Thursday, Oct 30, 2008  --  Roe “an easy target” and a "rallying point"

Criticism of Roe v. Wade recently came from an unexpected source.  In a conversation last week with Princeton University Provost Christopher Eisgruber, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg observed, "I think the Court bit off more than it could chew.”  She said this in hindsight because she was not on the Supreme Court in 1973.

It seems that Ginsburg does not really disagree with the result of Roe v. Wade (abortion on demand for all nine months of pregnancy).  She stated, "Of course, it has to be the woman’s choice, but the Court should not have done it all.   It is dangerous to go to the end of the road when all you see in front of you are a few yards.”

Apparently, Ginsburg must be more concerned that the public has not accepted the Roe v. Wade decision, than she is about any legal implications of the legislating from the bench that occurred.  She called Roe “an easy target” and a "rallying point."  Her observation that if the ruling had been written differently, "There would have been an opportunity for dialogue with state legislatures” to “reduce restrictions on access to abortion” hints at trying to get to the same place with more of an incremental approach.  

Ginsburg's voting record on abortion cases demonstrates that she had no interest in limiting the scope of Roe v. Wade, once it was in place.  In her mind, going too far was just a timing issue -- if the court had acted in multiple steps, maybe the nation would have been more accepting.  Pro-Lifers know that would never be the case, when the right to life of the unborn is threatened. 

Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008  --  Vote NO on IL constitutional convention

Holding a constitutional convention to reform Illinois government may sound like a good idea, but how will the delegates be selected?  Since they would be selected from current state Senate districts, why would they be more focused on true reform than the members of the Illinois Legislature?  With possible "reforms" such as a "constitutional right" to abortion or an equally dangerous "equal rights amendment", how could we ensure such radical proposals would be rejected? 

The Illinois Constitution can be amended without holding a constitutional convention.  A November 4th ballot initiative proposes an amendment to allow recall elections on incumbent state officials.  The Illinois Legislature could pass such an amendment without holding a convention.  Other potential amendments could be handled in the same way.  If amendments are needed, they should each be considered on their own merits rather than as a package deal coming out of a constitutional convention where voters might be persuaded to take the bad with the good.

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2008  --  Healing following abortion

40 Days for Life reports the experience of Mike Stack from the 40 Days for Life in Southfield, Michigan that shows the importance of outreach to those who are hurting following an abortion:

I'm still a bit awestruck and emotional at what I encountered at the vigil site today. We had invited several post-abortive women and men to stand with the "I Regret my Abortion" and "I Regret Lost Fatherhood" signs from the Silent No More campaign. Several of them shared their testimony of hurt and healing.

I am still trying to process the intense emotions I have from this experience. Here we have women and men deliberately ripping off their band aids and exposing their pain for the sake of those entering the abortion facility and those who work there. I have never seen a greater act of love. Their self sacrifice is changing hearts and saving their sisters and brothers from making the same mistake they made so many years ago. My heart breaks not only from the sorrow of listening to their pain but from the joy of seeing the healing that they have experienced through God's Mercy.

One of the most remarkable stories we heard this morning was shared by a woman that providence brought to us today. She is well acquainted with the abortion facility where the 40 Days for Life vigil is taking place. She had an abortion there several months ago. She told us how she was ambivalent about her abortion decision and had gone back and forth between the abortion facility and the crisis pregnancy center just down the road.

At that time she had been given a diagnosis of HIV and the abortion facility convinced her that her only option was to abort to avoid passing the deadly virus to her baby. Even though her husband objected, she initially consented to the abortion. She was well into her second trimester and would need the two-day procedure for her abortion. She wanted time to think but the staff insisted she stay for the abortion and tricked her into doing the entire procedure in one day.

Meanwhile her husband was doing every thing he could to talk to her and get her out of the abortion facility but the staff locked him out and forced her to turn off her cell phone so he couldn't communicate with her. With the abortion completed she left and was later rechecked for HIV. It was found that there had been some mistake at the lab and she had been given a false positive report for HIV.

