National Right to Life affiliate. Grant, who says that she supports abortion rights, has received backing from North Carolina Right to Life PAC as well as the WISH List, a group that supports female Republican candidates who favor abortion rights. The North Carolina PAC has published its endorsement of Grant on the NCRTL Web site. David O’Steen, executive director of the National Right to Life Committee, said the national committee has not formally endorsed Grant but is supporting her as the “preferred” or “recommended” candidate in her campaign against Miller, who also supports abortion rights.
(Reading: “North Carolina U.S. House candidate receives backing of both abortion-rights group, antiabortion organization,” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 10/30/02; also see “NC Right to Life PAC endorsements“)
WHO TO SUPPORT: Recall the words of Pope John Paul II, which is how many pro-lifers measure anyone running for office: “It is always possible that man, as the result of coercion or other circumstances, can be hindered from doing certain good actions; but he can never be hindered from not doing certain actions, especially if he is prepared to die rather than to do evil.”
COMMENT: No politician is ever forced to support a single act of abortion; no pro-life group is ever forced to endorse a man or woman who supports acts of murder.
(Reading: The Splendor of Truth, Section 52)
WISCONSIN: Pro Life Wisconsin cites Matthew 18:14, “It is never the will of the Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost,” in focusing attention on electing only those people who are voluntarily committed to a total pro-life position without exceptions and without apology.
(Reading: “Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund announces endorsements“; Pro-Life Wisconsin Monday Update, 10/28/02)
(Contact: , 262-796-1111)
violence
MICHIGAN: A sixteen year-old girl faces second-degree murder charges after she reportedly drowned her newborn baby in a hospital toilet.
(Reading: “Teen faces charges for baby’s toilet death,” WDIV-TV, 10/28/02; to read about Michigan’s Safe Delivery Act, which could have protected this child if the mother had merely walked away from the baby, see “Model SOG available for Safe Delivery Act,” State of Michigan)
world youth alliance
GET INVOLVED: The World Youth Alliance focuses on generating youthful involvement in pro-life affairs around the world. Visit online to learn more.
reflection for prayer
POPE PIUS XII: On the question of whether or not an intrinsically immoral act like contraception or abortion can ever be moral, Pope Pius XII said: “no ‘indication’ or need can convert an act which is intrinsically immoral into a moral and lawful one.”
(Reading: “Address midwives on the nature of their profession,” Pope Pius XII)
RACHEL’S VINEYARD MINISTRIES: In this season of [post-abortion] retreats, hurting people around the country are seeing bulletin notices, looking at the Rachel’s Vineyard web page or thinking about calling that memorable toll-free number (877-HOPE-4-ME) they saw on a poster in their laundromat two years ago. Holy Spirit, please come to them, bless them with courage and soothe any anxieties about making that first contact. “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink?” (John 18:11)
Lord, as these retreatants and team members gather together this evening to share the cup of bitterness, may they each receive the strength and inspiration to do whatever it is that You individually call them to this weekend. If someone needs to grieve so deeply that her body is wracked with painful, wrenching sobs, lift her up to accept this cup. If someone needs to tell a part of her story that she finds so shameful that she fears utter rejection if she reveals it, lift her up to accept this cup. If a quiet and reserved person is nudged by your Holy Spirit to share an insight that will be healing to another, lift her up to do this. If team members need to do the sometimes hard work of trusting each other more and more, and trusting You more, let this cup not pass from their lips. May the Holy Spirit with infinite love and mercy lay the hand of complete renewal on each of them. Amen.
(Reading: Prayer for retreatants, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries)