National Catholic Prayer Breakfast Draws Record Crowd in DC
by Mark Adams
Speaking to an audience of more than 1,700 at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President George W. Bush promoted the strengthening of a culture of life and called for immigration legislation that both "respects the rule of law" and "upholds the decency of our country." In his second consecutive appearance at the breakfast the president praised Pope John Paul II for his role in the downfall of Communism and cited Pope Benedict XVI's Christmas homily in which the pope preached that "the splendor of . . . Christmas shines upon every child, born and unborn."
April 12, 2006 Volume 3, Number 36
By Mark Adams
Speaking to an audience of more than 1,700 at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President George W. Bush promoted the strengthening of a culture of life and called for immigration legislation that both "respects the rule of law" and "upholds the decency of our country." In his second consecutive appearance at the breakfast the president praised Pope John Paul II for his role in the downfall of Communism and cited Pope Benedict XVI's Christmas homily in which the pope preached that "the splendor of . . . Christmas shines upon every child, born and unborn."
The breakfast, held on Friday in Washington, is in its third year and, according to organizers which include Culture of Life Foundation president Austin Ruse, was founded as a response to Pope John Paul II's call to a "new evangelization." In addition to the president, this year's breakfast drew Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and at least 20 members of Congress. Also in attendance were numerous Congressional staffers, White House officials, Bishops, and scholars. Washington Archbishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and retired Philadelphia Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Bevilacqua were among the many members of the Church hierarchy in attendance.
Delivering the keynote address of the breakfast, Madison Bishop Robert C. Morlino gave an analysis on the now-famous "dictatorship of relativism" speech delivered by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he was elected pope last year. Bishop Morlino's speech stressed the importance of the natural law in fighting moral relativism. "We need to insist that the existence of God, the dignity of every human being, and the definition of marriage are not Catholic curiosities that we are trying to force on the rest of the world, but the dictates of reason — of the natural law itself," he said.
Introducing Bush was San Antonio Archbishop Jose Gomez who thanked the president for his immigration proposal which would give illegal aliens the opportunity to work legally. Bush called it "vitally important" that the debate over immigration "be conducted in a civil tone" and he praised the role Catholic charitable organizations play in immigration. "One of the many ways that Catholic faith-based organizations serve their neighbors is by welcoming newcomers and helping them become good citizens," he said.
The president's appearance drew a standing ovation and much of his speech was greeted with applause including his overtures to the pro-life cause. "Here in the United States, we work to strengthen a culture of life . . . We will continue to work for the day when every child is welcome in life and protected in law." Also drawing a vigorous standing ovation was Bush's recognition of the presence of Chief Justice Roberts.
Bishop Morlino called on audience members to work to make the concept of the natural law more accepted. "We must reclaim the proper use of language if we are to combat the dictatorship of relativism. Instead of hearing 'pro-choice' all over the place, we need to promote the use of 'natural law' all over the place or something better that is equivalent — that is a more catchy sound-bite. Some of you might well be gifted to articulate that sound-bite."
The first endowed chair in the 11-year history of Denver's St. John Vianney Theological Seminary was awarded last week.
On Jan. 28 the James Francis Cardinal Stafford Chair of Moral Theology was given to E. Christian Brugger, Ph.D., professor of moral theology at the seminary since 2008.
An endowed chair, or endowed professorship, is a position permanently paid for with revenue from a donor, specifically set up for that purpose. Chairs are held by faculty members who have distinguished themselves in their field.
"An endowed chair is among the most important gifts to higher education, a vital tool to ensure faculty excellence," said academic dean Father Andreas Hoeck at the faculty appreciation luncheon when introducing the chair. "Holding such a chair is considered to be an honor in the academic world."
On August 20th, 2010, Senior Fellow in Ethics E. Christian Brugger was interviewed by PBS as a result of his April 28, 2010 Culture of Life Brief on Transhumanism.
PRESS RELEASE The Fellows of the Culture of Life Foundation on Nobel Prize in Phys. or Med. Recipient Robert G. Edwards
Contact:
Jennifer Kimball
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(202) 289-2500
On Monday, October 4, 2010, the Nobel Assembly announced its decision to award the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Robert G. Edwards for his development of the controversial procedure known as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Dr. Edwards rose to fame in 1978 when thanks to his efforts Louise Brown, the world’s first “test tube baby,” was born in Manchester England. Since then nearly four million people worldwide have been born through IVF and the field of artificial reproductive medicine has become a multi-billion dollar industry.
The Nobel Foundation’s decision to award Edwards the prize illustrates how profoundly political selection has become and how removed from the aim of medicine. Alongside the parents who’ve had their wish for a child fulfilled through IVF are the hundreds of thousands of embryos destroyed because they didn’t pass quality control; and the hundreds of thousands shunted off into cold-storage cans and earmarked as “spare” because their creators no longer had use for them; and the women whose fertility has been irreparably scarred by unsafe and unregulated egg-harvesting procedures. All these ‘great moments’ in medicine are, of course, ignored by the Swedish foundation. Ignored also is the ethical opposition to IVF of the worldwide Catholic Church, whose clear voice on behalf of the integrity of human procreation and the intrinsic dignity of every human life from conception to natural death was heard long before Edwards achieved fame in 1978.
