Category Archives: General

Kindergarten Teacher Dies after Late-Term Abortion; Abortionist Didn’t Answer Emergency Calls

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A kindergarten teacher has died at the hands of a late-term abortionist.Not long ago, Jennifer Morbelli and her husband were making plans to Jennifer Morbelliwelcome their baby girl into the world. They had picked out baby things for her in a registry, and they even had chosen a name – Madison.

But when the couple found out that their baby girl had abnormalities, they decided to abort her. Read more here.

Infamous late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart performed Jennifer’s abortion earlier this month at a center in Maryland. After the surgery, Jennifer went home and began experiencing intense pain. According to reports, the family tried to call Carhart, but he did not answer. They took her to the emergency room, and she died a few hours later.

Now, a source reveals that Carhart’s abortion center instructs its patients NOT to go to the emergency room. The instructions say that if the woman is having problems, she should call and meet someone at the center.

This case mirrors the tragic death of young Chicago mother Tonya Reeves last summer. In her case, she went to Planned Parenthood for an abortion and started having problems while she was there. The staff waited six hours before taking her to the emergency room. And then they failed to inform the hospital staff about her condition.

It’s also reminiscent of the horror stories that were revealed in Philadelphia two years ago. Abortionist Kermit Gosnell butchered women and newborn infants in his gristly practice. He now awaits trial for the deaths of seven newborns and a woman.

When will these sickening killings end? When will our society wake up and realize how devastating abortion is to preborn babies and their mothers?

Reflecting on the Tragedy of Abortion, Hope for Life during Black History Month

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As we celebrate Black History Month this February, I think back to all of the things I learned this year as I began working in the pro-life movement.

So much has disturbed and surprised me about abortion in our country, mother_and_childbut there is little that I find more disturbing than abortion in African American communities.

Take a look with me:

The statistics – The number of abortions that black women have in Pennsylvania is troubling. While about 11 percent of our population is African American, 41 percent of abortions in the Commonwealth are to African Americans.

The targets – A new study shows that abortion centers target minorities. Life Issues Institute analyzed the 2010 Census data, and found “… that Planned Parenthood continues to strategically place the majority of their surgical abortion facilities in locations that target Black Americans for abortion. This analysis shows that 62% of Planned Parenthood abortion facilities are within walking distance (2 miles) of relatively high African American populations.”

The stories – This summer, the news of a tragic abortion death unfolded. A young black mother named Tonya Reaves walked in to a Planned Parenthood to have an abortion. Hours later, both she and her baby were dead. Later investigations revealed that her uterus has been perforated during the abortion; and staff waited several hours before taking her to the hospital. By then, it was too late. Planned Parenthood now faces two lawsuits because of Tonya’s death.

And just recently, two black women shared their abortion experiences in a new film about the Philadelphia abortion mill run by Kermit Gosnell. The first woman changed her mind on the abortion table, but the staff forced her to go through with the abortion. The second woman was lied to about abortion and the health risks. Gosnell left both women damaged mentally and physically. Neither one can have any more children.

The life advocates – These numbers and stories break my heart. So many babies are dying at the hands of the abortionist. So many women are being lied to. Yet, I also found hope in the black community, whose strong pro-life advocates refuse to stop fighting against this injustice.

Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., dedicates her life to ending abortion. She visited Central Pa. last fall and joined area black religious leaders in praying for an end to abortion. King had two abortions as a young woman, and now she shares a message of hope and healing with other women who have been damaged by abortions. Read more about her here.

Arlene Campbell bravely speaks about having an abortion in college. The Philadelphia woman almost died after complications resulting from her abortion. She now tells her story with the hope that other women will choose life for their preborn babies. Listen to her story here.

Dr. Mildred Fay Jefferson left an amazing legacy, breaking racial and gender barriers as African American leader. She was the first African American women to graduate from Harvard Medical School. In the 1975, she became the president of the National Right to Life Committee. Her eloquence and passion for the preborn even influenced Ronald Reagan. Watch her story here.

I find new hope in these leaders, hope that one day our society will respect the rights of every human life.

The Pro-life Fight for Women

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By Maria Gallagher

The line “War on Women” did not die on Election Night 2012. The pro-abortion lobby carefully coined this phrase in an attempt to neutralize advances made by those who believe that law and public policy should protect an innocent person’s right to life. It’s catchy, alliterative, and denotes violence and death, and so it works well in a soundbite world.

Every time the catch-phrase is uttered—on cable news, radio talk shows, and in the Twitterverse, it should be countered—in an equally soundbite-savvy way. For what the pro-life movement has been engaging in for the past 40 years is a Fight for Women. And many women are leading the charge:

• Abby Johnson. This courageous mom once worked for Planned Parenthood, but, Former Planned Parenthood Director Abby Johnsonwhen viewing an ultrasound-guided abortion—and seeing the goodness and kindness of the 40 Days for Life members standing vigil outside the abortion center door—walked bravely to “the other side.” She now assists those who work within the abortion industry to find a safe way out. You can learn more about her And Then There Were None ministry at http://www.attwn.org/ . (And be sure to read her fascinating account of her transition from abortion proponent to pro-life advocate in her ground-breaking book, “Unplanned.” Abby is a passionate leader in the Fight for Women.

• Lila Rose. This remarkable twenty-something is lila3tthe founder of Live Action, which uses the tried-and-true tools of investigative journalism to expose the illegal activity and corruption present in the abortion industry. Lila has been especially effective at lifting the veil behind the cover-up of the sexual abuse of minor girls. You can learn more about her at http://www.liveaction.org/lilarose/ . Lila is a fearless truth-seeker in the Fight for Women.

• Gianna Jessen and Melissa Ohden. These two articulate young women have put a face on “choice.” Both are survivors of attempts to take their lives through abortion. They have raised their voices for those unborn girls who have none, and their testimony is powerful. Discover their stories at http://www.giannajessen.com/main/octoberbaby.html and http://www.melissaohden.com/ . Gianna and Melissa represent the heart and soul of the Fight for Women.

• Kristan Hawkins. She is the Executive Director of Students Kristan_Hawkinsfor Life. She has invigorated pro-life activism on college campuses around the nation, and has helped to show the world that youth have a particular stake in the Fight for Women. The Students for Life success story can be found at www.studentsforlife.org . Kristan is among the leading strategists in the Fight for Women.

This is far from a complete list—but it does spotlight the role that young, vibrant leaders are playing in the Fight for Women. Whenever you hear abortion advocates talking about the War on Women, point to the awe-inspiring Millennials and Gen-Xers at the forefront of the pro-life movement and respond, “No, you must mean the Fight for Women—and we are winning!”

Half a Million Join March for Life in Washington, D.C.

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You may not have heard it on the news, but this year’s March for Life brought a record crowd to Washington, D.C. on January 25. About half a million people from all across the country braved the wind and snow to stand up for the rights of the preborn.

Several thousand of these people were from Pennsylvania. According to one news report, churches in the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg alone provided transportation for 700 people.

Click here to check out photos of Pennsylvanians at the March or take a quick look at a few below:

Young people from Butler County during the March for Life

Young people from Butler County during the March for Life

Marchers with our Pocono Chapter pause for a group photo.

Marchers with our Pocono Chapter pause for a group photo.

Youth and adults with the People for Life of Erie bus trip head to the March.

Youth and adults with the People for Life of Erie bus trip head to the March.

 

Bells to Toll in Harrisburg for 40th Anniversary of Abortion Ruling, Roe v. Wade

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Church bells throughout the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg will toll 40 times on Tuesday, January 22, to mark the somber 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the tragic U.S. Supreme Court decision which brought us the nightmare of abortion on demand for any reason during all nine months of pregnancy.

But for whom will the bells toll?

• The nameless victims who never got to see a rainbow…never got to feel the sun’s warmth, or a gentle mother’s kiss on their foreheads. It is estimated that there are more than 55 million of them now—black, Latino, Asian, Native American, white—all of them somebody’s child.

• The millions of mothers, many of them pressured by others, who were exploited by the profiteers of the abortion industry. Some lost their lives at the hands of their abortionists, others their health–witness the depravity and the disdain for women at abortionist Kermit Gosnell’s West Philadelphia abortion center, described by a grand jury as a House of Horrors. Watch the documentary series “3801 Lancaster” to hear testimonies from women butchered at Gosnell’s practice. And learn more about the brave witness of women who regret their abortions at http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/ .

• The millions of fathers, some of whom tried valiantly to save the lives of their children, only to be told they had no say in the matter. Find out more about their struggle at http://www.fatherhoodforever.org/ .

• The millions of brothers, sisters, and cousins who grew up in families where someone important was missing. College students can get involved by going to http://studentsforlife.org/ .

• The millions of grandparents who struggle to come to grips with the loss of the grandchildren they never knew. They can find healing at http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/ .

And yet, there is tragically more. The phrase “for whom the bell tolls” comes from a work by poet John Dunne:

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.”

The church bells of Harrisburg will be tolling for each one of us, for, whether we knew these 55 million children or not, we have all been diminished by their deaths.

Pa. Abortions Decrease, Complications Increase in 2011

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – While abortions in Pennsylvania declined for the third year in a row in 2011, complications as a result of the procedure increased sharply, according to statistics released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Statistics show 498 (1.4 percent) fewer abortions in 2011 compared to 2010. In total, there were 36,280 abortions performed in Pennsylvania in 2011. The 2011 total represents a 44.8 percent decrease from the all-time high of 65,777 recorded in 1980.

However, the year brought a disturbing 78.7 percent increase in the number of complications from abortions. The 109 reported complications included bleeding, infections and “retained products of conception” including fetal parts, according to the department.

“As these statistics show, abortion not only destroys a preborn child’s life but also puts its mother’s health at risk,” said Micaiah Bilger, education coordinator at the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

The year 2011 brought to light the gristly practices of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who is charged with the murders of a woman and seven newborn babies. In response to the tragedy, Pennsylvania implemented Act 122, which requires abortion facilities to be licensed as outpatient surgical facilities and to submit to unannounced inspections.

