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Volume 6, Number 15   April 13, 2009

National Pro-life T-shirt Week
Every abortion kills a living human being - that is a fact. From the first moment of creation, when that human being is but a single cell, all the way to the moment of birth, there is a human person who is undergoing a period of remarkable growth and development. Abortion stops that miraculous growth cold and robs the world of all that child would have accomplished. That child is just gone.

National Pro-life T-shirt Week is organized by American Life League with the intent to increase awareness of abortion and the reality of how many innocent babies are murdered every day.  Primarily, we are concerned with getting people to think of the child as a person from the first moment of his or her biological development. It is much harder to murder a person than it is to "remove a lump of cells," and it is only when we finally get the nation thinking in those terms that we will be able to make abortion a crime, as it should be.

Just by wearing the T-shirt and being out there in public, you can help to accomplish that goal!  Visit www.npltw.com!

Tip of the month – Parent Power
"School District #3" continued, An Analysis of Planned Parenthood’s Family Life Education Program
From Parent Power!! By Jim Sedlak

Last month we told readers about a Family Life Education program implemented in School District #3 by Planned Parenthood and pointed out that, despite protests from parents, these programs often make their way into schools because of high local teen pregnancy or STD rates.  Often FLE programs are pushed as a good for the entire community when, in fact, they have been proven failures throughout the country.

Parents in School District #3 were making progress with the school superintendent who arranged for a follow-up meeting about the FLE program and who did commit to making changes including the removal of contraceptive-pushing class sessions.  The superintendent opened the next meeting by stating that he was deeply concerned by the parents’ accusation about what the course was teaching the children.  He, himself, had talked with two teenage girls who had been through the course and asked each of them what message they had gotten from the program.  He said that both girls told him that they had clearly gotten the message that it is okay to have pre-marital sex, as long as they didn’t get pregnant!

The superintendent assured the parents that he had personally been involved with the starting of the course and that the message the children were getting was never the intention of the course.  He also revealed that the parts of the program that pushed contraceptive use where not part of the original program.  The FLE director, who remained relatively quiet during this meeting, stated that the course had been updated and refined each year and that not every change was reviewed with school officials.

*** A note of warning:  this “updating and refining” of courses is one of the reasons parents cannot trust that even a pure biology course will always remain “good.”  STOPP has frequently found Planned Parenthood people willing to implement any program and then work to change it later when the heat is off and the parents are no longer watching what is going on.  Protecting our children is a constant battle.  We must always remember that!

The meeting proceeded calmly until the superintendent told the parents that he would definitely see to it that changes were made in the program.  At this, the representative of the school PTA objected loudly.  She wanted to know how the superintendent could make such a statement to these few parents when she represented all the parents in the district and the PTA supported the program as it stood.

The superintendent did not answer this charge and kept talking with the parents.  He said that the district had already planned a committee to rewrite the curriculum and wanted the parents to participate as members of the committee.  The parents agreed to participate, but reminded the superintendent that their goal was to remove the curriculum from the school, not just to change the wording of it.  They also stated their vehement objection to the involvement of Planned Parenthood in this program.  They further stated their objection to Planned Parenthood’s connection to a planned Wellness Center they had learned about between meetings.

The superintendent told the parents that the school would end all links between the Wellness Center and Planned Parenthood.  In addition, he agreed to stop the practice of having Planned Parenthood train the teachers in the FLE program!  This break in the influence of Planned Parenthood was considered the first objective and it was obtained through diligent work, a clear presentation of the facts and, most importantly, a lot of help from God.

Next Month:  Additional community ties and more on the Wellness Center

News

Union City pastor, anti-abortion leader released from jail
OAKLAND -- After 18 days in jail for violating a city law designed to protect women entering abortion clinics, a Berkeley church elder went free Tuesday with a wider, louder network of anti-abortion supporters than before he went to trial. The sidewalk near Jack London Square that Walter Hoye patrolled weekly — accompanied by two elderly church women — drew a crowd of a few dozen protesters for another in a series of vigils aimed at painting the law as an attack on free speech. Now, as Hoye pushes to reverse a judge's order to stay away from the clinic, his backers said the city's year-old "bubble law" — which bans approaching within eight feet of a potential client trying to enter a clinic — has backfired.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12092595?source=rss

Baby named Faith defies doctor's predictions for anencephaly and thrives six weeks after birth
A 23 year-old single mother named Myah Walker has created a blog to record the first weeks of the life of her newborn daughter. Faith Hope Walker was born a little over six weeks ago and her mother's blog features photos and videos of the child whom doctors predicted would not live more than a few minutes or hours after birth.

Myah writes, "Contrary to pretty much everything that the medical community believes about anencephaly, Faith is functioning at the same level as any 'normal' baby of her age ... The only error here is the false information that doctors are being taught about anencephaly in med schools."
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040709.html

Hundreds of babies saved from abortion in recent pro-life campaign
As the 40 Days for Life Campaign nears the completion of its spring session, its leaders claim to have helped saved nearly four hundred babies from abortion. Organizers are now judging the campaign’s effects and considering how to extend its success.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15623

White House confirms it got two million red envelopes
The White House mail office has confirmed it received a "deluge" of as many as 2.25 million red envelopes symbolizing the empty promise of lives snuffed out in abortion in a massive campaign that was larger than most White House mailing movements in the last 35 years.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94142

Doctor shocks Oprah with news of ethical stem cell successes
Dr. Oz tells Oprah and embryonic stem cell proponent Michael J. Fox that treatment for Parkinson’s will come through ethical stem cell research.
http://www.citizenlink.org/videofeatures/A000009758.cfm

Limb-saving trial shows promise
In November 2007, Roper Hospital began a randomized trial for a stem cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries. The disease, which chokes extremities of oxygen-rich blood, can be related to smoking, diabetes or hypertension. The treatment takes a patient's own bone marrow stem cells and injects them into the affected limb, where they build new blood vessels.
http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/apr/05/limb_saving_trial_shows_promise77681/

Closing Thought

“IF we Christians really lived in accordance with our faith, the greatest revolution of all times would take place.  The effectiveness of our co-redemption depends on each one of us.”

In Conversation with God, II:179

Volume 6, No. 14

April 6, 2009                                                                                                          

National Pro-life T-shirt Week
This year, we want as many people to get involved with National Pro-Life T-shirt Week as possible. How are we going to do that? We're going to get  you  out of the house and into the streets to help spread the message of Personhood to the public.  American Life League is holding our first ever "Yo! Where's the shirt?" Photo Contest.

The NPLTW web site is now accepting registrations for this contest and will soon contain a list of “tasks” for you to accomplish while wearing your pro-life gear.  For every “task” you complete, you’ll receive points.  The more “tasks” you complete, the more points you earn. 

Simple, right? How will we know you actually completed the task? Easy! You'll be posting a photo of yourself in action on the site! Once you've registered and your photo has been approved, you're in the contest. All contestants will be tracked on our leader board.

The contest is going to run from 12:01a.m. on April 28 through 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2009. At the end of the week, the three pro-lifers with the most points will win some awesome stuff, things like pro-life T-shirts, hats, CD's and much more.

Make sure you get your official 2009 NPLTW shirt and register for the "Yo! Where's the shirt?" photo contest. It's going to be a great way for you and your friends to educate the public about Personhood.

And … there are still NPLTW postcards available for you to distribute!  This 4” x 6” postcard includes the NPLTW web address, a picture of this year’s NPLTW T-shirt and information on the contest.  For a supply of these cards, contact our Resources Department at 1-866-538-5483.  Spread the word!

From Associates

Children of God for Life
Once again, there are numerous media reports on the latest “stem cell reprogramming” breakthrough.  And, once again, Debi Vinnedge is helping us to understand that this research is NOT pro-life. 

The fact that adult somatic (body) cells have been “re-programmed” to mimic or act like embryonic stem cells is true.  However, the research involved the use of genes obtained from both embryonic and aborted fetal cell lines!  The research is published in the on-line magazine Science at
http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/blog.jsp?type=blog&o_url=blog/display/55548&id=55548.

Debi also notes that the publication of this study does not follow the normal protocol for publishing a valid scientific study in that the lead researcher does not describe in detail his methodology as all scientists normally do when preparing valid reports. 

See Debi’s article at http://www.cogforlife.org/reprogramstemcellThomson0309.htm

Tip of the Month – Vital Organ Removal
By Paul A. Byrne, M.D., Richard G. Nilges, M.D. and Walt F. Weaver, M.D.

You’ve probably seen TV commercials, billboards and magazine articles encouraging you to give the “gift of life” through vital organ donation.  It saves lives and gives meaning to a wasteful, tragic death.  But before you fill out an organ donor card, here are a few things to think about.

Vital organs are those organs like the heart, liver, lungs and pancreas that are necessary for life.  In order to be suitable for transplant, they need to be removed from the donor before respiration and circulation cease.  Otherwise these organs are not suitable, since damage occurs within a brief time after the circulation of oxygenated blood stops.  Removing vital organs from a living person prior to cessation of circulation and respiration will cause death.

Portions of some vital organs can be removed without causing death of the donor; for example, one of two kidneys, a lobe of a liver or a lobe of a lung.  But certain other vital organs, like the heart, cannot be removed without killing the donor.

Since vital organs are not useful once the person is dead, and taking them causes death, how is vital organ removal possible?  This is where “brain death,” which we discussed last month (http://all.org/associates/news.htm), comes into play.  Legally “brain-dead” patients are considered corpses or cadavers, and are called such by organ retrieval networks.  The “corpses” can be used for teaching, for trying out new procedures and for vital organ harvesting. 

The federal government is deeply involved in transplant programs for reasons that are unclear.  A federal mandate issued in 1998 states that physicians, nurses, pastors and other health-care workers may not speak to a family of a potential organ donor about transplantation without first obtaining approval from the regional organ retrieval system. 

If there is the possibility of vital organs available for transplant, a trained “designated requester” visits with the family first, even if the family adamantly opposes organ donation.  If someone at the hospital speaks to the family first, the hospital risks losing its accreditation and/or federal funding.

Why the “designated requester”?  Studies show that these people have greater success obtaining permission for organ donation.  They are trained to sell the concept using emotionally-laden phrases such as “gift of life” and other similar platitudes, all empty of any true meaning.

Take a moment to ponder the following:

• Why can health insurance cover intensive care costs on “brain dead” patients?

• Why do “brain dead” patients often receive intravenous fluids, antibiotics, ventilator care and other life support measures?

• Why do “brain dead” organ donors often receive anesthesia and other drugs to stop natural physical responses when they are undergoing vital organ harvesting?

