STEM CELL NEUTRAL: While the embryonic stem cell controversy was galvanizing Missouri, three St. Louis women were documenting it all — the hearings, the legislative sessions, speeches, debates, rallies and the Amendment 2 campaign. Those women — Barbara Langsam Shuman, Jill Mirowitz Mogil and Sharon Harris Pollack — have produced and directed “The Stem Cell Divide,” based on their documentation. The film will première at the Tivoli Theatre as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival on Nov. 16, beginning at 2 p.m. “The Stem Cell Divide” is the first documentary produced by the women, who are partners in Triumph Documentaries. In their other lives, Shuman is a journalist and PR exec, Mogil is an optometrist, and Pollack is a biologist and science writer. Among those interviewed or seen in the film: former Sen. John Danforth; Dr. William Danforth; John Dubinsky; Mark Wrighton; former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke; Alan Keyes; Phyllis Schlafly; state senators Chris Koster and Matt Bartle; Dr. Steven Teitelbaum; and Dr. Richard Chole.
It looks like they got a good group of people in there representing our side. Advance tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at Landmark Theaters.
This undercover video from Students for Life of America unveils that at least one clinic is still practicing induced labor abortions and letting the babies who survive the abortion attempt “eventually die,” presumably by not giving the helpless living human beings the medical care that they are entitled to. (h/t: Generations for Life)
Let’s not forget what Barack Obama thinks about trying to save the lives of babies born alive after an abortion attempt. Speaking on the floor of the IL State Senate April 4, 2002:
“..essentially adding an additional doctor who then has to be called in an emergency situation to come in and make these assessments is really designed simply to burden the original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an abortion.”
BTW, SfL also revealed that the particular clinic in its investigation receives federal tax dollars under Title X. Perhaps it’s time we all start following Mr. Little’s lead.
*Update: h/t Leticia. YouTube apparently banned the video I posted above. Here it is via Eyeblast:
Back in 1999, Canadian David Little decided he had had enough of praying for life while his tax dollars were being used to pay for death by funding abortions in Canadian hospitals. Since then Mr. Little has not filed a single tax return and doesn’t plan on changing his mind in the near future either:
I am never going to file again until the law is changed to take away the collusion and coercion of us participating, as a people, in something that many million of people believe is very, very wrong.
This, despite the fact that he was convicted last November for failing to pay his taxes and just recently lost his appeal to a Court of Queen’s Bench justice.
It’s either we’re going to win here or I am going to be in jail until I rot…This is not about paying taxes. This is about co-operating with a government that uses our money to kill innocent children, and I don’t want to get involved with that any more
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is! (ht: Mark Pickup)
On Rush’s show this week he had a very lengthy monologue on Obama and the Constitution in which he got into abortion, the Declaration of Independence and “”Why the Founders Put Life First”:
The document that preceded the Constitution, of course, the Declaration of Independence: We are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, because without that, everything else is academic. If you’re not born or if you’re aborted, you don’t have the chance for liberty, nor the pursuit of happiness because you’ve been murdered, you’ve been killed. So they put life first. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And they acknowledge that we are endowed by our Creator that, this is the yearning of our spirit, this is how we were made. The Constitution flowed from that. The Constitution established a government which would protect life and provide for the general welfare, not ensure. Everything stems from the respect for the sanctity of life. If that goes awry at any place in a society and then elevates and multiplies, then all the rest that follows is by definition weakened. So Obama is worried, he says the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties, and yet the Constitution defends the whole notion that we all have of right to life, except it doesn’t now…
The thing about abortion is to get to people’s minds and hearts on this and understand that in a Constitution which has as its fundamental building block reason for existence, the promotion of liberty of the individual citizen. At any point where the Constitution is weak and fails to provide for that, then you’ve got trouble, and everything I believe descends from that. All the social unrest, all of the madcap, wacko, socially cultural perverted ideas we get from the left, they are made easier once the acceptance in a broad number of people is made, that certain lives can be eliminated based on the convenience to the living.
