Monday, 31 March 2014

Abortion-compromised London "Catholic" hospital to remove orthodox Catholics from Board this evening

LifeSite is reporting that there's a meeting today at which the Board of Trustees Company for the the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth will be removing from its Board a number of orthodox Catholics.

LifeSite reports:
The Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, which calls itself "the UK’s premier Catholic Hospital," is attempting to remove from its Trustee Company several orthodox Catholics. The hospital, despite taking "great pride" in its "Catholic ethos", hosts a National Health Service clinic that refers women for abortions.

LifeSiteNews called the hospital and was informed that Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, [pictured above] was still patron of the hospital despite this fact not being mentioned on their website at the time of writing.
(I have written previously of the approval given by Cardinal Murphy O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, of an ethical code at St John and St Elizabeth’s Hospital, London, which failed to ban abortion referrals, unlike the previous code approved by the hospital board in 2007.)

I understand that the Hospital's board meeting to remove orthodox Catholics takes place this evening.

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More contraception not the answer to high levels of repeat abortions

Jane Ellison, health minister
SPUC has reacted to newly-published government statistics on repeat abortions, given in parliamentary answers by Jane Ellison, the health minister [Hansard, 26 March 2014, columns 254W to 256W]

Paul Tully, SPUC's general secretary, told the media earlier today:
"These distressing figures are significant but not for the reason people often think. The pro-abortion lobby will suggest that more stringent birth control regimes are needed to stop women becoming pregnant and incurring expensive NHS abortion costs.

Many pro-life people assume that the figures suggest abortion is being used as a method of birth control. Some women may have this view, but importantly, this view is in practice encouraged by the Department of Health – which sees abortion as 'back-stop contraception.'

As a result of these figures, ministers are likely to agree to more intensive programmes to promote contraception, both to women who have abortions, and to young people generally.

The result of this is well-recognised – it doesn't reduce abortion, but promotes attitudes and sexual behaviour which increase the likelihood of children being conceived in unstable situations. And whether wanted or not, many will be aborted.

To break this vicious cycle, doctors should refuse to sanction abortion for so-called 'unwanted” pregnancies' – which is not a lawful basis for abortion. Also, ministers should demand that the Department of Health stops promoting birth-control policies which lead to sexual abuses, the undermining of marriage and the killing of unborn babies."
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Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Bishop Egan answers pro-abortion Catholic MPs

In a further interview published today, Bishop Philip Egan, the bishop of Portsmouth, has responded firmly to criticism from pro-abortion Catholic MPs who were appalled when he said political advocates of abortion and same-sex “marriage” should not present themselves to receive Communion.

“Those who do not accept the Catholic Church’s principle teachings on the value of life – as expressed in her teaching on abortion, on marriage and family life, on euthanasia, on eugenics and on assisted suicide – the main tenets of Christian anthropology – are rejecting Christ’s vision for the human person, whom he redeemed on the Cross,” told LifeSite News in a second interview.

“Abortion, euthanasia, eugenics, assisted suicide gravely degrade and undermine respect for the dignity and value of human life,” he said.

LifeSite put Bishop Egan's comments about the reception of Communion into context thus:
"Egan’s statements reflect those of American Cardinal Raymond Burke who recently called a priest’s refusal to give Holy Communion to a publicly dissenting Catholic politician a 'prime act of pastoral charity', since it helps the person in question to 'avoid sacrilege and safeguard[s] the other faithful from scandal.'”
You may wish to write to Bishop Egan to thank him for his clear, firm and loving pastoral leadership at bishop@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

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Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Shocking disposal of fetal remains is the result of our abortion culture

Last night a Channel 4 Dispatches programme highlighted the disposal of human remains from aborted and miscarried babies in NHS hospitals.

Paul Tully (pictured right), General Secretary of Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), has commented to the media on the revelations in the programme. Here's what he said:
“We welcome the efforts of those who have highlighted these appalling practices, but we insist that the answer is not as simple as having a new code of practice or better ways of treating babies’ remains. We must stop killing babies like these by abortion and then we will know how to respect the dead.
“The way we treat those who have died is important, yet parents who lose a baby by miscarriage or abortion are rarely consulted over the disposal of the baby’s remains.
“The reluctance to consult families in these situations is undoubtedly linked to our barbaric abortion policies, even if sometimes after late abortions everyone admits that the baby is a baby and tries at least to respect his or her remains.
“There are two issues at stake here. One is the feelings of the parents, and the other is the respect due to the dead – in this case a dead unborn child, killed by abortion or who has died as a result of spontaneous miscarriage.
“Some argue that because very early spontaneous miscarriage is not marked by social ceremony, and may be unrecognised by the mother herself, this indicates that the human embryo is not a person. This approach is used to argue for an arbitrary time before which the unborn are treated as non-persons.
“In fact the unborn has all the essential attributes of a person from conception, even though some characteristics take months or years to develop fully. If we feel differently about the unborn, it is simply because he or she is a stranger – someone we have not yet met or developed affection for.
“Until we reject the abortion culture and learn to honour all mothers – including expectant mothers and bereaved mothers - the sickening consequences of aborting over 500 babies every day will continue to resurface and unsettle us.”

