Mother courage puts own life at risk to save twins A Courageous mother, who made medical history by giving birth to identical twin boys after being diagnosed with a potentially fatal form of leukaemia, spoke yesterday of her joy as she held them for the first time. Vanessa Love discovered that she had acute promyelocytic leukaemia after a routine blood test in January - only four days after a scan confirmed that she was expecting twins.But she decided to delay chemotherapy - the treatment which offers the best prospects of a permanent cure - until after her sons were born. Her courage was rewarded this month when her healthy boys were born by Caesarean section at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.Blake and Rohan Love were born a minute apart on 16 May, weighing 3lb 8oz and 3lb 5oz respectively, after a three-hour operation involving a 14-strong medical team. Mrs Love, 31, and her husband Charlie, also have two daughters, Amber, five, and Megan, four. [More]
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Saran Wrap for 'Safe' Teen Sex? Janice Shaw Cruse has written an excellent Op-ed for Concerned Women for America which I wish to share here. She discusses one example of the many ways in which Planned Parenthood deceive our youth and attempt to draw them into the culture of death. Years ago, the whole country got a laugh out of The Total Woman’s recommendation that wives occasionally spice things up by greeting their husbands wrapped only in Saran Wrap –– the clear, flexible plastic film meant to cover food in the refrigerator. Today, right-thinking adults should be outraged by the recommendation in the latest “comprehensive” sex-education materials from Planned Parenthood that, for “safe” sex, 8th graders should use Saran Wrap as “protection” when engaging in oral and anal sex. Excuse me! How did we get to the point where it must be assumed that 8th graders are going to be “performing” oral and anal sex and we have to equip them to do it “safely”? This wouldn’t have anything t
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE COMMENTS ON U.S. HOUSE AND WHITE HOUSE ACTIONS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH This is a release from the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) in Washington, D.C., issued Tuesday, May 24, 2005, at 6:30 PM EDT. WASHINGTON-- The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a bill to provide federal funds for stem cell research that would require killing human embryos -- but if the bill survives its uncertain future in the Senate, the President's promised veto will be sustained, according to the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), which opposes the bill. "Under this bill, human embryos would be killed by the very act of harvesting their stem cells for government-funded research," commented NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. The House passed the bill by a margin of 238 to 194 , which was 50 votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be required to override a veto. The White House today issued an official statement of Administration policy
U.S. House Will Vote Tuesday, May 24, on H.R. 810, a Bill to Fund Stem Cell Research That Kills Human Embryos -- Advocates of Bill Admit It is "Critical First Step" to Cloning WASHINGTON, The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday, May 24, on H.R. 810, a bill that would order federal funding of stem cell research that requires killing human embryos. The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) strongly opposes this bill. H.R. 810, sponsored by Reps. Michael Castle (R-De.) and Diana DeGette (D-Co.), would overturn the policy adopted by President Bush in 2001. President Bush's policy bars federal funding of research that would require killing human embryos. President Bush opposes H.R. 810. On May 20, the President said, "I made it very clear to Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayer's money to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that. And therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it." [More]
CHICAGO ORDAINS LARGEST CLASS OF PRIESTS IN A DECADE CHICAGO, IL -- During a three-hour ceremony, at Chicago's Cathedral on Saturday, Cardinal Francis George ordained 16 men to the priesthood-the largest ordination class of any diocese in the U.S. Ranging in age from 26 to 46, the group, some of whom hail from as far away as Poland, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico, are also overall, one of the youngest ordination classes in the country. The Archdiocese reached its low point in 1990, ordaining only 6 men, but those numbers have been steadily growing since. [More] .
