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UK Bishop Warns of Catholic Break with Amnesty International over Pro-Abortion Stance

By Terry Vanderheyden

LONDON, August 3, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A UK bishop has warned that unless Amnesty International changes its pro-abortion tune, there will be a wholesale defection of Catholic members, who would not be able to remain members in good conscience.

Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales’ spokesman Bishop Michael Evans told Vatican radio today that the values that underlie the human rights organization, founded by a Catholic in 1961, would be undermined if it goes in the direction some members are clamouring for.

“This move gradually towards adopting a right of abortion as a fundamental human right is going to undermine that work and divide the membership, and therefore, lessen its effectiveness in the world,” said Bishop Evans.

Amnesty International (AI), one of the world’s best known human rights advocacy groups, has proposed actively fighting against the right to life for unborn children by using its resources to promote a so-called "right to abortion".

The Canadian, British, and New Zealand branches of AI have already voted to support abortion.  AI’s plan is to decide by the end of 2006 on adopting a position on three aspects of abortion: “decriminalization of abortion”; “access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion”; and “legal, safe and accessible abortion in cases of rape, sexual assault, incest, and risk to a woman’s life”.

Bishop Evans, who served as a former Amnesty International UK council member and chairman of its religious bodies liaison panel, described the group as “vital” for the world. He explained that “Catholics are very much involved with Amnesty at every level,” including programs affiliated with many Catholic parishes.

The bishop encouraged individuals to write letters to urge the group to “protect the rights of every human being, including the unborn.”

“Clearly, if Amnesty adopts a pro-abortion position, it will be very difficult for Catholics to remain formal members of Amnesty, even though they want to continue the fundamental work for human rights,” he added. He said his own membership would be withdrawn if they continue with their abortion-supportive plan.

To contact amnesty: (Click on Send a message to this section/office)
http://web.amnesty.org/contacts/engindex

To email International Secretariat:
http://web.amnesty.org/contacts/index/eng-000

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

To Amnesty International: As a Person of Colour I Oppose the Discrimination Against the Unborn
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06052601.html

Amnesty International Considers Pushing Enforcement of Abortion as Human Right
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06042511.html

Amnesty International Abortion Agenda: Decriminalization in '06 and On Demand in '07
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06060208.html

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