Briefing: the fact that ethical alternatives to this appalling approach have proved far more promising is an important factor here.
From the BBC, in part: But since the bid to outlaw the research was defeated in May last year, two of the three groups which hold a license to create hybrid embryos have been unable to find funding, while the third has yet to try.
Human animal hybrid embryos - in which the nuclei of human cells are inserted into animal eggs - have been seen as one of the most promising ways of overcoming the dramatic shortage of good quality human eggs.
The stem cells then extracted from the embryos - which are some 99% human and 0.1% animal - have the potential to become any kind of tissue and as such could be used to develop treatments for cancer and conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
"We can't do anything at the moment, we just don't have the money" says Dr Stephen Minger, of King's College London, who received his license over a year ago.
"What we have to work out now is whether it's a good use of our scant resources to put our efforts into resubmitting a proposal - which is incredibly time-consuming."
Dr Lyle Armstrong, of Newcastle University, who has failed to find money to take his hybrid research to a next stage added that "legislation does not guarantee that funding will follow".
See the full BBC story.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Hybrid embryo researc fails to attract funding
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Bishops seek to end Catholic education
Briefing. First, by bad catechesis; then by joint Anglican-Catholic schools with women vicars as RE teachers; then by sex education, and now, not for the first time, by going beyond even the government's demands for the Catholic credentials of parents to be taken into account in admissions.
See Damian Thompson. The whole thing is very sad.
Monday, January 12, 2009
EU proposal for abortion in all states
Action: please write to your MEP.
From SPUC: This Wednesday the European Parliament will vote on a resolution which
seeks to promote abortion and same-sex unions throughout the European Union. The resolution, authored by Giusto Catania, an Italian Communist MEP, calls upon EU member-states to guarantee access to "sexual and reproductive health and rights", a term which is often interpreted to include abortion on demand. The resolution also calls on EU member-states to recognise same-sex unions equally with (heterosexual) marriage. The full report can be read here.
The resolution should be rejected, because it threatens unborn children. The resolution repeats the usual calls by the pro-abortion lobby for more contraception, more sex education and more confidential advisory services. Providing these things, however, do nothing to decrease the numbers of abortions, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies, and may in fact serve to increase them.
The resolution should also be rejected because it promotes an unauthentic model of the family, by seeking to impose upon EU member-states the recognition of same-sex unions. Although SPUC is not a religious organisation, we feel that both religious and non-religious pro-lifers can understand and appreciate the following words of the late Pope John Paul II: "It is an illusion to think that we can build a true culture of human life if we do not help the young to accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and in their close interconnection ... Only a true love is able to protect life."
Please email immediately the MEPs for your region, urging them to vote against the resolution on Wednesday. You can find out who are the MEPS for your region and their email addresses by following the links here specifically by
clicking on your region on the coloured map on the left of the page.
Yours sincerely in defence of life,
Anthony Ozimic
Political Secretary
SPUC
NACF Open letter on Sex Ed in Catholic school
Ms.Oona Stannard
Chief Executive
The Catholic Education Service
39 Eccleston Square
London SW1V IBX
general@cesew.org.uk
09.01.09
Last week's Government statistics and BBC Panorama programme, Kids behaving Badly (5th January 2009) * demonstrated the crisis of premature sexualisation of little children in our schools.
In your capacity as Chief Executive of the Catholic Education Service (CES) you have given an interview in which you are reported to have said that the CES has welcomed Government plans to make Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) compulsory in all primary and secondary schools. ** This policy, we know, will corrupt innocent children and at the beginning of this new school term we publicly express our opposition to it based on the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church.
The NACF: We as Catholic parents who accept Catholic teaching on the natural inalienable rights and duties of parents, categorically reject, without reservation, your current position and that of your Board. With respect, neither you nor it has any credible standing on this matter. Parents do so as primary educators of their own children.
The fecundity of conjugal love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend to their moral education and their spiritual formation. 'The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute.' ' The right and the duty of parents to educate their children is primordial and inalienable.' (our emphasis) The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2221
You speak about how you think compulsory sex education would work in Catholic primary schools and are reported to have said: 'You would expect that young children would need to learn about body parts, that simple sort of biology'.
The NACF: The CES arrogantly and undemocratically attempts to usurp our rights and challenge our moral authority as primary educators and protectors of our children.
