Will
President Bush Become Catholic?
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 16, 2008) President George W. Bush enjoyed a rare stroll through the
Vatican Gardens with Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Rome last week,
fueling rumors that he may be considering a conversion to Catholicism at
the end of his presidential term.
U.S.
Bishops Call Embryonic Stem Cell Research “Gravely Immoral”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 16, 2008) By a vote of 191-1, the U.S. bishops adopted a statement
on embryonic stem cell research in which they call experimentation on
human embryos “the deliberate killing of human beings, a gravely immoral
act.” It also condemned attempts to force citizens to pay for such
research, saying it would “make taxpayers complicit in such killings . .
.”
Presidential Candidates Court Catholic Vote
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 for Life 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.
RU-486 Claims
Another Life
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 13, 2008) An 18 year-old British student has become the fourteenth
woman to die after taking the controversial abortion drug, RU-486.
Miracle Baby Was Born Twice
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 11, 2008) A six month-old unborn baby with a tumor the size of a
grapefruit growing on her tailbone, was partially delivered, successfully
operated upon, then returned to her mother’s womb where she continued to
grow for another 10 weeks before being “born again.”
Teens
Listen When Parents Warn About Substance Abuse
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.
One in Four Adults
in New York City Infected With Herpes Virus
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 11, 2008) A new report from the New York City Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene reveals that one in four (26 percent) of adults living
in New York City are infected with genital herpes, an incurable sexually
transmitted disease (STD).
June 17 is National Day of Prayer for
Marriage
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 10, 2008) Concerned Women for American (CWA) is calling for a
national day of prayer and fasting on June 17 - the day same-sex couples
in California can legally “marry” - to plead for God’s intervention in all
attempts to redefine the institution of marriage in America.
Unborn Baby
Undergoes Surgery at 22 Weeks Gestation
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 10, 2008) Surgeons in Melbourne, Australia performed what is
believed to be the earliest in-utero surgery of its kind in the world when
they operated on an unborn child at only 22 weeks gestation.
Britain's
Cardinal O’Connor Will Defy Law Forcing Homosexual Adoption
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 10, 2008) Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Britain’s highest ranking
Catholic prelate, is vowing to ignore the government over its
controversial gay equality laws that require adoption agencies to place
children with same-sex couples.
Vatican Releases “10 Commandments” of the Environment.
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 10, 2008) Even though man is superior to the rest of the created
world by virtue of possessing an immortal soul, man does not have absolute
dominion over creation. Nature has been placed in the hands of mankind,
but must be used responsibly and prudently.
The Devil in
Politics
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 9, 2008) The devil loves to take over people who hold political
office, says the famous Italian exorcist, Father Gabriel Amorth.
First U.S.
State Offers Christian License Plate
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.
Adult Stem
Cells Offer Hope for Parkinson’s Disease
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.
CDC Says More Teens Choosing Chastity, Using Less
Drugs
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 6, 2008) A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) found that teens are having less sex, smoking few
cigarettes and doing fewer drugs than they were 10 years ago.
Insurance Willing
to Pay for Woman’s Suicide, Not Her Drugs
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 6, 2008) Imagine finding out you have lung cancer, then receiving a
letter from your insurance company saying they can’t pay for the drugs you
need, but are willing to pay for physician-assisted suicide, should you
choose this option.
National
Campaign to Help Parents Fight Graphic Sex Ed
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 5, 2008) A national campaign is underway to educate parents about
the contents of many of the sex ed curricula currently in use in U.S.
schools, then empower them to bring about change.
Beware of Swingtown
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 5, 2008) A new CBS series, debuting tonight, is drawing fire from
decency advocates because it glorifies drug use and sexual immorality.
School Sued
for Harassing Pro-Life Sixth Grader
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 4, 2008) The family of a Minnesota sixth grader who was repeatedly
harassed by teachers and administrators for wearing t-shirts with a
pro-life message is suing the school for infringing on his constitutional
right to express his beliefs.
Cardinal George Temporarily Suspends Father Pfleger
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 4, 2008) The Chicago priest whose impassioned sermon attacking
Hillary Clinton invoked national outrage, has been asked to take a leave
of absence for several weeks to reflect on the recent events.
California Supreme Court
Denies Will of the People
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 4, 2008) The California Supreme Court has denied a request to stay
its decision to allow same-sex marriages in spite of the more than one
million signatures acquired from California voters that qualify the matter
for a public vote in November, 2008.
Miracle Baby Born in Australia
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 3, 2008) In a case doctors are calling “one in a million,” a 34 year
old Australian woman delivered a healthy baby girl after a nine-month
ectopic pregnancy.
Founders of Call
to Action to Retire
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 3, 2008) The co-founders of Call to Action, a group of dissident lay
Catholics dedicated to opposing Church teaching on life and family issues,
have issued a nationwide call for newer and younger leadership after
announcing plans to retire in September.
Cardinal George Reprimands Outspoken Pastor
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 2, 2008) Cardinal Francis George of Chicago has issued a statement
saying he deeply regrets the remarks made about Hillary Clinton by Father
Michael Pfleger during a sermon he gave last Sunday at the former church
of Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL).
Colorado
Makes Public Facilities “Gender Free”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(June 2, 2008) The Governor of Colorado has signed a bill that makes all
public accommodations, including locker rooms and restrooms, “gender
free,” thus allowing transvestites to use the facilities of their choice.
Vatican Automatically Excommunicates Women
“Priests”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 30, 2008) The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a
decree stating that any woman being consecrated a priest, and the bishop
who consecrates her, is automatically excommunicated from the Church.
Death by
“Terminal Sedation” Coming to California?
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 30, 2008) A bill allowing medical practitioners and family members to
authorize terminal sedation for depressed, confused or mentally disabled
patients has narrowly passed the California Assembly.
“Safe, Legal Abortion” Renders Teen
Infertile
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 29, 2008) The mother of a 13 year old girl who was rendered sterile
after a botched abortion is suing Planned Parenthood for $50 million
dollars.
Selling Babies
On-line
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 29, 2008) The past week has seen two cases of parents trying to sell
their babies on popular on-line auction sites.
China to Relax One-Child Policy
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 28, 2008) Chinese officials announced on Monday that families whose
only child was lost, severely injured or disabled in the devastating May
12 earthquake can obtain a certificate to have another child.
University
Employee Fired for Opposing Homosexuality
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 28, 2008) A high ranking administrator at the University of Toledo
has decided to sue after being fired for writing an editorial expressing
her Christian views against homosexuality.
Poll Finds Americans
More Accepting of Divorce
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 28, 2008) A new Gallup poll found Americans to be more opposed to
wearing clothes made of animal fur than to divorce or embryonic stem cell
research.
Oprah’s Ratings in Decline
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 27, 2008) For the third straight year, the average audience for
talk-show maven Oprah Winfrey has shrunk, fueling concerns that her
controversial promotion of New Age spirituality and the political backing
she lent to Senator Barack Obama may finally be catching up to her.
Vatican
Releases New Report on the State of the Church
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 27, 2008) According to the latest statistics released by the Vatican,
the Catholic presence in the world has remained stable for the past seven
years. The Church is growing at its most rapid pace in Africa while seeing
the most dramatic decline on the continent of Europe.
