News

CALGARY, Feb 26, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Alberta’s Catholic Bishop Fred Henry, surprised pro-lifers today with a column published in the Calgary Sun chastising Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark for their “pro-choice” stance on abortion. Both leaders profess to be Catholic themselves, although, as Bishop Henry noted, “no Catholic can responsibly take a ‘pro-choice’ stand when the ‘choice’ in question involves the taking of innocent human life.”

The column came as a surprise because of Bishop Henry’s recent hostility to pro-lifers over the March of Women. He was a strong advocate of Catholic participation in the openly pro-abortion, pro-homosexual March, although the Bishop’s past record has been one of being publicly pro-life.

Citing some of the Liberal and Tory leaders’ more recent comments on abortion, voiced during the recent election campaign, Bishop Henry called the conduct of both men “scandalous.” Citing Pope John Paul II, he wrote that civil leaders have a duty “to make courageous choices in support of life, especially through legislative measures. No one can ever renounce this responsibility, especially when he or she has a legislative or decision-making mandate which calls that person to answer to God, to his or her own conscience and to the whole of society for choices which may be contrary to the common good.” (Evangelicum Vitae 90).

For the complete article, go to:  https://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/henry.html