People as Pestilence

A group calling itself ‘Sustainable Population Australia (SPA)’ has declared that Australia’s 22 million people must be reduced to 7 million in order to avoid ‘environmental suicide’. The way in which this population control pressure group would plan to reduce the Australian population is to restrict every couple to one baby – on the lines of the infamous One Child policy enforced in China.
The group’s national president has also called for the abolition of the government baby bonus paid for all children in a family after the first child.

The Australian Democrats party, however, to which the national president of the group originally belonged, has distanced itself from her proposals, and the party has issued a statement, as follows: ‘It is a core belief of the Australian Democrats that we must work together to find practical solutions to all our problems that do not infringe the right of Australians to choose how they want to live their lives.’

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, commented that: ‘We need to start rethinking this [anti-natal] attitude if we want enough people around when we are old to care for us, pay taxes to support us, and if necessary, go to war to defend us.’

Dublin conference on stem cell research

A three-day international symposium on the theme of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells took place in Dublin on 22, 23 and 24 April. Initial short presentations on ‘Creating the appropriate environment for stem cell innovation in Ireland’, ‘Increasing Ireland’s competitiveness in the stem cell research sector : funding and policy’, and ‘Facilitating basic and applied stem cell research in Ireland through scientifically informed governmental policy’ were made. However, an alarming proportion of the twenty-five papers presented over the three days specifically concerned the involvement of human embryonic stem cells.

The holding of the symposium was made known publicly only last week, when Professor Patrick Cunningham, Chief Science Advisor to the Irish Government had an article on stem cell research published in the Irish Times. In the course of his article, he admitted that, had the Irish 2002 abortion referendum passed, the human embryo outside the womb would have been left without any legal protection, because the amendment proposed in the referendum would have effectively defined such protection as beginning at implantation, and not at conception.

It seems that the symposium was initially, and very quietly, advertised last February, and when a colleague applied for a place at the meeting, she was informed that it was ‘oversubscribed’ and that the organisers were ‘no longer accepting registrations’.

It is incredible to consider that so much time and money is being wasted pursuing an unethical and ultimately futile area of research, when experts in the field have already described the embryo debate as 'dead'.

Stop lecturing us on our own constitution

On 13 April, I reported on the cancellation of the lecture on euthanasia, which was to have been delivered at Cork University Hospital (Ireland). The well known speaker, Professor Len Doyal, whose lecture promoting euthanasia was sponsored, chiefly, by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the Cork region, was not to be stopped, however, in his euthanasia-promotion agenda – he subsequently succeeded in having a lengthy article on the subject published in the Irish Times.

In the course of the article he asks:

‘Why allow any vulnerable patient to suffer a slow death when a quick and painless one could easily be provided were non-voluntary euthanasia to be legalised? … Remember that when a decision is made either not to provide or to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, there has already been a prior judgment that the patient’s life is no longer worth living…. In circumstances where the palliative relief of suffering may be unachievable or unavailable, the intent to administer a quick and painless death should be seen as a more morally worthy goal.’

This is where we get to the dishonest core of the euthanasia argument, the idea of palliative relief being "unachievable or unavailable". It is the mark of a civilised society that the most vulnerable are cared for - and in this case this includes the sick and the dying. Where palliative care is unavailable, the focus of any humane campaign must be to make it available, not to promote killing as an alternative.

Incidentally, Professor Doyal is reported as having written a letter to the President of Ireland, Mrs. McAleese, complaining about the fact that he was prevented from speaking in Cork, and alleging that he was in danger from a ‘potentially violent mob’ who interspersed their chants with ‘loud recitations of the Rosary’! Perhaps Professor Doyal felt genuinely terrified by a group of people praying or perhaps he is just hyping the situation to portray himself as a martyr. Apparently, in his letter, Professor Doyal speaks of 'the blatant abuse of a Constitution that so many fought and died for'. We Irish are perfectly aware of our own heritage and our country's long struggle for liberty. We do not need to be lectured about the value of our own Constitution, which (he appears to forget) affords protection to vulnerable human beings which Professor Doyal would like to remove.

The fact that three-quarters of those who attended the lecture were protesting against it should give euthanasia advocates pause for thought.

