JUDIE BROWN COMMENTARY

When I was growing up, my mother’s mother, Grandma Baldi, was a remarkable woman who I loved dearly and have only fond memories of, even to this day.

It was like a breath of fresh air this morning to read a recent New York Times article regarding an effort apparently being pursued by the Bush administration, entitled “Abortion proposal sets condition on aid.”

It was heartening to read the report from the Philippines about Archbishop Jesus Armamento Dosados, who has emphatically declared that pro-abortion public figures who claim to be Catholic may not receive Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Just last evening, while on a family vacation, my husband and I saw a television special regarding the selling of little children in various provinces of China.

The recent debate in the media over whether or not Viagra has the same status for health insurance purposes as the birth control pill is an interesting one.

As a Catholic pro-life leader, I am frequently overwhelmed by the macabre nature of the news I read, especially when for one reason or another, we at American Life League become part of that news.

When abortion-rights advocates even consider the question of whether mothers who have had an abortion experience a negative after-effect, there’s bound to be a rumble or two.

You may recall the incredibly insightful encyclical issued by Pope John Paul II on March 25, 1995: Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).

Call it a hunch, but those of us at American Life League who have been studying pharmaceutical giant Merck’s marketing plan for Gardasil, commonly known on television by its “one less” mantra, have been suspicious for some time.

It seems to me that I write more often these days about members of the Catholic hierarchy who are, in one way or another, presiding over the decaying structure once synonymous with the Catholic Church’s perceived power.

Late last week, a Houston, Texas teenager indicted in the death of her newborn baby was remanded to state custody until her case comes to trial. Due to the fact that she is a minor her name has been withheld, but that is not really the crux of this report.

A recent report regarding why women choose the type of abortion they will have includes some interesting facts that could help us more effectively discuss what abortion does to a child with those who think they really want an abortion.