Our Lady Of Mount Carmel
Roman Catholic Church
39 East 22nd Street, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002-3753
201- 339-2070
Respect Life
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)
Monday, January 23, 2012
From the Silent No More Awareness Campaign come the voices of the men and women who have had abortions, and have come to regret
it. They are the most powerful weapons we have in our fight to end abortion. Please view the video and
help spread their stories far and wide. I Regret my Abortion: Click here
Sometimes it is wrongly said that the Catholic Church opposes stem cell research. In fact the Church supports ethically responsible stem cell research, while opposing any research that exploits or destroys human embryos.
Adult stem cells have already helped thousands of patients, and new clinical uses expand almost weekly. Adult stem cells come from adult tissue, umbilical cord and placenta blood and can be retrieved without harming the donor. Umbilical cord and placenta donations can help treat people with a myriad of ailments, including spinal cord injuries, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
Umbilical cord and placenta blood donation to NJ's two public cord blood banks will provide more options for people with medical conditions curable through stem cell transplant will increase the research material available to New Jersey's top medical researchers.
The Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program in Paramus (1-866-SAVCORD) and Coriell Institute for Medical Research in Camden (1-856-757-9718) are two facilities that collect, store, study and research public umbilical cord and placenta blood donations. Both of these organizations are agents of the New Jersey Public Umbilical and Placenta Blood Bank which covers the cost of cord blood donation and storage. Information is also available at your local hospitals, especially the Catholic hospitals of New Jersey, which are especially committed to this initiative.
Stem cell research is very much in the news today and there is needless confusion surrounding it.
There are two kinds of stem cell research that concerns our morality – Embryonic and Adult. Embryonic stem cells are taken from human embryos in the very first days of their lives and the taking causes their death. The church opposes this embryonic stem cell research and so must we.
Adult stem cells are cells that are not taken from embryos. The church supports this research.
Because, after all,
"A person's a person,
no matter how small."
Adult stem cells, for example, are taken from fat- tissue, brain tissue, bone marrow, muscle tissue, as well as umbilical cords and placentas. Indeed, these cells are now being used to treat 56 human diseases, cancer and impairments in about 300 human clinical trials and have shown great potential and effectiveness.
Adult stem cells from bone marrow have been injected into scar tissue of people who have had a heart attack. Evidence of tissue being regenerated in the heart has been documented. In contrast, there has not been one successful medical therapy produced using embryonic stem cells! In fact, in experiments, embryonic stem cells are difficult to control and often cause tumors and tissue rejection problems in the recipient.
Stem Cells from healthy eyes, obtained without harming the donor, have successfully treated blindness in eight British patients. Limbal Stem Cell Defieciecy (LSCD) is often caused by burns to the eye and affects about 8 million people worldwide. The 8 have regained most of their eyesight. One patient was injured in 1994 when ammonia was squirted into his right eye. He has been partially blind and in severe pain. He was treated recently and within 6 months his vision returned to its pre-attack level and the pain and discomfort almost completely eliminated immediately. The team plans to involve 24 patients in a new study.
Baby Saves Mother's Life
This story centers on Patrizia Durante as told by Fr. Tod. In 2001, Durante was 27 weeks into her first 
pregnancy. Tests revealed that she had acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. Chemotherapy began immediately but she did not respond. Doctors decided to induce labor so higher doses could be administered. At 31 weeks a healthy Victoria Angel was born. Stem cells were collected from blood in her umbilical cord and preserved in liquid nitrogen. Her mother was now in grave danger and the doctor decided as a last resort to transplant the umbilical cord stem cells into the mother’s bone marrow and cured her leukemia. Victoria saved her mother’s life and the mother said “I gave life to my daughter and she gave life back to me”. Good choices create a pathway to continued good. Good choices are inspired by love that is directed to life.
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Heart repaired by Adult Stem Cells
A man with severe
cardiac disease walked out of
In March, 2007, a
medical team took a small amount of tissue from the patient’s thigh and
obtained Myoblast cells, which build muscles. They grew the cells into thin
sheets and two months later wrapped the man’s heart with three layers of the
sheets.
The man’s heart
began to rapidly recover. Doctors removed his pacemaker only 98 days after he
received the cultivated stem cells, and on December 20th he left the
hospital with a fully functioning heart.
Limit Fillbusters - Confirm Pro-Life Nominee- Support changing U.S. Senate Rules to Limit Filibusters that are being unconstitutionally used to block the confirmation of Pro-Life Judges. America needs these pro-life judges - extremely qualified men and woman with impeccable credentials who will interpret laws, not create and twist them. Judges who will honor God and do what is right, not what is popular.
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Deuteronomy, 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.
