Pro-Lifer Wins Settlement

CYBERCAST NEWS SERVICE, May 27 — DeKalb County, Ill., has settled a lawsuit brought by a woman who says she was denied a promotion because of her pro-life beliefs.

Faith Monciviaz said she was denied a promotion from part-time to full-time work in the DeKalb County Health Department because, during an interview, she said she would not discuss abortion with health-department clients.

According to Cybercast News Service, the American Center for Law and Justice filed the lawsuit on Monciviaz's behalf in May 2003, saying her rights to free speech and freedom of religion were violated.

The county has agreed to pay $40,000 to settle the claim without admitting liability in the case. As a result of the settlement, the law center said, the case would be dismissed.

Bishop Leads Demonstration

PRESS & SUN BULLETIN (New York), May 21 — Between 300 and 500 people turned out for a pro-life Mass and demonstration at a local abortion site in Vestal, N.Y., near the Pennsylvania border, led by Syracuse, N.Y., bishop James Moynihan.

After a May 21 morning Mass and .3-mile “prayerful procession” to the abortion site, Bishop Moynihan led recitation of the rosary, the Press & Sun reported. Officials were informed of the bishop's itinerary and planned to provide a police escort to ensure safety while crossing the streets.

Bishop Moynihan has been leading pro-life demonstrations twice a year since he became leader of the diocese in 1995.

Pro-Life Groups Sue Boston

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, May 19 — Pro-life groups have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Boston, saying the process to obtain permits to demonstrate at the Democratic National Convention this summer infringes on their First Amendment free-speech rights.

The Christian Defense Coalition, Operation Rescue Boston and Operation Rescue West said in their May 19 lawsuit that the process is too restrictive because groups must submit applications 14 days prior to any event, the wire service reported. The groups said they don't often learn of events they want to protest until a few days before the event.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said the city is trying to “sanitize” the July 26-29 convention by restricting protesters.

House Rejects Abortion Proposal

LIFENEWS.COM, May 20 — The U.S. House of Representatives has voted against allowing abortions in military hospitals, which would be funded by taxpayer dollars.

Rep. Jim Kyun, R-Kan., led the opposition to the proposal and said it would “simply turn our military hospitals overseas into abortion clinics,” the pro-life news site reported.

Currently, the law prohibits the use of military facilities for abortions. The policy began as an executive order from the first President Bush in the early 1990s and became law in 1996. Prior to Congress passing the law, LifeNews.com reported, President Bill Clinton allowed abortions at military facilities from 1993-1996.