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United "Rally For Life" Happening in 2009 |
 Many of you will remember the life-affirming “Respect For Women Rally” we held in Brisbane on February 9th this year. The aim of the Rally was to raise awareness amongst the community and inspire people to become more active and realize that abortion does affect each and every one of us. It may not be from a personal perspective but the fallout to the community comes in many ways – increased pressure on our health system as women hurt by abortion, either physically, mentally or emotionally, seek help to heal that hurt. The same can be said of the men involved and lastly by the drain on the Medicare system as the rebate for that abortion is claimed. The baby bonus has also been found to have been paid to those whose babies have been aborted but have been noted as “stillborn”.
On Friday 17 October 2008 an Abortion in Queensland Forum was held with Caroline Da Costa (of RU486 fame), Bonnie Barry (pro-abortion MP and Emily’s List no less), David Grundman (you all know him), and a number of other ‘doctors’ in the abortion field, at the helm. At $130 per attendee, it certainly cut a lot of people’s chances of attending.
One of the key things on their agenda is to put into place in Queensland, laws very similar to those recently passed in Victoria (see p5 this newsletter). They are keen to make abortion mills ‘more palatable’ to the general public by promoting breast screening, pap smears etc; after all, who would want to close down a women’s health centre?
A further part of their strategy is to pressure the government to fund only pregnancy advisory services that provide referrals for “all options”.
The pro-abortion lobby at the forum discussed the things they are most fearful of:- - counselling — they abhor the fact that women may actually follow their heart and keep their baby after speaking to a genuine counsellor who helps the women discern what they truly want to do
- foetal images showing it IS a baby
- ANY restrictions on abortion at all
- The fact their peers see them (abortionists) as second rate doctors — REALLY?
- The fact that they can’t attract and retain doctors - most are from overseas who do their qualifying period with abortion places, then leave
- a UNIFIED prolife movement
In regards to point no 6 above, Cherish Life Queensland along with a number of other prolife groups are planning a Rally similar to the one we held in February this year. The theme is “Rally For Life” and is a UNITED effort amongst prolife and pro-family groups.
We strongly encourage you to mark off the afternoon of Saturday 7th February 2009 for our UNITED “Rally For Life”. If you are thinking of a holiday in Brisbane next year, plan it to coincide with this date. We would love to double the numbers at this next rally. Remember, all it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing.
So mark off your diaries and we will see you at the “Rally For Life” next year.
Teresa Martin State President |
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Cherish Life Fundraising Dinner |
 The Cherish Life Fundraising Dinner held on the evening of Friday 7th November at the Indooroopilly Golf Club was a wonderful success with over one hundred members and their friends attending.
Bruce Dawe OM, poet laurette and pro-life advocate, was our guest speaker. Bruce related how as a young university student in 1954 he was struck by the passion and quiet reason of fellow students who upheld the sanctity of human life and this encouraged him to become more involved in this issue.
His poem, “The Wholly Innocent” and “Baby J” were written on the topic of abortion. Should you wish to hear his excellent speech from the night, click here. |
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Excerpts from LifeNews.com 19.11.08
Hospital Refuses to Remove Eluana's Feeding Tube After Court Ruling
 Rome, Italy — The hospital where Eluana Englaro had received medical care and treatment before an Italian court ruled that her father could take her life refuses to pull her feeding tube. No doctor and none of the staff at the hospital in Lecco have agreed to kill the woman who is considered Italy’s version of Terri Schiavo. Last week, the highest court in Italy granted her father the right to kill her via euthanasia by removing her feeding tube. Englaro has been in what doctors term a so-called vegetative state following a car accident and has received food and water via a feeding tube. However, the Italian nuns at the Blessed Luigi Talamoni clinic who are caring for her refuse to comply with the court ruling. They are getting support from Roberto Formigoni, President of the Lombardy region, who, according to the London Times, has said any doctor who kills a patient by removing the feeding tube would face disciplinary action for “failing to honour commitments to the well-being of their patients.” Medical officials from northern regions such as Piedmont and Friuli, where Englaro’s family is from, are also refusing to take her life.
