Girl's Pro-Life Speech Captures Thousands

CBNNews.com
February 21, 2009

CBNNews.com - A 12-year-old Canadian girl's passionate pro-life speech has captured the attention of thousands on the Web and earned her top recognition at her school.

The 7th grader, only identified by her first name, Lia, did the speech for a contest at her school in Toronto, despite urges by teachers to cover another topic.

In the speech she says, "Fetuses are definitely humans knit together in their mother's womb by their wonderful Creator who knows them all by name."

"She was told it was 'too big,' 'too mature' and 'too controversial,'" Lia's mom, Kimberly, told creators of the blog Moral Outcry. "She was also told that if she went ahead with that topic, she would not be allowed to continue on in the speech competition."

But Lia's teacher decided to let her continue in the contest and she won first place as a result.

The speech has received nearly 300,000 views on the video sharing site, YouTube. Lia begins the video posing questions to the audience.

"What if I told you that right now someone was choosing if you were going to live or die?" she asked. "What if I told you that this choice wasn't based on what you could or couldn't do, what you had done in the past, or what you would do in the future?"

Lia went on to a regional speech competition, but did not win. Still, Kimberly said she is proud of her daughter's "genuine" passion on the subject.

Source: OneNewsNow, Moral Outcry Blog

For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
Psalms 139:13

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah 1:5

I realize that abortion is a volatile topic but I truly admire a child that will stand up to adults and speak with the authority knowledge gives. I believe that girl is being guided by Jesus and I suggest that the adults listen.

The next story is the flip side.

Pope to Pelosi: Reject Abortion Support

By Victor L. Simpson
Associated Press Writer
February 18, 2009

CBNNews.com - VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday told U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life "at all stages of its development."

Pelosi is the first top Democrat to meet with Benedict since the election of Barack Obama, who won a majority of the American Catholic vote despite differences with the Vatican on abortion.

The Vatican released the pope's remarks to Pelosi, saying Benedict spoke of the church's teaching "on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death." That is an expression often used by the pope when expressing opposition to abortion.

"Protect Human Life at All Stages of It's Development"

Benedict said all Catholics - especially legislators, jurists and political leaders - should work to create "a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development."

In an e-mail issued by her office, Pelosi did not mention the allusion to abortion.

She said it was with "great joy" that she and her husband, Paul, met with Benedict.

"In our conversation, I had the opportunity to praise the Church's leadership in fighting poverty, hunger and global warming, as well as the Holy Father's dedication to religious freedom and his upcoming trip and message to Israel," she said.

Meeting Closed to the Press

The 15-minute meeting was closed to reporters and photographers. The two met in a small room off a Vatican auditorium after the pope's weekly public audience.

The Vatican said it was not issuing a photo of the meeting - as it usually does when the pope meets world leaders - saying the encounter was private. The statement said the pope "briefly greeted" Pelosi and did not mention any other subject they may have discussed.

A number of the bishops in the United States have questioned Pelosi's stance on abortion, particularly her theological defense of her support for abortion rights.

Benedict has cautiously welcomed Obama's new Democratic administration, although several American cardinals have sharply criticized its support for abortion rights. The new stance is a sharp break from government policy under former President George W. Bush.

Lo, children [are] an heritage of the Lord: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.
Psalms 127:3