LifeSiteNews.com

Friday August 6, 2004

SHARE THIS PAGE: E-mail  Print ArticlePrint


     

Campaign Life Coalition Expresses Extreme Disappointment With Martin Cabinet

Toronto, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Canada's national pro-life political organization, Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), has indicated in its August newsletter that it is "extremely disappointed with the cabinet Paul Martin selected for himself and announced on July 20."

CLC notes that former NDP British Columbia premier Ujjal Dosanjh who has been appointed as the new Health Minister "might very well be the most pro-abortion politician in Canada."

Irwin Cotler, who has reiterated his long-standing support for redefining marriage to include homosexuals continues as the Liberal Justice portfolio where, CLC says, "he no doubt will be responsible for promoting the government's plans for same-sex 'marriage'."

See the complete August CLC National News at
http://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/national_news/2004/news...

Back to Top Back to Top


     

July Interim Corporate Watch Update Focuses on Good News

Toronto, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In his latest Corporate Watch Update in the Interim newspaper, journalist Tony Gosgnach reports on mostly good news items.

The Curves fitness chain receives praise for donating 10% of its gross revenue - $10 million - to charities such as pro-life pregnancy care centres.

Gosgnach also reports that An AT&T Broadband employee who was fired for refusing to abide by company rules on homosexuality because of his religious beliefs has won a federal court case.

Clear Channel Communications is noted for firing shock jock Howard Stern and the Castrol oil company is reported to have pulled its advertising from the FX Network because of it explicitly sexual and violent police drama The Shield.

To read the complete update as well as other July Interim stories see
http://www.theinterim.com/2004/july/index.html

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Second U.S. Bishop Says Vatican Letter on Pro-Abort Politicians Withheld from Bishops

ST. LOUIS, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an exclusive interview with Barbara Kralis of CatholicOnline.org, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke has become the second U.S. Bishop to admit that the letter from Vatican Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger intended to guide U.S. Bishops in their deliberations around the subject of communion and pro-abortion politicians was withheld from the bishops. The letter was sent to Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick who heads the U.S. Bishops' task force studying the matter.

On the Ratzinger memo which spelled out that obstinately pro-abortion Catholic politicians must be denied communion, Burke was asked, "were the contents of the memo made known to you and the other bishops at the Denver meeting?" He replied, "It certainly was not made known to me and I do not believe it was given to the other bishops. Cardinal McCarrick referred to the memorandum. We were told that, according to Cardinal Ratzinger, the application of the Canon 915 was up to the prudent judgment of each bishop. The text of the memorandum would have been very helpful at the meeting in Denver. Knowing now about the memo, I am disappointed it was not given to us at the meeting of the Bishops' Conference."

The Burke interview marks the second explosive interview Kralis has released on the controversy. Last month, Bishop Robert F. Vasa of Baker, Oregon also told Kralis the memo was not revealed, even to bishops. "As I recall, Cardinal McCarrick made reference to some letter, but I did not see a copy of the letter at the meeting. I don't know if the committee writing the 'Statement,' entitled 'Catholics in Political Life,' was given a copy of the letter," he said.

Archbishop Burke, a doctor of canon law, said that despite the statements in the US Conference document 'Catholics in Political Life' suggesting otherwise, Bishops cannot opt not to forbid obstinately pro-abortion politicians communion. Kralis asked, if the U.S. Conference document meant that "one Bishop can deny Senator John Kerry Holy Communion and another Bishop can give Kerry Communion and both Bishops are correct?" Archbishop Burke replied, "No, in fact, Canon 915 must be applied. It does not give an option. Canon 915 says that those persons who obstinately persist in grave manifest sin must be denied the Eucharist. I strongly believe that if a bishop has spoken to someone who obstinately persists in grave manifest sin and he still presents himself for Holy Communion, he should be refused."