World’s Largest
Monstrance to Be Unveiled May 31
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 27, 2008) What is believed to be the world’s largest monstrance will
be unveiled by Cardinal Francis George OMI in an inner-city Chicago parish
whose pastor believes Our Lady instructed him to build a sanctuary of
Divine Mercy where her children could “seek refuge in God.”
Family Attributes
Miracle to Jesus Christ
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 27, 2008) The family of the West Virginia woman who awoke after
having no brain wave activity for more than 17 hours is giving “Jesus
Christ all the glory” for her miraculous recovery.
Man Fired for Refusing “Diversity” Training
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 23, 2008) A systems engineer and devout Christian employee of a
leading aerospace and defense company is suing the company for firing him
after he refused to participate in a diversity training program because it
required him to accept, celebrate and embrace homosexuality.
Exorcism on the
Rise in Germany
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 23, 2008) A Polish exorcist startled the world when he revealed that
as many as one German a day is undergoing a full scale exorcism in that
country.
New Law
Prohibits Genetic Discrimination
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 23, 2008) Imagine being denied a job because you have a
predisposition to a certain disease, or losing your health insurance for
refusing to abort a child that received a poor pre-natal diagnosis. These
and other acts of “genetic discrimination” are now illegal, thanks to a
new bill signed into law yesterday.
One-Child Policy Adding to China’s Grief
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 22, 2008) The draconian policy of the Chinese government limiting
families to one child is only adding to the grief of thousands of Chinese
earthquake survivors who lost their only child in the disaster.
Catholic Cherie
Blair Admits Using Contraception
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 22, 2008) Cherie Blair, wife of former British prime minister Tony
Blair, is referring to herself as a “good Catholic girl” even while
defending a revelation in her newly published memoirs that she uses
contraception.
Sneaky Earmark Means
More Profit For Planned Parenthood
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 22, 2008) Pro-life advocates are furious with Congressional Democrats
who inserted funding for Planned Parenthood into an Iraq war supplement
bill which will result in handing over more taxpayer dollars to the
nation’s largest abortion business.
Incense Fights Depression and Anxiety
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 21, 2008) The next time the priest uses incenses at Mass, move closer
to the altar, especially if you’re suffering from the blues. An
international team of scientists has just discovered that burning the
resin from the Boswellia plant - otherwise known as frankincense -
activates ion channels in the brain that alleviate anxiety and depression.
Christian Girls
Kidnaped and Forced to Convert
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 21, 2008) Muslim extremists are kidnaping Christian girls in Nigeria,
forcing them to convert to Islam, then marrying them to Muslim men. When
two kidnaped girls were rescued this week and returned to their parents,
extremists retaliated by destroying six Christian churches, including St.
Mary’s Catholic Church.
The World’s
6,666,666,666th Person Has Been Born
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(May 21, 2008) The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the world’s
6,666,666,666th person was born on May 10, an occasion that set off
another round of doomsaying about the world’s population and the birth of
the “Devil’s Son.”
Victory in Fight Against Child Pornography
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 20, 2008) The Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on Monday to
uphold a law aimed at cracking down on the flourishing online exchange of
child pornography.
Pastor Forced to
Bar Autistic Boy From Mass
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 20, 2008) The pastor of a Minnesota parish was forced to make a
painful decision when the behavior of a 13 year old autistic boy became so
disruptive he had to ban the boy from Sunday Mass.
Catholics
Must Convert Pro-Abortion Politicians
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 20, 2008) Instead of overlooking the pro-abortion position of
political candidates in favor of other issues of concern to Catholics,
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver says Catholics should try to convert
them to a pro-life position.
Keeping Children Away from R-Rated Material
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 19, 2008) Certain retail outlets are doing a better job than others
of keeping adult-rated entertainment out of the hands minors, but more
progress needs to be made according to a recently released undercover
survey by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Pope Says Families
in Crisis Need Support
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 19, 2008) While praising the many shining examples of good families
in the world today, Pope Benedict XVI lamented the increasing number of
families in crisis who are in need of support from various sectors of
society.
Homeschooler
Enters College at Age 10
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 19, 2008) California courts should think twice about outlawing
homeschooling in their state, especially while a 10 year-old homeschooled
boy from Downey, California is making international headlines as the
world’s youngest college sophomore.
“Legal Jujitsu” in California
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(May 16, 2008) The California Supreme Court overturned two state laws
limiting marriage to unions between a man and a woman and ruled that
same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Unless the court
grants a stay within 30 days, the ruling will make California the second
state in the U.S. to allow same-sex marriage.
Frozen
Embryos: The Custody Battle of the Future
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 16, 2008) What happens to a couple’s frozen embryos in the event of
divorce? The U.S. Supreme Court sent a strong signal yesterday when they
refused to hear the appeal of a Texas nurse who has been battling for
custody of three frozen embryos she created with her husband before their
divorce. The embryos are now slated for destruction.
Children
Participate in Boston’s Gay Youth Parade
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 16, 2008) School children participating in Massachusetts’ Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Youth Parade on May 10 were
encouraged to display homosexual affection on camera, participate in a gay
prom at Boston City Hall, and were given literature that attempted to
“christianize” homosexuality.
Heroic Catholic Woman Dies in Poland
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 14, 2008) An heroic Polish woman and devout Roman Catholic
responsible for saving the lives of more than 2,500 Jewish children during
World War II died May 12 at a Catholic Convent in Warsaw at the age of 98.
Parents Find
Note from Terri Schiavo
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 14, 2008) Like hearing her voice whispering from heaven, the family
of Terri Schindler Schiavo found a note addressed to them by Terri and
written in 1984 on the day she married her husband, Michael.
Family’s Faith
Shines After Son’s Murder
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 14, 2008) A sixteen year old altar boy and devout Roman Catholic
refused to be goaded into a fight in a London bakery and ended up losing
his life as a result. Referred to as a “saint” by his parish priest, the
boy’s parents cling to their faith rather than anger at his killer.
Anti-Catholic
Pastor Sees the Light
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 14, 2008) John Hagee, the Texas pastor known for calling the Catholic
Church “The Great Whore” and the “anti-Christ“ has issued a letter of
apology to Catholics saying he has acquired “an improved understanding” of
the Catholic Church.
“The Pill Kills” Campaign Planned for June 7
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 13, 2008) In addition to marking the 40th anniversary of Humanae
Vitae, American Catholics will also mark another significant milestone in
the creation of the culture of death - the 43rd anniversary of the
landmark Supreme Court decision that established the so-called
“Constitutional right to privacy.”
Church
Teaching on Contraception More Relevant Than Ever
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 13, 2008) While addressing participants in an international congress
in Rome marking the 40th anniversary of the Encyclical on contraception,
Humanae Vitae, Pope Benedict XVI said the truths contained in this
document are more relevant now than ever before.
How Marian Apparitions are Approved
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 12, 2008) In the wake of the recent approval of the apparitions of
Our Lady of Laus in France, an expert in Mariology from the Mariunum
Pontifical School in Rome has published an article explaining the criteria
used by the Church to determine the legitimacy of Marian apparitions.
No Communion
for Kansas Governor
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 12, 2008) Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann has issued a public directive
to pro-abortion Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius asking her to refrain
from receiving Holy Communion until she has taken “the necessary steps for
amendment of her life.”
Depression Leads
to High Suicide Rate Among Elderly
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 12, 2008) A report issued this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that America’s senior population has
the highest suicide rate in the country.
