Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Schiavo means Slave - Coincidence?

Dear Advocates for Innocent Life, As our emotions rise and fall the Holy Week as we watch our sister in Christ, Terri Schiavo, suffer because of evil. Let this give us comfort that our fight is not in vain. We are in the historic spiritual battle between good and evil. And we cannot ever retreat. From Catholic Media Coalition - There is an irony to this case that no one has yet mentioned. In the second reading this Palm Sunday, Paul speaks of Christ coming to us as a slave. The Italian word for "slave" is... "schiavo". The war continues in Florida. We can be proud of the priests that spoke of the connection between Mary Schiavo, Terri's mother, who is searched and watched by Flordia police so she cannot put an ice cube to her daughter's lips, or rub her drying skin with lotion. She must stand by like Our Blessed Mother who could only watch her Beloved Son in His Agony. This is not irony, but we are re-living the Suffering of Christ through Terri Schiavo this Holy Week. Where are the Justice and Peace groups from our churches speaking out? Where are the anti-death penalty supporters who make money off of their endless speaches. Terri is in prison without a fail trial. Where are the animal rights people? What would they do if a dog was being deprived of food and water until it died? HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO. FOR TERRI AND FOR OREGON. FAX THE GOVERNOR & PRES At once. YOUR JOB IS TO ENFORCE FLORIDA LAW 765.309 Mercy killing or euthanasia not authorized; (1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to condone, authorize, or approve mercy killing or euthanasia, or to permit any affirmative or deliberate act or omission to end life other than to permit the natural process of dying. A JUDGE CANNOT NULLIFY LAW Please fax to Jeb Bush. Governor Jeb Bush (850) 488-4441 Fax 850-487-0801 Please fax to Pres Bush: Federal Law Title 28 35.130(e)(2) Nothing in the Act or this part authorizes the representative or guardian of an individual with a disability to decline food, water, medical treatment, or medical services for that individual. President Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 This Thursday, March 24th! Let's get educated about the process of our government and support those fighting for the Culture of Life. We can't get to Florida, but we can do something to bring common sense back to Oregon. Remember, Oregon Catholic Conference is NOT going to lobby on these bills, it's up to us to give a Roman Catholic presence to the hearing rooms. See you there! Legislative Update From Oregon Right to Life PAC Five Pro-Life Bill Hearings on the Same Day! On Thursday, March 24, 2005 five pro-life bills are scheduled to have public hearings in the House Judiciary Committee. There bills are: HB 2531 – Clinic Regulations sponsored by Rep. Brian Boquist (overview below) HB 2532 – Women’s Right to Know sponsored by Rep. Linda Flores HB 2550 – Unborn Pain Awareness sponsored by Rep. Greg Smith HB 2605 – Parental Notice sponsored by Rep. Dennis Richardson (see last week’s Update for overview) HB 2696 – Partial Birth Abortion Ban sponsored by Rep. Donna Nelson If you are in Salem on the day of the hearings Oregon Right to Life would be honored to have you to join us. The hearings will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day. You can come for the entire day or just part. It is always encouraging to be surrounded by fellow pro-lifers! Please contact the Committee members and graciously ask them to support life by voting YES on all five bills. Remember hand written letters are best; followed by phone calls and emails. Snail mail can be sent to: 900 Court St NE – insert office number – Salem, Oregon 97301 Representative Office Number Phone Email Wayne Krieger (R), Chair H-378 503.986.1401 rep.waynekrieger@state.or.us Greg Macpherson (D), Vice-Chair H 376 503.986.1438 rep.gregmacpherson@state.or.us Andy Olson (R), Vice-Chair H-491 503.986.1415 rep.andyolson@state.or.us Robert Ackerman (D) H-389 503.986.1413 Rep.repbertackerman@state.or.us Jeff Barker (D) H-476 503.986.1428 Rep.jeffbarker@state.or.us Linda Flores (R) H-287 503.986.1451 Rep.lindaflores@state.or.us Bill Garrard (R) H-484 503.986.1456 Rep.billgarrard@state.or.us Kim Thatcher (R) H-490 503.986.1425 Rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us Kelley Wirth (D) H-479 503.986.1416 Rep.kelleywirth@state.or.us Regarding HB 2531 – Clinic Regulations Under current Oregon law, performing surgical abortions is not regulated. There are no Oregon Revised Statues (ORS) or Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) that define sanitation requirements, emergency equipment regulations, etc. In fact, the four most common abortion procedures are specifically excluded from surgical center regulations. The Oregon Administrative Rules 333-076-0101 states: (c) An "ambulatory surgical center" (ASC) means a health care facility which performs outpatient surgery not routinely or customarily performed in a physician's or dentist's office, and is able to meet health facility licensure requirements: (A) In the case of outpatient surgery involving termination of pregnancy, procedures routinely and customarily done in physician's offices are the following: (i) Dilation and curettage; (ii) Suction curettage; (iii) Sharp curettage; (iv) Dilation and evacuation. This standard is unacceptable and dangerous. HB 2531 would place ambulatory surgical center regulations on any facility that meets any of these three qualifications: 1. Performs ten or more abortions a month or 100 or more abortions a year. 2. Advertises as an abortion provider 3. Has a licensed physician contracted to perform abortions either on duty or on call HB 2531 would not affect other – non abortive – procedures This bill is written to only apply to clinics performing the specified number of dilation and curettages, suction curettages, sharp curettages, and/or dilation and evacuations a month/year. Nothing would change for physician’s offices that do not perform these procedures. Notable Quote “The only way we would [investigate] is if we were following up on a complaint on a licensed facility. So if there was a hospital or ambulatory surgical center where we got a complaint about an abortion then we do have authority to go in, follow-up and investigate that complaint. When we’re talking about a physician’s office [and abortion clinics], that complaint would go to the Board of Medical Examiners.” DR. GRANT HIGGINSON. Department of Human Services, Health Services reveals that the DHS has no authority to investigate complaints against free standing abortion clinics. Testimony before the House Committee on Rules and Public Affairs, February 25, 2003. Please put this on your calendar. This is our Day to show our Support for Innocent Life. LIFE LOBBY DAY! Friday, April 8th 2005 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Oregon State Capitol Oregon’s tiniest citizens need your help! Let's get together and meet other pro-lifers. March 24th will get us ready for this great day. Step outside your comfort zone. It is a matter of Life and Death. God Bless Us and May God open the eyes of the blind. Carolyn Wendell VOCAL "Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of Him." St. Dominic Savio Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition: In line with the Church, online with the world

Monday, March 21, 2005

Hosanna in the Highest! Terri Schiavo!!

Hosanna in the Highest! Dear Friends, President Bush just signed the Terri Schiavo bill. Now she can have her day in court. At this point in time, her family has an ambulance ready to take her to a hospital and resume her feeding. We share their joy. This is a wonderful opportunity for dialogue within our Church regarding "Advanced Directives" and "Living Wills". This is no coincidence. It's amazing to realize the Our Dear Lord wants us to talk about HOW He wants us to depart this life: with true dignity. We can learn His ways. Just recently we heard of a failed assisted suicide in Oregon. The story was also carried in the Catholic Sentinel, the "punch line" was in the last two paragraphs (Catholic Sentinel on page 17 "Suicide") Regarding the natural death of her husband two weeks after the attempt Lynda Prueitt told the Oregonian her husband had been in the Presence of God, who sent him back to die a natural death. Steve Prueitt, the patient's brother, told the newspaper God chose his brother to show that assisted suicide is wrong. We are truly one family. We are One Body in Christ. As we begin this Holy Week, the power of God has already been revealed through prayer and the compassion and courage of the men and women who guide our country. God Bless them and may He open the hearts of those who can't see love and value in the eyes of a bedridden woman. Thank you Lord. Carolyn Wendell "Open wide the doors and gates, life high the ancient portals. The King of Glory enters." Psalm 23:9 VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on line with the world."

And...Behind Door Number Three....

Dear Advocates for Life,

Oregon has another Representative for the Culture of Death: David Wu. Here is a list of the House Vote.


The 58 Congressmen Who Voted In Favor Of Allowing Terri Schiavo To Die

The following list is taken from the Congressional Roll Call. These 58 Congressmen (53 Democrats and 5 Republicans) voted to allow the starvation of Terri Schiavo to continue.

Is your Congressman on the list?


Republicans are listed in bold type.