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Prayer Warriors
Please Join Us in Prayer
Randall
Terry and his group started praying the rosary daily at the White House. He has asked people to join them, and to pray
wherever they are.
They
are praying specifically for five things;
1. President Obama’s conversion
from pro-choice to pro-life;
2. The defeat of F.O.C.A. (Freedom
of Choice Act) and other pro-death legislation.
3. For all clergy to have the
courage to resist his agenda of death;
4. For a new platoon of Pro-life Candidates
for 2010;
5. To recruit, train and mobilize a new army of pro-life activists.
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"I heard a baby cry
inside the walls of an abortion clinic, inside the walls of the womb. That baby
was mine, but it was too late to save him.
Now I can’t stop the sound of his crying, or his tears that flow through
my eyes.”
- Anonymous -
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Is legal abortion really safe for the mother?
Pro-lifers
talk about the guilt and regret woman some times feel, but is there any real
evidence of dangers of abortion?
There is a great deal of evidence that abortion
poses both physical and psychologycal risks to the mother. Physical
complications, to name a few, include increased risk of future ectopic
pregnancy, breast cancer, miscarriages, and premature birth. Psychological
dangers include increased risk of self-destructive behaviors such as drinking, and
drug abuse; relationship difficulties; and guilt, regret, and even suicidal
ideation.
A Baby Changes
a Mother Forever
When a Mother is carrying a baby, a small number of
cells from the body migrates into the mother’s body and remains there forever.
This phenomenon which begins in the first trimester of pregnancy is called
fetal “microchimerism”. At the same time cells from the Mother’s body also ends
up in the child’s body. So – we have some of our Mother’s cells (i.e. her own
distinct
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Moral
Issues…There are five moral
issues which are not negotiable for discussion…
1-
Abortion – God gives
life and soul.
2-
Euthanasia – God
calls us home to Him.
3-
Embryonic Stem
Cell Research and Human Cloning - Life is taken.
4-
Same Sex Marriage
– One man - one woman - is God’s plan.
5- Death Penalty –No chance for an offender to repent.
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Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have it's reward...
There is hope for your future.
Jeremiah 31: 15-17
Some think of abortion as an unforgivable sin. Some seek to forget by trying drugs or alcohol or promiscuity to dull their feelings of guilt and pain. But the good news that the Church has to offer is this: God is merciful and there is no sin He is unwilling to forgive, as long as a person is sincerely sorry and wishes to accept God’s forgiveness. In our Archdiocese, there are programs like Project Rachel and Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats, which have brought peace and forgiveness into the lives of those who have suffered from the realization of what abortion really is.
Yes, abortion takes the life of an innocent child and we must do all we can to end this atrocity.
But abortion also does untold damage to the child’s mother. And that is something the abortion industry refuses to acknowledge, in spite of the massive body of research that tells the awful truth ... such as the fact that women who have had abortions:
Are 63% more likely to receive mental health care within 90 days of the abortion than within 90 days of delivering a live baby.
Are more likely than other mothers to endanger the health of subsequent unborn children through substance abuse.
Are almost two-thirds more likely to become clinically depressed.
And in one survey, over 82 percent of the women who responded indicated they deeply regretted their abortion decisions.
And that doesn’t include the physical risks of abortion ... breast cancer, pelvic infection, infertility, ectopic pregnancy and even suicide!
From all that it’s abundantly clear:
More than merely take the life of an innocent child, abortion abuses, beats, and robs women. And then leaves them lying on the side of the road to suffer alone.
If you know someone who has had an abortion and wishes to find forgiveness and peace, ask them to call one of the hot lines listed below.
POST ABORTION COUNSELLING
AND SUPPORT
Hot Lines
All Calls Are Strictly Confidential.
Crisis Pregnancy Help: 1-800-550-4900
Lifenet: Teen Chastity and Other Life Issues:
973 -509-8123
Rachel's Vineyard
A retreat program that helps those suffering after abortion in a group setting, usually over a weekend. Retreats often are sponsored by local Project Rachel offices, as well as counseling centers and retreat houses. For information or Retreat Schedules call… 1-877- HOPE-4-ME
Project Rachel
An Outreach of the Catholic Church open to anyone
struggling after an abortion loss. Project Rachel knows what you are
going through and wants to help you move towards healing and
reconciliation. This
ministry helps heal your wounded relationships with yourself, your
child and God. Extending God's compassion, unconditional love,and
forgiveness, Project Rachel offers hope and peace. All calls are kept
strictly confidential. Our National Hot Line...1-800 -5 -We -Care
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National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1- 800- 799 SAFE (7233)
1-800-787- 3224 TTY For the Deaf
Domestic Violence Shelter Hotline
All calls are confidential.... 973- 759 - 2154
Safe Haven Infant Protection Act
The law legalizes the safe abandonment of newborns by mothers who take their newborn to a "safe haven" and will not be subject to criminal prosecution. Recognizing that some mothers cannot care for their babies for a variety of reasons, the law seeks to prevent these mothers from committing criminal abandonment or infanticide. A "Safe Haven" is any Hospital E. R. or Police Station where the mother can bring her baby, less then thirty days old to be placed with the Division of Youth and Family Services.
