Statement by the Press Secretary on President Bush's Meeting with Chinese Freedom Activists

"Today in The White House Residence, President Bush met with five Chinese freedom activists to discuss his concerns about human rights in China. The President assured them that he will carry the message of freedom as he travels to Beijing for the games, just as he has regularly made this a priority in all of his meetings with Chinese officials. He told the activists that engagement with Chinese leaders gives him an opportunity to make the United States' position clear - human rights and religious freedom should not be denied to anyone." I hope President Bush discusses the lives lost through China's one-child "family planning" policy. For the White House Press release visit: Statement by the Press Secretary on President Bush's Meeting with Chinese Freedom Activists:

John McCain and Leadership by Example

Senator John McCain visited Wilkes-Barre’s Kirby Center yesterday. He was introduced by Lisa Baker, who said, “We are offering a genuine American hero, a man of integrity – and of great vision. This is ....a man who has been physically and spiritually tested, and will not shy away from the tough decisions. Politics is not his profession public service is." Baker said McCain leads by example.

I recently read an article about Senator McCain’s adopted daughter. She came from one of Mother Theresa’s orphanages, and would need many surgeries to save her life. The McCain family also encouraged a friend to adopt another child who would have probably died without the type of medical care offered in the USA. The McCain's not only adopted a sick child, they paid the medical bills for the child adopted by their friends. This is leadership by example.

By now I’m sure everyone has heard about the gas tax holiday promoted by Senator McCain. McCain also acknowledged that successes in Iraq have come, “at great sacrifice of American blood and treasure” Senator McCain pledged not to let the blood American soldiers shed in Iraq be in vain. The press may even mention McCain’s support of vouchers for Catholic schools. Senator McCain said, “I believe in vouchers. I believe that all Americans should have the same choice that Cindy and I did when we sent our kids to Catholic schools which is the best place to get an education.” But I’m sure few in the press will tell the story of McCain’s adopted daughter.

Catholic Medical Association Conference This October

"The 77th Annual Educational Conference of the Catholic Medical Association will take place October 9-11, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Hyatt Regency Hotel at the Inner Harbor will be the host facility.
The theme for this year’s conference is, “Theology of the Body: Modern Challenges to Health, Conscience and Human Development.” The conference will address issues of conscience formation and its difficulties, the raising of children, spiritual and emotional healing from abortion and addiction, accepting limitations on health and reproduction, and aging and sexuality issues faced by the senior community. All these topics will be addressed in the light of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body" For more information visit: Catholic Medical Association:

Is Abortion Good for Women? Read About the Experience of Kay Painter

"I am thankful that I have no memory of the abortion, but the instant I heard my baby’s helpless body hit the garbage can, I KNEW! I had just killed my own flesh and blood, an innocent life. I was panic-stricken, the nurse callously told me to “calm down, in a few days all would be back to normal.”
Lucky? Normal? No one forewarned me of the repercussions of an abortion. It was a simple procedure of removing “tissue,” so why the pain, the sudden emptiness? I awoke night after night to the sound of screams, they were mine!" To read more visit:Kay Painter:

Rally for Resources - Feminists for Life of America

Rally for Resources - Feminists for Life of America: "This year, on college campuses around the country, students will be rallying for resources for pregnant and parenting students on campus. FFL has created this unique event to draw attention to the lack of practical support that often drives young women to abortion. These rallies will be entirely student-led, with the help of proven FFL materials and our online Rally for ResourcesSM kit. Student leaders will be able to inspire their peers to pledge their support in creating and promoting resources on campuses as well as urge their representatives in Congress to pass the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act." To read more about this project visit:Rally for Resources -Feminists for Life of America: "

If you are a student leader and are interested in holding a rally on your campus e-mail coordinator@ffloncampus.org formaterials and information.

Lincoln Radio Journal

AIR DATES: July 19, 2008 - July 25, 2008: Lowman Henry has a 'Newsmaker Interview' with Stephen Bloom author of The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues; Joe Geiger has State Senator Andrew Dinniman in the 'Nonprofit Spotlight' to talk about the new non-profit caucus in the General Assembly Lincoln Radio Journal:

American Radio Journal-The Problem of Non-Citizen Voters

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Hans A. von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation about the problem of 'non citizen' voters"Visit: American Radio Journal : July 19, 2008 – July 25, 2008

FOXNews.com - Inquest Told Teen Died After Taking Abortion Pills - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News