Pro-Abstinence T-Shirts Cause Stir in VA
School
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 9, 2008) Attorneys have come to the defense of several high school
students in Virginia who were warned by school officials to stop wearing
t-shirts proclaiming the abstinence message “Virginity Rocks!”
Town Issues
Right to Die Cards
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 9, 2008) A British town is providing people of all ages with a “right
to die” card instructing doctors not to treat them if they become
incapacitated due to accident or illness. Pro-life groups are protesting
the cards, calling them a move toward legal suicide.
Brazilian
Convicted of Killing American Nun Set Free
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 9, 2008) The man convicted of ordering the murder of an American-born
nun in Brazil in 2005 has been acquitted of all charges and set free.
NY Lets Stand Foreign Same-Sex “Marriage”
Recognition
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(May 8, 2008) Same-sex marriage may have come one step closer to reality
in New York when a New York Court of Appeals declined to hear a challenge
to a case that required the state to recognize a same-sex “marriage”
contracted outside the state.
Rising Food Prices Causing Global
Suffering
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 8, 2008) While most Americans are just beginning to feel the pinch of
rising food prices, the problem is already causing long lines, personal
hardship and even riots and violence in some parts of the world.
Single Motherhood: Conquering the Odds
with Love
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 7, 2008) A young single mother and her daughter are seated in the
front row of the theater, watching a tragic scene unfold on the screen
above. In the movie, a little girl, the only child of a single mother, is
struck by a car and killed. Instinctively, the young mother and her child
grip one another and huddle close in their seats. No words are necessary.
Their body language says it all - “Don’t let this happen to us!”
Mothers Who
Make the Ultimate Sacrifice
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 7, 2008) Although we don’t often hear about it, women are still
willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the life of their
unborn children. In the past year, two such cases have made headlines.
Marian Apparition Receives Church Approval
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 6, 2008) The first Marian apparitions to be approved in the 21st
century took place in France on Sunday, May 4, when Bishop Jean-Michel de
Falco announced the official Church approval of apparitions that occurred
to a French girl named Benoite (Benedicta) Rencurel between 1664 and 1718
Family-Friendly Films
Top Box Office in 2007
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 6, 2008) Americans made their movie preferences known at the box
office in 2007 and chose family-friendly films such as Ratatouille and
Enchanted over atheistic and occult films such as The Golden Compass and
Harry Potter by sometimes huge margins.
Homosexual Activists Stifle Free Speech
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 5, 2008) Only weeks after threatening the life of an Oklahoma
lawmaker for speaking out against homosexuality, homosexual activists
recently caused the shut down of a workshop on the subject by the American
Psychiatric Association and stormed the stage during a speech at Smith
College.
The Rosary is
Experiencing a New Springtime
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 5, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI said the rosary is a powerful form of
prayer that does not belong to the past but to the present where it can
bring peace, reconciliation and all the healing power of the Most Holy
Name of Jesus to mankind.
“Hodari babies” to be Buried on Saturday
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 1, 2008) A funeral service for the babies found in the dumpster of a
Michigan abortuary owned by the notorious late-term abortionist, Dr.
Alberto Hodari, will be buried on May 3 after a funeral Mass celebrated by
Detroit Bishop John Quinn.
Pope’s
Visit Strengthens Faith of American Catholics
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 1, 2008) A new poll conducted by the Knights of Columbus found that
the Pope’s visit to the United States had a powerful impact on public
attitudes toward the papacy, the Church, and a willingness to live their
faith more fully.
Another Cult
Accused of Molesting Children
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 1, 2008) Only weeks after police removed all the women and children
from a polygamy cult in Texas due to sexual abuse, four children have been
removed from a bizarre doomsday cult based in northeastern New Mexico for
similar reasons.
National Day of
Prayer Under Attack
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 1, 2008) On this 57th National Day of Prayer in the United States,
while millions of Americans are attending prayer gatherings around the
country, representatives of other faiths are protesting the “Christian
slant” of the day and calling for more “inclusive” services.
FBI Losing War Against Child Pornography
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 30, 2008) An explosion in child pornography and cyber crime is
causing U.S. law enforcement to admit they are losing the battle to combat
child pornography and child exploitation on the Internet.
Scientist Wants Law to Prevent Creation of
Humanzee
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 30, 2008) A leading scientist in Scotland is warning that a new
species of “humanzee,” created by breeding apes with humans, could become
a reality unless the government takes steps to prevent it. The warning
came on the same day that U.S. Rep. Chris Smith introduced a bill that
would prohibit the practice in the United States.
Tired of Those Viagra
Ads During Prime Time?
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 30, 2008) Parents who are fed up with watching ads about erectile
dysfunction during family viewing time have had their concerns brought to
the makers of Viagra during a recent Pfizer Shareholder meeting.
Planned Parenthood Wants Cheaper Pills
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 29, 2008) Planned Parenthood is pressuring lawmakers to increase
funding for more affordable birth control for college students, claiming
students are being forced to decide between buying food or birth control
pills.
Atheists
Promote Their Holidays
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 29, 2008) A New York-based institute promoting humanist studies is
encouraging the idea of including secular holidays such as Darwin’s Day
and Sunshine Week on the nation’s calendar.
They’re hoping to “fill the void” for people who only participate in
religious holidays because they are unaware of the alternatives.
Papal Visit Inspires “Tsunami” of Seminary
Applications
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 28, 2008) The Pope’s visit and address to youth at St. Joseph’s
Seminary in Yonkers New York has caused a “tsunami” of inquiries about the
priesthood in the Archdiocese of New York.
Cardinal Egan To
Meet With Giuliani Over Reception of Communion
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 28, 2008) The Archdiocese of New York released a statement today by
Edward Cardinal Egan saying that he will meet with former New York City
mayor Rudolph Giuliani about his taking communion during the April 19
papal Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Universal Day
of Prayer for the Church in China
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 28, 2008) Imprisoned Christians being tortured with cattle prods
and forced to work 10 to 12 hours a day making soccer balls for the
Olympic Games are only a few of the horror stories emerging from China as
the opening of the Summer Games draws near. For this reason, Pope Benedict
XVI has named May 24, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, as a
Universal Day of Prayer for the Church in China.
Teen Sounds Off About STD Epidemic
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 25, 2008) An Indiana high school senior is becoming famous for the
letter she wrote to a local newspaper about the shocking epidemic of
sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among teens. Calling it “shameful” and
“scandalous,” she faults a selfish society and calls upon so-called “sex
experts” to “get their heads out of the clouds” when it comes to
“safe-sex” education.
Alaska Governor
Gives Birth to Child with Downs Syndrome
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 25, 2008) The popular pro-life Governor of Alaska gave birth to a
baby boy with Downs Syndrome and proudly told the world she feels “truly
blessed” by God to receive this precious gift of life.
Study Finds Colleges Don’t Support
Parenting
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 24, 2008) With half of all abortions in the U.S. being performed on
college-aged women, a new report suggests part of the reason may be the
lack of pregnancy and parenting resources available on most college
campuses.
New Book Blasphemes
Jesus and Mary
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 24, 2008) A new book written by Dutch filmmaker, Paul Verhoeven,
claims that Jesus Christ was probably the son of Mary and a Roman soldier
who raped her during the Jewish uprising in Galilee.