[S]ince parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it.' (our emphasis) The Documents of the Second Vatican Council
The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship between parents and children; ...and it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others.'(our emphasis) Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II N 36. Familiaris Consortio
In your statement of 23 October 2008 you say that there is much in the Government commissioned review of SRE which the CES can support and that important reassurances are contained in the Government response.
The NACF: As the CES already works with Connexions in Catholic schools and it allows the operation of nurse clinics in some schools we fully believe that the CES broadly supports Government policy. We reject the so-called, 'important reassurances' because on the basis of the following quotation we would be disingenuous to do otherwise.
But Miss Stannard also said that it was unlikely that compulsory SRE would withhold 'the facts about contraception,(our emphasis) because if you withhold facts you leave young people more open to exploitation by others who will notnecessarily have their best interests at heart'. (Catholic Herald 31/10/2008)
You said: 'Indeed we would all abhor early sexualisation.' (our emphasis) (cf 'to learn about body parts' . . . 'amongst their friends and peers' . . . ' 'the facts about contraception, because if you withhold facts you leave young people more open to exploitation by others who will not necessarily have their best interests at heart'.)
The NACF: On this one point we agree and it is for this reason that we are utterly opposed to your policy which will prematurely sexualize our children. It is the parents who love their children, have their hearts broken when their children are corrupted and it is they who have to try to pick up the pieces. At the same time it is the parents who are held responsible for the consequences of the damaging actions of others in the pay of the Parental State. We emphatically request that the governing body of the CES now unambiguously follows the teaching of the Catholic Church world- wide and thus reject its own local hybridization with this State's ill concealed and discredited birth control policies. We for our part trust the guidance to our families given under the authority of Pope John Paul II:
Nonetheless, in the context of moral and sexual information, various problems can arise in this stage of childhood. In some societies today, there are planned and determined attempts to impose premature sex information on children . . . Such information tends to shatter their emotional and educational development and to disturb the natural serenity of this period of life. Parents should politely but firmly exclude any attempts to violate children's innocence because such attempts compromise the spiritual, moral and emotional development of growing persons who have a right to their innocence.' (our emphasis) The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality 83.
You said 'The statutory rights of parents to withdraw their children from sex education remain but it is our hope that parents will not find the need to exercise this right as children are likely to benefit from experiencing SRE amongst their friends and peers'. '
The NACF'S response is to strongly recommend that parents send this letter to schools.
The Head teacher,
Dear ,
We wish to inform you that we formally withdraw our daughter/son.......from all of the sex and relationship classes with immediate effect. We also wish to be given details of content and adequate notice prior to any similar material being dealt with in other parts of the curriculum in any other lesson. We are taking this action as we feel strongly that sex education and the morals and values implicit in this remain within the inalienable moral responsibility of us, as parents, as the primary and natural educators and protectors of our children. Yours etc.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Ward, President of the National Association of Catholic Families
Tim Matthews Editor CF News, National Association of Catholic Families
Jane and Orlando Villalobos, Birmingham
Maria and Bob Haynes, Chester
Christine and Nigel Hudson, Plymouth
Mary Middlewick, Truro
Valeria Findlay-Wilson, Dorset
Clare and Martin O'Toole, Devon
James and Teresa Shingler, Staffordshire
David & Shauna Katrcyz, Oldham
Jane Deegan
Matthew and Alexandra Mc Cowen, Manchester
James and Teresa Shingler, Staffordshire
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* www.bbc.co.uk/go/homepage/d/int/tv/bbcone/5/-/programmes/b00gkl8z
** Catholic Herald. Bishops' agency backs sex education for Catholic primary school children. By Anna Arco 31 October 20
'Peace priest' arrested
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Teenage pregnancies come to suburbia
Briefing. Another great success for sex education. We're not joking: it is embedding a radical, anti-marriage sexual revolution accross society. Whereas in the past social conservatives could appeal to a shared understanding of marriage and family, these developments are being used by the government to argue that 'non-traditional families' are so numerous that they must simply be accepted as part of society. When they are the majority, they will be above criticism: they will simply be 'normal'.
In the two thirds of the worst affected areas, which the Government has targeted with increased sex education and contraception classes for children, teenage maternity is also still on the rise.
