100+ honor Leif and Karen Arvidson, Rep. Thiesfeldt at Pro-Life WI Awards Dinner

Over 100 people gathered in La Crosse last Thursday, April 16, to celebrate three pro-life heroes who courageously live their convictions: Leif and Karen Arvidson and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt. Laughter and lively conversations filled the room as attendees enjoyed drinks and a delicious meal.

The powerful keynote address, delivered by our very own State Director, Dan Miller, was interrupted by multiple rounds of applause, and our honorees ended the evening with stirring remarks of their own. A joyful and inspiring evening was had by all! We hope to see you next year!

Read La Crosse Tribune Coverage of the event here.

Check out pictures from the event here!

Pro-Life WI

The Trib perhaps whiffed on  this point: "Officials there have said they do not perform abortions, a point that the Arvidsons acknowledge."  That said, I am glad to see they covered the event.

It should read "Officials there have said they do not perform abortions [at the La Crosse campus], a point that the Arvidsons acknowledge."

Dr. Carl Rose recommended an abortion (of which he will do late into the pregnancy) so presumably he would have aborted their child at his primary office in Rochester.  Mayo Clinic in Rochester regularly performs abortions.  This is why the Diocese of Winona removed their Catholic status and chapel from campus.  Mayo has already announced a "Special Procedures Clinic" in neighboring Onalaska (is this completed?) which would provide a venue to do abortions in the La Crosse area to compete with Gunderson Lutheran's abortion practice.

For obvious reasons, the diocesan paper chose not to cover the event.

It was great to see Sister Rosalia there!  God bless her!

Pro-Life Action Ministries: Abortionist Working at Catholic Hospital in La Crosse

Debra Braun of Pro-Life Action Ministries did an article on the situation at Franciscan Skemp bringing in abortionists on site for consultations.

Pro-lifers have been picketing the Catholic hospital in La Crosse, Wis. since March 5, asking that the hospital sever ties with abortionist Carl Rose. The hospital, Mayo Clinic Health System- Franciscan Healthcare, is co-owned by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) and is part of the Mayo Clinic, based in Rochester, Minn. Rose is an OB/GYN who sees pregnant women at the hospital in La Crosse and who kills unborn children elsewhere, presumably at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Methodist Campus in Rochester, where we know abortions are being committed. (See "Pray for Carl Rose" on page 6.)

The pro-life efforts are headed up by Leif and Karen Arvidson, who have personal experience with Rose. During Karen’s most recent pregnancy, she was seen by Rose at the La Crosse hospital. Although the baby was perfectly healthy at the time, Rose suggested that he could have Down Syndrome and that they should discuss their options (i.e., abortion).

When Karen suffered a placental abruption, Rose seemed to have no concern for the life of the child, according to the Arvidsons. The baby experienced great distress, but Rose neglected to provide help. In order to find out why he was so calloused, Karen called his office in Rochester. An office worker informed her that Rose commits abortions for any reason up to about 21 weeks. [Even Planned Parenthood will only do abortions up to 14 weeks] Since the story went public, several other women have come forward with stories of similar experiences with Rose. Some of their stories are posted on a new website that was established to raise awareness of the issue — www.exposemayo.com.

The baby, Peter, now 18 months old, had some medical challenges after birth. By the grace of God, through the fervent prayers of many supporters, he is now doing well, with some developmental delays, said Leif.

The Arvidsons have asked the FSPA Sisters and hospital administrators to sever ties with the abortionist, but they decided to continue to have him meet with pregnant women. They said that they are morally obliged to provide abortion as an option. Yet, in May 2011, hospital CEO Dr. Timothy Johnson had said, "We are committed to maintaining our Catholic identity. It is a very big part of who we are."

“It is unacceptable that Franciscan brings in an abortionist to work with pregnant women, unbeknownst to them,” the Arvidsons said in a statement. “It is gravely wrong for a Catholic hospital to refer patients out to abortion clinics. But this is worse – they are bringing the abortionist into their hospital to meet with pregnant women.”

The Arvidsons added that they are picketing outside of the hospital so that other women will know that an abortionist works in the OB/GYN department. “Pregnant women have the right to know if an abortionist is assigned to care for them,” they said.

More people are needed to hold prolife and informational signs outside the hospital. Go to www.exposemayo.com to see how you can get involved and to keep updated on this situation.

