Following the release of investigative videos showing Planned Parenthood offering aborted baby organs for money, the Catholic bishops of Colorado have designated August 28 as a day of penance and prayer. “We call on all people of good will in Colorado and beyond to pray that those involved in research and medicine will fix their sights on recognizing the sacredness of life and refrain from putting human life at the service of science,” said the Colorado Catholic Conference in a July 31 statement. “A society can only be considered socially just if it protects the most vulnerable among us.” Headquarter in Denver, Colorado, Planned Parenthood of the Rockies was among the affiliates seen in the recent videos released by investigators from the citizen journalist group Center for Medical Progress. The investigators spent three years meeting with Planned Parenthood officials, while presenting themselves as representatives of fetal tissue procurement companies. They have now begun releasing undercover videos of the meetings, which show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the transfer of aborted baby organs for money. Among the topics discussed by the Planned Parenthood officials were prices per “specimen” for the organs from aborted babies and how to change the abortion procedure to better ensure “intact” body parts. “We do tissue collection for CU (University of Colorado), CSU (Colorado State University) — and Ft. Collins had collected some,” stated Dr. Savita T. Ginde in one video. Dr. Ginde is vice president and medical director of Planned Parenthood of the Rockies, a multi-state affiliate that organizes over 10,000 abortions per year. The same Planned Parenthood branch also recently identified Colorado State University as among one of the procurement companies that uses human organs from abortions for their research. Following the release of the videos, Congress has launched several investigations into Planned Parenthood, and numerous religious and political leaders have called for the defunding of the organization. In response to the footage, Colorado’s bishops called on the faithful to participate in the August 28 day of prayer and penance. Examples of ways to participate include attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion, praying the Rosary or Chaplet of Diving Mercy, reading Scripture, spending time in adoration, fasting and abstaining from meat.
