Key Leaders
HLI was founded by Father Paul Marx, one of the most committed and ubiquitous—albeit unknown to many—members of the anti-family planning communities. Marx, a zealous anti-family planning priest, is credited with the creation of many organizations including: Population Research International (PRI), the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-FAM), the Culture of Life Foundation and Institute (CLF), Seminarians for Life International (SFLI), and Family Life International.
Marx’s work began in the 1950’s. Prior even to Roe v. Wade, he founded the Human Life Center in an attempt to stop the movement against legalizing abortion in the United States. Disguised, Marx attended a pro-choice conference in California in the early 70’s, and subsequently published his book, The Death Peddlers, in an attempt to undermine the credibility of the physicians and individuals working to protect the health and well being of women in America.
“For over half a century this irrepressible American Benedictine has devoted his priesthood and his formidable energy to the fight against the fearsome ‘anti-trinity’ of contraception (the ‘white death’), abortion and euthanasia.”
Marx retired in 1999.
Other individuals associated with HLI include:
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, who became HLI’s president in 2000. Prior to his association with HLI, Euteneuer was actively involved in aggressive anti-abortion tactics. While serving in a Florida parish, he held “…prayer vigils, pilgrimages, pickets…” In 1999, Euteneuer established what he called “… a crisis pregnancy center across the street from an abortion mill…” Additionally, he serves as the current president for SFLI.
Well-known anti abortion activists, Judie Brown from the American Life League and clinic protester and harasser Joseph Scheidler, of the Pro-Life Action League, serve as HLI advisors.
Organizational Background and Activities
Publicly, “HLI promotes a highly orthodox vision of Catholicism that is critical of liberal Catholics around the issues of abortion, sex education, homosexuality, and feminism.”
HLI makes no bones about the fundamental role contraception plays in what they consider to be the upheaval of society. The organization is looked to as the leader in the fight against birth control. As Judie Brown, American Life League President wrote, “Father Marx was the first person to point out to me, in black and white, the reasons why the contraceptive mentality and the practice of contraception always leads to aborting babies. Always! No exceptions.”
A highly notable and perhaps least known aspect of HLI is its strong prejudice and anti-Semitic posturing. In 1998, the Anti-Defamation League investigated the ties between anti-abortion organizations and anti-Jewish sentiments, specifically noting HLI. In a press release, they described HLI as “inordinately preoccupied with Jews.”
In his autobiography, founder Paul Marx, writes, “The same segment of the Jewish community that accuses the Pope of insensitivity to the Jewish Holocaust not only condones but has more or less led the greatest holocaust of all time, the war on unborn babies."
Beyond the above issues, HLI vehemently opposes what they consider the “evils” of stem cell research, death with dignity, and same-sex marriage. As they write on their web site, they take “…a total approach to the life issues from the moment of natural fertilization to the moment of natural death.”
With their global reach, HLI educates and trains anti-family planning activists on an international scale. They hold large conferences and “pro-life missionary trips.” According to their website, they have had 70 of these conferences abroad, 50 in the US, and have trained activists through their missionary trips in 160 countries.
There are 59 HLI satellite offices in 51 countries. They are considered one of the largest anti-family planning organizations in the world. And as quoted on their website, “Were it not for HLI, whole continents, like Africa, would be left virtually defenseless against the culture of death.”
Their publications include Special Reports, as well as Front Lines. Other publications include books with titles such as “ Sex Education: The Final Plague, The Feminist Takeover, and Ungodly Rage: The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism.”
Address
Human Life International-Headquarters
4 Family Life Lane
Front Royal, VA 22630 U.S.A.
Phone: 800/549-LIFE Fax: 540-622-6247
E-Mail: hli@hli.org
Funding and Budget
Fiscal Year 2003
Income: $2,378,579
Expenses: $2,901,179
Net Loss: - $522,600
Assets: $4,308,156
View their IRS Form 990 at GuideStar.org (login required)
