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Dear Lover of Life,

This month marks the fourth anniversary of the start of our work here in Lismore, when just a handful of people got together on a Saturday morning in the Cathedral to pray the Rosary in support of those brave Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, who stand outside abortion clinics (often in rain and bleak conditions) and offer help to mothers on their way to have their babies killed. Many women are just hoping that someone will rescue them at the last moment, but many are abusive, as are their companions and passers-by, not to mention clinic staff whose livelihood and consciences are threatened. It takes a brave and loving person to do this work and they need our prayers. What joy they feel when their efforts are rewarded and a mother’s heart is melted and she decides to bring her child into the world! They are there to help her in whatever needs she may have.

From our humble start the work has slowly grown, as a result of prayer, which is of course essential if we are to achieve any results. So we go on faithfully asking God for the Grace to grow and spread the knowledge of His Love and Mercy.

One extremely positive outcome of our prayers has been the formation of a group of The Helpers in Tweed Heads, on the far northern reaches of our diocese. They go to the abortion facility on the second Friday of each month, so if you can support them by your presence and your prayers please do. They would be happy to hear from you.

We have been able to give support and encourage to those compassionate women who “man” Pregnancy Help Midcoast (Wauchope) and St. Vincent de Paul Pregnancy Care (Macksville). We are grateful that they are there to offer counselling and support to mothers troubled by a pregnancy, and we hope that they will be able to help extend their vital apostolate to more towns in our Diocese. They too need your prayers.

And we have been able to provide a forum for speakers such as Dr. Deirdre Little, who has so much to share with us on issues that threaten the practice of good medicine, such as unnecessary pre-natal screening, which is often used as nothing less than a search and destroy operation. (See report).

Pray, too, for opportunities to open up for the spread of the Gospel of Life in the Lismore Diocese. If you have any Good News along these lines, please share it. Those of you out there involved in pro-life work, please share your story with us. It can be very easy to become discouraged in this apostolate: we do need each other’s encouragement.

Yours in the Love of Jesus Who is Life …………..Angela

The Fourth Anniversary of Apostles for Life Lismore

On Saturday 17th August 2002, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated in St Carthage’s Cathedral for the following intentions:

• To end the assault on life, faith and family

• For the conversion of those who promote abortion and the culture of death

• For the healing of those hurt by abortion and the culture of death

• For all involved in promoting the cause of life in the Lismore Diocese.

Twenty-six people attended by from eight parishes in the Lismore Diocese: Bellingen, South Grafton, Maclean, Casino, Lismore, Terrania and Alstonville, Murwillumbah, and apologies came from Pregnancy Support workers in Macksville and Wauchope.

We were felt privileged and delighted that the celebrant of the Mass was none other than our revered Bishop, assisted by Fr. Dennis Carroll. The Mass was the Votive Mass for the Family. This was chosen because the family is the absolutely essential Institution, in which Life is generated, nurtured and protected, and which is so under threat in our western society. Bishop Jarrett compared our society with the family-oriented society and plenitude of children in Papua New Guinea, that he and the other Bishops had observed when attending the Bishops of Oceania Conference. (Not that they are not under threat, but that the culture of death has not made such inroads, as is apparent in Australia – more about that next issue, I hope).

The words of the Gospel of John (15:16) were very appropriate: You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask in my name. My command to you is to love one another. We were so encouraged by Bishop Jarrett as he reiterated the words of St. Paul to the Romans (12:12): Be joyful in hope, persevere in hardship, keep praying regularly. It was clear that our Bishop understands the loneliness, the isolation and the discouragement that is so much the lot of the pro-life activist

The music was provided by some of the Tweed Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, who happened also to belong to Murwillumbah Legion of Mary. One could never have guessed that there were less than thirty people in the Cathedral, as their beautiful voices rang out to the strains of the Cathedral organ played by Warren Whitney. The reader was Mary Shortis of Alstonville Parish and Miriam Martello of Lismore Parish prayed the following Intentions:

for families that they will become ever more holy and united, and bring up their children to enjoy an eternal loving relationship with Our Heavenly Father.

for parents of unborn children that they, like Mary our Mother, wilI have the trust and courage to say yes to life for their children.

that the virtue of Chastity may be rediscovered as a great gift from a Loving Father, for all the faithful, whether priest, religious or lay, whether married or single.

to protect our Australian society from sins against Life, that we will learn ever greater respect for the sick, the handicapped and the aged, that they may live full lives according to the Will of the Father.

for our Pregnancy support workers in our Diocese, and that, like Mary did for Elizabeth, we too may go quickly to support the mothers of unborn children.

for doctors and nurses who use their skill to kill and maim, instead of to heal, that they may repent and return to the service of the sick.

for the legal profession and for our political leaders that they will become fearless in proclaiming the primacy of the Laws of God.

for those who participate in abortion, whether through ignorance, fear, weakness or even malice, that they may be given the grace of repentance.

that all who have suffered the effects of the culture of death may attain healing through the saving power of the Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist.

for all of us in the Pro-Life Apostolate that we may increase in holiness, humility and submission to the Will of God, and that our activities will always be pleasing to Our Heavenly Father.