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Monday, 24 March 2014

She risked her show-business career to protect unborn children

 Read in full in LifeSite News about the lady who risked her show-business career as a pop singer and Ireland's number one sweetheart - to fight for the unborn in politics. As LifeSite's report concludes:
In 1997, Dana entered politics with a nomination to run in the Irish presidential election. Not forgetting the faces of the women [who had suffered the pain of an abortion], she ran her campaign on defending life from conception and protecting Christian family values, both enshrined in the Irish Constitution and both being undermined by a heavy-handed European Union. Dana managed to beat out one of Ireland’s major political parties — earning 14 percent of the vote — but did not win the election.
In 1999, Dana became elected as a Member of the European Parliament, a position she held until 2004. During this time, in spite of intense opposition, she courageously defended her country’s constitutional protection of the unborn and constitutionally-backed marriage law that defined marriage as between a man and woman.
Dana continues through her music and speaking engagements to work for peace, Christian family values, and respect for life. “I love to sing, but I love people,” she said.
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Take inspiration from SPUC's youth conference video



Take a few moments to be inspired by the young people who attended SPUC's international pro-life youth conference earlier this month.

And write to conference@spuc.org.uk if you want to be sure of a place at next year's youth conference ... somewhere in England, at the same time of year.

You can also read a full report of the conference and a wonderful message from one of the young people who attended.

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Friday, 21 March 2014

We can be happy, say people with Down Syndrome

Please watch this beautiful testimony - addressed to mums - from people with Down Syndrome. They say "We can be happy ... Don't be afraid ... ".

On Sunday I am hearing a Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, to celebrate the work of the Lejeune Clinic and the unrivalled advice and help they have given to children with Down Syndrome and their parents, assisting Down Syndrome people with their education and development. The SPUC Education and Research Trust is proud of its long association with the clinic, ever since its inception, and the late Professor Jerome Lejeune was President of SPUC.

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Suffer with Christ and defend life and marriage, says Bishop Mark Davies

In an interview with John-Henry Westen, editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.com, the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Rt Rev Mark Davies, delivered the following message to those involved in the pro-life movement and in the defence of marriage:
“I would say not to be afraid because I think we’ve got to have confidence that the essential goodness of the message that we are teaching, its truth, is going to attract the generations to come and what I often say is what we are doing now... is for the generations who will follow us.”
The bishop spoke of the ‘growing intolerance which we are seeing in society, which is in many way reducing the space in which Christians can live and give witness to their faith’. Bishop Davies called on those suffering under persecution to look to the Cross which he called a sign of ‘sharing the suffering of Christ’ and ‘the promise of victory... in so far as we remain united to Him in truth and in love.’

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Thursday, 20 March 2014

Nigeria withstands the international anti-life sexual rights lobby

Pat Buckley, SPUC's lobbyist at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, reports to me today:
Nigeria has been resisting pressure to change its laws on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. The outcome of the Nigerian Universal Periodic Review was presented at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 20th. H.E. Mr. Umunna Humphrey Orjiako (pictured right) spoke on behalf of behalf of Nigeria.
The report of the working group shows that Nigeria has rejected pressure from a number of member states to introduce 'same sex marriage'. Nigeria rejected the recommendations on sexual orientation and gender of the following states:
  • Austria
  • Czech Republic
  • Sweden
  • France
  • Uruguay
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • The United States
Slovakia recommended the introduction of sex education in the school curricula and France called for the continuation of work in favour of women’s rights […] including respecting sexual and reproductive rights.
The Centre for Reproductive Rights called for more family planning, sex education and abortion and complained that there was inadequate access to so called 'safe abortion'.
ILGA, the gay-lesbian organization, substantially funded by the European Commission, expressed deep concern about the prohibition of same sex marriage. They complained about a witch-hunt against and arrests of homosexuals. They also complained that none of the recommendations on sexual orientation had been accepted by Nigeria.