Bush Administration Could Issue Rules Soon Protecting Medical Personnel on Abortion
Washington, DC — Within days, Bush administration officials could release the final version of new federal rules that offer more protection for medical centres and staff who don’t want to be involved in abortions. The rules provide more enforcement for existing federal laws that make sure staff and facilities can opt out of abortions. *The laws state that any federally-funded agency, government or facility that discriminates against medical centres or personnel could lose funding if they have requirements to be involved in abortions. Though the rules are meant to protect the “religious beliefs or moral convictions” of medical centres and personnel, officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are launching a last-minute attack on the proposal. According to the New York Times, the EEOC legal counsel Reed Russell and two Democratic members of the commission, claim the rules are unnecessary and say they will be confusing to employers.
Editor’s Comment: Victoria’s new abortion legislation has done the exact opposite to this. See page 5 of this newsletter.
Turnaround in the number of abortions done on disabled unborn babies (Excerpt from LifeNews.com 25.11.08)
London, England -- A new study from Scotland shows there may be a turnaround in the number of abortions done on disabled unborn babies, particularly of babies diagnosed in utero with Down syndrome – the rate of abortion on these particular babies being as high as 90 per cent.
According to the Scotsman newspaper, the number of babies born with the condition fell from 717 to 594 by 2000. With an increasing birthrate generally, 749 babies with Down Syndrome were born in 2006. Figures from the health ministry show the proportion of newborn children with Down syndrome born in the last six years has risen to 15 percent. According to a report from the BBC, parents with Christian beliefs were more often choosing life for their baby. Parents of disabled children also feel society is more accepting of disabled children now than previously and there is increased medical and technological advances that are helping disabled children and their parents cope better with the implications of the various disabilities.
"…if people are given full information rather than being pushed toward eugenic options, fewer people are terminated," Wesley Smith, author and attorney said, "The people with Down and other developmental disabilities don't drag society down, they lift it up.” Russian City Prepares for Week Without Abortions to Combat Underpopulation
 Novorossiysk, Russia (LifeNews.com) -- A Russian city located in the southern part of the nation near the Black Sea is starting a campaign called a "Week Without Abortions." The idea is to temporarily prohibit abortions in the city and encourage couples to have children in an effort to combat the growing underpopulation problem. Russia, like many of its neighbors in Eastern Europe, is experiencing severe underpopulation thanks to abortion being used as a method of birth control for decades. Most demographers generally believe that Russia's current population of 144 million will fall to 115 million by 2050. But Murray Feshbach, with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, thinks Russia's population will drop to 101 million and could go as low as 77 million by mid-point in this century. During the Novorossiysk campaign this week, abortion practitioners will not be allowed to do abortions except in the most extreme cases involving potential death to the mother. Instead, residents are urged to try to get pregnant, and pregnant women will have access to a special phone number to receive help and support for carrying the pregnancy to term and beyond. Potential Euthanasia Victim Lauren Richardson Saved, Parents Reconcile
 Lauren, a 24-year-old woman who overdosed on heroin in August 2006 while she was three months pregnant with a baby girl, nearly became the victim of euthanasia as her parents wrangled over allowing her to live or die. Lauren has been on life support since the overdose until she delivered her baby in February 2007. Lauren’s dad, Randy Richardson is battling Edith Towers, Lauren’s mother, who wants to remove her feeding tube and starve and dehydrate her to death in the same manner that Michael Schiavo subjected his wife Terri Schiavo to.
However, on 19.11.08, attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, a pro-life law firm indicated a favorable settlement had been reached between the parents. Because of religious conviction and heartfelt interaction with her ex-husband’s family, Towers decided to join cooperatively with Richardson’s father to care for their daughter and to drop her court request to remove Richardson’s feeding tube and water. Lauren cried when told that her parents were getting back together.
“Everyone deserves a chance to recover. Life should be protected—not destroyed,” ADF attorney Matt Bowman said. “This change of heart and settlement has profoundly affected everyone involved. The miracle of life is not something that should be taken lightly.”
Noted attorney and author Wesley Smith has written about Lauren’s case and he says he viewed a video Richardson’s father released and he says she seems reactive particularly when her father attempts to interact with her. “Whether she is conscious or not is irrelevant to her equal moral worth as a human being,” Smith adds.
“The fight in this case is over whether she lives as a profoundly disabled woman or is made to die slowly over two weeks by dehydration--as Terri Schiavo did,” Smith explained. “If we did that to a dog, we would go to jail. Do it to a disabled woman who needs a feeding tube and it is called medical ethics.” |
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Adult Stem Cell Research Still Outpaces Embryonic |
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Excerpt from LifeNews.com 24.11.08
Liver Repair Doctors at Imperial College, London, have shown treatment benefits from using adult stem cells collected from the patients’ own blood to treat cirrhosis of the liver. Three of the nine patients treated showed almost complete repair after 12 weeks.
