Patricia Kelly, a tireless advocate for the pro-life cause whose gentle but persistent lobbying efforts helped secure a ban on physician-assisted suicide in Maryland, died Sept. 4 at Portumna, her family farm in Carroll County.
Respect Life
Planned Parenthood drops suit against Indiana abortion law on ultrasounds
Ending three years of legal dueling, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Aug. 20 that Planned Parenthood has conceded defeat in a lawsuit that challenged a state law requiring women to undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before having an abortion.
Democratic Party urged to be ‘big tent’ and welcome its pro-life members
Alison Centofante, director of external affairs at Live Action, observed: “Abortion’s not a partisan issue,” but rather is based on what science has learned about fetal development in the womb.
Letter: Democrats must make room for pro-lifers, ‘moderate’ abortion position
About 100 current and former Democratic lawmakers from several states urged the Democratic Party’s Platform Committee Aug. 14 “to moderate its official position on abortion,” saying many party leaders support abortion policies “radically out of line with public opinion.”
Nebraska governor signs bill that bans dismemberment abortions
Saying Nebraska is “a pro-life state,” Gov. Pete Ricketts Aug. 15 signed into law a ban on dismemberment abortions, which he said stops a “horrific procedure” and is “an important step to strengthen our culture of life.”
In planning Jan. 29 March for Life, officials mindful of health safeguards
March for Life is, at its core, a bus event for college and high school groups, and restrictions on that kind of travel are still an unknown factor.
Notre Dame study examines ‘everyday’ Americans’ attitudes toward abortion
Americans participating in a study of attitudes toward abortion said they do not typically discuss it, find the labels “pro-life” and “pro-choice” inadequate, and generally do not consider abortion a “desirable good” for society, according to a University of Notre Dame study.
Supreme Court allows blocked federal execution to proceed
In a 2 a.m. decision July 14 after numerous last-minute filings, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to overturn a trial court order blocking the execution of federal death-row inmate Daniel Lewis Lee.
Supreme Court stops Texas execution for inmate’s religious liberty
The U.S. Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution for Texas death-row inmate Ruben Gutierrez June 16, saying the state prison officials need to reexamine their rule that bans clergy from being with prisoners to the execution chamber.
HHS rule helps ‘restore rights of health care providers,’ say bishops
The chairmen of three U.S. bishops’ committees welcomed a final rule implemented by the Trump administration June 12 to restore “the long-standing position of the federal government that discrimination on the basis of ‘sex’ means just that and does not refer to ‘termination of pregnancy’ nor ‘gender identity.'”
Center for Pregnancy Concerns’ Howard St. location expected to open on schedule
The pro-life Center for Pregnancy Concerns (CPC) will open as planned at 328 N. Howard St. in Baltimore, next door to the city’s Planned Parenthood location, late this summer, according to Gina Ruppert, executive director of CPC.
Pope prays for U.S., calls racism a pro-life issue
Observing with great concern the social unrest unfolding in the United States, Pope Francis said no one can claim to defend the sanctity of every human life while turning a blind eye to racism and exclusion.