Mr. Orjiako in winding up the debate told the meeting Nigeria does not witch-hunt anyone and the laws on 'same sex marriage' were arrived at through a democratic process to which no one can object.
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Nigerian Catholic Bishops launch national pro-life seminar to prepare for Family Synod

Here are stirring words, simple words which are full of hope for humanity, from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN):
"In the light of various global attacks on Human Life, Marriage and the Family, which work to erode Christian and Cultural values, we urge all to join in the preparation for the forthcoming Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in October 2014 under the theme: "Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization". We congratulate all the dioceses in Nigeria which took part in recent consultations on the family initiated by the Holy See. As further preparation for the Synod, we, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, are organizing a Seminar on Pro-Life issues under the theme: 'Witnessing to the Dignity of every Human Life'. It will take place in Abuja from June 5 to 7, 2014 at This Day Dome, International Central Business District, Abuja. We hope in this way to affirm Christian families, Youth and organizations that promote the culture of life. We urge all people of goodwill to fully support the forthcoming Seminar."
It is encouraging for families, pro-life and pro-family groups that Catholic leaders in Nigeria seem clearly to understand the global crisis which has been triggered by the killing untold millions of unborn children during the past half century, largely financed by western governments, and by attacks on the rights of parents.

By way of complete contrast, this crisis is largely ignored by Christian leaders, including Catholic leaders, in the West.

As I said in my address to the Legatus Convention in Orlando last month:
Yes, in the US and the UK we have had our pro-life successes. We must be full of hope but we mustn’t kid ourselves, ladies and gentlemen:
  • The forced abortion regime in China is funded by the taxpayers of virtually every nation on earth as the IPPF, Marie Stopes International and UNFPA, funded by governments worldwide, co-operate with the Chinese government’s policies.
  • Developing nations worldwide are under pressure from our powerful western governments to legalize abortion, population control measures, and a homosexual rights agenda which threatens our children.
  • And in our own nations countless millions of abortions take place annually, recorded under the abortion statistics, and unrecorded under the guise of so-called contraceptive drugs and devices so overwhelmingly accepted throughout society and widely in use even within the Catholic community.
Let’s not kid ourselves. The pro-life movement, however hardworking, however well-informed, however blessed and strong we may be in our initiatives, the pro-life movement cannot defeat the culture of death on our own ... Pro-life organizations and the wider community must be fortified by unequivocal, unyielding voices of Catholic Church officials and bishops throughout the world.
Throughout Britain, Ireland and Europe, the failure of Catholic bishops to teach their flocks on matters relating to the fundamental right to life is directly responsible for great confusion and, consequently, for the failure of the overwhelming majority of Catholics, both clerical and lay, to provide truly effective resistance to the greatest legalized slaughter of human beings in the history of the world. Countless millions of unborn children are being killed each year and the policy of very many Catholic bishops in Europe is contributing hugely to this deplorable situation.
It is time for the church leaders everywhere, starting in Rome, to follow the increasingly courageous lead of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria.

Visitors to my blog might like to express their appreciation of what the Nigerian Catholic bishops' conference is doing by writing to their head office at csnabuja@cbcn.org or to John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja at onaiyekan7@hotmail.com  or at onaiyekan7@yahoo.com

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Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Here's a real message of hope for the pro-life movement in Britain

Nichola Pope on the right is pictured here with her friends
Patricia Benson (left) and Tilly Rock - from Castlerigg
Last week I received the following message from Nichola Pope who attended SPUC's youth conference earlier this month. It was one of the most inspiring, encouraging, messages I've ever received in nearly 40 years working at national level in SPUC:
Hello,

My name is Nichola Pope, I'm 22 years old and work at a Catholic youth retreat centre in the Lake District. I met you very briefly when I came to the SPUC youth conference on the weekend and feel like I've had something completely new breathed into me. I've never been to anything like the SPUC conference before and didn't know what to expect, but I'd heard of it through my parish priest who once asked me to read a letter of yours to the parish. What I experienced was a group of compassionate, faithful and genuine individuals who gave me back my faith in humanity. I felt enveloped in goodness and a real sense of solidarity in breathing God's love and life into the world and this 'culture of death'.  I've always believed that like you said, politcians can't and won't change world but only the conversion of hearts and minds will ever make a difference. I came back from the conference and tried to tell somebody about where I'd been on the weekend and what the general ethos and mission of SPUC is (and my wholehearted agreement with it) and with the reaction I got, exactly what you said at the last talk about 'the battle' completely came to light. I realised how hard it is and how hardened hearts have become, and it made me very sad... but even more determined to live a life of love and witness which cares for nothing but the life and welfare of others, whether it be inside or outside of the womb.
I have always, always been pro life, I'm quite positive I was pro-life before I even realised there was an option... but since the conference I feel more passionately about it more than anything I've ever felt passionate about and I want to thank you and all who are part of SPUC for your dedication, your love, your compassion, your encouragement and your inspiration.