Cerebral Palsy Duke University scientists have treated a young girl for cerebral palsy using her umbilical cord blood, which the parents had saved. Two months after receiving her own stem cells, the girl is reported to have made a 50 percent recovery.
Windpipe Reconstruction A Colombian woman whose windpipe was destroyed by tuberculosis received a transplant using donated tissue and her own adult stem cells to form the replacement organ. The international team that conducted the work included scientists in Italy and the United Kingdom and surgeons in Spain. The surgery occurred in June, there is still no rejection of the new tissue, and she can now walk flights of stairs and go dancing.
Clinical Trial to Treat Heart Failure The University of Utah is enrolling patients in a new clinical trial that uses their own bone marrow adult stem cells to treat two types of heart failure. The trial is the first of its kind for a condition, cardiomyopathy, which is not susceptible to other forms of treatment besides a heart transplant.
Knee Repairs for Ruggers British scientists have used adult stem cells to develop the equivalent of a “living bandage” that can be applied to difficult-to-treat knee injuries caused by a torn meniscus. This ligament in the knee often suffers damage from sharp twisting motions such as those incurred in rugby and other sports. The adult stem cells are applied to a spongy collagen material and have proven capable of pulling together torn pieces of meniscal tissue.
Heart Valve Construction German researchers have enjoyed success (not yet used in human trials) in building heart valves using the “scaffolding concept” and adult stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. The scientist in charge of the research noted that the valves might be used to replace defective ones in children, perhaps even growing along with them and allowing them to avoid the multiple surgeries required by traditional valve replacement.
There are over 2,000 FDA-approved clinical trials underway in the U.S. deploying stem cells. All are using adult sources of these tissues. None involve the killing of embryos.
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Philip Nitschke Comes to Toowoomba! |
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Recently, a branch of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society has been formed in Toowoomba and received permission to meet in the Toowoomba Regional Council meeting rooms. They invited Philip Nitschke to host a public meeting and ‘workshop’ to be held on Tuesday 18th November in the Jacaranda Room in Grand Central shopping centre, the largest such centre in Toowoomba.
An alert member of the public contacted Centre management about the true nature of the “workshops” and the organisers were refused permission for use of the premises only two working days before the meeting was to be held. According to an article published in “The Chronicle” the Saturday before the meeting, the town of Toowoomba has “the distinction of being the only town in Australia to withdraw a booking made by his Exit International organisation” (TC 15.11.08). An “angry and disappointed” Nitschke was astonished by the decision which was phoned through to him at 5pm the previous evening. He had been told it was inappropriate for him to speak there as he was a controversial figure.
However, another venue was duly organised, and on a very wet and foggy afternoon, about sixty people turned out, including an unknown number of prolifers. This is a report from an anonymous pro-life attendee.
The majority of the attendees were elderly and co-author of Nitschke’s first book, “Killing me Softly”, Fiona Stewart was also in attendance. Inspired by this book, Erin Berg, a mentally disturbed mother of four, travelled to Mexico to end her life. As a result of the coverage of this case, the book has been sent by the current Attorney-General Robert McClelland to be reclassified.
Nitschke spoke for about ninety minutes on a wide variety of areas, then following afternoon tea, those who had paid $50 for the workshop stayed for the remainder of the afternoon. Despite it being a public meeting, there was no time allowed for questions.
In his talk, Nitschke had much to say about the recent case of Shirley Justins and Caren Jenning who were charged with the manslaughter death of Graeme Wylie. Justins has recently been found guilty and has to spend the next two years of weekends in detention whilst Jennings who was ill with cancer had earlier killed herself with Nembutal acquired form Mexico. The Nembutal was also used to kill Wylie who had tried to have his life ended through the Swiss organisation Dignitas but was rejected on the grounds of having Alzheimers Disease.
Naturally he was disappointed at the outcome, but used it as an example to advise the attendees what might happen if their relatives or friends get involved in assisting them to kill themselves and how to work around this. He urged them to develop an “end-of –life” plan and spent some time explaining the ‘options’, which were to be enlarged upon in the workshop following the talk.
