In This Issue

Dear HLI Family, Often times in the service of the Gospel of Life, we are confronted with hardships, persecution, disappointments and even failure.Since our last issue of FrontLines, we have seen setbacks in threepro-life countries:Uruguay, the Philippines, and Costa Rica.Though we should be clear that in none of these nations is the battle lost indeed, our missionaries and our partners there are already staking out territory to reverse these decisions for many, these setbacks and the struggles we face around the worldare discouraging.Lest we despair, we should consider the inspiring words and example of St. Paul: But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels thatthe surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2Cor4:8-9) The Apostles words assure us that we can always count on Gods help, no matter what the trials may be.Victory over the enemy can be attained with the grace of God, as happened in St. Pauls case. Faith and hope in the resurrection and in heaven sustains us in moments of hardship and struggles.God provides us what we need and will never be outdone is His fatherly care and aid. Further, as we see in this issue, we are also seeing victories at local and national levels, including gaining a new mission foothold in the Middle East and inspiring gains in Kenya. Further, with well-received efforts, such as our documentary on Hungary and Poland, and our challenge to a massive contraception push that is being led by the Gates Foundation, our missionaries continue to lead the fight for family and life around the world. In his 2007 encyclical Spe Salvi, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI invited us to rediscover the meaning of Christian hope.With the example of Cardinal Francis Thuan, Benedict teaches us about hope in the face of great difficulty, and the freedom one obtains when a soul is intimately connected to Jesus. The Cardinal learned hope through his struggles, and it is our task to do the same. Our setbacks and struggles should call us to a deeper relationship with our Savior and trust in the graces He bestows upon those who faithfully serve Him. Our work will bear greater fruit when our efforts begin and depend on God. Thank you for standing with the pro-life missionaries around the world and for sharing our hope that a Culture of Life may be realized around the world. Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Shenan J. Boquet President

Father Shenan J. Boquet President of Human Life International

CONTENTS
FEATURES 8 What Hungary Can Teach Us About A Post-Roe World 10 Controversy and Contraception 13 The Battle for the Philippines Enters a New Stage DEPARTMENTS 3 International News 9 Development News & Progress: Charitable IRA Distributions Return for 2013 14 Domestic News

Photo credit page 10: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development, used under Creative Commons Attribution License, in accordance with the Open Government License.

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Pro-life Laws KEY

Laws Protecting Life Laws Allowing Exceptions for Abortion Abortion On Demand
Darker shaded countries indicate HLIs permanent presence.

International

Human Life International and our affiliates around the world are engaged in a variety of initiatives to promote and defend a Culture of Life. Each region, and each country, is unique in the challenges presented to our pro-life missionaries. Here are just a few of the updates from our international mission field:
n Europe, HLI sponsored the 6th World Prayer Congress for Life this past October. The event, which was held in Vienna, featured a special focus on prayer and scripture to promote a Culture of Life, including daily Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a Rosary prayer vigil. HLIs Raymond de Souza and European regional director Joannes Bucher joined HLI Poland Director Ewa Kowalewska and other lay and clergy pro-life leaders from several countries as speakers at the Congress. Father Boquet was unable to attend, but sent a special message to attendees of the Congress which was read by Raymond. Unfortunately, the Congress was marred by violent antilife and anti-Catholic protests of the peaceful prayer vigils, and an attack on HLIs Vienna office. The double-glass entrance door of HLIs office was destroyed, and jars filled with black paint were thrown into the office damaging a computer and some office furniture. Gloria.tv, LifeSiteNews.com and some local media reported on the vandalism. It has become almost

News

HLI EUROPE

HLIs Raymond de Souza addresses the World Prayer Congress for Life in Vienna, Austria. FrontLines Spring 2013 |