• How can “brain dead” patients have normal body functions, including vital signs, if they’re dead?

• How can a “brain dead” pregnant mother deliver a normal, healthy infant?

• Why does a ventilator work on a “brain dead” person, but not on a dead person?

• Why is it wrong to carry out burial or cremation of a “brain dead” person?

• Are “brain dead” persons really dead?

• Are they alive?

Maybe “brain dead” people are useless by society’s standards.  They can’t work, play, contribute to the community or even enjoy a certain “quality” of life.  So why not let them contribute the only way they can: by using their vital organs to help someone else who can contribute to society, someone who can enjoy a better lifestyle?

Because it is not up to us to decide who has the right to live … and who must die!

Next month:  The Ventilator

News

FDA ordered to rethink age restriction for Plan B
A federal judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its 2006 decision to deny girls younger than 18 access to the morning-after pill Plan B without a prescription.
 
U.S. District Judge Edward R. Korman in New York instructed the agency to make Plan B available to 17-year-old girls within 30 days and to review whether to make the emergency contraceptive available to all ages without a doctor's order.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032301275.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Pregnancy centers, not abortion clinics, best solution to financial crisis, pro-life leaders say
Responding to reports that more financially troubled women are seeking abortions, pro-life leaders have criticized the "pseudo-compassion" which presents abortion as an answer to personal economic turmoil. Emphasizing that abortion signals that women’s needs are not being met, they called for more help for pregnant mothers, pregnancy centers and fathers.
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=94592

The empty promise of embryonic stem cell research
There is no right more fundamental than the right to life. There is no realm in which more exciting progress has been made than that of science. And the two are not inherently opposed to one another. I am a Christian who believes that life begins at conception and that a human embryo is human life. Therefore, I believe it is morally wrong to create human life to destroy it for research. Not only that, I believe it is morally wrong to take the tax dollars of millions of pro-life Americans, who believe that life is sacred, and use it to fund the destruction of human embryos for research.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/marchweb-only/112-11.0.html

Closing Thought

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body."  Then he took a cup, gave thanks,  and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father."

Matthew 26:26-29

Volume 6, Number 12                                                                                                                   Monday, March 23, 2009

Action Item
Pharmacists for Life International, as well as other Associate groups, is passing along the following information in an effort to protect conscience rights for healthcare workers.  Please take a moment to read and respond.

The frontal assault on our conscience rights has begun.

On Tuesday, March 10, the Obama Administration officially began the process of rescinding the HHS Regulations written specifically to protect the rights  of health-care providers to not be forced to perform or refer for abortions. These HHS regulations were written in part because of the urgent need for pro-life ob/gyns to be protected from the pro-abortion activism of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as expressed in Ethics Statement # 385.

The HHS Regulations are a summary of several statutes which Congress passed over the past three decades—the Church Amendments, the Hoekstra-Coates Law, and most recently the Hyde-Weldon Law passed in 2004. These statutes were designed to protect provider conscience rights. The HHS regulation simply clarifies the existing laws, which declare that American tax dollars will not fund programs in which health-care professionals are fired, penalized or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of their ethical stance related to performing or referring for abortion, and other morally controversial issues.

Abortion advocates are misrepresenting the HHS Regulations as threatening the lives of women who will die because they can't get emergency abortions, and arguing that women won't be able to get contraception. These are absurd arguments, and have nothing to do with the actual statues cited, or with the wording of the HHS Regulations.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates are also arguing that if doctors and other health-care professionals are not forced to perform or refer for abortions, access to health-care services for women will be restricted. In reality, many health-care providers will leave the industry altogether if forced to violate their moral convictions, thereby reducing access to health-care services across the board.

In addition, without the conscience protection regulation, providers opposed to participating in abortion remain susceptible to intolerance and coercion from employers with conflicting beliefs, and to possible lawsuits from outside organizations.

Last week, the Office of Management and Budget announced they were reviewing a proposal to repeal the rule. Starting Tuesday, March 10, the American people have 30 days to voice their opinions on the matter.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER WRITTEN AN E-MAIL IN YOUR LIFE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!

A coalition of pro-life medical organizations has launched the web site, www.Freedom2Care.org, which serves the essential function of allowing patients, pharmacists and other professionals to submit their comments demanding that the federal regulations protecting conscience not be revoked.

www.Freedom2Care.org provides a portal whereby you can register your comments at HHS, in accordance with the criteria that HHS is collecting. 

Web site visitors have three options:  1) A pre-written comment crafted for healthcare providers, 2) a pre-written comment for patients and 3) the option of writing a personal comment.  It is also collecting stories of discrimination so that Freedom2Care can have more proof that discrimination of conscience is a very real threat.  Additionally, visitors have the opportunity to have their comments forwarded to lawyers who perform pro-bono work.  Please visit today and submit your comments.

Tip of the Month – More on Stem Cells

Portions reprinted from “Understanding Stem Cell Science” by Peter Hollands, Ph.D. which first appeared in the January/February 2008 issue of Celebrate Life

Stem cells appear in the news on a regular basis, but the debate seems to be continually fogged by a general lack of understanding about the technology under discussion.  In terms of current and future potential human therapeutic applications, stem cell technology is basically split into two areas:  embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. 

Human embryonic stem cells are derived from human embryos using a technique first developed in mice by Martin Evans, for which he received the 2007 Nobel Prize for Medicine.  This technology basically involves taking a human egg and fertilizing it in vitro.  The resultant embryo grows for the next five days to a blastocyst, which is a hollow ball of around 120 cells with a concentration of cells at one pole called the inner cell mass.  It is the inner cell mass which, if left alone, would go on to form the human fetus and it is the inner cell mass from which embryonic stem cells are derived.  The embryologist uses micro-instruments to dissect the inner cell mass from the rest of the embryo and the cells are then disaggregated and placed on top of further “feeder cells” (usually of animal origin) in another dish.  The dissected inner-cell-mass cells then grow on and form embryonic stem cells capable, in theory, of making every tissue in the body.

This process clearly requires the creation and destruction of a human embryo, so all of the associated moral ethical, legal and religious objections apply.  In the early days, it was claimed that “spare” embryos frozen in IVF clinics around the world would provide enough embryos for this technology.  It rapidly became clear that this was not the case and alternative technologies began to develop in attempts to minimize objections and create more embryonic stem cells.

In therapeutic cloning, an adult stem cell (like a skin cell, for example) is placed inside a human egg which has had the nucleus removed.  It is artificially stimulated to divide, resulting in a growing embryo.  The embryonic stem cells are then extracted from this embryo as previously described.  The first stumbling block to this technology is obtaining human eggs and that has proved far more difficult than first imagined.

In an attempt to solve the problem of obtaining human eggs for therapeutic cloning, it has been suggested to use animal eggs instead.  Here the animal egg’s nucleus is removed and an adult stem cell added, stimulated to divide and develop.  The problem with this method is that, even after removal of the animal nucleus, there still remains animal DNA within the animal egg (inside mitochondria).  These means that a therapeutic clone produced this way is part animal!

Parthenogenesis is the artificial activation of an egg to begin developing as an embryo without any fertilization or the introduction of an adult cell.  The problems here are again the availability of eggs for such a procedure, but, more importantly, scientists worry about the safety and stability of cells created in such a way.

Embryonic stem cells are therefore derived from the developing embryo and, in their creation, the embryonic human is destroyed.  Embryonic stem cells are currently being created, frozen and banked at various centers around the world. 

The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 signed last week by our president included what is known as the Dickey-Wicker Amendment and states that federal funds may not be used for the “creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes.”  Neither can federal funds be used to conduct “research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded or knowingly subjected to risk of injury.”

However, because the president, two days earlier, signed an executive order lifting restrictions placed on embryonic stem cell research in 2001, federal funds may still be used to conduct human embryonic stem cell research as long as those stem cells were taken from human embryos killed by private sources and/or with private funding. 

The pro-life community must speak up to put a halt to this sanctioned killing. There are viable and effective alternatives to human embryonic stem cell research that must be expanded. Stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood and adult tissues are but two of the morally acceptable avenues that have shown great promise.

Any person who considers himself pro-life must recognize the inhumanity of human embryonic stem cell research and persuade lawmakers to bring this practice to an end. We can never build a true culture of life when we allow the most vulnerable and innocent of our society to be sacrificed.

News

FDA approves Female Health's women's condom
The Female Health Company has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's FC2 Female Condom to help protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/03/11/ap6155839.html

Studies find contraception makes women obese and newborns too thin
University of Ottawa researchers have found that women who conceive within a month of taking birth-control pills tend to have premature babies or babies with a low birth weight. At the same time, another study from the University of Texas has revealed that users of the contraceptive "shot" are significantly more likely than other women to become obese.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030907.html

Study: Women who use birth control pill 1.5 times more likely to develop bowel disease
A study on the role of oral contraceptives in the cause of inflammatory bowel disease, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, found that women who use the pill are one and a half times more likely to develop Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis  than women who have not used oral contraceptives.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031311.html

Researchers suggest insufficient evidence of efficacy of HPV vaccine
There is not enough evidence to confidently state that two popular vaccines against the human papillomavirus will reliably prevent against the development of cervical cancer, according to two articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine. "Despite great expectations and promising results of clinical trials, we still lack sufficient evidence of an effective vaccine against cervical cancer," wrote Charlotte J. Haug, editor of The Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, in the first article. "With so many essential questions still unanswered, there is good reason to be cautious."
http://www.naturalnews.com/025817.html

Closing Thought

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

Luke 23:34

Dear ALL Associate groups,

Next week, on March 25, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Annunciation.

As we have in previous years, American Life League will be having a special Solemn High Mass said that day by our spiritual director for the safe delivery of all babies in the womb.

There is an opportunity to have specific babies and their mothers remembered at the Mass.

You can go to our website at: http://www.all.org/fa and read all the details. There is also a form to fill out to give the names of babies and their mothers that are to be remembered at the Mass.

This Mass is NOT for babies in danger of abortion. This Mass is for *every* baby now in their mother’s womb and their safe delivery.

Please spread this to everyone on your e-mail list so we can have a long list of babies and their mothers for the Mass intentions.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

Leslie Tignor
Director, Associate Program
American Life League
P. O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA 22555
540-659-7900
LTignor@ALL.org

ALL ASSOCIATES

Volume 6, Number 10                                                                                                                    March 9, 2009

Prayer Requests

Please continue to keep the participants of the 40 Days for Life Campaign in your prayers; they are doing tremendous work and lives are being saved!

