Teacher fired for opposing Planned Parenthood; next on FOT

Bill Diss was a high school teacher in Portland, Oregon, one who consistently went the extra mile to help students succeed. He also publicly objected when Planned Parenthood built a large abortion facility in northeast Portland. When his activities became public there was a dramatic shift in how he was treated at school; administrators called him in for questioning regarding his activities and subjected him to heightened scrutiny in the classroom.

In September 2012, Planned Parenthood employees came into Diss’ classroom as he was handing back a math quiz. They were there to recruit for their Teen Outreach Program (TOP). When Diss objected and asked to be excused from participating with Planned Parenthood. Administrators not only denied his request they systematically subjected him to unwarranted review and harassment. Despite a wave of community support, including letters from students, parents and fellow teachers, Diss was fired andhis contract was terminated.

Dana Cody 

Last week Dana Cody, president and executive director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, filed suit on Bill’s behalf against Portland Public Schools for violations of his civil rights and employment discrimination.

Dana has been championing the rights of women and the unborn for over twenty years. She started as a lay-counselor to women in crisis pregnancies, and then fulfilled her passion to protect women and children victimized by abortion by obtaining her law degree. In 1996, she accepted the invitation to serve as a board member of Life Legal Defense Foundation and later accepted the position as executive director.

Dana has been a frequent guest on Faith On Trial and she will join us Tuesday morning for a discussion of the Diss case and other activities of Life Legal Defense Foundation which has just celebrated its 25^th Anniversary fulfilling its mission to give innocent and helpless human beings of any age, particularly unborn children, a trained and committed defense against the threat of death, and to support their advocates in the nation’s courtrooms. One of the cases Life Legal has been involved in was that of Terri Schiavo.

Join Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll as they discuss these things with Dana at 9 a.m. or catch the re-broadcast at 9 p.m.  Faith On Trial is broadcast from the Catholic Pastoral Center in Downtown Des Moines on 1150 AM and 88.5 & 94.5 FM.  It streams on IowaCatholicRadio.com. Our underwriters are Attorney Rick McConville and Confluence Brewing Company.

 

Next FOT: How lawyers can help: join the Thomas More Society in Des Moines

This week our guest is Matt Heffron of the Thomas More Society, Omaha branch.  He will be in town Wednesday to promote the establishment of a Des Moines branch and will be discussing those efforts with Deacon Mike and Gina Noll Tuesday on Faith On Trial.  The Thomas More Society is a not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Based in Chicago, the Thomas More Society defends and fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

Matt Heffron 

Matt has been a trial attorney since graduating from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1984. He began his law practice with a commercial litigation firm in Helena, Montana. For many years, he was a federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona, where eventually he was appointed Deputy Chief for the Criminal Division. He successfully tried numerous jury trials in federal court involving multiple jurisdictions and multiple parties. In 1996, he was awarded the Director’s Award for Superior Performance from the Attorney General of the United States.

He will be speaking Wednesday to the local Lawyers for Life luncheon – bring your own sack lunch.  Attorneys interested can make reservations here.  

For more information join us Tuesday at 9 a.m. (Central) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRacio.com. The program re-broadcasts at 9 p.m. and is underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville of Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenburg & Saclise PC 1200 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-435-1055 and Confluence Brewing Company, off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines.

Sexual exploitation of young girls, next on FOT

Last week Deacon Mike and Gina discussed a report from Life Dynamics on the issue of teen pregnancy in which it was reported that some underage girls, some as young as 10 were being sexually exploited by adult men.  According to the report, “In America today, we have reached the point where a junior high school girl is more likely to become pregnant by an adult than by someone close to her own age. … [The] investigation has uncovered

Mark Crutcher

irrefutable evidence that both Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation – often operating on taxpayer dollars – knowingly conceal these crimes while aiding and abetting the sexual predators who commit them.”

Tuesday, the author of that report, Mark Crutcher, founderof Life Dynamics, will join the deacon and Gina on Faith On Trial. The report itself can be found here.

In 1992 Mark founded Life Dynamics which has since become widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and professional pro-life organizations in America. Under Mark's direction, Life Dynamics has created an extensive litigation support system that helps women sue the abortionists who kill, injure, or sexually assault them. It has also developed strategies and products for crisis pregnancy centers that have been praised by the people who work in these facilities.  In 1996, Mark authored the book, Lime 5, an exposé that has become the recognized standard for people who want to know what really goes on inside the American abortion industry.  

Join Deacon Mike, Gina Noll and Mark Crutcher for a lively discussion of his report.  Tuesday at 9 a.m. (CDT) and rebroadcast at 9 p.m. on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM and 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.  Underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville of Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC, 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines; and Confluence Brewing Company, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines.

‘Seal of Confessional’ case headed to U.S. Supreme Court: Must a priest testify to what was said in the confessional? Next on FOT

Several months ago the Supreme Court of Louisiana ruled that a priest from the diocese of 

Professor Ciolino

Baton Rouge must divulge what transpired during a sacramental confession. Canon Law strictly prohibits priests from breaking that seal, or even acknowledging that there was a confession. 

The Diocese of Baton Rouge has now appealed that ruling to the United States Supreme Court and joining us Tuesday to discuss this matter will be Professor Dane Ciolino, the  Alvin R. Christovich Distinguished Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Professor Ciolino graduated cum laude from Rhodes College in 1985, and magna cum laude from Tulane Law School in 1988, where he was inducted into Order of the Coif and selected as Editor in Chief of the Tulane Law Review.

The Diocese has released a statement that says in part:

“[T]he Louisiana Supreme Court's ruling strikes a very hard blow against religious

freedom, and one which the diocese and Father [Jeff] Bayhi feel compelled to vigorously contest. That ruling, left undisturbed, would result in a trial during which the plaintiffs would be permitted to offer evidence regarding what transpired during a series of alleged confessions, with Father Bayhi and the diocese utterly unable to defend themselves …”

Join Deacon Mike Manno and co-host Gina Noll as they discuss these matters with Professor Ciolino Tuesday morning at 9 (CDT) or the re-broadcast at 9 p.m. on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Iowa Catholic Radio, KWKY Des Moines; FOT is underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville of Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC, 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, and Confluence Brewing Company, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines.

Raunchy textbooks and too many churches next on FOT

Our old friend, Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, will join us Tuesday to

Brad Dacus

discuss the case of one school’s raunchy ninth-grade’s textbooks and a California city’s refusal to permit a new church because there are already too many in the area.  Brad has been a frequent and favorite guest on FOT and is always involved in something that affects faith or parenting.

Join Deacon Mike Manno and co-host Gina Noll for a lively discussion with Brad, live at 9 a.m. (CDT) Tuesday or for the re-broadcast at 9 p.m. Faith On Trial is broadcast on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM (KWKY); 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Faith On Trial is underwritten by Attorney RickMcConville of Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC, 2100  Westown Parkway, West Des Moines; and Confluence Brewing Company, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines.