St.

Marys Catholic Church

November 25, 2012 P.O. Box 70 Malta, MT 59538 Email: smp1435@hotmail.com www.SaintMarysMalta.org Fr. Cory StichaAdministrator Office: (406) 654-1446 RE Center: (406) 654-1311 Fax: (406)654-1467

Mass Schedule and Intentions

Nov. 26: Malta - 5:30 PM: For Fr. Cory Sticha r/b Ken & Lana Ulrich Nov. 27: Malta - 8:30 AM: For Wanda & Doug Durocher r/b Tom Golik Nov. 28: Malta - 8:30 AM: For LaVonne Compton r/b Ken & Lana Ulrich Nov. 29: Hi-Line - 10:00 AM: For Jack Munsinger r/b Tom Golik Holy Hour - 7:00 PM: For Loy Pekovitch & Family r/b Ken & Lana Ulrich Nov. 30: Malta - 8:30 AM: For Bonnie & Jerry Lankford r/b Tom Golik Dec. 1: Malta - 5:30 PM: For Doyle Grant & Family r/b Ken & Lana Ulrich Dec. 2: Dodson - 8:30 AM: For the repose of the soul of Donna Newby r/b Wanda Durocher Malta - 10:00 AM: For the parishioners Saco - 12:15 PM: For priests intention Confessions: Saturdays 4 - 5 p.m., 1/2 hour before daily Mass (Mon.- Fri.) or by appointment Baptism: Normally celebrated at Sunday Mass. Parental sessions are required. Marriages: Six month couple preparation period required. Please Contact Fr. Cory before scheduling marriage date.

St. Marys Ministers

Saturday, December 1 - 5:30 PM Mass Lectors: Shawn Bleth & Terry Stiles Servers: Jillian OBrien & Joanie Sjostrom Hospitality: Linda & Bruce Hould Music: Rick Starkey EMHCs: Bob Darrah & Julie Howell Gift Bearers: Sacristan: Brenda Rummel Sunday, December 2 - 10:00 AM Mass Lectors: Ed & Janise Amestoy Servers: Cyra Mears & Riley Mortenson Hospitality: Bonnie & Corkie LaBrie Music: High School Choir EMHCs: Anne Boothe, Vicki Eggebrecht, & Dianne Salsbery Gift Bearers: Charlie Mears Family Sacristan: Diane Liebel

Collection Totals for Last Week

Malta: Dodson: Saco: Collected $1,571.50 $244.00 $104.50 Needed $2,758.26 $440.37 $183.05

Care & Share for 2012

(Includes remainder of 2011 assessment) Malta/WW: Dodson: Saco: Income $18,077.00 $3,565.00 $835.00 Assessment $37,668.32 $4,824.22 $1,613.43

Sacred Heart Ministers

December 2, 2012 Lector: Bonnie EMHCs: Terri & Myrna Gift Bearers: Ron Kienenberger Church Cleaning for December: Patty Dolphay & Bonnie Wiedderick Ministers: Please come early to serve as greeters!

Any announcements for next Sundays bulletin need to be in by 11:00 a.m. on Thursday.

Holy Fathers Prayer Intentions for December 2012

(Each month, Pope Benedict chooses two prayer intentions, one for the concerns of the whole church and one for missionaries. We are invited to join the Holy Father in praying for these intentions.) General Intention: That migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love, especially by Christian communities. Missionary Intention: Christ, light for all humanity. That Christ may reveal himself to all humanity with the light that shines forth from Bethlehem and is reflected in the face of his Church.

Please keep in your prayers:

Bessie LaBrie, Rich Nordquist, Joann Evans, Loretta Patrick, Lila Raymond, Sherman Doucette, Andrew Scott, Skip Erickson, Kathleen Jorgenson, Vera Mendelson, Noel Emond, Jack Munsinger, James Cantos, Jeanie Engebretson, Dawn Jones, Gloria Coombs, Larry Holmes, repose of the soul of Debbie Painter, Dave ONeil, Stella Faydo, Mae & Gay LaFond, Kathy (Hould) Iannacchione, Connie Wilkes, All of Our Military, especially those from our local area, & the Poor Souls. Anyone who needs to have prayers said for someone can call: Allie Ereaux at 654-1012; Jean Niebur at 654-2822; or Doris Nicholson at 6542692. Names will be listed in the bulletin for one month unless specified.