Love and prayers always,
Nichola Pope 
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112 nations at the UN form "Friends of the Family", SPUC's UN lobbyists report

Ambassador Jean Marie Ehouzou
Here's some encouraging news I'm hearing from the SPUC team at the Human Rights Council in Geneva:

Many UN member countries, sick and tired of the constant bombardment from European and other first world member states about same-sex marriage, contraception and abortion, have established an informal group known as Friends of the Family, consisting of 112 member states. This cross-regional group is being formed in the context of this, the 20th anniversary of the International year of the Family, and immediately prior to the 25th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Pat Buckley, one of SPUC's veteran lobbyists at the UN, tells me:
"When 112 member states come together to object to the agenda being forced on them through UN agencies and highlight their determination to support the family, as the fundamental group unit of society, as set out in the international bill of rights, one has to sit up and take notice. This new initiative will no doubt be stiffly resisted by the nations that promote the anti-life and family ideology but it represents the 'winds of change' in international relations and has the potential to lead to genuine appreciation of, and support for, the family."
The Group’s first initiative, consisting of a panel discussion on the role of the family as a vehicle in the fight against poverty, was held on Thursday, 13th March.  The meeting focused on the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family and looked at the potential for the development of a new development goal on the family now that the international community is negotiating a 15 year programme consisting of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The panel focused in particular on strengthening the family in its role as a stimulator of autonomous economic activities, a factor for social integration and intergenerational solidarity and an engine for development; all of which are important components in the development of the post 2015 development agenda.

The event was arranged by the new group together with the permanent delegations of the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Holy See, and speakers included Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See and Mrs. Sharon Slater, President of Family Watch International. The session was chaired by, H.E. Ambassador Jean Marie Ehouzou, Permanent Representative of the African Union.

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What counts as abortion

Pro-lifers must be prepared to answer the most challenging questions facing doctors - and facing all men and women - on the matter of abortion.

In the current edition of the Catholic Medical Quarterly, Anthony McCarthy of SPUC argues that the induction of pre-viable unborn babies in order to save the mother’s life cannot be seen as morally acceptable. Either it involves an invasion of the baby’s bodily integrity of an impermissibly harmful kind or - at very least - it constitutes an expulsion of the baby from a place where it has a fundamental right to be.

This is a piece pro-lifers really need to read if they are to grasp the correct scope of the term abortion.

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Monday, 17 March 2014

Defending unborn children is inseparably linked with defending real marriage: LifeSite's interview with SPUC's Anthony McCarthy


John-Henry Westen, LifeSite's editor-in-chief, interviews Anthony McCarthy, SPUC's education and publications manager, on the link between defending marriage and defending unborn children.

Anthony says:
  • “To really understand what the natural habitat of that child is — where that child will survive — we have to look at that institution that is built around that child, which is marriage.”
  • “What we do know is that a baby is much more at risk [of being aborted] if it is conceived outside of its natural habitat, that is, outside of marriage ... ”

Watch the interview above in full.

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Friday, 14 March 2014

Summary and photos of SPUC's greatly successful youth conference

IMG_0572








Last weekend's SPUC 7th International Pro-Life Youth and Student conference was a great success. For a full report, read "Want to see how good the 2014 SPUC youth conference was?" on SPUC's youth blog "Why I am Pro-Life". You can also see a full slideshow of photos on SPUC's new Flickr photostream. Below is a summary of all the talks taken from SPUC's live Twitter feed of the conference. We hope to post videos of all the talks and other parts of the conference on SPUC's YouTube channel in the near future.

7 March:

Opening and introduction:
    _MG_9002
    Dan Blackman
  • 7th SPUC Int'l Pro-Life Youth conference, starting this eve in Telford and concluding Sun, is fully-booked. Live tweets of conf to follow.
  • Good evening from start of the 7th SPUC International Pro-life Youth conference, Telford, England. Great venue, nice dinner & now 1st talk.
  • SPUC's Anthony McCarthy introducing our youth conference. Conference serves youth, to educate them & help advance cause of truth. #prolife
  • Robin Haig, SPUC's chairman, encouraging dialogue & networking between #prolife youth. New ideas, new friendships will result.
  • Dan Blackman, SPUC youth officer, encourages #prolife youth to train as SPUC speakers in schools, using our modern presentation.
SPUC School's talk, given by Huda Alfardus:
    IMG_0416
    Huda Alfardus
  • Huda Alfardus, Nottingham student, now giving SPUC schools presentation. Slavery precursor of abortion: unborn deemed non-persons.
  • Human beings genetically complete at conception (fertilisation); separate, unique, human. Heart, spine, limbs, brain etc forms very rapidly.
  • "Foetus", medical term for unborn child at 9 weeks, is Latin for "little one". Movement in womb, taste, hair etc all develop quickly now.
  • Facts from Langman's Medical Embryology, 2004. Despite these moving facts, 200k abortions in UK p.a. Abortion methods chilling.
  • RU486 chemical abortion designed to kill baby & expel his/her body. Mother involved in whole process, which is very traumatic, admit makers.
  • Abortion in Britain allowed in law up to birth since 1990, including of disabled babies. #discrimination
  • Morning-after pill can cause early abortions. Makers say 1 mode of action is to prevent implantation, thus killing newly-conceived embryos.
  • Mother's health & wellbeing harmed by abortion. Possible risks may incl. blood loss, infertility, breast cancer, emotional harm→suicide.
  • Over 500 abortions every day in Britain. We never judge women who have abortions, but give them truth, support, alternatives. #LoveThemBoth
  • Huda is Princeton-educated geneticist. Young, brave, educated #prolife woman.
_MG_8968
Bumper Pro-Life Quiz
Now Bumper #Prolife Pub Quiz! Heavyweight speakers tomorrow.