Today God has given her a healthy pregnancy -- twins! -- a renewed marriage commitment and some good lawyers to bring prosecution against the abortionist and his staff. She freely admits that these are all good things, but nothing will bring back the child she has lost to abortion. We pray in thanksgiving for the courage these women and men have demonstrated in exposing their hurt and healing and we pray for blessings on all those that hear their courageous words.

Monday, Oct 27, 2008  --  Abortion compares with the crimes of Hitler and Stalin

Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York uses a picture of a preborn child to make a point.

The picture on this page is an untouched photograph of a being that has been within its mother for 20 weeks.  Please do me the favor of looking at it carefully.  Have you any doubt that it is a human being?  If you do not have any such doubt, have you any doubt that it is an innocent human being?  If you have no doubt about this either, have you any doubt that the authorities in a civilized society are duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if anyone were to wish to kill it?

One day, please God, when the stranglehold on public opinion in the United States has been released by the extremists for whom abortion is the center of their political and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, look back on what we have been doing to innocent human beings within their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what was approved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Case" in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what was perpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothing at all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, and making it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness not at all. On the contrary, it intensifies it.

Friday, Oct 24, 2008  --  Post abortion trauma is real

One IRLC radio message explains the potential negative consequences of abortion, including the statement, "Some women choose abortion to save their relationship or 'keep' a boyfriend from leaving, but most such relationships come apart shortly after abortion."

Right after it played on WIND 560 AM, a call came in.  The woman said that statement was so true.  She talked with me for over an hour about the impact abortion had on her life.  She is now 22 years past her third abortion, but still cannot overcome the regret and sorrow. 

She has been to counseling, but without too much impact.  Even before the American Psychological Association recently published a report claiming post abortion trauma does not exist, most counselors had already been ignoring abortion as a factor.

I referred her to Project Rachel (or call 800-5WE-CARE) and Rachels Vineyard (or call 877-HOPE4ME) for true post-abortion ministry that understands the impact abortion can have.

Thursday, Oct 23, 2008  --  Accepting Roe v. Wade is not an option

Trying to minimize the issue of support for abortion "rights," some have proposed that the Church should accept the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a "permanent fixture of constitutional law" and should concede that the only way to reduce abortions is to provide more government support for pregnant women.  Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, NY have written a statement in response that is posted on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops web site.

"Providing support for pregnant women so they choose to have their babies is a necessary but not sufficient response to abortion.  Similarly, reversal of Roe is a necessary but not sufficient condition for restoring an order of justice in our society's treatment of defenseless human life," they wrote.

"Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose. Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life," they added.

Wednesday, Oct 22, 2008  --  A peek inside Planned Parenthood

Participants in the 40 Days for Life vigil at a Planned Parenthood location were approached last Saturday by PP employee who shared that she desperately wants out of her job.  She explained that after she started working at Planned Parenthood earlier this year, the abortion business assigned her the gruesome task of counting the baby body parts following each abortion to make sure everything was removed from the mother.

She then revealed some chilling examples of how Planned Parenthood practices "choice".  She explained that several weeks ago a young woman sat before her registering for an abortion and said,
"I'm so conflicted, should I do this or not?"  She leaned forward and quietly told her, "Don't do
this."  The girl left without getting an abortion. 

A co-worker overheard and reported her to the Planned Parenthood supervisor who wrote her up and put a stern warning in her employment file.   Confirming a conflicted mother's concern about getting an abortion is not acceptable at Planned Parenthood.  Abortion is the only choice for them.

She also said that Planned Parenthood had told its workers that they would be immediately fired if they ever talked to those on the sidewalk, referring to the 40 Day vigil participants.  That suggests PP management is very worried their employees will be influenced by the vigil to seek other employment.

And they are right!  This woman is receiving help to find a new job.   The 40 Days for Life volunteers are now taking up a collection to provide for her short-term needs so she can leave her job immediately, and they are helping her find another job quickly since she is the sole provider for her four daughters and needs income.  Pray that these efforts will be successful so this woman can be freed from the horrors of Planned Parenthood.

