Holy See tells UN: yes to parents' rights, no to condoms for any reason

On Tuesday the Holy See (the universal government of the Catholic Church) made an excellent statement to a committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Among other things, the statement said that a proposed resolution on the girl child could:

"create a misleading impression that early pregnancy, per se, constitutes a health risk ... [W]hat is needed in such cases is prenatal and postnatal healthcare for the mother and her child, especially skilled birth attendants and appropriate emergency obstetric care, as enshrined in Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)."

In other words: abortion is not necessary when young girls become pregnant (something of which Archbishop Fisichella would do well to remind himself).

The statement went on to refer to parents thus (my emphasis in bold):

"[The Holy See] welcomes in this text the inclusion of the role of parents in the upbringing and development of girls, even though the prior and primary responsibility of their parents is not explicitly cited. In matters concerning the upbringing and development of the child, particularly in the area of attitudes and life skills, the measure of the best interests of the child is guaranteed by parental priority, as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed in Article 18, 1, of the CRC. Without these guarantees, what stands between children and the coercive power of the State in those places where serious human rights violations could be inflicted against them?"

In other words, upholding the status of parents as the primary educators of their children is absolutely essential to protect children generally from abortion, infanticide and the violation of their innocence by explicit sex education.

The statement finished with a direct reference to abortion - and a very important reference to condoms* (my emphasis in bold):

"The Holy See reaffirms its reservations with the Resolution, especially regarding its references to “sexual and reproductive health” since the Holy See does not consider abortion or abortion services to be a dimension of such terms and regarding the term “family planning” as the Holy See in no way endorses contraception or the use of condoms, either as a family planning measure or in HIV/AIDS prevention programmes."

The Holy See's statement echoes the statement by the Catholic bishops of Kenya last December (my emphasis in bold):

"We reiterate and reaffirm that the position of the Catholic Church as regards the use of condoms, both as a means of contraception and as a means of addressing the grave issue of HIV/AIDS infection has not changed and remains as always unacceptable."

The Holy See's statement is an official confirmation that the Catholic Church rejects the position taken by Dr Austen Ivereigh and Jack Valero, the coordinators of Catholic Voices, who have falsely claimed that:

• "[U]rging a promiscuous infected person to at least use a condom ... is Catholic pastoral practice" (Dr Ivereigh)
• "[Using a condom] might be the right and responsible thing to do in order to prevent infection" (Dr Ivereigh)
• "[I]t is right for schools to teach how condoms help to reduce transmission of STDs." (Dr Ivereigh)
• “[The Church has] never said that in a particular case it’s wrong to use a condom to protect somebody ... [T]he condom itself may be a good thing" (Mr Valero)
• "[I]f in a particular case [church workers in Africa] think that a condom will protect then that may be OK" (Mr Valero).

SPUC, whose lobbyists at the UN work closely with the Holy See delegation, congratulates the Holy See on yet another strongly pro-life/pro-family statement (see Pat Buckley's report on the Holy See's intervention last month, and Peter Smith's report on a Holy See statement in November last year on maternal health.)

* Why is the Catholic Church's teaching on condom use (and dissent from that teaching) important for the pro-life movement? The late Pope John Paul II, the great pro-life champion, taught in paragraph 97 of his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae that it is an illusion to think that we can build a true culture of human life if we do not offer adolescents and young adults an authentic education in sexuality, and in love, and the whole of life according to their true meaning and in their close interconnection.

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Royal college admits abortion unlawful in N. Ireland but in denial over harm to women

SPUC Northern Ireland has responded to the new guideline on abortion issued today by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) (see note 1 below). Liam Gibson, SPUC's Northern Ireland development officer, told the media earlier today that while the RCOG has finally acknowledged that abortion in the Province is not lawful unless to save the life of the mother (note 2), it has continued to ignore the evidence that abortion can cause serious physical and psychological harm to women (note 3) and families.

Liam said:

“In the past the RCOG has consistently misrepresented the law in Northern Ireland. The RCOG has corrected this mistake but it is still blinded by its ideological commitment to promote abortion regardless of the evidence. There has never been one scientifically proven medical benefit to abortion but literally hundreds of studies linking it to a range of physical and emotional problems.

“A recent study (note 4) published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that women who had an abortion experienced an 81 per cent increased risk of mental health problems. The study also found that almost 10 percent of all women’s mental health problems are directly related to abortion. It is becoming harder to dismiss a growing body of evidence of the damage done by abortion.

“The RCOG guidance calls on doctors ‘to emphasise the overall safety of the procedure’ when discussing abortion with women (note 5). Sadly abortion is never safe for an unborn child and the damage it causes is a daily reality for countless women struggling to cope with its after-effects. It is simply not good enough for the medical profession to dismiss without concern the suffering of so many women”.

Notes for editors:
1) "The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion. Evidence-based Clinical Guideline Number 7", Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), London, November 2011 http://www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/Abortion%20guideline_web.pdf
2) Guideline, 3.1.
3) Guideline, 5.13.
4) Coleman, Priscilla K. Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009, BJP 2011,199:180-186.
5) Guideline, 5.2.

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New abortion guideline is ideology and bad science

The new guideline on abortion issued today by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) (see note 1 below) is based on pro-abortion ideology and bad science. Here's what I told the media about it earlier today:

The RCOG's new guideline further entrenches its de facto role as the puppet of the abortion industry. Whether it is the physical and psychological effects of abortion, conscientious objection or counselling for women, the RCOG promotes ideology and bad science instead of high clinical and ethical standards.

