BY DUSTIN SIGGINS

DETROIT, MI, December 3, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) opened a new front in the culture wars with a lawsuit against the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) alleging that the USCCB’s directives prohibiting abortions in Catholic hospitals are equal to medical negligence.

The lawsuit focuses on the case of Tamesha Means, who in 2010 was brought to Mercy Health Partners, a Catholic-affiliated hospital in Muskegon County, Michigan after her water broke at 18 weeks.

Mercy Health Partners Hospital in Muskegon

In the lawsuit, Means claims she visited Mercy three times after her water broke, and that by the third visit she had an infection, but the hospital tried to discharge her anyway. During the discharge she began to give birth, at which point she was treated. The baby died shortly after birth.

The ACLU claims that the appropriate care in the case would have been to induce labor to avoid the chance of infection, since the baby had a slim chance of survival. But because of the USCCB’s Ethical & Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, it claims, the hospital was prevented from treating Means in the proper way. Because Means’ baby was pre-term, inducing labor would have virtually ensured the death of the child.

The USCCB’s directives state that “abortion…is never permitted. Every procedure whose sole immediate effect is the termination of pregnancy before viability is an abortion…” The lawsuit is targeting the USCCB, not Mercy. It also names as defendants the current and two former chairs of the Catholic Health Ministries, which requires Mercy to abide by the Religious Directives.

Read More: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/aclu-sues-u.s.-bishops-over-policy-forbidding-catholic-hospitals-from-doing

BY STEPHANIE GRAY

33,000: the number of Canadian women having abortions this year who have previously had an abortion. That’s according to the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada: “At least one third of women undergoing induced abortions in Canada have had a prior abortion” (2012; 34(6): 536).

There’s no doubt that people of good will should do soul searching and ask, “Where were we before her first abortion?  Did we try to ‘rescue those who are being taken away to death’ (Proverbs 24:11)?”  But now, added to those questions are these: “Where were we after her abortion?  Did we say anything?”  All too often there’s silence.  Consider the most obvious place where one should expect to hear about abortion—churches—and how infrequently one hears pastors preach about the forbidden “A”-word.  Why is that?

Perhaps some fear an angry backlash from congregants who don’t share God’s view on child sacrifice.  Those clergy could be reminded that that’s not surprising given we were told “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings” (2 Timothy 4:3).  They could be reminded that they, our shepherds, are called nonetheless to “convince, rebuke, and exhort” (2 Timothy 4: 2).

Others would say their reticence is rooted in not wanting to burden the guilt-ridden with judgment: “Women in my church have already had abortions,” a pastor may declare. “My preaching won’t bring their babies back; it will just make the moms feel worse.”

I could point out that a compassionate, Spirit-filled preacher wouldn’t make an unhealed woman feel worse, but rather would give her hope that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20).  I could point out that a healed post-abortive woman would listen encouraged, knowing other women could be spared her pain thanks to a preaching they’re hearing that she herself never heard.

But what I’d really like to point out to such a pastor is that the post-abortive in his church are pre-abortive.  They are at great risk of repeating this lethal sin.  And if he fails to “[teach] them to observe all that [Jesus] commanded” (Matthew 28:20), the woman who currently has one abortion to repent of, may soon have two.  If we withhold a truth that will not only set her free of her past, but also prevent her from repeating her mistakes, then that woman’s sin of commission becomes our sin of omission. 

A couple years ago when my colleagues and I were displaying abortion victim photography in Calgary, a woman confided in me that she had had an abortion in Edmonton just a few months prior.  She said through tears, “Nobody told me it looked like that.” 

Read More: http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/the-post-abortive-are-pre-abortive

BY OPERATION RESCUE STAFF

Wichita, KS, Dec. 3, 2013 (OperationRescue) – What started out as the dream of a small Catholic High School class in Beloit, Kansas, has turned into a national pro-life event aimed at activating youth to stand against abortion.

This Friday will mark the first Catholic School for Life Rally. Students from St. John’s Catholic High School in Beliot will travel 2½ hours to Wichita for a rally and prayer outside South Wind Women’s Center, the closest abortion clinic to Beliot as a means of education on the reality of abortion. They will be joined by other Catholic High Schools, including Sacred Heart Catholic School in Salina and Kapaun High School in Wichita.

Even Kansas Congressman Tim Huelskamp, who is a pro-life champion in Washington, D.C., has confirmed that he will attend the Wichita event and will be speaking at the rally.

But the Catholic School for Life Rallies are not confined to Kansas. St. John’s faculty organizer, Andrew Neiwald, has received confirmations that Catholic high schools in Colorado, Nebraska, and South Carolina, will be participating by rallying at abortion clinics in their communities. Some will include prayer, the reading of Bible verses, and even the singing of Christmas Carols at their local abortion sites.

The event has received blessings from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Neiwald has been told that prayers are being offered for the event from as far away as Brazil.

The students hope that this event will spread and become a yearly tradition that will also include students from Protestant schools in the future.