Experts blamed the increases on young women who see the morning-after pill as a contraceptive or want to have children young to copy their favourite celebrity mother. An aversion to abortion among affluent families may also be a factor, they said.
In December, official figures revealed a 2.7 per cent increase in teenage pregnancies in England and Wales last year - ensuring Britain's place at the top of the Europe's under-18 pregnancy league. The latest figures, obtained by the Conservatives. break down the number of teenagers giving birth by parliamentary seats and show that 42,300 babies were born to mothers under the age of 20 in 2006. Surprisingly, many with the highest rates are affluent suburbs, often presided over by Conservative MPs.
The seat with the biggest increase of teenagers giving birth - from 16 in 2002 to 44 in 2006 - was Rushcliffe, Nottingham, where the MP is former Conservative Health Secretary Ken Clarke. In Pudsey, West Yorkshire, the number rose from 26 to 60 and in Epsom and Ewell, in leafy Surrey, it rose from 15 to 32.
Conservative children spokesman Tim Loughton said that the situation was getting worse despite the Government's "smoke and mirrors" tactics to disguise it. "Most of the areas that are already experiencing the biggest problems are seeing the number of teenage pregnancies rise," he said.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
CDF forbids Jesuit to teach on Christology
Briefing: it is very good news that condemnations are happening. Naturally more are needed. But simply to get the message out that the Vatican is not endlessly tolerant of Catholic religious publishing heretical books is a big thing, and will start to have its effect.
In a "notification" approved by Pope John Paul II, and signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Congregation said that the work of Father Roger Haight contained serious doctrinal errors, and forbade the Jesuit priest from teaching theology until the errors have been corrected. The notification was dated December 13, 2004, and made public by the Vatican this week. The Vatican notification came after a 5-year investigation, prompted by the publication of Father Haight's book, Jesus Symbol of God. During the investigation, Father Haight had resigned his teaching post at the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Father Haight, whose work was devoted to inter-religious dialogue, argued that God's grace was active through non-Christian religious traditions. After an examination of the book, and repeated questioning of the author, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith found that Father Haight's work conflicted with key Catholic teachings, including the doctrines on the Trinity, the Incarnation, the divinity of Christ, the salvific power of Christ's Sacrifice, the Resurrection, and the unique role of the Church in the economy of salvation.
Soon after the book was published, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith found that Jesus Symbol of God contained serious doctrinal flaws. In July 2002 the Congregation submitted a list of errors to Jesuit superiors, inviting Father Haight to correct his work.
Father Haight is the second Jesuit theologian whose work has drawn a formal rebuke from the Vatican in the past five years. In February 2001, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith warned of doctrinal errors in the work of Father Jacques Dupuis, a Belgian Jesuit and former professor at the Gregorian university, who died in December 2004. In the case of Father Dupuis, too, the central doctrinal problems cited by the Vatican involved the unique role of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church in the work of salvation.
Friday, January 09, 2009
'Street Pastors' in Maidstone
Briefing. An interesting development. It seems probable that nothing like this would be possible from the Catholic Church because of the attitude of the Bishops: it would be seen as too risky.
"They help in an amazing array of ways. Not only do they pray for people, but they offer practical solutions to problems."
See the full story.
Rise in English abortions for Northern Irish mothers
Briefing.
From the Belfast Telegraph, in part: A record number of women from Northern Ireland are opting to go to England and Wales to terminate a pregnancy, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.
Figures released by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey show that there were 1,343 abortions carried out in England and Wales where the woman gave a home address in Northern Ireland in 2007 — the majority of which would be regarded as illegal here.
According to the Department of Health statistics, 6,400 abortions were performed on women from Northern Ireland in hospitals in England and Wales between 2003 and 2007.
The latest figure was a rise of 48 on that for the overall 2006 tally while 179 more women went for abortions in 2007 compared to 2005.
See their full story.
Adoption agencies latest
Briefing.
From CFNews: Half of the Catholic adoption agencies that the Church threatened to close if they were required to work with homosexual couples have now decided to adopt the new equality law following an exemption period.
In total, 11 agencies were given a 21 month 'adjustment' period from the Equality Act in April 2007. The Act outlaws discrimination in the provision of good and services on the grounds of sexual orientation. The exemption period ran out on 1 January 2009.
Five of the agencies have now changed their position and will comply with the law,. One is to close and two others are still seeking exemption, BBC News reports.
