News,
A former head-teacher of a Catholic school has challenged leaders of the Catholic Education Service of England and Wales (CESEW) to a public debate on the Children, Schools and Families bill. Mr Hester, who was a head-teacher of Catholic comprehensive and grammar schools for 24 years and has extensive experience of inspecting schools, claims that the bishops have been deceived about the government’s plans. Mr Hester claims that no government minister is prepared to offer a public assurance that Catholic schools will not be forced to teach things contrary to Church doctrine as part of the bill’s sex education provisions. Mr Hester has also challenged the CESEW to debate the issue of sex education with him or another speaker on behalf of Catholic teaching. John Smeaton, national director of SPUC, has joined Mr Hester in that challenge. [John Smeaton, 30 January] http://is.gd/7tSQb
A parish priest in Manchester, England, has said the government’s promotion of abortion and contraception in Catholic schools is an act of hatred towards the Catholic Church. Fr Tom Connolly, parish priest of St. Kentigern's, Fallowfield, has warned that should the Children, Schools and Families bill be passed, the next generation of children will be in indoctrinated by the false ideology of those who rule us. [John Smeaton, 30 January] http://is.gd/7tSYs
Three-quarters of respondents to a poll in Britain have said that they support a change in the law that would allow for assisted suicide. Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, is already drafting new guidelines for the circumstances in which those involved with assisted suicide of family members will be brought to court. Such a change in the law has received high-profile support from people such as Sir Terry Pratchett, the author. Care Not Killing http://is.gd/7tT4r , a group that works for the rights of the disabled and the promotion of palliative care, has said that it is discriminatory and dangerous to argue that terminally ill people need less protection from the law. [Telegraph, 1 February] http://is.gd/7tThL
Stillbirth Foundation Australia is urgently calling for more research into stillbirth, after it emerged that 2,000 babies a year are stillborn in Australia. Reports say that IVF and ovarian stimulation are thought to increase the chance of stillbirth. [The Daily Telegraph Australia, 1 February] http://is.gd/7tTws
The murderer of George Tiller has been found guilty of first degree murder after admitting to shooting the late-term abortion practitioner. Pro-life groups have joined in again condemning the murder as an act of vigilantism. [LifeSiteNews, 29 January] http://is.gd/7tTNh
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