Categories
Assisted suicide Euthanasia International

assisted suicide debate continues

I think there is a perception that the issue of assisted suicide has receded in importance. The issue does not seem to have the high profile it did in the mid-1990s when Jack Kevorkian was on the loose and when it appeared that the US Supreme Court might create a constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide.  But […]

Categories
Abortion Constitutionality Politics Surgical abortion

Elena Kagan and partial birth abortion

There has been a lot of controversy about Elena Kagan’s testimony in her Supreme Court confirmation hearings as it relates to the issue of partial birth abortion. Americans United for Life has just released a powerful analysis of the whole matter. See http://www.aul.org/featured-images/Kagan-Ethics-Report.pdf Richard M.

Categories
Abortion Feminism Philosophy Religious views

abortion as the “lesser evil”

Albert Mohler has a very good essay on an op-ed (published in the Times of London on June 30, 2010) by Antonia Senior. See http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/07/01/when-feminism-kills-abortion-as-the-lesser-evil/ Senior acknowledges that abortion is the taking of a human life but argues that killing is necessary for women’s rights. The Senior essay is stirring reaction, and Mohler’s response is well worth reading.  […]

Categories
Abortion Fetal anomolies and disabilities Health exception Religious views Women's health

USCCB on the Phoenix abortion case

Here is a link to a statement on the Phoenix abortion case by the Committee on Doctrine of the US Bishops. http://usccb.org/doctrine/direct-abortion-statement2010-06-23.pdf Richard M.

Categories
Abortion Constitutionality Politics

Predicting an end to Roe v. Wade

On June 23, 2010, the Politico website published an intriguing item entitled “Predicting an end to Roe v. Wade.” http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38899.html  That prediction was made by Walter Dellinger a former Acting Solicitor General in the Clinto Administration and a long time professor at Duke. Dellinger’s prediction was based on the idea that Roe has become a target of […]

Categories
University Faculty for Life

2010 UFL conference

The annual meeting/conference of University Faculty for Life (UFL) at Catholic University of America on June 4-5, 2010 was a real success. The conference director was Frank Beckwith (Baylor) and the local host was Father Kurt Pritzl, O.P.  UFL acknowledges with gratitude the hospitality of Catholic U and the Columbus School of Law, where the conference […]

Categories
University Faculty for Life

2010 UFL conference details

The 20th annual conference of University Faculty for life is  is this weekend at Catholic U. Details are available on the UFL website. Featured speakers include Hadley Arkes, John Keown, Richard Doerflinger, Father James Schall S. J., Msgr. Robert Sokowloski, Erika Bachiochi, and Bill Saunders. Frank Beckwith and Father Kurt Pritzl O.P. have put to […]

Categories
Abortion Fetal anomolies and disabilities Religious views Women's health

Bishop Olmstead, Abortion, and Excommunication

On the Mirror of Justice blog, see http://mirrorofjustice.blogs.com/mirrorofjustice/2010/05/agree-with-sr-margaret-mcbrides-decision-or-not.html#tp, Michael Perry links to a story about Bishop Olmstead, who informed a Catholic nun that she had incurred the canonical penalty of excommunication for her role in approving an abortion.  I don’t intend to enter into the canon law aspects of the case. The underlying moral issue is, […]

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Uncategorized

The nomination of Elena Kagan

President Obama has nominated Elena Kagan to replace John Paul Stevens on the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed, Kagan will not likely change the balance of the Court on the issue of abortion. Justice Stevens was a strong defender of Roe v. Wade and there is little reason to think that Kagan will depart from […]