LifeZine No. 545: 28th Nov 07
EU Warned on Support for Abortion Services
The Irish Government has raised the objection with its European Union partners that support for a “reproductive health and rights” project in a proposed EU-Africa strategy may violate established EU agreements not to fund abortion overseas. The government is concerned that the "Maputo Plan of Action", a strategy to implement the African Unions “Continental Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights”, may result in EU supporting abortion in Africa. The “Framework” was co-authored by the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a leading provider and advocate of abortion. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels recently, Irish diplomats requested that references to the project be deleted from the draft EU-Africa action plan, due to be finalised at a summit next month. "The EU has established positions on sexual and reproductive health and rights matters", said an Irish spokeswoman, referring to an agreement not to fund abortion overseas. "The maintenance of these positions has been confirmed by all EU states." Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
‘Right to Choose’ Feminists ‘Have No Moral Basis’
According to Fr Brian McKevitt OP, editor of the monthly newspaper “Alive!”, “A study of the Church's impact on society would have to cover many areas, including marriage and family life, art, law, economics, politics, care of the sick, philosophy, science and so on”. Writing in “The Irish Times” he said it would have to consider how John Paul II and now Benedict XVI have “battled for the moral foundations of democracy against what is possibly the greatest threat to it today, ethical relativism.” Even "right-to-choose" feminists would find themselves challenged, argued Fr McKevitt. “While they are embarrassed by the tens of millions of unborn children who have been aborted simply because they were female, these feminists have no moral basis from which to condemn this evil. For them it was simply the mothers' choice.” The Church, on the other hand, he continued, “affirms the sacred dignity of every unborn child, male or female, from the time of fertilisation, and vehemently condemns any violation of that dignity. Here is where our recognition of women's dignity must begin.” The Irish Times. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
'Don't Support Amnesty' Schools Told
The head of Amnesty International in the UK has gone on the record to support the organisation's new policy on abortion. In an interview for the “Guardian” newspaper, Kate Allen dismissed the opposition of the Catholic Church as “nonsensical”. She was responding to the decision of the Catholic bishops of England and Wales to write to all Catholic primary and secondary schools and sixth form colleges saying that they should no longer have ties with Amnesty and should not raise money for it. Catholics are urged to continue to work for justice by putting into practice the social teaching of the Catholic Church by supporting other organisations. The Times. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
International Medical Conference Exposes Serious Consequences of Abortion
An international medical conference in Lisbon, Portugal, has examined the serious psychological and medical consequences experienced by millions of women who have had abortions. The Conference on Human Life Studies, which was promoted by the Women in Action Association, noted that, according to a US study, 19% of women experience some sort of emotional problem stemming from their abortions, and another study cited gave a range of 20%-30%. LifeSite.net. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Statistician Refutes Study on Illegal Abortions
A joint study published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Alan Guttmacher Institute is coming under additional scrutiny for claiming that abortions are just as frequent in nations where they are prohibited as in those that legalise them. A statistician at Texas A&M University says the study is “full of gaping holes”. Under the joint study, WHO and the affiliate of the USA's largest abortion business examined information from 1995 to 2003. They claim abortion rates are the same in rich and poor countries and in nations regardless of whether abortions are allowed. They also claim half of the abortions done worldwide are unsafe, even though supposedly safe and legal abortions frequently cause women medical, emotional or other problems. Dr. Keith Schumann, statistician, reviewed the study and said the two groups use “weak or non-existent data to support their conclusion” that nations should legalise abortion. “I cannot make any conclusion on the accuracy or precision of the numbers they report", Schumann said. "There are numerous assumptions made in their methodology that can severely sway the final outcome… In other words, the numbers in the report contain such potentially large margins of error and so many problems with the underlying data that were cobbled together that few, if any, conclusions can accurately be made", the statistician explained. LifeNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
US Bishops Move to Form Consciences as 2008 Election Draws Near
A document from the US Catholic Bishops' Conference tells voters: "The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life is always wrong and is not just one issue among many." “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, issued after the bishops' autumn meeting, outlines the role of conscience and the need for Catholics to follow Church teaching when casting their votes. EWTN. CLICK TO READ MORE.....