Support Life -- Comment on New NIH Embroyinc Stem Cell Guidelines

Please help support LIFE. Your action is needed by May 26!!!

On March 9, President Obama issued an Executive Order overturning the limits President Bush had placed on government funding of destructive embryonic stem cell research. The Bush policy limited funding to embryonic stem cells existing as of August 9, 2001.

On April 23, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published draft guidelines to implement the Obama directive. See the formal notice in the Federal Register at: www.nchla.org/docdisplay.asp?ID=245.

If these guidelines are approved, federal taxpayer funds will support research on human embryonic stem cells derived by killing human embryos created in fertility clinics through in vitro fertilization. Parents will be able to donate their embryonic children for such research when they feel they no longer need them for reproduction. The guidelines currently do not allow federal funding for research on human embryonic stem cells derived from cloning or parthenogenesis, or from IVF embryos specially created for research purposes.

Since 1996 the Dickey-Wicker Amendment forbids federal funding of research in which embryos are harmed or destroyed. The guidelines follow the interpretation that federal funds cannot be used to derive stem cells from human embryos but could be used for research on the embryonic stem cells so derived with private funds.

The public has until May 26 to submit comments.

Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, called the draft guidelines “a new chapter in divorcing biomedical research from its necessary ethical foundation.” Without unconditional respect for human life, he said, experiments on human subjects become “another way for some human beings to use and mistreat others for their own goals.” The Cardinal called for “increased support for promising and ethically sound stem cell research and treatments that harm no one.” He expressed concern that some in Congress and the Administration want to go beyond the draft guidelines and use embryos specially created for research by in vitro fertilization or cloning. For the Cardinal’s full statement, see: www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-087.shtml.

Calling the guidelines “the first step,” Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Michael Castle (R-DE) intend to move forward with broader legislation to “promote all forms of ethical stem cell research,” which in their view includes cloning and the creation of embryos solely to destroy them.

Through the NCHLA Grassroots Action Center, you can send messages (1) to your two U.S. Senators and Representative opposing the DeGette/Castle legislation, and (2) to the NIH opposing its draft guidelines. See: www.nchla.org/stemcell. For the full NCHLA Action Alert, see: www.nchla.org/actiondisplay.asp?ID=272.

** Information taken from: http://www.nchla.org/legissectiondisplay.asp?ID=710

Angels in the Vatican and Drinks with the Dominicans!

Angels in the Vatican and Drinks with the Dominicans -- What could be a better way to spend a Wednesday evening?!

Don't miss Father Allen Duston OP's presentation (Part II) on Angels in the Vatican! Father Allen was Patron of the Arts for the Vatican Museums before coming to Seattle where he is currently working as a cannon lawyer for the Archdiocese and serving as Prior for our Dominican community.

Father Allen's presentation will take place in the parish hall. Afterwards, we'll head out for some drinks and socializing around 9:00pm to Ivars Salmon House.

Volunteers Needed This Weekend!

The University District is having their annual U-District StreetFair this upcoming Saturday (May 16th) and Sunday (May 17th). Blessed Sacrament will have a booth there, which is a fabulously wonderful way for us all to witness to our community! Tara Simons and Fr. Jordan need four people to help with setting up the tent (8:00am) and taking down the tent (4:00pm) each day. If you can help, please contact Tara Simons at tsimons@bspwa.org

Support Life!

Gov. Chris Gregoire will be addressing NARAL (Washington's ProChoice Group) at a luncheon on Monday, May 18th from 12:00pm till 1:30pm at the Seattle Sheraton. A PRO-LIFE protest (led by Fr. Bloom) is being planned for the same time outside the hotel. Please attend if you can and please wear RED.

Relay for Life -- THANK YOU!!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Relay for Life last weekend and supported Team Veritas! The Relay was a HUGE success -- we raised nearly $4,000 for the American Cancer Society. The weekend also provided us all with time for special time for reflective prayer (Thank you, Fr. Jordan for saying Mass at the campsite!) and the opportunity to strengthen existing friendships and to forge new ones! Hooray for Team Veritas! 

(Our prayer table at the Relay campsite.) 

Discerning a Vocation to the Priesthood?

Dinner with the Dominicans

Dinner with the Dominicans will be this upcoming Sunday, May 17th. (We will meet in the back of the church after the 5:45pm Mass.) Father Jordan Bradshaw, OP, known to many of you at the YAther himself, will be our guest Dominican this month! 

Gather at the back of the church after Mass and we'll carpool over to Tutta Bella in Wallingford for a relaxed dinner and drinks in the best of company. This is a great way to meet other Young Adults in our parish and to spend some time with one of our Dominican friars. 