Also, please keep in your prayers United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy – that his heart will be open to the Holy Spirit in the event that a definitive pro-life case comes before the Supreme Court.

Tip of the Month – Brain Death

American Life League was recently honored with the opportunity to co-sponsor (along with HLI, the Italian organization Associazione Famiglia Domani and other groups) the “Signs of Life” conference during the last week of February near the Vatican.  The conference addressed the growing opinion in academia, medicine and even the Church that “brain death” is a legitimate diagnosis.  The conference speakers, including eminent neurologists, jurors, philosophers and bioethicists, were united in their denunciation of the "brain death" criteria as a tool in the determination of death.

Dr. Paul Byrne, the conference organizer, said he was delighted with the success of the conference and that he hoped the conference would bring the message that "brain death is not death" inside the walls of the Vatican where support for "brain death" criteria is still strong.

ALL staff was further honored to have Dr. Paul Byrne at its headquarters last week for a presentation on the topic and an overview of the conference.

As such, we wanted to share with you portions of “Understanding Brain Death,” a pamphlet available through ALL Resources and co-authored by Dr. Byrne:

From Understanding Brain Death
By Paul A. Byrne, M.D., Richard G. Nilges, M.D. and Walt F. Weaver, M.D.

“Brain death” revolves around a person’s being dead enough to have vital organs legally removed yet not dead enough to be cremated or buried.  Organ transplantation is the main reason “brain death” was devised. 

The person is declared to be “brain dead,” but then is treated as alive.  He or she is declared to be “brain dead” based on the absence of some brain functions, but the heart is beating, blood pressure can be recorded and when the knee is tapped, the knee jerk is present.  The skin color is normal, blanches when pressure is applied and returns to normal color when pressure is removed.  Suction and postural drainage are done to prevent pneumonia.  The patient is turned to prevent bedsores. 

Is the person dead?  How can a cadaver develop pneumonia or a bed sore?  If the answer is no, then the patient is still alive and must be treated as such.  If the answer is unknown, one is not free to remove vital organs and possibly kill a living person.  If the answer is yes, then the question is, which set of criteria was used to make the determination of “death”?

Brain-related criteria for death revolve around three types of observations.  The first is clinical observation of absence of certain brain functions (e.g., shining a light in the eye and observing no response of the pupil).  Another is doing an electroencephalogram, or EEG, which is a recording of electrical activity from the surface of the brain.  Little or no information is obtained from deeper in the brain.  (Some criteria do not even include the EEG.)  A third method is a technique used to evaluate absence of circulation to the brain.  These circulatory tests are not absolute and, at times, might actually result in the side effect of spasm of the vessels causing what is being searched for – no circulation!

“Brain death” criteria determine only cessation of function, not destruction of even the brain, much less destruction or death of the person.  Brain-related criteria are not based on valid scientific data and there are more than 40 sets of criteria. 

To say that a patient with a beating heart, normal pulse, normal blood pressure, normal coloring and a normal temperature is dead is false.  To remove an unpaired vital organ prior to true death is ethically and morally unacceptable.  If brain-related criteria are not based on valid scientific data, removal of an unpaired vital organ results in death. 

A human being is a person throughout life.  Attributes of a living human being include thinking, judging, loving, willing and acting.  When it is predicted that a particular living human being will not be capable of demonstrating these attributes again, this living human being does not become a non-person.  He or she is still a living human person with human rights. 

Great care must be taken not to declare a person dead even one moment before death has actually occurred.  Death should be declared only after, not before, the fact.  To declare death prematurely is to commit a fundamental injustice.  A person is still alive, even a moment before death and must be treated as such.

Next month:  Vital Organ Removal

News

Swiss women abandoning the pill due to adverse health effects
The use of the contraceptive pill is plummeting among younger women, in response to growing awareness of its destructive health effects, reports a French bioethics site.  According to the site "Genetique," the use of "the pill" among women aged 15 to 24 years old dropped from 43% in 2003 to 26% in 2007.   The rate of childbirth among the same group increased at the same time.

"The principal reason for this decrease is the attention paid by women to their health," says Genetique. "It is now proven that the pill suppresses libido and causes weight gain.  The fear of cancer and sterility are equally responsible."  According to numerous studies on the effects of the contraceptive pill, its use is also linked to increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022704.html

Number of households with young children hits new low
The percentage of American households with children under 18 living at home last year hit the lowest point — 46% — in half a century, government data reported last week. The trend reflects the aging of the Baby Boom generation and younger women having fewer children, demographers say. "Baby Boomers have been a big force in driving a lot of different population dynamics," says Rose Kreider, a family demographer at the Census Bureau, which released the data. [T]he economy will continue to affect family size: When cash-strapped workers have fewer dollars to feed another mouth, couples are likely to have fewer children, or none.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-02-25-families-kids-home_N.htm

Stem cell research pays off for spinal cord injury patient
Michael Flounders, a 52 year old man from Fressingfield, England, broke his neck and suffered a spinal cord injury in a bad accident 20 years ago and thought he would never be able to walk again. However, thanks to the wonders of adult stem cell research and having his own adult stem cells implanted into his spinal cord in Ecuador, he now has aspirations of walking.
http://culture11.com/diary/37099?from=cw

Esophagus stem cell discovery
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in Philadelphia, have discovered stem cells in the esophagus of mice that are able to grow into tissue-like structures and form parts of an esophagus lining when placed into immune-deficient mice.  "The immediate implication is that we'll have a better understanding of the role of these stem cells in normal biology, as well as in regenerative and cancer biology," stated senior author Anil Rustgi, MD.
http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/editorial/content/editorial.aspx?cc=194526

Sex-selection and hair, skin and eye color in high demand from U.S. artificial reproduction companies
Demand for sex-selection for in vitro fertilization is "rapidly growing" according to many private IVF facilities in the US. In a CNN report on sex-selection and other genetic screening tests at the Fertility Institutes IVF facility in California, a spokesman for the Center for Genetics and Society said that the widespread practice of sex-selective IVF could open the door to "a society where there are new kinds of inequality and new kinds of discrimination, a world that we really would not want to live in."
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022707.html

Closing Thought

Persevere in imitating the virtues of him who, for love of us, was born in poverty, lived in poverty, and died in poverty upon a cross under the most fearful torments, in order to set us free from the slavery of the prince of darkness and reconcile us to his heavenly Father.

Saint Clare, quoted in February Magnificat, p. 284

 Pro-Life Today | 06 March 2009

Your National Daily News Wrap from American Life League! American Life League is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at kwalker@all.org.

HEADLINES

Parents Accuse Hospital of Killing Son to Harvest Organs
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030505.html
Life Site News
An Ohio couple filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing doctors of removing a breathing tube from their 18-year-old son, who had suffered a brain injury while skiing, in order to harvest his organs. Michael and Teresa Jacobs of Bellevue, Ohio, parents of Gregory Jacobs, maintain that their son's death was caused, not by his injury, but by doctors removing his breathing tube and administering unspecified medication in preparation for organ removal.  The charges were filed against Pittsburgh's Hamot Medical Center doctors and a representative of the Center For Organ Recovery and Education.
Archbishop Announces Excommunication of Doctor and Family Members for Abortion on Nine-Year-Old Girl

Calls abortion a "holocaust worse than the six million Jews, which we lament every year"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030601.html
Life Site News
The archbishop of the Brazilian city of Recife has announced the excommunication of a doctor who performed an abortion on a nine year old girl, as well as the family members who made the decision to carry out the procedure. The girl, whose name has not been revealed by the Brazilian media, was found to be pregnant with twins recently.  Her stepfather has confessed that he began molesting her at the age of three and that he is the father of the child.  He is under arrest pending an investigation of his relationship with his stepdaughter, as well as her 14-year-old sister.

Archbishop Naumann: "Offensive" Sebelius Nomination "Makes our Job as Bishops More Challenging"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030508.html 
Life Site News
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City weighed in on the nomination of abortion "champion" Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a member of his flock, to head the Health and Human Services Department.  In an interview Wednesday with Our Sunday Visitor, the archbishop said of the nomination: "From the Church's point of view, it's sad because it places another high-profile, pro-abortion Catholic into national leadership along with Vice President [Joe] Biden and Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi and a raft of others that are in the Congress."  He also said, "I personally find it offensive" that President Obama would choose a pro-legalized-abortion Catholic to head the HHS.

Listen to On the Edge Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. ET at www.NPLR.net

FEATURE STORY

YOUR CHANCE TO TAKE ACTION AND PROTECT CHRIST
By Judie Brown

Those who have followed the work of American Life League over the past five years, in particular, realize that we have taken up the cause of encouraging Catholic bishops to enforce Church Law, specifically Canon 915.

Why? I have not explained this in a while, so for the record let me explain it now. Catholics recognize, through our faith, the true body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ present in the sacrament of Holy Communion. When we receive Communion, we are literally receiving Christ into our bodies, our souls, and our hearts … every fiber of our being. We do so with reverence and humility to the extent that our sinful state permits.

We cannot SEE Christ, but we believe He is with us in this most holy Sacrament. In the books of Catholic Church Law, the Code of Canon Law, Volume IV, which is dedicated to the Sacraments and how they are to be administered, you will find Canon 915, which states

Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.

We have focused our attention specifically on the second part of the Church law that states that "others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." We know that the act of abortion is a manifest grave sin, and we know that as recently as 2004, Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, told all of the American Catholic bishops in a memorandum addressed to them

4. Apart from an individual's judgment about his worthiness to present himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion may find himself in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone, such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin (cf. can. 915).

5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person's formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church's teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

6. When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration "Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics" [2002], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment on the person's subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person's public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.

We are not brashly accusing bishops or attacking them when we ask them, therefore, to enforce Church law, for our understanding of this particular law is the same as that of Cardinal Ratzinger. Those in public life who display "obstinate persistence" do not deserve to receive the body and blood of Christ because giving them the sacrament is exposing Christ to sacrilege and compounding the sinful nature of the individual pro-abortion public figure's soul. Of that, there is no doubt.

So why haven't the American Catholic bishops understood this in the same way we do? Why haven't they, not to mention every Catholic priest, and Catholic deacon, and extraordinary minister enforced this clear and succinct Church Law? We do not know, but we do not intend to cease our efforts to see that this law is enforced.

Having said that, I also want to add that we are eternally grateful to the sixteen American Catholic bishops who have stood up and acted in defense of Christ. We applaud their courage and praise God for their actions.