MTV and BET Programming
Worse than Ever
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 24, 2008) New data collected by media watchdogs reveals that
daytime programming on two of the most popular television channels for
tweens and teens - MTV and BET - is bombarding children with sexual,
violent, profane or obscene content every 38 seconds.
Papal Trip Gets Rave Reviews
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 23, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit to the United States
is receiving rave reviews. Even the Church’s worst critics admit they were
shocked by the huge crowds and warm reception Americans gave the Pope at
every venue on the papal itinerary.
Abstinence Ed
Gets Lopsided Hearing on the Hill
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 23, 2008) In the same week that two new studies confirmed the
effectiveness of abstinence education in lowering rates of sexual activity
among youth, a pro-abortion Congressman held a biased hearing on
abstinence education where the majority of the witnesses favored
comprehensive sex education.
Pro-Abortion
Politicians Take Communion at Papal Masses
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 23, 2008) Several prominent pro-abortion politicians scandalized
the Catholic community by taking communion at Papal Masses during the
Pope’s recent visit.
Conception in a Capsule?
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 22, 2008) A new method of in vitro fertilization (IVF), which
involves mixing egg and sperm in a pill-like container that is implanted
in a woman’s body, will make artificial reproduction less expensive but
will still employ the same destructive embryo “screening” process as
traditional IVF procedures.
A Great Defender of
Life Dies in Rome
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 22, 2008) One of the world’s staunchest supporters of human life,
Alfonso Cardinal Trujillo, died at a private hospital in Rome on April 19
of complications due to diabetes. He was 72 years old.
Pope Concludes Triumphal Trip to U.S.
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 21, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Rome at 4:40 a.m. this
morning, concluding a triumphal five-day visit to the United States. He
ended the trip the same way he began it - by recalling Christ as our hope
and exclaiming “God Bless America!”
New
Book Explains Plastic Surgery to Children
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 21, 2008) A Florida plastic surgeon has written a book for young
children to help them understand why Mommy is having a tummy tuck, nose
job, and breast enhancement. Critics say the book raises body image and
self-esteem issues, especially for young girls.
Pope Meets with Abuse Victims
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 18, 2008) Between several high-profile events during his third day
in the U.S., the Pope surprised the world by attending a private meeting
with victims of clergy sex abuse. The session is believed to have been the
first ever between a Pope and victims of the scandal.
Pope Calls for Respect
for Human Rights
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 18, 2008) Pope Benedict told diplomats at the United Nations that
respect for human rights was the key to solving many of the world’s
problems. Because human rights are inherent to human persons and are not
the fruit of an “agreement,” they should not be manipulated by ideological
and pressure groups.
Pope Calls For
“Intellectual Charity” Among Educators
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 18, 2008) In an address to more than 200 Catholic educators, Pope
Benedict XVI said authentic Catholic education should lead to an encounter
with Jesus and any failure to do so leads Catholic institutions to fall
short of their Catholic identity.
Yale Embroiled in Abortion “Art” Exhibit
Controversy
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 18, 2008) Yale University is embroiled in a controversy over an art
major who planned to display a video documenting a nine-month process of
artificially inseminating herself “as often as possible” then taking
abortifacient drugs to abort the child. University officials are calling
the whole thing a ruse, but the student is sticking to her story.
Pope Challenges U.S. Bishops
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 17, 2008) The Pope’s comments to U.S. bishops regarding the sex
abuse crisis received most of the headlines but this was only one of
several challenges Pope Benedict XVI posed to them during an address at
the National Basilica on April 16.
Pope Calls for
Renewal of American Church
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 17, 2008) During a Mass attended by 50,000 people in Nationals
Stadium, Pope Benedict XVI said the Church and society in America is at a
crossroad. He encouraged Catholics to use this moment to seek conversion
and the power of the Holy Spirit, particularly through the Sacrament of
Penance, to bring the witness of Christ to a society in crisis.
Marriage Breakdown Costs Taxpayers $112
Billion a Year
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 16, 2008) A new report by several policy and research groups has
found that the high rate of divorce and unwed childbearing costs the
American taxpayer at least $112 billion a year and has amounted to more
than $1 trillion in the last decade alone.
Pope Praises Faith of Americans
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 16, 2008) Speaking beneath a brilliant blue sky on the South Lawn
of the White House, Pope Benedict XVI expressed the hope that his visit to
the U.S. would usher in “a renewal of hope for the Church in the United
States and strengthen the will of Catholics to contribute even more
responsibly to the life of this nation . . .”
Shepherd One Has Landed!
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 15, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI began his first visit to the United
States today when “Shepherd One” landed precisely at 4:00 p.m. at Andrews
Air Force Base in Washington DC. Smiling and waving to the crowd, the Holy
Father strode briskly along the red-carpeted tarmac with the President,
Laura and Jenna Bush at his side.
Behind the Scenes of the Papal
Visit
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 15, 2008) A man who was accidentally impaled by a tree on a
Missouri farm considers it a miracle to be attending the Papal Mass at
Nationals Park in Washington, DC. The Yankees are worried about the crowd
stepping on the grass at Yankee Stadium and a group of Catholic school
children hope their German will sound alright when they sing Happy
Birthday to the Pope on April 16.
Chopra’s New Book Promotes the “Cosmic Christ”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 14, 2008) A new book by best-selling author Deepak Chopra says
Jesus Christ was not the Savior of mankind, but an “enlightened teacher
who intended to save the world by showing others the path to God
consciousness.”
Americans
Want Obscenity Laws Enforced
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 24, 2008) A new poll has found that three out of four Americans
want the next president to do all in his or her power to ensure that
federal obscenity laws are vigorously enforced.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES
By Raymond Arroyo
News Anchor, EWTN Global Catholic Network
(April 12, 2008) The President and Laura Bush plan to be waiting on
the tarmac of Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC when the plane
carrying Pope Benedict XVI lands in the United States on April 15. Just
days before the historic trip, President Bush sat down with EWTN Anchor
Raymond Arroyo for a candid interview about his faith, Iraq, freedom of
religion, why he believes the pro-life position is in our nation’s
interests and why he’s still planning to attend the opening of the Olympic
games.
Komen Increases Donations to Planned Parenthood
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 11, 2008) A new report reveals that Susan G. Komen for the Cure
donated more than $700,000 to the nation’s largest abortion provider
fiscal year 2005-2006 in spite of a substantial body of evidence
supporting a link between induced abortion and breast cancer.
“Voice of the Faithful”
Takes Aim at Pope
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 10, 2008) With the Pope’s historic visit on the horizon, the lay
Catholic organization, Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), decided it was the
perfect time to publish a full-age ad in the New York Times calling for
“structural change” in the Church.
Pope Praises Nun Martyred by Satanists
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 10, 2008) A religious sister who was recently declared a martyr
after being killed by Satanists in 2000 received high praise from Pope
Benedict XVI for her heroic sacrifice.
Pope Sends
Advance Message to U.S.
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 10, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI has released a message to the people of
the United States, in preparation for his trip to America next week,
saying that the theme of his visit can be summed up in three simple but
essential words: “Christ our hope.”
Condoms in Prom Bags
Infuriates Parents
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 10, 2008) The peaceful mining town of Bisbee, Arizona has become
the center of a raging controversy after the local school board voted to
include condoms in the “prom bags” it gives to teens.
