Once again the ever lovely Anita Crane has written a truly insightful piece, and in this case also peace. Eduardo Verastegui, Bella’s Mexican superstar, recently stopped by the 40 Days for Life campaign outside Family Planning Associates in Los Angeles. Armed with the gumption of God to approach seven women, saving five babies, Eduardo tells his incredible story to Miss Crane.

Eduardo Verastegui Talks about Obama, Saving Babies Outside L.A. Abortion Clinic
By Anita Crane

Los Angeles, October 1, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Saturday, September 27, the Mexican superstar of Latin America, Eduardo Verastegui, and several of his friends joined the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign outside Family Planning Associates, an abortion business at 601 S. Westmoreland Avenue. He went there for two reasons: to help mothers and their unborn children, and warn people about the number-one abortion celebrity, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).

Verastegui is cofounder of L.A.-based Metanoia Films and lead actor in the company’s first feature film, Bella (http://www.amazon.com/Bella-Eduardo-Ver%C3%A1stegui/dp/B0014BQR6U), which premiered in American movie theaters last October.

Until November 2, citizens of 179 cities in 47 of the United States and the District of Columbia are participating in 40 Days for Life (www.40daysforlife.com), peacefully praying outside abortion locations to end the holocaust. In the Canadian cities of Ottawa and Halifax, pro-lifers are publicly praying as well.

Armed with a rosary, Miraculous Medals and DVD copies of his latest production, Dura Realidad (Hard Truth), Verastegui and his friends approached seven women as they stood in line to enter the aforementioned abortion office.

John Anthony Hernandez, coordinator of 40 Days for Life Los Angeles, witnessed Verastegui’s talent and skill. He said, “The words just seemed to flow from Eduardo and his companions who showed them the pro-life film, Dura Realidad, and directed the mothers to the LAPS [Los Angeles Pregnancy Services] center for help. He also handed everyone a Miraculous Medal and told them the beautiful story behind the medal and God’s great love for us.”

Verastegui told the women that he did not judge them. He said he knew they were suffering and he cared about them, but they were not alone. Verastegui warned that abortion causes sterility, and breast and uterine cancers. He said, “Now you’re making that decision, so let me just share with you what they don’t share with you inside. For example, I was at an abortion clinic that in the last three years more than 12 women - young ladies - have died. They don’t tell you that.”

Verastegui explained, “I was counting all the women lined up for an abortion. It was all Latinas and African Americans. And I said all I want to do here is to share with you a video on the hard truth about what is going on inside [that place]. And ya know what? By the grace of God, four babies were saved this morning.”

At www.DuraRealidad.com, Verastegui appeals to his people in Spanish. He inquires, “Did you know that minority children are being aborted at more than double rate of white children?” He tells why abortionists target Hispanics. Then, introducing the segment showing abortion victims, Verastegui says, “Perhaps you question whether it is necessary to show a video like this, and my answer is the same that they give in schools about showing movies of the Nazi holocaust … [Teachers] show them because the Nazi holocaust represents a terrible evil that words alone cannot describe.” In conclusion, Verastegui discusses how Barack Obama’s “inhuman” policies would endanger everyone if Obama is elected president.

CNA TV provided English subtitles and posted the video on YouTube.com, minus the victims segment. Soon Verastegui will release an English-language version of this video.

He said, “Most of the registered Latinos who are voting are voting for Obama. Why is that? He doesn’t represent our values: respect for life, traditional marriage or even immigration reform.

“Americans and people around the world need to know about Obama,” Verastegui continued. “If he is not going to defend the most innocent, then who is he going to defend? If someone is not willing to take a risk for the most innocent, which is babies, what can I expect from that person? He will not defend me. He will not defend you. That’s what inspired me to put something together.

“I want people to know the truth about Obama,” said Verastegui. “And I pray to God and I don’t judge anyone, but there is objective truth on this issue: It is wrong and we need to make sure that everyone knows [abortion] is not a subjective thing. It’s never okay to kill an innocent person.”

As Americans say, Verastegui puts his money where his mouth is. His foundation Manto de Guadalupe builds homes for the poor in Latin America, and helps mothers in crisis there and in the U.S. Verastegui is alarmed that nine abortion centers exist along just one mile of L.A., so he will open a pregnancy resource center among them.

