WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."
"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.
"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU
He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.
The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online.
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Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis
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WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.""Even as Americans rema...
WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court."There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."The brief noted that some abortion clinics have decla...
"There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."
The brief noted that some abortion clinics have declared the standards too strict, although the standards are similar to those issued by the abortion industry. It added that abortion providers "should not be allowed to rely upon their own failure to comply with health and safety laws" as a reason to strike such laws down. The brief said the providers' resistance to such regulations is not in the best interests of women's health and safety. It also noted that over 40 years of precedent, including the Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirms that states may regulate abortion to protect maternal life and health.
Full text of the brief is available online: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Whole-Woman-s-Health-v-Hellerstedt.pdf
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Keywords: General Counsel, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Texas law abortion, amicus curia, National Association of Evangelicals, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, U.S. Supreme Court
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis arrived in Mexico Friday evening after an historic meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Cuba. This is his 12th Apostolic Journey and is the third Pope to visit the country. Vatican Radio’s Veronica Scarisbrick is with the Pope in Mexico. She sends us this report on his arrival Friday evening.Listen to the report: The Pope’s arrival in Mexico City was supposed to be a straightforward affair without particular protocol. In reality it had more the feeling of a ‘fiesta’ verging on a television show.There was a stadium crowd, mariachi, folk dancers in colourful traditional dresses and singers of all ages including children. But then as we know Mexicans love fiestas.And perhaps Pope Francis does too. He certainly looked relaxed and happy as he always does when he’s back among his people.On a more official note the President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto was there to greet him together with his wife...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis arrived in Mexico Friday evening after an historic meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Cuba. This is his 12th Apostolic Journey and is the third Pope to visit the country. Vatican Radio’s Veronica Scarisbrick is with the Pope in Mexico. She sends us this report on his arrival Friday evening.
Listen to the report:
The Pope’s arrival in Mexico City was supposed to be a straightforward affair without particular protocol. In reality it had more the feeling of a ‘fiesta’ verging on a television show.
There was a stadium crowd, mariachi, folk dancers in colourful traditional dresses and singers of all ages including children. But then as we know Mexicans love fiestas.
And perhaps Pope Francis does too. He certainly looked relaxed and happy as he always does when he’s back among his people.
On a more official note the President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto was there to greet him together with his wife, the ‘primera dama’.
And there were children who ran all together into his arms to hug him while the crowds yelled “ Quedan que el papa nos benedica’, requesting he bless them.
Eventually he did bless them and then waved in a friendly manner and on a more profane note he donned a black and gold Mexican mariachi hat for a moment.
And then he climbed into his pope mobile and covered the nineteen kilometres into town amid a tunnel of cheering crowds lighting up the night with their smart phones or torches.
Definitely a homecoming…
With Pope Francis in Mexico City, I’m Veronica Scarisbrick
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is in Mexico on his 12th Apostolic Journey. He was welcomed there to an atmosphere of 'fiesta' on Friday night. On Saturday his schedule includes an encounter with civil society and the diplomatic corps, the bishops of Mexico, and Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.Vatican Radio's Veronica Scarisbrick is in Mexico with Pope Francis and sent this report on Saturday's activities.Listen to the report: While Pope Francis comes to Mexico to walk with the people he has also begged a chance to pray on his own. You’ll have guessed where. It’s before the image of ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ which he says inspires security and tenderness. “She is our mother”, he insists, “who cares, protects and leads a people”.His request has been granted and on Saturday on the first full day of his Apostolic journey he’ll be shown into a sort of secret room, the ‘camarin’ as they cal...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is in Mexico on his 12th Apostolic Journey. He was welcomed there to an atmosphere of 'fiesta' on Friday night. On Saturday his schedule includes an encounter with civil society and the diplomatic corps, the bishops of Mexico, and Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Vatican Radio's Veronica Scarisbrick is in Mexico with Pope Francis and sent this report on Saturday's activities.
Listen to the report:
While Pope Francis comes to Mexico to walk with the people he has also begged a chance to pray on his own. You’ll have guessed where. It’s before the image of ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ which he says inspires security and tenderness. “She is our mother”, he insists, “who cares, protects and leads a people”.
His request has been granted and on Saturday on the first full day of his Apostolic journey he’ll be shown into a sort of secret room, the ‘camarin’ as they call it, located directly behind the altar of the Basilica of the Shrine which houses this image.
To get to it a sort of mini bank vault has to be unlocked. And for this fleeting occasion the image will be turned towards the Pope rather than towards the congregation gathered there for Holy Mass.
You are probably familiar with this 16th century image of Our Lady framed by a pink almond shaped oval with the rays of the sun all around, wearing a green blue cloak decorated with stars and standing on a crescent moon. The moon being symbolic of Mexico as the word means ‘navel of the moon’. Known as the 'Morenita' she appeared as a 'mestizo', of mixed race, so symbolic of the unity of Mexican people.
Pope Francis makes requests but also courteously accepts invitations. Naturally from the nation’s President Enrique Pena Nieto at the impressive ‘Palacio Nacional’, seat of the federal executive in Mexico.
Located at the heart of Mexico City the building with its stylish colonial red façade overlooks the elegant “Plaza de la Constituciòn” known as ‘El Zòcalo’. Part of the stone used for it was stolen from the original Palace of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II, also in the early 16th century.
It is there that on Saturday morning Pope Francis delivers his first speech to the Mexican nation in the presence of civil authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps.
