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Don't be Fooled by Misleading Media Reports--MU is Still in the Abortion Industry
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Some of the media are misreporting that MU has severed its ties with the abortion industry. This would be good news, but it is not accurate. It is true that through the efforts of the MCC and others MU has cancelled several contracts with Planned Parenthood. However, the University of Missouri has not revoked the hospital privileges of abortion doctor Colleen McNicholas as this Update is sent to you. Until that happens, abortions can and will continue at Columbia's Planned Parenthood. We are making progress, but MU has more steps to take to sever its ties with the abortion industry. |
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MCC Producing Video Series on University of Missouri Abortion Controversy
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 The MCC is producing a series of videos featuring alumni and students of the University of Missouri offering their reactions to the recent revelations that the university is entangled with the abortion industry. The first video features Karen Wallensak, the Executive Director of St. Francis Community Services in St. Louis, which offers psychiatric residential services, drug and alcohol counseling, foster parenting, child welfare services and more. Ms. Wallensak is a '79 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. In the interview she shares her fond memories of MU, but also expresses her dismay with the university's ties to the abortion industry.
Please share this video with friends and family and on social media. Look for additional videos in coming weeks. Watch the video here. |
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Columbia Newspaper Describes Cozy Relationship Between Planned Parenthood and Mizzou
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This week the Columbian Missourian published an in-depth article about the abortion controversy swirling around the University of Missouri. The article by Elise Schmelzer reports on a decades-old relationship between Planned Parenthood and the University of Missouri. (The false media reports alluded to previously in this Update are not due to this article, which provides an accurate history of developments to date in the MU abortion controversy.)
Schmelzer indicates that between August 21 and September 3 MU officials cancelled 10 contracts with Planned Parenthood sites in four states. These cancellations were made after a Missouri Senate Committee starting asking questions about MU's ties to the abortion industry. (The reports about the cancellation of these contracts is what led some media outlets to believe MU had severed all its ties with the abortion industry, which is not true, as an abortion doctor still has privileges with the University of Missouri Hospital.)
One of the more disturbing revelations is that the MU School of Medicine signed a letter of understanding with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri in 2005. This agreement allowed MU residents to learn how to perform abortions. The agreement expired in 2011, but it shows the cozy relationship between MU and Planned Parenthood.
The Columbian Missourian article also describes the steps taken by MU Assistant Professor Kristin Metcalf-Wilson to recruit abortion doctor Colleen McNicholas to Columbia Planned Parenthood. In addition to being a professor at MU, Metcalf-Wilson works for Columbia Planned Parenthood.
The article mentions the letter Missouri Catholic Conference Executive Director Mike Hoey sent to MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin expressing profound disappointment with the university's ties to the abortion industry. |
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Senate Committee Considers Planned Parenthood and Mizzou Abortion Controversy
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 This week the Missouri Senate Committee on the Sanctity of Life heard public testimony from organizations and citizens on the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood and the University of Missouri. MCC Executive Director Mike Hoey urged the committee to get the University of Missouri out of the abortion business
Late last year, MU Assistant Professor Kristin Metcalf-Wilson recruited Colleen McNicholas to perform abortions at Columbia Planned Parenthood. The professor helped to ensure that McNicholas obtained privileges from the University of Missouri Hospital. Under state law, McNicholas can only perform abortions if she has privileges from a hospital near the abortion clinic.
"But for Mizzou giving these privileges there would be no abortions at Columbia Planned Parenthood," Hoey said.
Hoey reminded the committee that the Missouri General Assembly had passed laws prohibiting public funds, employees and facilities from assisting the abortion industry. As a publicly funded university, he noted, MU should not be aiding and abetting abortion clinics. The university hospital, Hoey observed, "should be about saving lives, not helping to end."
You can watch the hearing by following this link.