“Every life, from the moment of conception to natural death – and everywhere in between, deserves to be protected,” Bilger said.

To access the Pa. Department of Health report on abortion, click here.

Women in Poverty Need Support, not Abortion

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The pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher research group released some interesting new abortion graphics this week in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. (Look at them here.)

It’s funny – though not in a “ha ha” way – how the graphics really seem to point to the opposite of what the pro-abortion group intends.

Several graphics show links between poverty and abortion, supposedly to encourage support for more abortion access for women in poverty.

When I look at the graphics, I feel concern – as I’m sure Guttmacher wants me to – but not because of access to abortion.

No, these numbers tell me that greater access to abortion is NOT the answer to helping women.

Guttmacher reports that 69 percent of the women who have abortions are economically disadvantaged, and that some give up food or utilities or shelter to pay for an abortion.

These facts tug at my heart strings. If only these women knew that they don’t have to give up food or heat or shelter or their preborn child’s life!

Guttmacher is wrong to suggest that greater access to abortion will empower these financially-strained women.

Pregnant women in poverty need better knowledge of and access to financial resources, not abortion. Women should not be forced to choose between a meal and a baby’s life.

For more information about pregnancy resources in your area, click here.

‘Taking the Long Road Home’ to End Abortion in the U.S.

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On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued one of its most tragic rulings – Roe v. Wade. The decision struck down all state bans on abortion, basically allowing preborn babies to be killed at any time for any reason.

Dr. Alveda King, during her visit to Central Pa. this fall, told pro-lifers how hard she prayed that the Supreme Court would uphold the sanctity of human life and reverse Roe v. Wade.

When the justices instead upheld their devastating decision, King cried out to God and asked why.

Watch her explain the answer here.

God told her, “… the hearts of the people are too hard, so we are going to have to take the long road home.”

The road to ending abortion is full of obstacles, but we are persevering along the path to a brighter future for our preborn babies.

Taking the long road, we work one by one to change hearts and minds. And we are doing just that: Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Abby Johnson, Alveda King each had or participated in abortions before they became pro-life advocates.

Taking the long road home, we ensure that women have access to accurate information about abortion, adoption, and parenting.

Taking the long road home, we offer support to pregnant and new mothers in crisis.

Taking the long road home, we are achieving victories for the right to life as we carry the truth that every life — from conception to natural death — must be granted the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Find out how you can help defend the right to life by contacting us at lifelines@paprolife.org or 717-541-0034.

Make a New Year’s Resolution to Attend the March for Life

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When I was about 6 years old, my parents pulled out the stroller, bundled up my sister and me, and took us to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life.

I remember the Washington Monument outlined by the sunny cold blue sky of winter. When my dad lifted me onto his shoulders, I remember seeing the mass of people packed onto the lawn. The crowd amazed me.

But for many years, I didn’t go back. I was busy with school,  work, volunteering, family, wedding plans. And some years, I’m ashamed to admit, I forgot.

Two years ago, I made the commitment to start going again. My sisters, cousins, a friend, and I stuffed ourselves into the family van and drove down to the March on a bitterly cold day.

The crowd amazed me, just as it had when I was 6. Hundreds of thousands of people poured into the streets and flowed through the winding road to the U.S. Supreme Court building. I thrilled in the realization that we all were standing there united for one single purpose – to protect and defend every single human life.

This year, it is more critical than ever to participate in prolife efforts such as the March for Life. First, this January marks the 40th year since the Supreme Court’s devastating opinion in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which opened the doors to abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy. And, second, our nation faces new threats to life because of the abortion provisions and medical rationing in President Obama’s health care law.

Maybe you have been thinking about going to the March for years but never made it. Maybe you have faithfully attended every year, but you know a friend who has never gone. Make 2013 the year you attend or invite that friend.

This year, it is more critical than ever that we join together on this day to stand united against this lawful taking of innocent lives.

The 2013 March for Life is scheduled for Friday, January 25 in downtown Washington, D.C. For information about bus trips to the March or community prolife events in January, contact us at lifelines@paprolife.org or 717-541-0034.

Central Pa. Employer Files Lawsuit against HHS Mandate

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Out of Central Pennsylvania this week came a new challenge to the provisions in President Obama’s HHS Mandate.

Conestoga Wood Specialties, a Mennonite-owned company based in Lancaster County, filed a federal suit against the mandate, which forces employers to cover abortion-causing contraception for their employees.

According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article:

“Conestoga Wood Specialties, citing the principles of religious freedom on which William Penn founded Pennsylvania, says in its suit, filed in U.S. District Court, that to accord to its Mennonite beliefs, it would be ‘sinful and immoral for the company to participate in, pay for, facilitate or otherwise support any contraception’ that would have the effect of an abortion.”

The Conestoga lawsuit is one of more than 40 challenges that have been filed against the federal law. In the past few months, several employers have won temporary victories against the mandate.

Let’s hope and pray that the courts will continue to reject this forced violation of conscience.