NBC Promises to Maintain Family Hour
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 9, 2008) With objectionable content occurring every three minutes
during the 8 to 9 p.m. Family Hour of television, a renewed commitment
from NBC to honor this time slot with more family-friendly fare shows that
broadcasters may finally be listening to parents’ complaints.
Embryonic Stem Cells May
Not Work, Scientist Says
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 9, 2008) After years of study and debate about the treatment
potential of embryonic stem cells, a leading researcher in England has
conceded that the controversial research may never deliver new treatments.
German Church Used
Forced Labor in WWII
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 9, 2008) German Cardinal Karl Lehman says a new report detailing
the Church’s use of forced labor in Germany during World War II is “a
burden of history that our Church will keep facing up to in the future.”
Olympic Torch Travels A Troubled Path
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 8, 2008) The symbolic flame of the Olympic torch is illuminating
the long and sordid history of human rights abuses by the People’s
Republic of China. The protest-ridden route is far from what the Chinese
government wanted for its “journey of harmony,” but many say this harmony
needs to begin at home.
Pope Says
Grandparents More Important Than Ever
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 8, 2008) The emergence of “new models of the family” and
“widespread relativism” makes the role of grandparents in the family more
important than ever, says Pope Benedict XVI. They are “a treasure that we
cannot take away from new generations.”
Women and Children Rescued From Polygamist Cult
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 7, 2008) Police rescued more than 200 women and children from a
secretive polygamist cult in West Texas after a 16 year old girl
complained of physical abuse at the hands of her 50 year old husband.
109 Year-Old Nun Dies in
Wisconsin
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 7, 2008) After serving the Lord as a religious sister for 90 years,
109 year-old Sister Claude Feldner of the Congregation of St. Agnes is
home at last. She died peacefully on April 2 in a nursing home in Fond Du
Lac, Wisconsin.
Home Shopping Network Promotes New Age
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 4, 2008) The Home Shopping Network (HSN) is following Oprah’s lead
in the promotion of New Age gurus and their products. The popular
multi-media shopping network is selling Evolve, a 10 DVD collection by
psychic medium John Edward which promises to help one “raise your personal
awareness of the energy that surrounds you.”
Wealthy Foundations Target Religious Groups to Push Abortion
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 4, 2008) The Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) has
uncovered a two-year old report that encourages pro-abortion organizations
to give grant money to religious groups which might induce them to “work
at the intersection of religion and abortion.”
UK Scientists Create Human-Animal Hybrid
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 3, 2008) In what officials of the Catholic Church are calling “a
monstrous attack on human rights, human dignity and human life,” British
scientists have created part-human, part-animal embryos from cow eggs and
DNA extracted from human skin cells which they say could lead to promising
medical cures.
McDonalds USA To
Promote Homosexual Agenda
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Member
(April 3, 2008) The world’s largest fast food chain is promoting more than
Big Macs and French Fries these days. McDonalds USA has just signed on to
a nationwide effort to promote “gay” and lesbian business ventures.
U.S. Global
AIDS Program to Emphasize Abstinence and Fidelity
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 3, 2008) Because fifteen years of massive condom distribution
programs have done nothing to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, the U.S. House
of Representatives is considering new legislation that will direct funds
to global HIV/AIDS programs that encourage changes in sexual behavior
rather than on condom use.
Russian Doomsday Cult Ends Stand-Off
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 2, 2008) Members of a Russian doomsday cult, who have been holed up
in an earthen bunker in preparation for the end of the world, have finally
begun to surface after spending months underground.
Lawmakers Ask for
Elimination of Abstinence Ed Funding
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 2, 2008) Dozens of pro-abortion Congressmen and women have sent a
letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey asking him to
cut all abstinence education funding in FY 2009 in order to devote those
dollars to what they call “more effective programs.”
Controversy Brews Over Sports Illustrated
Cover
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 1, 2008) Featuring a topless model on its cover, this year’s Sports
Illustrated swimsuit issue has crossed the line into the realm of soft
porn, which is raising concern among experts about the magazine being
displayed in stores within view of children.
New Movie Dares the
Married to Love Anew
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 1, 2008) The makers of the hit movie, Facing the Giants, are
planning to release a new movie based on the struggles of a firefighter
and his wife to save their failing marriage. Acting on a dare, this couple
learns how to rise above indifference, insults, emotional affairs and
internet porn to reclaim their love in a remarkably romantic and
heartwarming film.
Divine Mercy Brings True Peace, Pope Says
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 31, 2008) “From divine mercy, which brings peace to hearts, arises
authentic peace for
the world, peace between peoples, and among various cultures and
religions,”said Pope Benedict
XVI on the Feast of Divine Mercy.
Muslims Now Surpass Catholics in Number
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 31, 2008) The trend toward smaller families among Catholics has resulted in Islam
surpassing Roman Catholicism as the world’s largest religion for the first
time in history.
Planned
Parenthood Profits Hit Record $1 Billion
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 31, 2008) The newly released 2006-2007 annual report of the Planned
Parenthood
Federation of America reveals that the nation’s largest abortion provider
has exceeded $1 billion
dollars in profit for the first time in its history. Some of these profits
are the result of an increase
in the number of abortions it performed in 2006, as well as tax payer
funding of over $336
million.
Pope John Paul
II’s Cause Moves Forward
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 31, 2008) Only two days before the world marks the third
anniversary of the death
Pope John Paul II, his cause for canonization is about to take another
step forward.
Abortionst Gets Slap On Wrist for Dumping Fetuses
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 28, 2008) Fetal body parts and confidential patient records were
found in a dumpster behind a Michigan abortuary this month, but instead of
penalizing the abortionist, the state issued an $1100 fine to the person
who discovered the remains.
New Natural Family Planning
Method Gains Ground
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 28, 2008) A natural family planning method in which women use a set
of beads to keep track of their fertile days is gaining wide acceptance
among women and their partners, according to a new study.
Woman Wins
Silver Medal for Valor
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 28, 2008) A Texas teen became the second female soldier since World
War II to be awarded the nation’s third highest medal of valor, the Silver
Star, for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan last year.
Poll Shows Very Favorable View of
Pope
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 27, 2008) When Pope Benedict lands in Washington, DC on April 15,
he will find himself in a country where the majority of the people view
him in a favorable light.
Media Gives
Atheism a Free Ride in 2007
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 27, 2008) Christians are used to seeing their faith portrayed
negatively in the major media, but that wasn’t case for atheists last
year. The publication of several best-selling books on the subject in 2007
launched atheism into a year of glowing press coverage that lacked even a
hint of the kind of criticism usually aimed at Christianity.
Attacked Nuns Want
Justice for Pakistani Women
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 27, 2008) A Pakistani nun barely survived a slashed throat during a
knife attack in her convent near Lahore. The attack, which occurred on
International Women’s Day, drove home the terrifying reality of the plight
of women in that country.
Teen Quest for “Perfect Body” Can Be Deadly
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 26, 2008) The tragic death of a Florida teen during breast implant
surgery is calling attention to the growing trend among teens to undergo
this and other risky procedures in order to achieve the “perfect body.”
Resurrected From the
Dead: Zack Dunlap’s Story
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 26, 2008) The family of 21 year old Zach Dunlap, who came back to
life only minutes before a transplant team was to remove his organs,
attributes his sudden and miraculous recovery to divine intervention.