Safe Haven Infant Protection Hotline – 1- 877- 837- 2339
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Needs of Elderly
Pope
Benedict XVI recently spoke on the needs of the elderly and the following are
excerpts;
*
Human life is a gift from God and we are all called to safeguard it.
* The
elderly who are sick have a right to love, understanding and comfort from both
the Church and family members.
* In
addition to pain relief the dying have a right to be respected and supported as
they face the difficulties of the last stage of their lives.
The Pope also reaffirms a request that Pope John Paul II made to scientists and doctors asking them to discover ways to prevent and cure the illnesses related to ageing without ever giving in to the temptations to resort to practices to shorten a sick and elderly life, practices that would be forms of euthanasia.
End of Life Issues
Ordinary Means for health care must be taken for a
reasonable hope of benefits, no serious danger of death and pain
management. Ordinary means are
obligatory. Food and water are always not health care issues.
Extraordinary Means for health care are optional on a
case-by-case basis, for excessive hardship and pain and imminent death. Euthanasia is never permitted. There is no political right-to-die despite
clever use of language for compassion and rights. Hydration and nutrition are required. Living Wills must be tailored on a
case-by-case basis because most living wills are not helpful and are mostly
right-to-die documents. The best
approach is to name a proxy who makes the decisions and give that person a
power of attorney to make the medical decisions. Properly prepared, they provide ethical
advise and doctors and lawyers follow them.
Advance Directives are medical judgments for situations
concerning care. Unanticipated situation
decisions ideally should be made by the person named in the power of attorney
per prior discussions with the patient.
required and are
Know the Signs of Elder Abuse.
Every year, tens of thousands of elderly Americans are abused in their own homes, in relatives’ homes, and even in facilities responsible for their care. You may suspect that an elderly person you know is being harmed physically or emotionally by a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver or being preyed upon financially. By learning the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and how to act on behalf of an elderly person who is being abused, you’ll not only be helping someone else but strengthening your own defenses against elder abuse in the future.
Where does elder abuse take place?
Elder abuse tends to take place where the senior lives: most often in the home where abusers are apt to be adult children; other family members such as grandchildren; or spouses/partners of elders. Institutional settings especially long-term care facilities can also be sources of elder abuse.
At first, you might not recognize or take seriously signs of elder abuse. They may appear to be symptoms of dementia or signs of the elderly person’s frailty — or caregivers may explain them to you that way. In fact, many of the signs and symptoms of elder abuse do overlap with symptoms of mental deterioration, but that doesn’t mean you should dismiss them on the caregiver’s say-so.
The different types of elder abuse: Abuse of elders takes many different forms, some involving intimidation or threats against the elderly, some involving neglect, and others involving financial chicanery. The most common are defined below.
Physical abuse: Physical elder abuse is non- accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injury, or impairment. Such abuse includes not only physical assaults such as hitting or shoving but the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement.
Emotional abuse: In emotional or psycho-logical senior abuse, people speak to or treatVerbal forms of emotional elder abuse: include intimidation through yelling or threats, humiliation and ridicule, habitual blaming or scapegoating.
Nonverbal psychological elder abuse can take the form of ignoring the elderly person, isolating an elder from friends or activities, terrorizing or menacing the elderly person.
Sexual abuse: Sexual elder abuse is contact with an elderly person without the elder’s consent.
Such contact can involve physical sex acts, but activities such as showing an elderly person pornographic material, forcing the person to watch sex acts, or forcing the elder to undress are also considered sexual elder abuse.
Neglect or Abandonment by caregivers:
Elder neglect, failure to fulfill a caretaking obligation, constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse. It can be active (intentional) or passive (unintentional, based on factors such as ignorance or denial that an elderly charge needs as much care as he or she does).
Financial exploitation: This involves unauthorized use of an elderly person’s funds or property, either by a caregiver or an outside scam artist.
An unscrupulous caregiver might: misuse an elder’s personal checks, credit cards, or accounts- steal cash, income checks, or household goods -forge the elder’s signature- engage in identity theft.
Reporting Elder Abuse: If you are an elder who is being abused, neglected, or exploited, tell at least one person. Tell your doctor, a friend, or a family member whom you trust. Other people care and can help you.
The person who answers the phone will refer you to a local agency that can help. The Eldercare Locator answers the phone Monday through Friday, 9 am to 8 pm, Eastern Time.
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