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Dear OSM e-link Member,
So much has happened since the March 29th e-link bulletin.
Terri Schiavo's life
 was
ended by starvation and dehydration, Pope John Paul II died a
beautiful natural death in his papal apartment, and Joseph
Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope by the College of Cardinals
and has taken the name Benedict XVI. We all pray for the repose
of the souls of our beloved John Paul II and Terri Schiavo, and
may God bless our new Pope, Benedict XVI.
We, for our part, must continue the struggle to build a culture
of life and dignity right here in our local diocese. May God
bless the many efforts we have all chosen and undertaken to
accomplish His mission!
Membership for e-link is at 867 with an e-mail open rate of
exactly 49.9 percent. Welcome new members!
As always, we remind current members and inform new members that
past e-link bulletins and this current bulletin can be viewed at
www.osmelink.org.
God Bless!
     
Friday, April 22, 2005 OSM e-link
Bulletin #35
Table of Contents
Remarks from Jim Walsh on the Works of
Faithful People
Key Upcoming Culture-of-Life
Gatherings/Projects (please join us)
- Last Call... Catholic Lobby Day in Sacramento set for
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
- Culture of Life Family Services Picnic and Park Walk set
for Sunday, June 4, 2005
at the Tidelands Park in Coronado from 10:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m.
Short Reports on Office for Social
Ministry Related Issues/Events
- Living Wage Ordinance passes San Diego City Council
on April 12, 2005
Advocacy
Request
- In this issue we ask that you call both U.S. Senators
from California and ask them
to not make support for Roe v. Wade a litmus test for
judicial nominees
- We also ask that you call your California Assembly Member
in support of AB 772,
which will create the California Healthy Kids Program,
serving the 800,000 children
in California without health insurance
Advocacy Reportback
- Kent reports on second visit with Assembly Member Juan
Vargas concerning AB 654
Web and
e-mail-based Resources
- Life Issues Institute, J.C. Willke President, provides
its "Connector" newsletter
online and by mail. What a resource for culture-of-life
community leaders!
Local and Regional
Events/Gatherings/Projects
- Turning Point Pregnancy Center (Mira Mesa) Celebrate-Life
Dinner and Auction
set for Saturday, April 23, 6:00 p.m. at the Mira Mesa
Senior Center
- Mary, Star of the Sea Parish, La Jolla, sponsors program
bringing
spirituality to the work world - May 11, 2005, 7:00 p.m.
- Prayerful witness for life at two locations (Sixth and
Palm in San Diego and
Pomerado in Poway) in San Diego County
- St. Dismas Guild sponsors two weekly hours of prayer for
the unborn in
North County
- East County Pregnancy Care Center's
4th Annual
Golf-for-Life to be held on
May 19th, 2005, at the Carlton Oaks County Club
- St. Loiuse de Marillac Church in Crest
moves April and May's 3rd-Thursday pro-
life holy hour to new days, moving it back to customary
3rd Thursday in June
- St. Rose of Lima Parish sponsors a regular Wednesday
Pro-Life Prayer Vigil in
Chula Vista after the 8:00 a.m. Mass
- College Area Pregnancy Services invites you to Beach
Party 2005, Life Under
the Son, Party and Auction on Friday, April 29,
6:30 p.m.
- Anti-slavery group sponsors forum on slavery in the Sudan
on Tuesday, April 26,
at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Beth Isreal - Jim
DeHarpporte of CRS to speak
Article/Statement for June 17, 2004
- Essay By J.C. Willke, MD and Bradley Matteson,
Dramatic Uses of Adult Stem Cells
reprinted with permission of the Life Issues
Institute, Cincinati, OH, 513-729-3600
www.lifeissues.org
Remarks from Jim Walsh
"Selfishness makes people deaf and dumb"
John Paul II
I took a cue from the late, ecumenical Pope
John Paul II when I recently had the “faith versus works”
discussion with a non-Catholic Christian. My friend argued that
we are saved through faith alone; that faith is enough. It
absolutely doesn’t matter what we “do” or don’t “do”. I’d heard
that extreme position before. This time, I paused and said,
“You know, you’re right, you can’t work your way into heaven.
If you could, an awful lot of people would figure out that they
could have eternal life when they found out that certain kinds
of work, following certain rules, and maybe just squeaking by
would get them a perpetual reward.” “Exactly!” he responded,
gleefully knowing that he had saved another soul, and that with
my change of heart I would surely soon be born again.
I went on, “Would you agree that having faith
means believing in Jesus?” “Amen, brother”, was his reply.
“Good. Then I think we just have a semantic issue here. Good
works versus the obedience of faith.” I told my friend that in
Sunday’s (4/24/05) Gospel, John the Evangelist quotes Jesus as
saying, “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and
will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the
Father." (John14:12)
The selfishness of getting caught up in the
world is a real danger. In his letter, St. James seems to say
that forgetfulness is our biggest problem – forgetting who we
are and even who He is! We get “busy”. James says that “As a
body without a spirit is dead, so is faith without deeds.”