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Pro-Life Rally Held at State Capitol
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 On Tuesday, pro-life citizens from around Missouri gathered in the first floor rotunda of the state capitol to call for defunding Planned Parenthood and getting the University of Missouri out of the abortion business. Young adults started up a chant that was repeated numerous times: "M-I-Z, Z-O-U. WE LOVE BABIES, SO SHOULD YOU!"
Speakers included members of the Senate and House Committees investigating Planned Parenthood and Mizzou. The chairman of the Senate Committee on the Sanctity of Human Life, Senator Kurt Schaeffer (R-Columbia), vowed to get the facts out and take action to protect women and their unborn babies. State Representative Diane Franklin, (R-Camdenton) chair of a similar committee in the Missouri House sounded a similar theme.
Representatives from organizations, including the Missouri Catholic Conference, Missouri Right to Life and 40 Days for Life, also spoke. The rally is just the latest indication of the strong response from Missouri citizens who want to stop public monies from going to Planned Parenthood and make sure the University of Missouri is not assisting the abortion industry. |
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Still Time to Contact Chancellor Loftin and MU Board of Curators
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 Your messages to MU are making a differnece. Due to the outpouring of citizen consternation at MU's involvement in the abortion industry, the university has cancelled several contracts with Planned Parenthood. However, the university hospital has still NOT revoked the privileges of abortion doctor Colleen McNicholas.
Therefore, more citizen action is needed. If you have not responded so fart, don't worry; there is still time. Click Alert to send a pre-composed message.
For the many of you who have sent the pre-composed message and received a brief and not very informative response, we now recommend personal letters. Yes, this takes more time and effort but it is worth it. You can re-read the MCC Alert to refresh your memory on the basic facts. Then send two first class letters addressed as follows:
Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin
105 Jesse Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri 65211
Members of the Board of Curators
316 University Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri 65211
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California Legislature Passes Physician Assisted Suicide Bill
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 Last week the California legislature passed a physician assisted suicide bill, based in large measure upon similar legislation passed in Oregon. The bill was passed during an extraordinary session of the legislature that was called by the governor to address a shortfall in the Medi-Cal budget, California's state healthcare system. California Catholic Conference Director Ned Dolejsi decried the passage of the bill and called upon Governor Jerry Brown to veto it. Read his statement here.
The bill now sits on Governor Brown's desk. Gov. Brown, who at one time was in formation to be a Catholic priest, has not indicated whether he will sign the bill, but there will be tremendous pressure for him to do so. You can contact Gov. Brown to ask him to veto the bill so that similar legislation doesn't begin to spread nationwide by clicking here. Simply tell him to veto the physician assisted suicide bill, Bill ABx2-15. |
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Pope Plans to Visit White House, U.S. Congress and the U.N.
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 Pope Francis will visit the United States next week from Tuesday, September 22 until Sunday, September 27th. He will visit the White House on Wednesday, September 23rd, and will be the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday, September 24th. He will then travel to New York City to address the U.N. on Friday, and finally will go to Philadelphia, where he will attend the World Meeting of Families September 26th and 27th. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has started a Papal Visit page providing additional information about the historic visit.
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Pope Appoints New Bishop for Kansas-City St. Joseph Diocese
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 Pope Francis appointed Bishop James V. Johnston as the new leader of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese on Tuesday. Bishop Johnston currently presides over the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese. His installation is set for November 4. Read more about his appointment on the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese website. |
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MCC Annual Assembly to Discuss Planned Parenthood and Mizzou Abortion Controversies
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 The upcoming Annual Assembly of the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) will offer plenty of opportunities for Catholic citizens to discuss the recent controversies surrounding St. Louis Planned Parenthood and the University of Missouri.
MCC executive director Mike Hoey will provide an update on these issues in the assembly's closing session attended by all participants. In addition, Kathy Forck, the Campaign Director of 40 Days for Life in Columbia, will offer a close-up of what is going on at Columbia Planned Parenthood and how the abortion industry can be brought to a halt in central Missouri.
The MCC Assembly is set for Saturday, October 3 at the Missouri State Capitol. The event is free, but we do ask that you pre-register. To register, click Registration. |
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