People Concerned for the Unb rn Child www.pcuc.org Published six times a year by People Concerned for the Unborn Child Since 1969 - Pennsylvania’s oldest and largest grass roots pro-life Organization 3050 Pioneer Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15226 Phone 412-531-9272 Editor: [email protected] Fax 412-531-5885 NEWSLETTER R e c orded Message 412-531-1166 November-December 2010 Vol. 39 No. 6 A MOST CRUCIAL ELECTION candidates. LIFEPAC can do things legally that churches may Mary Lou Gartner not. LIFEPAC include churches as part of the distribution November 2 is a most crucial efforts due to the fact that there are a higher majority of election day! A pro-life voter’s highest people that care about the sanctity of life among people of priority is following the pro-life principle faith than the population as a whole. Since the church cannot that the direct and intentional killing of endorse any candidates, but the people in the pews need this innocent human life is always wrong and is valuable information, many volunteers leaflet LIFEPAC always non-negotiable. A pro-lifer should flyers on cars in church parking lots. However, neither legally vote for the candidate who will best or to conform to their own church policy are the churches advance pro-life principles and must withhold their vote from obligated to chase away those who are informing parishioners a candidate who will do the most to harm this principle. Our as to which candidates are pro-life. nation’s abortion policies today: In recent years neither the IRS regulations on what • result in death for millions of innocent children churches can or cannot do, nor the Catholic Churches Policies • violate our nation’s founding principles and have changed. The only thing that has changed is that some jeopardize the future of our nation. Diocesan officials have decided to become more pro-active in • test our faithfulness as people of God to follow His suppressing information from LIFEPAC. As individuals we command to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” will continue to try and serve other people of faith by We wish to restate that the intentional destruction of distributing information important to the vast majority in a innocent human life, as in abortion and euthanasia, is not just way that the church itself cannot. one issue among many. All issues are not morally equivalent. The LIFEPAC information is on page 3-4. You may copy The protection of human life from conception until natural this page to distribute to your family and friends or call Mary death is the preeminent obligation of a truly just society. Lou 412-793-0807 for quantities of this material. No legal Abortion is an intrinsic evil. Support for an intrinsic evil obligation exists to prevent third-party literature distribution disqualifies a candidate for public office. Intrinsically evil on Church parking lots. No church can lose its tax exemption actions are those that fundamentally conflict with the moral for what a third party does. This distribution is not only law and can never be performed under any circumstances or compliant with existing civil laws, but should be welcomed as for any reasons. an essential part of the Church’s mission to help the reader We must be “single issue voters” when that issue vote for candidates for public office in a manner consistent involves a fundamental right to life for a certain group of with moral teachings. human beings, and there is only one morally legitimate position on that issue. For example, no person would vote for a candidate who, although “personally opposed to slavery,” ANNUAL MARCH MONDAY, JAN 24, 2011 supported “a white man’s right to choose” to own slaves. Similarly, we have a moral obligation to withhold our vote The National March for Life is being held on from any candidate who, although “personally opposed to Monday, January 24. This march is never held on a week-end abortion,” supports: a woman’s right to choose” to have her because lobbying is a very essential child killed before birth by abortion. part of this day. Buses are being The right to life of all human beings is at the heart of arranged from every “nook and all morality and the foundation of justice, which is the cranny” of southwestern PA. Please fundamental purpose of civil law. The protection of this right consider joining us for our 38th no more advances one religious viewpoint than do laws consecutive march by calling Mary against murder, child abuse, racial discrimination, theft, etc. Lou at 412-793-0807 for more “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto information. See page 7 for the flyer for the Prayer Breakfast me.” Matthew 25:40. that always precedes this pilgrimage. We go in prayer to To help pro-life voters know the pro-life candidate Washington to petition our elected representatives to protect LIFEPAC was formed in 1980 as an independent Political those unable to protect their own lives. The complete list of Action Committee. It is not a part of any political party or buses leaving from this area will be published in the next church. Their mission is to identify and support pro-life Newsletter. Look for it in your mailbox the week of January 2. KICKOFF FOR 40 DAYS FOR LIFE LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT September 22 – October 31 Dear Pro-life Friends, Enthusiasm, determination, joy and sacrifice are some of the So many pro-life activities to themes we celebrate with 40 Days for comment upon this month: 40 Days for Life. The people who came for the Life, Life Chain, the wonderful PCUC Kickoff Rally represented veterans and banquet, the elections. What incredible newcomers, clergy, students, families, effort has been put forth by so many! and of course, counter protestors. The smiles on these photos tell the story. But looking at what’s ahead, what’s next, this column More than 125 people came will be dedicated to those heroes known as bus captains, to pray, listen and declare that we will headed to Washington D. C. this January 24, 2011. Through rain, sleet, ice storms and an occasional sunny day, bus captains handle the details. Thank you for bulletin announcements, reservation lists, fund-raising flea markets, parental permission slips, donuts and orange juice. Bus captains rely on God’s good graces to get them where they need to be and then back again. Leading the charge, the first thank you has to go out to Mary Lou Gartner, who organizes over 120 buses from PCUC area every year. I’m sure she has tales of past March for Life incidents that we would have to believe only because we heard it from her. Then we have all the men and women who take the responsibility to safely organize the individual church, parish, school, or benevolent group into a paid for expedition to our Capitol. It’s always an “adventure.” Some have been doing such a wonderful job, making things work so smoothly, that we forget that each bus captain cannot control the weather. And sometimes, we forget Who is ultimately in charge. A few years ago, with a dire forecast popping up at the last minute, I found my parish bus leaving with empty seats. A family of five forgot to call and cancel as well as those put off by the threat of bad weather. Of course, when we arrived at the March with the sun shining and comfortable temperatures, I asked God why we didn’t fill our bus. On the way home, as we were pulling out from our Breezewood stop, the bus driver received a mayday message from another driver whose bus was parked at an abandoned gas station with major problems. After asking our passengers for permission, the driver doubled back and picked up most of the grade school students, eager to get home. And we had room! It all worked out so well! I guess I got my answer. stay and we will pray at the doors of Pittsburgh’s infamous Planned Parenthood for We can only imagine how big and well funded the the next 40 days. pro-abortion organizations are. Yet the pro-life side is winning Many churches have hearts and saving lives just with faith, hard work, and an promised that their occasional fund-raiser. members would pray on special days. Again, from People Concerned for the Unborn Child, thank you to everyone who works to put the March for Life If you would like to together. You could run a small country. join us, go to www.40daysforlife.o I send to all of you my prayers and best wishes for rg/pittsburgh, or you very Blessed Christmas and unending hope for abundant can email Nikki Bruni (on right in photo second from the graces in the year ahead. God love you. bottom) at [email protected]. Beth Take this flyer into the voting booth on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010 • All candidates listed are pro-life . Vote • When there is no pro-life candidate, the district is not mentioned. Pro- • * indicates an incumbent. 9 weeks Life 9 months Abortion is an intrinsic evil Support for an intrinsic evil disqualifies a candidate for public office U. S. SENATE Pat Toomey GOVERNOR and Lt. GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA Tom Corbett and Jim Cawley UNITED STATES CONGRESS District 3 District 4 District 9 Mike Kelly Keith Rothfus *Bill Shuster District 12 District 14 District 18 Tim Burns Melissa Haluszczak *Tim Murphy PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE Only even numbered Senate Districts are open for election this year District 32 District 40 *Richard Kasunic *Jane Orie….