Will Hillary win the Catholic vote?
Political expert examines the Catholic Vote for 2008

"If Giuliani and Clinton are the nominees, then Hillary Clinton will certainly win the Catholic vote in 2008." This is the opinion of a chief strategist behind George W. Bush's success with Catholic voters in 2000 and 2004. Steve Wagner, president of QEV Analytics in Washington, D.C., isn't happy in reaching this conclusion. "Hillary Clinton, in spite of her pro-abortion position, will present a vigorous social justice agenda that will fill the void created by the GOP candidates." InsideCatholic, read article

Would NARAL endorse Giuliani?

The religious right is threatening to rebel should Rudy Giuliani win the nomination for the White House. But while the former New York City mayor's stance on abortion rights is making him a pariah within some conservative circles, it could win him favor among pro-choice advocates.

In a phone interview with the Huffington Post, NARAL's political director Elizabeth Shipp acknowledged it "would help" the pro-choice movement if a Republican proved it was possible to win the presidency while still supporting abortion rights.

NARAL has yet to announce an endorsement in the 2008 race. But Shipp, NARAL's political director acknowledged that Giuliani is the lone Republican in the field who could potentially win the organization's support. read article

Much about Rudy this Week

The Speech Giuliani Needs to Give Giuliani will have an opportunity to appeal directly to social conservatives at the Values Voter Summit on October 20 in Washington. Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard
It’s Wrong for the Right to be Rudyphobic Third-party talk ignores Giuliani’s record. Deroy Murdoch, NRO
Rudy Awakening Romney's with Scalia. Douglas W. Kmiec, NRO

and Mitt

Mitt Romney: A Changed Man Washington Post: GOP Candidate's Ideological Turnabout Has Critics Wondering: Who Is This Guy? CBSNews
Listen to Mitt. Jim DeMint, Washington Times
Evangelical Leaders Warm to Romney Washington Times

and then there was Fred

What is the Point of Fred Thompson? Gail Collins, New York Times
The tall guy from Tennessee The Economist
Fred Doesnt Flop The Blessings of low expectations. Stephen F. Hayes, Weekly Standard

The National Right to Life considers government-imposed denial of lifesaving medical care a form of involuntary euthanasia.

Members of the Senate are headed back to Capitol Hill next week and a battle over Medicare rationing will be on the front burner. One leading pro-life group has been lobbying Congress to prevent the denial of lifesaving medical treatment by refusing to allow seniors to supplement their health care.

Since Medicare is mandatory health insurance for older Americans, the government must not limit the ability of senior citizens to use their own money, the group contends, if they want to get unrationed insurance for lifesaving medical treatment under Medicare.

Despite the concerns, Democrats, and some Republicans, in the Senate appear ready to propose cuts in the private Medicare Advantage program NRLC supports.

The pro-life group has warned senators that it will score any vote on the Medicare program in its roll call of pro-life votes because it opposes assisted suicide and euthanasia just as much as it opposes abortion. LifeNews read article

Noteworthy

Bishop Warns College of the Holy Cross May Lose Catholic Name

Worcester's bishop, Bishop Robert J. McManus, has issued a frank condemnation of the decision by the local Jesuit-run College of the Holy Cross to rent their facilities for a conference featuring NARAL and Planned Parenthood workshops.

“It is my fervent wish that the administration of the College of the Holy Cross will unequivocally disassociate itself from the upcoming conference sponsored by the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy so that the college can continue to be recognized as a Catholic institution committed to promoting the moral teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.”

"To deny Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice a forum in which to present their morally unacceptable positions is not an infringement of the exercise of academic freedom but a defensible attempt to make unambiguously clear the Catholic identity and mission of the College of the Holy Cross."

Unfortunately, Holy Cross President Father Michael C. McFarland, S.J. responded to the Bishop’s thoughtful statement by declaring his continued support for the event. LifesiteNews read more

San Francisco Archbishop Responds After Caught on Video Giving Communion to Gay Men Dressed as Nuns

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of men mockingly dressed as religious sisters wearing white facial paint, with names such as “Sister Porn Again” and “Sister Roz Erection,” received Holy Communion from the Archbishop of San Francisco last Sunday. A statement by Archbishop Niederauer sent to LifeSiteNews.com by Archdiocesan communications director Maurice Healy says that the Archbishop did not notice any "mock religious garb."

Archbishop Niederauer apologizes for giving Communion...