Compliance with the new regulations by Catholic adoption agencies has been met with strong criticism by some members of the Church.
In October 2008 the Catholic Bishop of Lancaster, Patrick O'Donoghue, threatened to evict adoption agency Catholic Caring Services from church premises for complying with the Equality Act
Christian counsellor wins unfair dismissal case
Briefing.
Gary McFarlane had worked for Relate since 2003. He was disappointed with the hostility he had experienced from Relate. Although Mr McFarlane had never had to provide sex therapy to a same sex couple, he thought that if the situation did arise, he would be able to discuss his Christian views with his supervisors so that his position could be discussed and if necessary accommodated. Any such discussions were, however, pre-empted by unexpected meetings between Mr McFarlane and his manager in October 2007 when he was asked to state his views
regarding same sex couples. Despite explaining that he would counsel couples in compliance with Relate's Equal Opportunities Policy, and that he would raise any issues with his supervisors and manager, as good practice required, Mr McFarlane was suspended in early January 2008 and then dismissed in March 2008.
Mr McFarlane was given no other choice than to subject his religious faith to
the Equal Opportunities Policy.
However, although he won his wrongful dismissal claim, the Tribunal held that
his claim of religious discrimination should fail. The Tribunal recognised
powerful arguments on both sides, but held that the provision of non
discriminatory services was important.
Andrea Minichiello Williams Director of the Christian Legal Centre said : 'The
law is in a confused state; in the case of Lillian Ladele, the Islington
Registrar, the Court held that Christian belief must give way to the rights of
same sex couples; but in the case of Gary McFarlane there is a finding of
wrongful dismissal. The courts and public are confused; we call on the
Government to recognise the legitimate expression of conscience by Christians
in the area of sexual orientation and provide protection where necessary.'
Mr. McFarlane said that: 'If I were a Muslim, this would not have happened. But
Christians seem to have fewer and fewer rights'
Muslim prisoners for sex offences may opt out of therapy (Times 9 April 2008)
Non Muslim father banned from Swimming Pool (Telegraph 18/4/08)
Magistrate investigated for refusing evidence in veil (BBC 8/1/08)
Betts Awards 'Three Little Pigs' too offensive (BBC)
Andrea Minichiello Williams continued:- 'It is important to note that Mr.
McFarlane has never refused to counsel a same sex couple; he merely raised the
potential conflict between his Christian faith and homosexual conduct. It is
deeply disturbing that the mere expression of religious belief with an
inability to give unqualified support to sexual orientation issues means that a
Christian can be dismissed with no attempt to provide suitable accommodation
for his or her beliefs. The law preventing religious discrimination against
Christians is in danger of becoming a dead letter'.
Link to Judgment - http://www.ccfon.org/docs/reserved_judgment_20090501.pdf
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Is Mary Warnock the scariest nutcase on the streets?
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Liturgical dance in Biarritz - with knives
Briefing: there was a notorious Mass in Westminster Cathedral when the late Cardinal Hume was presented with 'liturgical dancers', but this kind of thing seems pretty rare in this country, thanks to a merciful providence. Here is some extraordinary goings-on in France, where what look a bit like Morris dancers are prancing about with enormous knives. The fun starts about half-way through.
Yes, dancing is forbidden in the Roman liturgy. This kind of thing can't really be called 'liturgical dance' of course since there is no such thing in the Catholic tradition. The closest we come to it are certain rhythmic processions; not only are these extremely rare in Europe but what fruit-cakes like these guys are doing has got no connection with that. They are simply performing a secular folk dance in church. See Cardinal Arinze for an excellent discussion of the issue.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Bishop O'Donaghue on preaching the whole gospel
Briefing.
From CFNews: Both the Church and society are suffering today from the harm caused by gross distortions and the rejection of Catholic teaching over the past 40 years, warns Bishop Patrick O'Donohue of Lancaster.
'The idea of obedience and humility toward God's truth are totally alien to many people in this age of assertive individualism,' said the bishop.
Critical of a lack of courage in bishops and Catholic leaders, he stated: 'If we fail in our duty of presenting the truths of the faith, not only the Church but also wider society, suffers.'
In an interview with Zenit newsagency, the Bishop of Lancaster argued that 'the principal challenge, from which many of the other challenges spring, is the rejection of obedience in the Church.'