How many women have to die before journalists tell the truth about abortion?
In 2005 a young woman from the United Kingdom died as a result of an RU-486 abortion. Other sources reported Jones was the 14th woman to die after taking the RU-486 abortion pill. Fox News was the only major network news to cover the inquest into the death of Manon Jones and admit that complications can occur from the abortion pill.
From Fox News: "Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor for FOXNews.com, said a condition such as the one Jones had needs to be acted on “very quickly” in order for doctors to save a woman’s life. “There’s always a potential when you take this pill (RU-486) that you may not have complete loss of the pregnancy,” he said. “By retaining products of conception, a woman can have significant bleeding, shock and death.” My guess is Miss Jones' abortionist never warned her of the danger. To read the Fox News article visit:FOXNews.com - Inquest Told Teen Died After Taking Abortion Pills - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News:

While I was pleased that Fox News covered the story, I was also disappointed to read comments that trivialized the deaths of the 500,000 unborn children killed by RU-486, specificly:Fox News "The abortion pill has been used more than 500,000 times since it was approved for use in the U.S. for early pregnancy, defined as seven weeks' duration or less." No mention of the fact that a baby dies when RU-486 pill is taken. No mention even that the life of a "fetus" (young one) ended. Sanitizing language only helps to perpetuate abortion on demand.

Jesse Helms: The Most Important Senator of Our Times - HUMAN EVENTS

Phyllis Schlafly writes a fitting tribute to Senator Jesse Helms in Human Events.com. Schlafly comments on the role Helms had in the ascendance of the conservative movement: "Although only a first-term senator from a Southern state, Helms decided that the Republican platform should be the forum on which to rebuild the conservative movement"......"The 1976 platform was not just about foreign policy; 1976 was the first Republican National Convention when the emerging pro-family movement raised its voice in politics. The 1976 platform opposed 'intrusion by the federal government' in education and called for constitutional amendments to restore prayer to schools and 'to restore protection of the right to life for unborn children.'" The article continues here: Jesse Helms: The Most Important Senator of Our Times - HUMAN EVENTS:

Lorie Byrd :: Townhall.com :: A Lesson Even Liberals Can Learn from Jesse Helms

In her Townhall.com article, "A Lesson Lesson Even Liberals can Learn from Jesse Helms", Lorie Byrd writes about Jesse Helms' respect for people, his work ethic and his commitment to his principles. Byrd writes: "Jesse Helms never compromised on the issues of importance to him and his supporters. I recall a conversation I had with a woman in my church many years ago who was terribly upset over the prospect that Helms would not win reelection. The race was close (as all his races were) and she didn’t think he was going to be able to pull out another win. She said, “I just don’t know what will happen if he doesn’t win. If he is not in the Senate there won’t be anyone there to speak for us.” By “us” she was talking about conservatives and, more specifically, people of faith." The article continues here:
Lorie Byrd :: Townhall.com :: A Lesson Even Liberals Can Learn from Jesse Helms: While not a piece on Senator Helms' pro-life accomplishments, I felt it was a nice tribute to the Senator.

America | The National Catholic Weekly - A Sexual Revolution

One woman's journey from pro-choice atheist to pro-life Catholic
By Jennifer Fulwiler | JULY 7, 2008 is a fascinating article. It can help pro-life people understand why ending abortion is such a long difficult process. (In the 1970's we used to think all it would take to change hearts and minds was to show people pictures of unborn babies!)Jennifer Fulwiler's story should also help pro-lifers realize why politicians aren't going to solve the problem of abortion. Jennifer Fulwiler writes: "B ack in my pro-choice days, I read that in certain ancient societies it was common for parents to abandon unwanted newborns, leaving them to die of exposure. I found these stories to be as perplexing as they were horrifying. How could this happen? I could never understand how entire cultures could buy into something so obviously terrible, how something that modern society understands to be an unthinkable evil could be widely accepted among large groups of people." She goes on to describe how her view of abortion and the value she placed on "fetuses" was tied to her view of God and of sex. The article continues:
America | The National Catholic Weekly - A Sexual Revolution:

Abortion Mental Health Research: Update and Quality of Evidence

Dear Readers,
I have been preoccupied the last few weeks with preparations for the marriage of my oldest daughter Jeanine and took a short break from blogging. The wedding was beautiful, but now it's time to get back to the business of pro-life education.
I recently came accross a study "Abortion Mental Health Research: Update and Quality of Evidence" by Priscilla Coleman, Ph.D.,Associate Professor at Bowling Green State University on the mental health and behavioral problems that may follow abortion:
Recent years have brought a dramatic increase in the number of scientific studies published world-wide documenting the psychologicaldamage frequently ushered in by abortion. Negative effects of abortion on various aspects of women’s mental health and quality of life are now well-established. The newer research has overcome many methodological shortcomings plaguing earlier work, leading to much clearer answers to several basic questions including the following:
1) Does abortion introduce risks to women’s mental heath?
2) Does abortion adversely impact other aspects of women’s lives (e.g. intimate relationships, parenting, etc.) even if they do not suffer from a diagnosable ailment?
3) Are the risks associated with abortion greater than those associated with childbirth?
The study continues at:Association for Interdisciplinary Research in values and Social Change