The RCOG says (note 2) that counselling should be merely "offered on request". The new guideline doesn't even cover counselling in detail (note 3). The guideline does, however, give the paltry assurance that "[w]omen should be informed that they have a right to delay or cancel appointments and/or the [abortion] should they wish." (note 4). The RCOG is particularly keen to get women to use contraception (note 5), even though contraception is closely associated with rising abortion figures (note 6).

The RCOG is at pains to convince women that "abortion carried out by an NHS approved provider is a safe procedure" (note 7). All the studies which link abortion to breast cancer, ectopic pregnancy, placenta praevia, infertility or psychological harm are dismissed (note 8). The right of medics to conscientious objection to abortion is interpreted in falsely narrow terms (note 9).

Chillingly, the guideline recommends that in some cases "feticide should be performed...to ensure that there is no risk of a live birth." (note 10) That is the reality of abortion: the killing of babies, denied their equal right to life as innocent members of the human family.

1) "The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion. Evidence-based Clinical Guideline Number 7", Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), London, November 2011 http://www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/Abortion%20guideline_web.pdf
2) Q & a briefing on guideline http://www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/QA%20-%20TOP%20and%20counselling%20-%20final.pdf
3) Guideline, 1.2: "Counselling to assist individuals in making the decision to have an abortion, rather than to continue the pregnancy, is not discussed in detail. The starting point of this guideline is the point at which a woman presents to a health provider requesting induced abortion of an unintended/unwanted pregnancy."
4) Guideline, 4.25.
5) Guideline, 6.2: "All appropriate methods of contraception should be discussed with women at the initial assessment and a plan agreed for contraception after the abortion."
6) Dr Judy Bury, former director, Brook Advisory Centre, Edinburgh: "There is overwhelming evidence that, contrary to what you might expect, the provision of contraception leads to an increase in the abortion rate." (The Scotsman, 29 June 1981).
7) Q & a briefing on guideline http://www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/QA%20-%20TOP%20guidelines%20-%20final.pdf
8) Guideline, 5.10 to 5.13.
9) Guideline, 3.3.
10) Guideline, 6.21

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Caitlin McInnis, budding flim-maker, makes powerful short movie on abortion

This weekend I received an email from a young lady named Caitlin McInnis. Caitlin is a budding film-maker and has begun to use her creative talents to spread the pro-life message. Her short film The Letter is the story of an anonymous mother writing to her aborted child. I think it is very powerful. Do pass it on to others. Caitlin says:

The Letter is a short film about a woman who writes an amazing letter to the child she aborted 10 years ago.

I'm a student taking a film class at a local university. I've always been pro-life, but it was just a couple years ago that I decided to use my love of filmmaking to raise awareness of the tragedy of abortion. Media is so influential in today's society so my goal is to one day produce Hollywood films with a pro-life message.

This film was created for a "dramatic piece" assignment for my editing class. During the research for a different pro-life idea, I found this letter on the internet and thought it would make a very powerful film. I couldn't have written a script like this! A 28 year old woman, somewhere in the world, regretting her abortion 10 years prior, wrote this heartfelt letter. Although she is anonymous, I am keeping the author in my prayers and I hope she has found peace.

Over the course of 4 days, I shot and edited. Much to my surprise during the premiere of our videos in class, mine was met with great feedback from not only the pro-life students, but an instructor said it would appeal to the pro-choice audience as well. If it softens one heart, or better yet, as the woman writing the letter says, if it saves one baby, then it would have served a purpose. 

We're all affected by abortion; whether we realize it or not.

SPUC has a sister organisation called ARCH (Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline) for people suffering after an abortion. ARCH runs a helpline (0845 603 8501) which can be telephoned from within the UK during office hours Monday to Friday and outside office hours seven days a week from 19:00 to 22:00 UK time.

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Iain Duncan Smith MP makes spirited defence of marriage

I was encouraged to hear Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and former leader of the Conservative party, speaking up in a spirited manner for marriage and the family on the World at One earlier this month (11th November).

A guest by the name of Sadie King had just said:

"Yeah I think that giving tax breaks to married couples is really out of touch with the way modern families work and are evolving. Forcing people into marriage: it's social engineering, it's not something that's wanted by society. I think it's quite sexist. I think this is a step backwards for women."

And Iain Duncan Smith wiped the floor with her as follows:

"Can I just pick that up actually, ‘cos I don't think this is a choice for women. Quite often it's forced on a lot of women. What kind of a choice is it to live in a community where you are beset and you're trying to bring up kids without being able to pass on any concept of the right way to behave, that you have no man in your life who is responsible for those children that either helps you financially or supports you? That when those boys get to a certain age they no longer respect you, they don't live with you, they don't work with you.

"I mean this is not about choices, I think if you don't mind it's a very middle-class attitude to say this is all about choices. The reality is family break-down has damaged Britain dramatically. We have higher levels of family break-down in this country than other countries in Europe and the idea that they're all equivalent relationships is not true. And the benefits system right now it actually penalises families at lower income levels if they stay together. There's a real incentive under the benefits system right now to split up families and I think that's morally wrong. I think it's ridiculous.

"We're making men and women, who have very little money, have to make a decision that I can't stay with her because frankly she'd be better off without me financially. That's not a balanced choice. This is not about lecturing people, but it's saying 'make sure you understand what this choice does. Cohabitation has a very high level of break-up. Nearly one in two cohabiting families will split before the child is five. Whereas when it comes to marriage it's about one in twelve. Having a child is a massive commitment and a terrible thing just to leave to one other person if you have the responsibility also to support that child. So it's not just about free choices - it's about the outcomes of those choices, which people need to recognise, that child needs the best start in life and all of us owe it. It's difficult enough with two parents to bring it up. We need to support, obviously, the lone parents and give them every support we can, but you do need both parents to step up to the mark."