International News
an annual occurrence that HLIs staff and property in Austria has come under attack by pro-abortion radicals. The traveling Icon of Our Lady of Czstochowa was also received in Vienna during the World Prayer Congress. The HLI-sponsored peregrination for the defense of life continued over the past few months with the pilgrims traveling all the way across Europe, into the U.K. and down into Spain. Encountering only a few problems along the way, the Icon has been met by over two million people during the pilgrimage that started last June. Plans are currently underway to bring the Icon to the United States and across the Americas. e have some good news and some bad news to report out of Latin America where Human Life International was involved in a couple of major events. In the good news category, the HLI sponsored second conference of the Latin America Network of Priests and Seminarians for Life (REDESSVIDA) took place this past November in San Jose, Costa Rica. Representatives from the countries of Bolivia, Cuba, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay gathered to discuss outreach and training efforts to influence the clergy in Latin America to take a more active role in preaching the Gospel of Life. Father Boquet was a featured speaker at the conference, along with several HLI staff members. The bad news was that despite years of a successful fight that attracted worldwide attention to Costa Ricas efforts to keep in vitro fertilization (IVF) illegal and protect unborn life, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) ruled in December to overturn the prohibition on IVF. Defying scientific evidence and the Constitution of Costa Rica, the court said a ban on IVF infringed on provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights. The Costa Rican government is still considering how to comply with the courts decision. HLIs Dr. Alejandro Leal, a genetics professor who had been helping to lead the national effort, and other pro-life advocates are working to fight the decision and keep IVF illegal. Also in Latin America, while HLI Uruguay was deeply involved in opposing a legislative bill for the decriminalization of abortion in the country, the bill was rammed through by pro-abortion legislators and signed by Uruguays president. HLI Uruguay is working with pro-life legislators and other organizations to make the bills passage a major issue in elections later this year, as the decision does not have wide public support. Pictured on this page: Top right: The icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa held a prominent place during the offering of Mass and prayer vigils. Middle and lower: HLIs second conference of the Latin America Network of Priests and Seminarians for Life (REDESSVIDA) in San Jose, Costa Rica.

HLI EUROPE HLI LATIN AMERICA

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International News
fter traveling across the Holy Land spreading the With the help of generous donations from HLIs supporters Gospel of Life, HLI Regional Director for Asia around the world, HLI Uganda Director Father Jonathan Opio and Oceania Dr. Ligaya held a national pro-life youth conference Acosta made an historical in Tororo last December. A few hundred first visit for HLI to the United Arab young people participated in the conferEmirates (UAE) this past November/ ence, which featured presentations on huDecember. While there, Dr. Acosta man sexuality, the misleading sex-educamet with representatives from the tion campaigns in schools, contraceptives, countries of Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi the role of the family and marriage prepaArabia who traveled to hear her proration, abortion, and a discussion on how life message. Dr. Acosta was able to to defend pro-life beliefs when challenged visit four of the seven emirates in by peers. The conference ended with Holy UAE: Dubai, Abu Dhabi; Sharjah; and Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Umm-al-Quwain better known as Al Tororo, His Grace Denis Lote Kiwanuka, Ain. who encouraged the young people and Although Catholics in the region appealed to them to take seriously all that do not have true religious freedom, they learned during the conference. The they manage to keep the faith and Archbishop asked the young people to share the Gospel of Life. With her newbe a conduit through which lives can be found friends and contacts, Dr. Acosta saved, to be guardians of each other and was able to transmit vital pro-life re- At Brighton College, Abu Dhabi where one to be good ambassadors of the message of sources, and plans were made for a fol- of Dr. Acostas talks was held in the UAE. life they had received. lowup visit in the near future.

HLI ASIA

HLI Kenya Director Father Raphael Wanjohi has continued to expand the number of couples trained through his natural family planning clinic in Nyeri, Kenya. Though his primary medium is through radio advertisements, Father Wanjohi has also received support from the Catholic Church and even some government officials! Father Wanjohi organized a pro-life rally outside of the Marie Stopes clinic in Nyeri in January. HLI Kenya used the demonstration to present the moral harms of contraception as taught by the Church, to discuss the medical risks posed by contraception, and also to promote natural family planning as a life-affirming alternative. He told local media that one of the biggest challenges to promoting natural family planning is simply getting accurate information out to the public on what NFP is and how it really works. In Tanzania, Emil Hagamu has also led an anti-contraception campaign, bringing media attention to the medical dangers involved with contraceptive use. The HLI Regional Director for English-speaking Africa began holding press conferences starting in September, where several brave women came forward with their personal stories of how they had severe side effects from using birth control. BBC News even covered the womens testimonies, and when they contacted the government health ministry for a response, they received

no comment. The stories of these women highlight the need to resist efforts by groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to flood Africa with more harmful contraceptives. Melinda Gates often talks about listening to the needs of African women, so we hope she will not ignore the stories of African women who are against contraception. Emil also reported that the abortion legalizing Safe Motherhood Bill in Tanzania has, at least for now, been defeated in the parliament.

