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Canadian National Pro-Life Conference Still on Despite Change of Venue

Problems with emailing to Oratory and Archdiocese explained

By John-Henry Westen

MONTREAL, November 16, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Despite a last minute cancellation by St. Joseph's Oratory, the Canadian National Pro-Life Conference will carry on as scheduled  - at an alternate location.  Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition tells LifeSiteNews.com, "the conference will definitely go on as scheduled."  Hughes urged conference attendees to go to St. Joseph's Oratory as originally planned and they will be directed from there to the new conference location.

The sudden cancellation, by the Oratory, headed by Rector Jean-Pierre Aumont, came as a severe shock to pro-life leaders, many of whom were already travelling to Montreal to attend the conference beginning tomorrow, as they were informed that the contract for the location, signed in March, was broken the day before its commencement.

A press release dated November 16 appeared on the St. Joseph's Oratory website this afternoon entitled, "Saint Joseph's Oratory will no longer host the 2005 Pro-Life conference organized by Campagne Québec-Vie."  The release states: "The administration of Saint Joseph's Oratory has made the difficult decision to withdraw permission for Campagne Québec-Vie to hold its 2005 Pro-Life conference which was to be held on its premises between November 17 and 19, 2005."

The release quotes Rector Aumont as saying, "In the past three days, we have been informed that protests on our grounds are being planned against the 2005 Pro-Life conference. We have come to the conclusion that we cannot guarantee the safety of people on the grounds of Saint Joseph's Oratory during this event."

Montreal police have however confirmed that they could provide adequate security, and pro-life leaders suggest that hotels across Canada have housed similar conferences which are often the subject of threats and demonstrations by anti-life activists.

The release concludes, "For the past one hundred years, Saint Joseph's Oratory has offered an open space for spiritual and peaceful meetings, however, the administration's priority is to ensure the safety of its pilgrims, all its visitors and staff. The administration of Saint Joseph's Oratory regrets any inconvenience that this decision may cause."

EMAIL PROBLEMS

The news bulletin on the matter issued earlier today by LifeSiteNews.com has caused a flurry of calls and faxes to the Oratory and the Montreal diocese expressing concern with the Oratory's devastating action.  However, emails to the Oratory have been bouncing most likely due to overload.  The address we provided earlier today came directly from the Oratory website.

Further, the email address issued for the diocese of Montreal has been updated to or . The old address is no longer valid.

See the original LifeSiteNews.com emergency bulletin on the matter:
Canada's National Shrine Pulls Plug on Location of National Pro-Life Conference Due to Threats
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/nov/05111602.html

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