Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Killed 7 Babies With Scissors

PHILADELPHIA – A doctor who gave abortions to minorities, immigrants and poor women in a "house of horrors" clinic was charged with eight counts of murder in the deaths of a patient and seven babies who were born alive and then killed with scissors, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 69, made millions of dollars over 30 years, performing as many illegal, late-term abortions as he could, prosecutors said. State regulators ignored complaints about him and failed to inspect his clinic since 1993, but no charges were warranted against them given time limits and existing law, District Attorney Seth Williams said. Nine of Gosnell's employees also were charged.

Gosnell "induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord," Williams said.

Patients were subjected to squalid and barbaric conditions at Gosnell's Women's Medical Society, where Gosnell performed dozens of abortions a day, prosecutors said. He mostly worked overnight hours after his untrained staff administered drugs to induce labor during the day, they said.

Early last year, authorities went to investigate drug-related complaints at the clinic and stumbled on what Williams called a "house of horrors."

Bags and bottles holding aborted fetuses "were scattered throughout the building," Williams said. "There were jars, lining shelves, with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose."

The clinic was shut down and Gosnell's medical license was suspended after the raid.

Gosnell and four workers were charged with murder, while five others were charged with controlled drug violations and other crimes. None of the employees had any medical training, and one, a high school student, performed intravenous anesthesia with potentially lethal narcotics, Williams said.

All 10 defendants were taken into custody, authorities said.

Two listed numbers for Gosnell in Philadelphia have been disconnected. Defense lawyer William J. Brennan, who represented Gosnell during the investigation, noted that the doctor served patients in a low-income city neighborhood for decades.

"Obviously, these allegations are very, very serious," Brennan said.

The grand jury said the woman who died was a patient who came to Gosnell's clinic for an abortion and died of cardiac arrest because she was given too much Demerol. Gosnell wasn't at the clinic at the time, but directed his staff to administer the drug to keep the woman, a healthy 41-year-old woman, sedated until he arrived, prosecutors said.

Gosnell has been named in at least 46 malpractice suits, including one over the death of a 22-year-old mother who died of sepsis and a perforated uterus in 2000. Many others also involve perforated uteruses. Gosnell sometimes sewed up the injury without telling women their uteruses had been perforated, prosecutors said.

Gosnell charged $325 for first-trimester abortions and $1,600 to $3,000 for abortions up to 30 weeks. Abortions are legal up to 24 weeks gestation in Pennsylvania, although most doctors won't perform them after 20 weeks, prosecutors said.

Some women came from across the mid-Atlantic for the illegal late-term abortions, authorities said. White women from the suburbs were ushered into a separate, slightly cleaner area because Gosnell believed they were more likely to file complaints, Williams said.

"People knew near and far that if you needed a late-term abortion you could go see Dr. Gosnell," Williams said.

Few if any of the sedated women knew their babies were born alive and then killed, prosecutors said. Many were first-time mothers who were told they were 24 weeks pregnant, even if they were further along, authorities said.

Gosnell got his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is board certified in family practice. He started, but did not finish, a residency in obstetrics-gynecology, authorities said.

"He does not know how to do an abortion. He's not board certified," Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said. "Once he got them there, he saw dollar signs and did abortions that other people wouldn't do."

AP

Invoking The Gift Of Full Communion

In his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope dedicated his catechesis to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is taking place from 18 to 25 January and during which "all those who believe in Christ are invited to come together in prayer, so as to bear witness to the profound ties that unite them and to invoke the gift of full communion".

The Holy Father remarked on "the providential fact that prayer is at the centre of the journey to unity. This", he said, "reminds us once again that unity cannot be a product of mere human efforts, is its above all a gift of God. ... We do not 'construct' unity, God 'constructs' it, it comes from Him, from the mystery of the Trinity".

Benedict recalled how the theme chosen for this year's Week of Prayer "refers to the experience of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, as described in the Acts of the Apostles: 'They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers'".