HLI AFRICA
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HLI Kenyas pro-life anti-contraception rally outside of the Marie Stopes clinic. FrontLines Spring 2013 |


what
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Indeed mans principal resource is man himself.

Blessed John Paul II, Centesimus Annus 32

hungary & poland

can teach us about a post-Roe world
By Stephen Phelan

No democratic nation has ever voted to legalize abortion as such. Not one. Legalized abortion is always imposed by dictatorial or authoritarian regimes, or by elites who manufacture court cases designed to reverse duly created laws that actually protect innocent human beings.

Further, as the death toll rises in those nations that have embraced legal abortion, so does the need of those in power to use ever more authoritarian means to promote this injustice and shield people from the truth. What is happening now in the United States the creeping overreach of politicians whose sense of accountability seems to diminish daily has precedent in Europe, where similar democratically elected governments have found ways to legalize the destruction of unborn human beings. In other cases, especially in Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, nations had abortion forced upon them by dictators who wanted to control the populations. Several of these nations are only now starting to find their way out of the moral and demographic abyss into which they were thrown. In HLIs new documentary, Central and Eastern Europe: A Return to Life, we examine the dramatic situations unfolding in Hungary and Poland, two nations that were decimated by the most destructive ideologies in history: Nazism and Communism. Both countries had abortion forced on them by the Communists over six decades ago. And while the people of both nations on occasion rose up against their oppressors, it wasnt until Communist Russia began to crumble in 1989 that they were able to begin charting their own course. In 1993, Poland became the first nation in Europe, and remains the first developed nation, to reverse the full legalization of abortion. Inspired by the 1979 visit of the new Polish Pope, John Paul II, Poles stood in solidarity against the Communists, starting the domino effect that led to Communisms downfall.

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In 1993, Poland became the first nation in Europe, and remains the first developed nation, to reverse the full legalization of abortion.
But this is important: it was a revolution of faith as much as, if not more than, politics. The Solidarity movement, led by Lech Walesa, fully embraced the traditional Catholic faith of their homeland, and with a fire lit by the servant of the Holy Spirit, they peacefully persevered. This newly recovered confidence in their traditional faith led to the reversal of the abortion law after the fall of Communism, and today there are fewer than 700 abortions annually in Poland. Hungarys move toward recovery has been slower, yet on Easter Monday in 2011, the Hungarian Parliament adopted what has become known as the Easter Constitution. Notable for its explicit embrace of its Christian heritage in a continent whose supranational elite political body has written Christianity out of its own constitution, the new Hungarian constitution restates Hungarys commitment to authentic human rights and defends the institution that any society must protect if it is to sustain itself the natural family. With its enactment on January 1, 2012, Hungarians laid the groundwork for the return of pro-life and pro-family laws. But there is more to these stories, and Americans would do well to contemplate what their example means for us as we draw closer to undoing Roe v. Wade. As we hear from HLIs pro-life leaders in Poland in A Return to Life, when Communism fell, there was an explosion of hope and enthusiasm, followed by an openness to what were perceived as more enlightened Western culture and values. Instead of sharing in the riches of the West, however, Poles have seen wane the religious fervor that animated their peaceful resistance to their oppressors, and secular materialism pick up where Communism left off. As we know too well, this secularism also can foment an anti-life mentality, and it is choking Poles hopes for a brighter future. So while Poland is still a relatively Catholic nation in post-Christian Europe, it retains a low birth rate and must continue to fend off attempts to reinstate abortion and adopt the worst of the United States and other developed nations ideas. Meanwhile, Hungarians find themselves fighting not only those inside the nation who oppose a recovery of traditional Hungarian values, but also a body of unelected and radically secular bureaucrats in the European Union who are not happy that one of their member states would dare to promote Christian, pro-life and pro-family views. So the question falls to us in the United States: What if Roe v. Wade were reversed, or in some other way abolished, tomorrow? Most agree that not one abortion mill would close as a direct result, though it may become easier to close mills in states where there was political will to do so. We can safely assume that the already growing number of proposals at the state level, both for and against abortion, would increase in number and take on greater urgency for both sides. There would immediately be new suits launched to reinstate some version of Roe, all tailored to reach the Supreme Court. So, given that we have just marked the 40th anniversary of Roe: if the actual reversal of Roe is unlikely to immediately save lives, is all the attention given to Roe really warranted? That is, is it worth it to spend so much time and treasure on the reversal of Roe? Of course it is, and not only for symbolic reasons. Just laws ultimately unite and order a society, as they protect both individuals and the institutions that make civil society possible. Unjust laws divide a citizenry, as they are tools used against

