Vigil For Life: Thousands Pray For The End Of Abortion

By Emily Drooby

Mary Buck and her children, including her newborn son Jacob, are in Washington D.C. for the March For Life. Back in 2014 Mary buck’s daughter grace, was born with Trisomy 18. That’s a genetic condition that is usually fatal.

“I carried my daughter Grace through the pregnancy and she was with us for 46 days and then she passed away and she was very much a blessing to our family,” said Buck.

Discovery of the disease can sometimes lead to an abortion – buck says she was grateful for the time she was able to spend with her daughter.

“We really just let God and our daughter Grace lead the way,” she said.

Buck and her children are some of the ten thousand people, 500 seminarians, 50 deacons, 250 priests, and 39 bishops who attended the opening Mass for the National Prayer Vigil For Life at the Basilica Of The National Shrine Of The Immaculate Conception.

“It’s like heaven on earth, seeing everyone here together, especially the amount of youth that are here, is very hopeful,” said Debra Carey Westerly from Rhode Island.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann, the Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, was the celebrant for the vigil’s opening Mass. During his homily and an interview, he discussed what conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court could mean for Roe V Wade, which legalized abortion throughout a woman’s pregnancy.

“Certainly with the reconfiguration of the court there is some hope that might happen. But I think even if that were to happen we have to be prepared to fight battles in every state across the country,” he said.

Pilgrims listened intently to Archbishop Naumann, and for so many, the vigil prepares them for not only for Friday’s march, but also their continued fight for life.

“There’s so many young people, religious sisters, the priests, the deacons, the seminarians, the bishops the cardinals, it just brings so much hope it’s kinda a shot in the arm to keep on keeping on, what we are doing,” said Colleen from Donohoe Boston.

A Preview of a Tablet Investigation

Currents News Staff

Editor-in-Chief of The Tablet and Nuestra Voz, Jorge Dominguez, appears on Currents News to preview an investigative article on a laicized priest who is still causing concern for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Former Director At Planned Parenthood Turns Pro-Life Activist

Currents News Staff

At this year’s March For Life on the National Mall, one of the main speakers will be a woman condemning the work she used to do every single day.

Abby Johnson used to assist with abortions as a Clinic Director at Planned Parenthood. But, she resigned after watching a thirteen-week baby get aborted.

Now she is a fierce pro-life activist. Currents News Michelle Powers sat down with Abby for an exclusive interview.

Currents News for Thursday, January 17, 2019

On the newscast: Pro-life supporters protesting the Reproductive Health Act, a bill that among other things will open the door for late-stage abortions in New York; The battle over the budget in Washington has taken another ugly turn as President Trump and Nancy Pelosi are at it again; He was laicized years ago but a former Brooklyn priest is still raising red flags.

Interfaith Rally Against ‘Reproductive Health Act’

By Tim Harfmann

Worshipers chanted ‘yes to life, no to death’ on the steps of city hall as Governor Andrew Cuomo pushes to expand abortion rights in New York State. “What they’re doing is killing lives!” said Miriam Rodriguez, who attended the interfaith rally on January 17th.

Cuomo’s so-called ‘Reproductive Health Act’ would write abortion rights into the state constitution. The wording would essentially allow for abortions for any reason during the third trimester of pregnancy — right up to a mother’s due date.

Councilman Reverend Ruben Diaz Senior of the Bronx led the interfaith rally. “The law says you could kill the children after they’ve been (conceived) in an abortion. Don’t tell me that’s not an assassination!” said Diaz. “Children are a blessing from the Lord. Anyone who says they believe in the Lord and His power can’t say that they don’t love children,” said Reina Marte, who attended the rally.

But Cuomo — who is Catholic — reiterated his agenda at the State of the State Monday, January 15th. “I believe we should pass a constitutional amendment. Not just a Roe V. Wade law — a constitutional amendment. Let’s write the rights of Roe V. Wade into the state constitution so it can never be changed,” said Cuomo.

The bishops of New York are fighting back.. The state’s Catholic Conference released a statement, reading in part, “The so-called ‘Reproductive Health Act’ will expand our state’s already radically permissive law, by empowering more health practitioners to provide abortion and removing all state restrictions on late-term procedures. With an abortion rate that is already double the national average, New York law is moving in the wrong direction.”