8 March:

Good morning from 2nd day of 7th SPUC Int'l Pro-life Youth Conference, Telford, England. Great pub quiz last night and top breakfast!

Top Catholic academic Dr William Newton on 'Contraception and Abortion: Humanae Vitae and Evangelium Vitae".
    _MG_9177
    Dr William Newton
  • Fact: Big increase in contraceptive use was paralled by big increase in abortion in Spain, Turkey etc.
  • Contraceptive mentality is: more sex, no kids. Leads to unplanned kids being seen as unwanted, thus leveraging abortion.
  • Contraception not practical solution to abortion, let alone moral solution.
  • Contraception is a game-changer in how society thinks about sex, human life, the person, science and morality.
  • Contraception trivialises sex by removing the profound aspect of it, which is procreation.
  • Contraception leads to people taking risks with sex, and sleeping with people they wouldn't want to have children with. More teen pregnancy
  • Contraception enculturates mentality that pregnancy is like a disease. If "drug" of contraception fails, one kills the "disease" (unborn)
  • Contraception treats humans as if they are animals e.g. sterilising them if they breed too much. Tells people they can't control themselves
  • Science increasingly uninterested in question of its relationship with common good. Contraception wants power to neuter (not aid) nature.
  • In teaching of moral theology in most Catholic colleges, contraception is core issue which has corrupted thinking about moral absolutes.
  • Connection of the virtues: Lack of temperance inherent in contraception leads to selfishness, removes motivation to be sexually selfless.
  • Moral blindness caused by selfishness of contraceptive (i.e. loveless) sex, porn etc leads to failure to recognise humanity of the unborn.
  • Deep logical links between contraception and abortion.
Dr Helen Watt of Anscombe Bioethics Centre on "Cooperation with evil: how to think about the issue"
    _MG_9185
    Dr Helen Watt
  • Pro-lifers must remember: ends don't justify means. All our intentions must be good, not just some. One area of concern: abortion law reform
  • Regulation of legal abortion (as distinct from selective banning of some abortions) inevitably involves formal cooperation in evil. Wrong to tell women how to prepare for abortion, says Dr Watt
  • Material (as distinct from formal) cooperation in evil often (but not always) wrong. Depends on how close and on goods/harms at stake.
  • Avoiding scandal (e.g. giving impression of weak/absent opposition to abortion) requires prudence. Again, can depend on closeness/remoteness
  • Matters what type of people we become through our actions. Aim to follow our vocation w/out wrongful cooperation in evil, concludes Dr Watt.
Q&A with Dr Newton and Dr Watt:
  • Natural family planning (NFP) differs from contraception because NFP is open to life, simply making use of infertile part of cycle.
  • Extra-marital sex endemic in today's world, partly due to contraception. Illicit sex common in some eras, but esp. rampant today.
  • Contraception leads to dualistic view of human person, denying essential unity of soul and body.
  • Contraceptive sex doesn't give full soul-body union to sexual partner. Also, gift of fertility to spouse different to other gifts to others.
  • Dr Helen Watt: Men have everything to do with abortion because they have everything to do with how women get pregnant.
  • Very important to provide emotional support to women considering abortion or post-abortion, says Dr Helen Watt.
RT @CCFather: Bernie reports from @spucprolife youth conference: excellent morning, esp William Newton.