I have been saying this for years. Our position on the right to life will make or break this country and right now it’s not looking too good. Roe v. Wade is not just “bad law”; it’s totally unjust law. It doesn’t just deny states the right to allow or outlaw abortion themselves; it denies an entire class of human beings their God given right to Life – the fundamental right of all human beings that our country was founded on. It has made America as a country responsible for the deaths of almost 50 million innocent human beings because of our view of abortion as a so-called Constitutional right. America needs to wake up and do something about our role in this terrible injustice or we may not stand much longer, not as the great Nation we once were, anyway. Read: Death Wish: the impending suicide of a once great nation or watch video
The campaign days are winding down and soon Election Day will be upon us. We say it every election year, but this year there really is a lot at stake, especially when it comes to protecting innocent human life. And in American politics there is no issue of greater importance – not the war, not the economy, not gas prices, the environment, etc… For 35 years an entire class of human beings has been denied their most fundamental right to life. Over 49 million of these children have been killed – dismembered, burned alive, brains sucked out, skulls crushed and many times delivered alive and left on shelves to die – under the full protection of the law.
“Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination.”(Christifideles laici, 38)
To claim the right to abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom. (Evangelium Vitae, 20)
Let’s pray for our Nation this week, for an end to abortion, for leaders that will uphold and protect the dignity and rights of all human life from conception until natural death. Fr. Corapi suggests a Novena and Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between now and Election Day.
“Most merciful Jesus, I beseech You through the intercession of Your dearest Mother who nurtured You from childhood, bless my native land. I beg You, Jesus, look not on our sins, but on the tears of little children, on the hunger and cold they suffer. Jesus, for the sake of these innocent ones, grant me the grace that I am asking of You for my country.” (Diary of St. Faustina, n. 286)
May the most just, the most lovable, and the most high Will of God be done, be fulfilled, be praised and exalted in all things forever. Amen!
The tragic story of Daniel James (mentioned in this post) reminds me of a passage from Thomas Merton’s The Seven Storey Mountain:
Indeed, the truth that many people never understand, until it is too late, is that the more you try to avoid suffering, the more you suffer, because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you, in proportion to your fear of being hurt. The one who does most to avoid suffering is, in the end, the one who suffers most: and his suffering comes to him from things so little and so trivial that one can say that it is no longer objective at all. It is his own existence, his own being, that is at once the subject and source of his pain, and his very existence and consciousness is his greatest torture. This is another of the great perversions by which the devil uses our philosophies to turn our whole nature inside out, and eviscerate all our capacities for good, turning them against ourselves. (p. 91)
Pope Benedict also says as much in his encyclical, Spe Salvi:
It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. (37)
Suffering is part of human existence. It is a consequence of original sin and although we can work, within reason and without violating human dignity, to do what we can to reduce it and ease it’s pain, eliminating it is not in our power. Running away is not the answer to suffering:
It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love. (ibid)
I just checked out the St. Louis International Film Festival website and saw that the blurb for “The Stem Cell Divide” (that I wrote about here) is now up:
The Stem Cell Divide
Barbara Shuman, Jill Mogil & Sharon Pollack, U.S., 2008, 90 min.
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m., Tivoli 1
“The Stem Cell Divide” examines the controversy – in Missouri and the nation – over embryonic stem cell research, an issue that has galvanized the religious, political and scientific sectors. The film covers a two-year period, beginning with legislation proposed in the Missouri Senate and continuing through the 2006 ballot referendum on the Missouri Stem Cell and Cures Initiative, and shows Missourians’ efforts to resolve this conflict, a debate that transcends geography, race, gender, age and socioeconomic status. The fundamental questions of when life begins and whether the hope for cures should override religious beliefs are eternal quandaries. Those questions elicit thoughtful, emotional responses from a range of individuals representing both sides of the debate.
You can find it here. I’m still hoping this really will be as fair and balanced as they’ve made it out to be. I had a very good relationship with the filmmakers and could not detect any bias one way or the other when I was with them – which surprised me. I talked to a woman from Missourians Against Human Cloning who was also a part of it and she’s skeptical.