FrontLines Spring 2013 |

In Appreciation

IF

for your life-saving contribution to HLI of $49.90 or more, we would like to send you the second volume of HLIs True Story Project:

S TO PR I D NG O N O RS

Central & Eastern Europe A Return to Life

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF HLI'S MISSION!

politically vulnerable individuals and institutions, ultimately undermining any possibility of a well-ordered state. We fight on the local, state and national levels to save every life we can, and to set right every law that enshrines the false right to choose to kill an unborn child. And as supporters of Human Life International, you know this same fight goes on around the world as well. Here is the point: no victory and no loss in the fight for life and family is ever the end of the battle. It is always a new beginning. It is crucial, but not sufficient, that we seek a reversal of unjust, anti-life laws at every level. The examples provided by Hungary and Poland nations that have already seen major national victories demonstrate both that major political victories are possible, and that our sights must be set beyond the political battles if we are to sustain the momentum of our victories. The fire of love and hope set by John Paul II in Poland remains the most concrete example of what can happen when we allow ourselves to be radically swept up in Gods will, and step forward with courage and trust. Totus Tuus! (Totally Yours!) But as we follow Polands continuing struggle, we see that this must be sustained by Christians unafraid to proclaim the Truth, lest the reigning radical secularism that we see around us, that is now infecting many Christian nations, continue to feed the Culture of Death. God can bring about change even beyond what we can imagine. We cant lose hope even with the reelection of an administration here in the U.S. that clearly has disdain for people of genuine faith, religious freedom, and for human life. Greater things have happened than the kind of political and legal victory that we seek in overturning Roe. The current state-level victories, the growing ranks of pro-life advocates, conversions of abortion workers and closure of mills these wonderful gains foreshadow higher level victories yet to be won. But if we are to sustain this momentum, the courageous pro-life leaders in Poland and Hungary tell us that what we really need is a consistent and courageous witness of the faith. People need to see the love that they are really searching for, and the stark alternative it offers to the Culture of Death as embodied in Roe v. Wade. To order a copy of the documentary Central and Eastern Europe: A Return to Life, to view bonus videos, and to learn more about the situation in Central and Eastern Europe, visit www.hli.org/ CEEurope. Also, see ad on this page to learn how HLI donors can get this DVD as a Thank-you for your gift of $49 or more.

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Charitable IRA Distributions Return for 2013

By Bill Williams
early half your retirement plan assets can be eaten away by taxes at your death. You may wish to take advantage of the Federal tax law changes that make gifts of retirement plan assets easier and simpler. These changes (that have been in effect since 2006) allow for IRA charitable rollovers and is effective in amounts up to $100,000. This was made possible by Congress passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which President Bush signed into law. If you are age 70 or older, the new legislation now allows you to make cash gifts totaling up to $100,000 a year from your traditional or Roth IRA to Human Life International without incurring income tax on the withdrawal. This provision is effective until December 31, 2013, so you must act quickly to take full advantage. This legislation is good news for people who want to make a charitable gift from their retirement assets, but have been discouraged from doing so because of the income tax penalty.

How do you get started?

Write a letter (sample letter available at www.hli.org or call me at the number below and I will mail you a copy) to your IRA administrator requesting a distribution to be sent directly to Human Life International.