You might wish to write to Iain Duncan Smith about his comments. Write to him at alambridesl@parliament.uk (his assistant's email address). What a tragedy that this fine politician's leader, David Cameron, is supporting gay "marriage", thus undermining the special place of marriage in society (i.e. faithful and permanent heterosexual unions open to begetting children).

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Spread the word about conference on family and demography, Gdansk, Poland, 3 Dec

SPUC's colleagues from Human Life International (HLI) Poland have asked us to share with you their invitation (below) to a conference in Gdansk on family and demography. Please spread the word!

Dear Friends!

Human Life International - Poland invites to Gdansk University on December 3, 2011 for an international conference “FAMILY - DEMOGRAPHY – FUTURE”! It will be an opportunity to listen to very interesting lecturers. We provide full simultaneous translation Polish-English-Russian.

Please send this information to your friends at home and abroad, along with a personal recommendation. Please also put information about this conference on websites.
Best regards and thank you for your cooperation

Ewa H. Kowalewska

                   

                                                International Conference

   FAMILY - DEMOGRAPHY - FUTURE

                                                              PROGRAMME

8:00 - 9:00 Registration

9:00 Opening of the conference: prof. Franciszek Makurat
Chairman: Antoni Szymański
9:05 - 9:45 speeches of the guests of honour and authority representatives
9:45 -10:15 Ewa Tomaszewska (Poland): The risk of poverty and exclusion - the most important issues of social policy towards the elderly.10:15 -10:50: dr hab. Jerzy Gwizdała (Poland): Mortgage to buy a home for households during the time of economic crisis.10:45 – 11:20 Igor Biełoborodov, Ph.D. (Russia): The demographic catastrophe in Eastern Europe, history, effects and ways out of the situation.
10:50 - 11:10 Małgorzata Wyszyńska (Poland): Demographic determinants of family policy in Poland in the context of ageing population.
11:10 - 11:40 11:40 - 12:10 Thomas Ward (United Kingdom): Parents as the first educators of their children.
12:10 - 12:30 Break

Chairman: Adam Hlebowicz
12:30 - 12:45 Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Gdansk Branch of Polish Association of Natural Family Planning Teachers
12:45 - 13:15 Ewa-Kuczapska Ślizień (Poland): The increasing infertility - a new medical problem.13:15 - 13:45 Ewa Kowalewska (Poland): The influence of radical feminism on fertility.13:45 - 14:15 Joseph Meaney (USA): World war against girls.

14:15 -15:00 Lunch

Chairman: Ewa Kowalewska
15:00 - 15:30 Teresa Kapela (Poland): European family associations and their influence on politics.
15:30 - 15:50 Antoni Szymański: What kind of family policy Polish family requires.15:50 - 16:05 Fr. Tomasz Kancelarczyk: Spiritual, social and  formative dimension of the March for Life as an effective form of pro-life awareness.
16:05 - 16:20 Jadwiga Sielska (Poland): Direct aid to women in crisis pregnancy and needed right away help for large families.

Moderator: Adam Hlebowicz

16:20 - 16:55 Round table - How to protect your family - how to find a ways out of deadlock.

16:55 - 17:00 Summary and closing of the conference.

CONFERENCE LANGUAGES: English, Polish, Russian - simultaneous translations

CONFERENCE VENUE:
Meeting place in the Senate Hall of the University of Gdańsk, Library Building, 53 Wita Stwosza street, Gdańsk

CONFERENCE ORGANIZER:
"Solidarity" Commission of the University of Gdańsk

Friends of Human Life Association - Human Life International - Poland
http://www.hli.org.pl/

PATRONAGE:
Archbishop Leszek Sławoj Głódz, Metropolitan of Gdańsk
Prof. Bernard Lammek, Rector of Gdańsk University

REGISTRATION:
- E-mail: konferencja@hli.org.pl
- Phone: (58) 341 19 11
- Fax: (58) 346 10 02

NOTE: The number of places is limited - first come first enter.
The organizer does not provide accommodation!

FEES:
The cost of participation for 1 person is: €10,- EUR
Couple: €15,- EUR

The fee includes: participation, conference materials and meals during lunch and coffee breaks.

Fees should be paid to the following account:
PeKaO S. A. 33 1240 1242 1111 0010 0921 9417

Association of Friends of Human Life
st. Jaśkowa Dolina 47/1a
80-286 Gdańsk
With a note: The conference fee

Speakers:

Dr. Igor Biełobarodov (Russia), sociologist, demographer, director of the Charitable Foundation for the Protection of Family, Motherhood and Children. Vice President of the All-Association "For the protection of life and family values." Editor of the portal www.demografia.ru

Dr hab. Jerzy Gwizdała (Poland), researcher and lecturer in the Department of Banking at the Faculty of Management at the University of Gdansk. Chancellor of the UG. Educates managers and professionals for financial institutions - primarily for banks and insurance companies.

Adam Hlebowicz (Poland), journalist, historian, editor in Chief of "Radio Plus" in Gdansk

Fr. Thomas Kancelarczyk (Poland), the Catholic church assistant of Civitas Christiana Association in Szczecin, Poland's largest organizer of the marches for life.

