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Presidential Candidates Court Catholic Vote

Posted on Friday, June 13, 2008 by Susan Brinkmann

by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer (June 13, 2008) Both Presidential candidates are reaching out to Catholic voters, but with mixed results. While Senator John McCain (R-AZ) recently met with Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests forLife and other Catholic leaders in Philadelphia, Senator Barack Obama’s (D-IL) campaign is embroiled in controversy over its Catholic National Advisory Council which consists of mostly dissidents and abortion supporters. According to a report by Deal Hudson of Inside Catholic, Senator McCain conducted a meeting with Catholic leaders in Philadelphia on June 12. After meeting with Fr. Frank Pavone, founder of Priests for Life, the first issue he raised with voters was abortion. He told voters that the “inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” applies to the unborn. He reminded voters of his pro-life voting record and promised to “maintain that commitment” if elected president. McCain has a solid pro-life voting record, which includes a vote to uphold the Mexico City Policy which prevents International Planned Parenthood from receiving tax dollars. He also voted against endorsing Roe v. Wade and believes it should be overturned. Obama, on the other hand, is a staunch supporter of abortion rights. He voted against the ban on partial-birth abortion and opposed legal protection for babies born during an abortion procedure. Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, co-sponsored the Freedom of Choice Act, a bill that would invalidate virtually all state and federal limitations on abortion, and will make partial-birth abortion legal again. Obama has frequently made the promise that passage of the Freedom of Choice Act will be one of his first priorities if elected president. During his Philadelphia meeting, McCain also brought up another subject sensitive to Catholics - that of defending marriage against the legal assault by same-sex couples. While he believes the matter should reside with the states, he added, “But if some federal judge rules that all the states must recognize the [gay] marriages in Massachusetts, I would be in favor of pursuing a Constitutional amendment.” Obama says he personally believes marriage is between a man and a woman but supports legal recognition of same-sex couples and advocates for the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because it discriminates against homosexuals. He has also said that he believes the Sermon on the Mount justifies recognition of same-sex unions. Both McCain and Obama support embryonic stem cell research. Each candidate has also been embroiled in controversy concerning the Catholic vote. McCain recently came under fire after being endorsed by Texas evangelical preacher, John Hagee, who referred to the Catholic Church as the “Great Whore” and an “apostate church.” Hagee publicly apologized for these comments last month. The Obama campaign has also been excoriated for establishing the controversial Catholic National Advisory Council comprised of mostly dissident Catholics who support abortion. Included on the list is Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius who was recently asked to refrain from receiving Communion by Kansas City’s Archbishop John Naumann because of her staunch abortion support. Also included on the Council are abortion supporting senators such as Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry, (D-MA) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). The flamboyant Fr. Michael Pfleger who was recently subjected to a two-week suspension for racial statements he made about Hillary Clinton was also on the Council but recently withdrew his name. There is some indication that Obama may have suspended this Council but has not publicly announced its dissolution. Of the two candidates, McCain scored much better with Catholic voters during the Republican primary season, winning a large portion of the vote from active Catholics in key states such as California, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Obama has been having a more difficult time, with Catholic voters in the Democratic primaries preferring Clinton over Obama by substantial margins. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com Voting with a Catholic conscience can be tricky in today’s nuanced political arena. In “Casting a Catholic Ballot,” Fr. Frank Pavone, Mary Jo Anderson and Fr. Edward Krause answer your questions about how to cast a faithful ballot.

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Teens Listen When Parents Warn About Substance Abuse

Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 by Susan Brinkmann

by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer (June 11, 2008) A new study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation found that when parents discuss the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse with their teens, they actually listen. “The drug abuse landscape teens face today – which includes abuse of prescription and over-thecounter medicines – is drastically different than when today’s parents were teens,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. “We know that parents are the greatest point of leverage in preventing drug and alcohol abuse, and this survey reinforces the fact that kids live up to parents’ expectations as well as down to them.” The study found that only 16 percent of teens whose parents set a zero tolerance policy said they were likely to us drugs or alcohol, while 45 percent of teens whose parents did not set such boundaries said they were likely to drink or use drugs, particularly at prom or graduation parties. The problem is that parents too often let their own personal experiences with alcohol and drugs influence the rules and limits they set for teens. For instance, the survey found that parents who drank or used drugs at their own proms or graduation events were likely to be more permissive with their kids than those who didn’t. “Among parents who drank or used drugs on these occasions, 66 percent set a ‘zero tolerance policy’ for their teens. Among parents who did not drink or use drugs, that number jumps up to 87 percent of parents who set hard rules about drinking and drugs for their kids,” the study found. The survey also found that 66 percent of teens said they feel pressured to use drugs or alcohol at parties. However, when teens are taught about the risks at home, other Partnership studies found that almost half are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, only a third of the teens say they’re getting this message from their parents. “By talking with their teens often about the dangers of drug abuse, parents can protect their kids and help them live healthy drug-free lives,” said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation. “These survey findings serve as an important reminder that what parents choose to discuss with their teens can have an impact on the actions their children take.” The Partnership recommends that before big events like prom or graduation, parents should talk to their teen about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. They might also get in touch with the parents of their teen’s friends to be sure they’re not serving alcohol at their houses. Some parents say, “I’d rather my kids drink at home where I know they’re safe” - but this can open the door to other kids drinking and potentially driving under the influence of alcohol, the report states. In some communities, this exposes the parents who serve alcohol to legal liability for accidents related to drugs or alcohol consumed at their house. The bottom line is to warn kids about the dangers before it’s too late. “When parents talk, most teens actually do listen,” said Pasierb. “Many parents feel overwhelmed and conflicted about setting hard rules about drug and alcohol use, especially if they drank or used drugs as a teen – but they must set clear, non-negotiable rules. We urge parents to not only talk with their kids, but to encourage fellow parents to follow suit and enforce the same rules.” © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com Experts say teens are more than willing to rise to the challenge of a moral life - if only someone would challenge them! In “The Virtues: Teens and the Joy-Filled Life” author Mary Ann Budnik tells you how to help your teen strive for the moral high ground.