Statement on cloning claims

In response to recent media reports of human cloning having been carried out by Dr. Panayiotis Zavos, Patrick O’Donoghue, Bishop of Lancaster (England), issued this statement:

‘Following the Catholic Bishops’ Conference [England and Wales] Statement of 22 April 2009, I would like to add the following on behalf of the Diocese of Lancaster:

‘The claims by the American researcher Dr Panayiotis Zavos that he has created cloned human embryos and actually implanted 11 of them into four women, are extremely disturbing. If it is true, Dr Zavos’ actions are deeply repugnant for the future of humanity.

‘Cloning entails manipulating human life in ever more invasive ways, and this will lead to “making embryos to order”, as well as other more and more serious abuses.

‘Some doctors and scientists have condemned Dr Zavos for breaching the widely accepted ban on transferring cloned embryos to the womb. But those who support destructive embryo research while criticising Dr Zavos are laying themselves open to a charge of hypocrisy.

‘The approach that is often taken in Britain is to say firstly that embryo research should be allowed and secondly that it can be strictly controlled. This is wrong on both counts. Embryo research which entails deliberately killing human embryos should never be allowed and experience shows that once this key ethical principle is breached, it leads in turn to relentless demand for more and more embryos to be used in ever more debasing ways.

‘Some have condemned Dr Zavos as “irresponsible” because cloning is not “safe” – in the sense that cloned children might have serious physical, mental or psychological problems. However, even if all these problems could be overcome, the underlying moral objection to cloning remains:

‘It [cloning] creates a dislocation in the human family; it removes the begetting of children from its true context – the fruit of mutual self-giving in marriage – and turns human children into a manufactured product.’

This echoes what Cardinal Desmond Connell, of Dublin, said some years ago when he warned that people could come to look on children as mere ‘commodities’. Needless to say, the media in Ireland was hugely critical of him for saying so.

CLIMB for the UNBORN

Pro-lifers in Ireland North and South are invited to what is hoped might become an annual pro-life event, the Climbing of Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo. This invitation is also extended to all our pro-life colleagues from other countries who may be able to come.

The Climb for unborn life will be held on Croagh Patrick on Saturday next May 2nd. and the ascent will commence at 12 noon sharp. Climbers should arrive early and be ready and should depart in groups. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be celebrated at the summit by Fr. Michael Ross SDB.

Croagh Patrick is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Ireland and attracts up to 1M. visitors annually, mostly pilgrims. For most pilgrims who visit Croagh Patrick, especially on Reek Sunday the last Sunday in July, the pilgrimage to the top of the sacred mountain is an act of penance. The purpose of the climb is to assist in creating awareness of the need for ongoing protection for the life of the unborn. From the moment of conception, every human being is unique, individual and unrepeatable. To interrupt the process of development of the unborn at any stage, is the taking of Innocent Human life.

All groups are invited to seize this opportunity to create awareness of the ongoing need to protect the most basic Fundamental Human Right, the right to life of the Unborn. Please spread the word and encourage all groups and individuals to take part.

Participants are encouraged to wear Pro-Life T-Shirts or other distinctive pro-life insignia as a witness but are also advised to wear appropriate foot wear, to come equipped with suitable rainwear and are also advised to ensure they have adequate hydration for the duration of the climb.

99 Balloons

This video recording the short but beautiful life of a child with Edward's Syndrome is one of the most moving testimonies to love over the culture of death that I have ever seen. I defy anyone to watch it through to the end and remain dry-eyed.

This is for real, apparently

h/t to Orwell's Picnic for this outrageous advert, promoting abortion as a way of helping men escape their responsibilities. And yes, the ad is apparently dead serious.

No to Abortion Ads

SPUC is alerting supporters to a consultation by the UK Advertising Standards Agency on proposals to allow abortion to be advertised on the television. To order leaflets or for more information, please contact John Smeaton directly.

MaterCare and Conscience

MaterCare International, an organisation of obstetricians and gynaecologists who provide ethical maternal health care in the developing world, has issued a statement criticising attacks on the right to conscientious objection by the Obama Administration.

Conscientious objection has long been a tenet of civilised societies and it is now proposed that this right be denied by the rescinding protection of doctors. By interfering in the freedom to practise according to conscience, the principles of autonomy of the physician and the rights of mothers will be removed. This proposed legislation is an attack on an inalienable right. To force doctors to perform procedures they believe to be unethical, immoral and clearly harmful to mother and unborn child and to threaten their right to practise if they should refuse, is a form of totalitarianism and to amounts to discrimination and persecution. The practice of obstetrics in the United States will suffer as there will be a sameness of practice which will stifle further thought and progress in maternal health care. The Declaration of Geneva, formulated after World War II, was never more pertinent “I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity. I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, from the time of conception, even under threat.”