(James 2:26)
In my mind I was thinking about how selflessly
and lovingly so many people in our community care for the poor
and marginalized. Whether it’s defined as obedience of faith or
good works, people give of their time and skills, resources and
personal energy. Then I remembered what Pope John Paul II said
on World Youth Day XI, “Selfishness makes people deaf and dumb;
love opens eyes and hearts.” The Holy Father continues to
inspire us from heaven just as he did on earth.
Whether it’s a grass roots effort to improve
neighborhoods and living conditions for the poor; working
against abortion, the death penalty, domestic violence, human
trafficking, euthanasia; or visiting people in prison,
supporting a pregnancy care center for young mothers, people
with love in their hearts push into the world and live out the
gospel message through their actions – that’s incarnation.
“I thought you were twisting this all around,
but I guess not” was his response. “You know, it’s as twisted
as the vine and the branches! I didn’t think you were deaf and
dumb,” I said as I walked on. “I’m off to see some people in
jail. Wanna come?”
Thank you and God bless! |
Key
Upcoming Culture-of-Life
Gatherings/Projects
Number 1: Final
Notice - Catholic Lobby Day in Sacramento To date, 16
participants have scheduled flights to Sacramento. We still have
room for 32, and Southwest tells us that a good number of seats are
still open on both our departing and returning flights. We also
have some good news. The price for the flight has gone from $148 to
$118.
Join the OSM staff (Linda, Jim, Jo and Kent) and 41 other
parishioners at the 7th annual Catholic Lobby Day at the Capitol in
Sacramento on Tuesday, April 26, 2005.
We will join with more than 1,200 other Catholics
from across the State in Sacramento to pray (entire group attends
Mass), sing, march, have lunch, and then visit our State Assembly
Members and State Senators. The OSM will schedule legislative
visits.
It's been called "quite a day," making past participants very proud
to be Catholic and willing to make their voices heard by those in
power.
It's a long day but a very rewarding one. Please check out the
schedule below.
Schedule for Catholic Lobby Day
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
6:30 a.m. Depart from the San
Diego Airport - SW #2300
8:00 a.m. Arrive at the Sacramento Airport
8:15 a.m. Bus from Airport Leaves for the Capitol
8:40 a.m. Arrive at the Capitol, Register at the Crest Theater
9:30 a.m. Welcome and Eucharistic Liturgy
10:45 a.m. March to the Capitol
11:15 a.m. Rally at the Capitol (North Entrance)
11:45 a.m. Lunch on the Capitol Lawn
1:00 p.m. Lobby Visits to Member Assembly and Senate Offices
(small groups by
districts)
3:45 p.m. Bus Leaves for the Airport (Debriefing Meeting on the
Bus), Dinner at the
Airport
5:45 p.m. Depart from Sacramento Airport - SW #1975
7:10 p.m. Arrive back in San Diego
How do those from the Diocese of San Diego register for Catholic
Lobby day? There are four simple steps:
1.
Go to the Southwest Airlines web site below and reserve your
flight. The cost right now for the April 26th round trip ticket is
about 235 dollars. The bus to and from the airport and lunch will
be provided free of charge by the OSM.
We will be departing Tuesday, April 26th on Southwest Flight #2300
at 6:30 a.m. and returning on Southwest Flight #1975 at 5:45 p.m.,
arriving back in San Diego at 7:10 p.m. the same day.
http://www.southwest.com/cgi-bin/buildItinerary2?hps=nb
2.
Call the Office for Social Ministry at 858-490-8323 or email us at
reportback@diocese-sdiego.org to let us know that you have made
your reservation and provide us with your address and e-mail
address.
3. Meet at the San Diego Airport about 5:30
a.m. on April 26, 2005 at the Southwest gate area for flight SW
2300. We will have lobbying materials and visit instructions at
that time.
That's it!
For information or questions about Catholic Lobby Day, contact Kent
Peters at 858-490-8323
Number 2: CULTURE OF LIFE
FAMILY SERVICES Annual Picnic & Park Walk to Support Life scheduled
for Sunday, June 4th, 2005
COLFS Picnic & Park Walk
Sunday June 4th, 2005
at the Coronado Tidelands Park
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fun for the entire family! Come and enjoy a BBQ picnic, live music,
fun-run, games and crafts in Coronado’s beautiful Tidelands Park
while supporting Culture of Life Family Services.
Fun-Run Live Music BBQ Lunch Craft Fair
Kids Games Prizes*
**Registration for COLFS Picnic & Park Walk:
$10 per person (Early Bird $5.00)
$20 per family (Early Bird $15.00)
Fun-Run Minimum pledge of $10.00
Deadline for Early Registration: May 22nd, 2005
*Prizes will be awarded to the top 5 Fun-Run participants with
highest total sponsor donations.
