Nagbubunyi ang buong simbahang katoliko sa pagkakahirang ng bagong Santo Papa. Sa isang tradisyunal na anunsiyo na ginawa sa balkonahe ng St. Peter’s Basilica sa Roma, inihayag ng isang tagapagsalita na may napili nang bagong Santo Papa na papalit sa yumaong John Paul II. siya ay Joseph Cardinal Ratinger, dating Arsobispo ng Munich at Dean ng College of Cardinals. Kinuha niya ang pangalan XVI. Siya din ang pinuno ng Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith. Siya ay kilalang henyo at marunong sampung lenguwahe. Inaaasahan natin sa prolife and family movement na ang bagong Santo Papa ay mananatiling magiging isang inspirasyon natin. Isang matibay na sandalan ang ating bagong santo papa na alam nating ipagpapatuloy ang sinimulan ni John Paul II sa pagtataguyod ng pamilya at buhay.

"Amen" was said to be the last word of Pope John the Paul II heard by his bishop secretary before he died. Inded, a tremendous gift of God to all of us in the vineyard of Family and Life Apostolate.

by Agoy Descallar

Kung maaalaala natin sa nakaraang isyu, ang apat (4) na house bill (HB) hinggil sa reproductive health and population management (kasama na ang two-child policy ni Lagman) ay kinonsolida para maging HB 3773 o “Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act”. Mabilis na kumikilos ang Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) at mga kaalyado nito na papirmahan ang nasabing HB sa mga kongresista, upang sa gayo’y iwasan na nila ang mahabang delibirasyon sa plenaryo sa ikalawang pagbasa at maagap na ipasa na kaagad ito sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa. (*Tala: ang isang HB ay dumaraan sa tatlong pagbasa para sa pinal na bersyon nito bago dalhin sa Senado.) Ayon sa ilang ulat, mayroon na silang tinatayang 93 na pirma mula sa 235 kabuuang bilang ng mga kongresista. Ilan na lang ay makukuha na nila ang mayorya!

...Rene Josef Bullecer, M.D.

There has been a wealth of misinformation and misleading interpretations of facts surrounding the spread of HIV/AIDS in Thailand and the Philippines. Anti-life forces, of course, continually push and spin facts while working toward their deadly agenda. These organizations view condom distribution as the one great solution to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS even though time and experience has proven just the opposite. Recently, BBC and UNFPA's Director, Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, suggested that even calling into question the effectiveness of the condom, as Cardinal Lopez-Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family recently did, would actually spread the disease. She boldly stated that "the statements of Cardinal Trujillo could contribute to the further spread of HIV/AIDS."
Let's examine the actual figures: The first AIDS case in Thailand was diagnosed in 1984, when a homosexual prostitute tested positive for the disease. Later it spread among the female and male prostitutes, and among intravenous drug users. The first AIDS case in the Philippines was also diagnosed in 1984. By 1987, there were 112 cases of HIV/AIDS infection in Thailand and 135 cases in the Philippines.

by Joel Mclhaney, M.D.,
Medical Institute for Sexual Health

Condoms always have and always will pose a great use-effectiveness problem. In fact, the FDArequires the manufacturer to list the ideal use-effectiveness rates of approved contraceptives in the package inserts for oral contraceptives, which are even more easily controlled in use. Combining the ideal and the use-effectiveness rates, condoms are listed at 90-70 percent, which translates to a failure rate of 10-30 percent. These rates are based on birth prevention, not disease prevention. This distinction is critical when safety and protection are honestly considered and evaluated. For example, a woman’s window of fertility is 7 days out of an average 28-day cycle. Infections such as AIDS, however, can occur every day at any given minute, depending on the immune system.

By Father Paul Marx, OSB (Founder of Human Life International)

I remember well my first meeting with Pope John Paul II on 17 November 1979. By then, I had been active in the pro-life arena for over a decade from my post at the Human Life Center at St. John’s University, always taking the total life approach. The Pope came up to me and stunned me by saying, “I know who you are, Father Marx.” “Is there a little bit of Karl in you?” he continued, referring to the 19th century founder of Communism, Karl Marx?

The newly elected Pope Benedict XVI, unlike his predecessor John Paul II prior to his election, comes to lead the Catholic Church after spending the last 24 years in the public eye as the head of the most important office in the Church - the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). As such, his teachings on the most pressing issues facing the Church today have been readily available. In his writings he has touched on the so-called controversial issues, noting pro-abortion Catholic politicians should be denied Holy Communion, and that Catholic legislators may never vote in favour of laws allowing homosexual civil unions - let alone same-sex ‘marriage’.In a 2003 CDF Doctrinal Note, then Cardinal Ratzinger spelled out formally that Catholic politicians have a “grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life,” and that “For (Catholic politicians), as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them.”(see that full document here http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/jan/030116a.html )

The abortion provider NEVER told me that abortion is NOT safe! They NEVER told me that it would leave deep emotional and physical scars! They NEVER told me that abortion actually kills a baby! They NEVER told me that abortion is a violent procedure! They NEVER gave me any alternatives or life options! They will NEVER tell you that abortion exploits women for their profit! The abortion counselors use obscure terms such as ”product of conception,” “contents of the uterus,” and “fetal tissue” to refer to your baby.

Jonah Dimaano

P2.45 Bilyong Contraceptives Para Wakasan ang Kahirapan sa ‘Pinas,bow!

Kamakailan ay na-headline sa ilang pahayagan na ang gobyerno ay maglalaan ng P2.45 bilyon sa taong ito para sa artificial contraceptives. Ayon sa gobyerno, ito raw ang pinakamabisang paraan sa paglutas ng kahirapan, ang pigilin ang panganganak. Sa mga ganitong klaseng programa malinaw na nahahalata kung gaano kapurol ang mga utak ng mga nakaluklok sa gobyerno. At ito ang nakakatakot dahil hindi natin alam kung anong klaseng kapahamakan ang kanilang idudulot sa bansa. Tila yata hindi sila nagsasaliksik at nagbabasa ng mga balita. O baka binabasa nga nila pero walang sapat kakayahan ang kanilang mga kinakalawang na utak para suriin ang kanilang mga binabasa.

...Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS

“Be not Afraid”

These were the words of our dearly beloved Pope John Paul II at the turn of the century - a past era of a world that was wrought with so much disaster, tragedies, falsehoods and confusion, and a new century facing the unknown.