News,
Jose Manuel Barroso has withdrawn his European Commission team amid controversy over the nomination of Rocco Buttiglione for Commissioner for Justice. Dr Buttiglione was blocked by Socialist MEPs because of his pro-family, pro-life Catholic beliefs with some members claiming that his convictions rendered him unfit to deal with such issues as civil liberties and fundamental rights. [Ireland.com, 27 October] Pat Buckley of European Life Network stated: "It is a sad day for Europe when an eminent Catholic philosopher is declared to be unfit to hold the position of Commissioner for Justice ,Freedom and Security simply because he believes in the teachings of the Catholic Church on issues such as abortion and the family. The European ideals of diversity and religious and cultural tolerance are now under threat, as the EU appears to be moving towards totalitarianism: These events do not augur well for the future." [SPUC source]
A form of Natural Family Planning known as the "Two Day Method" has been developed and studied by researchers at the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University in Washington DC. The method, which has been described as a 'valuable addition' to family planning, involves women learning to check for vaginal secretions and avoid intercourse on those days. Dr Marcos Arevalo, the study author, said: "The main conclusion of the paper is: this thing works." According to Dr Arevalo, only 3.5 out of 100 women who used the Two Day Method became pregnant after one year. [Reuters, 6 October]
SPUC campaigners in the North East of England have protested against Education for Choice packs being distributed to secondary schools. Marileine Ollerenshaw, SPUC's North East development officer said that the packs, which inform underage girls that they can obtain an abortion without their parents ever knowing about it, remove parental responsibility. She asked: "What is going to happen to a girl who has a secret abortion then has serious physical or psychological problems? There won't be anyone there to support her." [Sunderland Today, 26 October]
The erroneously named pro-abortion organisation Catholics for a Free Choice have complained to the US Internal Revenue Service about Archbishop Charles Chaput's comments in the New York Times last week. CFFC claims that Archbishop Chaput's statements that it is 'morally incoherent and irresponsible' to vote for a pro-abortion candidate are partisan and violate the church's tax exemption. In an e-mail interview, Archbishop Chaput said that neither he nor the Church endorses candidates. [LifeSiteNews.com, 26 October]
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