Walk for Life in York

A Walk for Life (a pro-life walk of witness and prayer) will take place on Sunday, 10 May, from York Minster in the UK. The walk, organised by Catholic parishes in York, and with the blessing of the Bishops of Leeds and Middlesborough, starts at 1.15 pm, and ends with Mass at 5 pm at the Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York (followed by refreshments).

During the course of the Walk, an opportunity will be afforded to venerate the relic of St. Margaret Clitherow, which is cared for in the city's Bar Convent.

Abortion is NEVER 'self-defence'

Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal has shown a spectacular lack of understanding about abortion and contraception in a recent interview. He is quoted as saying:

"Personally, I am against murder but can understand that sometimes, when someone is being attacked, they need to kill someone in self-defense. I am against abortion, but I can understand that in certain cases, there is almost no other choice than to practice it."

He was speaking in the context of the recent case involving a nine-year-old Brazilian rape victim whose twins were killed by abortion. The argument that an innocent unborn baby can be classified as a violent aggressor simply by existing is entirely irrational. As I have already posted, abortion is never necessary to save a mother's life, as honest obstetricians around the world are willing to testify. Men like Cardinal Turcotte should know better than to perpetuate the lies of the abortion lobby.

Chris Smith's Challenge

I cannot resist posting a link to this superb speech from pro-life senator Chris Smith. He challenged Hillary Clinton's admiration for Margaret Sanger by drawing attention to Sanger's disgraceful views. Margaret Sanger's elitist bigotry is a subject of some interest to me, as regular readers of this blog will be aware. The media's conspiracy of silence about the evil ideology upon which the abortion industry has been built is a scandal that needs to be challenged at every possible opportunity. Congratulations Chris Smith, I applaud your courage.

I've got a little list...

h/t to Witnes to Love for posting this list of ways to make the pro-life witness more effective.

The original 'list' comes from the pen of Archbishop J. Michael Miller of Vancouver, Canada, who wrote an excellent reflection on the ways in which the pro-life movement can flourish in the years to come, published in the Catholic Education Resource Centre.

Let your voice be heard

Archbishop Charles Chaput, of Denver, Colorado, USA, writing in the Denver Catholic Register last January, in the context of the election of President Barack Obama, says:

‘Let your voice supporting life be heard. Christians have an obligation to love their country, build on its greatest qualities and serve its best ideals. We also have the duty to pray for our leaders and obey the law – insofar as the law does not violate human dignity in some systematic, gravely evil way. When bad laws and court decisions cripple the soul of a society, Christians must work to change them as a matter both of justice and charity. Otherwise we risk colluding in the evil of their outcome….’

He went on to speak about ‘one of the most destructive Supreme Court decisions in American history, Roe v. Wade.’ He continued: ‘By legalizing permissive abortion and drastically limiting voters’ ability to restrict it in any way, Roe set the foundations for an abortion industry that has wounded countless women and resulted in the killing of more than 40 million unborn children.’

With so many threats to life in the US, the UN, Europe and around the world, I thought we could all do with this gentle reminder.

UNFPA still aiding and abetting China

The Population Research Institute has published further information on UNFPA's involvement with China's notorious One-Child Policy. The press release follows an investigation into three of UNFPA's 'model counties' in China. PRI's Colin Mason writes:

“When the actual conditions on the ground are observed, the UNFPA’s claim that it ‘played a catalytic role in introducing a voluntary reproductive health approach in China’ is patently absurd. The policy is just as coercive in these areas as anywhere else.”

“Crippling fines, intense pressure to be sterilized, the flagrant display of quota information, and even the seizure of “illegal children” by the government are commonplace. The UNFPA insists that its presence has led to the removal of these measures. It has not.”

Oprah, Dr Oz and Michael J. Fox

I mentioned Dr Oz and his comments about the embryo debate being 'dead' in an earlier post. Here is the actual clip of the interview in which Dr Oz made those remarks.

Hilary and the Margaret Sanger Award

At a recent convention of Planned Parenthood, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was given the Margaret Sanger Award ‘for her work throughout her public service career on behalf of women’s health and reproductive rights’.

The irony of being granted an award named after a leading eugenicist appears to be lost on Hilary, but Sanger's elitist bigotry is well-documented.

