Oregon Democrats backtrack. Cancel Planned Parenthood Hearing. Is OHSU involved?

By The Associated Press Published: Sep 21, 2015 at 6:41 PM PDT Last Updated: Sep 21, 2015 at 8:11 PM PDT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Days after agreeing to hold a hearing about Planned Parenthood, Oregon House Democrats have changed their minds.

House Speaker Tina Kotek said Monday that she believes Republicans would have turned the hearing into a "political stunt."

Nineteen House Republicans sent a letter in August requesting the hearing after anti-abortion activists released secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood executives. Republicans announced Friday that Health Care Committee Chairman Mitch Greenlick had agreed to schedule a hearing for Sept. 28.

But Kotek backtracked Monday, saying she would have supported a fact-based hearing, but Republicans made it clear that they intended to bring "D.C.-style games to the Oregon House."

House GOP spokeswoman Kara Walker says Kotek's move "stifles dialogue on an issue that is important to Oregonians from all walks of life."


Here's some information from Representative Bill Post, Oregon Congressman:

House Democrats cancel Planned Parenthood meeting could this letter be the reason?

Tonight House Speaker Tina Kotek and House Democrats cancelled the scheduled hearing on Monday to find out what is going on with Planned Parenthood in Oregon. Five House Republicans signed onto a records request from the Oregon Health Authority that will prove to be very valuable information. Was this perhaps the reason the hearing was cancelled so that this information would not be made public? What do OHSU and Planned Parenthood have to hide? 

There were questions for OHSU like:

The president of Planned Parenthood in a letter to congress indicated that you currently obtain post abortive tissue from Planned Parenthood to do research on placenta. How much money do you give Planned Parenthood for each placenta you receive?

Where is the deceased human embryo or fetus separated from the placenta? Who is responsible for this process? What happens to the deceased human embryo or fetus after it is separated?
Has OHSU ever received fetal organs from Planned Parenthood?
And questions for Planned Parenthood like:

1. Advanced Bioscience Resources, Inc. is the oldest fetal organ company in the United States. Over the past 26 years ABR has partnered with multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates to obtain fetal organs. In the 9th video released by the Center for Medical Progress just after the 4th minute mark, the procurement manager for ABR states that she obtains fetal organs from clinics in Oregon.
Has Planned Parenthood in Oregon ever delivered fetal organs to Advanced Bioscience Resources?
What type of fetal organs did Planned Parenthood deliver to ABR?

2. Cecil Richards, the President of Planned Parenthood sent a letter to Congress on August 27 of this year where she stated that Planned Parenthood in Oregon currently provides OHSU with post-abortion tissue from which researchers extract the placental tissue they are studying.
Does the post abortion tissue that Planned Parenthood sends to OHSU include the tissue of the deceased human embryo or fetus?

3. In a video released on July 30, According to Dr. Savita Ginde, the Medical Director of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado State University provided Planned Parenthood with $200 per specimen for its research on first trimester placental tissue. Is this the similar to the amount of money that Planned Parenthood in Oregon receives from OHSU?

4. According to the Associated Press OHSU received money from the National Institutes of Health from 2011 to 2014 for research involving human fetal tissue. Did any of the tissue obtained by OHSU for this research come from Planned Parenthood in Oregon?

5. Why types of fetal organs were provided to OHSU? Did you provide fetal livers? Did you provide fetal hearts? Did you provide fetal brains? Did you provide fetal lungs?

The link will take you to a pdf copy of the letter to Lynn Saxton of OHA.
Visit me at http://www.billpost.us

chumly.com

 

Planned Parenthood video: If media found out we sell aborted babies it ‘would be a disaster’

Sep. 15, 2015 (Newsbusters) - Ironically, Planned Parenthood trembles in the face of its most faithful ally: the traditional  media.

from VOCAL

The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a tenth investigative video Sept. 15, that showed Planned Parenthood executives discussing aborted baby parts for money as a “valid exchange” for a “fair amount of income.” The Planned Parenthood executives admitted terror and distrust of the media – and worried about becoming a public relations or “P.R. issue” that might make headlines. A worry much unfounded, as MRC studies have found.

The video opened with Dr. Carolyn Westoff, Planned Parenthood’s Senior Medical Advisor, revealing her role in harvesting aborted baby parts to an actor posing as a tissue buyer.

“We’ve just been working with people who want particular tissues, like, you know, they want cardiac, or they want eyes, or they want neural,” she said, “Oh, gonads! Oh my God, gonads. Everything we provide is fresh.”

This isn’t the first time that the subjects of the videos have expressed zeal over the idea of chopping up human babies – like when workers laughed while sorting “5-star” baby parts in the fourth video or when a Planned Parenthood partner joked about shipping baby heads in the eighth video.
In her practice, Westhoff expressed fear of only one thing: the media.

“Obviously, we would have the potential for a huge H— P.R. issue by doing this,” she admitted.
Likewise, Vanessa Cullins, Planned Parenthood’s vice president of External Medical Affairs, “seem[ed] fully aware of the criminal exposure that fetal body parts sales present to Planned Parenthood,” according to CMP.

“This is important,” she said to the buyer in the undercover video. “This could destroy your organization and us, if we don’t time, you know, those conversations correctly.”

Getting straight to the point, Deborah VanDerhei, the National Director for Consortium of Abortion Providers (CAPS), asked the buyer about compensation for aborted baby parts: “Can I ask you about remuneration?”  According to CMP, CAPS is “an influential committee within Planned Parenthood that drives abortion policy across the organization.”

VanDerhei also admitted dread of getting caught by the media.

“I have been talking to the executive director of the National Abortion Federation, we’re trying to figure this out as an industry, about how we’re going to manage remuneration,” she admitted, “because the headlines would be a disaster.”

Because there is not Planned Parenthood national policy, VanDerhei recommended that, for those who want to “engage in remuneration,” “you really need to, like, think that through” as in “think New York Times headline when you’re creating your policy” – a sentiment she expressed more than once in the video.

But the media isn’t enough of a threat to keep her organization from trafficking aborted baby parts. When VanDerhei learned that the buyer offers around $100 per specimen, she remarked, “we have independent colleagues who generate a fair amount of income doing this.”

In regards to Planned Parenthood’s participation in aborted baby parts, VanDerhei recommended talking “in person” on the topic. “It’s an issue you might imagine that we’re not that comfortable talking about on email,” she said.

VanDerhei also appeared in a later conversation with Vanessa Russo, Compliance Program Administrator for Planned Parenthood Keystone in Pennsylvania. Russo told VanDerhei to brush off any fear of the law – and the media.

“We can’t consent to be bullied by ridiculous laws and this media that doesn’t understand the big picture,” Russo demanded before going on to talk about “research.”

Russo also argued that, “A company like this that wants to give our organization money for the tissue, like, I think that that’s a valid exchange, and that that’s okay.” VanDerhei confirmed with an, “Mhm.”