He said, “You wanna hear something really, really funny? Here’s what happened at the end. All the nurses from the clinic - some were African Americans, some were Latinas - came outside.” The next thing Eduardo Verastegui knew, eight nurses wanted someone to take pictures of them with him. Instead, he gave each nurse a Miraculous Medal and his DVD. They didn’t want to watch his DVD, but promised to do so simply because he requested it. He told them, “I’m going to be here next Saturday and we’ll take a picture next Saturday.” Then the security guard confronted him, asking, “What are you doing here?” Verastegui countered, “What are you doing here, my friend?”

After our conversation, Verastegui left for Bella premiers in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama. Bella is also scheduled for release in Brazil, Hong Kong and Spain.

On Saturday, October 4, look for Eduardo Verastegui with the Los Angeles contingent of 40 Days for Life.

Anita Crane is a freelance writer and editor based in Virginia.
URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08100108.html

The Counselor’s Couch, Part 3: Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia

A continuation from Part 2: Vera tells ALL

The goal of PCCV is straightforward: “reduce the abortion rate in the Central Virginia Piedmont area.” PCCV has a resounding Mission Statement that speaks both of their high standards in Christian ministry as well as their uncompromising care for women, men and children in Central Virginia.

The Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia is a life-affirming Christian ministry committed to:

• HOPE for women, men and their families facing issues of unintended pregnancy;
• HELP through free and confidential counseling, education, medical services and adoption referrals;
• HEALTH by empowering individuals to make self-controlled, healthy lifestyle choices;
• HEALING through physical, emotional and spiritual support.

From these simple words - Hope, Help, Health and Healing - the counselors, staff and volunteers of PCCV are driven to serve their community with a steadfast love of neighbor. A clear and unwavering love of Christ fires their passion for life.

The differences between PCCV and abortion clinics are clear. PCCV knows the definition of “crisis pregnancy” and they are there for you. They know that while every crisis seems like a threat to our sense of well-being, God’s love and our strength as humans will pull us through any crisis and give us an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves.

Unlike an abortion clinic, you are not demeaned to a number or patient file. You are an empowered individual, cared for lovingly by your pregnancy counselor every step of the way. When you feel like you might fall, your counselor is there to catch you. PCCV clients find friends and confidants in their counselors. Best of all, services are free and confidential.

Trained pregnancy counselors are in four convenient locations throughout Central Virginia - Downtown Charlottesville, Albemarle, Orange and Culpeper. PCCV puts their counselors through rigorous certification training, on-the-job and in-services trainings, and regular evaluations. You can be sure that your pregnancy counselor is top-notch.

Each center offers free, confidential pregnancy testing with immediate and reliable results. You have time to talk with your counselor about your results and receive upfront, factual information on all of your options, including parenting, abortion and adoption. Clients may request information about free limited medical services; free baby and maternity supplies; and referral information to social services, legal services or medical care. PCCV does not give referrals to abortion services or providers. A post abortion Bible study and support group is also offered several times a year. Women who attend say they feel “forgiven and set free.”

A trained volunteer is always available on their 24-hour helpline to take your call (434-220-3777 or 1-800-395-HELP (4357) toll-free), or visit www.VirginiaPregnancy.org. PCCV is committed to helping women, men and children, without false advertising or deception.

The Counselor’s Couch, Part 2: Vera tells ALL

A continuation from Part 1: Real Answers. Real Help.

I knew I always wanted a baby, but with my baby I also wanted a husband and family; my opinion of “normal.” I know being a single mom is possible, especially this day and age, but I didn’t think it was a possibility for me.

I was afraid to be pregnant because I was convinced that I could not make it work financially. My family was far away and Chloe’s father wanted nothing to do with us. Ending the pregnancy would have been easiest; nothing in my life would have to change. But even as these thoughts passed through my head, I think a larger part of me knew that Chloe was meant to be.

I confided in a friend at work. She helped me clarify my thoughts and realize I really wanted to keep Chloe, but I was still scared. Eventually I found PCCV. [Vera was referred to PCCV by a local abortion clinic.] I stopped by one day looking for programs that might assist me financially in keeping Chloe.

