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Irish Diocese Advises Catholic School to Suspend Amnesty Chapter

Irish Bishops scheduled next month to address issue of now pro-abortion AI in Catholic schools

By Meg Jalsevac

BELFAST, Ireland, September 18, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - According to the Irish newspaper, The Guardian, Ireland's bishops have begun to advise Catholic schools to terminate their Amnesty International support groups due to the organization's new pro-abortion policy.

Amnesty International (AI), known as the world's most extensive human rights organization, has recently faced a worldwide backlash resulting from a recent policy decision to promote the decriminalization of the killing of unborn children. Much of the criticism has been in the form of very public denunciations and funding withdrawals initiated by Catholic leaders and organizations around the world. 

According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Greater Belfast diocese confirmed that, after seeking guidance from the diocese, a local school was advised to shut down its Amnesty support group.

"An inquiry did come from a school principal, on behalf of the teacher who is in charge of the school Amnesty group, asking for guidance on the future of the Amnesty group in the school. The advice to the school is that it would be inappropriate for the school branch to continue in existence in the context of Amnesty International's new position regarding abortion."

The Irish spokesman also confirmed that the Irish bishops are scheduled to meet next month to address the issue of AI remaining in any Catholic school.  When asked if the bishops were likely to similarly ban AI from all schools, the spokesman replied, "The sacredness and protection of all human life will be discussed at the next general meeting of the Irish Bishops' Conference."

AI leaders in Northern Ireland have expressed hope that support groups would not be banned by the country's bishops.  Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty's Northern Ireland program director said, "Amnesty International and the Catholic Church have more in common than that which divides us, namely the issue of sexual and reproductive rights."

Amnesty International has been publicly denounced by many bishops and leaders from various countries around the world including Canada, US, England and Australia and more.  As previously reported by LifeSiteNews.com, Cardinal Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, warned earlier in June, "I believe that, if in fact Amnesty International persists in this course of action, individuals and Catholic organizations must withdraw their support, because, in deciding to promote abortion rights, AI has betrayed its mission."

The uncompromising answer given by the Irish diocese is in stark contrast to Canadian Bishop Plouffe of Sault Ste. Maria, Ontario who insisted earlier this month that such issues are "prudential" decisions to be left up to individual school boards.  Bishop Plouffe's unwillingness to publicly denounce AI's policy comes despite a letter of warning issued by the CCCB in July of this year regarding the new policy. 

The letter read, in part, "Such a change in policy would be considered by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to be a step backwards for an organization that has done such outstanding work in defending human life and the rights of the most vulnerable… This change in policy would make it difficult for Catholics to continue supporting the work of Amnesty International."

Read the entire 'The Guardian' article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,2171391,00.html

Read Previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Canadian Bishops Conference Warns Amnesty International of Loss of Catholic Funding over Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06071905.html

Amnesty International UK Branch Approves Abortion Advocacy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050504.html

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