Catholic.net - Who’s Your Daddy? - Reproductive technologies

Here's a sad commentary on American culture but with some suggestions to improve the situation. "...legal and technological changes have been reshaping families, as reproductive techniques like sperm donation, egg donation, and surrogate motherhood become far more embedded in our culture than most of us realize.
Now we have kids with two moms, four moms, or none at all.
These technologies, and the legal tangles they create, have shifted us to an understanding of family that pretends bodies don’t matter, and denies children’s need for their own mother and father. Here are only a few examples of how what we might call “third-party reproduction” is reshaping our culture; hundreds such stories emerge every month." Visit: Catholic.net - Who’s Your Daddy?:

Confessions Of A CF Husband

"Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a terminal, genetically inherited disease that especially affects the lungs. Tricia has already lived beyond her life expectancy, and she is now in need of a double lung transplant to continue her life here on earth.

In July of 2007, Tricia went through the week long evaluation process to determine if she was a candidate for a transplant. She was a candidate, and we began making plans to temporarily move to Durham, NC to be close to Duke University Medical Center.

The day before Tricia was to begin the physical therapy that would prepare her to be placed on the transplant list, we found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant. Against the advice of many of her doctors, we chose to keep the pregnancy, having been told that both Tricia and the baby had less than a 50% chance of surviving."

This blog, written by Tricia's husband tells of the struggle this family has with cystic fibrosis and their courageous stand against the Culture of Death. Doctors advised abortion, but the Lawrensons had a beter idea: Trust God. The blog is long but a very touching example of sacrificial love. Visit: Confessions Of A CF Husband: (You may want to read the abbreviated version of the story.)

abc11.com: The Lawrensons live their second life 5/12/08

abc11.com: The Lawrensons live their second life 5/12/08: "Nathan and Tricia Lawrenson left their home in Nags Head for Duke University Medical Center so Tricia could prepare for a double-lung transplant. Tricia, has cystic fibrosis. There was one thing standing in the way. Tricia was pregnant!"

Meet Baby Born Twice #25000117

Meet baby who was born twice

June 6: When her mother was six months pregnant, baby Macie Hope was taken out of the womb for life-saving surgery, then returned for 10 more weeks. TODAY’s Ann Curry talks to Macie’s parents, Chad and Keri McCartney, and Dr. Darrell Cass, the fetal surgeon who operated on Macie. to watch the today show Interview with Macie Hope's parents and surgeon click here.
#25000117(Unfortunately you have to watch an ad first.)

YouTube - Pro-life video -"You Are So Beautiful:"

First, Please pray for my daughter Linda who will be traveling home from Argentina this weekend. I can't wait to hear her stories, as we have only been able to communicate by short e-mails. Parenthood is an adventure of discovering the gift your child is to the world. And in the process of parenting, there is much to learn about one's self. Life is full of surprises!

Here is a beautiful video of fetal development sent to me by my friend Fiona. While it is evidence of life in the womb, it cannot convey the dynamic personality of the individual child.

YouTube - Pro-life video: ""

Thanks Fiona for the information.

The Importance of Electing a Pro-Life President :: Americans United for Life

"As the 2008 Presidential Election approaches, we find ourselves struggling to determine which presidential candidate will best serve our country and hold fast to the principles and values we hold dear. One factor of increasing importance in this determination is a candidate's position on abortion and life issues. How important is it for the pro-life cause to elect a pro-life President? What impact will the next President of the United States have on the pro-life agenda? Does it really matter what the next President's position on life issues is? The answer is simple: Yes, it does matter. The President of the United States plays a crucial role in advancing the pro-life cause in America, and the election of a pro-life President will guarantee a political environment that is supportive of pro-life legislation and policies" For a thorough examination of the impact a pro-life president can have on our nation visit: Pro-Life President :: Americans United for Life:

Kathleen Sebelius as Obama's Vice President?

Recently, I've read that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is under consideration as Vice-President by Democrat Presidential candidate Barack O'bama. It would not suprise me, as both are pro-abortion extremeists. Thanks to a correspondence with cartoonist John Francis Borra, I have become familiar enough with Gov. Sebelius'shameless promotion of abortion to know that the election of Obama and Sebelius ticket would be an unmitigated disaster for the pro-life movement. Recently, Sebelius vetoed Kansas'Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act designed to protect women from coerced abortion. Borra's cartoon and commentary on Sebelius follow:


Kansas, Coercion and Flying Monkeys

John Francis Borra writes:
Governor Kathleen Sebelius' facade of concern for the human person grows ever more transparent. In April, she vetoed the Kansas legislature's broadly-supported Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act intended to protect mothers and children from coerced abortion. The intension of the bill was not to restrict abortion, but simply to ensure that existing laws were complied with; however, even this was too much for Sebelius, arguably the most aggressively anti-life governor in US history. Sebelius, who has funneled a fortune in campaign contributions to likeminded politicians on behalf of the abortion industry, thus demonstrates mind-boggling indifference toward her pregnant constituents and a near- sociopathic commitment to aborting children.