GEORGE SOROS BASHES CATHOLICS Catholic League president William Donohue commented on the slanderous attack by MoveOn.org against Catholics: “The PAC arm of MoveOn.org, the Internet-based organization funded by George Soros , made a despicable statement on its website yesterday against the pope and American Roman Catholics (it has since been removed). As part of its campaign protesting Republican efforts to change the filibuster rules governing federal court appointees, MoveOnPac.org posted a picture of a smiling Pope Benedict XVI holding a gavel outside the U.S. Supreme Court. Above the picture was the following inscription: God Already has a Job.… He does not need one on the Supreme Court Protect the Supreme Court Rules “So this is the way George Soros operates. Of all the anti-Catholic canards ever expounded in American history, none is more infamous than the one that accuses the Vatican of steering U.S. public policy. And this is exactly what Soros is doing now. Simply because Cat
ILLINOIS PHARMACISTS' BATTLE CONTINUES Item 1 Many Pharmacies Ignore Governor's Order We have heard from a growing number of Illinois pharmacies in the past several weeks indicating that they have chosen to ignore the Governor's reckless order forcing pharmacists to dispense Plan B. At testimony before JCAR this week in Springfield, an attorney from DPR (Profession Regulation) tells us that pharmacists have a choice to either return the prescription or refer it to another pharmacy. That's exactly what was happening in this State before the Governor intruded on everyone's Right of Conscience in a heavy handed and illegal way. At the same time, DPR is going to some down state pharmacies and telling them that they must stock Plan B. We're going to clear up all of these misrepresentations in court very soon . [More]
St. Bernadine of Siena (1380 - 1444) St. Bernardine was born in Tuscany. His parents died when he was seven years old and he was taken in by relatives who raised him as if he were their own. As a youth, he possessed a strong love for the Blessed Virgin Mary and spoke to her as a child speaks to his mother. She kept him chaste and pure. While still a student at the University of Siena, he took charge of the hospital there when an epidemic killed most of the staff. Later he looked after a bedridden aunt until her death. At the age of 22, he became a Franciscan. He was an energetic and popular preacher who spent years travelling on foot throughout Italy preaching to huge audiences. As a priest, he promoted peace among the warring Italian cities, and worked hard for the reform of the Franciscan order and for church unity. He encouraged devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and is known for his use of the monogram IHS. Bernadine died on May 20, 1444, at the age of sixty-four in Aquila, Italy.
Girl Given Morning-After Pill without Parents Knowledge has Severe Reaction; Parents Sue PHILADELPHIA, The parents of a 16-year-old girl are suing the Philadelphia health department after health workers there dispensed the abortifacient morning-after pill to their daughter without their knowledge and permission, and without a prior medical exam. The girl had a violent reaction to the drug, including severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, swelling in the face and a rash. The girl was treated in hospital and released, but had to be re-admitted a day later for bleeding, the law suit attested. The lawsuit also charges that the girl was treated “under the false pretence that the pills will not terminate a pregnancy.” [More]
Keep Those Lawsuits Coming (OP-ED) I am not normally a proponent of lawsuits. In fact, I believe that there are far too many ridiculous lawsuits that tie up our courts today, wasting time and taxpayers' money. However, when it comes to forcing pharmacists to prescribe abortifacients, which destroy human life, I believe that we need to defeat such destructive and immoral legislation with every peaceful method we can. An Illinois panel recently upheld an administrative ruling issued by Governor Rod Blagojevich requiring all pharmacists in the state to dispense all legal drugs -- including those that could cause abortions. To say that such a ruling represents an error in judgement is a vast understatement, for the Governor knows exactly what he is doing -- promoting a culture of death, denying human beings their right to live a moral life according to their religious beliefs and their consciences. He was voted in to office, for the most part, by those who support the pro-death plat
BENEDICT XVI: LET US THANK GOD FOR JOHN PAUL II VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 2005 (VIS) - At the beginning of the general audience, celebrated in a rain-soaked St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled that today "our beloved Pope John Paul II would have been 85. We are certain that he is watching us from on high and that he is with us. We wish to give thanks to the Lord for the gift of this great Pope, and for everything he did and suffered." Happy Birthday, John Paul the Great! We love you!
