National /International Conferences on Life Issues
2004 Dublin Bioethics Conference and “taking, making and faking life”
On Saturday, May 29th, 2004, Family & Life, the Pro-Life Campaign and the Second Look Project held a co-sponsored conference at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. Over 300 people attended “Cherishing Human Life: ºexploring today’s ethical issues”.
Professor William Binchy of Trinity College Dublin spoke of the importance of framing the pro-life argument in terms of human rights in a pluralistic Europe. In this respect, he emphasised the two vital concepts and principles of personal “dignity” and “equality”.
Josephine Quintavalle is the founder and director of Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE), an independent watchdog of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in Britain. The in-vitro fertilisation industry, she said, now operates in the triple role of “taking life, making life and faking life”, with a carte blanche from the above authority and the government.
Professor Patricia Casey spoke of her work as a psychiatrist with women who have been deeply wounded by abortion. She accused the abortion providers of deceiving women about the nature of abortion and ignoring its dangers to mental health, however long delayed they may be.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
The largest pro-life international conference ever held in Ireland took place in 1997 and was organised by Family & Life. These international conferences enable people to meet with internationally renowned leaders in the world-wide pro-life movement . They facilitate networking and bring people up to date on international developments.
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
Every year F&L invite international speakers to go on speaking tours around Ireland. In 1999 Norma McCorvey of, the infamous case which legalised abortion in America, Roe v. Wade was F&L's special guest. Norma also appeared on the Pat Kenny Show to tell her story of how her lawyers deceived the Supreme Court, on the pretence of rape, into legalising abortion.
In 2002 Dr Alice Von Hildebrand, renowned philosopher and author enthralled her audiences in Dublin and Cork.
We had Fr Peter West of Priests for Life speaking at our conference in Dublin in 2003.
In 2004 we had Professor William Hurlbut of President Bush's Council on Bioethics addressing our conference on Cherishing Human Life.
VATICAN CONFERENCES
Family & Life is a regular guest of various conferences organised by the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family. In the year 2000 we attended two conferences, one in the Vatican with pro-life leaders from around the world to celebrate the encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae. The conference was addressed by Pope John Paul II. The second conference in Granada Spain was organised by the Pontifical Council for the Family.
In 2003 we have attended conferences on the Culture of Life in Brussels.
On-Going Projects
- Pro-Life Beer Mat Advertising Campaign
- Educate for Life Schools Project
- Family & Life’s Campaign for Ethical Vaccines
- Foetal Model Set in Schools Project
- Good Shepherd Fund—10 Years of Support
- National /International Conferences on Life Issues
- Family & Life’s Parish Visitations
- Public Submissions
- Novena for Life Prayer Card