In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Clinton said that ‘reproductive rights’ (which includes abortion)is a key issue in President Barack Obama’s foreign policy. Margaret Sanger would be a happy woman.

Euthanasia lecture cancelled

RTE news report that the controversial public lecture on euthanasia which was to be delivered at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Holy Thursday by guest speaker Prof Len Doyal (See previous BLOG) was cancelled minutes after it began when a group of protestors disrupted it. Witnesses report that at the commencement of the lecture a group of over 20 people stood up and began shouting and that some began to pray. Professor Doyal was also accused of being a murderer. The lecture entitled 'Why Euthanaia should be legalised'was cancelled on public safety grounds.

Len Doyal who is Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London and a member of the BMA Ethics Committee, is an open proponent of both voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Professor Doyal had to be escorted from the lecture theatre at Cork University Hospital by security staff.

Professor Doyal was reported in a medical news today article in 2006 as saying "Some supporters of euthanasia remain silent about non-voluntary euthanasia, presumably because they believe that focusing on voluntary euthanasia offers a better chance of legalisation. Yet in doing so, they ignore important arguments for their own position." He continued "If doctors are now allowed control - and should be able to exert even more control over - the deaths of severely incompetent patients, why should competent patients not be able to control the circumstances of their own deaths if this is what they wish? "Proponents of voluntary euthanasia should support non-voluntary euthanasia under appropriate circumstances and with proper regulation”.

Euthanasia is contrary to natural law, contrary to Irish law and infringes the 5th commandment “Thou shalt not kill”.

Serious questions arise as to why the ethics committee in a teaching hospital decided to arrange a lecture on the subject of euthanasia at all but more particularly the arrangement of a one sided presentation without even the balance of have an alternative viewpoint.

Happy Easter

Racism in the name of abortion

I am not in the habit of posting videos displaying such disgusting behaviour, but just sometimes we need to be reminded of the ugly, hate-ridden face of the abortion lobby. Before dismissing this as one unrepresentative abortion supporter, bear in mind that according to LifeSite, the man shouting racist abuse at the African-American demonstrators was aided and abetted by the abortion facility director.

Warning: This video contains language of an offensive nature.

Embryo debate 'dead'

A cardiovascular surgeon has said what pro-lifers have known for years - the embryo research debate is dead because embryonic stem cells are dangerous and will never have the potential of adult stem cells. The interesting thing is that Dr Mehmet Oz made his comments on the popular Oprah Winfrey show in front of one of the most vociferous proponents of destructive embryo research.

His comments echo those made by Dr James Sherley at the SPUC conference last year. Dr Sherley went on to criticise both U.S. presidential candidates for a 'vacation of reason' by their support for embryo research, as such research is clearly an attack on early human life and will never provide any much-promised miracle cures.

Police and Pro-lifers

Back in July last year, a group of pro-lifers, members of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, were holding a prayer vigil outside a British abortion facility. Three of those present spoke to women who were going in, while the remainder of the group stayed on the opposite side of the street, praying. It appears that someone in the facility complained to the police as, suddenly, a police car and police van arrived at the clinic, with sirens blaring.

The police threatened to arrest any member of the group who would not stop counselling. Wishing to be law-abiding citizens, the counsellors obeyed the police and stopped their counselling. Two weeks later the group received a letter, warning them that in future they would have to notify the police in advance of any vigil at the abortion clinic. They were also informed by the police that further conditions might be placed on the vigils at any time.

However, eight months later, on 19 March 2009, the Christian Legal Centre (which had been advising the group) received a letter from the Metropolitan Police stating that the group would be allowed to continue with their vigils without police interference.


The double standards of the police towards pro-life campaigners is ludicrous. A former student activist wrote to me recently, describing a demostration she organised in London. She writes:

During the 24-hour vigil the police were constantly coming up to us and asking questions or demanding to see our permission papers, even though we were clearly not causing any trouble. Then, just as we were just about to finish, this man came up and started harrassing me. It was really horrible, he was muttering gibberish in my face because he thought I was a foreigner and pressing up really close to me. I kept trying to signal to the three police officers watching the incident from across the road that I needed help, but they just stood there and watched as the man got more and more persistent. It was as if my safety was of no importance to them at all.

Thank God for the Christian Legal Centre. At a time when civil liberties are so at risk in Britain, we need organisations like CLC to ensure that the rights of pro-life campaigners are protected.

Should I tell my husband?

