9/29/2009
I Chose Life Part IV: La Toyia's Story
La Toyia was involved with prostitution when she got pregnant. She almost died delivering her baby. She knew the risks involved. Find out why she chose life.


GEMS (Gabriel Education Ministry and Support) is a part of the Project Gabriel ministry. The Catholic Pro-Life Committee has nine ministries that strive to protect the lives of the unborn and care for their family members. “I Chose Life” is a 5-part video series capturing the stories of five young women who had the courage to come out of difficult situations to bring their children into the world. Their “yes” could have easily been “no.” Find out why they chose life.

Pregnant? Need help? Call 972-267-LIFE (5433)
9/24/2009
Woman implanted with Wrong Embroyo Carries Baby to Term
See what the Church says about In Vitro Fertilizatino (IVF) on our new Catholic Pro-Life Committee IVF Issues page.
9/22/2009
Must see TV: New Jersey Congressman says ObamaCare "the abortion industry bail out bill of 2009"
Washington Quickie: White House Still Refusing to Endorse Abortion-Excluding Language in Health Care Bill
By Kathleen Gilbert

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 18, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Despite the Obama administration's repeated dismissal of the controversy over abortion funding in the health care reform bill, a confrontation between White House officials and Americans United for Life (AUL) Thursday revealed what pro-life leaders have been warning all along: that the White House is unlikely to put its money where its mouth is and support language in the bill that would explicitly prevent taxpayer funds from going to abortion and abortion providers.

Read the rest of the story at LifeNews.com
9/21/2009
The Evolution of Fr. John Jenkins on the subject of life
We watched as Fr. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, vigorously defended his decision to allow pro-abortion President Barack Obama to speak at the commencement ceremony in May. In the months between the announcement and the actual day, many of us prayed that by some miracle, Fr. Jenkins would reconsider at the last moment and choose life and faith over popularity and mainstream prestige.

It didn’t happen.

Four months later, those who had the courage to stand and pray in peaceful protest at Notre Dame are still being persecuted today.

The story has been playing out in the headlines:

88 Pro-Lifers Arrested at Notre Dame Still Facing Jail Time: Thomas More Lawyer Again Asks Fr. Jenkins for Leniency
Friday September 4, 2009



Jenkins’ Response:
Notre Dame President Says Protesters’ Fate Out of His Hands
Posted 9/18/09 at 7:02 AM


(Jenkins, left, with Obama at Notre Dame)
And then things got kind of weird:
Notre Dame President to Join March for Life, Form Pro-Life Task Force on Abortion
September 17, 2009


Now, at least one Catholic leader has called Jenkins out for trying to straddle the pro-life fence:
Pro-Life Catholics Express Skepticism About Notre Dame President's Overtures
September 18, 2009

“The Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick J. Reilly issued the following statement today in response to an
announcement of new pro-life initiatives at the University of Notre Dame…

These are welcome steps in the right direction—the sort of activities
that Catholics should expect from any Catholic college or university—but there are serious steps that Notre Dame should take immediately to atone for
its shocking betrayal of the U.S. bishops and the Catholic Church last
spring
…”

I'm sure there will be more to come.

Right now, the about face looks like Jenkins trying to save face more than a real concern for protecting the dignity of life. Apparently, the prestige of the fighting Irish is a more important cause than the fight to uphold Church teaching and those trying to protect it.
9/17/2009
They did not return the whole time I was there
From a CPLC sidewalk counselor:

Mom and daughter sat in their car for a while when they arrived. I went up to the car and showed them the information. Mom got out and talked with me at length while daughter sat in the car and cried.

She was a twenty something year old african american female. Mom stated that she did not want daughter to have the abortion, and I gave literature to her which she gave to her daughter. Daughter refused to talk to me but was very emotional and mom got back in the car and gave her the information and after talking for a while they left.

I gave her my number but have not heard from them. They did not return the whole time I was there. (3 hours)

Labels:

9/11/2009
Video: I Chose Life Part III: Amanda’s Story
I Chose Life Part III: Amanda’s Story

Amanda was in an abusive relationship back home in Arkansas. A domestic violence shelter told Amanda they would help her and her unborn child out by giving her a bus ticket to any shelter that would take her in. After calling nine states, Amanda finally found a shelter that would accept her in Texas—the Missionaries of Charity in Dallas.