What I found was so much more. I found peace of mind. I found a great friend who drove three hours to come to Chloe’s baby shower. I found someone I could call and ask the silliest questions. My notebook is filled with “called Nicole about…”

The physical support - baby gifts, layette and especially the crib - were all very important, but having Nicole there for emotional support made all the difference in the world. Even my parents are so thrilled that I found PCCV and had your support. I felt in control and strong and, more importantly, not alone.

I was never pressured by PCCV. I had already made up my mind, but was afraid of the decision. Nicole just listened to me. She let me talk and by the time we were done there was Chloe. I would say, “She is a dream come true, but…”; PCCV helped remove the “buts” and let me enjoy the rest. I started thinking that I could do it and I did. I made the perfect little room fit for a princess with just their crib and a coat of paint. I even used the bedspread from my childhood room. PCCV was there for me whenever I needed them. It meant so much to me.

If I had to give advice to others in my situation? Get over the fact that you need to ask for help! The hardest thing in my life was to ask for help. Yes, you are great, beautiful, talented and successful, but sometimes even the best of us need help. I know it is hard to ask, believe me. I wasn’t going to. I thought I was too good for it. I mean, I went to college, I have a graduate degree. Why would I need help, right? But I did! My pregnancy, my life and Chloe’s life, wouldn’t be so peaceful if I had not asked for help.

Please read Part 3: The Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia for the continuation.

Recently I was asked to write an article about my experience as a Pregnancy Counselor for Celebrate Life, a publication of American Life League. A daunting task to say the least, I hoped this would afford me an opportunity to tell the real story of what goes on in Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

Often I hear and read the liberal propaganda spewing lies about CPCs, what we do, who we serve and how we accomplish our mission. I have even heard twisted tales about what a CPC’s mission is. Naturally when I started writing I wanted to correct as many fallacies as possible. To this end, and my absolute joy, one of my former clients enthusiastically agreed to a “no-holds-barred” interview about her experience with our center and me, her counselor.

The final printed article, I am pleased to say, can be found in the September/October 2008 issue of Celebrate Life. However, I have also split the article into three shorter pieces for your enjoyment here. I hope you all enjoy the stunning truth my client revealed about CPCs!

The Counselor’s Couch, Part 1: Real Answers. Real Help.

Crisis pregnancy - for those who have never experienced one, you cannot begin to imagine the rollercoaster of emotions flooding your senses. You feel light headed, even giddy, but then you are flying out of control, tossed upside-down and desperately praying for someone to flip the off switch.

The best way to explain the rush of mixed feelings is like a freefall, total gravity. To see the breathlessness when clients walk through the door; the raw, unreserved emotion as they slowly unfold their story and the utter relief when a woman finds sanctuary and truth in a Pregnancy Center; it is both a heavenly joy and a heavy cross to bear as a pregnancy counselor.

Every time the door chimes or the phone rings I know it is a Divine appointment filled with opportunity. Looking up from the front desk as Vera walked into the Albemarle center was no different. I knew there was going to be a connection between us.

As a pregnancy counselor you learn very quickly to read people. Every client is an individual, unique. In training you learn counselors have only seven seconds to welcome a client and assess her personality. In Vera’s seven seconds I saw that she was a very action oriented person with a bright smile and a no-nonsense attitude. She came prepared with a list of questions; all she needed was a close friend and comfy couch.

Please read Part 2: Vera Tells ALL for the continuation.

The Presidential election clock ticks down the days to November. People in tune with all sides of every issue are scratching their heads and pondering who to vote for. Everyone I’ve talked to knows they want a change, but they are not satisfied with the options on the ballot. Naturally, I cannot cover every issue.

In the realm of pro-life, neither candidate has made a truly strong stand. McCain seems to want to listen to his conservative constituents more, but he has not quite grasped the entire definition of life. Embryonic stem cell research, to be precise, is his big stumbling block.

There is a National Catholics for McCain Committee that is ready to receive advice and pump the message of protecting life from conception to natural death into the machine that is McCain. The caveat is that we, as constituents, have to do a lot of heavy lifting still and keep pulling “the party” closer to the truth.

On the other side, the Obama-nation has completely lost touch with life. Senator Obama earned a 100 percent rating on women’s health issues from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. His running mate, Senator Joe Biden, is a Catholic (in name only) and is well known for his pro-abortion legislative positions.

