In This Issue:
- Deepening Depopulation
- Why Have Kids?
- Brain Drain in Europe
- Communist China
- Mandatory Military
- Dairy Industry Falters
- UN Misdeeds
- Parolin Speaks at the UN
- Science Gone Mad
- Risks of Surrogacy Exposed
- Pro-Life Around the World
- MAiD Hits a Record
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- Stop the Lies
- Judge Sides With Catholics
- Good News
- Pregnancy Centers Save Lives
Deepening Depopulation
Why Have Kids?: News agencies, including the Los Angeles Times, continue to fret over whether the prospect of cataclysmic climate change is enough to halt having kids. The Times even titled a recent piece, “It’s almost shameful to want to have children.” Yet, as the National Catholic Register points out, even those who fully support “environmental stewardship” can’t argue that fewer humans are somehow a net gain for the Earth because of two main reasons: First, the studies cited as the rationale for limiting our procreation in the service of our climate are largely misread. Second, humans aren’t a consumer good we can just give up in order to save our planet.
Brain Drain in Europe: Depopulation poses significant challenges for universities in Europe. A recent survey from The European University Association revealed that many European institutions are struggling with decreased enrollment, affecting funding and research capabilities. For example, Polish universities report substantial impacts, with Krakow’s student population shrinking by nearly 40% over a decade. In response, some institutions are consolidating research efforts to enhance competitiveness for funding. The European Commission is investing €161 million ($180 million) to promote brain circulation and support early-career researchers, while countries like Estonia and Czechia are focusing on attracting international students as a potential remedy. However, these are only short-term solutions to the deeper issue of depopulation.
Communist China
Mandatory Military: Another effect of the one-child policy has come to light. The People’s Liberation Army of China has encountered substantial difficulties with recruitment in recent years. Not only are there fewer young people in general, but families are also reluctant to send their only child into the military. As a result, the National People’s Congress of China is considering legal amendments to expand mandatory military training in universities and implement “National Defence Education” in high schools. The state news agency, Xinhua, reported these proposed changes, which would involve deploying units of the People’s Liberation Army to educational institutions across the country. The initiative would require the implementation of a comprehensive military education and physical training program, which would prepare young adults for potential recruitment and generate more recruits overall.
Dairy Industry Falters: China is facing a significant milk surplus due to cost-sensitive consumers and falling birth rates. Beijing has been making efforts to boost food security and dairy consumption, but high production costs and the lingering effects of a 2008 milk scandal limit export opportunities. As the economy slows, per capita milk consumption has dropped from 14.4 kg per capita in 2021 to 12.4 kg in 2022, while milk production surged to nearly 42 million tons, exceeding government targets. Consequently, milk prices have fallen below production costs, leading many farmers to shut down or reduce their herds. In addition to the slowing economy, the drop in births has meant fewer babies need milk-based formula. China’s infant formula milk market declined by 8.6% in volume and 10.7% in value during the 2024 fiscal year that ended in June and may decline further in 2025.
UN Misdeeds
Parolin Speaks at the UN: In a speech at the United Nations “Summit of the Future” in New York, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s secretary of state, highlighted the importance of upholding human dignity. He went on to express the Vatican’s disapproval of the assembly’s endorsement of abortion and gender ideology. During his address, he acknowledged the constructive dialogue among U.N. members but emphasized the need for a reevaluation of certain actions. Cardinal Parolin also raised concerns about the “Pact for the Future,” which was adopted by summit attendees, stating that the Holy See has reservations about its promotion of these contentious issues. The Vatican is a nonvoting “permanent observer” at the U.N. but can continue to advocate for values that align with the Catholic Church and uphold the inherent human dignity of all people.