See both original interviews:
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1210
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1155

jhw

Back to Top Back to Top


     

United Nations Human Rights Emissary Pushes Peru to Allow Abortion

LIMA, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - While the United Nations Convention on Human Rights does not refer to abortion, at least according to official lines at the U.N., a U.N. emissary to Peru is nonetheless urging the predominantly Catholic and legislatively pro-life country to allow abortion. United Nations Special Rapporteur Paul Hunt, appointed by the UN Commission on Human Rights to "help States and others promote and protect the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health," is to prepare a 25-page report on his June 6-15 mission to Peru. The full report will be presented to the United Nations in April next year.

LifeSiteNews.com has obtained a sneak preview of his report in the form of a summary of his provisional recommendations. The preview was arranged to influence the Second National Health Conference in Lima which takes place this month.

Hunt states in his report that "Punitive provisions against women who undergo abortions, as well as service providers, should be removed."

Of note, a controversy erupted in June during Hunt's visit when the Peruvian Health Minister announced a program to allow the abortifacient morning after pill. The decision sparked controversy since earlier court decisions in the country have noted such pills violate the constitution's protection of the unborn. Moreover, while current Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti lamely claimed that the pills were not abortifacient but contraceptives, Former Health Minister Fernando Carbone said, "Let's tell the truth: it's a form of chemical abortion."

Rather than diplomatically avoid the controversy, Hunt praised Mazzetti's plan. Hunt's report says the "Special Rapporteur welcomes recent initiatives of the Minister of Health such as the national plan on emergency contraception and stresses the importance of the full implementation of the plan."

jhw

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Bolivia Sexual Rights Bill to Open Floodgates to Abortion and Homosexual Unions

LA PAZ, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A proposed new law aims to radically reshape Bolivian society's sexual mores. Article two, section a. will give Bolivians "The right to exercise a pleasurable, responsible and freely decided sexuality, without any limits except those expressly stated by law..."

In effect, the proposed legislation would remove all limits to aberrant sexuality, including that of children. The bill met with a storm of concern and disapproval from religious leaders, obliging President Carlos Mesa to send it back to the senate for review prior to his signature. But it is unlikely that the legislation, which had passed the senate with very little opposition, will be detained for long.

The Sexual and Reproductive Rights bill was drafted by Bolivian lawyer Julieta Montaņo, who heads the NGO "Juridical Office for Women", a lobby and training center that specializes in gender issues and human rights. Montaņo, who was called upon to draft the law by the Bolivian government's human rights committee, fumed about the Catholic Church's intervention, accusing the papal Nuncio of "breaking every norm of non-intervention in State affairs" by bringing his concerns to the president. She accused the Church of waging a "dirty war" against reproductive health and of acting out of "fear of losing control over the human bodies of other people."

Religious leaders in Bolivia are rightly concerned about the new legislation, which is meant to be a sweeping recapitulation of all existing statutes related to a variety of issues - gender equality, domestic violence, sexual education and contraceptive methods. The law's author recently reminded journalists that Bolivia has ratified the United Nations declarations on rights at Cairo and Beijing, and "is obliged to adjust its legislation to international norms." Not surprisingly, then, the legislation paves the way for the recognition of homosexual and de facto couples, openly promotes abortifacient contraception, and makes little or no mention of the role of the family in sexual education. The law has a working assumption that adolescents are sexually active from the age of 15 or 16, and that abortions (for the most part illegal in Bolivia) are clandestinely procured.

Perhaps the most strident debate involves the right of adolescents to confidentiality regarding their sexual life. Father Miguel Manzanera, director of the Catholic Bioethics Institute, said, "It would have very serious results. It would provoke an early emancipation of children from their parents. Anyone over 12 years old would have the right not only to have sexual relations but also to force confidentiality so that their parents are not informed, even if they have AIDS, or are pregnant or have an abortion." Father Manzanera warned that the law could eventually even lead to child prostitution.

To contact the bill's author Julieta Montaņo:
julieta@bo.net

jmo

Back to Top Back to Top


     

First "I had an abortion" T-shirt, Now Planned Parenthood Offers 6-inch "Does Size Matter" Ruler for Teens

WASHINGTON, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Planned Parenthood (PP), the pro-abortion group which shocked even its own supporters with an "I had an abortion" pride T-shirt, is once again revealing its extreme sex obsession with another product. The pro-abortion behemoth is now selling a 6-inch ruler that poses the sarcastic question, "Does Size Matter?" The ruler then directs children to Teenwire.com, a web site filled with graphic sexual content that many parents find offensive. This web site was recently banned from public libraries in South Dakota.