He also replayed excerpts of videos taken from past cases which have been put onto the internet version of “The Peaceful Pill Handbook” which was banned in Australia, and amended in New Zealand by blacking out thirty pages before being allowed to be sold. Nitschke informed the audience he expected the internet version to be banned shortly also. (CLQ members – put some pressure on to have the video footage removed from YouTube.) Video footage included coverage of the NT deaths which occurred before the legislation was reversed by the federal parliament, a picture of the death machine which is now sitting in the British Museum and footage from Lisselle Nigott, the WA woman who took her own life simply because she was tired of it. Dr. Nitschke said that this case made him reconsider his reasons for justifying euthanasia and caused him to accept it for less than chronic or terminal illnesses. He accepted that this is one point of difference between his organisation and the various VES’s around Australia which focussed on more politically acceptable legislation.
One sobering thought is his claim that so far this year, 2000 people have made use of his workshops. At $50 each, this is not only a large source of income to the organisation, but more importantly represents a large number of people unwilling or unable to accept a natural end to their life.
Footnote: Nitschke also held public meetings followed by $50 workshops in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast in July this year. The police were advised that Nitschke was publicly telling people how to obtain Nembutal (except for vets, illegal to have in one’s possession) and smuggle it into the country. We were advised that “there was nothing they could do”.
Editor’s comment: Would the response be the same if one was advising people how to smuggle cocaine into the country? |
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Senate tables report on Late-Term Abortion Funding |
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The Senate’s Finance and Public Administration Committee last month tabled its report on Medicare funding of second trimester and late-term abortions.
The inquiry received 484 public and 45 confidential submissions and held public hearings on two days in October.
The report canvassed the arguments for and against disallowing Item No. 16525, but its only two recommendations concerned establishing national standards and procedures for reporting more accurate data on second trimester and late-term abortions.
Senator Ron Boswell (National, Qld) told the Senate after the report was tabled that submissions made to the inquiry by two separate pro-abortion groups were identical.
“The submission presented by the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance was the same as the submission from the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development [chaired by Senator Claire Moore, Labor, Qld].”
He said both submissions essentially argued that abortion was a cheaper alternative to looking after children with severe disabilities. The submissions included a section entitled “The community impact of increased numbers of children with severe disabilities.” This stated:
The removal of item 16525 from the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations increases the likelihood of a greater number of persons being born with severe disabilities and high support needs … The cost and impact of an increased number of individuals with severe disabilities living in Australia cannot, however, be ignored …
The financial cost of caring for a severely disabled individual is high not only for the family, but for the greater community. Removing item 16525 would save the Commonwealth, by some estimates, $181,560 per year based on 2007 utilisation of item 1652515. Adequately supporting an individual with high support needs costs the community and families far more than this.
Senator Boswell said: “I ask whether the Government supports the approach that disabled children be aborted rather than put further strain on the disability services sector, because that is what is clearly implied by this offensive submission. Its underlying premise is that some lives are worth less than others because they will cost too much to support.
“This is the kind of thinking that was typical of the Hitler regime. It set itself up as judge of who deserved to live and who deserved to die. This revisiting of eugenics principles is repugnant to a society that prides itself on the contribution of all, regardless of whether they have disabilities. We are all human and equally deserve to live.”
Senator Guy Barnett (Liberal, Tas.), who moved the original disallowance motion which was referred to the inquiry, told the Senate that evidence gathered by the inquiry demonstrated that the term “gross fetal abnormality” was being interpreted by medical practitioners to include quite trivial, correctable disabilities such as a missing finger and cleft palate as well as common disabilities such as Down syndrome, dwarfism and spina bifida.
“Funding abortions for fetal disability,” Senator Barnett said, “in my view, contradicts our commitment to the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of disability… Apart from being discriminatory, the evidence suggests that Australia may be in breach of a number of international treaties protecting the rights of the unborn, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities which Australia has recently ratified.”
Senator Barnett said the inquiry also unearthed further disturbing evidence, including: Fetal pain during abortion procedures is not properly understood or humanely managed; The brutality of the abortion methods being used in Australia is worse than previously understood; Babies are being born alive and simply left to die as part of the abortion process; and The evidence strongly suggests a eugenics agenda against the disabled.
”More specifically, there is confusion and ambiguity regarding the definitions of ‘gross fetal abnormality’ and ‘life threatening maternal disease’. It is interpreted in different ways by different people and is open to abuse.”
