Something You Don’t See Every Day           The United States Congress is known for intense bickering in which each side selects different methods of child-killing to support or to oppose. It was a wonder to see someone give a gentle speech to the entire Congress for almost an hour with most members listening raptly and taking it all warmly. Pope Francis explained the need to oppose the death penalty, poverty and racism, using positive terms about being compassionate to everyone.         The opposition to abortion was in terms so very positive – see Quotation of the Week below – that it was perhaps a little too subtle for some abortion-defending politicians to catch – they joined in the standing ovation to the remark. But some reporters were clear on the meaning, and certainly pro-life media knew exactly what it meant.      ^^^^^^^ The Pope’s Peacemakers         Three of the four Americans the pope featured in his address to Congress are peacemakers – Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton. King and Merton both died in 1968, before abortion became a prominent issue to comment upon, but we admire their nonviolence advocacy and on that topic have quoted King several times.         Dorothy Day, on the other hand, lived long enough to know abortion was important to address. She was one of a group of people in the Catholic Peace Fellowship who made a clear statement against abortion from peace principles. She’s on one of our Consistent Cards that portray “consistent individuals.” ^^^^^^^   Democrats for Life Revival           CL member group Democrats for Life of America held an all-day summit focusing on “Opening the Big Tent to Pro-life Democrats” this last week, and we were there (see photos). DFLA has a hard job in a political party where the leadership tends to be hostile, but we’re accustomed to responding to hostility with gentleness and assertiveness.   Left picture, L to R: John Whitehead, CL Board; Thea Rossi Barron, DFLA Board; Lisa Stiller, CL and DFLA Boards.   Right picture, L to R: John, Kristine Kruszelnicki with Prolife Humanists [T-shirt reads: Yes, atheists can be pro-life], Lisa   ^^^^^^^ Latest CL Blog           CL Board member (and Mennonite) Rob Arner writes on his area of expertise, “The Consistent-Life  Consensus in Ancient Christianity.” He’s written a whole book on the topic.   ^^^^^^^   Quotation of the Week Pope Francis Address to the U.S. Congress, September 24, 2015           Let us remember the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12).         This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.

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