Jim Sedlak, executive director of American Life League's STOPP International, which counters PP, commented, "Planned Parenthood again shows us that they are not about helping kids, but about forcing their radical agenda on the public. These types of materials and the Teenwire website are an attack on the vulnerability of our youth and a vehicle for Planned Parenthood to come between parents and their children."

"This is an organization that is shameless in its attempts to force its exploitive ideologies upon the public," said Sedlak. "Because of this, we at American Life League encourage every parent in America to not only object to this latest Planned Parenthood stunt, but to act as a human filter and make sure your children aren't able to access this free-sex, everything-is-okay drivel from this abortion organization."

jhw

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Lesbian and Single Women Given Green Light for Accepting Donated Sperm in Australia

Single and lesbian women can now be categorized as "socially infertile"

MELBOURNE, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Lesbian and single women in the southern Australian state of Victoria will soon have access to sperm donations for the purposes of self-insemination. Until now, artificial insemination was available to infertile heterosexual couples only. A Federal Court ruled that limiting the practice to heterosexual couples breached the Federal Sex Discrimination Act, leading to a change in the law in 2000.

Infertility Treatment Authority chief executive Helen Szoke told Australia's The Age news that the required diagnosis of infertility remains. However, according to recently implemented guidelines, single and lesbian women can now be categorized as "socially infertile" -- denoting their unwillingness to have sexual relations with a man.

Read the related LifeSiteNews.com report:
Australian Authorities Approve Scheme to invite Canadians for "Sperm Donor" Holidays
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jul/04070805.html

tv

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Catholic League Successfully Foils Democratic Religious Advisor Appointment - Again

Exposes her as anti-religion campaigner

HOUSTON, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The appointment of a second Senior Religion Advisor by the Democratic National Committee was foiled -- again -- by the work of the Catholic Civil Rights League. The appointment of Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson as religious advisor was likened by Catholic League president William Donohue to hiring a "gay basher to reach out to homosexuals," as reported in Tuesday's LifeSiteNews.com. She resigned Thursday.

"I am resigning my position as the director of religious outreach because it is no longer possible for me to do my job effectively," Rev. Peterson said, as reported by Talon News. The Washington Post added Thursday that her decision was made "after the New York-based Catholic League issued three blistering news releases attacking her positions."

"The only question now is whether John Kerry and the DNC have finally got the message," Donohue said in a press release.

The Democrats first appointed Mara Vanderslice as the director of Religious Outreach, whom the Catholic League helped to expose as anti-Catholic and a radical. Instead of learning from their mistake, they did it again by selecting Rev. Peterson, says the League.

"When we exposed Rev. Peterson as a Left-wing activist who went into the U.S. Supreme Court on the side of atheist Michael Newdow to censor the words 'under God' in the Pledge, she was forced to quit her role with the DNC," Donohue said. "The first hire may have been a mistake, but it is not credible to maintain that the DNC erred in hiring Rev. Peterson: they knew what they were getting and they knew what happened to Vanderslice, and yet they persisted anyway."

"Why are Kerry and the DNC imploding on religion? Because too many of the elites running the show are devout secularists who put a premium on freedom from religion," Donohue maintains. "Their idea of religious liberty is banning nativity scenes on public property. Their idea of diversity is censoring 'under God' from the Pledge. Their idea of tolerance is forbidding a moment of silence in the schools. Their idea of a good Catholic is Frances Kissling of Catholics for a Free Choice. Their idea of compassion is hiking taxes. Their idea of helping the poor is giving them directions to a soup kitchen. And their idea of choice is abortion, not school vouchers," he said.

"Kerry and the DNC now have two strikes against them in their religious outreach efforts," Donohue said. "Whether they strike out is up to them. We're certainly not dropping out of the game, and we're certainly monitoring Bush and the RNC on this subject just as closely."