Senator Barnett said that in response to this report, he would be writing to the Federal Government urging it to address the issues raised and to note the evidence that has come to light in the course of the inquiry’s investigations. Subject to the Government’s response, he then would consider whether or not to reintroduce his motion to disallow Medicare funding for second trimester and late term abortions.
Senator Barnett said the petition he presented to the Senate in favor of his motion to disallow Medicare benefits for second trimester and late-term abortion contained a total of 28,319 signatures – the largest petition presented to the Senate for some time.
Editor’s comment: Thank you to all the CLQ members who circulated and returned the petition by November 13th. |
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Please Consider Cherish Life In Your Will |
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Below are the words to take to your solicitor when next you update your Will should you wish to include Cherish Life Queensland as a beneficiary. Sadly the issues of abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research are unlikely to go away. Cherish Life needs to be able to continue fighting the good fight — please consider bequeathing to our longstanding pro-life organisation.
GIVE DEVISE AND BEQUEATH
The sum of ............................................................... dollars ($ ) to that incorporated association known as CHERISH LIFE QUEENSLAND INC. (the “Association”) or if at the date of my death the same shall not be in existence then to such organisation within the State of Queensland which (whether an incorporated or unincorporated association body corporate or other organisation) shall succeed the Association (the “Successor”). (For the purposes of this clause the expression “Successor” shall mean an incorporated or unincorporated association body corporate or other organisation which shall be formed upon a reconstitution of the Association). If at the time of my death there shall be no successor to the Association then my Trustee or Trustees for the time being shall appoint the incorporated or unincorporated association body corporate or other organisation within the State of Queensland which most closely approximates the objects of the Association as the beneficiary of the bequest pursuant to this clause. Any beneficiary of this bequest shall be entitled to apply the bequest for such purposes as shall be within the objects or powers of such beneficiary and my trustee or Trustees shall not be obliged to see to the application thereof. The receipt of the President, Secretary or Treasurer for the time being of any beneficiary pursuant to this clause shall be a full and complete discharge to my Trustee for the time being.
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Victoria’s New Legislation – more shocking than the Victorian Era |
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Victorian Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008
Joan Kirner (former premier) and her colleagues in Emily’s list have worked hard to liberalise abortion laws in Victoria and on the 10th October they succeeded. In 2007, Premier Brumby announced that the Government would reform the state’s abortion laws and “bring them into line with current medical practice”. But the Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008 has done more than legalise the “status quo’ and Victoria now has some of the most extreme laws in Australia and in the world.
With passage of this bill, abortion has been legalised on demand up to 24 weeks. After 24 weeks a woman seeking an abortion must have approval from two doctors before she can proceed with an abortion. In a radical new move, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists who oppose abortion could be compelled to be involved in one, even if they have a conscientious objection to abortion. A controversial clause in the legislation requires doctors and nurses to participate in a so-called “emergency abortion.” Additionally, they will now be required to refer women seeking an abortion to someone they know performs abortions. Failure to cooperate with this new law could see doctors, nurses and others facing legal proceedings, compensation claims and even deregistration.
Victoria is one of the first places to pass legislation requiring doctors to cooperate with abortion. These measures appear to be designed to force doctors to be involved in abortion. They are part of a campaign to have abortion recognised as an “International Human Right,” yet there is no United Nations document or any other international agreement which recognises any such right.
This legislation comes at a time when there is growing evidence of the development of a new culture of life around the world. Fewer doctors in UK, Spain, USA, and Italy are willing to perform abortions.
Archbishop Hart, the Catholic Bishops of Victoria, Catholic Health Australia (representing all 15 Catholic Hospitals in Vicotoria), Doctors in Conscience, the Christian Dental and Medical Fellowship of Australia, an Interfaith Committee (with representatives from many religious groups) were outspoken in their opposition to the bill. Gianna Jessen, a survivor of late term abortion spoke with MP’s in an effort to change hearts, minds and votes. The Australian Medical Association defended the right of Doctors to conscientious objection. Archbishop Hart called for a Day of Prayer and Intercession to defeat the Abortion Bill. We were united in Prayer with many dioceses across Australia, Canada, USA, NZ and Poland.
But despite the efforts of many good people, the Abortion Bill passed the Legislative Council by six votes, 23-17. All the amendments designed to offer vulnerable women increased support and alternatives to abortion were rejected. No recognition was given to the humanity of the unborn child or the need to protect the most vulnerable.