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008  --  PP and NARAL support assisted suicide

Washington state has a November ballot initiative to legalize assisted suicide, following the approach of Oregon, where state-funded payment for life-saving treatments may be denied in favor of funding assisted suicide.  So why is "reproductive health care" provider Planned Parenthood placing their support behind legalization of assisted suicide in Washington state?

Planned Parenthood of Washington emailed its supporters a copy of a voting guide it compiled along with other liberal groups in the state.  This voting guide called the assisted suicide ballot measure an "important" vote to "promote progress in Washington."  NARAL is also shown as endorsing the assisted suicide measure.

The voting guide claims, "Vote Yes on I-1000 if you believe terminally ill people should have a choice about how much pain and suffering they must endure at the end of their lives," even though patient pain is routinely treated without advocating death.  I wonder if Planned Parenthood is looking to offer another line of business in case abortions get slow.  They can send abortionists on house calls to offer assisted suicide to patients who want to exercise their "choice" to die.

Just ignore a study earlier this month that found 25% of the people dying from assisted suicide in Oregon were depressed, yet they received lethal cocktails anyway.  Researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University conducted the study, which offers evidence showing the guidelines in the Oregon assisted suicide law don't work.

Monday, Oct 20, 2008  --  Impact of 40 Days for Life grows

The 40 Days for Life prayer vigils continue at 179 locations nationwide through November 2nd.  Many locations maintain the vigil for 24 hours each day.  Through last weekend the total number of confirmed reports of lives saved since the beginning of this fall's 40 Days for Life campaign has reached 306!

There are also reports of cancelled abortion appointments, lower customer traffic at abortion clinics -- reduced up to 50%, and more people leaving without having abortions.  None of these cases are reflected in the confirmed count of lives saved.   Praise the Lord for changing hearts!

Friday, Oct 17, 2008  --  St. Louis bishop pleads "Save our children!"

The Most Rev. Bishop Robert J. Hermann currently serves as the administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  He recently published a column entitled "I Thought You Should Know" in the St. Louis Review, the diocesan newspaper.  This article makes the case that:

More than anything else, this election is about saving our children or killing our children.  This life issue is the overriding issue facing each of us in this coming election.  All other issues, including the economy, have to take second place to the issue of life.

When I speak to some socalled good Catholics, I am shocked that they are quite ready to vote for a pro-abortion candidate under almost any circumstance. I find this hard to understand.

How can a so-called good Catholic vote for a candidate that supports laws that take the life of innocent children, when there is an alternative? If there were two candidates who supported abortion, but not equally, we would have the obligation to mitigate the evil by voting for the less-permissive candidate.

If you want to make Satan angry, pray the Rosary for the sake of Life.   Pray that as a nation we will choose leaders that will say ‘no’ to the culture of death and say ‘yes’ to the culture of life.  Save our children!   Pray the Rosary!

Thank you Bishop Hermann for your plea in defense of human life in the womb and for your call to prayer before this critical election.

Thursday, Oct 16, 2008  --  "Common ground" for reducing abortions?

During the October 15th third Presidential debate Barack Obama suggested that “We can find common ground in seeking to minimize the number of abortions by supporting alternatives.”  In fact, the concept that an Obama presidency would reduce abortions is not consistent with reality.   Read more ... 

Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008  --  Texas bishops say intrinsic evils must be opposed

In a letter dated October 8th, Texas bishops Kevin Farrell of Dallas and Kevin Vann of Fort Worth clarified the moral considerations involved in selecting candidates for the November election.  They made the following statement concerning how various issues should be evaluated:

Therefore, we cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion -- while not the "only issue" -- it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years.  Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, more than 48 million innocent lives have been lost.  Each year in our nation more than one million lives are lost throught legalized abortion.  Countless other lives are also lost through embryonic stem cell research.  In the coming months our nation will once again elect our political leaders.  This electoral cycle affords us an opportunity to promote the culture of life in our nation.  As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished.