The sad reality is, however, that the vast majority of Catholic bishops have not made the commitment to protect Christ from sacrilege by enforcing Canon 915. This is the main reason why we are grateful to our fellow Catholics at the PewSitter web site, for initiating an outstanding petition, focused on this specific Canon Law and addressing it to the bishops of the United States.

//// American Life League encourages you to read the Petition to Withhold Holy Communion, posted below. Go to the web site location of the petition, and add your name to the growing number of Catholics who are making it perfectly clear that the following two fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church inspire us to stand up and proclaim the truth: Christ is truly present in Holy Communion and must be protected from sacrilege. And, the act of abortion is an act of murder; it takes the life of an innocent human being.

In the United States there has been, and continues to be, an ongoing disregard, by prominent Catholics in public life, of the Church's teaching on a variety of serious moral issues including abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, homosexual "marriage", and human embryonic stem cell research to name a few.

Whereas, many of these prominent Catholics not only disregard the Church's teachings on these issues, but also actively and publicly promote policies and legislation that undermines, opposes and contradicts the Church on these serious moral issues.

Whereas, the Catholic Church has given the local bishop, every ordained Catholic priest and deacon the authority to deal with such manifestations of public disobedience to the Church's teachings.

Whereas, Catholics understand, support and respect the behind-the-scenes dialogue and diplomacy that goes on by our bishops and their priests, with prominent Catholics, to reconcile them with the Church and further recognize that as a Church, it is our strong preference to resolve such issues in private.

However, when prominent Catholics persevere in public, manifest grave sin – it becomes obligatory for a bishop, an ordained priest and/or deacon to take decisive public action and enforce Canon 915 by denying Holy Communion.

The bishop's, ordained Catholic priest's, deacon's, or extraordinary Eucharistic minister's obligation to withhold Communion not only protects the Holy Eucharist from sacrilege, but in addition it is an act of charity intended to protect the prominent Catholic's soul from the possibility of grave sin.

Whereas, bishops, ordained Catholic priests, deacons or extraordinary Eucharistic ministers who do not withhold Communion from such prominent Catholics that obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin, leave the impression such actions are condoned, or at least tolerated, and thereby perpetuate this scandal.

Whereas I, YOUR NAME, a faithful Catholic residing within the diocese of YOUR DIOCESE do find the reception of Holy Communion by these prominent Catholics to be scandalous; that it sets an example that will undoubtedly mislead others into participating, condoning and justifying these same immoral activities.

Whereas I fear for the souls of prominent Catholics in public office who risk further grave sin by receiving the Eucharist unworthily.

Whereas, Canon 212 '3, states that the Catholic faithful have ...the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.

Be it therefore resolved in accordance with Canon 212 '3 , that I, YOUR NAME, do petition my bishop, YOUR BISHOP, to extinguish this scandal by withholding Holy Communion from those prominent Catholics who reside in this diocese, and are in a state of public, manifest grave sin, as stipulated in Canon 915 by enforcing Church law and by requiring that each ordained priest, deacon and extraordinary Eucharistic minister in your care do likewise.

So go now to www.pewsitter.com/petition and sign today!

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2514

 
Your host, Eric Martin, and co-hosts Michael Hichborn, Katie Walker and Michael Barnett will educate, motivate, mobilize and often entertain you for 60 minutes every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. ET on NPLR.net, as well as other Internet and AM radio stations that rebroadcast the show.

ALL ASSOCIATES

Volume 6,

Number 9  

March 2,  2009

National Pro-life T-shirt Week!  April 28-May 4
Yes, you read that correctly - National Pro-life T-shirt Week.  Given the tremendous success of ALL's National Pro-life T-shirt Day over the past six years, we decided to leap forward and make it a week. Imagine how many babies will be saved when we, as a movement, are a visible witness for seven straight days!

Every abortion kills a living human being - that is a fact. From the first moment of creation, when that human being is but a single cell, all the way to the moment of birth, there is a child that is undergoing a period of remarkable growth and development. Abortion stops that miraculous growth cold and robs the world of all that child would have accomplished. That child is just gone.

NPLTW is organized by American Life League in order to increase awareness of abortion and the reality of how many innocent babies are murdered every day.  Primarily, we are concerned with getting people to think of the child as a person from the first moment of his or her biological development. It is much harder to “murder a person” than it is to "remove a lump of tissue," and it is only when we finally get the nation thinking in those terms that we will be able to make abortion a crime, as it should be.  Just by wearing the T-shirt and being out there in public, you can help accomplish that goal.

Additionally, this year’s NPLTW will feature a special contest.  Visit http://www.npltw.com/ to view this year’s shirt, obtain more information and learn about the contest.

Tip of the month – Understanding Population

It comes as no real surprise to those in the pro-life movement that the recent alarms being issued about global warming as well as the worldwide economic crisis we now face are generating more and more news articles about increased contraceptive use, abortion as a “solution” to financial difficulties and calls to reduce population.  It is easy to see how the practices of eugenics and euthanasia are gaining more of a foothold.  Even Pope Benedict XVI warned last week of the rise of a "new eugenics" that judges the worth of an individual based on his or her genetic makeup, as expressed in factors such as health and beauty. 

As such we thought it would be appropriate to begin a new series on the population controversy and why it persists despite the fact that many beliefs have been proven false.   Not only is it prudent to arm ourselves with the truth for the sake of educating others, but certainly to fight the battle that lies ahead.

From Handbook on Population by Robert L. Sassone:

Advocates and opponents of population control hold markedly different world views, perspectives, concerns and inherent advantages in this ongoing struggle.  Advocates of population control and forced population stagnation or even reduction perceive a need for fundamental change, arguing that increased human population is detrimental and will harm the earth over the long run.

Opponents recognize that people themselves are immensely valuable, with intangible worth that far outweighs their role as assets in such areas as economics, quality of life and scientific progress.  Further, opponents of population control stress that the value of each person demands that population control advocates must base any argument for change on sound science rather than rhetoric and speculation, to avoid costly and damaging mistakes. 

In support of their position, proponents of population control have put forward hundreds of alleged threats to the earth.  Since each of these proposed threats is allegedly serious, each threat gets substantial publicity on its news value alone.  This publicity is enhanced by many in the media who themselves have acted as advocates of population control. 

Each new threat announced by advocates of population control requires time to both research and answer.  For this reason there are almost always some threats that have not yet been shown to be totally without scientific merit.  Nevertheless, every allegedly scientific argument of the proponents of population control, previously accepted as “scientific truth” by a majority of the public, has within ten years been shown to be without merit and not based on sound science. 

The number of population-related threats claimed by population control advocates complicates this controversy, injecting a vast amount of detail. 

Nearly everything that the general public thought they knew ten years ago about why population control was needed was the exact opposite of what was actually happening.

Everyone “knew”:

• There was a food problem that would soon get worse due to the fast population growth rate.

Instead, the food production per person has increased by an amazing 60% since 1948 and the UN experts say we can additionally increase food production as much as needed.

• We were going to run out of petroleum and other energy supplies within a few years.

Instead, there is a glut of petroleum and technology has shown us how to vastly increase the bountiful supply at an apparently lower cost.

• We were going to run out of important minerals because there were too many people.

Instead, we have more of every mineral than we had before or can use and technology is enabling us to increase the supply so quickly and cheaply that prices are depressed.

• As the population increased, we were going to run out of space.

Instead, the amount of land needed for human needs, including cropland, has remained substantially unchanged or decreased in many recent years and forest area has remained substantially the same or increased.

• There were too many babies and vastly greater numbers of babies were soon coming.

Instead, the number of babies has been decreasing since about 1985 and the number of young people who will be tomorrow’s workers is also decreasing.

• The population was growing too fast.

Instead, the number of young people is decreasing.  Population is still growing for a little while, but only because increasing life expectancy has permitted more old people to live longer.  World population decline with an aged population lurks in our future.

• More people meant more pollution.

 Instead, every country can clean up.

• A global warming disaster was coming.

Instead, the best measures of earth’s atmospheric temperature show no substantial global warming attributable to human causes.

• More people would destroy quality of life.

 Instead, quality of life seems to improve as population increases.

Next month: Media bias and manipulation concerning population.

News

Massive German study confirms abortion significantly increases premature birth risk
A huge German study has further substantiated the link between abortion history and an increased risk of future premature births.  Dr. Manfred Voigt and his German colleagues evaluated over two million pregnancies between 1995 and 2000, making the 2008 study the most massive AVP (Abortion Very Preterm Birth) study in the last 30 years
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021111.html

Spanish medical expert: Damage to women caused by abortion is scientifically proven
An eminent Spanish biologist and bioethicist recently gave an interview in Guatemala stating that science has proven the damaging effects of abortion on the victim's mother.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021701.html

Abortion not necessary to treat breast cancer aggressively
Recently reported cancer research at Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is revealing some startling results that could reduce the number of so-called "therapeutic" abortions.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=426138

Tiny miracles performed on hearts smaller than a pea
Dr. Lisa Hornberger doesn't want babies to be born with broken hearts. Some she can't prevent, but others she has found and saved while they're in the womb. Hornberger is a renowned fetal cardiologist recruited by Alberta Health Services and the University of Alberta last fall. She will help women whose fetuses have ailing hearts and develop a fetal cardiovascular program, as she did in children's hospitals in Boston, Toronto and most recently San Francisco.
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/edmonton/story.html?id=1316800

Amnesty International demands that Mexico force doctors to do abortions
Amnesty International, a "human rights" organization that opposes the right to life of unborn children, is now demanding that Mexico force doctors to do abortions.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021609.html

"Brain death" as criteria for organ donation is a "deception"
Bernice Jones went to Rome last week to tell the world that doctors killed her son by removing his organs. "Brain death is not death" and "organ donation is very deceptive," the bereaved mother told LifeSiteNews.com in an interview.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022306.html

Second international symposium on euthanasia and assisted suicide - May 29 - 30, 2009
The Second International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, centered on the theme "Never Again," will take place May 29 - 30, 2009 at the National Conference Center located at 18980 Upper Belmont Pl., Landsdowne Virginia, 20176, near the Washington DC, Dulles Airport.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021604.html

Closing Thought

“Happy is the man who has found wisdom.  Even happier is the man who lives in wisdom, for he perceives its abundance.  There are three ways for wisdom or prudence to abound in you: if you confess your sins, if you give thanks and praise, and if your speech is edifying.  Man believes with his heart and so he is justified.  He confesses with his lips and so he is saved.  In the beginning of his speech the just man is his own accuser, next he gives glory to God, and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far, he edifies his neighbor.”