Robin Haig, SPUC chairman, ex-chairman of Association of Lawyers in Defence of the Unborn (ALDU), dispelling myths re British abortion law:
    _MG_9013
    Robin Haig
  • Myths: all abortion banned before '67, when abortion legalised. Facts: some abortion allowed '40s - '60s, abortion still crime in law.
  • Children of women who considered but didn't choose abortion have thanked SPUC for saving their lives. SPUC gave support, love. U can too.
Dr Thomas Ward on "Parents, the first pro-life teachers":
    _MG_9007
    Dr Thomas Ward
  • Pays tribute to SPUC as unrivalled in Europe in importance for pro-life
  • UN Declaration of Human Rights upholds parents' rights as primary educators as safeguard vs child indoctrination e.g. Nazi schooling.
  • Saul Alinsky was anti-family radical who dedicated book to Satan. Obama, Hillary Clinton are Alinsky's disciples.
  • Other anti-family radicals: Karl Marx, Lady Helen Brook. Agenda: take away children from parents' influence and give them to State instead.
  • Enemies of pro-life know that parents as 1st educators are bulwarks vs abortion agenda. Pro-life movement slow to catch-up with this fact.
  • Unlike pro-aborts, pro-lifers slow to realise that culture of death is underlined by contraception and homosexuality as well as abortion
  • Dr Tom Ward to young pro-lifers: don't make same mistakes of previous generations in ignoring role of parents.
  • Apart from a few brave bishops past & present, most bishops have failed to protect parents, thus damaging individual families, says Dr Ward.
  • In Germany, home-schooling families arrested, children taken away, forced into exile. Good parents just protecting their kids from bad ideas
  • Parents will become victims of the very ideas which they treat with indifference. John Paul II: all policies for the family, not at its cost
RT @spucscotland: Project Truth stall @ the SPUC Youth Conference pic.twitter.com/KDwp6ohyIl
    Project Truth stall
John-Henry Westen, co-founder & editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.com, on "Sexuality: Communicating the truth with love"
    IMG_0474
    John-Henry Westen
  • Pro-abortion and anti-family movements have long been cooperating. Media totally misrepresenting prayer vigils as angry, condemnatory.
  • Young pro-lifers called to be heroic, just like good people during the Holocaust. Abortion holocaust: 10s of millions killed every year.
  • Both founders of LifeSiteNews.com used to live pro-abortion, sexually liberal lifestyle.Soon realised it was a narrow hell.
  • Pro-life message of love for both mother and child is having beautiful effect.
  • Women like http://www.rebeccakiessling.com have found love, healing, hope in #prolife cause. Pro-lifers using love to move beyond standard debates
  • Pro-family movement is movement of love, though unpopular; gets false accusations of "hatred", "bigotry"; also anti-faith hostility.
  • Satan attacks married love cos God has made married love the exemplar of Heaven.
  • Cardinal Ratzinger told US bishops: pro-abortion politicians must be denied Holy Communion, out of love for their souls and truth re life.
  • Love is the easiest way for pro-lifers to get through to our opponents, esp. those hurt by harmful lifestyles (abortion, homosexuality etc)
  • Printers, sports presenters et al. in Canada being sacked for not going along with gay agenda. Some Catholic bishops complicit in agenda.
RT @crismunozbe: Around 140 young adults attending the Youth Prolife Conference at Telford,England cc @spucprolife

Panel discussion on male & female perspectives on abortion. Fiorella Nash, John-Henry Westen, Robin Haig, Anthony Ozimic (chair)
    _MG_9138
    Anthony Ozimic
  • Many men hurt, angry, emasculated by partner's abortion. Women patronised by abortion lobby, as incapable of responsible motherhood.
  • Abortion providers doling out operations, pills, drugs, devices which give men cover, excuses to abuse women further. Women deserve better.
Dr Helen Watt and Anthony McCarthy, mock debate on "Is abortion always wrong?":
    _MG_9237 _MG_9234
  • Dr Watt giving #prolife side. Pregnant women = mothers
  • Society must change to accommodate fertility, not make women non-mothers to fit society's perceived needs.
  • Anthony McCarthy giving (mock) pro-abortion side
  • Pro-aborts argue not all human beings are persons. Right to life not in play for unborn cos not persons.
  • Argument: direct abortions and double effect causing of miscarriage not really that different, so why not give jail time for both? Dr Helen Watt to reply
  • Distinction between killing and letting die. Legitimate choices about resource allocation not intentional homicide.
  • Mock debate now going through arguments around twinning, ensoulment. Aquinas good on soul-body but used now-outdated embryology
  • Ethical use of double-effect re abortion requires strong justification. Is pregnancy a special case?
  • Dr Helen Watt now answering question by rebutting Judith Jarvis Thompson's famous violinist scenario. Pregnancy very different situation.
  • Abortion is a violent separation of child from mother, not simply decision not to support another's life. Abortion = deliberate bodily assault on child.
  • If unborn was not a human being, it couldn't develop those capacities which are identifiably human. Mother's body welcomes human being.
  • Argument that unborn human is parasite never used by scientists to describe unborn of animal species. Shows anti-human bias.
  • Religious arguments not essential to show wrongness of abortion but can help give deeper, broader context for understanding wrongness.
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Eve Farren
Now hearing from Eve Farren of the Alliance of Pro-Life Students; SPUC Scotland's Project Truth and pro-life roadshow.