As Catholics we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, healthcare, the economy and it solvency, care and concern for the poor, and the war on terror.  As Catholics we must be concerned about these  isseus and work to see that just solutions are brought about.  There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them.  These are matters of "prudential judgment."  But let us be clear:  issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils.  No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate's unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of "abortion rights."

Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008  --  Oppose Obama, get visit from the Secret Service

As reported on WorldNetDaily, Jessica Hughes of Lufkin, Texas, former Marine, mother of three, answered her cell phone.  The caller was a female Obama volunteer who asked if Jessica would support Obama for President.   Jessica replied, "No, I don't support him.  Your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the state Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time."  Then Jessica hung up.

The next day, a man and a woman in suits showed up at the door of her home, identifying themselves as members of the Secret Service.  The Secret Service agents stated that the Obama campaign had complained of a death threat.  They had quoted Jessica as saying, "I will never support Obama, and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."

Jessica's husband had heard Jessica's side of the original phone call and verified the actual quote.  To which the female agent replied, "Oh? Well why would she (the Obama volunteer) make that up?"  Jessica replied that the Obama volunteer was probably unhappy about what Jessica had said about her candidate.  The female agent then said "That's right, you were rude!"

The male agent then displayed a file with Jessica's full name prominently printed on it and asked her how she felt about Obama.  At this point, the former Marine told the agent "in no uncertain terms" (as she later recounted) that this was America and that the last time she checked, she was allowed to think whatever she wanted without being questioned by the Secret Service. 

The agents then admitted they had no tape of the conversation, just the quote from the Obama campaign.  Responding to Jessica's questions, the agents would not identify themselves by name, nor reveal the name of the Obama volunteer who had made the complaint.  The agents did indicate that Jessica was not in a court of law yet, and that they were trying to not embarrass her "by going to all her family and neighbors."

To these implied threats, Jessica invited the agents to speak to whomever they wanted, and stated she would happily go to court since she had done nothing wrong.   Jessica asked the agents, "Look, someone calls me unsolicited on my cell phone to ask me to support their candidate, and I can't tell them why I don't?"

The Secret Service left Jessica that day, but she could not get the "visit" out of her mind.  Jessica wrote later, "The fact that the volunteer lied, the fact that the Secret Service came to my house to question me about my thoughts and feelings and threaten to embarrass me to my neighbors and go to court if I didn't cooperate is not the tragedy here; because that girl on the phone doesn't have the pull to send the Secret Service to my home.  Someone high in the ranks of a campaign working for a man who may be the next President of the United States of America felt comfortable bringing the force of the Federal Government to bear on a private citizen on nothing but the word of a partisan volunteer."

Monday, Oct 13, 2008  --  Censorship from ABC in Chicago

The following press release from The Caring Outreach reveals that ABC television in Chicago is practicing censorship of a Pro-Life message:

The Caring Outreach had announced that 85 Days – a thirty-second message depicting intrauterine photos of an unborn baby in the first months of life – was scheduled to air on Oprah this October. The ad has not appeared on that program, however, because ABC, without citing any scientific or medical sources, claimed that the images used in the commercial were not that of an unborn child at 85 days gestation, as the ad states.

ABC has been directed to medical documentation that verifies its accuracy and has also been informed that this same commercial message has been aired on three other ABC affiliates in Wisconsin (for over 6 months) as well as in Maine. In addition, cable networks are currently running this message throughout the Chicago media market without objection.

Since ABC has chosen to reject this informational message, The Caring Outreach has no recourse but to request a Fairness Check to make sure that the “accuracy” of those commercials meet the same standards to which ABC holds other commercials.  If we find the Fairness Check to be in our favor, (which we will), a lawsuit against ABC will be considered.