From a sermon by St. Bernard, Abbot, quoted in Liturgy of the Hours, 3:204

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Volume 6, Number 15   April 13, 2009

National Pro-life T-shirt Week
Every abortion kills a living human being - that is a fact. From the first moment of creation, when that human being is but a single cell, all the way to the moment of birth, there is a human person who is undergoing a period of remarkable growth and development. Abortion stops that miraculous growth cold and robs the world of all that child would have accomplished. That child is just gone.

National Pro-life T-shirt Week is organized by American Life League with the intent to increase awareness of abortion and the reality of how many innocent babies are murdered every day.  Primarily, we are concerned with getting people to think of the child as a person from the first moment of his or her biological development. It is much harder to murder a person than it is to "remove a lump of cells," and it is only when we finally get the nation thinking in those terms that we will be able to make abortion a crime, as it should be.

Just by wearing the T-shirt and being out there in public, you can help to accomplish that goal!  Visit www.npltw.com!

Tip of the month – Parent Power
"School District #3" continued, An Analysis of Planned Parenthood’s Family Life Education Program
From Parent Power!! By Jim Sedlak

Last month we told readers about a Family Life Education program implemented in School District #3 by Planned Parenthood and pointed out that, despite protests from parents, these programs often make their way into schools because of high local teen pregnancy or STD rates.  Often FLE programs are pushed as a good for the entire community when, in fact, they have been proven failures throughout the country.

Parents in School District #3 were making progress with the school superintendent who arranged for a follow-up meeting about the FLE program and who did commit to making changes including the removal of contraceptive-pushing class sessions.  The superintendent opened the next meeting by stating that he was deeply concerned by the parents’ accusation about what the course was teaching the children.  He, himself, had talked with two teenage girls who had been through the course and asked each of them what message they had gotten from the program.  He said that both girls told him that they had clearly gotten the message that it is okay to have pre-marital sex, as long as they didn’t get pregnant!

The superintendent assured the parents that he had personally been involved with the starting of the course and that the message the children were getting was never the intention of the course.  He also revealed that the parts of the program that pushed contraceptive use where not part of the original program.  The FLE director, who remained relatively quiet during this meeting, stated that the course had been updated and refined each year and that not every change was reviewed with school officials.

*** A note of warning:  this “updating and refining” of courses is one of the reasons parents cannot trust that even a pure biology course will always remain “good.”  STOPP has frequently found Planned Parenthood people willing to implement any program and then work to change it later when the heat is off and the parents are no longer watching what is going on.  Protecting our children is a constant battle.  We must always remember that!

The meeting proceeded calmly until the superintendent told the parents that he would definitely see to it that changes were made in the program.  At this, the representative of the school PTA objected loudly.  She wanted to know how the superintendent could make such a statement to these few parents when she represented all the parents in the district and the PTA supported the program as it stood.

The superintendent did not answer this charge and kept talking with the parents.  He said that the district had already planned a committee to rewrite the curriculum and wanted the parents to participate as members of the committee.  The parents agreed to participate, but reminded the superintendent that their goal was to remove the curriculum from the school, not just to change the wording of it.  They also stated their vehement objection to the involvement of Planned Parenthood in this program.  They further stated their objection to Planned Parenthood’s connection to a planned Wellness Center they had learned about between meetings.

The superintendent told the parents that the school would end all links between the Wellness Center and Planned Parenthood.  In addition, he agreed to stop the practice of having Planned Parenthood train the teachers in the FLE program!  This break in the influence of Planned Parenthood was considered the first objective and it was obtained through diligent work, a clear presentation of the facts and, most importantly, a lot of help from God.

Next Month:  Additional community ties and more on the Wellness Center

News

Union City pastor, anti-abortion leader released from jail
OAKLAND -- After 18 days in jail for violating a city law designed to protect women entering abortion clinics, a Berkeley church elder went free Tuesday with a wider, louder network of anti-abortion supporters than before he went to trial. The sidewalk near Jack London Square that Walter Hoye patrolled weekly — accompanied by two elderly church women — drew a crowd of a few dozen protesters for another in a series of vigils aimed at painting the law as an attack on free speech. Now, as Hoye pushes to reverse a judge's order to stay away from the clinic, his backers said the city's year-old "bubble law" — which bans approaching within eight feet of a potential client trying to enter a clinic — has backfired.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12092595?source=rss

Baby named Faith defies doctor's predictions for anencephaly and thrives six weeks after birth
A 23 year-old single mother named Myah Walker has created a blog to record the first weeks of the life of her newborn daughter. Faith Hope Walker was born a little over six weeks ago and her mother's blog features photos and videos of the child whom doctors predicted would not live more than a few minutes or hours after birth.

Myah writes, "Contrary to pretty much everything that the medical community believes about anencephaly, Faith is functioning at the same level as any 'normal' baby of her age ... The only error here is the false information that doctors are being taught about anencephaly in med schools."
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040709.html

Hundreds of babies saved from abortion in recent pro-life campaign
As the 40 Days for Life Campaign nears the completion of its spring session, its leaders claim to have helped saved nearly four hundred babies from abortion. Organizers are now judging the campaign’s effects and considering how to extend its success.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15623

White House confirms it got two million red envelopes
The White House mail office has confirmed it received a "deluge" of as many as 2.25 million red envelopes symbolizing the empty promise of lives snuffed out in abortion in a massive campaign that was larger than most White House mailing movements in the last 35 years.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94142

Doctor shocks Oprah with news of ethical stem cell successes
Dr. Oz tells Oprah and embryonic stem cell proponent Michael J. Fox that treatment for Parkinson’s will come through ethical stem cell research.
http://www.citizenlink.org/videofeatures/A000009758.cfm

Limb-saving trial shows promise
In November 2007, Roper Hospital began a randomized trial for a stem cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries. The disease, which chokes extremities of oxygen-rich blood, can be related to smoking, diabetes or hypertension. The treatment takes a patient's own bone marrow stem cells and injects them into the affected limb, where they build new blood vessels.
http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/apr/05/limb_saving_trial_shows_promise77681/

Closing Thought

“IF we Christians really lived in accordance with our faith, the greatest revolution of all times would take place.  The effectiveness of our co-redemption depends on each one of us.”

In Conversation with God, II:179

Volume 6, No. 14

April 6, 2009                                                                                                          

National Pro-life T-shirt Week
This year, we want as many people to get involved with National Pro-Life T-shirt Week as possible. How are we going to do that? We're going to get  you  out of the house and into the streets to help spread the message of Personhood to the public.  American Life League is holding our first ever "Yo! Where's the shirt?" Photo Contest.

The NPLTW web site is now accepting registrations for this contest and will soon contain a list of “tasks” for you to accomplish while wearing your pro-life gear.  For every “task” you complete, you’ll receive points.  The more “tasks” you complete, the more points you earn. 

Simple, right? How will we know you actually completed the task? Easy! You'll be posting a photo of yourself in action on the site! Once you've registered and your photo has been approved, you're in the contest. All contestants will be tracked on our leader board.

The contest is going to run from 12:01a.m. on April 28 through 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2009. At the end of the week, the three pro-lifers with the most points will win some awesome stuff, things like pro-life T-shirts, hats, CD's and much more.

Make sure you get your official 2009 NPLTW shirt and register for the "Yo! Where's the shirt?" photo contest. It's going to be a great way for you and your friends to educate the public about Personhood.

And … there are still NPLTW postcards available for you to distribute!  This 4” x 6” postcard includes the NPLTW web address, a picture of this year’s NPLTW T-shirt and information on the contest.  For a supply of these cards, contact our Resources Department at 1-866-538-5483.  Spread the word!

From Associates

Children of God for Life
Once again, there are numerous media reports on the latest “stem cell reprogramming” breakthrough.  And, once again, Debi Vinnedge is helping us to understand that this research is NOT pro-life. 

The fact that adult somatic (body) cells have been “re-programmed” to mimic or act like embryonic stem cells is true.  However, the research involved the use of genes obtained from both embryonic and aborted fetal cell lines!  The research is published in the on-line magazine Science at
http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/blog.jsp?type=blog&o_url=blog/display/55548&id=55548.

Debi also notes that the publication of this study does not follow the normal protocol for publishing a valid scientific study in that the lead researcher does not describe in detail his methodology as all scientists normally do when preparing valid reports. 

See Debi’s article at http://www.cogforlife.org/reprogramstemcellThomson0309.htm

Tip of the Month – Vital Organ Removal
By Paul A. Byrne, M.D., Richard G. Nilges, M.D. and Walt F. Weaver, M.D.

You’ve probably seen TV commercials, billboards and magazine articles encouraging you to give the “gift of life” through vital organ donation.  It saves lives and gives meaning to a wasteful, tragic death.  But before you fill out an organ donor card, here are a few things to think about.

Vital organs are those organs like the heart, liver, lungs and pancreas that are necessary for life.  In order to be suitable for transplant, they need to be removed from the donor before respiration and circulation cease.  Otherwise these organs are not suitable, since damage occurs within a brief time after the circulation of oxygenated blood stops.  Removing vital organs from a living person prior to cessation of circulation and respiration will cause death.

Portions of some vital organs can be removed without causing death of the donor; for example, one of two kidneys, a lobe of a liver or a lobe of a lung.  But certain other vital organs, like the heart, cannot be removed without killing the donor.

Since vital organs are not useful once the person is dead, and taking them causes death, how is vital organ removal possible?  This is where “brain death,” which we discussed last month (http://all.org/associates/news.htm), comes into play.  Legally “brain-dead” patients are considered corpses or cadavers, and are called such by organ retrieval networks.  The “corpses” can be used for teaching, for trying out new procedures and for vital organ harvesting. 

The federal government is deeply involved in transplant programs for reasons that are unclear.  A federal mandate issued in 1998 states that physicians, nurses, pastors and other health-care workers may not speak to a family of a potential organ donor about transplantation without first obtaining approval from the regional organ retrieval system. 

If there is the possibility of vital organs available for transplant, a trained “designated requester” visits with the family first, even if the family adamantly opposes organ donation.  If someone at the hospital speaks to the family first, the hospital risks losing its accreditation and/or federal funding.

Why the “designated requester”?  Studies show that these people have greater success obtaining permission for organ donation.  They are trained to sell the concept using emotionally-laden phrases such as “gift of life” and other similar platitudes, all empty of any true meaning.

Take a moment to ponder the following:

• Why can health insurance cover intensive care costs on “brain dead” patients?

• Why do “brain dead” patients often receive intravenous fluids, antibiotics, ventilator care and other life support measures?

• Why do “brain dead” organ donors often receive anesthesia and other drugs to stop natural physical responses when they are undergoing vital organ harvesting?

