[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING PRIESTS FOR LIFE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. TIM HUELSKAMP

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2012

  Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in honoring and 
celebrating the more than 20 years of service and work of the Priests 
for Life ministry. Under the leadership of Father Frank Pavone, Priests 
for Life has grown from a no-staff operation to one of more than 60 
people. The have proclaimed the pro-life message at more than 12,000 
events across the country, and have worked inter-demoninationally and 
ecumenically to advance the pro-life cause. Religious and secular 
leaders alike praise the efforts of Priests for Life. They are second-
to-none in their advocacy and their support for the pro-life mission.
  But, in his humility, Father Frank would not want us spending this 
hour talking about him. He would want us talking about why his 
organization preaches the gospel of love and of life.
  Abortion, plain and simple, is the taking of an innocent human life. 
It may be deemed a `right' by judges, but a wrong it still is. What 
does it say about our society that for some people, it is a child at 20 
weeks; for others it is property, subject to mutilation at the hands of 
a so-called medical professional. If it is a child to some, it should 
be a child to all. There is no gray area, no two ways about it. The 
scientific fact is without question--life begins at conception.
  What does it say about our society that our Commander-in-Chief views 
an unplanned pregnancy as a ``punishment''? President Obama said that 
if one his daughters became unexpectedly pregnant, he would not want 
them to be punished with his unborn grandchild.
  Priests for Life is known internationally for its work. In fact, 
Mother Teresa of Calcutta encouraged all priests and deacons to join 
the organization. And, she invited Fr. Frank to travel to India to 
preach the pro-life message. We know that message is needed there now 
more than ever. As reported by The Economist and ABC News, gendercide 
is alive and well. 50,000 unborn girls are aborted every single month 
in India simply because they are girls, not boys.
  While Priests for Life is preaching abroad the right to life for 
all--boys and girls alike--they are preaching here at home the right to 
life for all--boys and girls of all races and ethnicities. Close to 
home for me is their ministry to the African-American community, led by 
Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You see, my 
wife and I are the proud parents of four adopted children. And, two of 
our children came to us through crisis pregnancy ministry--the exact 
type of ministry Priests for Life promotes.
  We pray and wait for the day that a ministry like Priests for Life 
will not be necessary--a day when no woman is encouraged to end the 
life of her unborn child. While those of us vested with the 
responsibility have the ability to pass laws that promote a culture of 
life, our work is incomplete without the efforts of groups like Priests 
for Life that provide the support women and families need in order to 
live the culture of life.

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