Biden has never been one to respect his Catholic faith. Campaigning in 2005 on behalf of Kentucky Democrats Biden went on record saying, “The next Republican that tells me I’m not religious I’m going to shove my rosary beads down their throat” (Lexington Herald-Leader, 10/24/2005). Pardon me, but them’s fight’n words!

I don’t pretend to be a Doctor of the Faith, but I can say with more than a fair amount of certainty that the Church is quite clear that Rosaries are not to be used as weapons of mass destruction and that life begins at the moment of creation. Ecumenical Councils and Papal Encyclicals over the centuries have repeatedly defined life’s beginnings at conception.

In addition, Church leaders are consistent regarding the admonition of public officials who support abortion and call for their abstention from Communion. Archbishop Raymond Burke specifically illustrated this point:

“Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily is a sacrilege. If it is done deliberately in mortal sin it is a sacrilege… For example, if they support abortion, which entails the taking of innocent and defenseless human lives. A person who commits sin in this way should be publicly admonished in such a way as to not receive Communion until he or she has reformed his life.”

Sadly, Obama and Biden are purposely sitting in the dark. Their headquarters has a “Roman Catholics for Obama ‘08,” but this group is comprised mostly of Catholics for a Free Choice and other such dissidents who would rather see life wither away than find a real, tangible ways to help women and children in need.

1973 saw the advent of a terrible tragedy in America - Roe vs. Wade. The Supreme Court promised women safe and legal abortions on demand. Many women have asked themselves, “At what cost did abortion on demand come at?”

In 1978 two women asked a more important question, “Did we really obtain safe and legal abortions?” Pam Zekman and Pamela Warrick of the Chicago Sun-Times - working with Better Government Association - printed the expose “The Abortion Profiteers”.

While researching this stunning and terrifying piece, Zekman and Warrick put undercover workers in six Michigan Avenue clinics. Their research uncovered horrifying abortion cases that proved women are not any safer post Roe.

The question 35 years later is: are we any safer? Life Dynamics has made a strong, uncensored and unbiased case proving that doctors and abortion mills are still not any safer. Mark Crutcher and his team have collected mountains of evidence from public records and other documents proving sexual assault, mutilation, and even murder of perfectly healthy women inside legal abortion clinics! Crutcher’s expose also includes medical evidence of the connection between abortion and breast cancer.

Understand that this book is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a necessary piece for your pro-life library. Lime 5 is on sale from Life Dynamics.

A dear friend recently confided that she was writing an article on our Holy Father and why youth from around the globe flock to him. I was flattered to receive a call from Anita Crane, a woman whose writing career and overall résumé outshine some of the most devout pro-lifers south of the Arctic Circle!

As it is, I don’t think that I gave much help to Anita, but her final article is fabulous. It is featured in several places. Here is the Special Edition from Catholic Online:

SPECIAL: Why are the Young Flocking to Pope Benedict XVI?
By Anita Crane
7/12/2008

CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - Young people have been flocking to Pope Benedict XVI since he began teaching in his twenties.

As I write this, hundreds of thousands - from declared agnostics to metal heads to believing Catholics - are descending upon Sydney, Australia for World Youth Day 2008 ready to embrace Pope Benedict’s theme of Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.”

However, there is more to inspiration than some might think.

For example, while an Olympic athlete probably wouldn’t be able to spring from his seat after a transatlantic flight; that is precisely what the 80-year-old Vicar of Christ did when his plane landed at Andrews Air Force Base in April.

As my friend George Morton, editor of the Parish Visitor, witnessed, “All of the photographers and reporters around me were stunned when Pope Benedict XVI ran down the steps from the plane.”

Brennan Pursell, author of Benedict of Bavaria: An Intimate Portrait of the Pope and His Homeland, shared other delightful details about why this papa of ours has appealed to open-souled youths for generations.

When I asked what most surprised him about Pope Benedict, he said, “Two things: his genius and his humor.”

Pursell shook his head, saying, “It’s so funny, especially in the United States, the caricatures of ‘the Panzer Cardinal’ and ‘God’s Rottweiler,’ as if he is a dower German character. But in 1989, he received a Bavarian award for his humor.”

Who would have guessed it?

In his marvelous book, Pursell explained that then-cardinal Joseph Ratzinger received the Karl Valentin Orden Award at Munich’s Narrhalla carnival ball.

There Cardinal Ratzinger recalled that during much of Europe’s history, court fools and jesters enjoyed the rare privilege of telling society the truth.