VanDerhei consoled Russo by saying that “there are Planned Parenthoods that participate in donation programs that are reimbursed for it” and adding “it’s fine.”

She listed Northern California, Mar Monte and Los Angeles as clinics that “all provide donation for remuneration.”

CMP’s press release highlighted that, “The sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000 (42 U.S.C. 289g-2).
The video is part of CMP’s years-long investigative study and documentary web series, “Human Capital,” which delves into Planned Parenthood’s practice of harvesting aborted baby parts.

Media History
Planned Parenthood executives’ fear and disgust of the media is laughable, as the media loyally serve as a PR firm for the abortion giant.

Since the release of CMP’s first video, the broadcast networks have proven hesitant to publicize the story – and when they did, they refused to even utter the word “baby.”

On Monday, MRC Culture found that ABC, NBC and CBS had aired a mere 0.13% of the CMP footage during their news shows – or 1 minute, 13 seconds of more than 16 hours. Likewise, a month ago, MRC Culturediscovered the networks spent an embarrassing 0.008% of their news shows playing the CMP footage: 1 minute, 13 seconds out of 243 hours and 30 minutes.

From the beginning, the liberal media raced to defend Planned Parenthood. In the first 9 hours and 30 minutes of news shows broadcast after the story broke, ABC, NBC and CBS, spent only 39 seconds on the first video. It took more than 24 hours before all three covered the story. In the week after the first video, the networks gave a mere 9 minutes and 11 seconds to the story (in contrast, the nets devoted more than three times that to the Susan G. Komen controversy, when the charity temporarily decided to defund the abortion giant).

ABC, NBC and CBS prioritized animals over aborted babies, covering the shooting of Cecil the lion more in one day than they did these videos in two weeks – as well as the birth of the National Zoo’s panda cubs.

The three networks haven’t mentioned the content of CMP’s last five videos. In fact, the networks haven't covered a single Planned Parenthood video release in more than one month.
Not only that, but also they refused to cover the tens of thousands of Americans speaking out against Planned Parenthood during rallies held in late August – except once, when CBS tried to connect the event to arson.

The media similarly stayed silent on the case of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Gosnell's trial, in which witnesses described baby abortion survivors “swimming" in toilets “to get out,” attracted a scant 12–15 reporters. Only after 56 days, multiple letters from members of the House of Representatives and a public outcry, did all three broadcast networks report on Gosnell.

Planned Parenthood History
Planned Parenthood received more than $528 million in taxpayer funding during the fiscal year 2013-2014. That amounted to more than $1.4 million per day, through government grants, contracts and Medicaid reimbursements.

According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the U.S. ranks second in the world for the number of abortions performed each year. The research arm of the Susan B. Anthony List also found that, “If Planned Parenthood were included for comparison, it would rank sixth in the world in number of abortions carried out annually.”

Pro-Life Reaction
As the Project Lead for CMP, David Daleiden commented on the newly released video.
“From email black-outs to contorted oxymorons like ‘donation for remuneration,’” he said in a press release, “the lengths to which Planned Parenthood leadership will go to cover-up their illegal sale of aborted baby parts are nothing less than the desperation of a guilty conscience.”
As the president of Students for Life of America, Kristan Hawkins also challenged the practices of Planned Parenthood in this tenth video.

“Planned Parenthood knew that if it ever got out that they were taking money for the body parts of babies they were aborting, that it would be a 'PR disaster,'” she said in a press release. “That's why they don't have a written on policy on such matters. That's why they don't want it in emails.”
Call for action in Congress, Hawkins added, “Every single Congressman and Senator needs to watch these videos.” She continued, “The time for rhetoric is over; now is the time for leadership and action."

Likewise, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser responded to the “further evidence that Planned Parenthood profits from the illegal harvest and sale of the body parts of aborted children.”

“Senior abortion industry officials feared the New York Times headlines if these facts were to be exposed, and now they have been,” she warned, before calling on Congress to defund Planned Parenthood redirect funds to “more comprehensive health care centers.”

“No one should feel comfortable affixing his or her name to a budget that prolongs this atrocity,” she said. “It is up to President Obama to make clear why he believes our government has no higher priority than guaranteeing that the abortion industry can continue the piecemeal sale of baby body parts –‘fresh’ liver, eyes, brain, gonads, and more – without losing a dime of taxpayer dollars.”
Live Action’s Lila Rose added that the video “shows at what length Planned Parenthood executives will go to cover up the illegal harvesting of and profiting from baby parts.”

“Multiple executives also discuss the public relations nightmare should these illegal practices become public,” she said in a statement. “The nightmare is a reality, and along with continuing its multiple investigations into the abortion giant, Congress should immediately stop funneling over half a billion taxpayer dollars into Planned Parenthood and instead redirect the money to the over 13,000 community health centers that provide comprehensive healthcare to women.”

Source URL: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/katie-yoder/2015/09/15/planned-parenthood-admits-its-terrified-media-5x-new-video

Tenth Video: Top Planned Parenthood Exec: Baby Parts Sales “A Valid Exchange,” Can Make "A Fair Amount of Income”

What do we do if the Synod takes a ‘strange turn’? The simple answer just got Cardinal Burke big applause.

Join Cardinal Burke and 615,000 other concerned Catholics and sign the Filial Appeal to Pope Francis asking him to clearly reaffirm Chruch teaching on marriage at the Synod on the Family. Click here.

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, September 15, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) -- On Sunday, September 13th I had the honor to be one of the hosts for His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, here at a dinner/lecture in the Clayton Plaza hotel ballroom, sponsored by the St. Louis lay apostolate "Credo of the Catholic Laity," to which I am the spiritual adviser.

His Eminence was warmly welcomed and introduced by the retired Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis, the Most Rev. Robert Hermann, and then spoke to an audience of over 300 about "The Truth of Christ in Marriage". He discussed spiritual, social, doctrinal and canonical aspects of the current crisis affecting marriage and the family in Western culture, warning that this crisis has led to serious confusion and even rebellion within the Church herself.

Cardinal Burke emphasized that in our increasingly secularized and hostile culture, more weight than ever is now falling on the shoulders of Catholic parents in giving children a formation, by word and example, in what real Christian marriage is. Along with the Church's authentic and perennial teaching, he said, this sound family formation will prove to be the main source of guidance for children and adolescents, as the basic means by which parents pass on Christian truth in word and deed to the next generation.

Cardinal Burke recommended the well-known 2014 "Five Cardinals'" book, Remaining in the Truth of Christ, and again expressed strong disagreement with Cardinal Walter Kasper's proposal of admitting some divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to Holy Communion. His Eminence also noted that certain problems could arise in connection with Pope Francis' new marriage nullity legislation, promulgated on September 8th.