Science Gone Mad
Risks of Surrogacy Exposed: Research from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Queen’s University has found that gestational carriers, or surrogates, face a higher risk of severe complications during pregnancy and early postpartum periods, compared to women who conceive naturally or through IVF. These complications include hypertension, preterm birth, and postpartum hemorrhage. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed health outcomes from 863,017 singleton births in Ontario, Canada, between 2012 and 2021. It revealed that the severe maternal morbidity rate was 2% for unassisted births, 4% for IVF, and 8% for gestational carriers. Participating in surrogacy, as a surrogate or an “intended parent,” is immoral. Now we not only have the moral argument against surrogacy, but also the evidence of a natural argument against surrogacy, as it poses risks to the physical health of surrogate mothers and their unborn children.
Pro-Life Around the World
MAiD Hits a Record: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), legalized in Canada in 2016, has seen a significant rise in usage. In 2022, it became the fifth leading cause of death, with deaths increasing thirteenfold since its inception. Leaders in favor of MAiD view euthanasia as a cheaper alternative to prolonged medical care, erasing the sanctity of life in order to cut costs. Critics, including those from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, highlight that many individuals, including Catholics, are unaware of the Church’s strong opposition to euthanasia, which is gravely sinful. The legalization has led to a problematic societal perception that there is a “duty to die,” pressuring vulnerable individuals to consider MAiD as a viable option.
Pro-Life on the Home Front
Stop the Lies: Doctors and OB/GYNs have challenged Vice President Kamala Harris’s claims that the pro-life laws in Georgia are responsible for the deaths of two women who took abortion drugs. In her recent statements, Harris accused these laws of preventing necessary medical care, asserting that women are dying as a result. However, Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNs, and other medical professionals have stated the truth that no pro-life law prevents doctors from addressing life-threatening complications. They emphasized that the deaths were not caused by the laws but by the women’s decisions to take abortion pills without proper medical supervision. These professionals have shared that such rhetoric misrepresents the situation, potentially causing confusion among healthcare providers and jeopardizing patient care. The portrayal of pro-life laws as harmful undermines the ability of doctors to provide necessary treatments for women in need.
Judge Sides With Catholics: A federal judge in North Dakota, Daniel Traynor, has ruled that the federal government cannot enforce new regulations requiring employers to provide time off for abortion and fertility treatments against over 7,000 Catholic parishes and 1,380 Catholic employers while the lawsuit against the regulations is pending. In 2022, the Biden administration rolled out the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, putting these regulations in place. The Catholic Benefits Association and the Diocese of Bismarck challenged the requirements, arguing that they infringe on religious rights by forcing Catholics to accommodate abortion and immoral fertility treatments. Judge Traynor criticized the Biden administration’s actions as anti-religious and noted that the regulations could lead to retaliation against employees based on religious beliefs. This ruling is a victory for Catholics in the United States.
Good News
Pregnancy Center Saves Lives: A young woman’s life was saved by the Community Pregnancy Clinic in Sarasota, Florida. Marcia Ortiz left home at 17, quickly falling into a bad crowd that fueled her use of alcohol and drugs. When she became pregnant, she began to look for help, for herself and her unborn child. In Marcia’s words, “part of me felt that this pregnancy was an opportunity to get my life back on track, and if I didn’t take this opportunity, I wouldn’t get another one.” Community Pregnancy Clinics provided a free ultrasound and continuing support. The clinic called Marcia regularly to check in and provided material support. The clinic even helped Marcia finish high school, find a job, and enroll in an insurance plan.
“The claim that pregnancy resource centers manipulate and abandon women is so hurtful because the people there were the only ones who did not abandon me,” Marcia shared with The Federalist. “I am now doing more with my life and am happier than I ever would have been if I had not gotten pregnant… Every day I strive to show my son that he is a blessing in my life and that he did not hold me back. Instead, he pushes me forward. Every day I live for him. Young women in similar situations deserve to know that their world will not be destroyed if they have a baby; it will keep spinning, and it is better than you can imagine.”
Quote of the Week
“Children are the most visible product of love, and raising children is essential human work we should welcome, not deny or degrade simply because we cannot guarantee the next generation a perfect life.”
~ Emily Zanotti, National Catholic Register
