US Bishops Respond to Planned Parenthood Videos

US Bishops Respond to Planned Parenthood Videos

Reach out to those who could be experiencing ‘revived trauma from their own involvement in abortion

By Kathleen Naab        Washington, D.C., July 30, 2015

The Center for Medical Progress released today its fourth video exposing Planned Parenthood’s use of fetal tissue, with the results of its investigation attracting growing national and international attention.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities released a brief statement about the videos.  Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, cited Pope Francis’ teaching on abortion and said that the heart of the current public controversy should be that both abortion and the obtaining of fetal tissue through abortion are an attack on human dignity.

“Pope Francis has called abortion the product of a ‘widespread mentality of profit, the throwaway culture, which has today enslaved the hearts and minds of so many,’” the cardinal said.

“The recent news stories concerning Planned Parenthood direct our attention to two larger issues involving many institutions in our society,” he added. “The first is abortion itself: a direct attack on human life in its most vulnerable condition. The second is the now standard practice of obtaining fetal organs and tissues through abortion. Both actions fail to respect the humanity and dignity of human life. This fact should be the center of attention in the present public controversy.”

As well, Cardinal O’Malley reached out to those who might be experiencing “revived trauma” due to the videos, which show graphic conversations and images from abortion.

His statement says: “If the Planned Parenthood news coverage has caused anyone to experience revived trauma from their own involvement in abortion, be assured that any and all persons will be welcomed with compassion and assistance through the Church’s post-abortion healing ministry, Project Rachel. If you or someone you know would like confidential, nonjudgmental help, please visit www.projectrachel.com.”

Backlash

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Superior Court issued an order prohibiting the Center for Medical Progress from releasing any video of three high-ranking Stem Express officials. Stem Express is a company that provides fetal tissue to researchers.

But David Daleiden, the director of the Center for Medical Progress, told Life Site news that the ruling only concerns one specific meeting, and is contingent pending further litigation.

"The judge actually threw out completely the part of Stem Express' case where they were asking to suppress the documents on their baby parts sales,” he said. "It was a much better day for us than it was for them and Planned Parenthood."

Politico reported that a public relations group apparently hired by Planned Parenthood to help deal with the fallout from the videos sent out a memo to media on Monday requesting that the videos not be covered.

The video released today, the fourth of about a dozen, has so-far received little media attention. A CNN article today about Planned Parenthood was about the abortion provider’s web site, which has apparently been hacked. 

Americans United for Life is collecting signatures to get President Barack Obama to order the attorney general to investigate Planned Parenthood: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/order-attorney-general-investigate-planned-parenthoods-sale-aborted-baby-parts-2.