Baldwin (WI)
Berkley (NV)
Bishop (NY)
Brown-Waite, Ginny (FL)
Butterfield (NC)
Capuano (MA)
Cardin (MD)
Carnahan (MI)
Carson (IN)
Castle (DE)
Clay (MO)
Cleaver (MO)
Clyburn (SC)
Conyers (MI)
Davis (FL)
Dent (PA)
Dicks (WA)
Doyle (PA)
Evans (IL)
Frank (MA)
Gutierrez (IL)
Hastings (FL)
Holt (NJ)
Hoyer (MD)
Israel (NY)
Kaptur (OH)
Kennedy (RI)
Larson (CT)
Levin (MI)
Lewis (GA)
Matsui (CA)
McDermott (WA)
McKinney (GA)
Miller (NC)
Moran (VA)
Murtha (PA)
Nadler (NY)
Olver (MA)
Pallone (NJ)
Pascrell (NJ)
Payne (NJ)
Price (NC)
Reichert (WA)
Rothman (NJ)
Schiff (CA)
Schwartz (PA)
Scott (VA)
Shays (CT)
Spratt (SC)
Strickland (OH)
Thompson (MS)
Van Hollen (MD)
Visclosky (IN)
Wasserman Schultz (FL)
Watt (NC)
Weiner (NY)
Wexler (FL)
Wu (OR)

David Wu's contact info. http://www.house.gov/wu/contact_information.htm

Representatives Walden, Hooley, DeFazio and Blumenauer all missed the vote.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Hosanna in the Highest ...Terri Schiavo!

Dear Friends, President Bush just signed the Terri Schiavo bill. Now she can have her day in court. At this point in time, her family has an ambulance ready to take her to a hospital and resume her feeding. We share their joy. This is a wonderful opportunity for dialogue within our Church regarding "Advanced Directives" and "Living Wills". This is no coincidence. It's amazing to realize the Our Dear Lord wants us to talk about HOW He wants us to depart this life: with true dignity. We can learn His ways. Just recently we heard of a failed assisted suicide in Oregon. The story was also carried in the Catholic Sentinel, the "punch line" was in the last two paragraphs (Catholic Sentinel on page 17 "Suicide") Regarding the natural death of her husband two weeks after the attempt Lynda Prueitt told the Oregonian her husband had been in the Presence of God, who sent him back to die a natural death. Steve Prueitt, the patient's brother, told the newspaper God chose his brother to show that assisted suicide is wrong. We are truly one family. We are One Body in Christ. As we begin this Holy Week, the power of God has already been revealed through prayer and the compassion and courage of the men and women who guide our country. God Bless them and may He open the hearts of those who can't see love and value in the eyes of a bedridden woman. Thank you Lord. Carolyn Wendell "Open wide the doors and gates, life high the ancient portals. The King of Glory enters." Psalm 23:9 VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97385 Member of Catholic Media Coalition "In line with the Church, on line with the world."

The Silence is Deafening

Dear Friends, Another note or two. Add Oregon Senator Ron Wyden to your prayer and call list. He is another embarrassment to our state with his lack of true compassion. His email is: http://wyden.senate.gov/ Note #2 Terri Schaivo is Catholic. This cannot be ignored, nor can the "deafening silence" of her Catholic brothers and sisters in positions of leadership. We need to wonder: where are the prayers and statements against this killing? Where are the Peace and Justice groups who speak out so readily against the death penalty of mass murderers, but are quiet about a helpless woman, who might have become too much of a nuisance to her husband. What happened to in "sickness and in health?" Out of curiousity, I have contacted Sister Helen Prejean, of Dead Man Walking fame. Picking and choosing who to defend isn't a consistent position. It will become almost silly to take these people seriously who make money off of the anti-death penalty issue. I'll let you know if/when she responds. Who's opinion are you curious about? Why not ask? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Sister Helen, As director of an Oregon-based apostolate VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life, I would like to know if you have spoken out against the death by starvation sentence levied against Terri Schiavo in Florida. We know that you are against the death penalty and we consider this to fit into this category. Please let us know what you have done to help her. Thank you, Carolyn Wendell VOCAL Voice of Catholics Advocating Life PO Box 458 Sublimity, OR 97383 503.767.3333 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note #2 1/2 Mea Culpa about the missing pieces of any emails. Thank goodness you can read between the lines. God Bless Us All, Carolyn