See Tuesday's LifeSiteNews.com report:
New Democrat Advisor on Religion Likened to Gay Basher Advising on Homosexuals
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/aug/04080407.html

tv

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Former MP Robinson Only Gets Slap on Wrist for Stealing $64,000 Ring for Gay Lover

Will receive neither jail time nor criminal record for the theft

VANCOUVER, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Homosexual activist and former NDP MP Svend Robinson pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 in a Vancouver court Friday. In response to the judge, who asked if he would like to plead guilty, Robinson said "Yes I do, your honour." Robinson, who has already been convicted on other crimes, was given a conditional sentence. Thus he will receive neither jail time nor a criminal record for the theft. He has been ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

At the hearing, several letters were read supporting Robinson, claiming him to be an outstanding citizen. As no surprise to readers of LifeSiteNews.com letters supporting Robinson came from anti-life personalities including former UN ambassador Stephen Lewis and environmentalist David Suzuki. The National Post reports that Robinson will be eligible at age 55 for his parliamentary pension, which for him amounts to $86,663 per year.

None of the coverage on the sentence mentioned the fact that Robinson has repeatedly been in trouble with the law, and has already been convicted and jailed for a criminal offence. In 1994 he spent over a week in jail after being convicted of criminal contempt of court for defying an injunction against interfering with logging on Clayoquot Sound. Robinson has also had other arrests and fines associated with his radical environmentalist activism.

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Theft over $5000 Not First Criminal Charge against Homosexual Activist Former MP Svend Robinson
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jun/04062203.html

tv

Back to Top Back to Top


     

Catholics Concerned over Cult Leader Appearing at Canada's Foremost Catholic Shrine

MONTREAL, August 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Curious calls are pouring in to the Saint Joseph's Oratory information line as the Oratory gears up for the August 14 visit of eastern spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, authority on Vedic literature and master of therapeutic breathing techniques. When LifeSiteNews.com called the Oratory today, the Oratory staff was barely able to attend to the call due to the volume of callers asking about the Sri Sri event.

Oratory staff assure callers that the event is not a religious one, likening it to the Dali Lama's visit to the Oratory June 21, 1993. But Sri Sri's visit is a two hour long event open to the public with a fifteen dollar entrance fee, and on the eve of the major Catholic holyday. Many callers are concerned that the visit will be a more than a mere courtesy call.

Those who take the time to look at Sri Sri's website, http://www.artofliving.org , will understand why. The page hints of personality cult - every click brings new images of the guru's ecstatic smile and young people lined up in lotus position. The guru is referred to as "His Holiness" by followers and presumably will be addressed as such during the Saint Joseph's Oratory event.

What message is he bringing to the Catholics of Montreal? In general he encourages people to pursue their chosen spirituality or religion, but he sings a different tune to his young followers, telling them that the truly enlightened are more than mere believers: "An atheist bases himself on reason, and a believer on faith ... Death shakes them both! When someone close dies, an atheist eyes are opened, and a believer's faith cracks. Only a Yogi - a wise one - remains unshaken. For that person has transcended both reason and faith." -Intimate Note to a Sincere Seeker Vol.6

Information can be obtained from Saint Joseph's Oratory at (514) 733-8211. Those who wish to contact the Oratory's Rector can call (514) 733-8211 or (877) 672-8647 or email at fatherweb@saint-joseph.org

jmo

Back to Top Back to Top


     

LifeSiteNews.com NewsBytes

The US Women's Vote: Up for Grabs?
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/6116/BLI/commentary/index.htm

Media Gives Porn Industry Pass - Again
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/8/afa/62004jl.asp

Living near busy roads may shorten lifespan
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/10917354...

Coors: Brewer to end abortion coverage
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~64~2317203,00.ht...

New Documentary "I do exist" covers lives of Former Homosexuals
http://www.movieguide.org/index.cgi?Playing&07/21/200414.40....

Madonna opens Kabbalah Cult Religious School
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/artic...

Keyes reportedly set to accept GOP bid
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0408060207aug06...

Back to Top Back to Top

SHARE THIS PAGE: E-mail  Print ArticlePrint

MORE NEWS: LifeSiteNews.com Home Page  Last 10 Days   Archives   Special Reports

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.