• How can “brain dead” patients have normal body functions, including vital signs, if they’re dead?

• How can a “brain dead” pregnant mother deliver a normal, healthy infant?

• Why does a ventilator work on a “brain dead” person, but not on a dead person?

• Why is it wrong to carry out burial or cremation of a “brain dead” person?

• Are “brain dead” persons really dead?

• Are they alive?

Maybe “brain dead” people are useless by society’s standards.  They can’t work, play, contribute to the community or even enjoy a certain “quality” of life.  So why not let them contribute the only way they can: by using their vital organs to help someone else who can contribute to society, someone who can enjoy a better lifestyle?

Because it is not up to us to decide who has the right to live … and who must die!

Next month:  The Ventilator

News

FDA ordered to rethink age restriction for Plan B
A federal judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its 2006 decision to deny girls younger than 18 access to the morning-after pill Plan B without a prescription.
 
U.S. District Judge Edward R. Korman in New York instructed the agency to make Plan B available to 17-year-old girls within 30 days and to review whether to make the emergency contraceptive available to all ages without a doctor's order.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032301275.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Pregnancy centers, not abortion clinics, best solution to financial crisis, pro-life leaders say
Responding to reports that more financially troubled women are seeking abortions, pro-life leaders have criticized the "pseudo-compassion" which presents abortion as an answer to personal economic turmoil. Emphasizing that abortion signals that women’s needs are not being met, they called for more help for pregnant mothers, pregnancy centers and fathers.
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=94592

The empty promise of embryonic stem cell research
There is no right more fundamental than the right to life. There is no realm in which more exciting progress has been made than that of science. And the two are not inherently opposed to one another. I am a Christian who believes that life begins at conception and that a human embryo is human life. Therefore, I believe it is morally wrong to create human life to destroy it for research. Not only that, I believe it is morally wrong to take the tax dollars of millions of pro-life Americans, who believe that life is sacred, and use it to fund the destruction of human embryos for research.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/marchweb-only/112-11.0.html

Closing Thought

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body."  Then he took a cup, gave thanks,  and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father."

Matthew 26:26-29

Volume 6, Number 12                                                                                                                   Monday, March 23, 2009

Action Item
Pharmacists for Life International, as well as other Associate groups, is passing along the following information in an effort to protect conscience rights for healthcare workers.  Please take a moment to read and respond.

The frontal assault on our conscience rights has begun.

On Tuesday, March 10, the Obama Administration officially began the process of rescinding the HHS Regulations written specifically to protect the rights  of health-care providers to not be forced to perform or refer for abortions. These HHS regulations were written in part because of the urgent need for pro-life ob/gyns to be protected from the pro-abortion activism of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as expressed in Ethics Statement # 385.

The HHS Regulations are a summary of several statutes which Congress passed over the past three decades—the Church Amendments, the Hoekstra-Coates Law, and most recently the Hyde-Weldon Law passed in 2004. These statutes were designed to protect provider conscience rights. The HHS regulation simply clarifies the existing laws, which declare that American tax dollars will not fund programs in which health-care professionals are fired, penalized or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of their ethical stance related to performing or referring for abortion, and other morally controversial issues.

Abortion advocates are misrepresenting the HHS Regulations as threatening the lives of women who will die because they can't get emergency abortions, and arguing that women won't be able to get contraception. These are absurd arguments, and have nothing to do with the actual statues cited, or with the wording of the HHS Regulations.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates are also arguing that if doctors and other health-care professionals are not forced to perform or refer for abortions, access to health-care services for women will be restricted. In reality, many health-care providers will leave the industry altogether if forced to violate their moral convictions, thereby reducing access to health-care services across the board.

In addition, without the conscience protection regulation, providers opposed to participating in abortion remain susceptible to intolerance and coercion from employers with conflicting beliefs, and to possible lawsuits from outside organizations.

Last week, the Office of Management and Budget announced they were reviewing a proposal to repeal the rule. Starting Tuesday, March 10, the American people have 30 days to voice their opinions on the matter.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER WRITTEN AN E-MAIL IN YOUR LIFE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!

A coalition of pro-life medical organizations has launched the web site, www.Freedom2Care.org, which serves the essential function of allowing patients, pharmacists and other professionals to submit their comments demanding that the federal regulations protecting conscience not be revoked.

www.Freedom2Care.org provides a portal whereby you can register your comments at HHS, in accordance with the criteria that HHS is collecting. 

Web site visitors have three options:  1) A pre-written comment crafted for healthcare providers, 2) a pre-written comment for patients and 3) the option of writing a personal comment.  It is also collecting stories of discrimination so that Freedom2Care can have more proof that discrimination of conscience is a very real threat.  Additionally, visitors have the opportunity to have their comments forwarded to lawyers who perform pro-bono work.  Please visit today and submit your comments.

Tip of the Month – More on Stem Cells

Portions reprinted from “Understanding Stem Cell Science” by Peter Hollands, Ph.D. which first appeared in the January/February 2008 issue of Celebrate Life

Stem cells appear in the news on a regular basis, but the debate seems to be continually fogged by a general lack of understanding about the technology under discussion.  In terms of current and future potential human therapeutic applications, stem cell technology is basically split into two areas:  embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. 

Human embryonic stem cells are derived from human embryos using a technique first developed in mice by Martin Evans, for which he received the 2007 Nobel Prize for Medicine.  This technology basically involves taking a human egg and fertilizing it in vitro.  The resultant embryo grows for the next five days to a blastocyst, which is a hollow ball of around 120 cells with a concentration of cells at one pole called the inner cell mass.  It is the inner cell mass which, if left alone, would go on to form the human fetus and it is the inner cell mass from which embryonic stem cells are derived.  The embryologist uses micro-instruments to dissect the inner cell mass from the rest of the embryo and the cells are then disaggregated and placed on top of further “feeder cells” (usually of animal origin) in another dish.  The dissected inner-cell-mass cells then grow on and form embryonic stem cells capable, in theory, of making every tissue in the body.

This process clearly requires the creation and destruction of a human embryo, so all of the associated moral ethical, legal and religious objections apply.  In the early days, it was claimed that “spare” embryos frozen in IVF clinics around the world would provide enough embryos for this technology.  It rapidly became clear that this was not the case and alternative technologies began to develop in attempts to minimize objections and create more embryonic stem cells.

In therapeutic cloning, an adult stem cell (like a skin cell, for example) is placed inside a human egg which has had the nucleus removed.  It is artificially stimulated to divide, resulting in a growing embryo.  The embryonic stem cells are then extracted from this embryo as previously described.  The first stumbling block to this technology is obtaining human eggs and that has proved far more difficult than first imagined.

In an attempt to solve the problem of obtaining human eggs for therapeutic cloning, it has been suggested to use animal eggs instead.  Here the animal egg’s nucleus is removed and an adult stem cell added, stimulated to divide and develop.  The problem with this method is that, even after removal of the animal nucleus, there still remains animal DNA within the animal egg (inside mitochondria).  These means that a therapeutic clone produced this way is part animal!

Parthenogenesis is the artificial activation of an egg to begin developing as an embryo without any fertilization or the introduction of an adult cell.  The problems here are again the availability of eggs for such a procedure, but, more importantly, scientists worry about the safety and stability of cells created in such a way.

Embryonic stem cells are therefore derived from the developing embryo and, in their creation, the embryonic human is destroyed.  Embryonic stem cells are currently being created, frozen and banked at various centers around the world. 

The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 signed last week by our president included what is known as the Dickey-Wicker Amendment and states that federal funds may not be used for the “creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes.”  Neither can federal funds be used to conduct “research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded or knowingly subjected to risk of injury.”

However, because the president, two days earlier, signed an executive order lifting restrictions placed on embryonic stem cell research in 2001, federal funds may still be used to conduct human embryonic stem cell research as long as those stem cells were taken from human embryos killed by private sources and/or with private funding. 

The pro-life community must speak up to put a halt to this sanctioned killing. There are viable and effective alternatives to human embryonic stem cell research that must be expanded. Stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood and adult tissues are but two of the morally acceptable avenues that have shown great promise.

Any person who considers himself pro-life must recognize the inhumanity of human embryonic stem cell research and persuade lawmakers to bring this practice to an end. We can never build a true culture of life when we allow the most vulnerable and innocent of our society to be sacrificed.

News

FDA approves Female Health's women's condom
The Female Health Company has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's FC2 Female Condom to help protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/03/11/ap6155839.html

Studies find contraception makes women obese and newborns too thin
University of Ottawa researchers have found that women who conceive within a month of taking birth-control pills tend to have premature babies or babies with a low birth weight. At the same time, another study from the University of Texas has revealed that users of the contraceptive "shot" are significantly more likely than other women to become obese.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030907.html

Study: Women who use birth control pill 1.5 times more likely to develop bowel disease
A study on the role of oral contraceptives in the cause of inflammatory bowel disease, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, found that women who use the pill are one and a half times more likely to develop Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis  than women who have not used oral contraceptives.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031311.html

Researchers suggest insufficient evidence of efficacy of HPV vaccine
There is not enough evidence to confidently state that two popular vaccines against the human papillomavirus will reliably prevent against the development of cervical cancer, according to two articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine. "Despite great expectations and promising results of clinical trials, we still lack sufficient evidence of an effective vaccine against cervical cancer," wrote Charlotte J. Haug, editor of The Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, in the first article. "With so many essential questions still unanswered, there is good reason to be cautious."
http://www.naturalnews.com/025817.html

Closing Thought

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

Luke 23:34

Dear ALL Associate groups,

Next week, on March 25, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Annunciation.

As we have in previous years, American Life League will be having a special Solemn High Mass said that day by our spiritual director for the safe delivery of all babies in the womb.

There is an opportunity to have specific babies and their mothers remembered at the Mass.

You can go to our website at: http://www.all.org/fa and read all the details. There is also a form to fill out to give the names of babies and their mothers that are to be remembered at the Mass.

This Mass is NOT for babies in danger of abortion. This Mass is for *every* baby now in their mother’s womb and their safe delivery.

Please spread this to everyone on your e-mail list so we can have a long list of babies and their mothers for the Mass intentions.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

Leslie Tignor
Director, Associate Program
American Life League
P. O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA 22555
540-659-7900
LTignor@ALL.org

ALL ASSOCIATES

Volume 6, Number 10                                                                                                                    March 9, 2009

Prayer Requests

Please continue to keep the participants of the 40 Days for Life Campaign in your prayers; they are doing tremendous work and lives are being saved!

Also, please keep in your prayers United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy – that his heart will be open to the Holy Spirit in the event that a definitive pro-life case comes before the Supreme Court.

Tip of the Month – Brain Death

American Life League was recently honored with the opportunity to co-sponsor (along with HLI, the Italian organization Associazione Famiglia Domani and other groups) the “Signs of Life” conference during the last week of February near the Vatican.  The conference addressed the growing opinion in academia, medicine and even the Church that “brain death” is a legitimate diagnosis.  The conference speakers, including eminent neurologists, jurors, philosophers and bioethicists, were united in their denunciation of the "brain death" criteria as a tool in the determination of death.

Dr. Paul Byrne, the conference organizer, said he was delighted with the success of the conference and that he hoped the conference would bring the message that "brain death is not death" inside the walls of the Vatican where support for "brain death" criteria is still strong.

ALL staff was further honored to have Dr. Paul Byrne at its headquarters last week for a presentation on the topic and an overview of the conference.

As such, we wanted to share with you portions of “Understanding Brain Death,” a pamphlet available through ALL Resources and co-authored by Dr. Byrne:

From Understanding Brain Death
By Paul A. Byrne, M.D., Richard G. Nilges, M.D. and Walt F. Weaver, M.D.

“Brain death” revolves around a person’s being dead enough to have vital organs legally removed yet not dead enough to be cremated or buried.  Organ transplantation is the main reason “brain death” was devised. 

The person is declared to be “brain dead,” but then is treated as alive.  He or she is declared to be “brain dead” based on the absence of some brain functions, but the heart is beating, blood pressure can be recorded and when the knee is tapped, the knee jerk is present.  The skin color is normal, blanches when pressure is applied and returns to normal color when pressure is removed.  Suction and postural drainage are done to prevent pneumonia.  The patient is turned to prevent bedsores. 

Is the person dead?  How can a cadaver develop pneumonia or a bed sore?  If the answer is no, then the patient is still alive and must be treated as such.  If the answer is unknown, one is not free to remove vital organs and possibly kill a living person.  If the answer is yes, then the question is, which set of criteria was used to make the determination of “death”?

Brain-related criteria for death revolve around three types of observations.  The first is clinical observation of absence of certain brain functions (e.g., shining a light in the eye and observing no response of the pupil).  Another is doing an electroencephalogram, or EEG, which is a recording of electrical activity from the surface of the brain.  Little or no information is obtained from deeper in the brain.  (Some criteria do not even include the EEG.)  A third method is a technique used to evaluate absence of circulation to the brain.  These circulatory tests are not absolute and, at times, might actually result in the side effect of spasm of the vessels causing what is being searched for – no circulation!

“Brain death” criteria determine only cessation of function, not destruction of even the brain, much less destruction or death of the person.  Brain-related criteria are not based on valid scientific data and there are more than 40 sets of criteria. 

To say that a patient with a beating heart, normal pulse, normal blood pressure, normal coloring and a normal temperature is dead is false.  To remove an unpaired vital organ prior to true death is ethically and morally unacceptable.  If brain-related criteria are not based on valid scientific data, removal of an unpaired vital organ results in death. 

A human being is a person throughout life.  Attributes of a living human being include thinking, judging, loving, willing and acting.  When it is predicted that a particular living human being will not be capable of demonstrating these attributes again, this living human being does not become a non-person.  He or she is still a living human person with human rights. 

Great care must be taken not to declare a person dead even one moment before death has actually occurred.  Death should be declared only after, not before, the fact.  To declare death prematurely is to commit a fundamental injustice.  A person is still alive, even a moment before death and must be treated as such.

Next month:  Vital Organ Removal

News

Swiss women abandoning the pill due to adverse health effects
The use of the contraceptive pill is plummeting among younger women, in response to growing awareness of its destructive health effects, reports a French bioethics site.  According to the site "Genetique," the use of "the pill" among women aged 15 to 24 years old dropped from 43% in 2003 to 26% in 2007.   The rate of childbirth among the same group increased at the same time.

"The principal reason for this decrease is the attention paid by women to their health," says Genetique. "It is now proven that the pill suppresses libido and causes weight gain.  The fear of cancer and sterility are equally responsible."  According to numerous studies on the effects of the contraceptive pill, its use is also linked to increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022704.html

Number of households with young children hits new low
The percentage of American households with children under 18 living at home last year hit the lowest point — 46% — in half a century, government data reported last week. The trend reflects the aging of the Baby Boom generation and younger women having fewer children, demographers say. "Baby Boomers have been a big force in driving a lot of different population dynamics," says Rose Kreider, a family demographer at the Census Bureau, which released the data. [T]he economy will continue to affect family size: When cash-strapped workers have fewer dollars to feed another mouth, couples are likely to have fewer children, or none.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-02-25-families-kids-home_N.htm

Stem cell research pays off for spinal cord injury patient
Michael Flounders, a 52 year old man from Fressingfield, England, broke his neck and suffered a spinal cord injury in a bad accident 20 years ago and thought he would never be able to walk again. However, thanks to the wonders of adult stem cell research and having his own adult stem cells implanted into his spinal cord in Ecuador, he now has aspirations of walking.
http://culture11.com/diary/37099?from=cw

Esophagus stem cell discovery
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in Philadelphia, have discovered stem cells in the esophagus of mice that are able to grow into tissue-like structures and form parts of an esophagus lining when placed into immune-deficient mice.  "The immediate implication is that we'll have a better understanding of the role of these stem cells in normal biology, as well as in regenerative and cancer biology," stated senior author Anil Rustgi, MD.
http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/editorial/content/editorial.aspx?cc=194526

Sex-selection and hair, skin and eye color in high demand from U.S. artificial reproduction companies
Demand for sex-selection for in vitro fertilization is "rapidly growing" according to many private IVF facilities in the US. In a CNN report on sex-selection and other genetic screening tests at the Fertility Institutes IVF facility in California, a spokesman for the Center for Genetics and Society said that the widespread practice of sex-selective IVF could open the door to "a society where there are new kinds of inequality and new kinds of discrimination, a world that we really would not want to live in."
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022707.html

Closing Thought

Persevere in imitating the virtues of him who, for love of us, was born in poverty, lived in poverty, and died in poverty upon a cross under the most fearful torments, in order to set us free from the slavery of the prince of darkness and reconcile us to his heavenly Father.

Saint Clare, quoted in February Magnificat, p. 284

 Pro-Life Today | 06 March 2009

Your National Daily News Wrap from American Life League! American Life League is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at kwalker@all.org.

HEADLINES

Parents Accuse Hospital of Killing Son to Harvest Organs
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030505.html
Life Site News
An Ohio couple filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing doctors of removing a breathing tube from their 18-year-old son, who had suffered a brain injury while skiing, in order to harvest his organs. Michael and Teresa Jacobs of Bellevue, Ohio, parents of Gregory Jacobs, maintain that their son's death was caused, not by his injury, but by doctors removing his breathing tube and administering unspecified medication in preparation for organ removal.  The charges were filed against Pittsburgh's Hamot Medical Center doctors and a representative of the Center For Organ Recovery and Education.
Archbishop Announces Excommunication of Doctor and Family Members for Abortion on Nine-Year-Old Girl

Calls abortion a "holocaust worse than the six million Jews, which we lament every year"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030601.html
Life Site News
The archbishop of the Brazilian city of Recife has announced the excommunication of a doctor who performed an abortion on a nine year old girl, as well as the family members who made the decision to carry out the procedure. The girl, whose name has not been revealed by the Brazilian media, was found to be pregnant with twins recently.  Her stepfather has confessed that he began molesting her at the age of three and that he is the father of the child.  He is under arrest pending an investigation of his relationship with his stepdaughter, as well as her 14-year-old sister.

Archbishop Naumann: "Offensive" Sebelius Nomination "Makes our Job as Bishops More Challenging"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030508.html 
Life Site News
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City weighed in on the nomination of abortion "champion" Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a member of his flock, to head the Health and Human Services Department.  In an interview Wednesday with Our Sunday Visitor, the archbishop said of the nomination: "From the Church's point of view, it's sad because it places another high-profile, pro-abortion Catholic into national leadership along with Vice President [Joe] Biden and Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi and a raft of others that are in the Congress."  He also said, "I personally find it offensive" that President Obama would choose a pro-legalized-abortion Catholic to head the HHS.

Listen to On the Edge Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. ET at www.NPLR.net

FEATURE STORY

YOUR CHANCE TO TAKE ACTION AND PROTECT CHRIST
By Judie Brown

Those who have followed the work of American Life League over the past five years, in particular, realize that we have taken up the cause of encouraging Catholic bishops to enforce Church Law, specifically Canon 915.

Why? I have not explained this in a while, so for the record let me explain it now. Catholics recognize, through our faith, the true body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ present in the sacrament of Holy Communion. When we receive Communion, we are literally receiving Christ into our bodies, our souls, and our hearts … every fiber of our being. We do so with reverence and humility to the extent that our sinful state permits.

We cannot SEE Christ, but we believe He is with us in this most holy Sacrament. In the books of Catholic Church Law, the Code of Canon Law, Volume IV, which is dedicated to the Sacraments and how they are to be administered, you will find Canon 915, which states

Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.

We have focused our attention specifically on the second part of the Church law that states that "others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." We know that the act of abortion is a manifest grave sin, and we know that as recently as 2004, Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, told all of the American Catholic bishops in a memorandum addressed to them

4. Apart from an individual's judgment about his worthiness to present himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion may find himself in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone, such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin (cf. can. 915).

5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person's formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church's teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

6. When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration "Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics" [2002], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment on the person's subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person's public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.

We are not brashly accusing bishops or attacking them when we ask them, therefore, to enforce Church law, for our understanding of this particular law is the same as that of Cardinal Ratzinger. Those in public life who display "obstinate persistence" do not deserve to receive the body and blood of Christ because giving them the sacrament is exposing Christ to sacrilege and compounding the sinful nature of the individual pro-abortion public figure's soul. Of that, there is no doubt.

So why haven't the American Catholic bishops understood this in the same way we do? Why haven't they, not to mention every Catholic priest, and Catholic deacon, and extraordinary minister enforced this clear and succinct Church Law? We do not know, but we do not intend to cease our efforts to see that this law is enforced.

Having said that, I also want to add that we are eternally grateful to the sixteen American Catholic bishops who have stood up and acted in defense of Christ. We applaud their courage and praise God for their actions.