Time and again, through the appointment and manipulation of attorneys general (including Stephen Six, the latest of George Tiller's lapdogs), district attorneys, judges, law enforcement and criminal investigations, Kathleen Sebelius has helped abortionists circumvent Kansas law. Her public repudiation of Archbishop Joseph Naumann, of Catholic moral imperatives and the natural law have earned her rock star status among the leftwing of the Democratic Party, catapulting her to the top of its list of VP hopefuls.

Earlier this spring, legislation to protect women and children from coerced abortion became law in Idaho. It was resisted by Planned Parenthood who, along with other abortion operators and anti-life interests groups, is fiercely resisting similar legislation in other states. But thanks to the pernicious influence they exert through proxies like Kathleen Sebelius, abortionists in Kansas continue to prosper at the expense of vulnerable women.

Habitat for Humanity Accused of Helping Planned Parenthood Abortion Center

Not What You'd Expect from a Christian Organization: "Sarasota, FL (LifeNews.com) -- The Christian non-profit housing ministry Habitat for Humanity stands accused of helping a Florida-based Planned Parenthood overcome a hurdle to building a new abortion business. A pro-life advocate says Planned Parenthood would have been stymied in building the new center without the group's help."Habitat for Humanity Accused of Helping Planned Parenthood Abortion Center:

Pro-Life Leaders Say John McCain Shouldn't Pick Charlie Crist for VP

"Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Leading pro-life advocates say one of the top considerations for John McCain for a vice-presidential running mate should be left off of his short list. They're concerned Florida Gov. Charlie Crist isn't sufficiently pro-life and would not motivate the base of the Republican Party in the way McCain needs to win." Visit: Pro-Life Leaders Say John McCain Shouldn't Pick Charlie Crist for VP:

Celebrating Down syndrome - a Mother's Day photo album :: Down syndrome :: ProLifeBlogs

Pro-Life Blogs has a collection of Mother's Day Photos: Last year I unveiled a very special Mother's Day photo album, which has continued to grow this year - now with 95 mother/child portraits:
You can see the photos and read the moms comments at Our Little Extras - A Mother's Day Down Syndrome Celebration.
Or watch the slideshow here:
Celebrating Down syndrome - a Mother's Day photo album :: Down syndrome :: ProLifeBlogs: "Celebrating Down syndrome - a Mother's Day photo album

A place for homeless, pregnant women to call home

A place for homeless, pregnant women to call home: "She was tired of moving from motel to motel with other drug addicts. She decided she wanted to give her baby the best start at life. Asay didn’t have custody of her first child, an 8-year-old boy.
“I was scared because, at the time, I didn’t know which was more important (drugs or the baby). I didn’t want to go to jail, but then I just realized that I can’t not go to jail because then my child wouldn’t make it and it wasn’t fair to the baby,” said Asay, 25."
While incarcerated this pregnant mom learned about a new maternity home in Luzerne County and was given permission by a judge to participate in its programs. For the Times Leader article click the first sentence.

Linda in Argentina

I don't normally make a habit of bragging about my kids, but today I can't resist.
Thanks be to God as of 7:19 this morning Linda Joy arrived safely in Buenos Aires, Argentina after a 10 hour flignt from Miami. She will be studying Spanish for several weeks at a college in Argentina as part of a student exchange program. For the last few weeks I've been helping her get ready for the trip, taking her for necessary vaccinations, even picking up a recommendation letter from her former teacher. That beautiful letter probably won her the spot in the exchange program.
Linda is traveling with four other students from her school. If she has access to a computer at the school she may do some blogging about her trip, in which case I'll give you an update. Otherwise I may not hear from her as she left both computer and phone at home. Needless to say, my mind has not been on blogging lately.

Like Forrest Gump observed, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." Parenting is like that too. To say the least it is an adventure. Sue

Italian Woman Surrenders Life for Her Unborn Child - LifeSite Daily News for Thursday May 1, 2008

PIEVE DI SOLIGO, Italy, May 1, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an act of sacrifice comparable to that of pro-life patroness St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Italian mother Paola Breda recently died after having declined potentially life-saving cancer treatment that could have harmed her unborn child.

Breda was diagnosed with breast cancer six months into her pregnancy with her child Nicola, but postponed treatment until after Nicola's birth." Visit:LifeSite Daily News for Thursday May 1, 2008