Our Lady Intervenes in South American
Conflict
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 25, 2008) In early March, with his country on the brink of war,
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe ordered the recitation of the Rosary at
the Presidential Palace. Only two days later, at a summit in the Dominican
Republic, the world watched in amazement as the presidents of Venezuela,
Ecuador and Colombia shook hands to end the conflict.
Born Against the
Odds
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 25, 2008) When Bela Milne was only 20 weeks old, doctors discovered
she had such severe congenital heart disease, they weren’t sure if she
would live or die. They suggested abortion, but her mother refused. Born
on February 29, Bela not only survived, but successfully underwent a rare
hybrid surgery at the tender age of seven days.
Pope
Baptizes Muslim at Easter Vigil
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 25, 2008) With his life now in danger, a former Muslim baptized by
Pope Benedict XVI at the Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome says
he will confront his fate “with my head high, with my back straight and
the interior strength of one who is certain about his faith.”
Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act Raises Many
Questions
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Marcy 24, 2008) Since its passage 10 years ago, 341 people have chosen to
die by physician assisted suicide under Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act.
However, experts cite a variety of problems with the law that make it
almost impossible to know the real numbers.
Lawmaker Threatened
by Homosexual Activists
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 24, 2008) After making a speech comparing the threat of the
homosexual agenda to terrorism, an Oklahoma legislator received so many
death threats from homosexual activists she has had to hire a lawyer and
sometimes needs a state trooper for protection.
Saudis May Soon Allow First Catholic
Church
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 19, 2008) Thanks to a discussion with Pope Benedict XVI during a
recent visit to the Vatican, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is lending his
support to a plan to build the first Catholic church in Saudi Arabia.
National Teacher’s
Union Showcases Abortionist
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 19, 2008) One of the nation’s most notorious abortion providers,
George Tiller, M.D., was caught on tape giving a presentation in support
of late term abortion at a conference held March 9 at the National
Education Association’s national headquarters in Washington, DC.
Librarian Fired
for Reporting Child Porn
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 19, 2008) When a librarian assistant in California caught a man
viewing child pornography on a library computer and called police, she did
not receive the accolades one would have expected. Instead, she was
abruptly fired from her job.
Student Paper Publishes Blasphemous Cartoons
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 18, 2008) The same student run newspaper at the University of
Virginia that will not publish cartoons mocking Mohammed, homosexuals or
blacks, chose the week before Holy Week to run two offensive cartoons
mocking Christianity
UK
Doctors Say Abortion May Affect Mental Health
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 18, 2008) Just as reports are circulating in the U.S. that the
American Psychological Association may be on the verge of reiterating its
view that abortion has no significant mental health impacts, the British
Royal College of Psychiatrists released a statement saying women should
not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counseled on the
possible risk to their mental health.
Epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Among Teen Girls
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 17, 2008) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
released a new study indicating one in four teenage girls between the ages
of 14 and 19 are infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the
United States.
Three Women
“Priests” Excommunicated
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 17, 2008) In order to protect his flock from being led astray,
Archbishop Raymond Burke of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has
excommunicated three women who took part in an ordination of women to the
priesthood.
Foundress of Focolare Movement Dies in Rome
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 14, 2008) The 88 year old foundress of the Focolare Movement,
Chiara Lubich, passed away in her home in Rocca di Papa (Rome) in the
early morning hours of March 14 from a severe respiratory ailment.
Psychiatrist Documents Case of Demonic
Possession
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 14, 2008) A board certified psychiatrist from Hawthorne, New York
has published an account of his experience treating a woman who he has
determined to be a case of authentic demonic possession.
World Youth Day To See Fewer U.S. Pilgrims
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 14, 2008) The high cost of travel to Sydney, Australia for World
Youth Day this summer has caused the number of pilgrims from the U.S. to
drop from the expected 37,000 to 20,000. This may mean the Church will
have to revise its estimate of 125,000 international pilgrims who will
attend the events.
Most Americans Believe in Concept of Sin
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 14, 2008) A new study released by Ellison Research finds that a
vast majority of Americans (87%) believe in the concept of sin, but differ
widely on what constitutes a sin.
‘Tween Drinking on the Rise
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 13, 2008) A new study has found that a significant number of
children are drinking by middle-school, suggesting more intervention
programs may be needed in elementary schools.
Archbishop of Mosul Found Dead
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 13, 2008) Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean Archbishop of
Mosul, who was found dead today near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. His
body was discovered not far from the church where he was kidnapped after
conducting the Stations of the Cross on Feb. 29 in a deadly ambush that
left three others dead.
Biotech Firm To Produce Ethical Vaccines
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 12, 2008) Families concerned about having to vaccinate their
children with vaccines made from aborted fetuses will soon have an
alternative. Researchers at AVM Biotechnology LLC have announced plans to
use existing technology to develop morally acceptable vaccines.
Gay Advocacy Group Plans Papal Protests
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 12, 2008) The Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM), a homosexual
advocacy group best known for its Pentecost Sunday protests, is planning
to throw ashes and blow whistles at the Pope during several scheduled
events on his April itinerary.
Beware of Idol Gives Back Program
By Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(March 11, 2008) The hit television show, American Idol, is planning to
host its second annual Idol Gives Back show on April 9 which will urge
viewers to donate to charities that are associated with abortion and
radical population control programs.
Porn Screening Embarrasses Yale
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 11, 2008) Misbehaving on campus has reached an all-time low.
This year’s “Sex Week” at Yale University, a raunchy week-long celebration
of porn, sex toys and amorality, made headlines when a porn-movie
screening in the law school auditorium went terribly wrong.
Vatican Official Warns About New Forms of Sin
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 10, 2008) An official of the Apostolic Penitentiary is warning
priests and the faithful about new forms of sin that have arisen in
today’s globalized culture. These sins include polluting the environment,
genetic engineering, excessive wealth, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia
and causing social injustice.
No Spiritual Director? Try the
Bible!
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 10, 2008) The vast number of Catholics without a spiritual director
because of the priest shortage will find comfort in the advice given by
the “Pope’s Preacher” in a Lenten meditation delivered to Pope Benedict
XVI and the Roman Curia - try the Bible!
Holy See Wants Women Rewarded for Homemaking
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 10, 2008) In the midst of contentious negotiations at the United
Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Holy See called for
“courageous policies” that will not only empower women through education
and employment opportunities but will also reward them for the
contributions they make to society as wives and mothers.
New Radio Show Addresses Health Care
Rights
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 7, 2008) Americans who want to understand their health care rights
will want to tune in to a new weekly radio show co-hosted by the brother
and sister of Terri Schindler Schiavo and health care expert, Cary Hall,
which will focus on everything from national health care to living wills,
disability rights to euthanasia in America.
ABC Show Normalizes Transgendered
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(March 7, 2008) A popular ABC morning show shocked viewers this week with
a show portraying a top executive at Microsoft and new father who decided
to become a woman as just another one of those “complicated choices” in
life.
Update! Nurse Barred from Performing Abortions
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 7, 2008) Only a day after news broke that an Arizona nurse admitted
to performing abortions at a Planned Parenthood clinic, a state House
committee voted 6-3 to prohibit nurse practitioners from performing
abortions in that state.
Court Rules Home Schooling Illegal in
California
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 6, 2008) A Los Angeles Appellate Court judge stunned the nation’s
home-schooling community when he ruled that home schooling is not an
option in the state of California and parents who home school their
children could face criminal sanctions for doing so.