Senate Begins Debate on President Bush's Pro-Life Judicial Picks Washington, DC -- The Senate on Wednesday began debate on the first of President Bush's pro-life judicial nominees who have been held up by filibusters from Senate Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Bill First decided to start off the days of debate by taking up the nomination of Texas Supreme Court justice Priscilla Owen. Frist told senators said he was distressed that Democrats would not accept a deal that would include not using the filibusters. "I'm trying to move to a qualified nominee, Priscilla Owen and we hear these attempts to delay even right now, to sidetrack, to even consider somebody else and that's the challenge,'' Frist said. "That's why we're on the floor of the United States Senate, with the light of day, with the American people watching.'' Reid suggested that Frist gather all 100 senators in the old Senate chamber and discuss the judicial picks without an
Case Similar to Terri Schiavo's Has Wife Deciding Her Husband's Fate Jacksonville, FL (LifeNews.com) -- A case similar to that of Terri Schiavo has a Florida woman holding her husband's fate in her hands. Schiavo's family is calling on Jacksonville resident Eliza Thomas to allow her husband to live. Scott Thomas suffered brain injury in September of 2004 and has since been incapacitated and dependent on others. As with Terri, Scott's wife is seeking to move him to a hospice and remove the gastric tube that provides him with food and water. Scott's mother, Pamela Patton, has petitioned the courts for guardianship of the disabled man and was awarded a temporary guardianship. However, the guardianship will expire in June and Eliza wants to take over making Scott's medical decisions at that point. Despite Eliza's desire to end her husband's life, Patton says her son speaks a limited vocabulary, answers yes or no questions with hand signals, and can tell
Miracles Do Happen! For the second time in the past two weeks, a severely brain-injured patient suddenly began speaking to the amazement of their doctors. This week, Tracy Gaskill , a 30 year-old woman from Kansas, who suffered critical internal and head injuries when her pickup overturned in 2002 spoke for the first time in three years. Tracy was tube fed for approximately three years, as was Terri Schiavo. However, she received the speech therapy that Terri was denied. Last week, Donald Herbert awoke from a coma and spoke for the first time in 10 years. A Buffalo, N.Y., firefighter, Herbert was severely brain injured while fighting a fire in 1995. The roof of a burning building collapsed on him, depriving him of oxygen, which left him in a coma. Then, 10 years later, he unexpectedly emerged from his coma and asked to speak to his wife. Medical experts opinions are valuable in assessing a patient's prognosis, but are never all-inclusive. In Terri Schaivo's case, the medical
Pro-lifer sues police for assault Says officer took sides in ideological debate A pro-life college student who claims he was assaulted by a police officer while protesting outside a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic filed a civil suit yesterday in federal court against the Metro Police Department of Washington, D.C. Daniel Heenan, a Virginia resident who attends Christendom College in Front Royal, Va., is represented in the civil lawsuit by the Christian public-interest group American Center for Law and Justice . As WorldNetDaily reported, Heenan filed another civil suit two weeks ago against the local Planned Parenthood and a security guard for a previous incident in which he claims he was tackled and injured. [continued ]
BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES CAUSE OF BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2005 (VIS) - Benedict XVI today announced the opening of the cause of beatification of John Paul II, waiving the normal waiting period of five years after the death of a Servant of God. The Pope made the announcement in the course of a meeting with the Roman clergy in the basilica of St. John Lateran. [Continue]
ACTION ALERT! President Bush has vowed that federal funds will not be used to support research that requires killing human embryos, but the U.S. House of Representatives may soon vote on bills that would overturn the President’s pro-life policy. According to a House Republican leadership aide quoted in the publication Congress Daily on May 11, a vote could occur before the end of May. Your help is needed! Please communicate with your representative in the U.S. House, urging him or her to support President Bush’s pro-life policy and to oppose legislation that would authorize federal funding of research that requires killing human embryos. Urge other pro-life citizens to do the same. Click here for more information and to contact your representative.
Do not fear the future, Pope says Do not be fearful about the future of the world," Pope Benedict XVI told a public audience on Wednesday, May 11. The Holy Father spoke to about 15,000 people in St. Peter's Square, in an audience that lasted nearly two hours. The Pope stayed for some time after delivering his prepared remarks, recognizing groups of pilgrims, then greeting about 50 bishops and priests individually and exchanging a few words with each one. As the crowd lingered, young people took up the chant that is already becoming familiar around the Vatican: "Benedetto, Benedetto." Continuing the series of talks on the psalms and canticles that was begun by Pope John Paul II -- and basing his talk on his predecessor's notes-- Pope Benedict spoke about the "hymn of adoration and praise" from the Book of Revelation (15: 3-4). He used that passage to illustrate his argument that "the believer does not fear the future." "Human history is no
NEW MINISTRY HELPS CHURCHES REACH OUT TO THOSE WOUNDED BY ABORTION SafeHaven Ministries, an online post-abortion outreach, announces the formation of In Our Midst Ministries, which is dedicated to equipping evangelical churches with the necessary tools to minister to those wounded by abortion. In Our Midst has a twofold goal: (1) to bring awareness to the body of Christ regarding life-altering issues such as abortion, and the vast number of Christians who struggle with them, and (2) to equip churches with the specialized training and resources needed to meet hurting people just as Jesus would. For more information about In Our Midst Ministries and the services they provide, visit www.inourmidst.com , or contact Mary Comm at (405) 330-0366 or staff@inourmidst.com .