Year of Faith Holy Hour

The first step in growing as faithful Christians is to develop our prayer life, both as individuals and as a community. To help in this growth, we are offering weekly Holy Hours at St. Marys on Thursday evenings at 7 PM. These Holy Hours will include Holy Mass, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, devotional prayer and Benediction, as well as time for silent prayer before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Faithful Citizenship Quote

"Catholics who are privileged to serve in public leadership positions have an obligation to place their faith at the heart of their public service, particularly on issues regarding the sanctity and dignity of human life. Thomas More, the former chancellor of England who preferred to give his life rather than betray his Catholic convictions, went to his execution with the words, 'I die the king's good servant, but God's first'" (US Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life, 1998).

Additional Confessional Times

More Confession times are now available! Fr. Cory will be in the Confessional 1/2 hour before daily Mass MondayFriday, in addition to the regular 4-5 PM on Saturday. He will continue to be available by request before Mass in Dodson, and after Mass in Saco.

Care Cups
Please donate coffee cups/mugs to the church basement for use in providing Care Cups. These cups are used in the patient rooms at our hospital as a reminder that we care about them and are praying for them. Madeline Itcaina fills these cups with goodies and distributes them to the Phillips County Hospital with our help. Thank You!

Knights of Columbus

Dec. 9 - Pancake Brunch after Mass Dec. 11 - Meeting Changed to 2nd Tues. of Month Dec. 9 or 16 - Possible 1st degree ceremony

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Starts at 9:00 AM Benediction at 6:00 PM Join us on December 7th!

Scriptural Rosary
Will be held on November 11, 2012 at 5:00 PM at St. Marys Church.

Can you not spend one hour with me?

(Mt 26:40)
New to the Parish? Please fill out this form and drop it into the collection basket, or bring it to the Church Office during the week. You may also use this to give us a new address or phone number. Name: Address: Telephone:

Mardi Gras/Spring Fling Quilt Donations

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to help defray the costs of making the new quilt for our 2013 raffle. As stated in the previous notice, our expenses were nearly $300 and we are still $115 short of that goal. I would encourage those who have not yet donated to help out so that we can reach that goal. Thank you in advance for your generosity and thank you again to those who have already donated.

Stewardship and Development

Stewardship Thought: For the Solemnity of Christ the King, todays Scripture passages proclaim Jesus kingship. Jesus makes it clear to Pilate in St. Johns Gospel that He is not a worldly king His Kingdom is elsewhere. In the Book of Revelation, the Lord God states that He is the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last and will reign for all time. The Book of Daniel tells of Christs dominion and glory. How should we revere our Lord and King? As good stewards, we fully acknowledge the true presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and strive to receive Him during Mass in a prayerful and reverent manner. We also understand that through the Eucharist we are nourished and strengthened to serve the Lord as He has planned for us. What do we bring of our time, talent, and treasure to the Eucharistic table? Development Thought: Year-end is quickly approaching. Are you hoping to make a gift to your parish or one of the funds that helps the entire diocese in this tax year? Gifts of cash are easy to make, but gifts of other assets take a bit of preparation. If you would like to make a planned gift, in order to receive the 40% Montana Endowment Tax Credit, there is plenty of time to make that happen before year-end, as well. Remember, a Charitable Gift Annuity can big a big help to our parish and create a wonderful income for you! For help with year-end charitable gift planning for the Catholic Church, call the Office of Stewardship and Development at 800-332-9998, ext. 120. To reserve the Parish Basement or other St. Marys facility, please contact Fr. Cory or Lana at the Parish Office.

CD of the Month Club

If we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be continually learning about the faith and growing spiritually. Catechesis, the process of Faith education, doesnt stop at Confirmation or High School graduation, but is a life-long process. To aid in this process, the parish is making available the Lighthouse Catholic Media CD of the Month Club. Every month, a new talk or audiobook excerpt is released. Not only is the current months CD available - No Price too High by Deacon Alex Jones - but a number of previous months CDs can be picked up as well. Each CD averages about 1 hour long, and is filled with great Catholic teaching, uplifting stories, and excellent speakers. Theyre great in the car, working around home, or anywhere you have a CD player! Theyre also excellent resources whenever someone has a question about a teaching of the Catholic Faith. If you or someone you know wants to learn more about the Catholic Faith, or if questions come up, pick one up today!

Mass Intentions
As Catholics, we have a long tradition of having Masses celebrated for those we wish to offer up in prayer. The Mass is the ultimate form of prayer, and each Mass is celebrated for an intention. Please consider having Masses celebrated for family and friends on special occasions and anniversaries, as well as those who are in need of prayers. Masses are also encouraged in memory of those loved ones who have died, especially on the anniversaries of their deaths. Contact Fr. Cory for more information!

St. Marys PCCW Meeting

All ladies invited and encouraged to attend. Sunday, December 2nd, immediately following mass in church basement. We will finalize postcard mailing, Christmas Goodie Trays , Military Support plus report on the very successful Harvest Dinner and Bazaar.

Knights of Columbus Brunch

KofC Council 2124 will serve a pancake brunch after Mass on December 9th to repair or replace some appliances. Menu will include eggs, sausage and ham. Please plan on joining us!

Sacred Heart PCCW Meeting

1st Sunday of each month immediately after Mass.

We Pray Together
Prayer for the New Evangelization
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? Romans 10: 13-15 Heavenly Father, Pour forth your Holy Spirit to inspire me with these words from Holy Scripture. Stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News. Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others. Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions. In moments of hesitation, remind me: If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel? If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed? If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim? God, our Father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call of the New Evangelization to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Religious Liberty

O GOD OUR CREATOR, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society. We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith. Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us this great land will always be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Family Prayer for the Year of Faith

O God our Father, in Jesus you call all Christian families and homes to be signs of living faith. By the light of the Holy Spirit, lead us to be thankful for the gift of faith, and by that gift may we grow in our relationship with Jesus, your Son, and be confident witnesses to Christian hope and joy to all we meet. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Schedule of Devotions
Mother of Perpetual Help: Before Tuesday Mass. Rosary: Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Hi-line Center - After Thursday 10 a.m. Mass Follow us on Facebook and Twier!