Following a sumptuous morning tea in the Parish Centre, thanks especially to Mary Mason and Michele Marychurch, Dr. Deirdre Little, addressed us on the topic “Whatever Happened to the Hippocratic Oath?”. Dr Deidre is a wife, and mother of three daughters, a member of the Bellingen Parish, a GP-Obstetrician in Bellingen, and an outspoken advocate for respect for all human life from conception to natural death. She has great wisdom, experience and knowledge to share with us from her 18 years of working in Obstetrics and General Practice, and in Bellingen Hospital, and as a diplomate member of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and as a Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

Deirdre presented us with an history of the Hippocratic Oath, which has been adopted and taken to heart by doctors across many cultures, and been translated into many languages and dialects for over 2 millennia; but today is spurned by most Universities and Colleges of Medicine.

She explained that the Oath has four main concepts:

• acknowledgment of a Higher Power and Authority,

• acknowledgment of obligations to his teachers (as for his own parents), and to pass on knowledge of the Art to his sons and those who desire it, and to the Art itself,

• a pledge to abstain from giving any deadly medicine, or giving such counsel, or from causing an abortion, and

• a desire for purity and holiness.

Nowadays, graduating classes in NSW generally write their own codes, which may have the benefit of youthful idealism, but lack clear and precise language, and reflect woolly thinking, lack the wisdom that comes of experience, and are likely to be driven by the most politically motivated and articulate class members.

New codes of ethics are being revamped and rewritten. An example is the recently rewritten draft code of ethics of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This draft code (which has yet to be accepted) totally ignores even the existence of an in utero patient. Though not enforceable at present, if it is passed, future applicants may be expected to concur with it, if they are to practise obstetrics and gynaecology. And if the code does not acknowledge a baby at any stage of its development, it can hardly offer the baby any protection.

There is much more to be said, hopefully we will be able to produce the full text of Dr. Deirdre’s address. Everyone who came was pleased with the day and benefited by the encouragement and chance to be able to meet with other pro-life workers. We hope that we will be able to have more such meetings.

ADULTS ONLY

 reads the catchy cover of a campaign booklet put out recently. Please join with Do No Harm – a coalition of Australians who support ethical medical research in the campaign to convince our Prime Minister and Parliament to reject Embryo Stem Cell Research

Please note that despite all the hype in the media:

• Embryonic stem cell research has not helped any patient anywhere. It has a zero success rate.

• There are over 300 published papers documenting the success of adult stem cells, but no evidence in favour of embryonic stem cell research.

• The only possible reason for promotion of embryonic stem cell research is to make money out of the destruction of human life - whether cloned, or already created and sitting in IVF clinic freezers.

• It can never be ethical to destroy human beings, even if such so-called “therapy” would work.

• Embryonic stem cell research is unethical, unsuccessful, and unnecessary, has problems of immune rejection, and can cause cancer.

Please write urgently to four politicians:

• Prime Minister Howard, c/o Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600

• Your Federal MP Page Ian Causley 82 Prince St Grafton 2460 Or 63 Moleswirth St, Lismore 2480 Richmond Larry Anthony, Suite 6, 107 Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads South 2486

• Premier Bob Carr, c/o Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000

• Your State MLA Ballina Donald Page, Suite4, 1st Floor, 160 River Street, Ballina 2478 Lismore Thomas George, 55 Carrington Street, Lismore 2480 Pt Macquarie Robert Oakshott, Suite 2, 68 Clarence Street. Port Macquarie 2444 Tweed Neville Newell, shop 2, Tweed City Shopping Centre, Tweed Heads South 2486

Remember

1. Handwritten letters are the most effective. If you must type the letter, at least handwrite the envelope.

2. Make your point clearly and briefly

3. Be polite – threats never to vote for him again are unnecessary.

4. Argue positively where possible, especially the benefits of adult stem cells. 5. Write soon – Parliament has already reopened on Monday 19th August.

6. Pay a visit to your MP – maybe a group of you.

7. Help form public opinion through Letters to the Editor, etc.

8. Be prepared to follow up letters especially where responses suggest the issue is not clearly understood.

9. Feedback any responses to donoharm@ozemail.com.au or Do No Harm, GPO Box 791, Sydney 2000, (02) 9456 0351.

10. We will be happy to give you further information and a list of NSW senators if you are looking to do more letter writing – just phone/fax/email/write to the address in no. 9 or to Apostles for Life (address on the front page).