This quotation identifies "four characteristics defining the first Christian community of Jerusalem", he said, "which still act as pillars for the life of all Christian communities, and constitute the solid foundation on which to continue to construct the visible unity of the Church".

Commenting on the first of these characteristics, the Pope noted that, "even today, the community of believers recognises the norms of its own faith in that reference to the teaching of the Apostles. All efforts to build unity among Christians must, then, involve increasing faithfulness to the 'depositum fidei' handed down to us by the Apostles".

The Holy Father then turned to the second element, "fraternal communion, ... the most tangible expression of unity between disciples and the Lord, especially for the outside world. ... The history of the ecumenical movement has been marked by difficulties and doubts, but it is also a history of fraternity, of co-operation and of human and spiritual sharing, which has significantly altered relations among believers in the Lord Jesus. We are all committed to continuing this journey".

On the subject of the third characteristic, "the breaking of bread", the Holy Father noted that "communion in Christ's sacrifice is the pinnacle of our union with God and, therefore, it also represents the completeness of the unity of Christ's disciples, full communion". In this context he noted also how "the impossibility of sharing the same Eucharist ... also gives a penitential dimension to our prayers. This must be a reason for ever more generous commitment on everyone's part so that, having removed the obstacles to full communion, the day may come when it will be possible to gather around the table of the Lord, together breaking the Eucharistic bread and drinking from the same chalice.

"Finally", he added, "prayer was the fourth characteristic of the early Church inJerusalem ... Prayer also means opening ourselves to the fraternity that stems from our being children of the one heavenly Father; it means being ready for forgiveness and reconciliation".

"Like the first Christian community of Jerusalem, on the basis of what we already share we must offer a powerful witness - well-founded spiritually and well-supported by reason - of the one God Who revealed Himself and speaks to us in Christ, in order to be bring a message which guides and illuminates the path of modern man, who often lacks clear points of reference. It is important, then, to increase our mutual love every day, striving to overcome the barriers that still exist between Christians, in the knowledge that true inner unity does exist among people who follow the Lord. We must collaborate as much as possible, working together on outstanding questions and, above all, aware that we need the Lord's help on this journey. He must still help us a lot because without Him, alone, without 'abiding in Him', we can do nothing".

VIS

More Marriage Support Needed From The Church

California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC) has released an unprecedented in-depth study, The State of California's Unions -- In the Pews and the Public Square. This is the first-ever report that looks at Californians' views on marriage and divorce matters and compares them based on their self-described levels of religious activity.

Commissioned by CHMC, the report revealed findings that faith leaders may find alarming:

• 32% of "Regular" church-goers agree that "marriage is too risky" due to the high chances of divorce;
  
• 20% of married "Frequent" church-goes have "discussed the idea of divorce" with their spouse.

The report also found good news for clergy members. The large majority of church goers -- whether "Frequent," "Regular," "Occasional," or "Rare" -- believe that religious organizations should offer pre-marital education, marriage enrichment programs, and help to couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage.

"This report makes it real clear. People need help in their marriages and families, want help with their relationships, and they are looking to churches and houses of worship to provide that help. As a former pastor, I know how hard it is to try to help couples without having the tools and skills to address their needs. At CHMC we have a plethora of resources to help church leaders meet this growing demand," says K. Jason Krafsky, CHMC Director of Communications and Marketing. Krafsky reports that his organization has developed a how-to kit for pastors interested in launching a marriage building ministry. CHMC also trains leaders in a variety of skills based marriage and relationship education programs.

The Pews and Public Squares report provides findings on topics such as "Faith Habits of Couples," "Does Attending Religious Services Affect How People Rate Their Own Marriage?" and "Do the Church and Unchurched Find Common Ground on Marriage?" The study provides information that CHMC believes will help faith leaders speak more accurately to the topic of marriage and divorce, develop strategic plans for relationship related programming, and expand their expertise in serving their community's families.