Read More: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-schools-to-rally-outside-abortion-clinics-across-the-u.s.-this-fri

“Put your money where your mouth is.” Many people are familiar with that popular phrase. Basically, it’s a challenge to back up your words with actions.

As a writer and a talkative person, I’m full of words – words that embody my beliefs and guide my steps. Although I’m far from perfect, I seek to be an authentic person who lives by the principles I profess.

When it comes to my health care decisions, I vary between sharing my thoughts and holding them back. I’m not afraid to tell the world about LaVanila, the best natural aluminium-free deodorant I’ve ever used. If I like a dentist, I’ll give him or her a shout-out on social media. I’ve even written about my OB/GYN experience and the pressure put on me to take birth control. Yet when it comes to the subject everyone’s talking about, “ObamaCare,” I’ve been uncharacteristically quiet.

I’m one of the uninsured. I’ll admit it’s a struggle. I have two wonderful part-time jobs instead of a full-time, and neither job provides coverage. I could technically buy my own insurance. I’ve searched for plans. The ones I can afford don’t include the things I really need, like dental and vision. I’ve had major dental issues in the last few years to the tune of thousands. When it comes to my sight, I actually had an eye doctor tell me once, “Did you get dropped on the head as a child?” Realistically, I need more from a plan than I can afford to pay for. Some of the plans cost the same amount monthly as my rent.

When I realized that ObamaCare was actually going to pass, I had mixed emotions. I’m pro-life. I believe that the unborn have a right to be protected. I see the dignity of the fetus and value his or her worth as a unique person. Most Americans are familiar with President Obama’s support of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion-provider in our country. I know that ObamaCare makes it easier for women to terminate their children or prevent them from being born through access to contraceptives, birth control, and sterilization. I also know that the Affordable Care Act isn’t just about abortion and birth control. Yet, as a woman who was minutes away from being aborted, I will never overlook that component of it.

Aside from the abortion coverage, the idea of affordable health care is very appealing to me. I have international friends, and I’m amazed at the differences between our nations’ health care. I’d love to have a baby in Sweden – just saying.

But since I have no plans to leave America, I’m grateful for the rights and privileges we do have. When the ObamaCare site went live in my state, I curiously went on and read about the plans. I called and talked to a really nice worker. I researched, prayed, spoke with friends, and wrestled over what to do.

“Would my money really be supporting abortion?” Every pro-life leader I trusted said yes. “Shouldn’t I just abide by the law of the land?” “Does this count as ‘rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s, like Jesus said?” “Could I live with myself if I knew my money was in some way profiting the abortion industry?” “Can I even live without insurance?” “How much was that fine again?” “Doesn’t it increase every year?” “Isn’t this Affordable Act a good thing because it helps the poor?” “What if I get sick?”

The questions swirled inside my head and slowly began forming into solid conclusions. I didn’t have a dream, light from above, or hallelujah chorus. I just recognized I wanted to honor the convictions God developed in my heart. I’m pro-life. I don’t want my taxpayer dollars funding abortions. I don’t support any form of birth control that can even slightly be considered an abortifacient.

Read More: http://liveactionnews.org/why-ill-pay-the-fine-instead-of-buying-obamacare/

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Texas attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott has put his money where his pro-life mouth is and announced grants to 13 nonprofits in Texas for the purpose of supporting adoption, the result of profits from the state’s relatively new pro-life license plates.

The attorney general’s office says, “More than $46,000 is being distributed in the initial round of grants from funds raised by sales of the Choose Life specialty license plates which were authorized by the Texas Legislature under a 2011 law.”

A supporter of life and adoption, Abbott said:

Every day across Texas, children are adopted into loving families who provide for their needs and raise them to be healthy and happy adults. The Choose Life grants will enable recipient organizations to build on the good work they are already doing and help adoption become a reality for even more children and families in the Lone Star State.

The grants, chosen by a seven-member Choose Life advisory board, will benefit several crisis pregnancy centers, as well as adoption agencies in Texas. SB 257, which allowed for the Choose Life plates, has been successful since debuting only two years ago.

Abbott’s office reports:

Of the $30 Texas drivers pay for the plate, $22 is deposited in the Choose Life account; $7.50 is deposited in the State Highway Fund for Department of Motor Vehicles administrative expenses; and $0.50 is retained by the counties. At the end of Fiscal Year 2013, Texas drivers had purchased almost 2,300 Choose Life license plates, and the balance of the Choose Life account was $52,481.61.

Pro-choicers have been vocal about their opposition to choose life license plates, but the fact is that 2,300 Texans made the choice to pay a little more for their plates so they could help women make a choice. That’s true choice. These grants are the result of those plates, and they will allow programs to continue serving women in crisis pregnancies. The grant recipients are actually those who provide choices by showing a woman with an unplanned pregnancy that there is a way besides abortion. That’s choice, and in Texas, it’s been a good one.

Read More: http://liveactionnews.org/texas-attorney-generals-office-announces-grants-supporting-adoption/