8/9/2019 Pro Life Campaign Ireland Newsletter - Birthright Summer 2005

1/4

- .===F;= lr

F; ,

ThePro ifeCampaignsa non-denominationalobbygroup,rawingtssupportfrom wide ross-sectionof rish ociety.TheCampaignromotespro'lifeducationnddefendsumanife tallstagesrom onceptiontonaturaleath.Italso ampaignsorto support-and ssist regnantomenand hosenneed fhealingfter bortion.

'ih 6uswe-ll5Ho-tel, Ublin

7rr; ir,:ii:,,il i. iti t:: 1I {: i,i

S U M M E R O O 5GAHR reportdisregardshuman lifeTheCommissionnAssisted umanReproductionCAHR),stablishedytheMinisteror Healthn 2000, ecentlypublishedts ongawaitedepofi. mongthe ecommendationsreproposalsallowingordestructiveesearch nhuman mbryos, hether'surplus',rgeneratedy'therapeuticloning'.hereport hows cant egardor humanrights yproposinQhafno egalprotectionhould e affordedo unborn umanifeoutsidehewomb. hePro-Life ampaign il lvehementlyppose nymoves o give egislativebackingo proposalsnderminingheprotectionf humanifeon ootoftheCommission'secommendations.

Ina constitutionalemocracyased n equality eforehe aw, omevalues, ome ights renon-negotiable.irst monghese s the rightto life.Everyonehareshesamehopeof findingreatmentsor nfertilityandcures or diseases. ut hechallenge e ace s o findsuchcureswithout oingharm o others.Far rombeing nlightened,heCommissionquandereduniqueopportunityy ailingo prioritisedult temcell esearchndby ailingo vindicatehe rights f the human mbryo.Adult temcell esearchs non-controversial,s ethically cceptablendis already howing ignificantesults.reland hould ndertakeo playa pioneeringole n thisarea,witha view o becoming n nternationallyacclaimedentre f excellenceor such esearch.f on heotherhand,the Commission'secommendationsere mplemented,twouldhaveprofoundnd ar-reachingmplicationsor he respect eplace nhumanife n thiscountry.The eport owpasseso the Oireachtasommitteen Health ndChildrenwhere ublic earingsn ts indings illcommencet a laterdate.

Dr Berry Kielyat a recent PLC PressConference

8/9/2019 Pro Life Campaign Ireland Newsletter - Birthright Summer 2005

2/4

Maiority support for pro-life positionThePro-Life ampaignecentlyommissioned illward rown/lMSo conductesearch n a rangeof life ssues.t was he irstcomprehensiveuruey ndertakeny heCampaignince he abortionreferendumf 2OO2Theresults reveryencouragingnd ndicate roadpublic upportor a clearopportunityo protectheunborn hild,while afeguardingreland'secord s a world eadern maternal are.Theyalso evealsignificantupportor egislativeafeguardso protect umanife romdestructivembryonicesearch.A referendumemains ecessaryollowinghe 1992Supreme ourtdecisionn the X Case,whichlegalised bortionnpotentiallyidecircum3tances,venup o birth.Followinghe defeat f the 2002referendumhe situationemains recariousnd unresolved.It wouldbe mprudent,owever,o seekanothereferendumnadvance f a wide-rangingublicdiscussionn thematter.t'salsoworthnotinghat he recommendationsf the CommissionnAssisted umanReproductionavouringestructiveesearch nhuman mbryos re n starkcontrasto the ethical enseof thegeneral ublic s reflectedn hepollfindings.Question :"lf the governmentwere o proposea constitutional mendmento prohibitabortionbut allow he continuation f theexistingpracticeof intervention o savea mother's ife, naccordancewith lrish medicalethics,wouldyou supportsuch an amendmentn a Referendumor not?"54%would upport uchan amendment,lso/oould pposet,and30%wereundecidedor hadno opinion.8'/"of hosewhoexpressedn opinionavourheamendmentnd22%opposet.Question '. Curtently, xperimentationnvolving he destructionof humanembryosdoesnottakeplace n lreland.Doyou thinkthe Diiilshouldenshrine he protectionof the humanembryoin faWor not?" The responseo thisquestionndicateshal48"/"would upportegalprotectionf thehuman mbryo, 4/" wereopposedo it,and39%wereundecidedr hadno opinion.Of thosewhoexpressed n opinion, B"k avouredhe egislationnd22o/opposet.Polting was conducted by Mitlward Brown/tMs. tnterviewing took ptace from the 6th o the 22nd February 2005.

