Recent Catholic News

OTTAWA, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Focus on the Family Canada has made a presentation to the Justice and Human Rights Committee regarding Bill C-250, the legislation proposed by homosexual activist MP Svend Robinson which seeks to insert the term “sexual orientation” into hate crimes legislation.  The Focus presentation enumerated various reasons for rejecting the legislation seeing it as a threat to religious freedom and refuted supporters of the bill who claim it will not affect religious freedom.  “Given that current laws prohibit actual acts of violence against homosexuals, and given the lack of substantial evidence that hate propaganda targeting […]

VANCOUVER, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has urged the federal government to appeal the B. C. Court of Appeal decision legalizing homosexual ‘marriage’.  In a letter to Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, CCCB President Bishop Jacques Berthelet asked the Minister “to appeal the recent decision of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in the case of Barbeau et al. v. the Attorney General of Canada et al. that decided that the definition of marriage be changed to include same-sex partners.” The CCCB also repeated their request for Canadian Catholics to express their views on […]

SYDNEY, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Australian federal Health Minister Kay Patterson has ordered urgent study into providing information on products developed with human embryos.  “Some consumers might have concern knowing that pharmaceutical products contain embryonic materials or have been tested on them,” she said.  The proposal is the initiative of independent Senator Brian Harradine.  The Sydney Morning Herald reported last week that Harradine’s “proposal would ensure consumer information and advertising for pharmaceuticals would disclose whether the products had been tested, created or manufactured using embryo material.”  See LifeSite’s Stem Cell page:  http://lsn.ca/features/stemcellembryo/index.html

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – President George W. Bush could have his first opportunity to name a Supreme Court justice this year, with the resignations of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor rumoured to be taking place this summer. The retirement of two justices would herald “the greatest upheaval on the court in 32 years,” according to Newsday sources.  Neither resignation is certain, but the White House is preparing for the possibility of two or three vacancies including the post of Chief Justice, which, conceivably, would be filled by a sitting justice such as […]

NEW YORK, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A new study suggests that 20% of adolescents aged 12 to 14 report having had sexual intercourse. The study, by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, compared seven studies from the late 1990s.  The study found that only about a third of parents of sexually experienced 14-year-olds knew that their child had had sex. About half of 14-year-olds said they had attended a party with no adult supervision, the New York Times reported. For New York Times coverage:  http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/19/health/19CND-TEEN.html?ex=1054008000&en=584d91765124d028&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

NEW YORK, May 20, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The French government attacked the Holy See delegation at a recent United Nations committee meeting, accusing Vatican officials of injecting “moral” and “religious criteria” into the discussion, according to the May 16 Friday Fax from the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-Fam).  The argument arose when the Holy See opposed UN status for the US National Abortion Federation – which represents abortionists in the U.S. and Canada – , which Vatican representatives said “does not respect life. It destroys life in its budding stages, when it most needs our protection.” The Vatican […]

MONTREAL, May 16, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Covering a May 14 speech by Prime Minister Jean Chretien, the Toronto Sun reports today that “Prime Minister Jean Chretien says Canada is a better country than the United States because we’ve got gun control, abortion rights and no death penalty.”  During his speech Chretien said, “We don’t have big debates on the rights of abortion because we decided a long time ago in Canada it is the choice of women, which is not the case in a lot of U.S. states.”  In recent years the Prime Minister has become more strident about his […]

OTTAWA, May 16, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A total of 22 pro-life Members of Parliament attended the March for Life in Ottawa on Wednesday.  In addition, 11 MPs attended the Banquet which followed the March.  In addition to short comments from the MPs, the crowd of 3,500 (60% of which was youth) was addressed by dignitaries including Bishop Jean Louis Plouffe – Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Rev. Robert McRoberts – Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church; Dr. Jack Wilke, President of International Right To Life Federation; and Mr. Jean Migneault – Deputy Supreme Knight – Knights of Columbus, New Haven Connecticut.  […]

OTTAWA, May 16, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Speaking in the House of Commons Wednesday, federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon voiced support for Bill C-250 which seeks to add the term “sexual orientation” into hate crimes law.  The legislation has caused considerable concern among Christians throughout the country since it would impinge on religious freedom.  The bill’s sponsor, homosexual activist MP Svend Robinson asked Cauchon, “Does the minister support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Canada’s hate propaganda laws, yes or no?”  Responding, the Minister said: “yes, the bill is consistent with the government’s position on sexual orientation.”  As LifeSite reported yesterday, […]

OTTAWA, May 16, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Health Minister Anne McLellan was asked point blank yesterday to stop the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) from providing funding to researchers doing human embryonic stem cell research.  As LifeSite reported yesterday, despite the fact that parliament is still debating a law on the controversial research, thee CIHR is going ahead with public funding in what has been described as “an end-run around parliament.”  Alliance MP Carol Skelton asked McLellan in the House, “Will the minister demand that the institute cease and desist until Parliament has spoken?”  McLellan sidestepped the question using her […]