Morally-sound stem cell initiative expands in Chinese communities

Archbishop encourages Vancouver priests to welcome OtherHalf

Bill Coleman of Canadian Blood Services (right) displays an agreement signed with OtherHalf founder Susan Go and three other Canadian Blood Services directors Oct. 6. OtherHalf can promote umbilical cord donation under the partnership. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.

Chinese Canadians waiting for a stem cell transplant might find donors sooner, thanks to a new partnership that promotes ethical donations. The group "OtherHalf Chinese Stem Cell Initiative" signed an agreement Oct. 6 with Canadian Blood Services to encourage mothers to donate umbilical cords and placentas, which contain stem cells. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


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Pope: Fighting for the poor doesn't make me Communist, it makes me Catholic

Pope Francis kisses a young girl as he leaves St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 29. The Pope pleaded for the international community to take stronger coordinated steps to "annihilate" the Ebola virus. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Pope Francis spoke out against oppression of the poor due to greed and warned again of the growing presence of a “globalization of indifference” – a warning, he said, which has wrongly type-casted him. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Bioethics expert urges pro-lifers to modify language

For the pro-life side to gain any traction against legalized euthanasia, it must "sanitize" its language and frame the debate in non-religious terms, says ethicist Margaret Somerville. Evan Boudreau / The Catholic Register / CCN.

In the fight against legalized euthanasia, Margaret Somerville said pro-lifers must "sanitize" their language, mostly by framing the debate in non-religious terms. She said people should use terms that are the least offensive, even if that means mimicking the opposition and dancing around what is truly being said. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.