'We must allow the word of God to judge and challenge us,' he said, rather than approaching it 'with the attitude of consumers, who pick and choose according to taste and personal comfort.'
In the past few years Bishop O'Donoghue has emerged as the most outspoken bishop in these islands, stating without compromise what is demanded by the following of Christ.
Some months ago his comprehensive programme for the renewal of his diocese, Fit for Mission?, created a stir in the English-speaking world, and won the praise of top Vatican officials.
Bishop O'Donoghue admitted that he had been surprised 'both by the approval and the hostility' that his documents caused 'in my own diocese, nationally and internationally.'
He added, 'all I have done is reiterate and explain the teachings of the Church as expressed in the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.'
Critical of bishops for their neglect in correcting distortions of the faith since the Council, he also did not spare well-educated lay Catholic leaders.
They, he said, 'occupy influential positions in education, the media, politics, and even the Church, where they have spread their so-called loyal dissent, causing confusion and discord.'
Bishop O'Donoghue also claimed that 'a wrong type of ecumenism has put a brake on the Catholic Church's freedom to engage in evangelisation and mission in society.'
Fear of offending other Christians 'has inhibited us from confidently proclaiming the distinctive and defining truths of Catholicism,' he said.
He wanted ecumenical dialogue to focus on 'those elements of the Catholic Church that we have in common with non-Catholic churches and ecclesial communities.'
The goal, he said 'should always be to strengthen the imperfect communion that already exists, in the hope that non-Catholics will come to see and come to seek the fulness of truth.'
Since he hit the headlines, Bishop O'Donoghue has been seen as particularly concerned about the religious formation of children and young adults.
Part of his aim, he said was 'to encourage debate among clergy and catechists about the nature and methodology of catechesis and theology.'
He rejected the tendency to treat Church doctrine as a secondary source, 'with primacy given to personal experience and secular methodologies.' Rather, Church doctrine, 'the Deposit of Faith,' must have primacy in the task of communicating the fulness of the faith.
Catholic renewal will only come, he said, 'if clergy and laity, including the bishops, wholeheartedly accept obedience to the full doctrinal, moral and liturgical truth as entrusted to, and protected by, the Successor of St. Peter.' [www.alive.ie]
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Heythrop College thoroughly second-rate
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Tax and benefit system punishes committed relationships
From the Telegraph, in part: he report, Individualists Who Co-Operate, said the system "penalises" couples who live together, adding to accusations that Labour's taxes and handouts are encouraging the death of traditional family structures.
It found, in one case, that where a lone mother earned £10,000 a year, and her partner earned £25,000, they were £5,473 worse off if they decided to live together. If the lone mother did not work, they were £4,522 worse off for cohabiting.
The report echoed claims that Government policies have led to the "perpetuation of single-parent families", adding: "Potential partners on low incomes (precisely those who can only make ends meet by combining their efforts) are discouraged from partnering (or re-partnering)."
One in five of those who stopped receiving benefits did so to move in with a partner, it said, suggesting that more couples might live together if they were rewarded in tax breaks.
Read the full Telegraph story.
Buy the report here.
Briefing. Doctors frequently tell parents their babies will be disabled or ill when this turns out not to be the case: the tests they use have reletively high rates of false results. It is scandalous that these tests are used to condemn babies to death.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Vatican to adopt Italian laws only selectively in future
Briefing. The gap between the law of the Italian state, like most states, and natural law, continues to widen, and Pope Benedict XVI has the courage to say 'no' to immoral laws. It is surprising, in retrospect, this did not happen before: Pope Paul VI, for example, did not feel able to make this gesture when Italy permitted divorce (in 1974), or John-Paul II when they legalised abortion (just before he was elected, in 1978). Pope Benedict XVI is reacting to the issues of civil partnerships and euthanasia.
From the BBC, in part: The Vatican City State, the world's smallest sovereign state, has decided to divorce itself from Italian law. Vatican legal experts say there are too many laws in Italian civil and criminal codes, and that they frequently conflict with Church principles. With effect from New Year's Day, the Pope has decided that the Vatican will no longer automatically adopt laws passed by the Italian parliament. All Italian laws will be examined one by one before they are adopted. [As will UN treaties.]
Under the Lateran treaties signed exactly 80 years ago between Italy and the Pope, and the Italian Parliamentary system, Italian laws were applied automatically.