That’s when she found her way to GEMS.


GEMS (Gabriel Education Ministry and Support) is a part of the Project Gabriel ministry. The Catholic Pro-Life Committee has nine ministries that strive to protect the lives of the unborn and care for their family members. “I Chose Life” is a 5-part video series capturing the stories of five young women who had the courage to come out of difficult situations to bring their children into the world. Their “yes” could have easily been “no.” Find out why they chose life.

Next Time:
La Toyia was a prostitute when she got pregnant. She almost died delivering her baby. She knew the risks involved. Find out why she chose life.
BREAKING NEWS: Pro-Life Activist Shot and Killed in Michigan
OWOSSO, Michigan, September 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A pro-life activist was shot multiple times and killed this morning in front of Owosso High School in Michigan, according to local police cited in the Flint Journal newspaper.

Locals say that the victim, James Pouillon of Owosso, was well-known in the area for his pro-life activities. Local columnist Doug Powers wrote on his blog that Pouillon, known as “the abortion sign guy," was known for standing on street corners holding up signs with pictures of aborted children.

A second individual was shot and killed in a different area of the city shortly afterward, and the two shootings are believed to be related, according to Shiawassee County sheriff George Braidwood. Police confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody at the suspect's home shortly after the 7:30 a.m. shooting.

A black car was parked near the scene of the shooting, where a portable oxygen tank lay in a front yard next to a large sign with the word "Life" and an image of a baby.

In the wake of the tragedy, Fr. Pavone of Priests for Life told LifeSiteNews.com that he hoped to see "a strong expression of indignation from the pro-abortion community, just like there was a strong expression of indignation form the pro-life community at the killing of Dr. Tiller."

Secondly, Fr. Pavone called for "a renewal of unity within the pro-life community, coming to one another's assistance supporting one another, and by no means allowing fear or intimidation to have any role in our lives, but rather to move forward in peaceful organized ways to stand against this evil of abortion."

Developing...

--Kathleen Gilbert, Lifesitenews.com
9/02/2009
Face Off: Planned Parenthood vs. the USCCB
This is something that played out in the media last month, but it’s still receiving a lot of attention and definitely worth posting.

First, there was this:
The Gloves are Off: Planned Parenthood President Slams U.S. Bishops on Abortion, Healthcare

...which came from Cecile Richards’ letter to the Huffington Post where she says a lot of things that don’t add up, including this:

“Seems that, if the U.S. Conference had its way, the national health care system would make American women second-class citizens and deny them access to benefits they currently have.

The danger, of course, is not simply that the bishops are pushing to erode decades of legal access to contraception and abortion in America.

Their hard-line opposition to women's rights also endangers millions of women around the globe -- where women also need universal health care access. The effort to criminalize access to safe abortion endangers most women in the developing world -- the very women that you would think the bishops would be concerned about.”
And then, thank God, there was this from the USCCB back to Richards:
In face of Planned Parenthood attack, USCCB official insists abortion is not health care

Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the USSCB’s Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, brought back some sanity and factual data to the conversation.


“I think what Planned Parenthood is saying is that millions of people must continue to go without basic health care unless they can get their wish list of making everyone pay for abortions. I think that the charge of being ‘single issue’ falls squarely back on Planned Parenthood’s side, because this is not the kind of health care that most Americans want to purchase or have to pay for.”

Doerflinger reminded Richards that the taking of human life, at any stage, is not health care at all, and most Americans don’t want to pay for abortions. He goes on to respond to Richards’ other accusations.

“Our major arguments on this have not been about contraception. She likes to change the subject...

The Catholic Church has done more to fight AIDS in Africa than Planned Parenthood has. Planned Parenthood doesn’t want people to know that hormonal contraception has actually been associated with an increased risk of contracting AIDS. It has nothing to do with preventing AIDS, something to do with making it worse…

She keeps talking about how we’re trying to diminish a right. A mandate is not consistent with a personal choice. If what she’s talking about is people’s personal ability to choose whether or not to buy abortion coverage, we’re not going to oppose legislation that allows that.

We’re talking about the government mandating that people purchase abortion coverage against their will. Why would she be against that if she favors ‘choice’?"