This devastating story highlights the suffering abortion can cause a family, particularly when it involves a very young mother. Louise (not her real name), discovered that her 15-year-old daughter was pregnant and arranged for her to have an abortion without telling her husband. Both she and her daughter are now suffering as a result of the abortion, with 15-year-old Chloe battling depression and anxiety. One of the saddest comments in the entire article is Louise's description of going to the private abortion facility with her daughter and paying the fee in advance.

Then, handing over my credit card as if we were in a department store, I paid more than £600 from my own account for the termination of my grandchild.

H/t Witness to Love

Into the Sucide Room

H/t to Witness to Love for this news report The whole film is obviously intended to present a positive picture of assisted suicide, with close-ups of a candle in a corner and the bed for the suicide to lie on made up with colourful linen. However, it still makes chilling viewing and I agree with Witness that the suicide assistant's smile is 'eerily revealing'. It is appalling to imagine that there are campaigners in Britain and across Europe trying to legalise this appalling trade in despair. That is what it is. Organisations that help people commit suicide thrive on despair and a cosy-looking room cannot distract attention from that fact.

Holy See Critical of UN Population Reduction Mentality

In a hard hitting speech to the United Nations, International Commission on population and Development (ICPD+ 15) Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, strongly criticized the "population reduction" mentality evident in the conference preparatory documents

The Archbishop commenced by pointing out that the preparatory documents for the conference were influenced by a strongly anti-life attitude, "In reading the preparatory documents for this session of the Commission one cannot help but get the impression that populations are seen as the hindrance to greater social and economic development rather than vital contributors to the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and greater sustainable development," he said.

Archbishop Migliore also said that 15 years ago"many demographic experts and politicians" were forecasting an apocalyptic vision of a "population explosion." Nevertheless he continued, "now, fifteen years later, the population growth has begun to slow, food production continues to rise to the point where it is capable of supporting a larger global population and is even being diverted to the production of fuel." “It is almost ironic” according to the Archbishop,” that environmental destruction is perpetrated primarily by States with lower growth rates and that developed countries are supporting population growth at home while simultaneously working to reduce it in developing countries."

The Archbishop continued “the increased birth rates in Africa over the last decades have been identified by experts as lowering the elderly dependency ratio and presenting the population with a plentiful workforce capable of providing the Continent with an unprecedented advantage in economic terms over regions whose ageing populations show growing economic challenges. To capitalize on this opportunity, for Africa and ultimately for the whole world, greater commitment must be made to provide economic assistance and investment in human capital and infrastructure to support economic growth. Consequently, additional funding programs which focus upon lowering population growth rather than fostering an environment for development will slow, not expedite, the achievement of the MDGs.”

A Doctor Writes

Idle Speculations carries a letter published in The Times of London penned by Baroness Findlay, a member of the House of Lords and a professor. However, she writes the letter from the perspective of a doctor commenting 'from the coal face' about assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is fine in a perfect world. We don't live (or die) in one

A doctor's job is to treat the sick and relieve pain. That cannot be squared with helping the terminally ill to end their lives

A most grotesque lie

I am coming across more and more situations during my pro-life lobbying where supporters of abortion say things that are so utterly grotesque that they barely warrant a response at all. This particularly horrific lie comes courtesy of Dwight Longenecker's blog and involves an Episcopal lady priest preaching 'abortion is a blessing.' Not a necessary evil or an unfortunate necessity or any of the usual lies the abortion lobby come up with, but a blessing.

I have mixed feelings about using images of aborted babies, but in this case I felt moved to share the reality of abortion with anyone who might be in doubt about the true nature of this so-called 'blessing.'

Abortion kills mothers and their babies

Catholic Action UK carries a stark reminder about precisely how safe 'safe, legal abortion' is for women. A Marie Stopes abortion facility is facing the possibility of prosecution after a 15-year-old girl was discharged 45 minutes after an abortion and died of a heart attack on her way to hospital five days later. The 'help' she received from the facility prior to her tragic death was to be recommended Ibuprofen.

The abortion lobby propagates the lie that legal abortion is safe for women. Just the other day, I heard a spokeswoman from Marie Stopes up against a colleague of mine in a debate, claiming that Marie Stopes 'protected women around the world from unsafe abortions'. How exactly did they protect Alesha Thomas? How do they protect the women whose babies they abort, who go on to develop physical and psychological complications the abortion lobby will not even admit to causing?