Take Action for the Dinner Program

Dear Friends and Parishioners of Blessed Sacrament,

We have reached the final step toward receiving a grant from Washington State toward costs of the recent renovation of our Dinner Program facilities.  All that remains for us to do is to urge the governor to keep the Local Community Projects portion of the Capital Budget, which includes the item Blessed Sacrament Food and Emergency Aid Facilities Renovation.  The governor takes action on this Friday May 15th at 1:30 pm, so the next 24 hours are our last chance to let her know how valuable the Dinner Program and St. Vincent de Paul aid at Blessed Sacrament are to the homeless and hungry we serve.  As you know, Blessed Sacrament has completely renovated its serving facility after forty years of service.

 

The Renovation grant is one among many other worthy capital projects, including construction costs for YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, emergency centers, and hospices, in which the state invests to help take care of its citizens.  Please take action on this and contact the governor right away by phone or email and ask her to support the Local Community Project portion of the Capital Budget including the Blessed Sacrament Food and Emergency Aid Facilities Renovation- we are but a signature away from the successful completion of a project several years in the making.  I am convinced that hearing from you will make the difference.

                                                                                      -  Christopher Murray, Development Director

Governor Chris Gregoire

Office of the Governor

PO Box 40002

Olympia, WA 98504

360-902-4111

http://www.governor.wa.gov/ (use this link for her email form)

Relay for Life

Relay for Life is TODAY (from 2pm till 8am tomorrow morning). Even if you're not on the team, stop on by to visit us, walk a lap, and honor Fr. Tom! We'll be camping in Husky Stadium on the SW side of the track. Fr. Jordan has also graciously offered to have a Mass for us at our campsite. Come join us for this special Mass at 9:45pm tonight! Hope to see you all there! 

GO TEAM VERITAS!!!! 

ROOTED 2009: Saints in the Making

A special reminder to all Blessed Sacrament young adults that the Seattle Archdiocese Young Adult Conference 2009 is just one week away!  Join us for ROOTED 2009: Saints in the Making at the University of Washington campus. This is a rare opportunity to gather with Catholic young adults from throughout the archdiocese and hear some amazing speakers including Tony Melendez, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and Dr. Tom Curran.  Additionally, there will be time for reflection, prayer and celebration as we grow together in faith and strengthen our desire to share that faith with the world.  We are very excited that the event is being hosted in our own neighborhood this year and want to be sure that we have a good showing from Blessed Sacrament! 

For more information and to download the registration form, visit http://seattleoyyam.org/. Click on "Young Adult Ministry" in the bar on the left and then "YA Conference" on the right. Send in your registration forms early to assure your workshop selections.  Registration forms should be mailed to:

Debbie Fisher - ROOTED

OYYAM

710 - Ninth Ave

Seattle, WA 98104

 

This event is priced using a 3 tier pricing structure. Participants are asked to prayerfully consider what tier they can pay:

    * Tier One $65: This is a subsidized fee. It does not reflect the actual cost of the Conference

    * Tier Two $90: This is a slightly higher, partially subsidized fee. This is for those young adults who can afford to pay a little more, but cannot afford the actual cost of the Conference.

    * Tier Three $115: This is the highest fee and more accurately reflects the actual cost of the Conference per participant. 

Hope to see you there!  If you have questions, contact Frances Farrell, Director of Young Adult ministry at frances.farrell@seattlearch.org.

Relay for Life Team Veritas Shirts - UPDATE

The design for our t-shirts are here. A huge thank you to Corina Jones for designing the logo, and another huge thank you to Ed DeB for coordinating the t-shirts.

The t-shirts will be periwinkle (light blue) in color - the ribbon color for esophageal cancer - and are $15. You can order a shirt even if you're not on the team. We still have a few shirts available, so let us know if you'd like one (email: laraserene@gmail.com)

Also, if you would like to sign up for the team (we'd love to have ya!) or would like to donate, you may do so here.

Swing Dancing

Join us for Swing Dancing this Wednesday (May 6) at the Century Ballroom, 9:00 p.m.

 

You may not realize it, but partner dancing is a great way to experience the principles taught by Pope John Paul II in Theology of the Body and Love and Responsibility. It gives men and women a chance to complement each other in a beautiful way, in a fun setting. So come out and join us, even if you haven't done it before--there is a beginner lesson from 9:00-9:30 that will give you a few basic steps and moves, enough to have a good time on the dance floor. (Note: Wed. night at the Century is for age 21 and over, so if you're under 21 and interested, let us know and we can go to a different venue next time. I think they do this because the all ages dance gets filled with high school students).

 

A note to the gentlemen: Come and try this! There are usually more ladies than gentleman at dance events, perhaps because men feel they don't know how to do it or how to lead. Be Not Afraid!  The beginner lesson will give you enough basics to get started, and most of the time ladies are very happy when a man asks them to dance, and they cut him a lot of slack if he's a beginner. And if you come a few times, you won't be a beginner for long. And, it's remarkably painless to ask a woman to dance at a place like this--much easier than trying to strike up a convesation in other settings. So come out and give it a try!