Pope Benedict XVI Pledges To Defend 'Inviolability of Human Life From Conception to Natural Death' Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday during a sermon at the Roman basilica of St. John in Lateran pledged to continue to defend the "inviolability of human life from conception to natural death,". The pope said he will maintain Pope John Paul II's ideals and urged all church officials to refuse "all attempts of adaptation or of watering down" Roman Catholic teaching. The ceremony was the last in the pope's formal assumption of the papacy, following his election on April 19. Source:
Murderer Receives Award Angering many members of the pro-life movement, the West Pasco, Florida Bar Association recently honored Circuit Court Judge George Greer, who ordered the starvation of Terri Schiavo in February. Joan Nelson Hook, president of the association told the AP that, “We admired his ability to sustain the pressure not to follow the law…I don't think anyone could ever say his decisions were unlawful." Father Frank Pavone however, head of the group Priests for Life, who was with Schiavo for many of her last hours, said that "On the night before Terri Schiavo died, I said to the national media that Judge Greer was a murderer.” “I repeat that today," he said. “Terri”, he continued, “was not dying until she stopped receiving food and water. Once deprived of that sustenance, she died. It does not require any legal or medical expertise to recognize that as murder. Nobody who has lost the basic capability to understand that should be honored." The bar a
Judicial Confirmation Action Alert May 5, 2005 Dear Friends, Chief Justice William Rehnquist is expected to announce his retirement in the near future. In order for President Bush to have the necessary support for a replacement who shares our values, he has to know that a minority of Senators will not block a nominee who enjoys the support of most of the Senators who have to confirm him or her. Toward this end, we are working every day to end the Minority's abuse of their power and restore the Constitution and Senate tradition. I have asked your help in this effort before, and now I need it again. I need you to encourage everyone you can to contact your Senators and tell them to carry out an up-or-down vote on the President's judicial nominees. To help spread the word, we have created a flier that explains the problem, the solution, and what people can do to help end this abuse of power. Please visit our website at www.priestsforlife.org/government/judges.htm to obtain the
Abortion Foe to Sue Granite in Civil Rights Test GRANITE CITY, IL -- A protester is suing the city after he was ticketed for passing out religious pamphlets outside a metro-east abortion clinic. Don Horina, 66, of St. Charles, Mo., filed suit in federal court against Granite City, stating a city ordinance violated his civil rights.
Planned Parenthood launches campaign against Pope Benedict XVI Planed Parenthood has launched a campaign to motivate all of its members and supporters, nominal Catholics and non-Catholics, to send letters to the editor, requesting that Pope Benedict XVI reconsider his “backward views” and change his opinion on sexual morality. Pope Benedict XVI must be encouraged to “reconsider his dangerously outdated stances on birth control, abortion and sexuality in order to help move the Catholic Church into the 21st century,” reads a memo issued by campaign manager Eve Fox. “The new Pope's positions on these crucial issues pose a terrible danger to the health of millions of women and girls around the world and undermines efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS,” Fox wrote. The campaign manager justified this action, saying that the “the Church has tremendous influence over many governments, especially in Latin America, and plays a powerful role in shaping social and political norms around t
Another Tragedy in Florida Judge Decides 13-Year-Old Has a 'Right to Abortion' 'This is a clear example of a system that should be protecting this young girl and her unborn child, yet has failed miserably.' - Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council WASHINGTON, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Ronald Alvarez declared Monday that 13-year-olds have a constitutional right to abortion, despite the fact the young girl's legal guardian fought in court to stop the procedure. The barely teenaged girl is a ward of the Florida Department of Children and Families and has run away numerous times. Judge Alvarez also ordered either the young girl's custodians or attorneys (one of her lawyers is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida) to actually drive her to get the abortion. "Here you have yet another judge who has established a pattern of decisions that are contrary to stated public policy. This is a
MAY - The Month of Mary May is the month when Catholics traditionally honor Mary, the Mother of God. It is the month when the May crowning takes place. It is the month that we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima (July 13) and the Visitation . (May 31). In his encylical, MENSE MAIO , Pope Paul VI tells us we have good reason to rejoice at this time, for "this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne." Our dear Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has invited all of us to "contemplate Jesus with Mary eyes" during this month of Mary, "valuing especially the prayer of the holy rosary". Let this then be our goal during the month of May -- to be Mary to Jesus -- to love Him with the same tender love she had for her Son by gazing up