Heatherts iourneyfrom rape to restorationHeather emmenacedan agonizinghoicewhenshebecame regnantafterbeing aped.n Startling eauty he ellshow elieved he s hatshehadherdaughter, achael, owaged9. lt isa truly emarkabletoryof trauma nduncertaintyvercomey oveand estoration.Heather,3,was aped y an ntrudern herownbednearlyenyearsagowhileherhusband, teve,wasoutat an eveningmeeting.nwhatmusthavebeenexcruciatinglyifficult ircumstancesheadmitshat,"Somuchof myanguish as ndeciding hat o do with hepregnancy.Now know hatgoing hrough ith t brings ealing.Rachaels the epitome f oy".Heather s an author and children'sbook editor and lives with her familv n Colorado. USA.StartlingBeauty s publishedby Life Journey Press,USA.

HeatherGemmenpicturedwithdaughterRachael.

8/9/2019 Pro Life Campaign Ireland Newsletter - Birthright Summer 2005

3/4

GPAneeds root-and-branch reformThere sgrowing oncern ithin ro-lifeircles bouthe direction ndethos f theCrisisPregnancygency.n recentmonthsheagency roduced number f deologicallyotivatedsurveys nd eports,ulminatingith heCPAsChairperson,sOliveBraiden,allingorabortionegislation.Concerns ere urtheraised y heCPAsPositive ptionseaflet nd hedeterminationto standardiseounsellingervicesn a waywhichundermineshe ethos f agenciesthat espect umanife.TheCPA ists educingheaboftionateas oneof itsobjectives.et t hasno specificor targeted olicieso helpbringhisabout. ikewise,t is utterly onsensicalo advertise- -and-promoffiffiion-affi@tive option".All stateagencies houldbe obliged o abideby principleshat respect he dignityandvalueof everyhuman ife. n this regard he CPAurgently eeds oot and branch eform.The Pro LifeCampaignwill obbyhard n the comingmonths o demand he necessaryreformsare implemented.

Witnessu tfwfury"tof eve r - f i fry rumnnLTe

"Unconditionalespect or the right o lifeof every nnocentperson, rom conceptionto naturaldeath, s one of the pillarson whicheverycivilsocietystands"

- Pope John Paul ll, Evangelium Vitae, 1995"A society ackssolid oundationswhen, on the one hand, t assertsvaluessuchas the dignityof the person, usticeand peace,but then,on the other hand,radically cts to the contraryby allowingor tolerating varietyof ways n whichhuman ife s devaluedand violated,especiallywhere t is weak or marginalised"- Pope John Paul ll, Evangelium Vitae, 1995"Placeyour intelligence,our talents,yourenthusiasm, our compassionand your fortitudeat the serviceof life"- Pope John Paul ll at World Youth Day, Denver, 1993opeJohn Paul ll 1920-2005

8/9/2019 Pro Life Campaign Ireland Newsletter - Birthright Summer 2005

4/4

Publishedy he ProLifeCampaign,34 Gardiner treet pper, ublin .Tel: 1-8748090il: 01-8748094Email:rol i le@indigo. ieWebsite: .prolifemlnpaign.ie

Honorary resident:esHanafinChairperson:rJoe /coarollDeputy hairperson:oraSherlockLegal dviser: rofessor illiam inchyl\4edicaldviser: r Berry ielyLegalConsullant:aroline imonsSecretaryiohnO'ReillyEducationtficer: eraldine,4artinBN

SilentNo Moreis a newgrouporganised crossthe UnitedStatesby womenwhoregret heirabortions ndwish o tel l heirstories. hebil lboard icturedright s the latestin a seriesofnationwidecampaigns.

WeRegretOurAbortions

Perhapsouarewillingodevoteome fyourreeime o indingewways fbringinghepro-life essageoyourcommunity?erhapsouarewillingo make smallinancialommitmentosecurehe mplementationf hePro ifeCampaignrogrammeverhenexthree ears? erhapsouhave our wn deas nhow ou anbest elphecampaign?egardlessfhow ouwishohelp, leaseake he imeocall s oday ndwewill end oumore etails.

PlgaSg femgmbgf thg PLG in yOUf Will providinsroryourramirywlrberhemostimppart fyourWill.fyou rehennapositiono eaveomethingoagoodause,ehopeouwill onsiderhePro ifeCampaign'sorkover heyears.Goodcauses elyon bequests s a sourceof income.Bigdonations remarvellous ut he smallest iftmakesa big difference.

Making a subscriptionlf youwish o make inancialontributiono heProLifeCampaign,leaseill n hecoupon nd eturnt o headdressisted elow thank ou!Name: Address:subscription:l1000 I500 [100 I50 other:Credit ardOptionPleaseebit yVisa MastercardExpiryDate: I Signature: