Sep 2006
NEWSLETTER September 2006UPCOMING EVENTS
Walk for Life
Date: On Saturday, September 30, 2006
Registration: St. Louis Adult Learning Centre. 82 Beverly St., Cambridge
Time: 9:30 AM
Purpose: Fostering a greater awareness of respect for all human life.
Every $10.00 turned into the Cambridge Right to Life after the walk-a-thon will entitle walkers under the age of 18 to a chance to WIN a 10-speed bike and other prizes!
LUNCH will be provided at the end of the walk
Sponsor Sheets & Information Available at:
Cambridge Right to Life
10 Water Street South
(519) 623-1850
(Office Hours: Monday - Friday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
Refreshments and First Aid will be provided along the route.
So, put on your walking shoes, grab your jogging gear, find a few friends, and walk or run the 10 km annual Walk for Life through Cambridge. Let’s promote a greater awareness of respect for all human life!
You may wish to sponsor our Board Member, Reggie Weidinger, who will participate in the Walk. Please call our office to do so.
From The President's Desk
Dear Members,
There is a change in the wind!
News from south of the border are encouraging us to believe that more and more people are espousing a pro-life position and that legislation to protect the unborn is becoming more commonplace. (see article, below) At the same time, while attending the Alliance For Life Ontario Conference held in April, I was extremely gratified to hear from young people involved in National Campus Life Network, that six new pro-life groups have been formed on university campuses in Canada. Young pro-life people are asking more questions and are no longer falling for the old slogans of ‘If it feels good, do it!’ and ‘Just use a condom and you’ll be protected!” They see their peers suffering from the damaging effects of the promiscuous lifestyles, touted by so many ‘sex experts’.
As one of our local papers recently reported, “The Region of Waterloo sees more than 840 Chlamydia diagnoses per year. …the numbers leveled off a bit in 2005 with 841 cases, compared to 843 cases in 2004”. This is not a significant decrease by any means. At the beginning of the article it stated “Region of Waterloo Public Health is trying to break the chain that’s led to a steady local increase in diagnosed Chlamydia cases over the past decade.” This is good, but does their plan include a chastity component?
To my mind, the Public Health should be asking the question, “Why have we had an increase in Chlamydia in the past ten years?” They might begin to see the connection between the rise of the disease and the false sense of security that young people have been given when they have been told for the past ten years, that a mere condom will ‘protect’ them from pregnancy and disease.
At the end of the article, we are told: “If Chlamydia is left untreated, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal and ectopic pregnancy and possibly even infertility”. These are life-changing consequences and I submit, making these facts clearly known plus a consistent chastity component, will do more to lower the stats on Sexually Transmitted Diseases than the message that ‘more condom use will lead to safer sex’.
The chastity/abstinence programs funded by the government are obtaining some very definite, positive results in the U.S. Will Canada follow suit? If our hardworking pro-life youth have anything to do with, we surely will!
Isabel Smith
Upcoming Events
CAMBRIDGE FALL FAIR
Date: September 7-10
Place: Dickson Park
We feel it is important for us to have our Right to Life booth at the Fair. It provides us with a good opportunity to make the public aware of life issues and to touch individual lives. We need your help this year to staff our booth. Please consider becoming a little more involved by volunteering for a couple of hours - two volunteers at a time.
ROCKTON WORLD’S FAIR
Date: October 6- 9
Place: Rockton Fairground
As we stated above, we also need volunteers for this fair. This is an opportunity for you to share the pro-life message, since this fair is very well attended.
L I F E C H A I N
Date: Sunday, October 1, 2006
Place: Hespeler Rd. (from Bishop Street northwards) on both sides of the road
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Gather and pick up a sign in the parking lot by China Sails Restaurant. Join us in this peaceful, public witness against abortion, which is observed nation wide.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Date: Thursday, November 23, 2006
Place: Knights of Columbus Hall- 333 Speedsville Rd., Cambridge
Time: 7:30 P.M.
Guest Speaker: MCMASTER ‘LIFELINE’ STUDENTS from McMaster University, Hamilton.
Students who are part of the pro-life group ‘MCMASTER LIFELINE’, will give an overview of 'PRO-LIFE 101’, a presentation that they make to high school students about pro-life issues. Plan to attend with a friend. Fellowship will follow.
Past Events
DESSERT AND COFFEE EVENING
The Dessert and Coffee Evening held on May 18 with Alex Schadenberg, saw about eighty folks enjoy great desserts and great fellowship. The ‘Question & Answer’ part of the evening, gave people a chance to ask important questions regarding end-of- life questions and there was a consensus that we are all in the same boat together. We need to take leadership on life issues and not wait to be led, no matter to what church we belong.
PRAYER SERVICE
Our annual Prayer Service held on May 31st, brought out thirty of our members to the Christian Reformed Church. People agreed that despite the inclement weather, they were glad to have participated and were uplifted by the message given by Pastor Vanderstoep.
MARCH FOR LIFE OTTAWA
May 11 looked like it would bring us rain in Ottawa. But, God lifted the cloud cover and beautiful sunny weather prevailed for the entire day. The energized crowd of about 5,000 consisted largely of youth. Next year, organizers are hoping attendance will double. Make plans to join us!
MINI LIFE CHAINS
Thanks to all who came out to the mini life chains April, May and June. Even though our numbers were small, between eight to twenty people each time, it was nice to see some new faces in the group. Thank-you all!
News
NATIONAL CAMPUS LIFE NETWORK (NCLN)
Attention all youth!!! 17 and over
NCLN is holding its 11th NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM, September 29 to October 1. The aim is to NETWORK, EQUIP and MOTIVATE pro-life youth and help them create a pro-life presence on college and university campuses. For more information on this great symposium, go to the NCLN site at www.ncln.ca and click on ‘symposium’.
Should you need financial assistance in order to participate, please call our office.
SOUTH DAKOTA
On March 6, 2006, Gov. Mike Rounds of South Dakota signed the proposal which will make abortion illegal except to save the life of a mother. The abortion ban is set to take effect in July 2006 and is expected to eventually challenge Roe V. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the US. Planned Parenthood has already said they will appeal the legislation. The ban may not take effect until all the appeals are heard. Abortion legislation is also being challenged in other states including Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON ORGAN DONATION: Interview with Dr. John B. Shea M.D.
Says ethical heart transplant not yet possible because of difficulty of determining certain death
TORONTO, February 17, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - With the Ontario Legislature entertaining a private members bill to institute presumed consent on organ donation, many questions are being asked on the matter. LifeSiteNews.com asked Dr. John B. Shea, an M.D. who has written extensively on the ethics of organ donation, questions submitted by LifeSiteNews.com readers. (article by John Henry Westen)