 

Meet at 8:30 sharp in the Blessed Sacrament parking lot to carpool to the Century Ballroom on Capitol Hill (parking is often scarce around the Century, and if you meet us there you may need to park a block or two away). We will leave on time.

Beginner lesson from 9:00-9:30 at the Century (get there early, because you need to get the basic steps that they teach first).

Dance: 9:30-12 

 

Century Ballroom

915 E Pine

2nd floor

Seattle WA 98122

http://www.centuryballroom.com/

 

Any questions, call or email John Lindblom: 206-697-7855 or lindblom07@gmail.com

Angelorum Auction

Angelorum Pregnancy Services is seeking young adult volunteers to assist at the annual "Auction of the Angels" on June 13th at St. Matthew's in Shoreline. Angelorum (being newly named "Next Step Pregnancy Services") is a crisis pregnancy center whose mission is to support women during their pregnancy in any way needed. For 11 years now, Angelorum has been committed to assisting low income families and single mothers with basic needs for their babies such as diapers, blankets, and clothing. Angelorum's goal is to help families and individuals transition through difficult times by providing support, community referrals, friendship, and an environment fill with hope and love. All services provided are free of charge and no one is ever turned away.

Angelorum is undergoing some major changes in the near future. The center is not only receiving a new name, but is also moving to a larger facility to accomodate growth and conversion to a medical center. Converting to a medical center means that Angelorum will be able to perform ultrasounds on women and be more involved with their needed pregnancy care. A nurse and doctor will be added to the mostly volunteer staff, along with an ultrasound technician. Studies have shown that 97% women considering their options, in regards to their pregnancy, who see an ultrasound picture of their baby typically choose life. Angelorum is a center dedicated to providing an environment of full disclosure education, options, testimonies, and other needed support to ensure that the mother makes the most informed decision possible. Often outside factors and burdens play into a mother's choice to continue her pregnancy- Angelorum strives to take those outside influences out of the equation and allow for her heart to truly make her decision. No matter the decision made, Angelorum will continue to provide a loving environment to the mother and families.

The "Angelorum Auction of the Angels" is the primary fundraising event for the pregnancy center. We are in need of volunteers for the event in various capacities. This is a great way to support Angelorum's mission in lieu of a financial contribution to the organization. If you are interested in helping out at the event and/or with the procurement of auction items, please contact Melissa Marszalek (melissann77@hotmail.com). Please commit as soon as possible- as our planning committee is in desperate need to secure persons for needed positions during the auction itself.

For those interested in attending the auction, you may find more information about ticket sales at: www.angelorum.org (click on the "2009 auction" link).

Thank you for any support you may be able to provide.

Genocide Awareness Project (GAP)

The members of the newly formed UW student group, Students for Bio-Ethical Reform (SBR), would like to invite you, and any friends who might be interested, to hear a presentation about abortion in the United States, genocide around the world, past and present, and about a controversial anti-abortion exhibit that is scheduled to come to our campus next month.

The presentation will be on UW's campus next Tuesday, May 5th at 6pm in the HUB Room 200 B. Our group, SBR, is sponsoring the arrival of the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP), a public education outreach project by the national Center for Bio-Ethical Reform.

When you think of the word "abortion", what comes to mind? For most Americans, things like "freedom of choice", "my body", "right to privacy", "roe vs. wade", "fetus", and "unintended pregnancy" are very common. The purpose of GAP is to re-direct the conversation and debate surrounding abortion towards the children that are killed by it.

GAP is a traveling exhibit that has been to more than 100 college campuses around the country that displays uncensored large-scale graphic photographs of the bodies of children who were "terminated" in their mother's womb and then thrown into a bio-hazard waste bin.

The first question everyone asks is WHY? Why do we show these grotesque images to the public?

The answer? Until America sees abortion, it will continue to tolerate abortion.

1,200,000 children are aborted in this country every year. More than 3,500 every day.

Abortion is the leading cause of death in the United States of America.

THIS EXHIBIT IS ALREADY SCHEDULED TO BE DISPLAYED ON THE UW CAMPUS THIS QUARTER.

We are inviting you, once again, and anyone you know who cares for the lives of the unborn and for their mothers who are in desperate need of immediate advocacy, to come to this presentation to learn about the exhibit, to ask all manner of questions regarding abortion, to get a preview of what it will be like when it finally arrives, and most important, to discern if you are called to play a role by joining our efforts to spread awareness of the terrible violent reality of legalized abortion.

Please forward this invitation to any fellow students you may know who are as concerned about abortion violence as you.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at snyds12@gmail.com, and please also RSVP me if you are considering attending. To see GAP for yourself, you can visit http://www.abortionno.org/gap.html.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. God bless.

Marc Snyder

President, SBR