He commented respectfully that these revisions to the Code of Canon Law, which among other things eliminate the required confirmation of nullity decrees by a tribunal of second instance, will require "very careful interpretation and application" in the light of the Church's long canonical and doctrinal tradition. Cardinal Burke referred to his own chapter in the aforesaid book, in which he recalls his earlier experience as a Monsignor in the Apostolic Signatura during the period 1971-1983, when the 2nd instance tribunal confirmation of nullity decrees was almost completely suspended in the United States. Cardinal Burke repeated in his lecture what he said in the book: that the American experiment in “streamlining” the nullity process led in practice to a serious laxity which became widely perceived as "Catholic divorce." It seems this was one reason why the 1983 Code restored the obligatory second instance review (which had been introduced by Benedict XIV back in 1740).

Another point emphasized by Cardinal Burke is that too often today the law of God regarding marriage and chastity is being presented as just an "ideal" - as something which often requires a level of heroic sanctity that is supposedly beyond the capacity of ordinary Christians. This in turn gives rise to false ideas of "mercy" which would allow admission to the sacraments of some Catholics living in sinful situations, on the grounds that it is in effect impossible for them - at least in their present situation - to reach that "ideal"of chastity. His Eminence stressed that, on the contrary, it is the clear teaching of Sacred Scripture and the Church that God's abundant grace will always be sufficient for his children to resist any temptation and to obey his commandments, provided they sincerely turn to him in humility, confident faith and persevering prayer.

After his talk, in answer to a question as to what Catholics should do if the upcoming Synod of Bishops should take a "strange turning," His Eminence gave an immediate two-word answer that drew a big round of applause: "Stay faithful!"  Those two words well summarize the whole thrust of Cardinal Burke's courageous and outspoken witness at this time of division and uncertainty over grave moral issues in today's Church. May God bless, strengthen, and protect him!

Vatican: It’s ‘impossible’ for transsexuals to serve as godparents

MADRID, September 2, 2015 (LifeSiteNews)- After Alex Salinas, a woman living as a man in San Fernando, Spain, claimed her parish priest had allowed her to be the “godfather” for the baptism of her two nephews, local bishop of Cadiz and Ceuta, Don Rafael Zornoza took the matter up with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The response, which strongly affirms Church teaching on the nature of gender, was published yesterday on the diocese’s website.

“On this particular case I inform you of the impossibility of admission,” read the response. 

“Transsexual behavior publicly reveals an opposition to the moral demand of resolving the problem of sexual identity according to the truth of one’s own sex. It is therefore evident that said person does not comply with the requirement of leading a life of faith and to the function of godparent (CIC, can 874 §1,3).”

“This is not seen as discrimination, but merely as the recognition of an objective lack of requirements that by their nature are necessary to take on the ecclesiastic responsibility of being a godparent,” it concluded.

The prelate explained how Pope Francis has confirmed this doctrine on several occasions and quoted his last encyclical Laudato Si: “Human ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment.”

Bishop Zornoza also quoted Benedict XVI on the “ecology of man,” as “man too has a nature that he must respect and that he cannot manipulate at will.”

“The acceptance of our bodies as God’s gift is vital for welcoming and accepting the entire world as a gift from the Father,” continued Zornoza quoting Francis. “Thinking that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation. Learning to accept our body, to care for it and to respect its fullest meaning, is an essential element of any genuine human ecology.”

The bishop went on to explain that if parents are unable to find a suitable person to qualify as godparent, the priest can baptize the child without godparents, “which are not necessary to celebrate this sacrament.”

“Words have been attributed [to me] which I have not pronounced,” he noted, referring to the media falsely reporting his approval of Salinas as godfather. He explained he had reached out to the Congregation “due to the complexity and the media relevance this matter has reached, and keeping in mind the possible pastoral consequences of any decision on the matter.”

Local media reported that the baptism, scheduled for this September, has been cancelled, and that Salinas’ sisters will not baptize their children until the bishop changes his mind.

Salinas, who had declared herself to be a “firm believer,” has now claimed to be an “apostate” due to the Church’s rejection, reported Spain’s EFE.

In a petition started by change.org, Salinas wrote she didn’t understand why “the Catholic Church denies me the possibility of being a godfather” if Spanish authorities have already changed her name from Alexandra to Alexander in her official IDs.

The petition falsely celebrated a “victory” after Salinas claimed she was being allowed as godfather.

Mainstream media, which initially reported Salina’s “celebration,” have not yet reported on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s response.

Deaf Sign for Abortion

8 Principles to Outlast the "gay" revolution.

Eight principles to help Americans with conservative moral values outlast the gay revolution:













Never compromise your convictions

Take the high moral ground, Cherish sexual purity

.Defend natural marriage

 Celebrate gender distinctions

Propagate the truth

 Turn to God

and refuse to throw in the towel.

Comments from St. Mary's Academy alumni. The fruit of a Catholic education?

 Here are a couple of very telling responses from past studenst of St. Mary's Academy. 
 We need to pray for the Archbishop and true Catholic teaching for very vulnerable girls.

"Priesthood and Sisterhood are very deeply intertwined with homosexuality. When you risk being ostracized and shunned (or worse) from your work, school, family, church etc. because you are gay, being a priest or nun gives you a safe role in society with no questions asked. Now laymen feel that you are the one closer to god. go figure.

The sisters from this institution are mostly all on board with this, I grew up with several of them. Common thought is "Well, I knew I couldn't marry a man, but I still wanted my family and friends to love me and not face open discrimination daily"

A lot of girls transferred to St. Mary's for school because they were gay. Having gay teachers/nuns/students around made it such a great, safe place."

"I’ve scanned through the bigotry and trolling below and I didn’t see many comments from actual alumnae of St. Mary’s so I wanted to chime in. The news from today for some didn’t seem shocking, those on the outside looking in but for me, and countless other women this news came as a gut wrenching punch to the abdomen and not because we should’ve seen it coming and were naïve to it but because we didn’t see it coming because it’s NOT the SMA we know and truly love! My time at St. Mary’s (1995-1998) were quite literally the years the solid ground work to my foundation as the woman I am today were built. It’s a school founded on the principles of diversity and social justice. Most have nightmare stories about high school but the experience I had at St. Mary’s provided me with not only the opportunity to exist in a space more diverse than I had ever known, but also to expand my horizons on what this world truly is. The curriculum was vast, challenging and utterly rewarding.

The teachers were top notch and pushed us to become the women they know we could be whether they were gay or straight and WE HAD GAY TEACHERS, they may not have been out but they most certainly were gay.

It didn’t just teach the principles of Catholicism. It’s because of St. Mary’s the seeds of other spiritual practices were planted into my sponge of a brain… we learned about The Tao, Confucius, Shamanism, Hinduism and Buddhism. I consider my education in world religions, from a Catholic school, the initial seeds to my desire and then actual action of moving to India for a few years to study yoga, meditation and dive into the worlds of Hinduism and Buddhism and a culture nothing like my own. St. Mary’s sparked that in me…

St. Mary's was a place where I finally felt like I found a place I fit in into this world, not the religious aspect, which I still don’t subscribe to, but with the vast spectrum of amazing woman who graced their halls.