See full story.
Abortion: any reason is a good reason
Briefing. Feminists are in a bind about sex-selective abortion, a fact which is useful to know. The abortionists are desperate to prevent any restriction on abortion, even when the motivation for the abortion is itself sexist. They argue that women should be 'free to choose' even when their 'choice' is highly likely to be simply giving in to social or family pressure. This is of course is the case with many other abortions as well: the 'freedom to choose' is the freedom to be bullied and blackmailed into disposing of a baby which might cause inconvenience and embarrassment to the mother's family and lover.
From C-Fam: According to a new article circulated by the abortion advocacy organization Ipas, widespread access to “safe abortion” trumps concerns over the gender imbalance stemming from “sex selective” abortion.
As sex-selective abortion overwhelmingly targets unborn girls, the article by Ipas senior research and policy advisor Bela Ganatra acknowledges that the issue divides the “reproductive rights community.” Abortion advocates are “often torn between their desire to allow women to choose when and if to have children, and their own personal disagreement with the basis for that choice.” Ipas, however, comes down on the side of widespread access to abortion, even if this means a female “birth dearth.”
Sex-selected abortion, or “gendercide,” as some feminist critics call it, is a practice whereby parents choose to terminate a pregnancy because the unborn child is not of the desired sex. It is generally carried out against baby girls. The practice has led to unnatural gender imbalances in some countries, mostly in Asia, where in some areas of China, for instance, as many as 150 boys are born for every 100 girls, creating a dramatic demographic crisis.
In response, some governments have banned sex-detection tests and outlawed
sex-selected abortion. Ipas claims that as a result of these policies,
“tremendous pressure emerges to control and restrict all second-trimester
abortions,” the time when most sex-selected abortions occur. Ipas argues that
“providers, afraid of being accused of providing sex-selective abortions, may
limit their services to the first trimester, even when second-trimester
services are legal.”
In “Maintaining Access to Safe Abortion and Reducing Sex Ratio Imbalances
in Asia” published in the latest issue of Reproductive Health Matters, Ganatra
prioritizes access to abortion and argues that it is necessary to address “son
preference” as the root cause, rather than on policies which place restrictions
on abortion. Ganatra fears that outlawing sex-selected abortion is “starting to
have adverse effects on the already limited access to safe and legal second
trimester abortion for reasons other than sex selection” and that the issue is
being used “as a front to promote anti-choice messages.”
Ganatra criticizes media campaigns like those in India that discourage
sex-selected abortions for using “loaded words” that “personify the fetus,”
claiming that these foster an “anti-abortion climate” which threatens “the
gains made in making abortion safe.” Ganatra also criticizes the United
Nations (UN) and some of its agencies for supporting efforts which use
terminology that condemn sex-selective abortion as murder. She blasts the UN
for using terms like ‘feticide’ and opposing sex selection in favor of the
right of unborn girls to be born,” arguing that human rights only “begin at
birth.”
Ipas and Ganatra conclude that the use of prenatal technology and selective
abortions as a “pathway through which son preference results in an imbalanced
sex ratio” but dismiss efforts to combat the problem with policies that hinder
access to abortion.
Demographers project that there are as many as 100 million missing baby
girls because of sex-selected abortion. A 2007 initiative to tackle
sex-selected abortion head-on at the UN was derailed by abortion-rights NGOs
and the European Union because some European states opposed condemning abortion
for any reason.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth: Charity Commission ruling
Briefing: this is a vindication of those who resisted the attempts to secularise the hospital under Lord Bridgeman. It doesn't deal clearly with the continuing problems, upon which we have blogged here.
From The Tablet (30/12/08), in part: THE CHARITY Commission has sharply reprimanded
the previous leadership of a private Catholic hospital over its handling of a dispute
about its code of ethics, writes Isabel de Bertodano.
Following a nine-month inquiry, the commission this week issued a report that criticised the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in north London for its failure to implement a new code approved by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor last year to clarify the charity’s opposition to abortion. The report also questioned the decision of the previous leadership to allow a group of NHS GPs to move on to the hospital’s premises, because of the potential conflict of ethical interest between public-sector doctors and the private Catholic charity. Furthermore, the report said that the hospital’s then board of trustees had “misled” the commission and ignored requests for information.
