SURVEY SHOWS MOST U.S. ADULTS SUPPORT LAWS LIMITING OR REGULATING ABORTION
 

WASHINGTON: A nationwide survey commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has found that four out of five U.S. adults (82 percent) think abortion should either be illegal under all circumstances (11 percent) or would limit its legality. Thirty-eight (38) percent would limit abortion to the narrow circumstances of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother; and an additional 33 percent would limit abortion to either the first three or first six months. Only 9 percent said abortion should be legal for any reason at any time during pregnancy.
These findings are remarkable," said Deirdre McQuade, Assistant Director for Policy & Communications at the USCCB's Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. "Fewer than one in ten Americans support legal abortion for any reason at any time during pregnancy. But that is precisely the current state of abortion law under Roe vs Wade and Doe vs Bolton, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decisions that made abortion legal throughout the nine months of pregnancy for virtually any reason."
The survey of 2,341 adults, conducted online December 10-12, also found that laws limiting or regulating abortion enjoyed support as high as 95 percent among those expressing support or opposition to the six kinds of laws examined in the survey:
- 95 percent favor laws ensuring that abortions be performed only by licensed physicians.

- 88 percent favor informed consent laws (i.e., that require abortion providers to inform women of potential risks to their physical and psychological health and about alternatives to abortion).

- 76 percent favor laws that protect doctors and nurses from being forced to perform or refer for abortions against their will.

- 73 percent favor laws that require giving parents the chance to be involved in their minor daughter's abortion decision.


- 68 percent favor laws against partial-birth abortion (i.e., aborting a child already partially delivered from the mother), and

- 63 percent favor laws preventing the use of taxpayer funds for abortions.
"Support for these measures cuts across 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice' positions. Over a third (35 percent) of the small minority who said abortion should be legal for any reason throughout pregnancy nevertheless supported three or more of the six laws presented," McQuade said.

"This research indicates how out of touch pro-abortion groups are with mainstream America," McQuade said.

"These same widely-supported, constitutionally valid measures, some of which have been proven effective in reducing abortion rates, are now seriously threatened by abortion advocates and their allies in Congress," McQuade said. "On behalf of children and their mothers,we will have to fight to keep such laws in place."

"Pro-abortion groups have already sent a comprehensive 55-page blueprint for their agenda to the incoming Administration," McQuade said. "But their agenda-including publicly-funded abortions, passage of the so-called 'Freedom of Choice Act' (FOCA), and attacking the Hyde amendment and other longstanding pro-life provisions in appropriations bills-won't sell in the general public."

"Most people agree we should work to reduce abortions, but you can't reduce abortions by promoting abortion and eliminating all the policies that have proven effective in reducing abortions," McQuade said. "The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will oppose all such threats to human life in whatever manner they are proposed."

Survey Methodology:
Harris Interactive® fielded the study on behalf of USCCB from December 10-12, 2008 via its QuickQuerySM online omnibus service, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,341 U.S.adults aged 18 years and older. Data were weighted using propensity score weighting to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.
 

BISHOPS WELCOME HHS REGULATION PROTECTING CONSCIENCE RIGHTS IN HEALTH CARE

WASHINGTON - A final regulation protecting health care providers' conscience rights was issued December 18 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The U.S. Catholic bishops' spokesperson on abortion, Deirdre A. McQuade, welcomed the published regulation as a way to protect medical personnel from being coerced to violate their consciences in federally funded programs. The regulation clarifies and implements existing federal statutes enacted by Congress in 1973, 1996 and 2004. (For the text of these laws see www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/crmay08.pdf.)

"Individuals and institutions committed to healing should not be required to take the very human life that they are dedicated to protecting," McQuade said. "The enforcement of federal laws to protect their freedom of conscience is long overdue."

"Catholic health care providers will especially welcome this mark of respect for the excellent life-affirming care they provide to all in need. But Catholics do not stand alone in opposition to the deliberate destruction of nascent human life. All health care providers should be free to serve their patients without violating their most deeply held moral and religious convictions in support of life," McQuade said.

"The USCCB thanks Secretary Michael Leavitt for implementing this regulation," McQuade said. "We urge the incoming Congress and Administration to honor this much-needed implementation of longstanding laws. Respect for conscience rights on abortion should be a strong point of agreement among those considering themselves 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice.' Yet this regulation is already under attack. A month before it was even published, pro-abortion senators had introduced a bill (S. 20) to invalidate it regardless of its content."

The USCCB issued a statement on August 21 welcoming the proposed regulation when it was first released for public comment (www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-118.shtml). Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chair of the bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities, also wrote to Congress urging respect for conscience protection measures (www.usccb.org/prolife/rigali-conscience071808.pdf). Formal comments on the proposal were later submitted by the USCCB Office of General Counsel (www.usccb.org/ogc/ruleind.shtml).
 