Justice for Haleigh
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 6, 2008) Two years after being so badly beaten she was left in what
many believed was an irreversible coma, 14 year old Haleigh Poutre has now
recovered enough to testify against the man who abused her.
Parents: Beware of April 25!
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 6, 2008) The American Family Association (AFA) is warning parents
to be aware that thousands of schools across the nation will be observing
a “Day of Silence” on April 25 which will promote the homosexual lifestyle
in public schools.
Mary Ann Glendon Installed as U.S.
Ambassador to Holy See
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 5, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI affirmed Church teaching on the role of
women in every aspect of society when he received the credentials of
former Harvard law professor, Mary Ann Glendon, as the eighth U.S.
Ambassador to the Holy See on February 29.
Nurse Wants Permission to Perform Abortions
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 5, 2008) An Arizona nurse practitioner has requested permission to
perform surgical abortions from the state Board of Nursing after admitting
that she has been performing the procedure for some time. If permission is
granted, other states may follow suit.
Body of St. Padre Pio Exhumed
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 5, 2008) Just after midnight on March 3, the body of St. Pio of
Pietrelcina was exhumed at San Giovanni Rotondo shrine where it had been
buried since his death in 1968. The exhumation took place in order to have
the body prepared to go on public display next month in commemoration of
the fortieth anniversary of his death.
Doctor Cites “Pervasive Bias” in
Breast Cancer Research
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 5, 2008) An article appearing in a major medical journal gives
evidence of wide-spread fraud and influence peddling at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This
has led to the suppression of evidence supporting the link between
abortion and oral contraceptives and breast cancer.
Vatican declares feminist “baptisms”
invalid
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Mar. 3, 2008) A popular baptism rite incorporating an “inclusive
language” version of the Trinity has been declared invalid by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). Anyone who received the
sacrament of baptism under this formula must be baptized again.
Transplant Surgeon Accused of Hastening Death
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Mar. 3, 2008) For the first time ever, a California transplant surgeon
has been charged with hastening the death of a patient in order to harvest
his organs. The charges are sending shockwaves through the transplant
community and dampening the hopes of 85,000 Americans who are currently
waiting for organs.
Students Sting Planned Parenthood
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 29, 2008) According to the editors of a UCLA student magazine, the
racist policies of Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, continue
to exist in the organization today. After conducting a multi-state probe,
the students found not a single clinic willing to turn away a donation
earmarked for “reducing the number of blacks.”
Fetal Sex Testing Has Arrived in the USA
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 29, 2008) The United Nations estimates that 200 million girls are
currently “missing” from the planet as a result of sex-selection abortion,
largely because of a preference for boys in many Asian cultures. While
most of us have been unaware, the same practice of fetal sex testing has
been becoming increasingly more acceptable in North America.
Catholic Institutions Must Say No to
Pro-Abortion Politics
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 28, 2008) A rash of recent stump speeches by pro-abortion
politicians on Catholic premises has promoted a coalition of 18 Catholic
organizations to demand that these institutions “get their priorities
straight.”
Bill May Reduce Abortions of Babies with
Disabilities
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 28, 2008) A Senate Committee has unanimously approved legislation
that may help reduce the number of abortions of babies with Down Syndrome
and other conditions. The bill would require that parents who receive a
poor pre-natal diagnosis be provided with up-to-date information about the
condition of their baby and available support services.
Paving the Way for Same-Sex “Divorce”
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 28, 2008) Two nasty same-sex break-ups are playing out in the New
York court system and are bringing much-needed public attention to the
sky-high “divorce” rates among same-gendered couples
Film Mocking Religion to be Released at Easter
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 27, 2008) A new documentary created by a man who considers religious
belief to be a “neurological disorder” is scheduled to be released just in
time for Easter. The film, entitled Religulous, was created by late-night
talk show host, Bill Maher, who says he planned the release “to come out
right around the time when the spaceman is flying up to heaven.”
Evangelical Wiccans on the Rise
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 27, 2008) A combination of post-modernism, New Age spirituality and
the glamorization of witchcraft in teen fiction has created the “perfect
storm” for youth who are turning in ever increasing numbers to Wicca
rather than the Christian faith of their upbringing.
Evangelicals Now Outnumber Catholics in America
By Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 26, 2008) Evangelical Christians are now the largest religious
tradition in the U.S., edging out mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics
for the first time, according to a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion
and Public Life.
Pope Warns of Increasing Pressure for
Euthanasia
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 26, 2008) In the same month when a prestigious bioethics journal
called for the killing of babies born with disabilities and the world’s
richest man is quoted as having applauded his mother for killing herself,
Pope Benedict XVI categorically condemned all forms of direct euthanasia.
NEA Promotes Homosexuality in Schools
By Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 26, 2008) A coalition led by the National Education Association (NEA)
and the American Psychological Association (APA) has sent a 24-page
booklet to all 16,000 public school superintendents in the United States
advising them to affirm homosexual orientation and behavior.
UK Death Confirms Abortion Suicide Link
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 25, 2008) The link between abortion and suicide once again made news
when a coroner’s investigation into the 2007 hanging death of a 31
year-old British artist found that the woman killed herself due to remorse
after having an abortion.
Cuban Catholics Pray for Better Days
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 25, 2008) Only a divine hand could have orchestrated the events in
Cuba so perfectly. In the same week that Fidel Castro announced his
resignation, Cardinal Tarcisio Berone, the Vatican Secretary of State,
stood before thousands of worshipers in Santa Clara, Cuba where he
unveiled a giant statue of one of that country’s most beloved symbols of
hope - Pope John Paul II.
A New Season of Grace for Women
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
Twenty years have passed since Pope John Paul II introduced the world
to a whole new version of the feminine mystique. In the apostolic letter
entitled Mulieris Dignitatem, (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women)
issued on August 15, 1988, he made it quite clear that “man and woman are
human beings to an equal degree”; distinct, and yet at the same time,
“they complete and explain each other.”
Concerns Grow Over Pill-Polluted Waterways
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 22, 2008) Another study has confirmed that the synthetic estrogen
found in birth control pills, when leaked into waterways through municipal
sewer systems, can decimate wild fish populations. While concerns rise
about the long-term effects of these chemicals on the environment – and
human beings - the mainstream media continues to ignore the story.
Pro-Life
Doctors Defend Their Right to Practice
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 22, 2008) In what is being called a raw power play to cripple the
practices of pro-life physicians, the American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology (ACOG) Ethics Committee has issued a formal opinion warning
doctors that their practice could be considered unethical if they do not
perform or refer patients for abortions.
Planned
Parenthood To Open Third U.S. Mega-Clinic
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 22, 2008) Planned Parenthood is planning to open its third U.S.
mega-clinic, a 78,000 square foot clinic in Houston, which will become the
largest free-standing abortion facility in the western hemisphere and one
of the few permitted by the state to perform late term abortions.
Websites
Encourage Teens to Kill Themselves
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 19, 2008) A rash of teenaged suicides in
England are being linked to pro-suicide websites that encourage depressed
and vulnerable teens to kill themselves.
“Terri’s
Day” Planned for March 31
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 20, 2008) The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation and Priests for
Life have established March 31 as “Terri’s Day” to mark the court-ordered
death of Terri Schiavo in 2005 and to encourage advocacy for those in
similar situations.