Teresa Kapela (Poland), Graduate of the Department of History at the Jagiellonian University. Activist of  movements that promote and support large families. Initiator of the "Pro-family weblists" and the Association of Large Families "Three Plus", where she has the function of the Vice-President. Co-organizer of international conferences in the field of family policy. Involved in the international exchange of experiences with foreign federations of family organizations (European Large Families Confederation - ELFAC - European Federation of Large Families, The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe - FAFCE - European Federation of Catholic Families; FEFAF - European Federation of Active Women in the House).

Ewa Henryka Kowalewska (Poland), Graduate of Polish philology at the University of Gdansk, President of the Forum of Polish Women, president of Friends of Human Life Association - Human Life International Poland. The well-known lecturer in Poland and abroad in defence of life  and family.

Prof.  Franciszek Makurat (Poland), psychologist, head of the Department of Sport Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdansk. Lecturer of the University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski and of School of Social Communication. Chairman of the "Solidarity" Commission of Gdansk University.

Joseph Meaney (USA), Human Life International Director of International Coordination. Author of numerous publications and reports for television ETWN. He graduated from Catholic University of Dallas and the University of Texas Institute for Latin American Studies. He lives and continues his doctoral studies in Rome.

Jadwiga Sielska (Poland), educator, president of the charitable organization that helps women in crisis pregnancy, mothers in difficult situations and families with many children, "Gaudium Vitae" from Gdynia.

Prof. dr. hab. Teresa Rostowska (Poland), head of the Family Research and Quality of Life at the Institute of Psychology, University of Gdansk. Well-known author of many books, among others.: Marriage, family, work versus the quality of life; Quality of family life; Selected issues. Psychology of the family; Marriage and the family to today's challenges.

Alina Strzalkowska (Poland), education consultant for family life and health education, Teacher Education Center (CEN) in Gdańsk.

Antoni Szymanski (Poland), sociologist, Senator of the sixth cadence, a member of the Team of the Joint Commission for Family Affairs and the Government of the Polish Episcopate.

Ewa Ślizień-Kuczapska (Poland), gynecologist-obstetrician, MD, president of the Polish Association of Natural Family Planning Teachers. Lecturer, author of publications on family issues in terms of fertility and health.

Ewa Tomaszewska (Poland), physicist, lecturer at Warsaw University. A specialist in social policy. Since 1980 the Solidarity Trade Union activist, a long-time member of the National Commission. Former Member of Parliament, Senator of the sixth term of office, Member of the European Parliament of the sixth term of office. Currently a member of the National Science Section of Solidarity and the advisor to the local authorities of Mazowieckie province. For years she has conducted social activities aimed at reducing poverty in Poland, child malnutrition and lack of proper support for the elderly.

Thomas Ward (United Kingdom), a doctor, a specialist in family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics and clinical pharmacology, the founder of the National Association of Catholic Families.

Małgorzata Wyszyńska  (Poland), economist, specialist in the field of demography and social gerontology.

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Care for the disabled should be automatic

Ann Farmer, the pro-life writer, has made the following very interesting point in a recent letter to The Telegraph:

"Dear Sir,

Eve Richardson, of the National Council for Palliative Care, says that "people with dementia often receive poor care at the end of their life" and recommends speaking to sufferers soon after diagnosis to ascertain their wishes about end of life care (Telegraph, November 12, 2011). I should have thought nothing could be more depressing to someone recently diagnosed with a mentally disabling, progressive disease, than to broach the subject of their death. And what else could they possibly answer, than 'I want to be cared for'? Surely, if we care properly for extremely vulnerable people while they are living, it should be no different when they are dying?

Yours faithfully,

Ann Farmer (Mrs)"

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Christian Medical Fellowship promotes a positive alternative to Dr Death

Earlier this week I wrote about Dr Philip Nitschke's talk in London and his shameless promotion of suicide and assisted suicide around the UK.

I have now been informed that an alternative event has been organised in York as a positive response. I am glad to pass on the details of it.

CMF North Yorkshire is pleased to be co-hosting An Evening with Dr John Patrick (pictured) in York on Wednesday 23rd November at Clifton Parish Church from 7.30 pm. John will be speaking on A Good Death: Physician Assisted Suicide and End of Life Decisions. This accessible location has ample car parking and cake & refreshments will be available.

The event has been organised as a positive response to the 21st November York visit of Exit International’s Dr Philip Nitschke, known as ‘Dr Death’ for his suicide promotion seminars.

John Patrick is a good friend of CMF, having spoken at many events – local, national and international. His wise and insightful analysis of the moral issues in the end-of-life debate are relevant to both healthcare professionals and patients, Christians and non-Christians alike.

The event is also being promoted to York churches through One Voice York. Please do pass on details to others who you feel may be interested.

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A reminder to act re abortion counselling and sex education

This is a reminder to readers and SPUC supporters to take action on two fronts at Westminster - abortion counselling regulations and the sex education consultation:

Abortion counselling regulations
Please contact your MP about the proposal for government regulations on counselling for women considering abortion, which was announced in September. Please ask your MP to ensure that:
1) the proposals are primarily designed to further the government’s stated priority of reducing the abortion rate;
2) pro-life agencies helping women avoid abortions are not impeded by any regulations, and equally that the inherent right of conscientious objection to abortion is fully respected;
3) MPs tell the minister they are prepared to vote down any regulations that are not fit for purpose in this regard.