Defenders of Life should be on their guard as abortion advocates are likely to try to legalise abortion in QLD. Some are working under the mistaken belief that liberalising abortion will remove some of the shame and guilt associated with it, from which many of them are still suffering. Rather than legalising abortion, we should be offering all those suffering after an abortion, hope and healing. For the hope of healing and the experience of forgiveness are the only things that can remove the pain associated with abortion.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh said recently that human rights legislation has failed most miserably in defending the most basic right of all: life. “We must continue to promote a culture of life at home, at work and in society, going beyond efforts just to reach legislators,” he insisted, “because it is the underlying values that must change first before the laws will follow, not the other way around. Yes of course the legislative agenda is important and it cannot be neglected but neither should the very pressing social agenda.” i
Despite this set back in Victoria, we must continue to work to build a new culture of life and love. We must continue to offer vulnerable women genuine alternatives to abortion and offer all those suffering after an abortion a path to forgiveness and healing.
(Article by Marcia Riordan, Executive Officer, Respect Life Office, Melbourne, titled by Cherish Life Queensland)
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We have had lots of requests for our purple “Cherish Life” t-shirts. — perfect to wear at the upcoming united “Rally For Life”!
Call the office today and ploace your oeder. Sizes available in childrens ($15 ea.) and adults ($25 ea.). |
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UPCOMING EVENTS - Mark Your Diaries! |
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Rally For Life - 2pm Saturday 7th February 2009
Legislation in Victoria now allows for abortion at any stage up to birth. We cannot let this happen in Queensland.
Stand up and be counted - note this date in your diary. Details to be finalised. Bring friends, relatives and work colleagues.
Project Rachel Retreat - Post Abortion Healing
Brisbane: 20-22 Feb, 17-19 July, 23-25 Oct 2009
If you have contacts in Rockhampton and/or Townsville who may be interested in starting Project Rachel Retreats there, please contact Lisa on
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or mobile 0410 122 481. (leave a message if it goes to voicemail) Further retreat dates are on the website www.projectrachel.org.au
Cherish Life AGM and Conference - June 2009
Date and venue to be announced. |
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Announcing the new Cherish Life money box |
 Available from the office on 07 3871 2445 is the new Cherish Life money box.
Please encourage all your Christmas visitors to place their spare change in the money box. Details of how to donate this money to Cherish Life are on the back of the money box.
(In the interests of being environmentally friendly, this money box can be used over and over again! :-) ) |
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A Prayer For The Healing Of Abortion Wounds |
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Eternal Father,
We come before You bearing the wounds of Your Son, Jesus, who, by His passion and death we know has forgiven us.
We thank You Father for creating a special place in heaven for our precious infants who now surround Your Holy Altar.
Father, on our journey home, bearing the scars of our sin grant to us mothers and fathers the grace of healing, courage and peace, so that we may be true witnesses to the world of Your love and endless mercy.
Throught the intercession of Our Lady the Mother of all Mothers, we ask You this, Our Father in the name of Jesus Your Son and in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayer used with permission. Anne’s book “Redeeming Grief” is available from her at the following address:
Anne Lastman (2005) Victims of Abortions Trauma Counselling & Info Services PO Box 6094 Vermont South Vic 3133 Ph 03 9887 7669 |
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Many of you will remember the life-affirming “Respect For Women Rally” we held in Brisbane on February 9th this year. The aim of the Rally was to raise awareness amongst the community and inspire people to become more active and realize that abortion does affect each and every one of us. 
Novorossiysk, Russia (LifeNews.com) -- A Russian city located in the southern part of the nation near the Black Sea is starting a campaign called a "Week Without Abortions." The idea is to temporarily prohibit abortions in the city and encourage couples to have children in an effort to combat the growing underpopulation problem. Russia, like many of its neighbors in Eastern Europe, is experiencing severe underpopulation thanks to abortion being used as a method of birth control for decades. Most demographers generally believe that Russia's current population of 144 million will fall to 115 million by 2050. But Murray Feshbach, with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, thinks Russia's population will drop to 101 million and could go as low as 77 million by mid-point in this century. During the Novorossiysk campaign this week, abortion practitioners will not be allowed to do abortions except in the most extreme cases involving potential death to the mother. Instead, residents are urged to try to get pregnant, and pregnant women will have access to a special phone number to receive help and support for carrying the pregnancy to term and beyond. 
