Archbishop Vigneron: Even in a petri dish, life merits protection

Archbishop Allen H.Vigneron of Detroit

consecrates the Precious Blood at a Mass preceding the

Helper's of God's Precious Infants prayer vigil in September of 2010 

(see photopost here).

The October 3, 2010 Detroit Free Press has an op-ed piece by Detroit's archbishop, Allen H. Vigneron.  This comes as the World Stem Cell Summit takes place in Michigan.

Keep in mind that the Catholic Church is not opposed to the use of adult stem cells, which have proven successes in many areas, and advocates it.

Even in petri dish, life merits protection

I started out as an embryo. So did you and everyone else who shares this planet with us. And there is great significance to this irrefutable fact beyond the shared experience.

Time magazine's cover story this week about the influence of life in the womb states the case: "We are the way we are because it's in our genes: the DNA we inherited at conception." Yes, upbringing and environment have a huge impact on our lives, but one thing never changes until our last natural breath: our DNA. Each human embryo is unique -- it does not have the same DNA of the mother or father. That cell not only becomes us, it is us.


This reality is critical context as the World Stem Cell Summit meets in Detroit. Progress in research on umbilical cord blood cells and adult stem cells is to be saluted and supported. Patients and advocates alike can look to the growing number of cures and treatments discovered through research that does not destroy the living human embryo. Conversely, experiments on human embryonic stem cells deserve our scrutiny and scorn. If not us, who will speak for our fellow citizens-to-be?


We are blessed to live in a country with some of the most extraordinary founding documents in history. If, indeed, we believe we were "created equal," doesn't that belief extend to the indefensible living embryo in a petri dish? "Unalienable rights" means they can't be taken away by the state.


Doesn't that apply to science as well? And what of "life" in "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"? First, it must begin.


Embryonic stem cell researchers will attest that it is imperative to preserve an embryo because it is a living cell. It is after the living embryo is preserved with its human DNA signature that it is dissected, cloned, destroyed or discarded. True democracy is built on life, not death.


Ours is not the first country or culture to selectively pursue a moral calculus that justifies taking a life to enable scientific experiments. We know from sad experience that dangers follow when we put human hands on the switch of life and death.


Embryos are the genesis of human life, and it is morally unacceptable to intentionally destroy them, even if the scientist is trying to cure a debilitating disease or parents are responding to a difficult challenge in their family life. The country we live in defends human rights at home and abroad. That defense must extend to the laboratory.


In Michigan's Compiled Laws, the fetal protection act is precise on punishing individuals who harm or kill a fetus -- or embryo! -- during an intentional assault.


How can there be such a disconnect with what happens in an assault case and what occurs in a laboratory when a human life is destroyed? The person who harmed an embryo in an assault is charged with a felony. The person who destroys an embryo in a petri dish is held harmless and likely considered some sort of medical pioneer. Yet the results were the same: two fewer people in the world who had no power to stop what was happening to them and had no voice in their demise.


The question is called.

In related news, the Free Press is also carrying this article in which Detroit's archbishop is quoted: U-M: Researchers start embryonic stem cell line

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

President Barack Obama

I didn't vote for Barack Obama, but unlike disgruntled Democrats and others who rejected George W. Bush, proclaiming, "he's not my president", I won't stoop to that level.

Hence, Barack Hussein Obama is my president and as such, will receive my deepest prayers for his success on economic, world and domestic issues, and his conversion on culture of death issues. Jesus commanded us to love and it is with Christian love that conversions happen.

I truly wish I could have rejoiced fully today. On the one hand, I was very glad to see that America has proven it is not too bigoted to elect a black man for president. On the other hand, my heart is heavy for the increase in the number of deaths to the most innocent of innocents, the unborn - we will see in this administration. The damage done in these next four or eight years, could last for decades. I hope all Catholics who dismissed the culture of life concerns are paying close attention to all that is going to rapidly take place.

As we celebrated Martin Luther King day yesterday and heard those famous words about judging a man not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character, I wondered how Dr. King would have felt about the greatly persecuted class of people we call the unborn or pre-born.

Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King, is very active in the pro-life movement. She is not Catholic, but works with Fr. Frank Pavone and Priests for Life. This past summer, Dr. King wrote:

"While African Americans comprise only 4.5 percent of Minnesota's population, black received almost 25 percent of the abortions performed on Minnesotans," stated Dr. King. "Nationally, black women are 4.8 times more likely to have an abortion than white women. It's hard to believe, as the abortion lobby would have you believe, that this discrepancy is caused strictly by economics."