SPUC's Pro-Life Chains on 27 April, anniversary of Abortion Act coming into effect. Call SPUC on 020 7091 7091 for more info.

RT @AdamCC92: SPUC conference has been absolutely amazing! They do such great work

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Ceilidh (Irish dancing)

9 March:

Good morn. from SPUC's 7th Int'l Pro-Life Youth conference, Telford, England. Great dinner & dancing last nite, religious services this a.m.

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Fr Tony Kiely

SPUC's Fiorella Nash on "Men and abortion".
    _MG_9400
    Fiorella Nash
  • Abortion centre staff have reported horror stories re reality of killing babies.
  • RU486 is hit-and-run abortion, leaving women to deal with the appalling trauma of delivery & disposal of dead baby.
  • Men suffering from partners' abortions of their children, mocked by pro-abortion feminists. Depression, substance abuse, helplessness.
  • "Silent No More" help both men & women after abortion experience. One Army veteran: "I still grieve for [my aborted son]." Lost chances.
  • Abortion leads to relationship breakdown, contrary to promises of abortion advocates. Denial of abortion loss common early-stage bereavement
  • How should men work to stop abortion? Live life of personal integrity, not selective morality, don't sleep around, don't abandon women
  • Be with women during crisis pregnacies; speak respectfully to and about women; be confident in giving pro-life opinion, show compassion
  • Be concerned about common good; work with others; find common ground; don't be scared
  • Be bold, be active, be compassionate, be a man.
RT @JackStukel: People like Fiorella Nash restore my faith in human sanity and compassion @spucprolife #fourthwave #feminism

Patrick Buckley on "Ireland and the Global Pro-Abortion Agenda"
    IMG_0541
    Pat Buckley (right) with Irish delegates
  • John Smeaton, SPUC's chief exec, now introducing Pat Buckley, SPUC's man in Ireland; with Peter C Smith, one of SPUC's representatives at UN
  • Nuremberg trials declared abortion (whether voluntary or forced) to be "crime against humanity", "act of extermination"
  • UN human rights declarations, conventions etc actually protect unborn children from abortion but pro-aborts at UN misrepresent them
  • John Paul II, who lived thru Nazi occupation, said pro-abortion culture of death is more insidious & evil than Nazi culture of death
  • Ruling of Euro Court of Human Rights in Tysiac v Poland case was used later in same court in A, B & C case to pressure Ireland over abortion
  • PM Enda Kenny broke pre-election promise not to legislate to allow abortion. Pro-abortion lies re Savita case increased pressure on Dail
  • New Irish abortion law allows abortion up to birth in some cases; forces medics & hospitals to be complicit in abortion.Pro-abortion, anti-family Estrela report in Euro Parliament was defeated cos it exceeded Euro Parl's competence, plus big pro-life push-back
  • Pro-abortion lobby identifies Catholic Church, esp. Holy See delegation at UN, as main roadblock to advance of global anti-life agenda
Heartfelt thanks to Pat Buckley & Peter C Smith for their sterling work at UN for SPUC & helping Holy See et al. to fight for life & family

John Smeaton, SPUC's chief executive, on "The Pro-Life Battle"
    _MG_9416
    John Smeaton
  • Thanked youth delegates from Romania, US, Scotland. Youth part of pro-life movement much more advanced 2day
  • Some pro-life orgs (incl. SPUC in past) wasted efforts arguing for wrong legislation e.g. compromise bills. Let's never make mistake again.
  • As Dr William Newton showed, contraceptive mentality is at root (not merely fruit) of culture of death e.g. abortion.
  • SPUC defended pro-life counsellors when they were spied upon & defamed by pro-abortion groups via media fellow-travellers.
  • Right that SPUC concerned re what happens in Catholic Church b/c Church incl. some great clergy gives great strength to pro-life movement
  • Obama made abortion promotion worldwide, incl. to schoolchildren thru sex ed, one of his 1st priorities. We need strong RC Church to help us
  • Pro-life orgs can't defeat culture of death on our own. We need global strength & reach of Catholic Church leadership to back us solidly
  • Theologians who dissent from Catholic teaching on abortion undermine pro-life fight. Failure of bishops to discipline them thus harms cause.
  • Youth called 2 speak truth 2 power, secular or religious. Need 4 declaration of total resistance 2 abortion. Emergency calls 4 open prayer.
  • Some courageous pro-life bishops: Davies of Shrewsbury, Egan of Portsmouth, Olmsted of Phoenix.
  • "Work with the spirit you danced with last nite in the ceilidh and you'll dance with your grandchildren", John Smeaton to SPUC prolife youth
RT @nickmurf: Fantastic weekend at @spucprolife youth conference! Met great people who are paving the road toward a pro-life society.

