The Roman Catholic Church in Zambia has criticized a government-funded “safe-sex” campaign which encourages promiscuity. The ads geared at young people promote the message that sex is great as long as you use a condom. BBC reports that the Zambian Health Minister, Enock Kavindele, said the hard-hitting campaign might be offensive but that the government was dealing with a grave situation, which needed shock therapy – AIDS. https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1106000/1106368.stm
Church News reports that Argentinean president Fernando De la Rua expressed his commitment to defend life “from conception to its natural end” in a letter recently sent to Pope John Paul II, whom the president will meet April 5. “We reaffirm our commitment with life, and we join the voices of those who want life to be respected from conception until its natural end. We reiterate our denial of cloning, genetic manipulation, euthanasia and capital punishment,” he wrote. https://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=11040
The Ottawa Citizen reports that the Anglican diocese in Vancouver has taken one step closer to becoming the first in the world outside of the United States to bless same-sex unions, a move that could splinter the denomination. https://www.ottawacitizen.com/national/010107/5060037.html
The BBC reports that separated Siamese twin Jodie is recovering well and should home for early summer. Her parents have been able to take her for walks around the hospital. https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1105000/1105070.stm
The Times reports that The Catholic Church in England “stepped into the pre-election political fray when the Archbishop of Westminster called on the Government to put promotion of marriage at the heart of its policies. The Most Rev Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, spiritual leader of the 4.2 million Catholics of England and Wales, demanded that support for the institution of marriage as the basis of family life be stated explicitly in a forthcoming White Paper on the family.” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2-63755,00.html
Pope John Paul II was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his commitment to the defence of human dignity. In his speech the pope told the US leaders the Church will always defend and “promote human life.” https://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=11022
Cybercast News Service reports that a bill has been introduced in the Oklahoma legislature to ban RU-486.