I also found out on the website that there will be a documentary showing there about Conception Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in northwest Missouri. I have spent a lot of time up there over the last few years. A good priest friend of ours started teaching at the seminary college there a number of years ago and – he is now the dean of students. It’s a beautiful place and I love praying the Hours with the monks. Info on the doc:
St. Benedict’s Rule
Jay Kanzler, U.S., 2008, 84 min.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m., Webster
Founded in 1881, Conception Abbey in northwest Missouri is an apparent refuge from modern life, serving as home to Benedictine monks, providing religious instruction at its seminary college, and hosting retreats at its guest center. But not even this timeless sanctuary is immune to contemporary ills: On June 2002, a gunman walked into Conception Abbey, killing two monks and seriously wounding two others. “St. Benedict’s Rule” offers insight into the monsastic existence, exploring the abbey’s many facets and speaking with the priests and brothers about their life of prayer and contemplation. It also explores how the monks coped with the shocking outreak of violence that took place within the abbey’s walls.
I will have to check that one out too. Advance tickets are on sale now. Tickets for the Stem Cell Divide can be purchased online at Landmark Theaters. Benedict’s Rule tickets must be purchased at the Trivoli box office in STL. For more information visit the festival website.
This is an outstanding article from Bishop Hermann in St. Louis. They haven’t named a permanent replacement yet, but I think Hermann’s filling in quite nicely for Burke:
Judgment Day is on its way. When my time comes, I will be measured by my Savior for the decisions I have made. I will either be acknowledged by Jesus or denied by Him in the presence of our heavenly Father. The question I need to ask myself is this: What kind of witness will I give to Him when I go into the voting booth this election day?
The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the good of the economy and my current lifestyle more than I do the right to life itself, then I am in trouble…
The right of our children to be protected from destruction is greater than my right to a thriving economy. I am living proof of this, since I am here because my parents believed this priority and lived it. My desire for a good economy cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion. My desire to end the war in Iraq cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion…
Judgment Day for us is on its way. Those 47 million children our nation destroyed are still living. We have destroyed their bodies, but their souls are still alive. When our Lord comes again, they may very well be there to judge us. Even worse, Jesus tells us that whatever we do to the least of our brethren, we do to Him. We would truly shudder if we heard the words, “I was in your my mother’s womb but you took my life!”
It often happens that many who consider themselves pro-life, but vote for pro-abortion politicians try to justify their decision by claiming that the law really means little when it comes to reducing abortion numbers. The key, they say, is in providing support for pregnant women so that they don’t feel the need to make the abortion decision in the first place. In a joint statement for the USCCB, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop William Murphy explain why Roe v. Wade and abortion laws do matter (h/t: Jay):
First, the Court’s decision in Roe denied an entire class of innocent human beings the most fundamental human right, the right to life. In fact, the act of killing these fellow human beings was transformed from a crime into a “right,” turning the structure of human rights on its head. Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an “intrinsically unjust law” we are morally obliged to oppose (see Evangelium vitae, nos. 71-73). Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life.
Second, the many challenges to the Court’s error since 1973 have borne fruit, leading to significant modifications of Roe. Most recently in its ruling on partial-birth abortion, the Court upheld a ban on an abortion procedure for the first time in 35 years, and acknowledged that abortion takes a human life and does serious harm to women.
Third, Roe itself enormously increased the annual number of abortions in our society. The law is a teacher, and Roe taught many women, physicians and others that abortion is an acceptable answer to a wide range of problems. By the same token, even the limited pro-life laws allowed by the Court since Roe have been shown to reduce abortions substantially, leading to a steady decline in the abortion rate since 1980. Bans on public funding, laws requiring informed consent for women and parental involvement for minors, and other modest and widely supported laws have saved millions of lives. Laws made possible by reversing Roe would save many more. On the other hand, this progress could be lost through a key pro-abortion proposal, the “Freedom of Choice Act,” which supporters say would knock down hundreds of current pro-life laws and forbid any public program to “discriminate” against abortion in providing services to women.
Along with helping to reduce abortion numbers, overturning Roe v. Wade is also essential to preserving America as a free nation. American law, American freedom was built upon the foundation that all men have the God-given right to life. Given our 30+ year history of denying that right to tens of millions of innocent human beings, I’d say our freedom is in serious jeopardy.