Then he said, “And since because of my career I am supposed to tell the truth, I am really glad that I have now been officially taken into the ranks of those that have the same privilege.”

Apparently, this Holy Father will not be outdone. For, as Pursell revealed, “Joseph Ratzinger, himself a lifelong admirer of Valentin, made a self-declared ‘pilgrimage’ to visit the grave of the great comic, walking nine miles to and from the theological faculty in Fürstenried to the cemetery in Planegg.”

Relishing the Holy Father’s “delicious irony” and mastery of understatement, Pursell described a spontaneous incident that took place in Europe in 1997. He said, “After the publication of his autobiography, a journalist asked why there was no mention of women or romance. The cardinal replied, ‘I had to keep the manuscript to 100 pages.’”

Still other delicious ironies about this pope’s style come from my media colleagues.

While the Holy Father was in America, Brennan Pursell did numerous interviews and told me, “One [mainstream reporter] asked me if Pope Benedict likes shopping - because he wears red shoes.”

Highlighting the assent of a non-Catholic radio host, he said, “One Protestant from the Bible Belt was very gracious. This gentleman told his fellow Protestants not be sulky or annoyed with the attention that the pope gets. He said they should just accept that Catholics have enough scriptural bases for this institution and it’s been around for 2,000 years - they should have the same charity that you would show to any Christian brethren and listen to what the pope says.”

Again and again, Pursell found that Pope Benedict’s genius attracted young people everywhere he taught. He said, “Overcrowded lecture halls, even at the first class hours of the morning, were the norm for Joseph Ratzinger in Bonn, Muenster, Tuebingen and Regensburg.

“At his first job in Freising, the student numbers were smaller, but some of his students still remember the brilliance of his teaching,” Pursell delighted. “There’s a testimony at an exhibit in Freising - I just saw it last week - by a man who recalls how Ratzinger lectured in his first years of teaching: elbows on the podium, cheeks resting on his knuckles, eyes directed down toward his notes.

But there weren’t any! The man said Ratzinger gave clear, compelling presentations, well-organized and easy to follow, yet still rich in analysis and formulation. He always offered much to ponder.

“Ratzinger was no dramatist in the classroom, but he spoke from the heart in ways that no one had ever heard before. This is what made him a riveting teacher and truly unforgettable,” Pursell concluded.

So, intellectual genius is not the end of the Holy Father’s wit. Rather, God made him our papa because he lives the genius of love and lets everyone know that they can be young at heart.

If you can’t go to Sydney, witness the power of the Holy Spirit by following Pope Benedict at the July 15-20 events of World Youth Day 2008 on EWTN.

Anita Crane is a freelance writer and editor based in Virginia. For more of Brennan Pursell’s insights on the genius of Pope Benedict, see her article “Papal Impact: Benedict in America” in the July-August 2008 issue of Celebrate Life.

“Norma McCorvey’s testimony is a incredible example of God’s redeeming grace. I commend Norma for her courage to speak out on the evils of abortion and pray that her redemptive story will touch hearts and change minds.”

Alan E. Sears
President, CEO and General Counsel
Alliance Defense Fund

Catholic News Agency and Jill Stanek both cover the release of McCorvey’s recent commercial. Since the 1973 ruling, McCorvey has truly turned her life around. She has become a devout Catholic who laments her role in the infamous case that brought about the documented killings of 50 million children in America.

McCorvey tells viewers, “back in 1973 I was a very confused twenty-one year old with one child and facing an unplanned pregnancy. At the time I fought to obtain a legal abortion, but truth be told, I have three daughters and never had an abortion.”

“Upon knowing God,” she continues, “I realize that my case, which legalized abortion on demand, was the biggest mistake of my life…You read about me in history books, but now I am dedicated to spreading the truth about preserving the dignity of all human life from natural conception to natural death.”

I hit the floor when I read this, so in all fairness please sit down before proceeding. Now take a deep breath because this one is a doozy!

Commonwealth Catholic Charities of Richmond (CCR) has decided that being ‘Catholic’ is too restrictive for them. Normally you would think this is something that the USCCB would, or if need be the Pope, could and would easily dispatch an entourage of priests and cannon lawyers to straighten out the matter. Unfortunately CCR has not just rejected the Church; they have broken some very serious laws - state and federal laws - and the entourage knocking at their door isn’t the Papal Swiss Guard, but the “federales.”

