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Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Last week’s announcement that TV star Heidi Montag underwent 10 plastic surgeries in one day has raised serious concerns about the increasing number of American women whose obsession with physical beauty is fueling an addiction to the knife.
Planned Parenthood Program Trains Teens to Inject Youth with Birth Control
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Planned Parenthood has launched a program in rural Ecuador that trains teens aged 11-19 to inject other teens of Depo-Provera, a contraceptive that prevents ovulation and is known to cause dangerous and irreversible bone density damage.
Getting IT Done
I don't know how your week has been, but mine has been very busy. So busy, in fact, that I still have the majority of my "To Do" list in tact. Weeks like this can be disheartening.
And yet, it is part of the human experience.
Even among the saints.
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, for example, apparently had a week or two like this from time to time. She gives us good advice.
She said:
"When night comes, and retrospect shows that everything was patchwork and much that one had planned left undone, when so many things rouse shame and regret, then take all as is, lay it in God's hands, and offer it up to Him. In this way we will be able to rest in Him, actually to rest and to begin the new day like a new life."
I am going to take her advice, and begin again ...
Next week.
For now, I'm going to take a rest!
Supreme Court Ruling Reverses Campaign Finance Laws
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling yesterday that struck down major portions of campaign finance law and will now allow corporations, who largely favor fiscally conservative candidates, to contribute to election-related activity without having to set up political action committees.
Parents Beware! Raunchy Super Bowl Ads on the Way
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Parents who want to enjoy Super Bowl 2010 with their children this year need to beware of sexually explicit commercials that will air during the game.
House Speaker Gives Up on Passing Senate Version of Health Care Reform
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced today that unless the Senate version of health care reform can be substantially amended, the bill cannot pass the House, thus eliminating the White House’s last best hope for passing a bill anytime soon.
Catholic Missionary Miraculously Survives Haiti Quake
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A Catholic missionary from Connecticut says it was a series of miracles that allowed him to survive 10 hours trapped in the rubble after the Haiti earthquake.
Pope Calls Irish Bishops to Rome
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Pope Benedict XVI has summoned all Irish bishops to Rome next month for a meeting to discuss the clerical abuse scandal.
Pro Life Community Confronts Senator-Elect Brown’s Record on Life Issues
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
In spite of the fact that Massachusetts Senator-elect Scott Brown is not pro-life on abortion, the nation’s pro-life leaders say his support of numerous limits on abortion and opposition to abortion funding in health care reform makes his election a victory for life.
No More “Full Speed Ahead” on Health Care Reform
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Within 24 hours of the historic election in Massachusetts that robbed the Senate of its filibuster-proof super-majority, the White House and Congressional leaders are beginning to concede that their plans to “ram through” a health care reform package before the President’s first State of the Union address on Jan. 27 may have to be shelved.