The sad reality is, however, that the vast majority of Catholic bishops have not made the commitment to protect Christ from sacrilege by enforcing Canon 915. This is the main reason why we are grateful to our fellow Catholics at the PewSitter web site, for initiating an outstanding petition, focused on this specific Canon Law and addressing it to the bishops of the United States.

// American Life League encourages you to read the Petition to Withhold Holy Communion, posted below. Go to the web site location of the petition, and add your name to the growing number of Catholics who are making it perfectly clear that the following two fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church inspire us to stand up and proclaim the truth: Christ is truly present in Holy Communion and must be protected from sacrilege. And, the act of abortion is an act of murder; it takes the life of an innocent human being.

In the United States there has been, and continues to be, an ongoing disregard, by prominent Catholics in public life, of the Church's teaching on a variety of serious moral issues including abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, homosexual "marriage", and human embryonic stem cell research to name a few.

Whereas, many of these prominent Catholics not only disregard the Church's teachings on these issues, but also actively and publicly promote policies and legislation that undermines, opposes and contradicts the Church on these serious moral issues.

Whereas, the Catholic Church has given the local bishop, every ordained Catholic priest and deacon the authority to deal with such manifestations of public disobedience to the Church's teachings.

Whereas, Catholics understand, support and respect the behind-the-scenes dialogue and diplomacy that goes on by our bishops and their priests, with prominent Catholics, to reconcile them with the Church and further recognize that as a Church, it is our strong preference to resolve such issues in private.

However, when prominent Catholics persevere in public, manifest grave sin – it becomes obligatory for a bishop, an ordained priest and/or deacon to take decisive public action and enforce Canon 915 by denying Holy Communion.

The bishop's, ordained Catholic priest's, deacon's, or extraordinary Eucharistic minister's obligation to withhold Communion not only protects the Holy Eucharist from sacrilege, but in addition it is an act of charity intended to protect the prominent Catholic's soul from the possibility of grave sin.

Whereas, bishops, ordained Catholic priests, deacons or extraordinary Eucharistic ministers who do not withhold Communion from such prominent Catholics that obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin, leave the impression such actions are condoned, or at least tolerated, and thereby perpetuate this scandal.

Whereas I, YOUR NAME, a faithful Catholic residing within the diocese of YOUR DIOCESE do find the reception of Holy Communion by these prominent Catholics to be scandalous; that it sets an example that will undoubtedly mislead others into participating, condoning and justifying these same immoral activities.

Whereas I fear for the souls of prominent Catholics in public office who risk further grave sin by receiving the Eucharist unworthily.

Whereas, Canon 212 '3, states that the Catholic faithful have ...the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.

Be it therefore resolved in accordance with Canon 212 '3 , that I, YOUR NAME, do petition my bishop, YOUR BISHOP, to extinguish this scandal by withholding Holy Communion from those prominent Catholics who reside in this diocese, and are in a state of public, manifest grave sin, as stipulated in Canon 915 by enforcing Church law and by requiring that each ordained priest, deacon and extraordinary Eucharistic minister in your care do likewise.

So go now to www.pewsitter.com/petition and sign today!

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2514

 
Your host, Eric Martin, and co-hosts Michael Hichborn, Katie Walker and Michael Barnett will educate, motivate, mobilize and often entertain you for 60 minutes every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. ET on NPLR.net, as well as other Internet and AM radio stations that rebroadcast the show.

ALL ASSOCIATES

Volume 6,

Number 9  

March 2,  2009

National Pro-life T-shirt Week!  April 28-May 4
Yes, you read that correctly - National Pro-life T-shirt Week.  Given the tremendous success of ALL's National Pro-life T-shirt Day over the past six years, we decided to leap forward and make it a week. Imagine how many babies will be saved when we, as a movement, are a visible witness for seven straight days!

Every abortion kills a living human being - that is a fact. From the first moment of creation, when that human being is but a single cell, all the way to the moment of birth, there is a child that is undergoing a period of remarkable growth and development. Abortion stops that miraculous growth cold and robs the world of all that child would have accomplished. That child is just gone.

NPLTW is organized by American Life League in order to increase awareness of abortion and the reality of how many innocent babies are murdered every day.  Primarily, we are concerned with getting people to think of the child as a person from the first moment of his or her biological development. It is much harder to “murder a person” than it is to "remove a lump of tissue," and it is only when we finally get the nation thinking in those terms that we will be able to make abortion a crime, as it should be.  Just by wearing the T-shirt and being out there in public, you can help accomplish that goal.

Additionally, this year’s NPLTW will feature a special contest.  Visit http://www.npltw.com/ to view this year’s shirt, obtain more information and learn about the contest.

Tip of the month – Understanding Population

It comes as no real surprise to those in the pro-life movement that the recent alarms being issued about global warming as well as the worldwide economic crisis we now face are generating more and more news articles about increased contraceptive use, abortion as a “solution” to financial difficulties and calls to reduce population.  It is easy to see how the practices of eugenics and euthanasia are gaining more of a foothold.  Even Pope Benedict XVI warned last week of the rise of a "new eugenics" that judges the worth of an individual based on his or her genetic makeup, as expressed in factors such as health and beauty. 

As such we thought it would be appropriate to begin a new series on the population controversy and why it persists despite the fact that many beliefs have been proven false.   Not only is it prudent to arm ourselves with the truth for the sake of educating others, but certainly to fight the battle that lies ahead.

From Handbook on Population by Robert L. Sassone:

Advocates and opponents of population control hold markedly different world views, perspectives, concerns and inherent advantages in this ongoing struggle.  Advocates of population control and forced population stagnation or even reduction perceive a need for fundamental change, arguing that increased human population is detrimental and will harm the earth over the long run.

Opponents recognize that people themselves are immensely valuable, with intangible worth that far outweighs their role as assets in such areas as economics, quality of life and scientific progress.  Further, opponents of population control stress that the value of each person demands that population control advocates must base any argument for change on sound science rather than rhetoric and speculation, to avoid costly and damaging mistakes. 

In support of their position, proponents of population control have put forward hundreds of alleged threats to the earth.  Since each of these proposed threats is allegedly serious, each threat gets substantial publicity on its news value alone.  This publicity is enhanced by many in the media who themselves have acted as advocates of population control. 

Each new threat announced by advocates of population control requires time to both research and answer.  For this reason there are almost always some threats that have not yet been shown to be totally without scientific merit.  Nevertheless, every allegedly scientific argument of the proponents of population control, previously accepted as “scientific truth” by a majority of the public, has within ten years been shown to be without merit and not based on sound science. 

The number of population-related threats claimed by population control advocates complicates this controversy, injecting a vast amount of detail. 

Nearly everything that the general public thought they knew ten years ago about why population control was needed was the exact opposite of what was actually happening.

Everyone “knew”:

• There was a food problem that would soon get worse due to the fast population growth rate.

Instead, the food production per person has increased by an amazing 60% since 1948 and the UN experts say we can additionally increase food production as much as needed.

• We were going to run out of petroleum and other energy supplies within a few years.

Instead, there is a glut of petroleum and technology has shown us how to vastly increase the bountiful supply at an apparently lower cost.

• We were going to run out of important minerals because there were too many people.

Instead, we have more of every mineral than we had before or can use and technology is enabling us to increase the supply so quickly and cheaply that prices are depressed.

• As the population increased, we were going to run out of space.

Instead, the amount of land needed for human needs, including cropland, has remained substantially unchanged or decreased in many recent years and forest area has remained substantially the same or increased.

• There were too many babies and vastly greater numbers of babies were soon coming.

Instead, the number of babies has been decreasing since about 1985 and the number of young people who will be tomorrow’s workers is also decreasing.

• The population was growing too fast.

Instead, the number of young people is decreasing.  Population is still growing for a little while, but only because increasing life expectancy has permitted more old people to live longer.  World population decline with an aged population lurks in our future.

• More people meant more pollution.

 Instead, every country can clean up.

• A global warming disaster was coming.

Instead, the best measures of earth’s atmospheric temperature show no substantial global warming attributable to human causes.

• More people would destroy quality of life.

 Instead, quality of life seems to improve as population increases.

Next month: Media bias and manipulation concerning population.

News

Massive German study confirms abortion significantly increases premature birth risk
A huge German study has further substantiated the link between abortion history and an increased risk of future premature births.  Dr. Manfred Voigt and his German colleagues evaluated over two million pregnancies between 1995 and 2000, making the 2008 study the most massive AVP (Abortion Very Preterm Birth) study in the last 30 years
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021111.html

Spanish medical expert: Damage to women caused by abortion is scientifically proven
An eminent Spanish biologist and bioethicist recently gave an interview in Guatemala stating that science has proven the damaging effects of abortion on the victim's mother.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021701.html

Abortion not necessary to treat breast cancer aggressively
Recently reported cancer research at Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is revealing some startling results that could reduce the number of so-called "therapeutic" abortions.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=426138

Tiny miracles performed on hearts smaller than a pea
Dr. Lisa Hornberger doesn't want babies to be born with broken hearts. Some she can't prevent, but others she has found and saved while they're in the womb. Hornberger is a renowned fetal cardiologist recruited by Alberta Health Services and the University of Alberta last fall. She will help women whose fetuses have ailing hearts and develop a fetal cardiovascular program, as she did in children's hospitals in Boston, Toronto and most recently San Francisco.
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/edmonton/story.html?id=1316800

Amnesty International demands that Mexico force doctors to do abortions
Amnesty International, a "human rights" organization that opposes the right to life of unborn children, is now demanding that Mexico force doctors to do abortions.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021609.html

"Brain death" as criteria for organ donation is a "deception"
Bernice Jones went to Rome last week to tell the world that doctors killed her son by removing his organs. "Brain death is not death" and "organ donation is very deceptive," the bereaved mother told LifeSiteNews.com in an interview.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022306.html

Second international symposium on euthanasia and assisted suicide - May 29 - 30, 2009
The Second International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, centered on the theme "Never Again," will take place May 29 - 30, 2009 at the National Conference Center located at 18980 Upper Belmont Pl., Landsdowne Virginia, 20176, near the Washington DC, Dulles Airport.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021604.html

Closing Thought

“Happy is the man who has found wisdom.  Even happier is the man who lives in wisdom, for he perceives its abundance.  There are three ways for wisdom or prudence to abound in you: if you confess your sins, if you give thanks and praise, and if your speech is edifying.  Man believes with his heart and so he is justified.  He confesses with his lips and so he is saved.  In the beginning of his speech the just man is his own accuser, next he gives glory to God, and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far, he edifies his neighbor.”

From a sermon by St. Bernard, Abbot, quoted in Liturgy of the Hours, 3:204

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