As I read the OBP article my dear high school buddy sent me tears flowed... not just for the teacher who has been wronged, not just for realizing my own alma mater would take advantage of their rights and allow their beliefs based on hate to fuel their actions, not just for ALL THE GAY teachers who HAVE taught at the school (there were at least 2 I can name off hand who taught while I attended '95-'98) but for all the girls just coming into their place in this world and their own sexuality who attend the school now or may in the future.

I didn't know I was gay when I was in high school but looking back now, it was painfully clear I was. It was the first time in my life I was around women, strong, wonderful, intelligent, witty, amazingly inspiring women who were openly gay. It was the first time I was around women who may not have been open about their sexuality but it was clear what their preference was and it's obvious now why they didn't come out.

When I think back through my own journey, which seems to never end, of coming
more into my true, authentic self, I think about those women and the impact
they had on me. This teacher wouldn't have just been able to provide the
support for the role hired but could have also been a shining inspiration for
the girls she interacted with.

Christina Friedhoff stated in her statement to everyone, "We all recognize that now more than ever, we need to come together as a community so that St. Mary’s will continue to be a safe
place for all young women.”

The only thing I can think the girls need to be kept safe from now is the hatred in the hearts of their
leadership. The fact that finger pointing, the blame game, denial statements and spin is rampant right now saddens me deeply and it makes me feel like we’ll never know the actual truth
behind what happened behind closed doors.

What HAS become clear though, through this time is that those looking in from the outside at the overall SMA experience will never know what it truly is/was to be an SMA woman. What I’ve been able to see today, because of this incident, is countless women across the generational divide, banding together not in support of the school’s/ archdioceses/catholic church’s decision, but in
support of each other, in support of the strength, confidence, passion,diversity, feminist principles and acceptance we’ve all seen, felt, experienced and embraced because of this school.

I’m proud to stand with all of them and fight for the school we know SMA IS, HAS
been and CAN BE for all past, present and future strong women. This decision… while it may have been SMA Administration making it (or whomever anyone wants to blame), is not the soul
and heart beat of what St. Mary’s Academy truly is."


 "Girls make out in the halls and cuddle. Apparently that makes them supporters."

St. Mary's Academy in Portland may face lawsuit over Catholic values plus Willamette Week take.

Job offer withdrawn from woman who plans same sex marriage

St. Mary's Academy photo St. Mary's Academy pulled a job offer from a woman who planned same-sex marriage, and may face a lawsuit. St. Mary’s Academy in Portland may face a lawsuit filed by a woman whose job offer was withdrawn after she told school officials she planned to marry another woman. “Like other Catholic schools, St. Mary’s Academy is grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church and asks faculty and staff to support those values,” says a statement from the school. “St. Mary’s understands that others may hold different values, and we respect the right of individuals in society to do so.” St. Mary’s attempted to resolve the situation with the applicant, who was not named in the statement. But, the school said, “we have been unable to find an amicable resolution.” The school, sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, says it is part of a faith community that is obligated to follow current Catholic teachings regarding same-sex marriage in its employment practices. “At St. Mary’s we strive to live out the values of the Gospel while struggling with the complexities of today’s world,” the statement says. “This is a very challenging time for our school, our staff, our founders the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and our board of directors,” says Christina Friedhoff, St. Mary's Academy president,. “St. Mary’s is known for its diversity, inclusive spirit, progressive education and developing dynamic, women leaders. As a Catholic school, we recognize that in meeting our obligation to honor the current teachings of the Catholic Church related to employment and same sex marriage, we strive to find grace and healing within our community. St. Mary’s remains committed to diversity and social justice and nurtures the Catholic identity, practice, culture and mission on which we were founded.” Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample has voiced support for the school and the Holy Names Sisters in their effort to uphold teachings of the Catholic Church. “We expect that given certain reassurances by the federal government in the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling making ‘same-sex unions’ the law of the land, our religious liberty would be protected in this case as well as any future cases of this sort,” the archbishop said in a statement. On a public Facebook page, some St. Mary’s alumnae expressed anger at their school and threatened to withdraw donations. From Willamette Week.  August 26th.   "Brown’s dismissal places St. Mary’s in the center of a national fight about when religious organizations can claim they’re exempt from anti-discrimination laws. It also threatens to open rifts at a Catholic high school where lesbian students are welcome, but LGBT faculty must remain in the closet.    “Some of my dearest colleagues in social justice came out of St. Mary’s,” says Jeanna Frazzini, co-director of Basic Rights Oregon, the state’s largest LGBT advocacy group. “When folks at the school hear about what’s happening, they’ll be concerned—and they’ll want to see significant changes.”  St. Mary’s initially embraced Brown.  Principal Kelli Clark welcomed Brown to the school staff in May. Clark added a handwritten note to the letter: “Lauren—you are going to have so much fun here!”  St. Mary’s sent her a contract in July. On July 22, Brown received an email from an administrator, asking her to complete a biography. “Tell us about your spouse,” says the email Brown showed WW. “Tell us about your children. Talk to us about YOU! It’s your choice as to what you would like to share!”  The next day, Brown says, Clark called to encourage Brown to consider applying for an even more prominent job, director of admissions.  Brown says she asked Clark in that phone call what she should say in her biography, since she has a girlfriend. Brown also asked: Would she be allowed to bring her girlfriend to school events? What if she got married? She says Clark told her that was uncharted territory, but that Clark would support her.  Brown says Clark called back July 30 with a different message: “It may not work out.”  Brown met with Clark and Friedhoff at St. Mary’s on Aug. 4. She says the meeting lasted more than three hours, with both women pressuring her to sign a separation agreement that offered her six months’ salary in return for a promise not to sue the school or talk about why she lost the job.  The agreement, which Brown showed to WW, included a script for Brown to follow. “Brown may post on her social media pages the following statement to describe her separation from St. Mary’s: ‘Friends, I want to let you all know I will no longer be at St. Mary’s in the fall. Please message me if you know of any jobs available. {3’”  (The two characters at the end of the statement were intended by the school to read as a heart emoticon, Brown says.)  The agreement also said Brown could give the following reply if people asked why she had been dismissed: “I learned that my intent to enter into a same-sex marriage is in conflict with the teachings of the Catholic church.” St. Mary’s attorney Scott Seidman says Brown asked for these statements. Brown says they were written by school officials.  When Brown pushed back, the school increased its offer to a full year’s salary, $41,538, plus benefits.  Brown left the meeting without signing. She called Gloria Trainor, a friend she has since hired as her attorney. Brown says she hasn’t decided whether to sue St. Mary’s.  Friedhoff says St. Mary’s continues to value diversity. “This is not an easy situation,” she says. “As with all matters of faith, we strive to live out the values of the Gospel while struggling with the complexities of today’s world.”  Brown says she hopes by telling her story instead of taking the money, she’ll set an example for St. Mary’s students not to be ashamed of who they are. She also hopes her experience will open eyes to discrimination taking place in one of the nation’s most gay-friendly cities.  “Portlanders need to know that it’s happening right here,” Brown says. “It’s not just in a small town in Pennsylvania, or Indiana or Texas. This is Portland.”