Next, contact/leave a message at 540-622-5285 to inform us that the gift is in process and to look for the distribution from your IRA Administrator. At 70 , you must begin receiving the Required Minimum Distributions from your IRA regardless of whether you actually need the income. Contributing your distribution to HLI can cover or count toward your Required Minimum Distribution and help us save babies and fight the culture of death around the globe. How will the charitable IRA rollover be reported on your 2012 and 2013 income tax returns? The Pension Protection Act provides that a person over the age of 70 can donate up to $100,000 from an IRA and can exclude the gift from taxable income. There is no charitable income tax deduction for the gift. The tax benefit is the ability to exclude the distribution from your gross income. As many of you know, this program has been extended annually since 2006, and then was not extended in 2012 (except for the January 2013 provision that allowed for distributions during that month only to be applied to 2012). Currently it is extended through 2013 with no guarantee that it will return in 2014. This program is a wonderful way to support the mission of Human Life International and if you have any questions, please contact me directly at 540-622-5285 or wwilliams@hli.org. As always, it is advisable to contact your personal tax advisor.

R FO 2 0 13 D E D N E T EX
If youre over 70 and have an IRA, you are required by law to take a minimum disbursement. You can do this by making an IRA Charitable Distribution to Human Life International.
IRA distributions to HLI will be excluded from federal taxable income. For information on how to make the transfer, contact Bill Williams at 540-622-5285 or at wwilliams@hli.org

IR A Ch ari tab le Di str ibu tio n

FrontLines Spring 2013 |

Controversy and Contraception

By Elisa Sumanski
ver the nearly 40 years that Human Life International has been leading the pro-life movement around the world, our research team and activists have seen the Culture of Death spread in many places. Without fail, the first thing the death peddlers do when targeting a new country is mainstream the use of contraception. Contraception is a moral evil in its own right and its widespread acceptance quickly paves the way for other evils, such as abortion, divorce, and same-sex marriage. Legalized abortion, for example, almost inevitably follows after contraception becomes commonplace. This is why pro-lifers cant continue to overlook contraception as an important life-issue and why a campaign launched by the Gates Foundation in the summer of 2012 could have disastrous consequences worldwide.

The Gates Foundation pledges billions to promote contraception

The Gates Foundation founded and run by billionaire Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, recently launched a multi-billion dollar campaign to promote contraception in the developing world. Theyve named their effort No Controversyimplying that contraception should be as un-controversial as providing bandages to the wounded or food to the hungry. Theyve raised well over 4.6 billion dollars to promote their misguided ideas to vulnerable women in developing nations with the goal of spreading contraceptive use to 120 million more women by 2020. It is the single largest coordinated effort to spread the Culture of Death in history.

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Pictured left: Melinda Gates speaking at the opening of the London Summit on Family Planning.

ties and womens health care. In fact, Melinda Gates actually claims that contraception will save lives.

Gates Claims Dont Hold up to Scutiny

Lets look briefly these claims: Contraception is a Solution to Poverty. It should be obvious to most rational people that stopping poor children from being born is no more a solution to poverty than stopping a particular race of children from being born would be a solution to ethnic tensions. It demonstrates an amazingly elitist attitude and prejudice to claim that children are better off never being born than being poor. Poor doesnt mean unhappy. It doesnt mean suffering or miserable. And it certainly doesnt mean unworthy of being born (nor, for that matter, do any of the other fore-mentioned terms). Contraception Empowers Women. The availability of contraception does not improve the status of women if anything it cheapens it. Even in the United States, where contraception is widespread and affordable, women are increasingly victims of domestic abuse, violence, rape, and spousal abandonment. Recently, international news reports of vicious gang rapes have been on the rise. The power to bear new life is among the greatest gifts given to us as women. The arguments in favor of contraception twist this blessing into a burden and claim that sex without consequences is a right. As such ideas take hold in society, is it any wonder that cases of rape and domestic abuse increase? Furthermore, governments and so-called family planning groups are increasingly guilty of abuses in the name of population control. The world is just now waking up to some of the horrible violations taking place in China, India, and Uzbekistan, where poor women are forced to have abortions by their government or sterilized without their knowledge by family planning programs. The British Government one of the Gates Foundations major partners in this so-called No Controversy campaign was recently exposed for funding forced sterilizations of women in India. Do these programs empower women? Contraception Saves Lives. In defense of her position, Melinda Gates claimed, What Im talking about is giving women the power to save their lives, to save their childrens lives and to give their families the best possible future. Her statement is almost comical how can contraception save childrens lives when its purpose is to keep those lives from ever beginning? What sort of future can a woman give to a family she never has? Along with saving lives goes the related (and equally outrageous) claim that promoting hormonal contraceptives like Depo Provera is somehow good for womens health. These drugs are linked to doubling the transmission rate of AIDS in a study paid for by the same Gates Foundation that is now promoting them. They are rated Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization (along with asbestos and cigarettes), and also now carry a black box (Depo Provera) warning from the FDA due to the risk of serious health problems. You should not be able to promote these dangerous drugs in the name of womens health and go unchallenged. Continued on next page. FrontLines Spring 2013 |