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Adult Stem Cells Offer Hope for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on Monday, June 09, 2008 by Susan Brinkmann

by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer (June 9, 2008) Australian researchers say a cure for the same disease that plagued Pope John Paul II, Parkinson’s disease, may be right under our noses - literally. A team of scientists at Griffith’s University are reporting in a study published in the June 6 issue of the journal Stem Cell that adult stem cells harvested from the noses of Parkinson’s patients gave rise to dopamine-producing brain cells when transplanted into the brain of a rat. This is significant because the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's, such as loss of muscle control, are caused by the degeneration of cells that produce the essential chemical dopamine in the brain. Currently, drug therapies are used to replace dopamine in the brain, but these often become less effective after prolonged use. Project leader Professor Alan Mackay-Sim said researchers simulated Parkinson's symptoms in rats by creating lesions on one side of the brain similar to the damage Parkinson's causes in the human brain. “The lesions to one side of the brain made the rats run in circles,” he said. “When stem cells from the nose of Parkinson's patients were cultured and injected into the damaged areas, the rats re-acquired the ability to run in a straight line.” All the animals used in the experiment showed dramatic improvement within just three weeks. Perhaps even more significant is the fact that “none of the transplants led to formation of tumors or teratomas in the host rats as has occurred after embryonic stem cell transplantation in a similar model,” Mackay-Sim said. The advantage of using a patient's own cells is that, unlike stem cells from a foreign embryo, they are not rejected by the patient's immune system, so patients are free from a lifetime of potentially dangerous immuno-suppressant drug therapy. Stem cells obtained from the olfactory nerve in the nose are “naVve,” he explained, meaning they have not yet differentiated into which sort of cells they will give rise to. “They can still be influenced by the environment they are put into. In this case we transplanted them into the brain, where they were directed to give rise to dopamine producing brain cells." Professor Mackay-Sim also developed a technique in 2006 that demonstrates how olfactory adult stem cells can give rise to heart, nerve, liver and brain cells. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com  In “Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Why Not?” Dr. Gerry Sotomayor, Bill Schneeberger and Fr. Edward Krause discuss one of the most controversial issues of our time - the use of embryonic stem cells in research and the treatment of illness.  

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First U.S. State Offers Christian License Plate

Posted on Monday, June 09, 2008 by Susan Brinkmann

by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer (June 9, 2008) The faithful in South Carolina will soon be the first in the nation to be able to buy a specialty license plate that carries the phrase “I Believe” along with a cross and a stained glass window. But believers in the separation of church and state are already gearing up for a fight. A bill authorizing the plate passed the South Carolina State House and Senate by a unanimous vote on May 22 and became law on June 5 even without the signature of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. “While I do, in fact, ‘believe,’ it is my personal view that the largest proclamation of one’s faith ought to be in how one lives one’s life,” the Governor wrote in a letter to Glenn F. McConnell, president pro tem of the Senate and a fellow Republican. The bill was sponsored by South Carolina State Senator Lawrence K. Grooms who has initiated several bills that help the state use constitutional law in order to insure the rights of people to display their faith in public places. Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Jewish Congress said they were considering suing the state over the plate. “The whole issue here is that people are trying to get the state to endorse their religion, and that’s wrong,” said Dr. T. Jeremey Gunn, director of the A.C.L.U. Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief to The New York Times. “It’s almost as if there’s insufficient support, and they have to go to the state to get it.” Senator Grooms rejected their arguments. “I didn’t see a constitutional problem with it,” he said. “We have other  plates with religious symbols on them and phrases like ‘In God We Trust.’ Just because it’s a cross, some very closed-minded people don’t believe it should be on a plate.” The bill directs the Motor Vehicles Department to create the plate and offer it for just enough money to reimburse the state for the cost of the plate, between $4 and $6, which represents a considerable discount from specialty tag prices ranging as high as $70. No organization will benefit from the sales because the plate was not sponsored by a particular group. South Carolina residents currently have about 200 choices for specialty plates ranging from NASCAR tags to one for the Boy Scouts. They already have one tag that sports the slogan, “In God We Trust.” “Choose Life SC” will be available in the fall. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com The only reason why anyone would want to keep the Christian faith out of the public square is if they don’t understand what it is. In this 5 CD audio series “Common Questions, Biblical Answers,” Dr. Ted Sri explains some of the most controversial and misunderstood teachings of the Catholic faith.  

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