in this issue:
hot button issues: CATHOLIC CRUSADE
abortion: RU-486 / INFORMED CONSENT
activism: LIFE CHAIN / MINNESOTA
campaign for human development: FUNDING THE CULTURE OF DEATH
catholic teaching: CONTRACEPTION
coma: ARCHIVES
congress: RIGHT TO LIFE ACT
health care: HOPELESS?
personhood: ARCHIVES
selective reduction: EMBRYO EVALUATION
zinger: HOLLY’S DAD
reflection for prayer: THOMAS A KEMPIS
hot button issues
CATHOLIC CRUSADE: American Life League is running an ad campaign pointing out that the three leading contenders in the California gubernatorial recall election (Gov. Gray Davis, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger) are all pro-abortion, despite the fact that they also claim to be faithful Catholics.
(Reading: “California’s Unholy Trinity,” American Life League news release, 9/30/03; “Hasta la vista, babies,” American Life League newspaper ad, 9/30/03)
abortion
RU-486: In the wake of Holly Patterson’s death, pro-life groups have joined together in an appeal to the FDA to suspend distribution of the drug and reconsider its approval.
(Reading: “CWA calls on FDA to act after another woman dies from abortion pill,” Concerned Women for America news release, 9/22/03; “New death raises old question about RU-486,” Washington Dispatch, 9/26/03)
INFORMED CONSENT: The North Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a woman who wanted the Fargo abortion clinic to warn clients about potential breast cancer risks did not have the authority to make the claim.
(Reading: “Court upholds dismissal of suit over abortion clinic’s brochure,” Bismarck Tribune, 9/29/03)
(Background: John Kindley, J.D.)
activism
LIFE CHAIN: It’s this Sunday! See National Life Chain.
MINNESOTA: United for Life is sponsoring a one-day conference on Jan. 31, 2004, featuring Camille DiBlasi. For details, write to P.O. Box 443, St. Francis, MN 55070 or call 651-257-8346. Registration is $5 prior to Jan. 5. Info is not on line.
campaign for human development
FUNDING THE CULTURE OF DEATH: An expose on the Campaign for Human Development’s purported ties with organizations identified with abortion rights and other questionable causes, “Shooting ourselves in the feet: how one of the most potent weapons serving the culture of death lies in the pockets of catholic donors,” has been published by Stephanie Block.
(Reading: “Shooting themselves in the feet: How one of the most potent weapons serving the ‘Culture of Death’ lies in the pockets of Catholic donors,” Catholic Citizens of Illinois, 9/15/03)
catholic teaching
CONTRACEPTION: A six-part series on Catholic teaching with regard to contraception by Father William P. Saunders may be found online. (Reading: “Church teaching on contraception,” Arlington Catholic Herald, 7/10/03)
coma
ARCHIVES: In view of the debate over Terri Schiavo and similar cases, it is timely to read Dr. James Mccague’s experiences with “unresponsive” patient Henry Baker.
(Reading: “Why I talk to comatose patients,” Medical Economics, 1/26/98)
congress
RIGHT TO LIFE ACT: Congressman Duncan Hunter has introduced HR 3069H, a bill “to implement equal protection under the fourteenth article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person. Human person is defined: “Human being: The terms ‘human person’ and ‘human being’ include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including, but not limited to, the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” See Library of Congress and search by bill number.
health care
HOPELESS? Nancy Valko, RN, recommends the ARDS web site for personal stories of patients whose family members did not terminate their ventilator, even after the doctor told them the patient was “hopeless.” In these stories, the patient survived.
personhood
ARCHIVES: In 1984, Dr. Richard Sosnowski wrote, “I do not deem it excellent to play semantic gymnastics in a profession. I find such terms as ‘menstrual extraction’ and ‘menstrual regulation’ unacceptable, as well as the whole idea behind their usage, that is, to avoid anybody’s having to recognize the fact that they may have been aborted. To me, this is representative of today’s permissive society, which almost never teaches the individual to be responsible for his or her conduct.
“It is equally troublesome to me that, with no scientific evidence to validate the change, the definition of conception as the successful spermatic penetration of an ovum was redefined as the implantation of a fertilized ovum. It appears to me that the only reason for this was the dilemma produced by the possibility that the intrauterine contraceptive device might function as an abortifacient. Now that the intrauterine contraceptive device has lost popularity and in vitro fertilization has become the focus of our attention, will we change the definition again?
“Recognizing all of the arguments that have been promoted and empathizing with most of them, I nevertheless personally find no excellence in managing the problems of unplanned pregnancies by destroying them.”
(Reading: “The pursuit of excellence,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 9/15/84)
selective reduction
EMBRYO EVALUATION: A news report observes “Genetic diseases can be stopped in the laboratory by separating health embryos from defective ones.” The procedure, preimplantation genetic diagnosis is unethical and immoral.
(Reading: “Technology births controversy,” Ohio Beacon Journal, 9/26/03)
(Background: “Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis,” American Life League)
zinger
HOLLY’S DAD: Following the death of his 18-year-old daughter (see abortion: RU-486 above), Monty Patterson told San Francisco’s KRON-TV that he “takes no position in the abortion debate, but wants a thorough investigation of the drug to be sure it’s safe and that it’s administered with clinical care in a supportive environment.”
(Reading: “Ban sought after teen’s RU-486 death,” KRON-TV, 10/1/03)
reflection for prayer
THOMAS A KEMPIS: There is then no sanctity if Thou, O Lord, withdraw Thy hand. No wisdom avails if Thou cease to govern us. No strength is of any help if Thou support us not. No chastity is secure without Thy protection. No guard that we can keep upon ourselves will profit us if Thy holy providence watch not over us. For if we are left to ourselves we sink and we perish; but if Thou visit us we are raised up and we live. For we are unsettled, but by Thee we are strengthened; we are tepid, but by Thee we are inflamed.
(Reading: “Imitation of Christ,” Book III, Chapter 14, Section 2)