The bottom line, folks, is that both approaches are essential in building a culture of life. We must work to protect the right to life of the unborn while also providing support for pregnant women and changing hearts and minds about abortion and human sexuality.
A story came out this weekend about a UK rugby player, 23 year old Daniel James, who had his family take him to Switzerland for a legal assisted suicide after he was paralyzed in a rugby accident.
I have been thinking about this for the past few days, dear readers, as I’ve been having a hard time figuring out where to even begin with this one. Stories like this literally break my heart. What is most disappointing are the various statements made by James’ family regarding his physical condition and decision to die:
He couldn’t walk, had no hand function, but constant pain in all of his fingers. He was incontinent, suffered uncontrollable spasms in his legs and upper body and needed 24-hour care.
Dan had tried to commit suicide three times but this was unsuccessful due to his disability. His only other option was to starve himself.
Dan had been a lively and hugely active young man he was highly intelligent, lovable and so loved by his family.
Whilst not everyone in Dan’s situation would find it as unbearable as Dan, what right does any human being have to tell any other that they have to live such a life, filled with terror, discomfort and indignity, what right does one person who chooses to live with a particular illness or disability have to tell another that that they should have to.
As I sit in my own wheelchair, nearly nine years post injury, I can certainly relate to the daily frustrations that come with adjusting to life with a spinal cord injury. It’s not an immediate transition and it is physically and mentally challenging. But who says life with an SCI has to be a life “filled with terror and indignity?”
Life is what you make it, whatever your physical capabilities or limitations might be.
Every day people with spinal cord injuries live perfectly happy, healthy lives. Unfortunately James, who was only a little over a year post injury, was unable or unwilling to see this yet. He was still dealing with the shock of this sudden and dramatic change in his life – a healing process that takes time, patience, family support and in some cases a good amount of professional counseling.
According to one report, James’ decision to kill himself was because he was not prepared to live what he felt was a “second class existence.” This is a great tragedy.
No human being, whatever situation they’re in, should ever feel that he or she has such a worthless life. Ever! And if they do, it is our duty to assure them that their life matters and has merit.
Sick and depressed people like James do not need help to die – they need help to live, to understand the inestimable value of their own life and their ability to pursue happiness despite the tragedy of their current situation.
As R.E.M. put it*:
When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
When you’re sure you’ve had enough of this life, well hang on.
Don’t let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.
Suffering in this life is unavoidable, we’ll all experience it to some degree at some point (or many points) in our lives, and it is often unbearable, but we must never violate human dignity to end or avoid it.
Facing our fears and accepting and overcoming life’s hardships shapes our character and strengthens us as persons. What’s more, for those who believe, we have the consolation of Christ on the Cross! When we unite our sufferings to Him there, we are never alone. He makes up for the strength we lack in carrying our own crosses, which then become the very instruments which lead to our sanctification (1 Pet 1:6-7).
God has blessed you with life, and with differing talents and gifts. Through these you are able to serve him and society in various ways. While some people’s contributions seem great and others’ more modest, the witness value of our efforts is always a sign of hope for everyone.
Sometimes it is challenging to find a reason for what appears only as a difficulty to be overcome or even pain to be endured. Yet our faith helps us to break open the horizon beyond our own selves in order to see life as God does. God’s unconditional love, which bathes every human individual, points to a meaning and purpose for all human life. Through his Cross, Jesus in fact draws us into his saving love (cf. Jn 12:32) and in so doing shows us the way ahead – the way of hope which transfigures us all, so that we too, become bearers of that hope and charity for others.
On Rush’s show this week he had a very lengthy monologue on Obama and the Constitution in which he got into abortion, the Declaration of Independence and 
The campaign days are winding down and soon Election Day will be upon us. We say it every election year, but this year there really is a lot at stake, especially when it comes to protecting innocent human life. And in American politics there is no issue of greater importance – not the war, not the economy, not gas prices, the environment, etc… For 35 years an entire class of human beings has been denied their most fundamental right to life. Over 49 million of these children have been killed – dismembered, burned alive, brains sucked out, skulls crushed and many times delivered alive and left on shelves to die – under the full protection of the law. 
This is an