The Fellows of the Culture of Life Foundation wish to publicize their profound disappointment with the crass politicizing of an accolade as eminent as the Nobel Prize.
Margaret Datiles, Esq. Joins Culture of Life Foundation as
Associate Fellow
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Jennifer Kimball
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(202)
289-2500
Culture of Life Foundation is pleased to name Margaret
Datiles, Esq., as Associate Fellow in Law.
Margaret Datiles, Esq. joins Culture of Life Foundation
Senior Fellows Dr. William E. May and Dr. E. Christian Brugger as Associate
Fellow in Law.Maggie is an
attorney in the Washington, D.C.-Maryland area. She holds a B.A. in
Philosophy (Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude) and a Certificate in
Classical Philosophy from The Catholic University of America.She earned a Juris Doctorate from
Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America in 2007, where she
served as a Research Fellow at CUA Law’s Marriage Law Project.
A former Fellow and Staff Counsel for Americans United for
Life, Datiles co-authored an amicus
curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the landmark
partial birth abortion case, Gonzalesv.
PlannedParenthood, et al.,
companion case to Gonzales v. Carhart (2007).She also advised legislators, policy groups and the media
(radio and newspapers) on abortion and bioethics laws and drafted pro-life
model legislation.
Her areas of research and/or publication include legal
issues surrounding abortion, abortion funding restrictions, contraception,
healthcare rights of conscience, stem cell research, artificial reproductive
technology, population decline, physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia,
population and same-sex marriage.
She currently publishes articles on legal perspectives of
bioethics, marriage and the family as a Columnist for The Knights of Columbus’ Headline Bistro.
Culture of Life Foundation Senior Fellow William E. May receives United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s
People of Life Award
Dr. William E. May, a Senior Fellow with the Culture of Life Foundation, was presented with the People of Life Award on August 9th, 2010 by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, at the annual Diocesan Pro-Life Leadership Conference. To read more, please click here.
"The culture of life has lost a champion, but
gained an intercessor"
"We the Fellows of the Culture of Life Foundation want to
express our profound sadness at the death of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. His
razor sharp mind, keen wit and untiring fidelity to Christ and Christ's little
ones illustrated for each of us the high possibilities to which fallen human
nature can rise when grace and free will unite. He has parted the veil now and
met his judgment. We pray that he's stepped from the earthly shadows of this
life into the brightness of God's Kingdom. The culture of life has lost a
champion, but gained an intercessor". RJN RIP
Helen Alvare, Christian
Brugger
***
"As a Catholic
theologian and Senior Fellow of the Culture of Life Foundation I am deeply
grieved by the death of Father Richard John Neuhaus. Long before he became a
Catholic I learned much from his writings, so profoundly Christian in nature and
challenging philosophically and theologically. He thorughly knew the modern,
post-Christian mind and the tragic capitulation of many Christian theologians,
Protestant and Catholic both, to a secularized Christianity that had lost its
bearings and embraced the so-called new morality that denies moral absolutes and
justifies fornication (euphemistically callled "pre-marital sex"), sodomy,
abortion and ther forms of behavior deemed responsible under certain
circumstances.
His courage and brilliance in
showing the relevance to authentic Christian thought in the market place
inspired many. I also had the privilege of knowing him personally and being
blesed by his goodness and love. May he rest in peace".
Today, Culture of Life Foundation Executive Director Jennifer
Kimball announced that Professor Helen Alvaré, J.D., Professor of Law at George
Mason University, and Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, joins
the Culture of Life Foundation as Senior Fellow for Law.
Professor Alvare will lead the organization's research, outreach and
programs in the areas of marriage, family, children and religion.
"I am delighted to be
affiliated with the Culture of Life Foundation.
The Foundation is making a
very real contribution to our nation by rigorously exploring fundamental moral
questions about human rights, respect for life and the well-being of families,
among other things. I see my role as helping more citizens understand the rapid
changes that are now taking place in the laws governing marriage and family in
the United States. In the current environment, lawmakers have got to hear from
citizens if the family is to continue to be the primary building block of a
culture of life." Helen Alvaré.
Helen Alvaré, J.D. is an Associate Professor of Law at the
George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia. There she teaches
and publishes in the areas of property law, family law, and Catholic social
thought. From 2000 to Spring, 2008, Professor Alvaré taught at the Catholic
University Columbus School of Law. Professor Alvaré also lectures widely in the
United States and Europe on matters concerning marriage, family and respect for
human life. She is a consultant to ABC News and to the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Marriage and Pro-Life Committees. In 2008, Pope
Benedict XVI named Professor Alvaré a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for
the Laity. Professor Alvaré is Senior Law Fellow of the Culture of Life
Foundation.
