On 24th October, the Polish physician, Holocaust survivor, and pro-life activist Dr Wanda Półtawska passed away at 101 years of age in Krakow.
Born in November 1921 in Lublin, Poland, Wanda was interned by the Nazis during the Second World War in a concentration camp outside Berlin for her involvement in the underground Polish resistance.
In the concentration camp, she was subjected to medical experimentation. In her memoir, And I Am Afraid of My Dreams, she wrote how her experiences led her to become a staunch defender of human life, from conception to death. Her memoir is well worth reading and is up there with Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.
Following the conclusion of the Second World War, Wanda married the philosopher Andrzej Półtawski and trained to become a medical doctor. In her worldview, Dr Półtawska relied chiefly on scientific and medical arguments to challenge the emerging anti-life philosophies of the 1960s. As a doctor, she led research centred on child survivors of the concentration camps.
In the 1950s, Dr Półtawska became a close friend and confidant of Karol Wojtyła, then a young priest who later became Pope John Paul II in 1978. She had a tremendous influence on Pope John Paul II, particularly in the development of his prioritisation of pro-life issues during his pontificate.
Her passing on 24th October 2023 was met with sadness suffused by joy, as her life’s work has been celebrated by her family, friends, and countless supporters internationally.
Attendees at the exhibition EVIDENCE in Columbus, Ohio
Filmmakers Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney have opened an exhibition in the US based on the notorious abortionist Dr Kermit Gosnell, who in 2013 was found guilty of 237 crimes, including the murder of three infants after their birth in his abortion clinic and the manslaughter of one woman during an abortion. Gosnell is currently serving a life sentence in prison without parole.
McAleer and McElhinney plan on taking the exhibition titled “EVIDENCE: Crime Scene Photos from the Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer” to cities and towns across the US in the coming months. The exhibit of 50 photos show the horrors of abortion, especially late-term procedures.Â
McElhinney said the exhibition tells “the story abortion activists and their supporters in the media want to suppress.”
Speaking about the exhibition which opened in Columbus, Ohio last weekend, McAleer said: “These are photos taken of moments in time, and they were evidence in a court of law. They are the reality of what was going on behind closed doors and what is probably going on behind other closed doors in America today. They are not political and do not take sides. The great thing of these photographs is they’re not taken by activists. They’re not pro-life photographs; they’re not pro-choice photographs. They were taken as evidence.”
Reflecting on what people can expect from the exhibition, McElhinney said: “It illustrates what is illegal but also shows what is legal in many states, and people would be shocked by what is now allied behind closed doors in abortion clinics in many states in America. It's important that journalists bring these truths to the public — that's why we want to bring this crime scene photo exhibition to towns across the nation.”Â
The exhibition doesn’t feature the indiscriminate display of the remains of aborted babies. These images are covered by curtains in a separate room of the exhibit, so people are free to decide whether or not they wish to view the harrowing reality of what happens in clinics operated by men and women like Kermit Gosnell.
McAleer and McElhinney, both from Ireland, deserve great praise for the investigative work they do and for the courage they show in ensuring the public are informed and educated about the truth of what is going on. Journalists of their calibre and commitment are in very short supply today.Â
As independent producers, they are also responsible for the movie Gosnell, which was a box office hit across the US in 2019.
You can watch a short promo video for the exhibition EVIDENCEÂ here
 French President Emmanuel Macron has given a commitment to enshrine the right to an abortion into the French Constitution before the end of 2024.
The president said on X, formerly Twitter, that a bill to pave the way for this life ending proposal would be presented to Cabinet in the coming weeks “to enshrine the freedom of women to have an abortion, to solemnly ensure that nothing can stop or undo what will be irreversible.”
Abortion in France was legalised in 1975, but there is currently nothing in the constitution that specifically grants a right to access abortion.
This latest move by the French president is designed to thwart the possibility of pro-life laws being passed in the future. To avoid a referendum on the issue, he has devised a way to convene a special “congress” featuring both houses of parliament, where a three-fifths majority would secure the change to the Constitution.
Constitutions are supposed to defend and vindicate the basic rights of citizens, especially the rights of the most vulnerable and defenceless members of society. It is a frightening development that Macron and his ilk are casting aside the very notion of the right to life and summarily replacing it with a right to kill — in the name of “choice”, “liberty” and “progress”. Â
 With the Oireachtas returning, it presents a perfect opportunity to approach your local TDs and Senators and urge them to reintroduce some humanity into the debate on abortion. The Three-Year Review, a seriously flawed process which produced a one-sided and extreme report, will be considered by politicians in the autumn. It’s important that we take action now.
We have produced a quick and easy Virtual Postcard for you to sign, which will automatically send an email to your local TDs. Use the button below to navigate into your county on our website and find your constituency.
It’s also important to have meetings with your TDs. These can be as simple as dropping into your local TD’s advice clinic to outline your concerns. Click below to register to lobby your local TDs. Don’t worry – we’ll help you every step of the way with advice on making the appointment to points you might consider raising.
We are heartened by the number of people actively involved and interested in meeting their politicians to express their views. The People Before Profit Bill which regrettably passed at 2nd stage of the Dáil on 31st May must also be countered. Even the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has said this Bill goes far beyond the recommendations of the Three-Year Review – which are already extreme in their own right.
It is crucial to engage with our politicians and remind them not to overlook the referendum promises. We need to fight to ensure our abortion policy is aimed at reducing the abortion rate.
Please take a moment to get involved in the Humanity Campaign. Remember even the smallest effort will make a big difference.
We are putting out a call for anyone in possession of any documents, photographs, correspondence, etc. relevant to the Irish pro-life movement throughout the decades. We are particularly keen to receive anything in your possession related to periods such as the 1983 referendum. A comprehensive history of the pro-life movement is yet to be written, but the historians of the future will need primary sources. We are asking for people to get in touch with the Pro Life Campaign if they possess such material (no matter how old or dusty!) to ensure it is preserved now and not lost to the ages.Â
Vital Signs is the e-newsletter of the Pro Life Campaign. We hope you and your families are keeping well in these unusual times. This email is to update you on what we have been working on recently, including news stories, project updates, and details of upcoming events. If you want to get in touch with us please do so by emailing [email protected]