One of the Gates Foundations major partners in funding is the British government, which was recently exposed for funding forced sterilizations of women in India. While theyve managed to repackage their ideas in a somewhat more palatable form, those ideas still amount to little more than population control. They are targeting poor women in third-world countries and promising them that the solution to all of their problems is to stop having children! According to Melinda Gates, contraception is the answer to poverty, womens social status, educational opportuni-

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No Controversy?
If the Gates Foundation was serious about tackling any of these issues, they could do so much more effectively, and less controversially, by means other than distributing contraception. How many schools and vocational training centers could they build in Africa for $4.6 billion? How many patients could they provide with lifesaving medicine? How many roads could they pave to improve transportation? How many wells could they dig to provide villages with clean drinking water? These are solutions that would truly be non-controversial. Instead, Ms. Gates wants poor women to stop having children. But she claims this isnt about population control.

Leave a Legacy
Did you know you can support HLI through a bequest in your Will? Bequests are exible enough to t almost any situations and theyre a ordable since they dont a ect assets or cash ow during your lifetime. For more information, contact Bill Williams at

HLI and the Worldwide ProLife Movement Fight Back

HLI produced a video response for Melinda Gates (you can view it at HLI.org). HLI Vice President Fr. Peter West, Research Director Dr. Brian Clowes, and International Coordinator Joseph Meaney have all recently visited Africa (each on separate occasions), where theyve held press conferences, seminarian training, and educational seminars to combat the massive push of contraception. Our local affiliates have their hands full as well but theyre doing great work, including opening an NFP clinic in Kenya (as an alternative to the local family planning clinics) and coordinating groups of pro-life doctors and medical students in Cameroon. Pro-life training and education have been conducted around the continent most recently including Malawi, Tanzania, Cameroon, Benin, and the Ivory Coast. These are just the tip of the iceberg for HLIs work in Africa one of the Gates Foundations primary targets (Latin America and Asia are the other two). The prolife movement must be willing to tackle the issue of contraception head-on. If it concedes this point, it grants the Culture of Death firm footing in a new country, and abortion swiftly follows. Today, the worldwide pro-life movement is engaged in the largest battle weve ever faced largest in terms of money, in terms of geographic area, and in terms of the number of people who will be affected. With the amount of money the Gates Foundation has at its disposal, they pose a serious threat to nearly every country that still embraces a Culture of Life.

(800) 549-5433.

Buying or selling a home?

If you are looking to buy or sell a home, you can support HLIs pro-life work at no cost to you. Contact Real Estate for Life and theyll refer you to a pro-life realtor in your area, who will then donate a portion of their commission to HLI. If you arent in the market right now, but know someone who is, please help us spread the word.

The sale of a $150,000 home through Real Estate for Life will generate about $1,000 for HLI, at no cost to you.