Thursday, Oct 9, 2008  --  Bishop Martino says abortion is the primary issue

In a letter he directed to be read at all Masses for Respect Life Sunday in the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop Joseph Francis Martino explained why protecting human life from abortion takes precedence over other important issues.  Within his letter, he analyzed the importance of various issues:

Another argument goes like this: “As wrong as abortion is, I don't think it is the only relevant ‘life’ issue that should be considered when deciding for whom to vote.”  This reasoning is sound only if other issues carry the same moral weight as abortion does, such as in the case of euthanasia and destruction of embryos for research purposes.

Health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes are very important concerns.  Neglect of any one of them has dire consequences as the recent financial crisis demonstrates.  However, the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does.

Being “right” on taxes, education, health care, immigration, and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life. Consider this: the finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day.  It is a tragic irony that “pro-choice” candidates have come to support homicide – the gravest injustice a society can tolerate – in the name of “social justice.”

Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008  --  Lives are being saved at Chicago 40 Days for Life

Corrina Gura of the Pro-Life Action League has gathered information from the Chicago 40 Days for Life vigil at Family Planning Associates near Elston and Cicero.  She reports fantastic news:

There were three confirmed saves in the first four days of the vigil. One couple left after being inside for only 15 minutes, then spoke to a sidewalk counselor and walked with her to the nearby pro-life Women's Center. The second and third saves were late term, meaning laminaria must be inserted a day or two before the procedure takes place. Two women who had already had laminaria inserted stopped to speak to our sidewalk counselors, changed their minds, and had the laminaria removed. There have been many others who have left the clinic before having an abortion, though they haven't stopped to tell our counselors their stories.

Best of all is that business at the clinic is at an all time low.   Even on Saturday, a day when the lot is usually packed, there were very few cars there!  Our presence is keeping people away and turning them towards life-affirming solutions to their pregnancies instead.

There have been several more saves in the last week and a half, including another two women who were scheduled for second-trimester abortions.  Our count of babies saved is at least 9 babies after only two weeks!

Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008  --  Violent responses to Pro-Life presence on the street

Last Saturday I witnessed what turned out to be an assault on a person holding a picture of an aborted baby during the witness and prayer vigil at Orland Park Planned Parenthood Express.  This violent response was clearly a case of attacking the messenger based on the message.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  The police were called, but they were not able to locate the perpetrator.

Some might say that the graphic image triggered this violent response.   But consider the Day #9 report covering 40 Days for Life around the nation.   No graphic signs are used.  Even so, in Texas Amy reported, "We have seen a lot more aggression from the pro-choice side.  Last year we didn't have any problems with this.  But already this year, a glass bottle has been thrown that hit someone in the shoulder.  Then a couple of days ago, a guy pulled his car over and began making threats to our prayer warriors on the sidewalk."

Similar reports come from one Arizona campaign, where Cheryl said vigil participants had to call the police.  As a large SUV came down the street, "the male driver honked at us and then swerved the vehicle off the road across the median line in front of me."  Several people saw the SUV drive just a few more blocks -- and then stop.  That made it easy for the police to find the driver. "The man admitted that what he did was wrong," said Cheryl, "but also said that he doesn't agree with what we are doing."

There have been several other instances like this cropping up around the country as abortion supporters appear to be getting desperate in their efforts to stop the peaceful, but highly effective, efforts of 40 Days for Life, including an attack with fire extinguishers at another Arizona location.

Lynn and several others were praying next to Planned Parenthood as part of the 40 Days for Life vigil in their community. "A black SUV with two guys in it pulled up. They jumped out and attacked all of us with fire extinguishers. They doused us all with the powder (it was very frightening while it was happening) and then jumped in their car and sped off."

Those participants showed their commitment.  "No one left, and one man who had come out for the first time said it only made him more courageous and strong in his conviction to come out again. Praise God!  So even though we were covered in powder, we continued praying."

Monday, Oct 6, 2008  --  Blatant attempt to euthanize patient against guardian's wishes

I received a call today from a son who is trying to prevent his 93-year-old father from being starved to death "so he will not continue to suffer."  The son is fighting the medical professional, social workers, and his sister as he attempts to prevent his father from becoming a victim of euthanasia. 

