Recent Catholic News

July 23 (LSN) A new method for cloning animals that is supposed to be more effective than the process used to make the infamous sheep, Dolly, has led to the development of 50 mice, according to news reports today. The research was done at the University of Hawaii and was written up in the science journal Nature.  The researchers claim it is “the first reproducible cloning of a mammal from adult cells” that extends at least three generations.  Such advances are always met with caution by pro-life forces for fear that such technology could be turned on humans. Recently The […]

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA July 23 (LSN) Leading U.S. media watchdog, the Media Research Center, has recently completed a five-year study examining the American media’s coverage of the abortion issue, and has substantiated claims that the mainstream media is strongly biased on this issue.  The MRC study showed five distinct areas of bias:  1. Pro-lifers are labeled as ideological far more than pro-abortionists. A survey of 1,050 news stories in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today in 1995 and 1996, showed pro-life groups labeled as “conservative” in 47% of the stories, and abortion advocates labeled “liberal” less than […]

July 23 (LSN)  Pro-life forces in Ontario who are pushing forward a “conscience clause” initiative can be encouraged by developments among pharmacists associations around North America. Pro-lifers want health-care workers to be free to follow their consciences without fear of losing their jobs. The attempt is primarily intended to allow health-care workers to refuse to participate in abortions, assisted suicides and reproductive technology processes when the work contravenes their consciences. A federal bill addressing this situation is in the Senate at this time and the Coalition for Conscience anticipates the introduction of a bill in the Ontario Legislaturevery shortly.  Pharmacist […]

OTTAWA, July 23 (LSN)  In the fall of this year five members of the United Nations’ 15-member Security Council have to step down, and lobbying is already well under way by those countries that want to fill the seats. Two of the new members will come from the regional group representing Europe and North America,  and three nations, including Canada, are competing for the spots,  reported The Ottawa Citizen today. The other two countries are the Netherlands and Greece. There are 10 non-permanent seats on the council. Each year, five of them come up for election for a two-year term.  […]

LONDON, July 23 (LSN)  As anticipated, the British upper chamber defeated a measure attached to the Labour government’s Crime and Disorder Bill that would have dropped the minimum age for consent to homosexual sex from 18 to 16, the same age at which heterosexual sex is permitted. This move came despite support for the measure by the leaders of three major parties in the Commons. The defeat, however, was decisive: 290 to 122.  Lady Young, a Conservative, led the successful battle, criticizing the government for failure to debate the issue adequately and insisting that a majority of the population opposed […]

LONDON, July 22 (LSN) – Arguing for the protection of young people from abuse, Lady Young, former Tory leader of the House of Lords in Britain, is leading the opposition to lowering the age of consent for homosexual activity. The measure was passed in the House of Commons earlier this summer by a wide margin,  and according to a Daily Telegraph story today, “contingency plans” are already being put in motion to reintroduce the proposal in the next session of Parliament. The proposed law lowers the age of consent to 16 from 18, ostensibly to eliminate current “discrimination” in the […]

MEXICO CITY, July 22 (LSN) – The Mexican government is moving in the direction of liberalizing abortion in the country, but is coming under harsh criticism from Catholics in the country for doing so. Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City condemned the government for pushing abortion as a solution for women without making any efforts to invest in constructive solutions. “If the government really wants to reduce female mortality, it should focus … on facts: the need to support women during their pregnancy and help them to avoid decisions that do not solve their problems,” he said.  “There are […]

PHOENIX, July22 (LSN) – Finally on Monday, Arizona state regulators suspended John Biskind’s medical license. He was the abortionist who tried to abort a teen-ager’s full-term baby June 30. He is also under criminal investigation for the death of a woman who bled to death after he aborted her in April. The vote by the the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners to temporarily stop Mr. Briskind from practicing medicine in the state was unanimous.  The suspension was an emergency measure deemed necessary to protect the public pending the outcome of the board’s investigation into the two cases. Dr. Edward Sattenspiel, […]

WASHINGTON, July 22 (LSN) – A U.S. Congressional Quarterly report indicates a significant increase in sexual diseases and births among unmarried teenagers, the National Center for Policy Analysis reported today. Furthermore, “the federal government is spending $39 billion a year to support families begun by unwed teen mothers, according to Advocates for Youth.” Experts say the trend reflects greater sexual activity at a younger age. Seventeen percent of 15-year-old girls were sexually active in 1995, compared to 3% in the 1950s.  Other stats: One million girls aged 15 to 19 get pregnant every year, and 76% of them are unwed. […]

CANTERBURY, July 22 (LSN) – Anglican bishops from around the world are meeting in Canterbury, England for a special conference which comes around every ten years, giving Anglican leaders the opportunity to debate important issues pertaining to the faith. The meeting began on Sunday.  The most controversial debate expected at the Lambeth Conference is over the Anglican position on homosexuality. Homosexuals have been gearing up for the conference for some time, and are hoping to make some progress during the meeting. Episcopalian Bishop John Spong of Newark, New Jersey is championing their cause, and has Anglicans fearing a show-down during […]