...Although I had often seen photographs of members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, I had never encountered them in person until October 7th. I did not recognize who these people were when they approached me.

After the event, I realized that they were members of this particular organization and that giving them Holy Communion had been a mistake. I apologize to the Catholics of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and to Catholics at large for doing so. read entire statement

The Forum: Archbishop Niederauer's unacceptable apology CWN News

Susan G. Komen awards 72 grants to Planned Parenthood

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer detection, prevention, research and treatment are of the utmost importance due to the devastating impact that this disease has on women and their families. Pro-life citizens who are interested in fighting this deadly disease should be aware that one breast cancer organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, has a policy of offering financial support to abortion providing facilities. Learn the facts

Pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute produces bogus abortion statistics

Steven W. Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute has attacked the global abortion estimates of the pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher Institute as "simply bogus."
The Guttmacher Institute, which Mosher describes as the "research arm of Planned Parenthood," has published a report claiming a reduction in global abortions due to an increase in countries that legalize abortion and more access to contraceptives. Mosher said any decline is not necessarily due to contraceptive access but rather due to government sterilization programs, especially in China and Vietnam. CNANews

"When the fundamental essentials are at stake: human dignity, human life, the institution of the family and the equity of the social order (in other words the fundamental rights of man), no law made by men and women can subvert the norm written by the Creator in man's heart without society itself being dramatically struck ... at its very core."

Pope Benedict XVI

Governor Schwarznegger signed 4 anti-family bills on Friday. Governor Blasted for Signing 'Sexual Indoctrination' Bills. read more

 

 

This Weeks Headlines

Right to Life group seeks to bind lawmakers on Medicare

Architect of the Capitol flips on using the word ‘God’ on flag certificates
The Architect of the Capitol’s (AoC) office is reversing its policy on the use of religious language on flag certificates, according to a draft document, after dozens of lawmakers condemned the practice of removing the word “God” from the certificates. The Hill read more

Pelosi defends refusal to put "God" on flag certificatesread more
U.S. Capitol: 'God' a No-Go on Flag Certificates FoxNews

Not True That Thousands Died for Lack of Health Insurance, Critics Say

 

 

From Our Shepherds

Vatican

Halt embryonic stem-cell research and protect human life, insists the Pope
Pope Benedict issued a plea to all scientists today to stop using human embryos for research because it violates their God-given human dignity. Pope Benedict was adamant in condemning the destruction and manipulation of embryonic humans: "discoveries in this field invite man to a deeper awareness of the weighty responsibilities involved in their application," and "under no circumstances may a human being be manipulated or treated as a mere instrument for experimentation.” CNA

Holy See calls for respect for human life “at every level and throughout the world” and UN General Assembly
The Holy See’s Permanent Observer at the United Nations, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, told delegates at the 62nd UN General Assembly that governments and nations should care for human life “at every level and in all corners of the world.” CNA

Bishops

Malta Bishops Blast Abortion as Abortion Ship Director Speaks There

As the director of the pro-abortion group that operates the abortion ship arrives for a speech on the island nation, Malta's leading Catholic bishops are making it clear that it should oppose abortion. The abortion ship has targeted the people of Ireland, Portugal and Poland and Malta could be next because of its pro-life laws. Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, an abortionist in the Netherlands, is the founder of the Women on Waves Foundation, the group behind the abortion ship. LifeNews

Colorado Springs Bishop Says He Does Not and Would Not Permit Plan B in Catholic Hospitals

Bishops To Meet November 12-15 In Baltimore Agenda Includes Election Of Officers, Faithful Citizenship Paper, Music At Mass

Commentary

Human Life International President: "Plan A: Keep 'Plan B' Out of Catholic Hospitals" Fr. Euteneuer, LifeSite

Religious Right Sets Itself Up for Failure James Antle, American Spectator

Missouri Manipulation The only way to keep human cloning legal in Missouri is through lies. And a whopper has just dropped. Cathy Ruse, NRO

Why Dobson is right Jill Stanek, World Net Daily

State News

MA: Council Repeals Romney-Era Stem Cell Research Limits

CA: New Ad Campaign Pushes Same-Sex Marriage

IL:Plan B rule could change
Possible settlement offers compromise on morning after pill

RI: Supreme Court Hears First Same-Sex Divorce Case

MO: Sponsors of proposed amendment on cloning object to ballot language

OR: Law for domestic partners stands