Call Katie Blanchard at
858-277-8354 to request a registration form.
Sponsored by San Diego Area Knights of
Columbus
Short
Reports on OSM Related Issues/Events
Number 1: Following the April
12 rally in support of the Living Wage Ordinance (see photos below)
with more than 600 in attendance, the Ordinance was passed by
the San Diego City Council after a six-hour debate.
Following are comments (immediately following the vote and
folksy at that) of Rabbi Laurie Coskey, director of the Interfaith
Committee for Worker Justice. They were e-mailed to supporters
following the victory at City Hall.
Congratulations to all who attended the many meetings in support of
the LW and who called or wrote city hall!
Just after 8:00 p.m. on April 12, the city council passed the living
wage ordinance with the votes of 5 to 4. (Zucchet, Inzunza, Atkins,
Frye and Young = For.) There were no surprises but
 there
were a couple of tense moments. Tony Young began his comments in
such a way that we were unsure for a few minutes where he was
headed. We all started biting our nails!
There were 50 or more comments in favor of the ordinance which
followed at least as many comments opposed. It was a long, long
meeting.
For our part:
Rev. Ard (with Rev. Patricia Andrews-Callori as back-up in case
he couldn't be there that long) began the formal presentation with
his usual poignant and laser sharp way of bringing us right into the
issues in one or two sentences.
Professor Jamie Gates (with Rev. Ned Wight as back-up) gave the
piece about the hidden costs or as we put it for the hearing, the
shifting costs of supporting the working poor.
Bishop McKinney made a strong comment about his support for
living wage that Tony Young referred to in his comments! Thank
goodness the Bishop was able to participate!
Professor Johanna Hunsaker represented Episcopal Community
Services and made
 sure
that the council knew that they pay a living wage, phased it in over
a few months, have 400 employees and receive government contracts,
AND it was a good business decision for the organization.
Rev. Scott Richardson spoke representing his Bishop in giving
unqualified support to the ordinance and informed the council that
the Cathedral pays its employees a living wage.
I represented you all in a comment to the council. I've attached
it for you to see. I tried hard to communicate the breadth of our
commitment and why we felt the urgency to advocate for this
ordinance based on our faith traditions. I don't often quote the
New Testament so I particularly enjoyed representing us yesterday.
Thank you for the opportunity. By the way, the Mayor explicitly
commented on our leadership and support of the ordinance based on
our convictions. We appreciated the nod of recognition.
Finally the Rally was a real hoot and a holler! We were more
than 600 strong. Good music, good talk and lots of prayers. Rabbi
Mehlmen, Madre, Rev. Riggs, Father Farrell, Lace Watkins were among
them and lots of UU ministers including Rev. Ned, Rev. Margo
 McKenna,
Rev. Arvid Straube.
All in all, it was a very long and very rewarding day. I hope
that these reflections have given you a small taste of the
proceedings.
I don’t have to tell you that CPI staff went above and beyond to
anticipate every detail. Donald was everywhere and really worked
miracles behind the scenes to create an ordinance that makes sense
for San Diego.
While this is an unqualified victory for working people, the
legislative process requires that the ordinance get two more
readings before the city council.
Thank you all for three and half years of service to this
campaign. Through it we have grown exponentially as an
organization. Your "selfless" commitment, as the mayor called it
and your tenacity in the face of adversity really created a victory
for working people. Life for
working families became a little bit more comfortable yesterday. It
was just the beginning, but an amazingly historic moment for San
Diego. As Sr. Justine would say, Amen, Amen Halleluiah!
Finally, I have to pause and reflect on the incredible
individuals who worked on this dream. Of course, we are so grateful
to our Former JVs including, Mike, John, Katie, David, Clare and now
Bet! We could never accomplish our work without the support of our
ILVs Janet and Kathleen. AND I still marvel at the commitment of
the Executive Committee to keep on lifting up the concerns of
workers. It’s risky and edgy work and our leaders make every effort
to be there, really there! So did more than a hundred of our faith
supporters. Thank you to all of them.
Love, gratitude, and blessings,
Rabbi Laurie Coskey
Thank you, Rabbi Laurie, for your dedication and continued hard work
on this issue of such import! Viva the living wage!
e-link Advocacy
REQUEST X 2
Life Request:
In its 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v.
Bolton rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court created a new "right" to
abortion. The Court made abortion legal nationwide through the full
nine months of pregnancy, with no meaningful limitation. The Court
has used Roe even to justify partial-birth abortion.
Legal scholars, including many who
support legal abortion, have roundly criticized Roe as bad law.
Edward Lazarus, former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackman,
the author of Roe, says that when Senators oppose a judicial
appointment because of the nominee's opposition to Roe, "they not
only endorse but make a litmus test out of one of the most
intellectually suspect constitutional decisions of the modern era."
