Articles for Month: October 2004

DETROIT, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Several liberal priests and a Detroit bishop have come out against so-called “one-issue” voting, namely voting based on a politician’s pro-abortion or pro-life record. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, pastor of St. Leo’s parish in Detroit, and two liberal priests groups, the Milwaukee Archdiocese Priests Alliance, and a group of 50 priests from Pittsburgh, argue that the Catholic Church should advocate the so-called “seamless garment” view of political policy. Proponents of the garment view argue that all life issues, including such issues as war, capital punishment, poverty and health care should be considered on […]

European socialists determined to remove Buttiglione for his social conservative views

KENTVILLE, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Another study of has shown that pregnancy-related factors, especially those related to a first pregnancy, significantly influence women’s risk of breast cancer. A group of 2,500 women who developed breast cancer after their first pregnancy were compared with 10,000 cancer-free mothers of single children. The research indicates, “extremely premature delivery” is included in the risk factors for a two-fold increase in the cases of breast cancer. The researchers report in the International Journal of Cancer, “Extreme prematurity has been characterized by high maternal estrogen levels, which could increase breast cell proliferation.” Such cell proliferation […]

CAPE ARGUS, South Africa, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Doctors in South Africa are warning that condoms are an unreliable way to prevent sexually transmitted disease and most notably, HIV infection. The warning appears in the latest issue of the official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care—South African Family Practice. Authors, Professor Gboyega Ogunbanjo and Dr Donna Knapp van Bogaert said, “Many condom users just don’t know” that condoms have a high failure rate. “So the right message should be: it is better to use condoms than not, but to be aware that a condom does […]

WOODSTOCK, New Brunswick, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Parents of grade 6 to 8 schoolchildren being subjected to explicit sexual education curricula were up in arms Monday night at a public forum debate of the issue. Over 400 parents attended the forum, according to a CBC report, upset that the curriculum will arguably stimulate greater interest in sex among their children, rather than the intended consequence of reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases through so-called safe-sex education.  Tracy Taylor, whose daughter is in Grade 7 at Woodstock Middle School, said the curriculum is aimed at children who are not […]

WASHINGTON, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) says Teresa Heinz Kerry’s comments undervaluing first lady Laura Bush’s investment in her children as a stay-at-home mom should enlighten American women to the stark contrast between the wives of the presidential candidates.  “Mrs. Heinz Kerry’s comments are disturbing,” says Dr. Janice Crouse, spokesperson for CWALAC. “Her comments indicate disapproval of those American women who sacrifice a career and all of its benefits in order to care for and train their children at home. A potential first lady of the United States should not demean the […]

WASHINGTON, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) this week launches a nationwide two-week ad campaign highlighting the issue of stem cell research. The ads draw a clear distinction between embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of human life at the embryonic stage, and adult stem cell research. “Stem cell research is one of the most important moral issues of our day, but it is also one of the most distorted,” said Cathy Cleaver Ruse, Esq., Director of Planning and Information for the USCCB's Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. “In the public debate, […]

WASHINGTON, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An open letter to John Kerry from over 35 of the brightest and most influential non-clergy Catholic leaders in the United States has been published in major newspapers across the country.  The letter calls Kerry to account for his claim to hold the Catholic faith while he continues to support abortion.  Beyond the signatures from two Catholic Republican Senators, the signatures represent an eclectic group of theological, intellectual, military and even entertainment giants. Signatures include those of famed Catholic evangelist Scott Hahn, a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University in Steubenville Ohio; […]

NEWCASTLE, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – While the debate goes on at the United Nations whether to prohibit only some cloning, or all of it, scientists in the UK are moving forward. Prof Alison Murdoch and Dr Miodrag Stojkovic of the Centre for Life at Newcastle-upon-Tyne have received permission to go ahead with cloning experiments and have done the preparatory work. Dr Stojkovic is using spare eggs, left over from IVF treatments. “I have done the first manipulation with human eggs,” he said.  The British government has assured the scientists that their work will continue no matter what the UN […]

UNITED NATIONS, October 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United Nations General Assembly legal committee launched official debates on a Costa Rican proposal to ban all forms of human cloning.  A competing proposal put forward by Belgium would allow for euphemistically labeled “therapeutic” cloning which involves the creation of human clones who would be used for experimentation and killed, rather than allowed to be born. Costa Rican representative Roberto Tovar introduced his country’s comprehensive ban on human cloning noting that all human cloning was an affront to human dignity.  He pointed out moreover that such research is totally unnecessary, especially given […]