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Nick Murphy @nickmurf

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Politicians who vote for abortion should not receive Communion, says Bishop Egan

Bishop Egan has spoken out on Communion for politicians who vote in favour of abortion or same-sex marriage in a wide-ranging interview with John-Henry Westen, editor in chief of LifeSite News.

“We need to discuss this as a bishops’ conference,” he said. “I’ve already indicated to you my sympathies – if somebody is not in communion with the Catholic Church they should not be receiving Communion.”

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Thursday, 13 March 2014

Stonewall hijacks legitimate parents' concerns to promote homosexual rights agenda

Antonia Tully of Safe at School
Following press reports last week that the homosexual rights group Stonewall is sending a dvd to all primary schools, Antonia Tully has written today to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, asking him to ensure that primary schools show the film to parents first so that they can protect their children.
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
20 Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BT 13 March 2014

Dear Mr Gove,

Stonewall dvd “Free”

SPUC Safe at School, a campaigning group which upholds the rights of parents to be the primary educators of their children on sexual matters, has raised concerns about the new Stonewall dvd aimed at primary schools and which press reports suggest will be sent to every primary school.

It is disturbing that Stonewall has produced a highly professional film, carefully pitched at primary-age children, ostensibly about bullying and discrimination, but which carry secondary messages about gender identity and family structures.

I urge you to ensure that all primary schools screen this film to parents before showing it to any children. There should also be full disclosure to parents that the dvd has been produced by a homosexual rights group.

The plot lines in the dvd focus on a four-parent family, the difficulties faced by a girl who'd prefer to act as a boy and those of  a boy who prefers drama to football and a boy whose older brother is gay. These four scenarios are designed to subtly prompt young children to think about issues which would not come naturally to them.  For children, a little girl who likes to be an Indian chief is simply that. To load this with sly messages about what it means to be female is at best a distraction for children and at worst frustrates normal child development.      

Parents are entitled to protect their children from this film, as this should only be screened in non-compulsory PSHE. Parents may consider that the messages in this film run counter to the values they wish to teach their children and/or they may not want these issues intruding into their children's lives.

Bullying in schools is a serious issue, but why is it being left to a homosexual rights group to speak out on this and resource schools? “Free” is not giving a balanced presentation of bullying. Children are bullied for a whole range of reasons.  Stonewall appears to be hi-jacking legitimate concerns about bullying in schools to promote their agenda.

The interest of the homosexual lobby in schools is not exclusive to this country.  So-called anti-bullying legislation is being used to impose a homosexual agenda in parts of Canada and the USA. The July 2012 Ontario Accepting Schools Act was ostensibly about eradicating bullying but is in reality a vehicle for promoting homosexuality in schools. The law requires, among other things, that all schools, including faith schools, must permit homosexual clubs for pupils.

Last month the 2010 anti-bullying law in Massachusetts, was amended to focus specifically on homosexual issues rather than issues related to the general population of students.

Anti-bullying legislation has not been introduced in this country, but there seems to be a consistent tactic to use bullying as a smokescreen to divert attention from the wider homosexual agenda infiltrating schools.

One again, I urge you to ensure that all primary schools give full disclosure parents about this film.

Yours sincerely,

Antonia Tully
SPUC Safe at School

Wednesday, 5 March 2014

Primary schools should show homosexual bullying film to parents before screening it to children

Stonewall's film for primary schools
SPUC's Safe at School campaign will urge the Secretary of State for Education to direct all primary schools to show a new homosexual bullying film to every parent before it is screened to their children. The film, entitled "Free", has been produced by Stonewall, the homosexual rights group, which plans to send the film to every primary school in Britain (see today's edition of "Metro", the free London newspaper).

Antonia Tully, national co-ordinator of Safe at School, told the media earlier today:
"Parents should see this film before it is shown to their children. It is disingenuous to bill this film as a resource to crack down on bullying. Of course we want to see an end to bullying in schools, but bullying has become a smokescreen for promoting homosexuality to young, impressionable children.

Most parents want their children to learn that all bullying is wrong. This film risks giving children a disproportionate message about homophobic bullying, and other types of bullying could get over-looked. Schools and parents should be aware that this film is yet another vehicle to normalise same-sex relationships in the minds of very young children."
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