La Crosse's "Catholic" Franciscan Skemp hospital attempted to coerce woman into abortion

First a little background.

May 2011:  Franciscan Skemp becomes more extensively connected to Mayo

"We'll be more extensively connected to Mayo, and the Mayo knowledge and expertise will be just a click away," Johnson said. "Patients will have a much more seamless experience over time."

Franciscan Healthcare will be a secondary name used on signs and in local internal operations.

Dr. Robert Nesse, former Franciscan Skemp president and CEO, is the CEO of the entire Mayo Clinic Health System, which provides services to 70 communities.

He said the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, co-owners and sponsors of the La Crosse-based system, approved the name change.

"Here locally, we are committed to maintaining our Catholic identity," [La Crosse CEO Dr. Timothy] Johnson said. "It is a very big part of who we are."

"We're not going to solve the health care crisis with fragmented care," he said. "In a fully integrated system, you can take care of patients from birth to death."

March 2013: Mayo Clinic's Saint Mary's Hospital no longer designated "Catholic health care institution."  This is in Rochester at the main site of the Mayo System.  It was revoked when Bishop Quinn of Winona, MN found out Mayo insisted on performing abortions on campus. 

February 2014: Mayo clinic - not Franciscan Skemp directly - opened a "special procedures" clinic in neighboring Onalaska to do sterilizations and (it is assumed) eventually do abortions. It seemed like Franciscan Skemp might actually be attempting to retain their Catholic and Franciscan identity by sheltering itself from the larger system, but it turns out that is not the case.  I'm told that Franciscan Skemp employees were already expected to be operating the building, not Mayo employees.  A smokescreen; probably because they figured the bishop would not yank their Catholic status in the process.

Franciscan Skemp and Mayo got the local paper to run a front page pro-abortion article following this announcement on a Sunday in the La Crosse Tribune (and I'm told the Rochester Post Bulletin as well but I could not find it).  

Alive and doing well, thank you very much. 

Now the summary of what has come to light:

Hi Everyone,

For those of you who don't know, Dr. Rose was my doctor for my most recent pregnancy.  The care was so bad, that we suspected he was an abortionist.  Dr. Carl Rose (who works at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and comes to La Crosse to work with OB/GYN patients), seemed very callous toward the life of our child.  In late January, in an effort to find out the truth about the doctor, I called Mayo Clinic in Rochester and asked if Dr. Rose would provide an abortion.  Surprisingly, the doctor's receptionist said that he would, and he has provided abortions.  She said that he provides abortions up to 20 weeks plus 6 days and after some questioning she basically said that he will do it for any reason, according to the woman's wishes.  This is the doctor who was supposed to take care of me and my baby during my difficult pregnancy!

It was a very disheartening day yesterday(Tuesday).  We met with the hospital administrators again, to receive their response to our requests (to sever ties with abortionist, Dr. Rose).  Dr. Johnson informed us that they had consulted with the FSPA sisters [DING DING DING!] and other counselors.  He then stated that Dr. Rose is a good doctor and he provided good care. They are going to continue having him work with pregnant women at Franciscan Healthcare.  And then he[THE CEO] stated that doctors are legally and morally required to provide all options to their patients, including the option of abortion (although they do not perform the abortions at Franciscan).  So they have decided to retain ties with the abortionist. [I would ask them to cite their sources, under what legal and moral pretense can they make that statement?  There is no legal requirement to offer an abortion to my knowledge.  Did the CEO lie?  The moral requirement?  We assume the FSPA has provided that erroneous judgement]

We had a meeting with Dr. Timothy Johnson, CEO; Mr. Joseph Kruze, Chief Administrative Officer; and Dr. David Rushlow, Chief of Medical Staff.  When we met with them two weeks ago, we warned them that we would not back down if they did not sever ties with abortionists.  We are now getting the word out that there is an abortionist at Franciscan, and that the OB/Gyn staff is required to "present all options - including abortion".  Pregnant women have a right to know - especially at a Catholic hospital. [!!!!!!]  (It never occurred to me that my doctor could be an abortionist, when I was at a Catholic hospital!)  Today is the first day of the Vigil for Life.  And it goes through April 11.  Please join in holding up signs on West Avenue, in front of Franciscan Hospital.

Karen Arvidson

They have put together an extensive website with all the details: exposemayo.com