9th video: Planned Parenthood Baby Parts Buyer StemExpress Wants "Another 50 Livers...

Analysis: New Development Goals Do Not Create a Right to Abortion, But They Turn on the Money Spigot for Abortion

By Austin Ruse and Stefano Gennarini, J.D. | August 20, 2015

NEW YORK, August 21 (C-Fam) UN agencies and bureaucrats have been part of the global abortion industry for over two decades. But they have never had much ability to compel countries to change their abortion laws. Even though the new UN development goals contain no new language to support a right to abortion, the document nonetheless will open up additional avenues for abortion groups to pressure countries to change their laws.

The newly minted Sustainable Development Goals, the most important UN agreement involving social policy for over two decades, continue to place abortion squarely in UN policy under the guise of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. This is not new. But the new goals present grave new challenges to the pro-life cause.

The goals will be the mainstay of UN policy for the next 15 years. They follow the model of the UN Millennium Development Goals, widely viewed as having ramped up international aid and exerted unprecedented influence on national policies. They are anticipated to mobilize several trillion dollars, exponentially more money than any previous UN development scheme. All that money will not come without strings attached. We cannot be naïve.

Money has been and continues to be the principal game changer in the international pro-life battle.
Until now the pressure from the UN to change abortion laws has come from mostly unknown “experts” working in the UN system, and rogue UN officials. Because of the compromise struck at Cairo UN agencies that receive money from pro-abortion countries have repeatedly denied that they promote abortion, even though they do so both directly and indirectly with impunity.

With the new UN goals countries may face pressure to change their laws, as well as spend lascivious amounts of money on sexual and reproductive health—thereby benefitting abortion groups—in order to receive aid from wealthy pro-abortion countries as well as partner in new global initiatives with the private sector and philanthropists.

Countries’ ability to benefit from the new development scheme may be tied to their performance as measured by UN bureaucrats for whom illegal abortion is synonymous with unsafe abortion and for whom no amount of resources spent for UN style family planning is ever sufficient.

Proposed Indicators to measure progress on the new agenda from the UN system already include access to abortion services, and the ability of teenagers to access abortion without parental consent.
Despite these fresh threats to life, abortion groups that have spent billions of dollars to create an international right to abortion have not been able to gain any normative ground.

The new goals do not change the compromise struck at the 1994 Cairo conference on population and development, namely, that abortion is not an international right, and a subject to be dealt with exclusively in national law—a consensus that reflects how no UN treaty includes a right to abortion either expressly or by implication.

At the same time, abortion groups have become the beneficiaries of a bonanza of funding for sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as a result of the same Cairo agreement. Their lobbying and increased influence at the national and international level, possibly more than any other factor over the past two decades, has ensured that the new UN development goals include more funds for their efforts to make abortion a human right.

This is a significant change from the Millennium Development Goals, agreed over a decade ago, which did not include abortion, focusing on maternal health instead. The new goals include two targets on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights instead, the trademark of abortion groups.

The terms made their way into the new goals last year at the eleventh hour, following underhanded negotiating tactics and arm-twisting, and possibly only because at the time, many governments thought the goals could still be changed. That was not to be.

When governments met again this year to discuss the new UN agenda for development they decided to stick to the goals as agreed last year, with few minor technical changes, and only negotiated a political document to launch the goals into existence at a global summit of world leaders this September.

The details of how the new UN scheme will be implemented are still being worked out and are not expected to be finalized until next Summer.

Wanted priest still in Philippines - Archbishop 'exasperated'

8/21/2015 1:13:00 PM el Fr. Ysrael Bien blesses a student during a 2013 school Mass at St. Francis Parish in Sherwood. The Archbishop's letter August 20, 2015 Dear Friends in Christ, I was as shocked and stunned, as I’m sure many of you were, when I found out Tuesday (August 18) that Sherwood Police had issued an arrest warrant for Fr. Ysrael Bien. Until the news of the arrest warrant, the Archdiocese’s only information from the Sherwood Police was that there was an ongoing investigation. We only learned about the specific charges when the arrest warrant was issued. Subsequent news reports have added disturbing details. It is gravely troubling to find out that one of our priests has been charged with criminal misconduct. To our knowledge, the police have not identified anyone who may have been recorded on the hidden camera. Certainly anyone in the parish or school community who has any information to help investigators should contact Sherwood Police Detective Debbie Smith at 503-925-7117. The Archdiocese and the parish owe a debt of gratitude to the young man and his family who discovered the hidden camera and were persistent in ensuring it was investigated by police. We are also grateful for the diligence of the Sherwood Police department. When I placed Fr. Bien on administrative leave, he told me that he would be living with a priest friend in Portland. It was not until July 29 that officials at the Archdiocese first became aware that Fr. Bien was in the Philippines. On August 6, I wrote to Fr. Bien and asked him to return to Portland as soon as possible to be present in Portland pending the resolution of the investigation in which he was involved. Fr. Bien declined my request, citing reasons of his own health and well-being should he return. In an August 13 follow-up letter, I urged Fr. Bien to reconsider his decision, directed him to return, and assured him that whatever would be helpful to his health and well-being would be made available to him here. To date Fr. Bien has not responded. Fr. Bien’s lengthy absence from the Archdiocese without my permission is violation of canon (church) law. Police investigators placed no restrictions on Fr. Bien’s activities, nor did they ask for his passport so far as we know. In fact, the police made public statements that Fr. Bien was not a suspect. I'm as exasperated as you are that Fr. Bien is not here to answer the very serious allegations he faces. I share your frustration that the nature of the investigation meant that the parish community and the Archdiocese had precious little information about its progress. Some have asked whether Father Bien remains an active priest. The simple answer is no. When Fr. Bien was placed on administrative leave it meant he may not function in a ministerial role. Whether Fr. Bien returns to Oregon or not, a canonical proceeding will take place, the results of which will determine what his ultimate status will be with the Archdiocese and the Holy See. We will continue to provide updates to the parish and school community when new information is available to us. In the meantime, I hold you in my prayers at this difficult time. The strength of the parish and its school is evident in the community’s willingness to address these unsettling circumstances openly. I appreciate your support of Fr. James Herrera, Principal Kim Fadden and the rest of the school and parish staff. Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Rev. Alexander K. Sample Archbishop of Portland in Oregon Ed Langlois Of the Catholic Sentinel Archbishop Alexander Sample on Thursday sent a two-page letter updating members of St. Francis Parish on the case of a priest being sought by Sherwood Police. In the letter, the archbishop said the Archdiocese of Portland and the parish in Sherwood owe “a debt of gratitude” to a teen boy who discovered a spy camera in a bathroom used by altar servers, and to the boy’s family, who diligently made sure police knew about the incident. Records uncovered by the Oregonian showed that Father Ysrael Bien purchased the $295 camera, which was disguised as an electrical outlet. Archbishop Sample says he was “shocked and stunned” when he heard the warrant had been issued. Until that time, police had told the archdiocese only that there was “an ongoing investigation.” Father Bien, 34, has been charged with invasion of privacy, tampering with evidence and initiating a false report — all misdemeanors. Without telling anyone, Father Bien returned to his native Philippines in June and has stayed, despite repeated requests by Archbishop Sample that he return to Oregon. When the archbishop placed the priest on administrative leave in June for failing to report the camera discovery promptly, Father Bien said he would be living with a priest friend at Holy Family Parish in Southeast Portland. The archdiocese did not become aware that Father Bien had left for the Philippines until July 29. Legal authorities had put no restrictions on Father Bien’s movement and had made public statements that the priest was not a suspect, the archbishop said. On Aug. 6, the archbishop wrote to Father Bien, asking him to return to be part of the pending investigation. The priest declined, saying for his health and well-being he would stay with family. In an Aug. 13 follow-up letter, Archbishop Sample said whatever the priest needed for health and well-being would be offered to him in Portland. So far, Father Bien has not responded. The archbishop noted that the priest’s long absence without permission is a violation of church law. “I’m as exasperated as you that Father Bien is not here to answer the very serious allegations he faces,” Archbishop Sample wrote. “I share your frustration that the nature of the investigation meant that the parish community and the Archdiocese had precious little information about its progress.” While he is on administrative leave, Father Bien cannot function in a ministerial role, the archbishop wrote. Whether the priest returns to Oregon or not, a canonical proceeding will determine his status. The archbishop said he will continue to provide updates to the parish and school community.