"Abortion has been a scourge on all Americans, but particularly African Americans," added Dr. King. "The numbers speak for themselves. The abortion industry has targeted minority neighborhoods for years. It's not only time that our leaders investigated why this is happening, it's time they stopped indirectly subsidizing these killings by giving our money to businesses that do abortions."

Today, as President Obama was sworn in, the White House webpage was changed over. Buried under "Agenda" and "Women", was this:

*Supports a Woman's Right to Choose: President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.

*Preventing Unintended Pregnancy: President Obama was an original co-sponsor of legislation to expand access to contraception, health information, and preventive services to help reduce unintended pregnancies. Introduced in January 2007, the Prevention First Act will increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education that teaches both abstinence and safe sex methods. The Act will also end insurance discrimination against contraception, improve awareness about emergency contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims.

Lifesite News has a piece on this, as well.

and this...

*Supporting Stem Cell Research: President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that we owe it to the American public to explore the potential of stem cells to treat the millions of people suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Obama is a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, which will allow research of human embryonic stem cells derived from embryos donated (with consent) from in vitro fertilization clinics. These embryos must be deemed in excess and created based solely for the purpose of fertility treatment.

Imagine where we would be, had Barack Hussein Obama been aborted by his mother because his father didn't take responsibility, or because she would have to struggle. Hence, the point of this commercial, which I'm sharing again, aired in select segments of the US today on Black Entertainment Television (compliments of CatholicVote.com)


I believe we are going to see actions and words out of many bishops, the likes of which we have never seen, during this administration. Let's pray that God gives them the courage they need, as well as the prudence. Charity for confused Catholic politicians and others isn't manifested in silence. Concern for self-esteem should never trump concern for the souls of our brothers and sisters "carried away by all kinds of strange teachings".

More:

• Pope Benedict to President Obama: Rediscover US Spiritual Heritage (Zenit)


• Pope's Telegram to Obama Includes Veiled References to Protecting Right to Life (LifeSiteNews)
  


• Presidential Invocation by Pastor Rick Warren (National Catholic Register blog)


• Barack Obama Omits Mention of Life in Declaration Cite in Inaugural Speech (LifeNews)


• Obama to Immediately Abolish Mexico City Policy, Likely Fund Embryo Research, Aides Confirm (Lifesite News)
  

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Bishop Boyea of Lansing Michigan Publicly Corrects Governor Granholm

Over 80 bishops have said that abortion/life issues are defining matters.for the Election. They have not injected themselves into partisan politics; they were drawn in by Catholic politicians skewing the teachings of the Church in public ways. The bishops are the teaching authority on Catholic matters for their dioceses.

In this case, Governor Granholm uses her public position to tell other Catholics that it's "pro-life" to vote "yes" on embryonic stem cell research (Proposal 2 on the Michigan ballot) when voting "no" is actually consistent with Catholic teaching.

Bishop Earl Boyea, recently installed in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, had this to say:

Bishop Responds to Governor

The Most Reverend Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing, issued the following statement on October 27, 2008 in response to recent comments by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm:

In a Sunday address in Grand Rapids, Governor Jennifer Granholm incredibly said of Proposal 2 "As a Catholic, I can say to be pro-cure is to be pro-life." Of course, Catholics and all other responsible citizens will continue to seek cures for disease and injury. But to imply that Proposal 2 is a valid expression of Catholic principles is shocking. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Proposal 2, which goes before Michigan voters in a week, would give an unrestricted license to those who perform destructive experiments on human embryos. While the Catholic Church strongly supports legitimate forms of stem cell research and all other proper forms of scientific inquiry, the Church also teaches that is it is always immoral to destroy a human embryo. For that reason, the Catholic Bishops of Michigan have taken a strong position in opposition to this well-funded assault on human life.

Saint Paul reminds us that we must preach the Truth in season and out of season. The Truth will never go unspoken. To be in favor of Proposal 2 is not to be pro-life. A well-formed Catholic conscience would never lead a person to support Proposal 2 "as a Catholic."

Bishop Boyea also released another document: How Shall I Cast my Vote? While this talks about Proposal 2, His Excellency also goes into other life issues, and prudential issues (war, justice, etc.)

Resources on Proposal 2 in Michigan and Stem Cell Research

• Michigan Catholic Conference Letter on Proposal 2
• Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science & Experimentation (MiCAUSE)
• A Spectacular Stem Cell Scandal (Fr. Tad Pacholcyk)
• Adult Stem Cells: 72, Embryonic Stem Cells: 0 (The Anchoress)

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!