Oprah
Hosts Another New Age Course
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 18, 2008) Only a month after launching a year-long teaching of the
“New Age bible” known as A Course in Miracles, Oprah Winfrey is now
promoting the teachings contained in the latest book by another New Age
author, Eckart Tolle, with a 10 week on-line course beginning March 3.
Beware of “Dear
Abby”
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 18, 2008) One of America’s most popular advice columnists, Dear
Abby, can no longer be trusted to promote traditional morality and is
instead promoting moral relativism.
President Clinton Lashes Out at Pro-Lifers
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 18, 2008) While speaking at a campaign rally in Steubenville, Ohio,
Former President Bill Clinton accused a group of pro-life students of
wanting to “criminalize women and their doctors.”
Church Desecrations May Reveal “Satanical Attitude”
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 18, 2008) A string of vandalisms and desecrations in Catholic
cemeteries and churches throughout southern Minnesota has prompted Bishop
Bernard Harrington of the Diocese of Winona to suggest that a “satanical
attitude” may be responsible for at least some of those attacks.
Cause for Beatification of Sister
Lucia to Begin
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 15, 2008) The five year waiting period before opening a cause for
beatification has been waived for Sister Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, the
last of the three shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima,
Portugal, in 1917.
New
Study Confirms Children Need Fathers
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 15, 2008) A massive study conducted by Swedish researchers has
concluded that active father figures play a key role in reducing
behavioral problems in boys and psychological problems in young women.
A
Week Full of Stem Cell Contradictions
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 14, 2008) This week’s news from the medical and biotech industries
is a study in contradictions. While news was announced of a British
toddler cured of cancer with adult stem cells and scientists confirmed a
recently discovered alternative to embryonic stem cells, a biotech firm in
the U.S. announced plans to test embryonic stem cells on humans.
USCCB
Releases Landmark Study on Catholics and Marriage
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 14, 2008) Catholics who attend Mass regularly are more likely than
those who don’t to be currently married, to have more children, to have a
Catholic spouse, and to be familiar with Church teaching on marriage.
Pope
Benedict Says Christians Must Promote Women’s Dignity
by Susan Brinkmann
Staff Writer
(Feb. 13, 2008) Pope Benedict XVI says Christians must do more to promote
a culture that grants women the dignity that is theirs by right and resist
cultural pressures to relegate women to either second-class status or to a
kind of autonomy and self-sufficiency that traps them in a “state of
oppressive solitude.”
New
Film Warns of “Demographic Winter”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 13, 2008) One of the most under-reported news stories in the secular
media today is the effect of the decline of the human family on global
population rates. But a new documentary by experts from around the world
is about to make headlines.
Vulgar Play
Gets Snubbed
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 13, 2008) Fewer Catholic campuses are willing to host an offensive
play known as The Vagina Monologues, traditionally shown around
Valentine’s Day, as protests by students, U.S. bishops and the faithful
begin to make an impact.
Faith
Amidst the Ruins
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 11, 2008) Stories attesting to the power of faith during times of
disaster are pouring in from all over the tornado ravaged south which left
59 people dead last week.
Church
Celebrates 150th Anniversary of Lourdes Apparitions
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 11, 2008) Today the world celebrates one of the most famous mystical
events in modern history - the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to a poor
French schoolgirl named Bernadette Soubirous in a grotto near Lourdes,
France.
Pope Calls
Prayer the “Motor of the World”
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 8, 2008) “Prayer is the primary and foremost weapon with which to
face the struggle against the spirit of evil, ”said the Holy Father from
the basilica of Santa Sabina on Rome’s historic Aventine Hill on Ash
Wednesday.
Media
Black-Out of March for Life Could Backfire
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 8, 2008) News analysts are giving the major media a failing grade
for its less than adequate coverage of the 2008 March for Life, and some
believe the annual failure to accurately report on such a major news event
leaves both sides at a disadvantage.
Oregon Man
Tests Law by Killing Disabled Wife
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 7, 2008) The husband of an Oregon woman suffering from Lou Gehrig’s
disease shot his wife in the head after she asked him to kill her.
Retailer Targets Teens With Racy
Posters
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 7, 2008) Angry parents in Virginia Beach were unable to convince
authorities to permanently remove posters of scantily clad teens on
display at an Abercrombie & Fitch store in a local mall because the risque
photos do not meet local obscenity standards.
Cognitively
Disabled Woman in Fight for Life
by Susan Brinkmann OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 7, 2008) Lauren Marie Richardson was only 21 years old when she
overdosed on heroin in August, 2006, fell into a coma and was put on life
support. Because she was three monthspregnant, doctors kept her alive
until her daughter was born in February of 2007, then withdrew life
support, at which time everyone expected her to die.
Parents
Beware! Mobile Porn is Getting Closer
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 5, 2008) It’s been talked about for years, but mobile porn is about
to come one step closer to your child’s iPod and cell phone.
Reproductive
Technology Gone Wild
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 5, 2008) In the same week that Pope Benedict XVI warned against
allowing reproductive technology to trump human dignity, British
scientists announced the formation of an embryo with three parents and
claim to have found a way to enable lesbian couples to have their
own biological children.
Natural Family
Planning Receives Medical Codes
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb. 5, 2008) A years-long effort to convince government agencies to
provide medical classification codes for natural family planning has
resulted in the establishment of two new codes...
more info
U.S.
Experiencing Epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Feb.3, 2008) Recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) are showing no slowdown in the epidemic of sexually
transmitted diseases that have been plaguing the U.S. population since the
advent of the sexual revolution...
more info
New CBS Sseries
Celebrates Serial Murder
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Jan.31, 2008) Parents worried about too much violence on television need
to make sure their children stay away from CBS on Sunday evenings at 10:00
p.m. Beginning on Feb. 17, the station will air Dexter, a series whose
“hero” is a serial killer who stalks and kills his victims after
tranquilizing them and stabbing or dismembering them...
more info
Doctors Criticized for
Euthanizing Babies Born with Spina Bifida
by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Jan.31, 2008) A Dutch pediatrician along with peers from several
countries published an article in this months issue of the international
medical journal, Childs Nervous System, criticizing the practice of
euthanizing babies born with spina bifida (an incompletely formed spinal
chord) in the Netherlands and around the world...
more info
Pill Users Risk
More Than Just Physical Health
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(Jan.29, 2008) Reports about a new British study linking long-term use of
oral contraceptives with reduced risks of ovarian cancer may be giving
women a false sense of security...
more info
Pro Life
Message Gaining Ground
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
A commentary written by two prominent pro-abortion leaders
and published in the Los Angeles Times on Jan. 22, admits that the
pro-life message now claims the high ground in the national abortion
debate...more info
New Age
gods Don’t Bring Happiness
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Worshipping New Age gods doesn’t make people happy. In fact, a new study
has found a link between trendy new spiritualities and increased rates of
anxiety, depression, disturbed and suspicious ways of thinking and
anti-social behavior in youth...more
info
Pope
calls for “Info-ethics” in media
On Jan. 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of
journalists, Pope Benedict XVI released his Message for the World Day of
Social Communications in which he issued a call for “info-ethics” in the
media... more info
Lessons in Brain-Washing: A Course in Miracles
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
On January 1, 2008, Oprah and Friends XM156 began hosting Marianne
Williamson, a former cocktail waitress turned New Thought minister, who
will teach a year-long course of spiritual instruction known as A Course
in Miracles...more
info
