We need to put the 2007 Pennsylvania Abortion Statistics report in perspective. We must remember that the women and the babies represented by these numbers are human beings. They are God's children. They are unique and special individuals. Each abortion represents a lost life and

Catholics across the United States will again celebrate Respect Life Month throughout October. Catholic parishes and organizations will sponsor hundreds of educational conferences, prayer services, and opportunities for public witness, as well as events to raise funds for programs ass

The Sacrament of Confirmation “gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No.

Your newborn baby could be a life-saving hero! What an exciting idea for any parent.The blood contained in the umbilical cord at the birth of a child is a rich source of stem cells that can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions and with today’s advances in r

If tens of thousands of Pennsylvania children died needlessly one year, you would want to know why their parents let that happen, right? You would be saddened and outraged to learn that there are many programs to help these parents if they only had the courage to ask.According to a re

I admit it. I read obituaries in the newspaper, not out of morbid curiosity, but because I’m reminded that every single human life matters. Some died tragically in their youth; others lived lengthy and apparently fulfilling lives, including a remarkable number who make it past 1

Each year in July, we get a day off to celebrate our country – the land of the free and home of the brave; but what is freedom? In particular, what is religious freedom? When asked this question, most of us think of the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the United States

Never say “never.” We’ve all heard that one before. Religious liberty was once sacrosanct in the public policy debate. Many laws included a conscience exception to preserve constitutional integrity. It was absurd to think a law would compel a person to do something a

by Francis J. Viglietta and Rev. Sandra Strauss It’s time to re-examine the death penalty in Pennsylvania. Fifteen diverse, faith-based, legal, and civil rights organizations, including the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, form the Pennsylvani

Last month, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) published its required annual report on abortions in the Commonwealth. The report shows in 2005 there were 34,909 abortions performed in Pennsylvania, a decrease of 3.1% from 2004. The statistics report when the abortions were pe