In This Issue:
- PRI in the Media
- Africa Follows the Trend
- Deepening Depopulation
- No One to Teach
- Communist China
- A Shanghaied Holy See
- Worse Measures Incoming
- Is China Ready?
- UN Misdeeds
- Tradition Under Pressure
- Science Gone Mad
- Scientists & Stem Cells
- Ovaries in Dishes
- Pro-Life Around the World
- Pregnancies Down
- Waiting Period Saves Lives
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- FDA Approval Blocked
- Democrats Stockpile
- Planned Parenthood Sues
- Good News
- Easter Babies
PRI in the Media
Africa Follows the Trend: The global depopulation crisis is spreading, leaving no continent left behind. Africa, with many of its countries known for high birth rates, is now following the trend and beginning its own demographic downturn.
Deepening Depopulation
No One to Teach: Depopulation is sweeping Japan and its effects are popping up everywhere. One northern town, Ten-ei, is closing its only junior high school, as its last two students graduate and move on. The lack of children in rural towns has caused the closure of about 450 schools per year.
Communist China
A Shanghaied Holy See: The CCP openly violated the Sino-Vatican agreement, leaving the world to wonder why. But whether or not this move was simply to test the limits of its relationship with the Vatican, this violation made something very clear. The CCP sees the Sino-Vatican agreement as binding for the Vatican only, not for itself.
“I warned Cardinal Parolin in 2018 that the CCP could not be trusted to keep its word, and that they would violate both the spirit and the letter of the agreement,” says PRI President Steven Mosher. “Still, I am sad to see the Vatican publicly humiliated by the CCP in this way, and sadder still to think of all the Chinese Catholics who emerged from the underground Church at the Vatican’s urging who now have targets on their backs. Pray for them.”
Worse Measures Incoming: Despite the heavy regulations on religion currently in place, Xi Jinping is demanding more. His paranoia over the threat of religion led to the creation of this year’s “Administrative Measures for Religious Activity Venues” draft. When in place, it will further “sinicize” religion and require religious institutions to push CCP propaganda even further.
Is China Ready: China has declared that it is ready to go head-to-head with Taiwan. But is this really the case? The country is eager to take out the threat of democracy, but has not been in a major war since its invasion of Vietnam in 1979.
“The CCP is intent upon destroying Taiwan, to which it has no historic claim, for one simple reason,” says PRI President Steven Mosher. “Taiwan represents a democratic alternative to the increasingly unhinged one-party dictatorship that rules China. By its very existence, it shows that people of Chinese extraction thrive under self-government, religious freedom, and the rule of law. This gives the people of China hope, and it is this hope that the CCP is intent upon annihilating.”
UN Misdeeds
Tradition Under Pressure: The EU and Biden Administration are once again teaming up against traditional countries in the battle over “comprehensive sexuality education” at the UN Commission on Population and Development. Traditional delegates are rightly concerned for the results of this commission and the future of their nations’ families, children, and sovereignty.
Science Gone Mad
Scientists & Stem Cells: Scientists are finding more and more success in creating “synthetic embryos” from stem cells. But these developments are reopening the debate on how far along embryos should be developed, whether synthetic or not.
Ovaries in Dishes: A biotech, Gameto, aims to reinvent IVF by creating lab-grown ovaries. Though at this point the company has only developed “ovaroids” in Petri dishes, it plans to sell this development as an egg maturation product to IVF clinics in the U.S. and Europe.
Pro-Life Around the World
Pregnancies Down: Both teenage births and abortions keep declining in New Zealand. While pregnancy rates among young women decrease, pregnancy rates among those in their late 30s increase.
Waiting Period Saves Lives: Since 2019, Ireland’s abortion law has required a three-day waiting period between the initial consultation and the abortion procedure. This waiting period has helped thousands of women choose to keep their babies, with almost 4,000 not returning after the initial consultation. But Ireland’s Department of Health may now abolish this waiting period.
“Giving women an opportunity to think over what is a life-changing decision saves lives,” says PRI President Steven Mosher. “Which is exactly why the abortion movement–which exists to destroy life–is opposed to it. In their view, the only good baby is a planned baby.”
Pro-Life on the Home Front
FDA Approval Blocked: One week ago, a federal judge blocked the FDA’s approval of mifepristone as a “safe” abortion drug. This effectively stopped the sale of the drug nationwide, a major feat considering chemical abortion is the most common form of the procedure today.
“The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has now temporarily blocked U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s order that suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone,” says PRI President Steven Mosher. “At the same time, the court also barred mail delivery of the abortion pill, which will save lives. The Biden Administration wanted to distribute this dangerous drug without any medical supervision. Two Trump-appointed justices said no.”
Democrats Stockpile: In response to the above-discussed FDA ruling, Democrat governors are stockpiling mifepristone. The governors of New York, Washington, Massachusetts, and California have all begun collecting years worth of the chemical abortion drug. These individuals are determined to keep the drugs available whether or not they are safe or legal.
Planned Parenthood Sues: Idaho medical providers are prohibited from referring women out-of-state for abortions. But one Planned Parenthood affiliate is suing over this lack of advocacy for abortion tourism. Along with two doctors, the affiliate is claiming this violates free speech and is an overreach of Idaho law.
Good News
Easter Babies: NICU babies across the country celebrated their first Easter in the hospital. So nurses at several hospitals decided to bring some Easter joy by dressing up the tiny humans as little bunnies and chicks in celebration.
In response, Live Action reporter Nancy Flanders said, “Easter is the holiest time of year in the Christian faith, and each of these children is a gift from God and a celebration of life. They are also a reminder that all lives are precious and that every life, created by God in His image, is unique and should be celebrated. Though these babies are vulnerable, they are valuable and they deserve love and to be treated with respect — whether they are inside the womb or out.”
Quote of the Week
“This is what the Pasch of the Lord accomplishes: it motivates us to move forward, to leave behind our sense of defeat, to roll away the stone of the tombs in which we often imprison our hope, and to look with confidence to the future, for Christ is risen and has changed the direction of history.”
~ Pope Francis, source