Abortion advocates have announced plans to spend $10 million a year
to keep Roe v. Wade the law of the land, and to block judicial
nominees suspected of not supporting this goal.
The moral issue is clear: human
beings deserve respect and protection from harm. The legal issue is
clear: Roe v. Wade is bad law. The effects are clear: bad medicine
and bad social policy. No wonder the vast majority of Americans
believe that an unlimited right to abortion is wrong.
Support for Roe v. Wade should not be required of judicial nominees.
Let Senators Feinstein and Boxer know that support for Roe v. Wade
should not be used as a litmus test for judicial nominees.
Call Senator Feinstein.
Her Washington D.C. office phone number
is 202-224-3841
Call Senator Boxer. Her
Washington D.C. office phone number
is 202-224-3553.
Following is a simple message
you may share with both senators.
"Please do not make support
for Roe v. Wade a litmus test for judicial nominees. Stop the
filibustering of judicial nominations."
Finally, don't
forget to ask that the Senators respond to you in writing on their
plans for future judicial nominations. This always has a greater
impact.
Dignity
Request:
AB 772 - California Healthy Kids Program
There are about 800,000 uninsured
children in California. Existing law establishes programs to
provide health care benefits to children, including the Healthy
Families Program and the Medi-Cal program. The goal of this
legislation is to extend heath coverage to all children in the
state.
This bill would create the California Healthy Kids Insurance
Program, which would express the intent of the legislature to
provide affordable health insurance to children up to the age of
21. These options would include the opportunity to purchase
coverage from the commercial health insurance options available in
their area, and from the Healthy Families plans available, except
that the Healthy Families Plans would be available for purchase at
full premium cost.
Please call your Assembly member and
ask him/her to support this legislation.
To determine your California
Assembly Member please go to:
www.vote-smart.org. Once
there, place your nine-digit zip code in the window to the left, and
you will be given a list of all legislators serving you, including
your California Assembly Member.
Following is or simple
message.
"Hello, I am (your name) a constituent
of yours living in (your city or neighborhood). I would ask that
you please support AB 772, the California Healthy Kids Program.
Thank you, and would you please send me a response in writing?"
If you have any questions on AB 772, call Linda Arreola at the OSM.
e-link Advocacy REPORTBACK
As a follow up to last month's delegation to Juan Vargas' office led
by Shirley Henry, Bishop Cordileone, Kent Peters, and Linda Arreola
met with Assemblyman Vargas to discuss AB 654, the physician
assisted suicide bill, on April 1st.
After a 90-minute spirited conversation, Assemblyman Vargas
committed to opposing AB 654. As he put it, it wouldn't be easy to
look your own mother or father in the eyes and say, I just voted for
a bill that would let us kill you, together.
We appreciate
Assemblyman Vargas' support as we attempt to kill the suicide bill.
Kent Peters
Web and
e-mail-based Resources
Life Issues Institute provides both insightful and
practical resources on its web site. You'll want to take a look: www.lifeissues.org
We encourage e-link subscribers to examine the groundbreaking
publications and radio efforts of Life Issues Institute, as well as
the new and more effective educational publications. LII's goal is
to retrofit and retool the educational efforts of the pro-life
movement. We hope members will share the excitement and optimism of
LII and help support its efforts in changing the hearts and minds of
Americans on abortion.
New
Local/Regional Events and
Gatherings
If you are planning an event that falls within the mission of social
ministry, send the particulars four to five weeks in advance to the
Office for Social Ministry via e-mail,
osmelink@diocese-sdiego.org. The OSM reserves the right to
publish or not to publish any proposed event information. We hope
this will assist your local efforts to re-build a culture of life.
1. Turning Point Pregnancy Center (Mira Mesa) Celebrate-Life
Dinner and Auction set for Saturday, April 23, 6:00 p.m. at the Mira
Mesa Senior Center
Join those who support Turning Point for this wonderful
celebration! Tickets are only $25 per person. Call the Auction
Coordinator, Marie Harms, at 858-566-3288 for details on
sponsorship, ticket reservations, or directions to the Mira Mesa
Senior Center. Reserve your tickets early.
2. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish sponsors seminar, On
The Value of Ordinary Work, bringing spirituality to the world
of work - May 11, 2005, 7:00 p.m. at the Parish in La Jolla
Turn Your Ordinary Everyday Work Into Something
Extraordinary: Sanctify your life through your ordinary work. Three
speakers: an attorney on human virtues of work; a psychologist on
the psychology of work; and a priest on the sanctification of work.
Question period follows. Practical advice for whatever your
profession: doctors, lawyers, nurses, truck drivers, homemakers,
etc.