From 1987-2000, Professor Alvaré was an attorney with the
USCCB's General Counsel Office and director of information and planning for the
Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. In these positions, she testified before
the U.S. Congress and before the political platform committees of the Democratic
and Republican parties. She also lobbied the U.S. Congress and drafted amicus
briefs for the United States Supreme Court, as well as appearing regularly on
national television and radio programs. Prior to 1987, Professor Alvaré spent
three years as a litigation associate at the Philadelphia law firm of Stradley,
Ronon, Stevens and Young. She received her juris doctorate from Cornell
University in 1984 and her masters degree in Systematic Theology from the
Catholic University of America in 1989.
"The Culture of Life Foundation is very excited and indeed very blessed to
have Professor Alvare on board with us. Her vision for America, for a cultural
renewal in areas of marriage and family and for the need for stronger lay
organization and leadership, embodies what we understand to be the very
vision His Holiness John Paul II - The Great - had for the Culture of Life
Foundation when he blessed its initiation." Jennifer Kimball, Executive
Director.
About Us: The Culture of Life Foundation is a social policy research
institute that exists to reveal and present the truths about the human person at
all stages of life and in all conditions.
We aim to affect public policy
by promoting and making available to the public scientific and other factual
information relevant to debates about human life and dignity. To this end The
Culture of Life Foundation seeks as educator to deepen public understanding of
bioethics, marriage and family, human dignity and human solidarity.
What
we do:
Inform people in government, media and citizens of the scientific facts and
resources pertaining to life and related social issues.
Shape public policy to reflect the essential truth and dignity of the human
person.
Publish and promote scholarly work intended to inform the broadest possible
audience.
Organize conferences and events domestically and internationally to further
public debate.
Work collegially with like-minded organizations.
Vision:
The Culture of Life Foundation believes that true freedom
flourishes within a responsible and cohesive society respectful of the dignity
of the human person central to its subsistence.We aim to foster a culture that
will transmit to each new generation a commitment to the profound inherent and
equal dignity of every member of the human family.
Culture of Life Foundation
1413 K Street, NW Suite
1000
Washington, DC 20005
Phone 202-289-2500
Fax 202-289-2502
www.culture-of-life.org
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NEWS
RELEASE
For Immediate Release-July 17, 2008
Contact: Colleen Donahue
Telephone: 202.289.2500
E-mail:
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Website: www.culture-of-life.org
Culture
of Life Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Kimball responds to the effort
by “Catholics United” to mislead Catholic voters on the fundamental social
teachings of the Church.
Washington, D.C.--July 17, 2008
“Today’s headlines claiming “Catholic Activists” are calling
for McCain’s campaign to remove Deal Hudson, a volunteer on the Catholics for
McCain Committee, from their outreach by citing a personal matter well over a
decade passed is anything other than Catholic.It is un-Christian and is an effort designed to lead Catholics away from
the social teachings of the Church and ultimately from an informed vote on
fundamental issues such as the inviolability of human life.
WASHINGTON - Statement of Culture of Life Executive Director, Jennifer Kimball, on the passing of Pro Life Leader Congressman Henry Hyde.
“Republican Congressman Henry Hyde was a true gentleman and founding pillar of the effort to defend the truth and dignity of the human person at all stages of development. The Culture of Life Foundation, along with a plethora of efforts and organizations assisted by his great service over the span of an entire generation, will continue to honor and revere this great giant whose legacy of unfailing support and tenacity shall remain the shoulders from which we are able to look ahead with a clear view towards the establishment of a culture of life.”
In a letter released to the US Bishops on Friday, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Government Liaison announced they have withdrawn the Presidential Questionnaire which had been delivered weeks ago to the Bush and Kerry campaigns. At this moment the press office of the USCCB has no statement prepared but we are told by diocesan sources that at least one of the campaigns did not return the questionnaire by deadline.
"We have been critical of the Presidential Questionnaire because it improperly equates doctrinal issues like abortion with judgment calls like the minimum wage," said Austin Ruse, President of the Culture of Life Foundation. "We also welcome the fact that candidate Kerry will not be able to use the questionnaire to claim he is a faithful Catholic when we know he actively opposes Church teaching on fundamental issues."
Speaking to an audience of more than 1,700 at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President George W. Bush promoted the strengthening of a culture of life and called for immigration legislation that both "respects the rule of law" and "upholds the decency of our country." In his second consecutive appearance at the breakfast the president praised Pope John Paul II for his role in the downfall of Communism and cited Pope Benedict XVI's Christmas homily in which the pope preached that "the splendor of . . . Christmas shines upon every child, born and unborn."
Jennifer comes to us from the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal where she was a Wilbur Fellow. She earned her Licentiate in Bioethics from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum School of Bioethics in Rome. Her areas of specialization include Heterologous Adoption and Transfer of Embryos, The Womb in Reproductive Technologies, and the Role and Significance of The Medical Act.
Culture of Life Foundation is pleased to name Margaret
Datiles, Esq., as Associate Fellow in Law.
"I am delighted to be
affiliated with the Culture of Life Foundation.
Jennifer comes to us from the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal where she was a Wilbur Fellow. She earned her Licentiate in Bioethics from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum School of Bioethics in Rome. 
