January 2019 Newsletter: Pro-Life is Pro-Science

by Frank Tinari, Ph.D., Life Education Council Board of Trustees

Science Focus of National March for Life

This year’s March for Life plans to fortify its message with science that proves life begins at conception, and with a specific focus on stem-cell research.

“Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science” is the theme for the January 18th Rally and March in Washington, DC, that marks the anniversary of the Supreme Court 1973 Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion nationwide for all nine months of pregnancy. Rally speakers will include Ben Shapiro, editor of The Daily Wire, and Abbey Johnson, former abortion clinic worker who founded And Then There Was None. Political speakers are to be announced.

Jeanne Mancini, pres. of the March for Life, said that “our DNA is present at the moment of fertilization. Science should always be at the service of life, not the reverse. It is important to have a foundation of human dignity for any kind of research.” She called for the passage of H.R. 2918 (Patients First Act) that would require the Dept. of Health & Human Services to support research on adult stem cells, not those taken from aborted babies. David Prentice, research director of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, research arm of Susan B. Anthony List, said adult stem cells “from many different sources [e.g., umbilical cord blood]” would be a suitable replacement. [Catholic New York, 10/25/18]

Participation in the national March for Life is a once-a- year event that is unforgettable. Families, adults, teenagers, religious all make the civic and religious statement to show their opposition to the inhumane practice of abortion. Buses are being provided by hundreds of parishes for the trip to Washington. The Respect Life Office of your area diocese will provide details.

Disrespect for Life Leads to Other Problems

NY Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan recently wrote: “Drugs, war, unjust economic systems, crime, violence, oppression of people, family dysfunction & sexual abuse all start from degrading the innate value of the divine gift of human life.”

“We are pro-life, not just pro-birth. As Cardinal Terence Cooke wrote as he heroically neared his own painful death from cancer, human life is no less sacred when it is vulnerable, weak, or considered ‘inconvenient’.”

“I make no apologies for prioritizing concern for the unborn. If we get that wrong, we’re hardly credible on the other burning issues. If we allow the helpless life of the baby in the sanctuary of the mother’s womb to be thrown away, it’s tough to defend the lives of others who might be considered inconvenient or expendable.” [Catholic New York, 10/25/18]

Maternity Homes Seek to Empower Women

Trauma, homelessness, addiction, broken family life are not good conditions for birthing and raising a baby. That’s why there are over 400 maternity homes in the U.S. that offer pregnant women food, shelter, prenatal care, education and job search assistance. After their babies are born, mothers get help learning to care for an infant through post- partum, and support as they work toward finding independent housing.

Good Counsel Homes was founded by Christopher Bell in 1985 with the support of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, and now operates seven homes in four states. Sara Moran started Little Flower Maternity Home (Denver) after working at Maggie’s Place (Phoenix) & Several Sources Shelters (NJ).

Many success stories: “A lot of us made something of ourselves,” Shanika Dawson said. “I’m glad the home is still around. A lot of women have accomplished a lot after being there.”

Some crisis pregnancy centers are now opening their own maternity homes in response to the need they see among their clients. Chicago-based Aid for Women is one of 20 pregnancy help centers that offer maternity housing. The agency operates Heather’s House (Des Plaines, IL) for pregnant women and Monica’s House (Chicago) for those making the transition to independent living. [Our Sunday Visitor, 11/18/18]

Regardless of location, these homes deal with common problems faced by pregnant young women: a history of homelessness, incarceration, broken family life, broken relationships, spousal abuse, parental rejection and other trauma. Maternity homes offer these women a different path, one that could lead to a more fulfilling life for themselves and their children.

Quit!

That’s the single word filling the front of a postcard that is designed to be shared with abortion workers. The back of the card explains how And Then There Were None assists workers through a transition out of the abortion industry. The group provides job search resources, financial assistance, free legal counsel, emotional and spiritual support, and no- cost healing retreats. Nearly 500 abortion workers have walked away from the industry.

If you would like to have a set of these cards to hand to abortion facility workers outside of an abortion mill in your area, visit www.AbortionWorker.com, or #ATTWN.

NJ Campaign: Protect Babies in the Womb

Since the summer, tens of thousands of postcards have been signed and sent from Catholics for passage of the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (A-1686/S- 537).

Spearheading the campaign to save babies 20 weeks in the womb from abortion, Holly Wright said: “The 20/20 Project is a collaborative effort of many pro-life groups and individuals throughout the state to attain equal rights for babies in the womb and it is making great headway.” There is substantial medical evidence that babies in the womb feel pain by 20 weeks. The bill states: “Surgeons in the field of maternal and fetal medicine have found it necessary to sedate an unborn child to prevent the unborn child from engaging in vigorous movement in reaction to invasive surgery.”

To participate in the postcard campaign, parishioners are encouraged to meet with their pastor for permission to implement the program. They would then choose a Sunday date and have parishioners receive instruction about the project & how to sign the postcards that are provided. More information is found at www.babiesinthewombfeelpain.com. [The Beacon, Diocese of Paterson, NJ, 12/6/18]

Also, to promote the campaign, NJ drivers are encouraged to obtain & display the 20/20 magnetic decal.

Guidelines for Being a Faithful Pro-Lifer

1. Casual sex is not worth the risks

2. Unplanned pregnancy needs to be faced honestly and with loving support

3. Abortion has many bad physical & emotional effects

4. Healing is possible for those who have had an abortion

5. It is best to be chaste until marriage

6. Marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman

7. Family planning should use natural means

8. Children are a gift from God

9. Sick or elderly people are to be given normal care and relief of pain

10. Suicide and assisted suicide are morally wrong

11. Abuse of a person by another is always wrong

12. Use of another person as an object is sinful

13. The church offers healing from the effects of all types of abuse

14. Help and protection is to be offered to all human beings, whether sick or poor or elderly or unborn “Life in all its stages is sacred and to be respected”

NFL Player Rae Carruth Released From Prison: Murdered Pregnant Girlfriend, Injuring Her Unborn Baby

Former NFL player Rae Carruth walked out of prison in October after serving 19 years for planning to kill his pregnant girlfriend and their unborn son. A former Carolina Panthers wide receiver in late 1990s, Carruth was found guilty of conspiring to murder his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams, and attempting to destroy an unborn child, his son Chancellor. After being shot four times, Adams went into a coma and died a few weeks later, but doctors were able to save her son, Chancellor. He has cerebral palsy and lives with his maternal grandmother, Saundra Adams, who has devoted her life to caring for him. Chancellor’s condition is due to loss of blood and oxygen the night when his mother was shot; he also was born prematurely.

Carruth recently told reporters that he wants custody of his son, but Adams said she will fight to keep her grandson. “I’ve forgiven Rae already, but to have any type of relationship with him, there does have to be some repentance,” Adams she told reporters. “And I think this opens the door. But I can say definitively he’s not ever going to have custody of Chancellor. He will never be raised by a stranger, someone he doesn’t know and who tried to kill him.” She said her daughter refused to abort Chancellor, even though Carruth pressured her repeatedly. [M.Bilger, LifeNews.com, 10/22/18]

“Pro-life beliefs have definitely been gaining ground in recent years.”

That’s what Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said in reaction to a new poll of 3,000 Americans. (Full survey results are avail-able online at TheStateOfTheology.com) The national poll found 52% of Americans agreed that abortion is a sin. Abortion opposition has increased slightly since the 2016 State of Theology survey, when 49% said abortion is a sin.

The Christian group said the survey results show some in the media continue to exaggerate Americans’ support for social liberalism, even as a large number of Americans continue to agree with Biblical ethics. Dr. Mohler said that pastors & local churches have played a big part by teaching about the sanctity of human life. Ultrasound images plainly show the humanity of the child in the womb, and they are provoking the consciences of Americans. [S. Ertelt, LifeNews.com, 10/22/18]

Edited since 2005 by Frank Tinari, Ph.D., tinarifr@shu.edu Past issues posted on the Diocese of Paterson, NJ website. To have your parish receive this newsletter each month free of charge, email your request to the editor.