Mary, Star of the Sea Hall, 7669 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA, May 11,
2005. 7-8:30 p.m. For more information go to
www.davidwhalen.com/ordinarywork.htm
3. Prayerful witness for life at two locations (Sixth and
Palm in San Diego and Pomerado in Poway) in San Diego County
1st and 3rd Saturday of the month: 20 decades of the
Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet are prayed at Sixth and Palm,
San Diego, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. For more information, call
858-748-2109.
2nd Saturday of the month: 20 decades of the Rosary are prayed in
procession past 4 clinics following the 7:30 a.m. Mass, 15546
Pomerado Road, Poway. For more information, call 858-748-2109.
4. St. Dismas Guild sponsors two weekly hours of prayer
for the unborn in North County
Join members of St. Dismas Guild for a rosary picket at
Womancare, 120 S. Craven Way, San Marcos, (across from Cal State San
Marcos), Tuesdays, 9-10 a.m.
The Guild also sponsors prayer (the rosary) in front of PayLess at
Mission Avenue and Escondido Blvd. 347 W. MISSION on Thursdays,
10:30-11:30 a.m. For information on these prayer vigils, call
760-751-8541.
5. East County Pregnancy Care Center's
4th Annual
Golf-for-Life to be held on May 19th, 2005, at the Carlton Oaks
County Club
East County Pregnancy Care Center is hosting its 4th Annual
Golf for Life on Thursday, May 19, 2005, at the Carlton Oaks Country
Club. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at
1:30 p.m. The tournament will conclude with dinner and raffles.
The cost is $125 per person or $475 when registered as a foursome.
Call Jenna at 619-442-4357 for more information.
6. St. Loiuse de Marillac Church in Crest moves April and
May's 3rd-Thursday pro-life holy hour to new days, moving it back to
the 3rd Thursday in June
St. Louise de Marillac Church in Crest will incorporate its
3rd-Thursday April pro-life holy hour into its Divine Mercy Sunday
service at 1:00 p.m. on April 3rd. In May, it will move the holy
hour to the 3rd Tuesday of the month instead of the 3rd Thursday.
It will then continue monthly on the 3rd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. If
you cannot be with us, please join us in prayer wherever you may
be. Any questions, please call Molly Treadwell at 447-9770.
7. St. Rose of Lima sponsors a regular Wednesday Pro-Life Prayer
Vigil in Chula Vista.
Please join St. Rose of Lima parishioners every Wednesday
after the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Rose of Lima, Chula Vista, for a
pro-life prayer vigil at the clinic located at 261 Church Street,
Chula Vista. For more information, call Evangely Aliangan,
619-427-0230
8. College Area Pregnancy Services announces, Beach Party
2005, Life Under the Son, Party and Auction set for Friday,
April 29, 6:30 p.m.
Join the fun with a sand castle building contest, beach
volleyball, an auction, a Beach-Boys-like band, and California
cuisine hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Friday, April 29, 2005, party
and auction to begin at 6:30 p.m. Speaker will be Dr. Robert
Evans, emcee will be Mark Larson of KOGO. Tickets are $15 per
person ($25 for two). Location will be the Skyline Wesleyan Church,
113310 Campo Road, La Mesa. Pre-order tickets by April 22. Remember
your beach attire: shades, flip-flops, sunscreen, etc. For more
information or to order tickets call 619-337-8080.
9. The American Anti-Slavery Group, American Jewish
Committee, San Diego and The Social Action Committee of Congregation
Beth Israel Present - A Passover Call To Action
Presentation on the Sudan: New Slavery and Genocide- Tuesday, April
26, 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Center Drive.
FREE Admission, RSVP;s Required to (858) 794-0284 or
delunam@ajc.org Featuring Tommy
R. Calvert Jr., Former Chief of External Operations/American
Anti-Slavery Group, Jim DeHarpporte of Catholic Relief
Services and other Sudan activists
The humanitarian and human rights crisis in the Darfur region of
western Sudan has been much discussed in international forums, in
world capitals, and in the news media; yet the widespread murder,
rape, and enslavement being committed daily against black Africans
by government-sanctioned militias continues.
With tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of lives hanging in the
balance, we must do more. This very important program during the
remembrance of our own deliverance from brutal oppression will teach
how we can make a difference.
Also, don't forget to visit the American Anti-Slavery Group's
information booth at the Annual Earth Cay Fair on Sunday, May 1,
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The booth is located across the street from
Casa del Prado on the side of the Timkin Gallery (in the center of
the park). www.iabolish.com
Watch for OSM e-link bulletin
#36 around Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Article/Statement for April 22, 2005
I have had a sneaking suspicion for some time that
the crowd that fraudulently motivated the California electorate to
financially support embryonic stem cell research in Proposition 71
will, in the not too distant future, go down in the roaring flames
of financial ruin. Let me explain.