The father speaks to his son and other people, though he has dementia.   The chaplain at Loyola University Medical Center had conversations with the man, but the doctors wanted to remove his feeding tube anyway. 

His sister wanted the feeding tube removed so the son had to go to court to obtain guardianship over his father.  He was successful, but the guardianship brought a social worker into the picture, who is also pushing for euthanasia.  Since the courts are involved, the best hope I could give was a referral to the Thomas More Society.

The father had not completed any advance directive.  If he had completed a life-affirming durable power of attorney for health care such as IRLC's Patient Self-Protection Document, he might have been able to prevent some of the problems his son has been experiencing, as he attempts to respect his father's life to its natural end.  Pray that attorneys at Thomas More Society can help.

Friday, Oct 3, 2008  --  IVF is even more deadly than we thought

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become the treatment of choice to address infertility.  While there are other steps that can be tried first, those steps are frequently ignored in favor of moving right to IVF.  The IVF industry claims success rates of 21 to 35%. 

I received a call today from a nurse who worked in the IVF industry.   She revealed that the success rates are overstated.  Actual success rates are as low as 5%.  She left the IVF industry because she recognized how many babies die during attempts to achieve success for couples who are desperate for children. Many of those who work with IVF are concerned that it is a deadly business.

This nurse also confirmed the "dirty little secret" of the IVF industry.  In virtually all cases, those who bring together the ovum and sperm later evaluate the embryos that are created and only account for those considered to be viable.   Those deemed defective are allowed to die.

This information reconfirms what I revealed back in 2005.  I was quoted in a Chicago Tribune article entitled "In vitro new front in embryo war."  I stated, "IVF requires killing."  That quote generated responses claiming that embryos were not killed when limits were placed on the number of ovum to be fertilized and all embryos are implanted.

Today's caller confirmed that embryos judged to be defective are not taken into account so their deaths are never revealed to IVF patients.  Of course, given the low success rate of IVF, all those babies who die in the womb are also deaths caused by IVF.

Another deadly issue confirmed by this former IVF industry insider is the push for "selective reduction."  She revealed that many contracts for IVF services mandate the killing of "excess embryos" in the womb if more than two embryos are found to successfully implant and develop.

The ethical alternative to IVF is NaProTechnology.  NaPro focuses on resolving the underlying conditions that are causing infertility.  No embryos are sacrificed to achieve pregnancy with NaPro.  The deadly reality of IVF cannot be avoided except by rejecting IVF entirely.

Thursday, Oct 2, 2008  --  Life Chains will form in 1375 North American locations

This coming Sunday brings the annual formation of Life Chain in the United States and Canada with  1375 locations registered to participate.  People hold signs with messages including: Abortion Kills Children, Abortion Hurts Women, Adoption The Loving Option, Jesus Heals and Forgives, Lord Forgive Us and Our Nation, etc.  Check on the location of Life Chains in your area and join this national effort to promote respect for life.

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008  --  More bishops give priority to the life issues

This time the bishops of New York have issued a statement urging voters to make Pro-Life issues their first priority when voting.   They say the destruction of 50 million children and the injury of countless millions of women eclipses any other political issue.  Here are some excerpts:

"It is the rare candidate who will agree with the Church on every issue.  But as the U.S. Bishops’ recent document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship makes clear, not every issue is of equal moral gravity," they explain.

"The inalienable right to life of every innocent human person outweighs other concerns where Catholics may use prudential judgment, such as how best to meet the needs of the poor or to increase access to health care for all," they add.

“The right to life is the right through which all others flow.   To the extent candidates reject this fundamental right by supporting an objective evil, such as legal abortion, euthanasia or embryonic stem cell research, Catholics should consider them less acceptable for public office,” they concluded.

Thank you to the bishops of New York for providing clarity on the importance to be given to the life issues when evaluating how to vote.