On a separate matter, we are also expecting to hear at any time about the decision from the committee revising the code of advertising (BCAP) on abortion advertising. Please be ready to act by urging Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, to ban abortion services from broadcast advertising.

Sex education consultation
The current consultation exercise by the Department for Education on sex and relationships education (SRE) closes on 30 November. Please respond to the consultation. Please read SPUC's briefing which includes all you need to know to make a submission.

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"Sex education as sexual sabotage": meeting in Westminster 1 Dec

SPUC's Safe at School campaign is co-hosting a meeting in Westminster on 1 December, 11am to 1pm, entitled: "Sex education as sexual sabotage". The other co-host is the Working Party on the Sexualisation of Children under the Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group.

Dr Judith Reisman

Speakers will include:

• Dr Judith Reisman: the global expert on Alfred Kinsey, creator of the canon of modern sex education. It is his ‘scientific research’ which underpins what our children are being taught under the guise of sex ‘education’.
• Mrs Lynette Burrows: a leading commentator on the family. Her published works include “Fight for the Family: The Adults Behind Children’s Rights.”

Mrs Lynette Burrows

Immediately following this meeting, SPUC's 45,000-strong petition to ban sex DVDs from UK primary schools will be presented to the Secretary of State for Education.

The meeting is invitation-only. For more information please call:

• Antonia Tully on (020) 8407 3463

or

• Lisa Nolland on (0117) 924 4896

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Philip Nitschke is the true face of the campaign for suicide

Last Saturday my son Paul attended Dr Philip Nitschke's public meeting in London (see my blog of last Thursday). Paul has written his account and observations of the meeting (part 1, part II). Paul wrote:

"Dr Nitschke introduced the topic of the meeting as 'why it makes sense for every elderly or ill adult to know how they could peacefully and reliably end their life' ... Nitschke isn't concerned about people being encouraged to commit suicide and the impact this might have on them."

Wesley Smith, the stalwart anti-euthanasia bioethicist, has written extensively about Dr Nitschke and his promotion of suicide methods, not just for the terminally-ill but for anyone. Wesley says:

"[I]f society comes to broadly accept a 'right' of the dying to receive assisted suicide,...what would prevent legal access to terminal prescriptions from expanding eventually to people with serious disabilities and chronic diseases, the elderly and the existentially despairing, who, after all, might suffer far more profoundly and for a longer time? And indeed, that is precisely what has happened in the Netherlands and Switzerland, after assisted suicide became popularly accepted. Nitschke appears to be on the radical edge of the assisted suicide movement - but he's really not."

Dr Nitschke's activities seem to me to be grounded in, and helped by, a common acceptance of a laissez-faire attitude to suicide and its contemplation. I am reminded of a scene in the English drama "To serve them all my days". David Powlett-Jones, a school-master, loses his recently-married wife and children in a car accident. A fellow school-master, in a heated discussion with the headmaster, says (see video below):

"[I]f I were [in his place], I should probably do what is usually called 'something silly' ... PJ's his own man ... You may see human life as a sacred trust. I see it rather as something to be got through, with as little self-contempt and misery as possible - pretty insupportable at the best of times. If Powlett-Jones has chosen to put an end to himself, that's entirely his own decision. I respect his dignity, I don't think you do."

Because this attitude - that life may cease to be worth living and therefore 'dignity' requires the chance to commit suicide - underpins the campaign for legal assisted suicide, all the safeguards and limits proposed by the supposedly mainstream campaigners for so-called "assisted dying" are illusory. Dr Nitschke's free-market, supposedly radical approach to suicide is on its way to becoming mainstream. Only a societal rejection of the misanthropy underpinning assisted suicide will be sufficient to protect the vulnerable.



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Today's must-read pro-life news-stories, Tue 15 Nov

Andrea Bocelli tells how he was saved from abortion

Top stories:

Andrea Bocelli, opera star, speaks out against abortion
Andrea Bocelli, the Italian opera star, has spoken about his opposition to abortion. In an interview in London, he said: “It is not Christian to go against someone. I am in favour of life. And, of course, personally I do not share the idea of being able to interrupt life arbitrarily." Mr Bocelli's mother had rejected pressure to have an abortion. [Telegraph, 14 November] http://goo.gl/LU11W

Pope says destroying embryos always wrong regardless of potential benefit
Pope Benedict XVI has said that the killing of human embryos is always wrong regardless of any potential benefit. He made the comments to participants in a conference on adult stem cell research at the Vatican. [AP via Yahoo!, 12 November] http://goo.gl/1QTNY Decades of destructive embryo research have provided no direct therapeutic benefits to patients.

SPUC Pro-Life is speaking out against Dr Philip Nitschke, suicide promoter
SPUC Pro-Life is speaking out against the latest UK tour of Dr Philip Nitschke, the notorious promoter of suicide methods. It has contacted the venues where Dr Nitschke is due to appear to urge them to cancel his appearances. SPUC Pro-Life is also emailing other users of the venues, local MPs, local councillors and local religious leaders, urging them also to contact the venues to complain. [John Smeaton, 11 November] http://goo.gl/eT4aC

Other stories:

Abortion

• US woman soldier details pressure to have abortion [Mail, 15 November] http://goo.gl/Id248
• Famous UK art critic was saved from abortion [Mail, 14 November] http://goo.gl/BsPSK
• US abortionist admits: “Yes I am killing” babies [LifeNews.com, 14 November] http://goo.gl/TpDjk
• New test could lead to rise in abortion of babies with Down's [Mail, 13 November] http://goo.gl/jQJ5J
• Hundreds carry crosses in London anti-abortion prayer protest [Demotix, 12 November] http://goo.gl/6eCdT
• UK pharmacist refused to dispense morning-after pill on religious conscience grounds [Hartlepool Mail, 12 November] http://goo.gl/Rfdmj
• Obama defends Planned Parenthood funding at pro-abortion dinner [LifeNews.com, 11 November] http://goo.gl/Z5YrR
• Foetuses can sense mother's psychological state [Science Codex, 10 November] http://goo.gl/xZx2b
• Fr Paschal Ryan is setting a great pro-life example [John Smeaton, 10 November] http://goo.gl/ms0Sk

Embryology

• Breast milk may be promising source of stem cells [New Scientist, 14 November] http://goo.gl/VfHqy
• Apology as sperm destroyed at Cardiff IVF Wales clinic [BBC, 14 November] http://goo.gl/RQqlO
• Multiple births in UK rise 7 percent in past decade due to IVF [Mail, 10 November] http://goo.gl/gcf0I

Euthanasia

• Nazi-era remains exhumed near Austrian hospital may be euthanasia victims [BBC, 15 November] http://goo.gl/bp1PF
• New Scots Tory leader backs same-sex marriage [Christian Institute, 11 November] http://goo.gl/Yx84O
• New consciousness test won’t stop euthanasia by dehydration, says pro-life bioethicist [Wesley Smith, 10 November] http://goo.gl/gW28C
• New poll on Canadians' attitudes to end-of-life issues [NRLC, 10 November] http://goo.gl/bD6NA
• Was Norway’s Queen Maud euthanased? [BioEdge, 5 November] http://goo.gl/TVpZL

Population

• Wellwishers brave beatings to visit pro-life lawyer under house arrest in China [Guardian, 11 November] http://goo.gl/Oqjpj

Sexual ethics

• Contraceptive pill may have increased prostate cancer, suggests researchers [Telegraph, 15 November] http://goo.gl/j9dkn
• Gay clergy row threatens mass resignations from Church of Scotland [Guardian, 14 November] http://goo.gl/lVqbD
• Liverpool becomes the first UK city to have gay street signs [PinkPaper.com, 12 November] http://goo.gl/H3rHk
• Scottish opposition to gay marriage is strong and deeply held, says cardinal [Christian Institute, 11 November] http://goo.gl/cGQF2
• America's future depends on rights of family, says Republican presidential candidate [EWTN, 11 November] http://goo.gl/tB4An
• Illinois Catholic charity to split from diocese, offer same-sex adoptions [CNA, 11 November] http://goo.gl/1R4Tf
• Outbreaks of syphillis among UK teens [BBC, 10 November] http://goo.gl/ijT5n
• I found my mother's love letter to my dad [John Smeaton, 10 November] http://goo.gl/J5Nfa
• Families, not autonomous individuals, are basic units of society, Pope writes [Catholic Culture, 10 November] http://goo.gl/g1UIA
• 2 US companies drop discrimination against pro-family employees [National Organization for Marriage, 7 November] http://goo.gl/Wpfzh

General

• Cancer mother first to give birth following chemotherapy after pregnant bump encased in 1.5-tonne lead shield [Mail, 15 November] http://goo.gl/xDa1T
• The Catholic Herald apologises to readers for misjudged Terrence Higgins Trust advertisement [John Smeaton, 14 November] http://goo.gl/JFg6F
• SPUC's education manager to speak in Weybridge tomorrow (16 Nov.) [RSVP Pro-Life Youth UK, 15 November] http://goo.gl/GNRkM
• Brazilian Catholic bishop given pro-life award [LifeSiteNews.com, 14 November] http://goo.gl/ldlvy
• International pro-life conference declares war on culture of death [LifeSiteNews.com, 10 November] http://goo.gl/QD6O6

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The Catholic Herald apologises to readers for misjudged Terrence Higgins Trust advertisement

Since my blog on Saturday about The Catholic Herald's inclusion of an advertisement by the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), Andy Leisinger, the newspaper's managing director, has sent the following response to concerned readers:

"The Catholic Herald carried a loose leaf insert for the Terrence Higgins Trust in its November 11th issue. We were informed that pregnant mothers diagnosed with HIV were encouraged to proceed with child birth and would be offered substantial post-natal care.

We feel we have misjudged our approach in accepting advertising from this organisation and we apologise unreservedly to our readers for any offence caused.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Leisinger
Managing Director
Catholic Herald Ltd (The Catholic Herald and Scottish Catholic Observer)"

I wish to thank Mr Leisinger for this positive response. As Mr Leisinger infers, the THT advertisement did indeed imply to Catholic Herald readers that THT is pro-life: the advertisement contained the story of a HIV+ mother who feared she would be pressured to have an abortion. This cynically misleading ploy by the pro-abortion THT shows just how vigilant we must all be against the machinations of the culture of death.

