Life Links 4/28/09

First Things has a letter Mary Ann Glendon wrote to Father Jenkins turning down Notre Dame's Laetare Medal.

Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”

• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Stem cells from fat have been used to treat 3 patients with multiple sclerosis.

An international team has found that the "very simple" injection of patients' own cells can stimulate the regrowth of tissue damaged by progression of multiple sclerosis, a finding which suggests a new way treat the neurological disease.

After the operation, some patients have been left free from seizures and better able to walk after the treatment.

Bonnie Erbe is more concerned about someone using a hidden camera to catch Planned Parenthood counselors breaking the law than she is about the counselors breaking the law, not reporting alleged statutory rape and encouraging underage girls to lie about the age of their boyfriend. You know you have a serious problem if you're more concerned about someone tricking a Planned Parenthood counselor than a Planned Parenthood counselor sending an alleged 13-year-old back to her 31-year-old boyfriend.


For a good laugh, here's Scott Swenson describing Kathleen Sebelius' abortion views:

There can be no doubt she is as politically centrist as Kansas is geographically, especially on sexual and reproductive health issues. The far-right wouldn't fight Kathleen Sebelius so hard if she didn't literally define the center so well.

JT at Between Two Worlds quotes a post by Kevin DeYoung noting a quote from Lincoln regarding how liberty (DeYoung replaces liberty with "choice") can mean different things to different people.