Humanitarian award

In Saskatchewan, the Right to Life Committee’s second annual humanitarian award went to Prince Albert’s Holy Family Hospital and the Sisters of Charity who run it.  The hospital was also awarded the Kurelek Award, which was presented at the national pro-life convention in Saskatchewan.  Holy Family, which for years has had the only maternity ward in the area, has always steadfastly refused to do abortions.  “There is no doubt in our minds that this fine health care facility prevented thousands of abortions since its inception in the early 1900s,” said last year’s winner, John Fryers.  Sister Rose Ketchum, who is the executive director of the hospital, says that the hospital’s success is based on the belief that human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural birth??? (Not death??? Is this a Misprint??) “It’s in the mission statement,” said Sr. Ketchum, “and it’s something we will die for.”

Pro-life stockholders

Catholic World Report says that a group of 20 pro-life activists bought shares in the giant French pharmaceutical company, Roussel-Uclaf.  The company manufactures and distributes the abortion pill, RU-486.  The activists purchased enough shares in the company to take part in the stockholders’ meeting.  At the meeting, the 20 tried to force RU-486 to the top of the meeting but were shouted down by company chairman Edouard Sakiz.  The meeting was suspended after 45 minutes.

CWL speaks

The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, with a membership of 116,000, has released an excellent Position Paper on Euthanasia.  The paper has been sent to the Prime Minister, MPs, Senators and the Catholic Bishops of Canada.  The paper states the CWL:

  • “believes human beings are stewards of their bodies and of their lives, from birth until natural death”
  • “believes that the natural process of dying is the final step in living out our human life”
  • is opposed to any deliberate killing of another human being…[including] euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide or killing people out of the spirit of compassion”
  • “supports all those in the health care profession who offer compassionate and competent palliative care services for the dying, their families and friends”
  • “supports laws which offer protection for human life, from conception to the time of natural death”

The CWL has also initiated a postcard campaign, complete with its statement, and is encouraging members to write to their MPs and express their opposition to euthanasia.

Off the wire

Polish President Lech Walesa has vetoed legislation that would expand conditions under which an abortion could be obtained. **** Jen Zieman, Kathryn Walker and Pamela Birch, the three women who staged a March Rescue outside Vancouver’s Everywoman Clinic, have been released from jail. **** A Freedom of Information request made by Campaign Life Coalition has been turned down by BC’s provincial government.  CLC had asked for names of those who worked in the abortion clinics, claiming they are government contractors. **** Latest statistics available in the U.S. show that the abortion rate has dropped to its lowest level in 13 years.  They also show that teens account for a shocking 40% or 600,000 of all abortions. **** The 15.4 million member Southern Baptist Convention has passed a resolution opposing the importation of the RU-486 abortion pill into the U.S.  Their opposition will add great strength to a proposed boycott of Roussell Uclaf, the French pharmaceutical company that manufactures the pill. **** In early July, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien met with Pope John Paul II to discuss the Cairo conference.  Chrétien was very unreceptive to the Pope’s concerns.  **** Other July visitors to Rome included well-known rescuer Fr. Tom Carleton and a group of 20 Boston-area Catholics who met with several key Vatican officials.  Their intention: to discuss the possibility of excommunicating pro-abortion Catholic politicians.  First to go?  Teddy Kennedy.  **** A California woman is arguing a traffic ticket by using Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion.  In March, Mary Ellen Keppler was fined for driving alone in a highway lane reserved for cars with two or more passengers.  She claims that, because she was six months pregnant, her unborn baby counted as a passenger.  Under the stipulations of Roe, the baby was viable outside the womb – hence, there were two people in the car.  **** Latest statistics Canada population numbers indicate that if Canada’s present birth rate continues, the country will soon be entirely dependent on immigrants to maintain its population base.  **** PEI had their first lesbian and Gay Pride March in July.  Eighty-five members took part.