Here’s the scoop: On January 18, 2008 a Guatemalan female was under the “protection” of CCR because she was in the US illegally. As of this date, the unnamed girl was pregnant, sixteen years of age, was without guardian, and already had one child with her. Two months prior to the date in question, CCR paid for and had a doctor fit the young girl with a contraceptive device. No, not a Catholic organization.

Now we come back to the date in question, January 18. On this date CCR decided to procure an abortion for the young immigrant. Because she was underage, an employee of CCR signed the consent form in place of her guardian. This, by the way, is against Virginia law. Virginia notification law stipulates that at least one parent or legal guardian must give consent. Social workers cannot sign consent forms for an abortion. Again, not a Catholic organization.

On top of all of the Catholic violations and state violations, the young Guatemalan woman was a ward of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services. This naturally pulls the federal government into the mix. HHS provides $7.6 million a year to the USCCB’s foster care of immigrant children programs, which are subcontracted to groups like CCR. HHS spokesman Kenneth Wolfe expressed extreme disappointment upon learning that CCR had procured an abortion for the young girl:

“These federal funds are awarded with the clear purpose of caring for unaccompanied minors here from other countries. To that end, we were surprised and disappointed to learn of a chapter of Catholic Charities using this funding to facilitate a minor procuring an abortion. We have also requested several corrective actions be taken by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops…in order to prevent this type of abuse from happening again. Our agency is one that supports human life, and we take that responsibility seriously.”

Mr. Wolfe added that the case has been referred to HHS Inspector General Timothy Menke because it might violate Virginia law and contradicts federal policy. According to federal sources, four employees of CCR have been fired and one supervisor with the bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services agency has been suspended.

You are probably asking what the bishops have done about this scandal and why you are just now hearing about it. The simple answer is because Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond just got around to “releasing” his information - along with Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration; and Bishop Michael Driscoll, Episcopal liaison to Catholic Charities, USA - in a private letter to his brother bishops dated April 29, 2008. The letter was in response to the April 23 investigation by the federal authorities. Of course, this scandal and the surrounding information is just now becoming public knowledge. The Wanderer was the first to release quotations from Bishop DiLorenzo’s letter in the early online edition of their June 19 paper.

Naturally I pray that the bishops will do more than just fire those responsible for this atrocity. I am hoping beyond hope that Bishop DiLorenzo had no knowledge or compliance of the horrific acts that go on at the Catholic Charities within his Diocese, but more importantly I urge him to take swift action to help his flock back to Christ’s Church.

In a surprise appearance by one feisty egg during a routine hysterectomy, science once again has been proved terribly wrong. Recently Professor Jacques Donnez, MD, Head for the Department of Gynecology of the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium, discovered something astonishing.

While preparing to carry out a partial hysterectomy on a 45-year-old Belgian woman, Dr. Donnez literally stumbled upon and captured images of an egg being released from the woman’s ovary. For the first time in human history we have clear pictures of what actually happens during ovulation. All previous images have been fuzzy and inadequate in truly representing this aspect of a woman’s cycle, but Dr. Donnez has made a miraculous discovery, however accidental it may have been.

What is most amazing about these pictures is that they completely overturn all previous notions about ovulation. Scientists have believed for some time that the release of an egg was considered a sudden, explosive event, but Dr. Donnez’s pictures show the release of the egg taking place over a period of at least 15 minutes. “The release of the oocyte (egg) from the ovary is a crucial event in human reproduction,” said Dr. Donnez. “These pictures are clearly important to better understand the mechanism.”

However, Jill Stanek put it best:

“[I can't] believe scientists had such a basic human function as ovulation wrong. Just goes to show science has a lot still to learn about a woman’s reproductive cycle. (And if they had this wrong, how much do they not yet know about the birth control pill’s mode(s) of action?)”

Many people are wondering the same thing as Jill. If they got this wrong, what else are the MDs missing? Hopefully this discovery will give scientists pause to consider more positive possibilities for life and when life begins - say conception?

In the meantime, science will be pondering Dr. Donnez’s discovery in an upcoming issue of Fertility and Sterility, while the rest of us wait with baited breath in hope of positive, life-affirming repercussions.