Arrest warrant issued for priest

Until judge's action, Fr. Ysrael Bien was not listed as official suspect in spy camera case Fr. Ysrael Bien   Ed Langlois Of the Catholic Sentinel SHERWOOD — Police now say Father Ysrael Bien, on administrative leave from his role as pastor of St. Francis Parish in Sherwood, purchased a spy camera later found in a church bathroom. Records uncovered by the Oregonian newspaper show the 34-year-old priest logged onto a spy gear website in March to buy the $295 camera, which was disguised as an electrical outlet. A Washington County judge on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Father Bien on charges of invasion of privacy, tampering with evidence and initiating a false report — all misdemeanors. “It is gravely troubling to find out that one of our priests has been charged with criminal misconduct, but we appreciate the diligence of the Sherwood Police Department in pursuing its investigation of the incident,” says Archbishop Alexander Sample. “We will continue to cooperate with authorities in the resolution of this matter. Our prayers are with parishioners of Saint Francis Church, Sherwood, and all who have been affected.” Meanwhile, Father Bien has left the country to visit family in The Philippines. Archdiocese of Portland officials did not know Father Bien was departing until after the fact. Archbishop Alexander Sample has sent emails to Father Bien, asking him to return. Father Bien answered an initial email saying that it seems best for him now to be with family. Father Bien so far has not responded to a second request from the archbishop. Before the warrant issued Tuesday, Sherwood Police never listed Father Bien as an official suspect and did not seize his passport. David Renshaw, communications director for the archdiocese, says that after the camera was found, the archdiocese followed all child protection protocol. The archdiocese also operated with the guidance of Sherwood Police regarding progress in the case and Father Bien’s status. “When we discovered something we let people know,” Renshaw said. A teen boy discovered the camera last spring and brought it to the priest. The camera disappeared and Father Bien never went to the police, though he promised the boy and his family he would. The family later notified police about the situation.

#PPSellsBabyParts PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTED BABY’S HEART STILL BEATING IN LATE-TERM ORGAN HARVESTING CASE

August 19, 2015

Human Capital – Episode 3: Planned Parenthood’s Custom Abortions for Superior Product

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

#PPSellsBabyParts PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTED BABY’S HEART STILL BEATING IN LATE-TERM ORGAN HARVESTING CASE

Whistleblower Who Harvested Aborted Baby Parts Inside Planned Parenthood Clinics for StemExpress Describes “Most Difficult Experience I Had There” In Latest Documentary Episode

Contact: Peter Robbio, probbio@crcpublicrelations.com, 703.683.5004

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19–The third episode in a new documentary web series and 7th video on Planned Parenthood’s supply of aborted fetal tissue tells a former procurement technician’s harrowing story of harvesting an intact brain from a late-term male fetus whose heart was still beating after the abortion.

The “Human Capital” documentary web series, produced by The Center for Medical Progress, integrates expert interviews, eyewitness accounts, and real-life undercover interactions to explore different themes within Planned Parenthood’s sale of aborted fetal tissue. Episode 3, “Planned Parenthood’s Custom Abortions for Superior Product,” launches today at: 

 http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/2015/08/human-capital-episode-3-planned-parenthoods-custom-abortions-for-superior-product/

The series focuses on the personal narrative of Holly O’Donnell, a former Blood and Tissue Procurement Technician for StemExpress, a biotech start-up that until last week was partnered with two large northern California Planned Parenthood affiliates to purchase their aborted fetus parts and resell them for scientific experimentation.

O’Donnell describes the harvesting, or “procurement,” of organs from a nearly intact late-term fetus aborted at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s Alameda clinic in San Jose, CA. “‘I want to see something kind of cool,’” O’Donnell says her supervisor asked her. “And she just taps the heart, and it starts beating. And I’m sitting here and I’m looking at this fetus, and its heart is beating, and I don’t know what to think.”

The San Jose Planned Parenthood does abortions up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Referring to the beating heart of the aborted fetus, O’Donnell remarks, “I don’t know if that constitutes it’s technically dead, or it’s alive.”

State and federal law require that the same treatment be given to an infant born-alive after an abortion as to a normally delivered baby (1 U.S.C. 8, CA Health and Safety Code 123435). California law also prohibits any kind of experimentation on a fetus with a discernible heartbeat (CA Health and Safety Code 123440). StemExpress has been cited in published scientific literature as a source of fetal hearts used for Langendorff perfusion, which keeps a heart beating after it is excised from the body: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2015/730683/

O’Donnell also tells how her StemExpress supervisor instructed her to cut through the face of the fetus in order to get the brain. “She gave me the scissors and told me that I had to cut down the middle of the face. I can’t even describe what that feels like,” she says.

The video also features recordings of Dr. Ben Van Handel, the Executive Director of Novogenix Laboratories, LLC, and also of Perrin Larton, Procurement Manager of Advanced Bioscience Resources, Inc. (ABR). Novogenix is the company that has harvested fetal organs from abortions done by Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, in Los Angeles, while ABR is the oldest fetal tissue procurement company and works with Planned Parenthood in San Diego and other clinics around the country. Van Handel admits, “There are times when after the procedure is done that the heart actually is still beating,” and Larton describes abortions she has seen where “the fetus was already in the vaginal canal whenever we put her in the stirrups, it just fell out.”