For the past five years, CHMC has taught proven relationship-building skills to more than 62,000 Californians through Marriage and Relationship Education classes for all ages and stages. A statewide clearinghouse of Marriage and Relationship Education classes and The State of California's Unions -- In the Pews and the Public Square report are available at www.CaMarriage.com.

Julie Sallee Partin, Media Relations, California Healthy Marriage Coalition

Roe Vs. Wade: Day Of Infamy

January 22, 1973 is another day besides December 7, 1941, that shall live in infamy in American history. On this day, 38 years ago, the Supreme Court decriminalized the sin and crime of abortion. Tragically, they struck down every law in America that protected preborn children from those who would arbitrarily harm them in the sanctity of their mother's womb. With a stroke of the pen, the safest place for a child waiting to be born, instantly became the most dangerous. For nearly sixty million American children, the womb, which God created to nurture life became the tomb in which they died.

Roe vs. Wade is not only a bad legal decision that codified evil into law, but stands as a tribute to the basest aspects of our fallen human nature. It enhances the life of the strong at the expense of the weak. It protects large people as they victimize little people. With impunity, it allows parents to do the unspeakable to their own offspring. In the name of law, Roe vs. Wade established the foulest injustice in American history.

Roe vs. Wade not only violates God's Law, "Thou Shalt Not Murder," but also betrays our national covenant which states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

For 38 years and counting, America has refused to uphold our first and foremost fundamental right, which is the right to life. No other rights as Americans are secure, if this right is denied. Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press are of no consequence to a dead baby.

Roe vs. Wade is a national tragedy that far exceeds the abominable practice of slavery. It should remind every American that we are failing once again to live up to our own creed. As a result, millions of little American citizens waiting to be born are finding to their horror that the "American Dream" has turned into a deadly nightmare.

Moreover, Roe vs. Wade raises a question that must be urgently answered in these tumultuous times. Can a nation that denies life and freedom to its most vulnerable citizens be worthy of life and freedom themselves?

Lastly, Roe vs. Wade is above all an urgent call to our blood-stained nation to repent of this national sin. Keep in mind that national sin brings national calamity. The many woes suffered by our nation today can be attributed to this spiritual reality. Therefore, to secure a future and a hope, the American holocaust must end. It is my sincere prayer that abortion not only become illegal once again, but like slavery before it, may it become unthinkable in the United States of America.

Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas

ACLU Ignores Threats To Womens's Health

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula, interim president of Human Life International (HLI), today blasted the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for what he called their "flagrant disregard for women's health, and for the constitution." He was referring to aJanuary 12 statement wherein the ACLU defended the inclusion of contraception in federally-mandated health coverage, and the ACLU criticized the US Catholic bishops for asking for contraception to be precluded from coverage.

First, the letter from counsel of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) made an argument based entirely on objective information available to every reasonable person. It was clearly not a 'religious argument' as the ACLU states," said Monsignor Barreiro. "Thus, it must be the position of the ACLU that anything that comes from a religious entity is de facto a religious argument, even if it uses no religious premises, and thus is not welcome in the public square. This is utterly unconstitutional as a grave offense to the first amendment, and if accepted as reasoning by the federal government, represents an acceptance of religious bigotry."

"Second," continued Monsignor Barreiro, "the ACLU is calling for a Group-1 carcinogen (WHO: Estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives) to be prescribed to unsuspecting women, and paid for by the government. And they do so, ironically, in calling contraception 'a matter of health and individual conscience.' A matter of health? If the ACLU cared about women's health, they would not be promoting a known cancer-causing agent as a basic offering in government-mandated healthcare coverage. This fact, along with the growing body of evidence showing that oral contraceptives are having a serious and negative impact on the environment, in addition to multiple negative social effects, should lead the ACLU to join the USCCB in questioning its inclusion in federal health care coverage.

"We reject bigotry in all its forms, just as we reject all threats to human life and dignity. The ACLU's argument betrays the former, and their promotion of oral contraception is obviously an example of the latter: as it is a clear threat to human life and dignity," said Monsignor Barreiro.

