Politics
Thursday June 1, 2006
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Bishop, Author of Amnesty International Prayer, to Resign over Abortion Stance
By Gudrun Schultz
EAST ANGLIA, England, June 1, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Evans, a 30-year member of Amnesty International (AI) and author of last year’s Amnesty Prayer, has condemned the organization’s move to promote abortion as a fundamental human right, saying he will be forced to withdraw his membership if the agency continues with the proposal.
In a statement published on Bishop Evans’ website, he stated, “[I]t would be very difficult for Catholics and many others to continue as formal members of an organisation which explicitly excluded some of the most vulnerable of all—the ‘unborn human’—from its current campaign to ‘Protect the Human.’”
“Whatever the range of views of Amnesty members on abortion," he continued, "moving from its neutral stance may well serve to undermine its effectiveness in its key areas of expertise and influence. Its ability to work with the Catholic Church and other Christian bodies would be badly impaired. It would become a partisan body, particularly in places like the United States, and thus lose its ability to build consensus around issues like the death penalty…Those involved in decision-making at international level need to ponder this very carefully indeed.”
The UK branch of Amnesty International voted in April to embark on abortion advocacy. The Spectator reported that Bishop Evans expressed his dismay over the decision in a letter to Kate Allen, Amnesty’s UK director.
“[M]any Roman Catholics, including myself, would feel obliged—very reluctantly—to withdraw our membership of an organisation which has done great work since Peter Benenson, a Roman Catholic, founded it in 1961,” Bishop Evans wrote.
“I will continue my commitment to bringing the candle of justice to those in the darkness of oppression, but I would not feel able to continue as a member of a body which amidst its great work for humanity, excluded the most vulnerable of all—the unborn human—from its protection.”
He also warned AI that “any move towards supporting abortion will radically undermine in the eyes of many people, not only Roman Catholics, the perception of Amnesty as an organisation which ‘protects the human’ at every stage of life.”
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Amnesty International Considers Pushing Enforcement of Abortion as Human Right
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06042511.html
Amnesty International: We're Supporting Abortion because of Gay Rights
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06052607.html
Amnesty International UK Branch Approves Abortion Advocacy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050504.html
To contact amnesty see:
(Click on Send a message to this section/office)
http://web.amnesty.org/contacts/engindex
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Human Rights Commission Drops Complaint Against Catholic Magazine
- Canada's Catholic Bishops United in Opposition to Order of Canada Being Awarded to Morgentaler
- Highlights from Canada's Debate on the Morgentaler Order of Canada Fiasco
- Golden Arches Awash in Rainbow Colors: Family Group Boycotts McDonalds for Support for Homosexual Agenda
- Bishops Investigate Report: 39 Abortions, 9684 Sterilizations Performed in Texas Catholic Hospitals
- President Bush and Senator McCain Address National Right to Life Conference
- Formal Request Filed to Terminate Morgentaler's Appointment to the Order of Canada
- UK Catholic, Muslim Doctors May be Forced to Refer for Abortion
- UK Contraception and Abortion Promoters calling for Sex Ed for Four Year-Olds
- LAPD Sued for Alleged Discrimination against Officer's Religious Beliefs
- Foremost Expert on Contraception Says the Pill is Not Working - It's "Outdated"
- Letters to the Editor for Friday, July 4
- Morgentaler Order of Canada Protest Set for July 9 in Ottawa
- LifeSiteNews Now on Facebook - Join Our Group, Spread the Word
Most Read this Week
- Archbishop Calls All Catholics to Demand National Award to Abortion Doc be Revoked
- Pro-Life Groups Horrified by Morgentaler's Appointment to the Order of Canada
- Pro-Life Group Appalled that Abortionist Morgentaler Would Even be Considered for Order of Canada
- Online Polls Ask Whether Morgentaler Should Have Been Awarded Order of Canada
- Human Rights Commission Drops Complaint Against Catholic Magazine
- Confirmed: Advisory Council Has Voted to Award Order of Canada to Abortionist Henry Morgentaler
- Numerous MPs Condemn Morgentaler Order of Canada Decision
- Order of Canada Members Return their Awards Over Morgentaler Decision
- Official Announcement of Arch-Abortionist Morgentaler Receiving Order of Canada
- National Group Launches Petition Calling for Morgentaler Order of Canada Appointment to be Revoked
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any Internet re-publishing of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews that have come from other news sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.