The second speech is to the Bishops fittingly in the City’s Metropolitan Cathedral of the ‘Assumption’ with its ‘Dona Maria’ bell which pealed for two hours to welcome the Pope to town on Saturday evening. An ornate colonial building which like all of the rest of this capital city sinks into the spongey soil of what was once an azure lake. One which houses a massive gold altar. I mean really massive. That’s why perhaps the ‘guardia federal’ keeps guard inside the precints of the Cathedral.
In Mexico City, I’m Veronica Scarisbrick.
(Vatican Radio) The United Nations refugee agency has urged several Central and Eastern European countries to show more compassion towards refugees. The UNHCR appeal comes ahead of an upcoming regional summit and revelations that European Union countries are to restrict passport-free travel for two years due to the refugee crisis. Listen to Stefan Bos' report: The UNHCR’s regional headquarters, based in Budapest, is appealing to especially the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to show what it calls greater "solidarity with desperate refugees".Leaders of the four countries known as the Visegrad group, are expected to discuss the refugee crisis during a summit in Prague, Czech Republic, on Monday.In a statement, seen by Vatican Radio, the UNHCR says the Visegrad group, should realize that many refugees seek sanctuary in the continent as war, conflict and extremism force millions out of their homes. Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic o...
(Vatican Radio) The United Nations refugee agency has urged several Central and Eastern European countries to show more compassion towards refugees. The UNHCR appeal comes ahead of an upcoming regional summit and revelations that European Union countries are to restrict passport-free travel for two years due to the refugee crisis.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
The UNHCR’s regional headquarters, based in Budapest, is appealing to especially the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to show what it calls greater "solidarity with desperate refugees".
Leaders of the four countries known as the Visegrad group, are expected to discuss the refugee crisis during a summit in Prague, Czech Republic, on Monday.
In a statement, seen by Vatican Radio, the UNHCR says the Visegrad group, should realize that many refugees seek sanctuary in the continent as war, conflict and extremism force millions out of their homes. Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are "also invited to participate," the UNHCR says.
It notes that the Visegrad states combined were hosting just 25,000 refugees last year, a tiny fraction of the nearly 20 million global refugee population.
No bystanders?
The UNHCR's Regional Representative for Central Europe Montserrat Feixas Vihé adds that leaders in the region need to offer safety to people fleeing persecution. In her words "they cannot be bystanders during this unprecedented humanitarian situation. The world expects them to contribute to saving lives and restoring hope for those who have lost everything.”
While she understands public opinion can sometimes be apprehensive, the official says it is important "to give relocating and resettlement a chance to work. It's an indirect reference to for instance Hungary which has build anti-migration fences along its borders with Serbia and Croatia."
Opposition members have also expressed concern that Hungary's right-wing government is linking terror to migrants fleeing war and poverty and wants to chance the constitution to give the army and police more powers.
But Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has defended these policies and says his nation wants even stronger Europe-wide measures to stop the flow of people from the Middle East and North Africa. "If Greece is not ready or able to protect the Schengen zone and doesn't accept any assistance from the European Union, then we need another defence line, which is obviously Macedonia and Bulgaria, so I hope that we will have some forward progress today." he told reporters.
"You know, it's kind of frustrating that everyone speaks about the necessity of the protection of the external borders but nothing happens and I think we have to stop that."
EU-wide controls
While Hungary has faced European criticism, documents leaked Friday show that European Union member states are planning to restrict passport-free travel by invoking an emergency rule for two years due to the continent's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two.
Each of the 26 countries in the EU's open-travel Schengen Area is allowed to unilaterally put up border controls for a maximum of six months. That limit can be extended for up to two years if a member nation is found to be failing to protect its borders.
The Associated Press news agency says the documents make clear that EU policymakers are to declare that Greece is failing to sufficiently protect its border.
Some 2,000 people are still arriving daily on Greek islands in smugglers' boats from Turkey, according to official estimates.
(Vatican Radio) On board the papal plane following the meeting with Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis told journalists that “it was a conversation between brothers.”Speaking en route to Mexico the Pope said that he and the Patriarch spoke about their respective Churches, the situation in the world, wars, orthodoxy and also the next pan-orthodox Synod. He added that he really felt, “an inner joy that came from the Lord”.The Pope reaffirmed the freedom that was felt during the meeting which included the presence of Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Metropolitan Hilarion and two interpreters.Pope Francis also said that “possible activities in common” has been talked about, adding that “unity is a walk together.”Commenting on the joint declaration signed after the encounter, the Holy Father stressed “it was a pastoral and not a sociological declaration.” The Pope ...
(Vatican Radio) On board the papal plane following the meeting with Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis told journalists that “it was a conversation between brothers.”
Speaking en route to Mexico the Pope said that he and the Patriarch spoke about their respective Churches, the situation in the world, wars, orthodoxy and also the next pan-orthodox Synod. He added that he really felt, “an inner joy that came from the Lord”.
The Pope reaffirmed the freedom that was felt during the meeting which included the presence of Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Metropolitan Hilarion and two interpreters.
Pope Francis also said that “possible activities in common” has been talked about, adding that “unity is a walk together.”
Commenting on the joint declaration signed after the encounter, the Holy Father stressed “it was a pastoral and not a sociological declaration.” The Pope said it was “pastoral" in the sense that it was “two bishops meeting about pastoral concerns.”
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