CMP’s Project Lead David Daleiden notes, “Today’s video contains heartrending admissions about the absolute barbarism of Planned Parenthood’s abortion practice and baby parts sales in which fetuses are sometimes delivered intact and alive. Planned Parenthood is a criminal organization from the top down and should be immediately stripped of taxpayer funding and prosecuted for their atrocities against humanity.”

#5 - Intact Fetuses "Just a Matter of Line Items" for Planned Parenthood TX M...

Archdiocese of Portland is looking for a Director of Catechesis and Faith Formation

   

 O God, who made Saint Thomas Aquinas outstanding in his zeal for holiness and his study of sacred doctrine, grant us, we pray, that we may understand what he taught and imitate what he accomplished. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.






From Catholic Jobs On Line

The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is searching for a qualified director for its Catechesis and Faith Formation Office. The Director is responsible for promoting and enhancing catechesis and faith formation at the parish and diocesan levels. The successful candidate will embrace the teachings of and be faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. The director will be a resource for and excel in supporting, training and forming catechetical and faith formation leaders in the Archdiocese of Portland.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITES:

• Assists the archbishop in his role as chief catechist of the archdiocese.

• In consultation with the archbishop, develops and implements a vision and plan for catechesis and faith formation that is centered on the Person of Jesus Christ and faithful to the teachings of the Church.

• Assists parishes in developing and implementing catechesis and faith formation programs for all ages that build a solid foundation for mature spirituality, genuine Christian living, fruitful ministry and generous outreach.

• Assists and supports parishes with sacramental preparation programs.

• Develops, implements and provides ongoing training, education and formation for religious educators, catechists, and faith formation staff.

• Collaborates with other pastoral offices to provide catechetical resources, training and instruction that will serve the faithful.

• Plans and organizes an annual in-service for directors of religious education.

• Plans and organizes an annual catechetical conference.

• Reviews and recommends catechetical materials and formation programs for use in the archdiocese.

• Advises pastors and catechetical staff on the training of parish catechetical leaders and volunteers. Recommends ways of implementing the principles of catechesis in parish programs. Provides resources upon request. Serves as a resource for clergy, religious education, sacramental preparation, RCIA, and faith formation leaders.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Theology and a minimum of 6-8 years' experience as a parish Director of Religious Education or Faith Formation, including service on diocesan committees; or any equivalent combination of education and experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the required work and responsibilities.

• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of Catholic catechesis and faith formation, including the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

• Thorough knowledge of Catholic ecclesial life and structure, along with knowledge of church organizational and operational procedures.

• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally (including oral presentations) and in writing; able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, parishes, schools, vendors, and the general public.

• Strong interpersonal skills, creativity, decision-making, use of discretion, teamwork, negotiation, public relations, fostering the Church's mission, independent judgment/action, presentations/teaching, supervising, problem analysis, theological/pastoral analysis and ability to handle multiple projects/priorities.

• Proficiency with computer and basic office software.

• Practicing Catholic required; valid driver's license required.

• Bilingual Spanish strongly preferred.

For consideration, please email your resume and a cover letter detailing how you meet the above qualifications to hr@archdpdx.org with Director of Catechesis and Faith Formation in the subject line.

About the Employer

The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is the second-oldest Archdiocese in the United States, consisting of 124 Parishes, 22 Missions, 1 Seminary, 39 Elementary Schools, 10 Secondary Schools, and 2 Universities.

Posted:	July 31, 2015	Terms:	Full Time Employee
Expires:	September 29, 2015	Experience:	5-10 years
Location:	Portland, OR	Education:	Graduate Degree
Category:	Pastoral Ministry	Base Pay:	Salary

Send applications or inquiries to: hr@archdpdx.org

Apply by Email

Planned Parenthood VP Says Fetuses May Come Out Intact. More $$$ for them.

  Planned Parenthood VP Says Fetuses May Come Out Intact, Agrees Payments Specific to the Specimen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

#PPSellsBabyParts PLANNED PARENTHOOD VP SAYS FETUSES MAY COME OUT INTACT, AGREES PAYMENTS SPECIFIC TO THE SPECIMEN

Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains VP & Medical Director Savita Ginde Discusses Contract Details, Aborted Body Parts Pricing, and How to Not “Get Caught”

Contact: David Daleiden, media@centerformedicalprogress.org, 949.734.0859

DENVER, July 30–New undercover footage shows Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains’ Vice President and Medical Director, Dr. Savita Ginde, negotiating a fetal body parts deal, agreeing multiple times to illicit pricing per body part harvested, and suggesting ways to avoid legal consequences.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) is a wealthy, multi-state Planned Parenthood affiliate that does over 10,000 abortions per year. PPRM has a contract to supply aborted fetal tissue to Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

In the video, actors posing as representatives from a human biologics company meet with Ginde at the abortion-clinic headquarters of PPRM in Denver to discuss a potential partnership to harvest fetal organs. When the actors request intact fetal specimens, Ginde reveals that in PPRM’s abortion practice, “Sometimes, if we get, if someone delivers before we get to see them for a procedure, then we are intact.”

Since PPRM does not use digoxin or other feticide in its 2nd trimester procedures, any intact deliveries before an abortion are potentially born-alive infants under federal law (1 USC 8).

“We’d have to do a little bit of training with the providers or something to make sure that they don’t crush” fetal organs during 2nd trimester abortions, says Ginde, brainstorming ways to ensure the abortion doctors at PPRM provide usable fetal organs.

When the buyers ask Ginde if “compensation could be specific to the specimen?” Ginde agrees, “Okay.” Later on in the abortion clinic’s pathological laboratory, standing over an aborted fetus, Ginde responds to the buyer’s suggestion of paying per body part harvested, rather than a standard flat fee for the entire case: “I think a per-item thing works a little better, just because we can see how much we can get out of it.”

The sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000 (42 U.S.C. 289g-2). Federal law also requires that no alteration in the timing or method of abortion be done for the purposes of fetal tissue collection (42 U.S.C. 289g-1).
Ginde also suggests ways for Planned Parenthood to cover-up its criminal and public relations liability for the sale of aborted body parts.

“Putting it under ‘research’ gives us a little bit of an overhang over the whole thing,” Ginde remarks. “If you have someone in a really anti state who’s going to be doing this for you, they’re probably going to get caught.”

Ginde implies that PPRM’s lawyer, Kevin Paul, is helping the affiliate skirt under the fetal tissue law: “He’s got it figured out that he knows that even if, because we talked to him in the beginning, you know, we were like, ‘We don’t want to get called on,’ you know, ‘selling fetal parts across states.’”

 The buyers ask, “And you feel confident that they’re building those layers?” to which Ginde replies, “I’m confident that our Legal will make sure we’re not put in that situation.”

