LIFEWATCH - allianceforlifeint.orgNewsletter+June... · In our LifeWatch March issue, we looked at cohabitation and its effects on the partners and the children living in cohabiting

THE MARRIAGE PREMIUM, A HUGE BENEFIT

JUNE 2016

Alliance for Life International, P.O. Box 1314, Lake Forest, CA 92609-1314 Phone: 949-340-7332

LIFEWATCH A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF ALLIANCE FOR LIFE

INTERNATIONAL

We have an exciting development to share! ALI

is operating a Billings Life Center in

collaboration with the World Organization of

Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB). This

center is located in our Pregnancy Resource

Center in Kampala, Uganda.

Emily Iradukunda, a certified Billings teacher

has accepted the part-time position and started

in May. Her responsibilities include teaching

fertility awareness to teens, teaching couples to

achieve or postpone pregnancy naturally and

effectively using the BOM, supervising new

teachers going through their practicum, and

participating in Teacher Training courses.

Norah, our full-time counselor, continues to

teach Sexual Integrity Education in schools.

The message is life-changing and possibly life-

saving. Students are being enabled to avoid HIV

and other STDs, postpone sexual activity till

marriage, focus on their studies, and develop

good character. More productive lives can be

achieved this way.

Cont. p. 3

In our LifeWatch March issue, we looked at

cohabitation and its effects on the partners and the

children living in cohabiting households. We have

seen that children fare the worst in these non-

marital arrangements. The information on the

benefits of marriage is so numerous that we will

continue this focus for now.

We will first look at the health benefits of marriage

for the spouses as well as the children: physical,

psychological, and social health aspects.

Marriage, Good health and Longevity:

Researchers Linda Waite and Maggie

Gallagher show that divorced men lives

are ten year shorter than married men [1].

They also show that “not being married will

shorten a woman’s life span by more years

than would being married and having

cancer or living in poverty “[2]. Suicide, the

ultimate sign of unhappiness, is 3 times

more prevalent among divorced women

than married peers. It is 5 times higher

among divorced men than their married

peers [3].

A Healthy Diet and Marriage: the World

Health Organization recommends five

servings of fruits and vegetables (F&G)

daily. This habit reduces the risk of

diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and

stroke. Who is more likely to eat their

F&G? In a Canadian study from 2007

data, with participants age 18-69, “married

individuals and those with children

consume F&V more often than unmarried

peers or those who are childless” [4].

A Healthy Mind and Marriage: the

psychological benefits of marriage seem to

be even more important. Basing their

findings on 2005 data, researchers find

“that marriage continues to be beneficial

for mental health” [5]. Another study states

that married men and women…cont. p. 2

cont. p. 2

ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, LOUISE ALLARD

AN UPDATE FROM UGANDA

Emily at work teaching Fertility

Awareness to young people

was very special and may lead to

introducing the method to

another African country. Please

pray. We will keep you posted.

This time, we were three

representatives from WOOMB, two

from Canada. We held a workshop

entitled: Women’s Empowerment

through Fertility Awareness

Using the Billings Ovulation

Method. Louise’s part focused on

teaching the BOM in Uganda, a

five year overview. It was well

received and attended by 40

people who expressed great

interest.

THE MARRIAGE PREMIUM… CON’T FROM P.1

Alliance for Life International, P.O. Box 1314, Lake Forest, CA 92609-1314 Email: [email protected]

enjoy “very good or excellent” mental and

emotional well-being compared to their unmarried

peers. Divorced singles, unfortunately, are more

prone to “psychological distress” including the

severe depression that leads to suicide [6]. Single

mothers have a higher rate of psychiatric illness

[7].

Even young adults seem to be benefiting from

marriage. Researcher Jeremy Uecker, states:

“Married young adults are much more satisfied

with their lives than are other young adults” [8].

He surmised that young married couples benefit

from the emotional and social support that occurs

in marriage. The young couples may also feel a

sense of satisfaction having accomplished a

major milestone in their lives [9]. The marriage

premium for life satisfaction is so strong that it

withstands sophisticated statistical analysis which

seeks to attribute the findings to other variables

[10].

Even suffering from a chronic illness such as

diabetes is not a predictor of a new diagnosis of

depression. But researchers found that the

divorced and single were more likely to

experience depression than their married peers.

Surprisingly, for the widowed, it did not show a

significant increased risk of depression [11].

The Effects of Divorce on Children:

they pay an enormous price. It is a

common belief that children, after the

initial shock of divorce, will adjust and be

even better off than if the parents

continue living together in an

unhappy marriage…. cont. p. 3

LIFEWATCH

An Update on Physician Assisted-Suicide

The California physician-suicide law as

expressed in the End of Life Option Act is

being challenged in court on the basis of

Equal Protections violations of persons

classified as “terminally ill”. The action is

taken by the Life Legal Defense Foundation

on behalf of 5 physicians and the American

Academy of Medical Ethics [15].