Facebook.com/SaintMarysMalta

Twier: @SaintMarysMalta

LIFE MATTERS: CONTRACEPTIVES AND WOMENS WELL-BEING

The birth control pill has been called the invention that defined the 20th century.1 The pill and its cousins radically transformed American culturefundamentally altering attitudes, values, beliefs, relationships and behaviors, and leading to a substantial increase in casual sexual activity outside marriage. Many believed that hormonal birth control would give women greater control over their lives, allowing them to pursue educational and career goals free from dependence on men and from the supposed burden of bearing and raising unplanned children. It would improve womens health by helping them space and limit their children. It was their ticket out of poverty through the full-time employment made possible by controlling fertility. Finally, by reducing unintended pregnancy, the pill would eliminate the need for abortion. Yet a wealth of research amassed by social scientists, doctors, economists and cultural commentators shows that the pill and other hormonal contraceptives have not delivered on these promises. Instead, contraception has harmed women, children and society. In a nutshell, by fostering the sexual revolution, contraceptive use made casual sex normative, leading to an epidemic of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) and to far more unintended pregnancies. These in turn led to a huge increase in abortions as well as single parenting. Men began to view a lifelong commitment to marriage and children as less necessary or desirable. Cohabitation replaced marriage for many. And women have been the primary casualties. Lets look more closely at these developments. Physical Risks/Side Effects Hormonal contraceptives significantly increase womens risk of developing the following: blood clots that can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes and pulmonary embolisms; breast cancer,2 cervical cancer and liver tumors; loss of bone density; and changes in metabolism causing loss of libido, weight gain, moodiness and migraines. Women using the contraceptive patch, for example, are almost 8 times more likely to develop blood clots than women not using hormonal contraceptives;3 more than 360 young women using the patch, contraceptive ring or Yaz/Yasmin pills have died in recent years due to heart attacks, strokes or pulmonary embolisms seen as associated with these drugs and devices.4 Sexually-Transmitted Diseases Its bad enough that hormonal contraceptives offer zero protection against todays epidemic of 25 sexuallytransmitted diseases (STDs). In recent years, numerous studies have even concluded that artificial hormones in some contraceptives can double the risk of acquiring an STD.5 In response experts now suggest using a condom along with the pill. But they fail to mention that condoms offer very little protection against viral STDsgenital herpes and human papilloma virus (HPV), for example, that are also spread by skin contactand they offer imperfect protection against other STDs. In any case, the much more common phenomenon is that women who begin using the pill due to alleged lower contraceptive failure rates stop taking steps to avoid these diseases. Seventy million Americans are infected with one or more STDs, and 19 million new cases occur every year.6 Young women are biologically more susceptible to acquiring an STD than men are. The harm caused by STDs is not only physical and economic: STDs can destroy relationships, even marriages, due to a sense of betrayal, anger and depression.7 Unintended Pregnancies Why would STDs and unintended pregnancies rise exponentially when contraceptive use becomes widespread? First, contraceptives are far less effective in actual use than is thought: 54% of women seeking abortions state they were using contraception in the month they became pregnant.8 And contraceptive failure rates are far higher among single teens than among married adults over 30 (who are both less fertile and more responsible).9 Of low-income, cohabitating teens, nearly 50% of those using the pill will become pregnant within 12 months, as will nearly 3 in 4 condom users.10 Researchers have compared early sexual initiation and contraceptive use, birthrates, abortions and shotgun weddings between 1965 and 1989. They found that in earlier times, most women refused to engage in sexual activity except with a man who promised to marry her in the event of pregnancy (and presumably a man she would want to marry). Due to contraception and abortion, however, many more women felt it was safe to engage in casual sex. But when a woman became pregnant, her casual partner was likely to view contraceptive failure as entirely her fault bolstered by the Supreme Courts view that the right to abort was hers alone. She won the right to keep or kill her child; he won the right to decide among marriage, child support payments or encouraging abortion. As a result, 41% of births in the U.S. are nonmarital (up sharply from 17% three decades ago).11 Abortion and its Aftermath The great majority (85%) of abortions occur among unmarried women.12 In 2006, fewer than 8 married women in 1,000 had an abortion, while over 59 in 1,000 cohabiting women did.13 About 10% of women face immediate health complications after abortion, such as infection, hemorrhage, torn or perforated uterus, and complications of anesthesia.14 Up to 60% of women whove had abortions experience mild to severe mental health problems. A 2011 study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry looked at 22 studies published since 1995, involving over 800,000 women, and found as follows: Women who have had an abortion have an 81% higher risk of subsequent mental health problems compared to those who have not. They have a 138% higher risk of mental health problems compared to women who have given birth. They have higher rates of