As the buyers and Planned Parenthood workers identify body parts from last fetus in the path lab, a Planned Parenthood medical assistant announces: “Another boy!”

The video is the latest by The Center for Medical Progress documenting Planned Parenthood’s sale of aborted fetal parts. Project Lead David Daleiden notes: “Elected officials need to listen to the public outcry for an immediate moratorium on Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer funding while the 10 state investigations and 3 Congressional committees determine the full extent of Planned Parenthood’s sale of baby parts.”

Daleiden continues, “Planned Parenthood’s recent call for the NIH to convene an expert panel to ‘study’ fetal experimentation is absurd after suggestions from Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Ginde that ‘research’ can be used as a catch-all to cover-up baby parts sales. The biggest problem is bad actors like Planned Parenthood who hold themselves above the law in order to harvest and make money off of aborted fetal brains, hearts, and livers.”

Do you hug a pope?

 Do you hug a pope? U.S. lawmakers seek etiquette tips for visit

By Billy House, Bloomberg News Bloomberg

July 29th 2015

 

WASHINGTON — U.S. lawmakers are used to a slew of rules about how to conduct themselves, and now they're anxiously awaiting edicts of another type: how to behave around the pope.

Pope Francis will visit the nation's Capitol Sept. 24 as part of his three-day stop in Washington, becoming the first pontiff to address the Senate and House.

Questions abound. Is it out of line to hug the pope when he enters the House chamber, or shake his hand, or touch him at all? Is applause allowed when he speaks, or perhaps an "amen?"

"I'm told that directives are going to go out about that," said Patrick Conroy, a Jesuit priest who as U.S. House chaplain coordinates the appearances of guest pastors who give the chamber's opening prayers.

The worry is understandable. Joint meetings of Congress in the House chamber -- including the annual State of the Union address by the president -- can be full of ceremony, yet also indecorous.
Perhaps the most notorious moment in recent years was when Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, shouted "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's September 2009 speech to Congress after the president said his health-care plan wouldn't cover undocumented immigrants.

No one is expecting that kind of outburst directed to the pope. But he won't exactly be preaching to the choir, either. The Pew Research Center estimates that about one-third of members of the 114th Congress identify as Catholics.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, a Catholic, extended the invitation to Pope Francis to speak at the Capitol. The pontiff also will appear at a White House welcoming ceremony, and he will celebrate Mass at the Catholic basilica in Washington.

Given the need for protocol tips, Conroy met last week with Boehner's chief of staff, Michael Sommers, and said he was assured that guidance for lawmakers will be sent out soon.

"For a lot of members -- they're Americans, you know, and appropriate courtesy is not necessarily their cup of tea," said Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Florida. He noted that some lawmakers arrive in the House chamber hours before presidential speeches to grab aisle seats so they can be spotted for a few seconds with the commander in chief.

So then what is proper behavior for a lawmaker? Based on the advice of Catholic church experts and past State Department protocol guidance, here is some advice to lawmakers about the pope's visit.

_ Appropriate dress. The rules are basic: Wear dark colors. For women, sleeves should cover the shoulders and elbows, and hems should fall below the knees.

_ Touching the pope. Is it allowed? No one is supposed to approach him without an invitational gesture. But experts say it's unlikely he'll enter the center aisle without reaching out to some lawmakers.

_ What to do if the pope approaches you? Previous State Department advice suggests that when greeted by the pope, one should either shake his hand, or if you are Catholic and want to do so, kiss the pope's ring -- worn on his right hand.

_ What to call the pope. This is pretty clear: He should be addressed as "Your Holiness," or "Holy Father." President George W. Bush was criticized during a visit to the Vatican in 2007 for calling Pope Benedict XVI "sir" several times.

_ Standing ovations. These are a staple of State of the Union addresses. Still, for the pope's speech, standing and clapping would be viewed as tacky.

"If I were asked, my advice would be to please sit respectfully, as if you were in church -- and as if you were in Catholic church. We in the Catholic tradition don't go 'Amen brother!' We don't do that," Conroy said.

_ Expressing displeasure with the speech. Not a good idea. Booing, shouting or waving a banner is discouraged. Lawmakers should sit still and keep quiet during the speech.

Rep. David Schweikert, R-Arizona, a Catholic, said he is optimistic that the pope's visit to Congress will be incident-free.

"The House may be an inherently cantankerous institution," said Schweikert, yet he added that "when it's time to step up and follow protocol, for the most part, we do a pretty good job."

Anticipation for the visit is building. Demands for tickets are pouring into legislative offices.

Lawmakers, though, were told earlier this month that they would have just one ticket to distribute to a guest for a gallery seat during the speech and two tickets each to hand out for an additional appearance by the pope on the West Front outside the Capitol.

Hastings said he's already promised his House gallery ticket to the archbishop of south Florida.

On the House floor itself, extra seats are likely to go to members of the Supreme Court and Cabinet officials, although Boehner's office didn't confirm who will attend.

Previous speeches by world leaders in the House chamber -- as well as State of the Union addresses -- have produced a range of memorable moments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress in March was marked by partisan cheers mostly from Republicans as Netanyahu slammed the nuclear deal Obama was negotiating with Iran. The day's drama included Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Other cringe-producing episodes include former Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota, grabbing Bush's shoulder, planting a big kiss on his cheek, and then hanging on as he sought to make his way out of the House chamber following his 2007 State of the Union speech.

A Vatican official, who didn't want to be identified so that he could speak candidly, said U.S. bishops are probably helping Boehner's office develop guidelines for U.S. lawmakers. The rules are more strict when someone comes to the Vatican, he said.

The Vatican official said he expects the pope's visit will be well-choreographed, and a major aim -- in part for security reasons -- will be to keep things moving.

_ With assistance from John Follain in Rome.

Bishop Robert Vasa: Congress Must Investigate "Evil" Planned Parenthood

Creative Minority Report

Tuesday, July 28, A.D. 2015 10:19pm

This is great to see. A strong statement from Bishop Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California concerning the videos released by the Center for Medical Progress about Planned Parenthood.

In the footage recorded by the Center for Medical Progress, a phlebotomist says, “For whatever we could procure, [Planned Parenthood] would get a certain percentage. The main nurse was always trying to make sure we got our specimens. No one else really cared, but the main nurse did because she knew that Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.”

Said Bishop Vasa, “Each week for three weeks now, we have been exposed to one heinous video after another, each one more shocking than the last. This nurse’s biggest concern in aborting these tiny babies was getting quality body parts because ‘Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.’

“While the very thought that we as taxpayers are complicit with Planned Parenthood in the provision of abortion at all is very disturbing to me, these recordings show an even more grizzly side to the abortion industry.

“It is unconscionable that this land of the free and home of the brave not only tolerates but actively supports such perversity. Congress needs to thoroughly investigate these accusations immediately.

“No public funds should be provided to organizations promoting abortions especially if involved in the marketing of human body parts. An organization committed to such gruesome evil should not get a dime from taxpayers.”