As they set up the infrastructure (new buildings, new equipment, new
staffs, new everything) that will eventually utilize the killing of
very small humans in their quest for the perfect stem cell, and as
they embark on the long journey to make the cells taken from these
little ones safe for use in humans, they postpone possible
successful results for many many years. Let's call these scientists
the patient killers.
On the other hand, some scientists have quietly been
working with adult or more mature stem cells (no moral problems
here) and are reporting successes almost monthly. Let's call these
scientists the eager true healers.
It's funny, but the media would have the public believe there is no
research being done except by those who are using human embryos, the
patient killers.
But, guess who will have the first patents, the first FDA-approved
treatments, the first offerings of real healing and the potential to
cover research and development costs and move on to actual profits?
Factoring in time alone, it will be the eager true healers not the
patient killers. The later will eventually become the poor killers
as they seek their unholy grail.
The article below by Dr. Willke and Bradley Mattes will describe the
very hopeful results of adult stem cell research. Remember, few of
us are aware of this good news, as it isn't being covered in the
mainstream media. The article will also give hope to those of us
who lament the lies and boastful promises of the patient killers.
Kent
Peters
Dramatic Uses of Adult Stem Cells
By J.C. Willke, MD and Bradley Mattes
The biotech industry, liberal media and pro-abortion forces have
created and maintained substantial public confusion on stem cells.
Mostly, what we hear are the two words “stem cells.” Sometimes we
hear about “embryonic stem cells.” We almost never hear about “adult
stem cells.” Considerable media attention has been given to the
California initiative authorizing three billion dollars for
embryonic stem cell research. We have watched as other states, New
Jersey, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, etc. attempt to appropriate tax
funds for embryonic stem cell research in a stated attempt to “not
lose their scientists to California.” And we certainly know of Nancy
Reagan’s and the late Christopher Reeves’ support for embryonic stem
cell research.
The reality of new scientific progress on stem cell research
continues to flow across our desks, sometimes even weekly. There are
reports from all over the world of new research using stem cells to
probe the mysteries of life and specifically to find cures for human
ailments and injuries. The field is alive with new discoveries
happening every month. One consistent thing about all of these new
reports is that they are about adult stem cells. To date, there have
been no human successes in the use of embryonic stem cells. Yet,
nearly all of what we hear from the so-called mainstream press and
biotech industries is the promise of embryonic stem cell research.
Why is this? Are only a privileged few being told about the
tremendous successes working with adult stem cells? It might almost
seem so. Very few, if any, adult stem cell reports seem to find
their way into the pages of our liberal newspapers or onto the lips
of our liberal media. To help set the record straight, we’ve briefly
itemized some of the adult stem cell research that has come to our
attention in the last year or two. Some of these are quite dramatic
and very recent.
Breakthroughs, Treatments and Cures
Scientists in Portugal1, 2 are using olfactory enshething glial
cells from the lining of a patient’s nose to treat spinal cord
injuries. Senator Brownback recently held a press conference where
he introduced two young ladies, Susan and Laura, who were paralized,
one a quadriplegic. Both of them are now able to walk with braces,
due to adult stem cells.
In South Korea a 20-year-old quadriplegic woman received
transplanted umbilical cord stem cells to the site of her spinal
injury. She’s now mobile with a walker.3
In Germany, stem cells have been used to help repair skull bone
damage in a seven-year-old girl. Unlike other bones, skull bones do
not regenerate, hence the use of metal plates to repair the damage.
Using adult stem cells, the missing bone plates were replaced by
thin, solid bone. Bits of the child’s own bones, mixed with adult
stem cells, produced the healing.4
London researches have been using adult stem cells in trials to
treat damaged livers. They hope to colonize and grow new liver cells
allowing the liver to function again.5
In the US6, Germany7, Brazil8 and France9, human patients have been
treated with their own stem cells to regenerate heart muscle
destroyed during a heart attack or injury. In most cases this was
successful.
Twenty-three patients regained their eyesight following limbal
(adult) stem cell transplants.10 This treatment has helped many
suffering from blindness for years, including victims of Iraqi
mustard gas attacks.
Patients with Crohn’s disease have apparently been cured after
treatment with stem cells from their own blood.11
Ninety percent of 19 patients with various autoimmune disorders,
such as systemic lupus, are in remission or have improved after
treatment with their own blood stem cells.12
One patient with multiple sclerosis improved after being treated
with adult stem cells from his own blood.13
One study of Parkinson’s patients showed an average improvement of
sixty-one percent increase of coordination, as well as fewer
symptoms after transplants of the patient’s own neuronal stem
cells.14
Doctors added adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood to the
treatment of leukemia patients. This freed fourteen of eighteen
patients of the disease.15
Hematopietic stem cell transplants successfully treated over two
hundred sickle cell patients. The success rate has been eighty to
eighty-five percent.16
A 52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis in 38 joints was
treated with adult stem cells from her sister. While still in the
hospital, her morning stiffness ceased. One year later she is free
of the disease and off medication.17
Innsbruck, Austria, doctors have used adult stem cells from
patients’ muscles to successfully treat urinary stress incontinence.