Human Life International: Pro-Life Missionaries to the World -- Founded in 1981, HLI is the world's largest international pro-life organization and has affiliates and associates in over 100 countries on six continents. www.hli.org

Cnw

Dr. Alveda King - Uncle Martin, The Social Conservative

Dr. Alveda King, full-time Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said today that advice columns written by her uncle for Ebony magazine in 1957-58 reveal a man who today would be regarded as a social conservative.

"ID

n advising men and women on questions of personal behavior 50 years ago, Uncle Martin sounded no different than a conservative Christian preacher does now," said Dr. King. "He was pro-life, pro-ab Dr

stinence before marriage, and based his views on the unchanging Word of the Bible. Today, Planned Parenthood would condemn Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of the 'religious right.'"

In advice columns written for the African American-oriented magazine, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told a young man who had impregnated his girlfriend and refused to marry her, resulting in a "crime," that he had made a "mistake." He urged another reader to abstain from premarital sex, noting that such activity was contributing "to the present breakdown of the family."

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of peace, justice, and most of all a man of God," added Dr. King. "Were he alive today, he would be working to secure peace and justice for those in the womb and healing for a nation that is still pained by over 50 million missing lives."

The National Black Pro-Life Union is an organization founded to serve as a clearing house to coordinate the flow of communications among all African American pro-life organizations and individuals in order to better network and combine resources. We realize that if we are to be successful, it is necessary to share information and/or resources as well as "who gets the credit." We acknowledge that the real credit for any good thing always goes to GOD–not man. Day Gardner, President, 202-834-0844,www.nationalblackprolifeunion.com

Dr. King heads African American Outreach for Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visitwww.priestsforlife.org.

CNW

Apology Needed For Catholic Scientists

Recent writings commenting on Dignitas Personae regarding the use of aborted fetal and embryonic cells by researchers are under fire by pro-life group, Children of God for Life. Executive Director, Debi Vinnedge who has praised the 2008 document approved by Pope Benedict XVI for its precise teachings on immoral research, says the writer owes Catholic scientists an apology.

The problem began with a brief in December 2010, May Researchers Use "Biological Material" Unjustly Obtained? (see culture-of-life.org//content/view/684/111/) in which Senior Fellow William E. May opined on Sections 34 and 35 of the Church directive.

Mr. May contended that Dignitas Personae provides "exceptions" allowing researchers to use "illicitly obtained biological materials". However, a careful reading of the Church instruction states the complete opposite.

A second article appeared in ZENIT January 12, 2011 as a question that was answered by Mr. May, titled Using Vaccines Obtained From Intentionally Aborted Human Embryos – Further Clarification Needed for Parents, Researchers. www.zenit.org/article-31437?l=english

"Mr. May uses the same concluding arguments in both articles, citing Dignitas Personae, yet the two are completely different situations," stated Ms. Vinnedge. "And in each one, he is misstating the facts."

In both publications May cites from the writings by Christian Brugger, who opines that Dignitas Personae and the Pontifical Academy for Life's, Moral Reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Fetuses do not provide sufficient guidelines for researchers using aborted fetal or embryonic cell lines.

In three of its eight pages, that document expounded on their use by researchers, physicians and parents, concluding it was illicit for researchers. Parents, on the other hand, who have no voice in the decision to use aborted fetal cell lines in vaccine production, might have proportionate reasons to do so.

Incredibly, May states these cell lines could "provide great benefit to unborn humans," thus concluding it is morally licit for researchers to use them under Dignitas Personae's "exceptions."

"There are no "exceptions" for researchers, as moral options exist," noted Vinnedge. "It's unfortunate Mr. May thinks otherwise, because many Catholic scientists are taking the Church teachings to heart and turning to moral research."

Vinnedge has written an eight page response to May's article titled, Twisting the Truth on Dignitas Personae, www.cogforlife.org/dp.pdf citing the unambiguous proof of the Church teaching in both documents.

Christian Newswire