Call 877-LIFE-US1 or visit realestateforlife.org

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The Battle for the Philippines Enters a New Stage

First, the calls to fully legalize abortion immediately infter almost 14 years, pro-life and pro-family advo- creased, despite the assurances of the promoters of contracepcates are mourning the passage of the Reproductive tion that its acceptance would lead to a cease fire in the already Health (RH) Bill, which was signed into law on raging war over abortion. Not only did this cease fire not hapDecember 21. Since the passage came as the result pen, but there were no grounds on which the Church could efof a vote in the Filipino Congress that was marred by the un- fectively oppose its legalization. We now have some of the most explained absence of many pro-life legislators, challengers are liberal national abortion laws in the world. What also followed was not a period of peace and accepalready bringing cases to the Supreme Court and are engaging tance of the Church. Instead we saw only increased attacks on in new campaigns at the popular level. Pro-life advocates in the Philippines are tying red ribbons the faith, the confusion and departure of many of the faithful, all across the country in a show of opposition to the anti-life and the diminishing of the Churchs moral authority. The comlaw. The RH Bill may have passed both houses, but the fight promise that many sought within the Church did not lead to for truth and life continues, said an article on the Pro-Life greater collegiality, it led to greater division and attack. The only true unity will occur in charity and truth. We canPhilippines Foundations website. Almost immediately, pictures began appearing on the social media website Facebook, not accept false compromises from those who seek the marshowing red ribbons tied on trees, fences and other public areas around the Philippines. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Vice President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, called the law a moral time bomb suggesting, It is only a matter of time, and then we will see more violations of Thou shall not kill and Thou shall not commit adultery among our families, our youth and children. In response to the passage of the RH Bill, HLI President Father Shenan Boquet said, This is terrible news for the Philippines and for the world. The wealthy Western elites who find in the children of the developing world only a threat to be eliminated appear to have won their most coveted crown. They Dr. Ligaya Acosta, bringing the Gospel of Life to the Philippines. used their billions to exploit the famously corrupt political enviginalization of the Church and the Filipino family, and those ronment of the last pro-life and pro-family nation in Asia. Several Catholic bishops and many priests of the Philippines Catholic politicians who supported the RH Bill should know have been strong and vocal in their opposition to this destruc- that there are spiritual consequences for doing so. Prayer and fasting remain the greatest weapons in our artive bill, and they have welcomed support from other religious groups as well, added Father Boquet. We hope that the senal, and will help shape the practical steps that must be taken. Catholic Church in the Philippines will redouble her efforts to Human Life International stands proudly with the Church and publicly protect the faithful, and that she will support lay leaders the champions of life and family in the Philippines as the battle and politicians who will continue the fight on the streets and in enters this new stage. Human Life Internationals leaders in the Philippines, Dr. the courts. The battle is not over, it is only entering a new stage. He continued: It is extremely important that this principle Ligaya Acosta and Dr. Rene Bullecer, are already meeting with be kept in mind: compromise with evil never leads to unity. leaders opposed to the bill and devising new strategies. There is Going forward, it is worth taking note of what happened when still hope that the bill, which is, according to many politicians, contraception was widely adopted in the United States and there clearly unconstitutional, can be defeated; and the grassroots opwere calls within the Church for compromise with the culture, position to the law is quickly gaining steam. Regardless, the proas if it were the Churchs responsibility to conform itself to the life and pro-family warriors of the Philippines will not rest until a Culture of Life prevails in law and in the hearts of Filipinos. age. (cf. Rom 12)

By Stephen Phelan

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Domestic News

In the last half of 2012 and beginning of 2013, Human Life International was once again very active in the United States with our pro-life missionaries traveling across the U.S. to spread the Gospel of Life.
In September, Father Boquet visited Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he gave a pro-life lecture to hundreds of high school students, and led a prayer rally outside of an abortion mill. Father Boquet delivered a half-hour presentation, The Global Pro-Life Mission: Victories and Challenges, to approximately 300 Dominican High School students after celebrating a Mass at the school. Although the Domincan students formed the majority of the audience, the Mass and presentation were open to members of neighboring parishes. Father urged the students to become more involved in pro-life activities, and to learn to see past the propaganda of the Culture of Death shrouded in phrases like reproductive rights. Father Boquet also led prayers outside of the abortion clinic Affiliated Medical Services in Milwaukee where he was joined by about a dozen pro-life supporters. Milwaukees Catholic Herald news was on hand to take pictures, and wrote a special report about Fathers trip to the area. While in Wisconsin, Father Boquet also gave speeches at Gesu and St. Margaret Mary parishes, including a Mass with prayers for healing at St. Margaret Mary, and gave a special blessing of the North Farwell Avenue Womens Care Center, which offers counseling and other services to pregnant women. In October, HLI Director of Education and Evangelization Arland K. Nichols led the launch of HLIs new online publication the Truth and Charity Forum (www. truthandcharityforum.org). With this new online forum, HLI hopes to form minds and hearts so that they might more readily build a Culture of Life. Since its launch, the Forum has featured articles by prominent writers such as FatherC.J McCloskey, Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Joseph Pearce, Alan Sears from Alliance Defending Freedom, Christopher White from the Center for Bioethics and Culture, and a number of others. The Truth and Charity Forum is