Eighteen of twenty remain continent one year later.18
Researchers found that adult stem cells in the pulp of baby teeth
may be extremely useful in growing replacement brain tissue to
overcome stroke damage and other neurological disorders.19
Chagas disease is a potentially lethal parasitic condition attacking
and destroying the heart and other tissue. It kills six million
people worldwide every year. The parasite can be killed with
treatment, but the damage remains. Now scientists in Buenos Aires,
using adult stem cells from patients’ own bone marrow, have been
repairing heart damage.20
Scientists in New York are exploring the real possibility of using
adult stem cells to regenerate teeth that have been removed.21
Toronto researchers reported finding adult stem cells not merely in
umbilical cord blood, but also a “jackpot” of adult stem cells in
the tissue mass (Warton’s Jelly) surrounding the three umbilical
cord blood vessels. They anticipate using these adult stem cells to
regrow bone and connective tissue in knees that have been damaged in
an accident.22
In Argentina, stem cells from a diabetic patient’s own bone marrow
were fed into his pancreas through an artery. His glucose levels
returned to normal with no need for medication.23
Pennsylvania and Louisiana scientists have coaxed adult stem cells
from bone marrow to differentiate into the type of cells that line
lungs and air passages. This may lead to effective treatments for
cystic fibrosis.24
Adult stem cells hold a promise to treating baldness in humans. A
study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine reports
using them to grow hair on bald mice.25
Chicago researchers are looking at a new adult stem cell technique
that will replace implants for reconstructive surgery and body
augmentation. This could have profound commercial implications for
cosmetic surgery.26
Many of the above studies are preliminary and several have been done
in animal models, although many have been used in human trials. A
single report of a success (e.g. of skull bone) is not considered
official until other scientists replicate the same study. Then
trials must succeed in human subjects using adult stem cells before
such treatments will be available for you and your loved ones. This
being said, however, we can hardly conceal our excitement at these
new discoveries. Most of the above have been reported within the
last year, with some much more recent. In stark contrast to this, we
have no reports of such successes using embryonic stem cells.
Embryonic Stem Cells
Objections to the use of embryonic stem cells are both medical and
moral. The moral dimension is evident. The only way to obtain these
cells is to directly kill a five-day-old living human embryo,
cutting him or her open and extracting embryonic stem cells. From an
ethical, moral standpoint, this alone should rule out their use.
Medically speaking, there are several major problems. One is this
tissue is from another living human, with a different DNA and can be
rejected just like a transplanted kidney. Another is that they can
carry infection from the donors; a worse case would be AIDS.
Finally, and most importantly, researchers have not discovered a way
to regulate or target their growth, for they are “very plastic.”
They can uncontrollably grow into many types of cells. For instance,
implanted embryonic stem cells have turned into bone, skin, kidney
and other tissues when researchers had hoped they would turn into
brain cells. This tendency for tumor formation has, as of yet, been
uncontrolled.
Can these problems be solved? That is the challenge scientists hope
to solve if and when they are given free reign to kill human embryos
and use these cells in unrestricted and usually lethal
experimentation. Their hope is the curative value of embryonic stem
cells might even exceed all of the above adult stem cell successes.
This, however, is just a hope. A number of highly scientific experts
in this field have predicted such hopes are pipe dreams and that
embryonic stem cells will never be able to be harnessed for curative
reasons.
The above dim prospects are specifically the reason almost no
private venture capital has been flowing into embryonic stem cell
research, whereas, substantial amounts have been invested in the
adult stem cell research.
Why then is there an almost exclusive push by liberal sources for
embryonic stem cell research, and a near total blackout of the above
adult stem cell successes? One reason is that killing five-day-old
human embryos does not pose a problem for many scientists and
certainly not for much of the media. If you can abort them before
birth, you can snuff out their lives in a research lab. For
scientists, the unknown is a challenge, a horizon that needs to be
explored. They want to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Whether or not palatable results seem reasonably obtainable is
irrelevant. Exploring the unknown is a goal in itself. They are,
however, faced with the obvious fact that private money will not
subsidize such questionable investigations. This is why there is
tremendous pressure from scientists, the liberal media and, very
clearly, a powerful and well-financed biotech industry to
appropriate tax money for such research.
Our goal is to make more people aware of the obvious promise of
adult stem cells. Pro-lifers should be in the forefront, telling the
world the exciting possibilities of ethical adult stem cell
research. Further, this should be contrasted with the fact that
embryonic stem cell research is done by killing living humans in the
very limited hope of someday helping another.
