OTTAWA, May 26, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Carl A. Anderson, the head or Supreme Knight of the 1.7 million member Catholic fraternal organization, The Knights of Columbus, addressed Canada’s annual National March for Life dinner banquet telling the Canadian members of the organization he was “extremely proud” of them for their work in defence of marriage and in defence of life. Anderson, at the May 12 banquet, warned that the culture of death is expanding its reach from abortion to euthanasia and called on the pro-life community to meet the challenge.
“For many years, our campaign for a Culture of Life focused on abortion, and for an obvious reason: it is the greatest killing of human life in human history,” said the Supreme Knight. “But today, through advances in ultrasound technology, a bright window has been opened up in the womb – and we can clearly see the unborn child’s face, his or her development and even his or her personality. We know now, that this child feels pain, feels emotion, reacts to music! And still, the law of both our countries insists on a fiction – that who we see clearly as a child is somehow not yet a human being.”
Anderson warned that due to the advance of the culture of death, euthanasia is now a looming threat. He noted also that in Holland assisted suicide has given way to involuntary euthanasia. Quoting the testimony of Dr. John Whiffen of the California Family Council before the California state legislature, he stated that more than 25% of all euthanasia presently carried out in the Netherlands is involuntary. “If voluntary euthanasia is allowed in Canada, it will inevitably be followed by instances of compulsory euthanasia,” he said.
“Many around the world watched in horror as Terri Schiavo was killed two months ago in Florida,” said the Knights of Columbus leader. “Unlike millions of abortion victims, she had a name and a life story. And despite the efforts of federal and state legislators, the Governor of Florida and the President of the United States, the culture of death in America claimed Terri Schaivo.”
In a rousing conclusion, Anderson, who President George Bush considers a close friend, said “I was thinking that the most patriotic cause is the cause for life. It’s the most patriotic cause because in it contains the destinies of our countries. The destiny of our countries must be a Culture of Life! It cannot be a culture of death! That cannot be the promise of these great countries in North America that we hand onto our children and our grandchildren.”