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Image captions Opposite page from the top down: Fr. Boquet speaking to approximately 300 Dominican High School in Milwaukee, WI. Below that, Fr. Boquet leading prayers outside of a Milwaukee abortion clinic. Center page: The March for Life in Washington, D.C. Lower left: HLIs Truth and Charity forum. Lower right: Fr. Peter West speaking at the March for Life in Charlotte, North Carolina. This page, top right: EWTNs Teresa Tomeo interviewing Fr. Boquet and HLI Poland Assistant Director Lech Kowalewski. Lower right: Lech Kowalewski with HLI Ireland Director Patrick McCrystal.

already one of the premier online Catholic pro-life and profamily publications, and its reach continues to grow. Arland has also been a guest speaker at a number of events in his native Texas. During the month of October, Arland spoke at the Faith and Disability Symposium in Katy, Texas on the topic Dignity and Disability. He also spoke for the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston on the topic In Vitro Fertilization: Killing Them Softly, and at three parisheswithin the Archdiocese of GalvestonHoustonabout the Affordable Care Act and its contraceptive mandate and death panels. Arlands lectures were also in demand among the youth who invited him to speak at three different universities: Texas A&M, UT School of Medicine and the University of Dallas. Topics included The Youth Charge: Building a Culture of Life, Stem Cell Research: An Update to an Unnecessary Debate and When Life Begins: Abortion and the Hard Cases. In January, HLI Director of Hispanic Education and Research Adolfo Castaeda was a guest speaker in Nevada for the 30th anniversary of the Reno Diocese and the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II. Adolfo spoke at the Reno Diocese conference Faith, Esperanza, Hope, Jubilation which emphasized religious education and catechetics. He gave six formal presentations while in Nevada: three at the conference and three outside of it. Of the three talks given at the conference, two of the talks were on the Theology of the Body and one on U.S. Hispanics and the Culture of Death. Adolfo pointed out that Hispanics are heavily targeted by Planned Parenthood, which has close to 80% of its clinics in minority neighborhoods, including Hispanic neighborhoods. Adolfo discussed ways to more effectively reach traditionally Catholic Hispanics with the Churchs pro-life and pro-family teachings, and to bolster Hispanic outreach programs.

Prior to the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., HLI Vice President for Missions Father Peter West was invited to be the featured speaker at a March for Life in Charlotte, North Carolina. A week before the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, about 450 pro-lifers from around the Charlotte diocese braved the elements to walk in the seventh-annual Charlotte March for Life. As is typical for a March for Life, it was a rainy day. We come here to mourn and I think the weather is appropriate for mourning, Father West told the crowd. We mourn the decision Roe v. Wade, which in 1973 declared an entire group of human beings to be non-persons. Human Life International staff from around the world traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 40th March for Life. HLI Poland Assistant Director Lech Kowalewski, HLI Ireland Director Patrick McCrystal, and HLIs special projects director Raymond de Souza joined Father Boquet, Father West and the rest of our Virginia-based staff to march through the streets of our nations capital for the defense of life. It was a cold and snowy day, but over 500,000 people attended the March which marked the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Before the march down Constitution Avenue, Father Boquet and Lech spoke on the EWTN television network to Teresa Tomeo about HLIs new documentary Central and Eastern Europe: A Return to Life, which premiered on EWTN. Both Lech and Father Boquet are featured in the film, and EWTN did a special promotion of the documentary during their March for Life Coverage.

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