New York State has one of the highest abortion rates in the country. In New York City, nearly one-in-three unborn pregnancies end in abortion. “God is the one that puts life and takes life away. And once that child is in the mother’s womb, it’s alive!” said Rodriguez.

With democrats controlling both houses in the state, the bill is expected to pass by January 22nd, marking the 46th anniversary of Roe V. Wade — and Governor Cuomo has vowed to sign it. To date, an estimated 60-million abortions have taken place in the United States since the 1973 Supreme Court ruling.

Shutdown Showdown and State of the Union Standoff

Currents News Staff

President Donald Trump is not backing down and he is continuing to demand a border wall.

“We need strong borders, we need strong barriers and walls. Nothing else is going to work everyone knows it,” said Trump.

And Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also standing firm.

“The President says the only way to do it is with a wall, that’s a debate that we have. But there’s no debate, we all agree that protecting our border is the responsibility we have and that has always been the case,” said Pelosi.

The fight extending the partial government shutdown which has left hundreds of thousands without a paycheck.

“We’ve had to make a lot of adjustments. We’re considering having to pull my daughter out of daycare. We’re trying to stretch out our expenses as long as we can,” said Johnny Jones, TSA Union Representative.

But while the shutdown continues, the State of the Union might not. Pelosi asking the President to reschedule.

“I’m not denying him a platform at all. I’m saying let’s get a date when government is open. Let’s pay the employees. Maybe he thinks it’s okay not to pay people who do work. I don’t,” said Pelosi.

The President responding on Thursday with a letter, telling the Speaker he’s canceling an international trip overseas to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan, what he calls a public relations event, and urging Pelosi to negotiate on border security.

The letter made no mention of the State of the Union.

Hundreds of Thousands of Pro-Life Activists in D.C. Set to March for Life

By Emily Drooby

Preparations for the 46th annual March for Life are underway at the National Mall.

“To be here among these people, it’s just such a gift, you feel the warmth and the love, and the respect for life,” said Nancy Graebe of the Order of Malta American Association, USA.

It might look quiet now, but in less than 24 hours it will be packed with hundreds-of-thousands of pro-lifers traveling from across the country for this event.

“About 11 hours, we left at midnight last night, and tried to sleep on the bus. I think some of us did. Then we changed at a rest stop and got here at about 10:30,” said Carol Wagner, a March for Life participant.

The march marks the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decisions in both Roe V Wade and Doe V Bolton, both of which legalized abortion throughout a woman’s pregnancy.

Many march participants hope the recent confirmation of conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could mean big changes for both of those landmark decisions.

“In my life time there has never been a better opportunity to see Roe V Wade overturned, we’re ramping up the prayers. God’s going to do something great this year,” said Dave Kubal, President, Intercessors for America.

This year’s theme is unique from day one, the idea that pro-life is pro-science, that life begins at fertilization.

Leading up to the march pro-lifers will take place in all kinds of events: conferences, expos, the 2019 youth rally and Mass for life, and the national prayer vigil for life at The Basilica Of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Tens-of-thousands of pilgrims from across the country filtering into the basilica for the vigil which starts Thursday and continues into Friday morning.

“Go against what people think is the right thing but it’s not, it’s killing unborn babies. But they have lives and they matter,” said Sam Martter, a March for Life participant.

Many say it’s encouraging to see such a strong Catholic presence at the march.

“I know it encourages all of us to see a catholic presence at the march, it’s really strong here, its’ just really encouraging,” said Stuart Hamilton, a March for Life participant.

Cardinal Wuerl Will Not Celebrate Mass for Life

Currents News Staff

The Archdiocese of Washington announced Wednesday that Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, will be the main celebrant of tomorrow’s Mass for Life, which will be held at a youth rally before the annual March for Life. Washington Auxiliary Bishops Mario Dorsonville and Roy Campbell will concelebrated the Mass with the apostolic nuncio.

Originally, Cardinal Donald Wuerl was going to be the main celebrant. He was the archbishop of Washington until Pope Francis accepted his resignation last October. But the pope asked Cardinal Wuerl to remain as apostolic administrator to the archdiocese until his successor is selected. For years, the archbishop of Washington has been the main celebrant of the Mass for Life.

