Cardinal Confronts Abortion

LIFESITE DAILY NEWS, Sept. 5 — A cardinal in Peru has instructed pastors to withhold communion from public figures who continue to publicly support abortion after being warned.

In a document titled “Moral and Legal Dimensions of Abortion,” Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani of Lima said he wanted to set forth “a pastoral and sacramental response to the increasing culture of death, as well as consistent criteria to deal with this grave moral problem.”

The cardinal reminded pastors that they must first warn anyone in private before denying them communion in public. He also asked pastors to build a culture of life by educating people, praying for legislators and assisting women in crisis pregnancies.

The Goodbye to Dating

NEW YORK TIMES Sept. 9 — Some Christian young people are “trying to rewrite the rules for relationships [between men and women],” reported The New York Times.

A growing movement is “rejecting the dominant culture's approach to dating and romance.” They see the typical succession of intimate but ultimately broken relationships before marriage as needless and damaging.

The report said that such young people are turning to various traditional alternatives, like chaperoned time together and betrothal.

The report told the story of Joshua Goforth and Noelle Wheeler who kissed for the fist time at their wedding in June. Another young woman, after her betrothal, said, “I can begin to emotionally connect because it's safe. You're not going to leave in six months and break my heart.”

Bishops: Vote Pro-Life

LIFESITE DAILY NEWS, Sept. 10 — Mexican Bishops Felipe Arizmendi, Jose Luis Chavez and Rogelio Cabrera issued a statement Sept. 7 telling Catholics not to vote for pro-abortion politicians in October elections in the state of Chiapas.

“You should not vote for someone who leads an immoral life, for someone who is corrupt, who defends abortion or who makes promises but doesn't keep them,” the bishops said.

At the same time, the bishops warned, “failing to vote because of laziness and irresponsibility” is “allowing yourself to be manipulated.”

Abortion-Breast Cancer Suit

DIOCESE OF FARGO, N.D., Sept. 7 — A lawsuit against a Fargo abortion facility for false advertising was set to begin Sept. 11, announced the Catholic diocese. The lawsuit maintains that a brochure handed out by the Red River Women's Clinic falsely claimed “there is no evidence linking abortion and breast cancer.” The brochure also asserted that abortion is 10 times safer than childbirth.

The lawsuit seeks to prevent the abortion facility from continuing to make such false statements. It also seeks to require the facility to inform women that a first-term pregnancy before age 30 tends to reduce the risk of breast cancer, while abortion at any age increases the risk.