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Kunjufu
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 18:33 |
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Two Dunblanes a day: Scots cardinal attacks abortion 'massacres'
· Catholic leader demands NHS block on terminations
· Communion challenge to pro-choice politicians
Dan Bell
Friday June 1, 2007
The Guardian
The leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics yesterday questioned whether politicians who backed abortion should remain full members of the church, and also compared Scotland's abortion rate to "two Dunblane massacres a day".
In a sermon marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act, Cardinal Keith O'Brien attacked both the practice of abortion and pro-choice members of the Scottish parliament.After mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh, Cardinal O'Brien told journalists he supported a change in the law governing what he described as "an evil trade", and challenged the right of pro-choice Catholic parliamentarians to remain full members of the church. He warned them of "the barrier such cooperation [on abortion] erects to receiving holy communion".
"I think it's far beyond time that the present Abortion Act of 40 years ago was re-examined," he said. "We are killing, in our country, the equivalent of a classroom of kids every single day. Can you imagine that? Two Dunblane massacres a day in our country going on and on. And when's it going to stop?
"I call on you [the faithful] to hold these elected representatives to account," he said. "For those [lawmakers] unwilling to give this support we must be unwilling to give our vote."
He denied wanting pro-choice Catholic politicians thrown out of the church, but said they "must consider their consciences and whether or not they can approach the altar to receive holy communion.
"It's not up to me to judge them, I'll leave that to God," he said.
Cardinal O'Brien's attack on abortion came two days after figures were released showing a continuing rise in terminations in Scotland. In 2006, there were 13,081 abortions performed, compared with 12,603 in 2005, according to official figures. Westminster retains control over abortion laws in the UK, and the cardinal used his sermon to urge the British government to repeal the Abortion Act. He demanded that the Scottish parliament's members should block health services from being a part of the "wanton killing of the innocent".
The Scottish executive said abortion was a matter for Westminster. From other quarters though, his comments provoked both outrage and support.
Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which provides abortion services for 55,000 women every year, said abortion was "essential" for safeguarding women's health. She said: "We see many couples and women for contraception and abortion treatment who are active Catholics, and also see clients who come to us from Scotland. The cardinal has every right to hold his views, but he doesn't have to have an abortion, or to provide one."
The Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis said: "I think it's very unfortunate he has chosen to use extreme and provocative language, and a hectoring and bullying tone against MSPs and MPs. He has fallen way short of what religious leaders often say about the proper conduct of sensitive matters."
But Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, leader of Catholics in England and Wales, rallied to the cardinal's defence. He said: "The Catholic Church believes that every life has been created by God in his own image and likeness."This means that all life is sacred, with value and meaning at every stage and in every condition, from the moment of conception."
The Cardinal's stance was also defended by the Labour MSP Michael McMahon. He said: "Why would anyone consider it unusual for the Catholic Church to reiterate its 2,000-year-old position?"
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Sblizzy
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 21:07 |
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| Man has always try to make changes to Gods word. To me those are sickos..
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