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Sault Ste. Marie Bishop Leaves Decision to Support Amnesty to School Trustees

In comments to local media Bishop used strong words to advise against support

By Hilary White

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ontario, September 4, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Catholic school trustees of Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario have been all but instructed by their bishop, Jean-Louis Plouffe, to drop support for Amnesty International because of the human rights group's recent adoption of abortion as a "human right".

In comments to local media, while leaving the decision whether to support Amnesty up to trustees, Bishop Plouffe used strong words to advise against it. He told the Sault Star that while Amnesty does "a lot of good things" its support for abortion "cannot be accepted."

"We can't compromise," he said. "There's no room for compromise."

The bishop said he would advise the board, "Make sure whatever you do does not compromise Catholic teaching on respect for life."

"They really have to give it some thinking. Where do they want to lead the board? They are responsible. On issues like this they know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable," the bishop said.

"If, in the Sault, the fact that [Amnesty] are meeting in a Catholic school gives the wrong signal, that our church has changed its position concerning abortion, then we have a problem."

The board was non-committal with John Stadnyk, director of education with Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board quoted in the Sault Star saying, "Before I make a decision I'm going to make sure that I consult with all the appropriate sources."

He said, "What we're waiting for is some direction from the Catholic bishops on this."

The Vatican has in fact strongly condemned the move by Amnesty International to support abortion in cases of pregnancy from "rape, incest and extreme risk to the health of the mother". Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, told the National Catholic Register in an interview that Amnesty had "betrayed its mission."

"I believe that, if in fact Amnesty International persists in this course of action, individuals and Catholic organizations must withdraw their support," the Cardinal said.

While Amnesty International Canada spokesman Alex Neve said he hoped the group could continue to work with Catholics, Cardinal Martino's comments leave little doubt that Catholics of conscience will continue to withdraw.

The Cardinal said in June, reiterating immemorial Catholic teaching, "The Church teaches that it is never justifiable to kill an innocent human life. Abortion is murder. To selectively justify abortion, even in the cases of rape, is to define the innocent child within the womb as an enemy, a 'thing' that must be destroyed. How can we say that killing a child in some cases is good and in other cases it is evil?"

The Cardinal urged Catholics to withdraw financial support from Amnesty. "Such a distinction is incomprehensible for people of good will; and it is incompatible to the mission of Amnesty International, and, for that matter, to the common good of the human family."

To contact the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board
Jim Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer
c/o Holy Angels Learning Centre
102 Wellington St. E.
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 2L2 
Phone: (705) 945-5666
Fax: (705) 945-5671
Jim Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Vatican: Catholics and Catholic Organizations "Must" Withdraw Support of Amnesty International over Abortion Support
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07061401.html

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