Free Republic

SAN FRANCISCO — Cells from fetuses have “unique properties” that aid in healing, boasts a Swiss biopharmaceutical firm, in response to complaints that it uses fetal cell lines in skin-care products.A Christian watchdog group called Children of God for Life brought attention to the fact that the company, Neocutis, used the cell lines, derived from an abortion, in the products.“It’s absolutely deplorable,” said the Tennessee group’s founder and executive director, Debi Vinnedge. “It’s not even for humanitarian reasons. They are exploiting the remains of a deliberately slaughtered baby for nothing other than vanity.”Vinnedge usually concentrates her watchdog efforts on...

O Mary Bright Dawn of the New World O Mary! Bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life: Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy. Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our...

"Was John Paul II Euthanized?" - TIME Distorts Catholic Teaching to Give Credence to Outlandish Accusations Story broke a week after Pope declared "food and fluids" morally obligatory to PVS patients like Terri Schiavo By Peter J. Smith ROME, September 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "Was John Paul II Euthanized?" The sensationalist story peddled by TIME magazine has grabbed the world's attention with the thought that the great champion of human life, the author of "Evangelium Vitae," and steadfast opponent of abortion and euthanasia, may have rejected his Church's teachings to end his life. However TIME's story warps Catholic teachings in...

Safeguarding Human Life: The Very BeginningIntroductionLiving in a culture which has lost its fundamental moral anchor, we should not be surprised at the attacks on human life, at all stages of development, in our nation. On the contrary, we must be vigilant in promoting the respect for human life, safeguarding the life of every brother and sister from the moment of inception to the moment of natural death. During the coming months, we will face a particular challenge in safeguarding human life at its very beginning. Proponents of human cloning and embryonic stem-cell research are proposing an amendment to the...

The late Pope John Paul II was famously opposed to the death penalty, claiming that the circumstances in which it is appropriate are “practically nonexistent.” Does that mean that on an issue like the death penalty, conscientious Catholics must ignore social science and simply agree with the pope or risk lapsing into dissent?

Every year about 8 million dogs and cats are brought to shelters in the United States.  They face either adoption or death.  According to the American Humane Society, less than 40% are adopted.  Each year, 500,000 of those put to death had owners who predeceased them and the animals were no longer wanted.   But the scene is changing.  Recently The New York Times reported that 27 states have laws allowing people to establish legal trusts for their animals.  Pets now can be looked after even when they are predeceased by their owner.  Owners get to say in advance how...

Cardinal Warns of a Sign of Totalitarianism Defends Conscientious Objection in Face of Same-Sex "Marriage" Proposal VATICAN CITY, MAY 3, 2005 ( Zenit.org).- A nation that does not accept conscientious objection is a totalitarian state, says a Vatican official who was criticized for speaking out against Spain's proposal to legalize same-same marriage. Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, made that statement to the Vatican's Fides news agency after he was assailed by Spanish government officials for exhorting public officials not to officiate at weddings between homosexuals and to invoke conscientious objection. The lower house...

Help us gauge the historical significance of Pope John Paul II.There are only two possible competitors to John Paul II being the most significant pope since the Reformation: Pius IX in the 19th century, who was also one of the youngest popes ever and reigned for a long, long time. Vatican I and the doctrine of papal infallibility happened under him, along with the loss of the papal states. The other competitor would be John XXIII, and that's just because of Vatican II. But his pontificate was so brief, it was almost like a flare against the darkness. So...

Theologian Points Up a Key Problem in Florida Battle ROME, MARCH 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Unless U.S. justice steps in to save her, Terri Schiavo's agony will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the encyclical "Evangelium Vitae," which warned of an encroaching "culture of death." In that 1995 document John Paul II wrote "on the value and inviolability of human life," particularly in the last phases of existence. "The Schiavo case demonstrates that that document was prophetic," said Legionary of Christ Father Thomas Williams, dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome. "The Holy Father coined the expression...

Voting, practicality and moral absolutesBy Patrick Delaney Director, Associate Relations American Life League In recent articles and essays released by the Priests for Life organization, the group discusses and promotes what it believes to be authentic principles for “practical voting.” They lament that due to a lack of participation by Christians in the voting process, our national policies have become less and less Christian. The main focus of their attention, however, centers on the moral dilemma faced by Christian voters in political races where neither of the two major party candidates is “perfect.” In one piece they conclude by stating...