The announcement comes after a week of growing criticism of the cardinal for his response to the allegations of sexual abuse against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. A public petition requesting Cardinal Wuerl not to celebrate Mass collected more than 300 signatures in the days leading up to the announcement.

The Archdiocese of Washington has hosted a large youth rally and Mass before the March for Life for the last 25 years. The 2019 event will be held in the Capital One Arena, and 20,000 pilgrims from across the country are expected to attend. In addition to the Mass, there will be testimonies from pro-life leaders and musical performances.

The recent criticism was motivated by the revelation that, in an apparent contradiction with Cardinal Wuerl’s previous statements, he did know about allegations of sexual misconduct by now former Cardinal McCarrick,

In a Jan. 12 letter, the cardinal said that his previous denials of knowing about the allegations against Archbishop McCarrick referred exclusively to sexual abuse of minors, not adults.

But in a second letter to the priests of the diocese, published three days later, he said that he knew about an allegation against the former cardinal, but had forgotten about it.

In a Washington Post article the day before, Robert Ciolek, the former priest who had brought up the “inappropriate conduct” allegations against Archbishop McCarrick in the Diocese of Pittburgh, Pa., indicated that Cardinal Wuerl knew about his allegations since 2004.

According to the Washington Post, “Wuerl apologized to former priest Robert Ciolek in the evening and then sent a letter to the priests of the archdiocese, where Wuerl is the acting administrator.”

In his letter, Cardinal Wuerl said, “it is important for me to accept personal responsibility and apologize for this lapse of memory. There was never the intention to provide false information.”

Currents News for Wednesday, January 16, 2019

On the newscast: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pushing for the highly contested Child Victims Act in his state of the state address; New details about the much-anticipated February summit at the Vatican where bishops and the Pope will meet to discuss how to address the abuse crisis; An ISIS attack claims the lives of U.S. service members; Day 26 of the government shutdown.

Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents News airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST on NET-TV (netny.tv)

How NYS Child Victims Act Could Impact Catholic Church

By Tim Harfmann

Governor Andrew Cuomo laid out his budget in the State of the State Tuesday, January 15th and said this is the year he plans on passing the long-denied Child Victims Act. “I am fully aware of the position of the Catholic Church and the opposition of the Catholic Church. I happen to be Roman Catholic. I’m a former altar boy; and my relationship with the Church is important to me,” said Cuomo.

There’s been a battle in Albany for years between the Catholic governor and the Catholic Church over the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse. Under the current law, survivors of clerical sex abuse cannot press charges against the abuser after the survivor turns 23. The Child Victims Act would change that. The governor wants to raise the age limit to 28 in criminal cases and as old as 50 in civil cases. The act would also open up a one-year window for all past victims of child sexual abuse to file a civil claim — no matter how long ago the abuse too place.

In a 2016 video, the Bishop of Brooklyn Nicholas DiMarzio said the Diocese of Brooklyn could be committed to helping victims of clerical sex abuse while still challenging the Child Victims Act. “To make it a legal issue, where we have to go to court and try to defend these cases, is an intolerable burden. That’s why we are opposed to turning back the statute of limitations. We are for helping victims,” said Bishop DiMarzio.

The bishop said another reason for opposing the act is because time passes and memories become murky. “Over time, people’s memories fade, evidence is not available and witnesses are not available. To repeal it, to go back without any limit — it could go back 100 years — is very unfair because how do you defend anybody? Or how can they defend themselves when you have that problem?” said Bishop DiMarzio.

Cuomo used the words of Pope Francis to bolster his argument, saying the Church must punish priests as the crimes leave victims, “alive but destroyed.” “I say we stand with Pope Francis and we pass the Child Victims Act this year because if you believe in justice for all, then you believe in passing the Child Victims Act,” said Cuomo.

The hundreds in attendance gave Cuomo a standing ovation after quoting the Holy Father. But the Church’s position is that it feels singled out. The New York State Catholic Conference has said it believes the bill would only apply to private institutions, giving public institutions like schools and the government a pass.