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The Catholic Herald advertises the Terrence Higgins Trust, radical anti-life and anti-family organisation

SPUC's staff have informed me that this weekend's edition of The Catholic Herald  - sold in just about every Catholic church in the United Kingdom - contains an advertising insert, addressed to "Dear Catholic Herald readers", from the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT). Terrence Higgins was a homosexual who was one of the first people in the UK to die from AIDS. Among other things, THT:

• says about abortion: "The important thing to remember is that it is your body and your choice to continue with a pregnancy or not." The status of the unborn child isn't mentioned, nor are moral objections to abortion explained
• links to the abortion providers BPAS and Marie Stopes and the pro-abortion group Education for Choice, on its pages on abortion
• described "abortion and contraception services" as "an area of considerable unmet need"
• says: "Some people worry that emergency contraception [the morning-after pill] is a form of abortion, but it is not, as an abortion involves removing a foetus from the womb. Emergency contraception works by preventing a foetus from being able to develop."
• welcomed a finding that stem cells from mouse embryos could potentially lead to an embryonic stem cell cure for AIDS (The Times, 22 March 2004)
• provides "living wills" (advance directives), now part of the pro-euthanasia Mental Capacity Act
• attacked the Catholic Church's opposition to the promotion of condoms
• made false claims about the benefits of sex education
• says: "Some people think that being straight is ‘normal’ and that being gay or bisexual is ‘abnormal’. This is not true; no sexuality is better or more normal than another."
• says: "Being gay is completely normal."
• says: "Masturbation is completely natural, normal, and a good way of getting to know your body."
• provides a explicitly-detailed guide to various - and some totally disgusting - sexual acts.

The inclusion of the THT advertisement in latest Catholic Herald comes only one month after the newspaper's inclusion of advertisements for Médecins Sans Frontières and the Alzheimer's Society, which also support anti-life practices. Following my blogpost a month ago about those inclusions, concerned readers wrote directly to The Catholic Herald's editor to complain. There is therefore no credible excuse for its latest failure to ensure that advertisements for anti-life or anti-family organisations are not inserted in its editions.

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SPUC Pro-Life is speaking out against Dr Philip Nitschke, suicide promoter

Starting tomorrow, Dr Philip Nitschke, president of Exit International, is touring the UK. He will lead public meetings and seminars, focused on advising people how they can commit suicide using a wide range of methods. Our colleague Dr Peter Saunders of the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) has an informative blog-post today all about Dr Nitschke.

SPUC Pro-Life has contacted the venues where Dr Nitschke is due to appear to urge them to cancel his appearances. SPUC Pro-Life is also emailing other users of the venues, local MPs, local councillors and local religious leaders, urging them also to contact the venues to complain. Below is a sample of SPUC Pro-Life's email letter. Readers of this blog may also like to email the venues to complain:

• London, 12 Nov: Dragon Hall info@dragonhall.org.uk
• Eastbourne, 14 Nov: Eastbourne Riviera Hotel eastbourneriviera@yahoo.co.uk
• Edinburgh, 19 Nov: St Mark’s Artspace enquire@edinburgh-unitarians.org.uk
• York, 21 Nov: Priory Street Centre psc@yorkcvs.org.uk

Letter from SPUC Pro-Life:

"We are writing to you in your capacity as [relationship to venue]. We are very disturbed to learn that [venue] will be hosting [date] a public meeting and seminar about suicide methods. The advertisements for the seminars explain that they provide “practical information” about ending life with barbiturates, gases, poisons and other prescription and non-prescription drugs.

These public meetings and seminars are being presented by Dr Philip Nitschke, director and founder of Exit International. He is on record as saying he believes that suicide pills should be sold in supermarkets and should be available practically on demand to even “the depressed, the elderly bereaved, the troubled teen”. I enclose Exit International’s most recent newsletter, which is an explicit guide to suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

As an organisation which represents vulnerable people – including suicide survivors among disabled people – we hope you will share our disgust at Dr Nitschke being given a public platform for his sinister activities. A number of venues have in the past cancelled his speaking appearance, due to the deeply disturbing nature of his talks and the distress they cause to vulnerable citizens (whether or not they attend the events).

We therefore urge you to contact [the venue] to let them know that you object to its decision to host Dr Nitschke.

Yours sincerely, etc."

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Fr Paschal Ryan is setting a great pro-life example

Fr Paschal Ryan, an episcopal vicar of the Catholic archdiocese of Westminster, was interviewed recently during a 40 Days for Life vigil outside the BPAS abortion centre in central London. Do watch the interview in full below or on YouTube. Among other things, Fr Ryan said:

"[The situation of abortion] is a situation of great need ... We hope that by our prayers that somehow [God's] grace may be active, both upon the people who are providing this terrible thing [abortion], also upon the women who are tempted, and on those who create this whole culture of death in which we live; and we are all to some extent involved in this. And so by praying, and by praying for this situation, we are to some extent at least setting ourselves apart from this culture in which we find ourselves."

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I found my mother's love letter to my dad

72 years ago today Margot, my dear late mum, wrote a beautiful letter to Jack, my dear late dad. She was overflowing with joy about his proposal of marriage. I found the letter in our attic at home and immediately shared it with my three sisters and brother. Naturally, they were all delighted to read it.

With all the attacks on love and marriage, and with the co-operation in this matter of certain Catholic bishops in England and Wales, directed most wickedly towards our children in school,  I found it magnificently uplifting to read the following words (which are even better in the original):

Copy of letter to Jack 10th November 1939

My Dearest Jack,

This is indeed the happiest letter I have ever wanted to write, and even before I begin I have a feeling that I shall probably experience great difficulty in compressing all my joyous thoughts into a single letter and yet what does it matter for I now have a whole life-time in which to write and talk to you. I can scarcely realize even now the magnitude of the wonderful thing that has happened to me and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great honour you have done me by asking me to spend my future life with you. I am praying now that I may be worthy of you and I shall always thank God for sending me your love.

My dearest Jack, I love you very much and I am so utterly happy to be able to tell you this. I cannot imagine life without you.

