Just before his first speaking engagement at the UN, a young Catholic triathlete spoke to a television news outlet about his faith. “I am Gabriel, God’s messenger,” 22-year old Gabriel Cobb told OSV News. Cobb, pictured with his parents just before going into the UN New York conference hall added: “My faith is the most Read more
Jérôme Lejeune – who dedicated his “scientific genius” to serving children with Down syndrome and their families, was a servant of life, love and truth, says Aude Dugast. He was like “a fourth Wise Man,” offering his gifts of intelligence and medical and scientific know-how to a vulnerable child who “was waiting for him,” she Read more
Catholic Bishops of England and Wales are relieved two extreme abortion bills were withdrawn the day they were to be put to the vote in parliament. The bills were included in the UK Government’s flagship Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. If passed in a vote on Monday this week, the proposed New Clause 55 Read more
Bill Gavin, 24, lives a simple, yet fulfilling life. But if his mother had listened to the advice of health professionals when her prenatal test for genetic disorders came back positive 25 years ago, Bill would have been terminated. Read more
A few months ago I attended Mass in the inner city of Chicago. Before the service, I went to the bathroom. Standing at the sink was a middle-aged man with Down syndrome. When he saw me, he cupped his hands, filled them with water, splashed me several times, let out a giant laugh and ran Read more
Aborting a child because it has Down’s syndrome violates human rights and can be considered genocide. “Here at the United Nations (UN) there is much sincere talk and normally passionate action to fight against unjust discrimination,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Vatican nuncio to the United Nations. He pointed to a double standard when he appeared Read more
A “shining light” of the Taranaki faith community, and arguably one of the country’s oldest altar servers, has died. Sam, who had Down syndrome, became an altar server in 2002 and also regularly welcomed parishioners to weekly services, as a host at the door. On March 1, he died at Chalmers rest home after a short illness, with Read more
A Down’s syndrome advocacy group has condemned Jacinda Ardern’s pledge to decriminalise abortion, saying it will allow abortion for disability till up to 40 weeks. Ardern has responded by saying abortions up to 40 weeks would not be made legal under Labour. Despite this, Saving Downs created a social media post using Labour’s campaign slogan Read more
After a five-year engagement and months of busking to raise funds, a Lyttelton couple have become the first to be wed in the Transitional Cardboard Cathedral. Jill Jefferies and James Dobinson, who both have Down syndrome, married on Saturday before about 100 well-wishers, family and friends. The couple had busked at the Lyttelton Farmers Market Read more
An 11-year-old Christian girl with Down’s syndrome has been accused of desecrating the Qur’an under the severe blasphemy law in Pakistan. Rimsha Masih is the first minor to be charged with blasphemy in Pakistan. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Witnesses claim she burnt 10 pages of a booklet used to Read more