anxiety (34% higher), depression (37%), alcohol use/misuse (110%), marijuana use (230%) and suicidal behaviors (155%), compared to those who have not had an abortion.15 Compared to pregnant women who gave birth, those who aborted were six times more likely to commit suicide.16 Relationship with Men, Cohabitation and Marriage The contraceptive mentality encourages self-centeredness rather than self-control, commitment and sacrifice for another. The latter qualities are necessary for a successful marriage, which remains the most basic and universal of human institutions,17 and the place where love and lives can flourish. Even today, young adults see getting married as a top priority.18 But the conduct they are encouraged to engage in undermines this goal. The proportion of married adults has fallen from over 72% in 1960 to only 52% in 2009.19 Hesitancy to commit to marriage partly explains the extraordinary rise in cohabitation. By their late 30s, 61% of women will have cohabited.20 Cohabiting and single-parent families are three times more likely to be low-income than married-couple families.21 Compared to marriage, cohabitation is associated with higher risks of physical, emotional and mental abuse, greater dissatisfaction with life, higher rates of depression, distancing from families and declining religious practice.22 Raising Children as a Single or Cohabiting Parent Between 2000 and 2010, the proportion of married-couple families with children decreased more than 6%, while the proportion of single-mother families increased over 13%.23 While many never-married, widowed or divorced moms and dads do a superb job of raising children, they do so under extremely difficult circumstances. Recent research shows that children in cohabiting households and single-parent households do much worse than children in married families in various social, educational and psychological outcomes, such as higher rates of failure in school, behavioral problems and drug use.24 Reasons for Hope In contrast to the discouraging trends noted above, teenagers are now making a remarkable turnaround. Greater numbers of teens are remaining abstinent. Between 1998 and 2008, the percentage of girls 15-19 who ever had sex fell more than 17% (to 42%) and the percentage of boys 15-19 dropped more than 28%.25 This contributed to a decline in pregnancy rates between 2000 and 2008. In 2010 teen birth rates fell to the lowest level ever reported in the seven decades,26 and teen abortion rates have dropped significantly as well. Having parents with strong religious beliefs, and family attendance and participation in religious activities, can greatly increase the likelihood of teen abstinence.27 A recent evaluation of 22 successful Sexual Risk Avoidance programs offers hope that the risk avoidance approach (rather than encouraging risk reduction through contraceptive use) will workas it has in campaigns to