I feel we have so much to discuss and plan - everything to look forward to which our life together will offer. It as though a great barrier has been lifted between us and I am confident that our united prayers have brought us to this beautiful decision.

The knowledge that we share the same glorious Faith has always been a source of great joy to me and is even more so at this moment, particularly as it was our common faith which originally brought us together.

And now Jack I must bring my letter to a close. May God bless you and look after you always.

With all my love,

Margot 

Thank you mum for writing these words:

• “a great barrier has been lifted between us” which tells me and all your descendants all we need to know about the purity of true love and about what joy such purity brings; 
• and “this beautiful decision” which teaches your descendants all we need to know about the sacredness of marriage and the fruits of marriage. 

And thank you dad, on behalf of all your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, for inspiring such a great love in my mother and for giving her such great love in return.

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Today's must-read pro-life news-stories, Wed 9 Nov

Dr Philip Nitschke

Top stories:

Check out SPUC's briefing and conference on maternal mortality
SPUC has launched a new briefing and conference on maternal mortality. The launches are in response to the coalition government's promotion of abortion in poorer countries, on the false pretext of reducing maternal deaths. The conference will be held in London on 20 March 2012. [John Smeaton, 9 November] http://goo.gl/uxSZ7

Write to local authorities to stop abortion 'duty' being imposed
The British government is planning to force local authorities to provide abortion services under the NHS reforms currently before parliament (the Health and Social Care Bill). This was stated by Anne Milton, the health minister, in a parliamentary answer. SPUC is calling upon supporters to write to their local councillors about the move. [John Smeaton, 8 November] http://goo.gl/5aatw

Scottish church leaders speak out against workshop by suicide campaigner
Christian leaders in Scotland have spoken out against a forthcoming workshop on suicide methods. Dr Philip Nitschke (pictured), an Australian euthanasia campaigner, is due to present the workshop in Edinburgh on 19 November. Ian Galloway of the Church of Scotland said: “To reduce the conversation about life and death to a workshop on how to help someone to kill themselves demeans our common humanity.” [Scotsman, 8 November] http://goo.gl/Pk4qS

Other stories:

Abortion

• Mississippi voters reject personhood initiative [Mail, 9 November] http://goo.gl/v85xD

Euthanasia

• English hospitals treating elderly 'like slabs of meat' says report [Mail, 9 November] http://goo.gl/7zfJH
• Welsh government publishes white paper on opt-out system for organ donation [Wales Online, 8 November] http://goo.gl/oxJgt
• New Zealand PM backs assisted suicide [LifeNews.com, 7 November] http://goo.gl/q6x4Z

Sexual ethics

• Chile court rejects homosexual marriage [LifeSiteNews.com, 8 November] http://goo.gl/QrJju
• European court rules on Roma sterilisation case [LifeNews.com, 8 November] http://goo.gl/8e3KE
• It's more than Elton John's prejudice that we need courage to oppose [John Smeaton, 7 November] http://goo.gl/aySIq

General

• Glowing obituary of Fr Vincent Melia, SPUC supporter, who died last week [Hexham Courant, 8 November] http://goo.gl/VhvG9
• Pope says Catholic Church obliged to protect values over and above individual cultures [John Smeaton, 8 November] http://goo.gl/IjtsR
• New book compiles pro-life stories of families with special needs children [LifeSiteNews.com, 7 November] http://goo.gl/E9xjH

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Check out SPUC's briefing and conference on maternal mortality

The coalition government continues to promote abortion intensively in poorer countries of the world – on the false pretext of reducing maternal deaths. We cannot ignore how our country is working to export the culture of death around the world. Please read SPUC's new briefing package entitled "Maternal Mortality and Abortion in Developing Countries".

The scandal of the UK exporting abortion around the world will be challenged at a conference in London next year entitled: "Abortion or Maternal Health: What should we be funding in developing countries?". Please note the date in your diary now: Tuesday 20 March 2012. The venue is Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1. Speakers will include international medical and legal experts. Further details, including prices and booking forms will be circulated shortly, or check online for information at www.spuc.org.uk

Please alert your friends and contacts, especially medics, students, clergy, lawyers, third-world charity promoters, teachers, etc., to this event. They can e-mail: conference@spuc.org.uk to request further details and booking information.

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Write to local authorities to stop abortion 'duty' being imposed

According to Anne Milton, the minister for public health, the government is planning to force Local Authorities to provide abortion services under the NHS reforms currently before parliament (the Health and Social Care Bill). This was stated by Mrs Milton in a parliamentary answer. The changes will give responsibilities for commissioning health services to new Local Authority committees in England, and, according to Mrs Milton, the government plans to introduce statutory regulations to force local authorities to provide abortions as part of the new arrangements. This will create a conflict for any councillor who objects to abortion. Regulations forcing Councils to set up contracts with abortion providers (NHS or private) would also create the false idea that there is a legal right to abortion.

Until the new law is finalised and the regulations are drafted we cannot be certain what effect they will have, but we need to act now to alert local councillors to this threat.

Please write to your local councillors* and ask them to write to their chief executive requesting clarification of what the regulations will require. It is important to bear in mind that we are not saying that the current situation should be maintained, but that no statutory duty to commission abortions should be imposed on Local Authorities under the NHS reforms.

* The relevant local authorities are:
Unitary authorities (where these exist), Borough Councils (in London), Metropolitan District Councils, and County Councils elsewhere. (A helpful, informal guide to Local Authority structures can be found at http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/uklocalgov/structure.htm )

You can contact your local councillors via http://www.writetothem.com/

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