1 Testimony of Susan Fajt at hearing of the US Senate Subcommittee
on Science, Technology and Space, July 14, 2004. Accessed at:
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1268&wit_id=3674
2 Zwillich,Todd, "Paralysis Patients Tout Adult Stem Cells:
Portuguese Surgery Soon to Seek FDA Approval in US," WebMD Medical
News, June 24, 2004. Accessed at:
http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/89/100250.htm
3 "Paralyzed Woman Walks Again After Stem Cell Therapy," Yahoo!
News, Nov. 28, 2004. Accessed at:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/041128/1/3ovex.html
4 Howaldt, Hans-Peter et al., "Autologous Stem Cells and Fibrin Glue
Used to Treat Widespread Traumatic Calvarial Defects: Case Report,
Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Volume 32, Issue 6, Dec.
2004, p 370-373.
5 Day, Michael, Halle, Martyn and Houreld, Katharine "If Drink or
Disease Destroy Your Liver, Just Grow a New One," Telegraph Group
Limited, Nov. 14, 2004. Accessed at:
6 Wade, Nicholas, "Doctors Use Bone Marrow Stem Cells to Repair a
Heart," New York Times, March 7, 2003: A20.
7 Britten, MB et al., "Infarct Remodeling After Intracoronary
Progenitor Cell Treatment in Patients With Acute Myocardial
Infarction," Circulation 108, 2003, p 2212-2218.
8 Perin, EC et al., "Transendocardial, Autologous Bone Marrow Cell
Transplantation for Severe, Chronic Ischemic Heart Failure,"
Circulation 107, May 13, 2003, p 2294-2302.
9 Menasche, P et al., "Myoblast Transplantation for Heart Failure,"
Lancet 357, Jan. 2001, p 279-280.
10 Holland, Edward J et al., "Management of Aniridic Keratopathy
With Keratolimbal Allograft: a Limbal Stem Cell Transplantation
Technique," Ophthalmology, Volume 110, Issue 1, p 125-130.
11 Burt, RK et al., "High-Dose Immune Suppression and Autologous
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Refractory Crohn
Disease," Blood 101, March 2003, p 2064-2066.
12 Rosen, O et al., "Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation in
Refractory Autoimmune Diseases After in Vivo Immunoablation and Ex
Vivo Depletion of Mononuclear Cells," Arthritis Research 2, 2000, p
327-336.
13 Silber, Judy, "A Promising Weapon in the Fight Against MS," Sept.
7, 2000. Accessed at:
www.mult-sclerosis.org/news/Sep2000/LATimesMSStemCellTransplants.html
14 Gill, SS et al., "Direct Brain Infusion of Glial Cell
Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Parkinson Disease," Nature
Medicine 9, May 2003, p 589-595.
15 Ooi, J et al., "Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation for Adult
Patients With De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia," Blood 103, Jan. 15,
2004, p 489-491.
16 Vermylen, C, "Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Sickle
Cell Disease," Blood 17, Sept. 2003, p 163-166.
17 Burt, Richard K, "Induction of Remission of Severe and Refractory
Rheumatoid Arthritis by Allogeneic Mixed Chimerism," Arthritis &
Rheumatism, Volume 50, Issue 8, p 2466-2470.
18 Klauser, Andrea et al., "Ultrasound-Guided Transurethral
Injection of Adult Stem Cells for Treatment of Urinary Incontinence:
First Clinical Results," Nov. 28, 2004. Accessed at:
http://www2.rsna.org/pr/target.cfm?ID=208
19 Miura, Masako et al., "SHED: Stem Cells From Human Exfoliated
Deciduous Teeth," Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences,
May 13, 2003, Volume 100, No. 10, p 5807-5812.
20 "Adult Stem Cells Repair Damage Caused by Deadly Parasites,"
Corethics, Feb. 17, 2005. Accessed at:
http://www.corethics.org/document.asp?id=n170205.txt&se=4&4st=4
21 Duailibi, MT et al., "Bioengineered Teeth from Cultured Rat Tooth
Bud Cells," Journal of Dental Research 83, p 523-528.
22 Sarugaser, Rahul et al., "Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular (HUCPV)
Cells: A Source of Mesenchymal Progenitors," Stem Cells 23, Feb.
2005, p 220-229.
23 "Argentina: More on Fernandez Vina's Work on Diabetes," Stem Cell
Research Medical and Health News, Feb. 8, 2005. Accessed at:
http://www.stemnews.com/archives/000247.html
24 Spice, Byron, "Stem Cell Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis?," Health,
Science & Environment, Dec. 21, 2004. Accessed at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04356/430049.stm
25 Morris, Rebecca et al., "Capturing and Profiling Adult Hair
Follicle Stem Cells," Nature Biotechnology, Volume 22, No. 4, April
2004, p 411-417.
26 Reinberg, Steven, "Stem Cells Promise Better Plastic Surgery,"
Forbes.com, Feb. 17, 2005. Accessed at:
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/02/17/hscout524030.html
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