Brothers,

 We need to take action now to reverse deep cuts that have been made to state aid to our Catholic Schools and prevent more cuts at the special legislative session this November. There is no doubt that the State is in a deep fiscal crisis. However, at the same time that we are told that the State is making "Across the Board Cuts" and Catholic School Aid is cut by 17 million, public school aid was INCREASED BY 1.8 BILLION.
 I sent the attached letter to Governor Patterson, the legislative leadership and to my representatives in the State Assembly and Senate. I urge you to do the same and to do so quickly. Only through decisive action can we end these cuts to Catholic Schools. Feel free to use whatever you want from my letter, or even to use the whole letter and sign your name. Lets make a difference for our kids.

Yours in our motto,

Matt Nelligan
NYS AOH President



                                                                     [ YOUR LETTERHEAD]

November 10, 2008

Honorable David Paterson
Governor of New York State
Albany NY 12224

Dear Governor Paterson:
I write on behalf of our membership all across New York State to advocate for the restoration of the more than 17 million dollars in cuts that have been made to Mandated Services Aid to Catholic Schools. I am very aware that these are tough economic times, but it is precisely because this is the case that we should not mortgage our children’s educational future and by extension the future of New York State.
Catholic Schools are a highway of opportunity for students of all religions and backgrounds. As you are aware, the ability to attend Catholic schools has saved many children living in the inner city who otherwise would have had to attend a better funded but less safe and successful public school. These are the children that are most vulnerable, should Catholic schools be forced to close due to these cuts which are neither fair to students nor effective in closing the budget deficit. The Catholic School portion of Mandated Services Aid is a drop in the bucket when compared with the State’s overall fiscal health and yet it is vitally important to the parents and students who count on these schools each day.
We have heard much discussion of “Across the Board Cuts” and yet public schools received an additional $1.8 billion for the second year in a row, while Catholic Schools face cuts. Our concern for children should not be dictated by the kind of school that they attend, it should instead reflect our shared commitment to the education of ALL children.
I urge you to restore the Mandated Service Aid that was recently cut and in both the November 18th session and the new session that begins in January to avoid any further cuts to Catholic Schools. This is an issue that our membership cares about deeply, as the future of Catholic education is also the future of Catholicism and of organizations such as ours.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME AND TITLE]


 

Press Release upon Irish Foreign Affairs Dept. announcement of 20,000 J Visas for Irish Citizens to US starting Jan. 1, 2009

 by Matt Nelligan and Dan Dennehy:

Ancient Order of Hibernians New York State Board President Matt Nelligan and Immigration Chairman Dan Dennehy welcomed the Irish State Department’s announcement of a new US Ireland visa deal. “We join the Irish American community in congratulating Taoiseach Brian Cowan, Irish Ambassador Michael Collins and the US and Irish State Departments on this extremely significant step toward rectifying the inequities created by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The possibility of a secure and legal opportunity for 20,000 Irish people to annually live, work and experience our culture in the US can definitely strengthen the invaluable bonds between our two nations.”


Matt Nelligan email: i2000@hibernians.com

Dan Dennehy email: dandennehy@hotmail.com

 

JOHN HENNESSY AWARDED BURNS-HAYES AWARD

John Hennessy, currently New York State Immediate Past President NY State Board has been chosen to receive the highest honor bestowed by the New York State AOH, the Burns-Hayes award. John was chosen because he exemplifies the high ideals of our Nobel Order and has made the causes of the Ancient Order of Hibernians his life’s work.
John is a charter member of the Father Murphy of Boolavogue Division 9 of Suffolk County. He is currently serving his 12th term as Treasurer of that Division. For the past 40 years, John has been an active Hibernian, holding all elected Offices at the Division, County, and State level. National President Jack Meehan appointed him National Protocol Chairman.
John is also Co-Treasurer of the Long Island Feis for over 29 years and is an active member of the Tara Court Major Degree Team of Suffolk County.
Hennessy served as Chairman of the New York State Conventions in 1993 and 1999, was Aide to the Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1991, was named the First Hibernian of the Year by Suffolk County in 1992. In 2002 he was awarded National Life Membership.
John served in the U.S. Navy for three years and holds a B.S. degree in Business and a M.S. degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from New York Institute of Technology.
He resides in Deer Park, Suffolk County, with his lovely wife Margaret. They have three daughters, Sharon, Patricia, and Theresa living locally, while their other daughter Rosemary, son-in law Chad, and three grandchildren Amanda, Matthew and Andrew reside in Winchester, Virginia.
John and Margaret are parishioners of St. Matthews’s parish in Dix Hills. He is retired from a local utility Company and is presently a part-time tax preparer, and a full time Hibernian.
 

For a listing of the positions, please go to this location.

http://www.nyaoh.com/Officers.htm