avoid other risky behaviors in teens, such as tobacco and alcohol use and reckless driving.28 The path to better outcomes for women, children and society is clear: Resolve to finish school and save sex for marriage. The well-being of women depends on creating a nurturing cultureone in which women are respected for their unique contributions, rather than exploited by a contraceptive mentality that exposes them to great risk and unhappiness. Even measured by the standard of happiness in this lifetime, faith and the evidence before our eyes all point in the same direction: The Churchs teachings against contraception and extramarital sexual activity are offered to protect the wellbeing of all, and the Churchs sacraments provide the grace needed to live according to these teachings.
Susan E. Wills, JD, LLM is Assistant Director for Education and Outreach, USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities
1 Millennium Issue: Oral Contraceptives, The Liberator The Economist, Dec. 23, 1999. 2 C. Kahlenborn et al., Oral contraceptive use as a risk factor for premenopausal breast cancer: a meta-analysis, Mayo Clinic Proceedings 81:10 (2006): 1290-1302; C. Li et al., Effect of Depo-medroxyprogesterone Acetate on Breast Cancer Risk among Women 20-44 years of age, Cancer Research 72:8 (2012): 2028-2035. 3 . Lidegaard et al., Venous Thrombosis in Users of Non-Oral Hormonal Contraception: Follow-Up Study, Denmark 2001-2010, British Medical Journal (2012): 344:e2990. 4 J. Edwards, Bayer's Deadly Birth-Control Pills: Alleged Toll Climbs to 190, Shareholders Revolt, CBSNews (April 14, 2011); http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-42847964/bayers-deadlybirth-control-pills-alleged-toll-climbs-to190-shareholdersrevolt/?tag=bnetdomain; J. Edwards, At Merck, an Undercover Video and 40 Deaths Plague Nuvaring Birth Control Brand, CBSNews (April 19, 2011); http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-42848006/atmerck-anundercover-ideo-and-40-deaths-plague-nuvaring-birth-control-brand/?tag=bnetdomain. 5 See, e.g., R. Heffron et al., Use of Hormonal Contraceptives and Risk of HIV-1 Transmission: A Prospective Cohort Study, Lancet Infectious Diseases 12:1 (2012):19-26. 6 Tracking the Hidden Epidemics 2000: Trends in STDs in the United States (Atlanta, Ga.: CDC, 2000); http://www.cdc.gov/std/trends2000/trends2000.pdf. 7 See, e.g., Miriam Grossman, MD, Unprotected (New York: Sentinel Publ., 2007), and J.S. McIlhaney, Jr., MD et al., Girls Uncovered (Chicago: Northfield Publ., 2011). 8 http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html. 9 A. Blanc et al., Monitoring Contraceptive Continuation: Links to Fertility Outcomes and Quality of Care, Studies in Family Planning 33:20 (2002): 127-40. 10 H. Fu et al., Contraceptive Failure Rates: New Estimates from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, Family Planning Perspectives 31:2 (1999): 5663. 11 J. DeParle, Two Classes Divided by I Do, The New York Times, July 15, 2012, A1; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/us/two-classesin-america-divided-by-i-do.html?_r=1&ref=jasondeparle. 12 Guttmacher Institute, An Overview of Abortions in the United States, Slideshow, August 2011; http://www.guttmacher.org/presentations/ab_slides.html. 13 L. Finer and M. Zolna, Unintended Pregnancy in the United States:Incidence and Disparities, 2006 Contraception 84:5 (2011): 478-485; http://psrh.org/pubs/journals/j.contraception.2011.07.13.pdf. 14 Frank et al., Induced Abortion Operations and Their Early Sequelae, Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 35:73 (April, 1985):175-180; M. Freedman, Comparison of Complication Rates in First Trimester Abortions Performed by Physician Assistants and Physicians, American Journal of Public Health 76:5 (1986): 550-554. 15 P. Coleman, Abortion and Mental Health: Quantitative Synthesis and Analysis of Research Published 1995-2009, British Journal ofPsychiatry 199 (2011):180-86. See studies, articles and personal stories from post-abortive women on www.hopeafterabortion.org. 16 M. Gissler et al., Suicides after Pregnancy in Finland, 1987-1994, Register Linkage Study, British Medical Journal 313 (1996) 1431; http://www.bmj.com/content/313/7070/1431.full. 17 Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher, The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially (New York: Broadway Books, 2011), 1. 18 Cheryl Wetzstein, Young Adults Plan to be Married, The Washington Times, July 19, 2009; http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/19/wetzsteinyoung-americans-plan-be-married. 19 C. Dougherty, New Vow: I Dont Take Thee, The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2010; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703882404575519871444705214.html. 20 S. Roberts, Study Finds Cohabiting Doesnt Make a Union Last, The New York Times, March 2, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/us/03marry.html. 21 A. Mosle et al., Two Generations in Poverty: Status and Trends Among Parents and Children in the United States, 2000-2010, Child Trends Webinar, Dec. 6, 2011; http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2011_12_06_SP_2GenerationsPoverty.pdf. 22 L. Waite, Negative Effects of Cohabitation, George Washington University Communitarian Network for Individual Rights and Social Responsibility; http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/rcq/rcq_negativeeffects_waite.html. 23 A. Mosle et al., Two Generations in Poverty: Status and Trends Among Parents and Children in the United States, 2000-2010, Child Trends Webinar, Dec. 6, 2011; http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends2011_12_06_SP_2GenerationsPoverty.pdf. 24 W. Wilcox, Why Marriage Matters (3rd ed.): Thirty Conclusions from the Social Sciences (New York: Broadway Publs., 2011). 25 Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, National Survey of Family Growth 20062008 Series 23, No. 30 (Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, 2010), Figure 1. 26 B. Hamilton and S. Ventura, Birthrates for U.S. Teenagers Reach Historic Lows for all Ages and Ethnic Groups, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, NCHS Data Brief, No. 89 (April 2012). 27 E. Terry-Humen et al., The Association between Parent, Family, and Peer Religiosity and Teenagers Sexual Experience and Contraceptive Use, Child Trends Science Says, No. 20; The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy; http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/SS/SS20_ReligionandExperience. pdf. 28 Majority Staff, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, A Better Approach to Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: Sexual Risk Avoidance (July 2012); http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/Media/file/PDFs/07062012staffreport.pdf.

_____________________________

Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington, DC 20017-1194 Tel: (202) 541-3070 Fax: (202) 541-3054 Website: www.usccb.org/prolife
Copyright 2012, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.