The lawsuit is based on the following: even

though 80-90% of all suicides are associated

with depression which may cloud the

patient’s judgement, the law does not require

a psychiatric evaluation for patients

requesting a lethal prescription of drugs from

a physician. Depression is treatable; therefore

the law should protect individuals from self-

harm [16]. Doctors do not have to have a

prior relationship with the patient, thereby

allowing doctors who will specialize in

assisted-suicide to prey on vulnerable patients

[17].

The Catholic Church opposes physician

assisted-suicide because it believes in the

dignity of each person and the sacredness of

life. Another approach is suggested: focus on

Whole Person Care, a concept which engages

health professionals and members of a

person’s circle, to minister to the patient and

his family and to seek to meet their physical,

spiritual, and psychological needs. A person

should not be treated as a diagnosis. No

situation is hopeless, even when death is

imminent [18].

Alliance for Life International, P.O. Box 1314, Lake Forest, CA 92609-1314 WEBSITE: allianceforlifeint.org

It is widely believed that happy, single-again

parents will be better able to care for their

children who will be unhappy only

temporarily. Nothing can be further from the

truth. Michael Reagan, the adopted son of

Ronald Reagan and his wife Jane Wyman,

suffered a great deal when his parents

divorced. Here is what he wrote: “Divorce is

where two adults take everything that matters

to a child--the child’s home, family, security,

and sense of being loved and protected--and

they smash it all up, leave it in ruins on the

floor, then walk out and leave the child to

clean up the mess”[12].

The trail of destruction divorce leaves behind

is heart-breaking. Children who experience the

divorce of their parents are 3 times more likely

to be thrown out of school or to have a child

without being married. They are 6 times more

likely to live in poverty, 12 times more likely

to spend time in detention, 15 times more

likely to go to prison, 33 times more likely to

suffer physical abuse, and 73 times more likely

to be killed [13]. These are grim statistics. This

does not mean that every child will turn out as

above. But a child is not a statistic; he/she will

suffer real pain, even in the best conditions.

Children of divorce experience more anxiety,

loneliness, low self-esteem, and sadness

surrounding the divorce event but these effects

persist even after the divorce [14].

In our next issue, we will look at solutions:

what can we do differently?

AN UPDATE FROM UGANDA, CONT. FROM P.1

Our office needs two laptop computers. The

glass on our single computer is broken and it is

acting up. Gently used one would be great!

The St. Raphael Teaching Hospital Project is in

full swing. Preliminary drawings are coming in.

We can hardly contain our excitement about

sharing all the new developments with you at our

Soiree Gala & Africa Social on July 16 at 5:30

pm. See advertisement on website as needed.

Our special guest is Msgr. Kabyanga who gave

us the land for the project. We are dreaming big

because there are big needs! We hope with all

our hearts that you are planning to come and

bring a friend. Our next trip is planned from Sept

13 to Oct 12. Did you know you can transfer

unused Delta Sky Miles to us? Other airlines

may have similar offers. Another way to help!

THE MARRIAGE PREMIUM… CONT. FROM P. 2

(CONT. FROM P.2)

JUNE 2016

Children suffer the most

“Divorce is where two adults take

everything that matters to a child--the

child’s home, family, security, and sense

of being loved and protected--and they

smash it all up, leave it in ruins on the

floor, then walk out and leave the child

to clean up the mess”

Michael Reagan

LIFEWATCH A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF ALLIANCE FOR LIFE

INTERNATIONAL

OUR DONORS SAVE LIVES AROUND THE

WORLD – THANK YOU - THANK YOU!

Alliance for Life International, a 501 (c) (3)

organization, would like to acknowledge our donors

for the last three months. Their gifts are tax-

deductible as allowed by law. Our EIN: 33-0819422

Alexis, Anne, Billings Life Centre, BOMA-USA,

Eithne, Jean, Joy, Louise, Marilyn, Pat & Sam,

Robert C., Robert M., Dr. Stephen, & Therese

Thank you for your faithfulness and support!

Become a monthly giver and save the life of a precious baby!

Become a Life-Saver Now!

Alliance for Life International Trusting God With Life

June 2016

Shipping Address 555 Street Address City, State 55555

LIFEWATCH

Alliance for Life International P.O. Box 1314

Lake Forest, CA 92609-1314

www.allianceforlifeint.org

Alliance for Life international is a Catholic Christian, non-profit educational and charitable organization committed to assist and encourage

States in building cultures of life in which preborn children are welcome and the lives of those who are vulnerable are protected. The lack of essential medical care in developing

countries represents a great imbalance which offends human dignity. It leads us to cooperate with leaders to bring modern medical care in

Uganda.

Executive Board Louise Allard, RN, BSN, MA in International

Human Rights, Founder/President/CEO Dennis Rasmussen, JD, Secretary

Sergio Stone, OB/GYN, Vice-Pres/Treasurer

Advisory Board Father Sy Nguyen, St. Martin de Porres Church

Bruce A. Sonnenberg, Founder/ Pres., He Intends Victory, Eithne Keegan. RN, BSN

James Wale, Wale Advisory Group