Europe

Denver Newsroom, Apr 23, 2020 / 02:35 pm (CNA).- A British judge’s order requiring a contraceptive device be implanted in a woman with learning disabilities against her will is “deeply problematic,” a bioethicist has said.

Justice Gwynneth Knowles issued a written ruling April 21 after a hearing at the Court of Protection in London that took place via Skype due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The BBC reported that the judge decided that an implanted contraceptive device would be in the best interests of the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She said the woman, who is in her 20s and pregnant, lacked the mental capacity to make decisions about contraception. The court heard that the woman had given birth to a number of children, who have been taken into foster care. Specialists noted that she had suffered from a number of health problems and argued that further pregnancies could present significant risks.

According to the BBC, the woman agreed to having a contraceptive injection every three months, but did not want to be fitted with a contraceptive device.

The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for the woman’s care, argued that she might miss the quarterly appointments and should therefore be fitted with the device.

The judge said the device should be fitted when the woman undergoes a planned Cesarean section, the BBC reported.

Michael Wee, education and research officer at the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, argued that the ruling was “morally inappropriate” and “heavy-handed”.

“This judgment is deeply problematic because it raises fundamental questions of whether contraception should be seen as an acceptable medical or social intervention to solve a problem, and whether it is the kind of intervention that the state or the judiciary should ever encourage or compel by law.”

“This is a case concerning a person lacking the relevant mental capacity for the decision at hand, which is whether to have a contraceptive device fitted or not. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, in such cases the Court of Protection takes on the role of determining what is in the person’s best interests,” he said.

“Sometimes, the courts do side with the wishes and feelings of those who lack capacity, as when the Court of Appeal overturned a forced abortion ruling last year. But this is not a given, as the courts may decide that the gravity of the situation ultimately outweighs the person’s wishes and feelings in determining their best interests.”

Wee, who was appointed as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in February, noted that the judge accepted four points advanced by the specialists. First, that a pregnancy in the near future would pose a serious health risk. Second, that the woman was likely to become pregnant again in the absence of contraception. Third, that the woman lacked the capacity to make decisions about contraception and, fourth, that she might not comply with the requirement for regular injections.

“On this basis, the judge concluded that an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) would be in the woman’s best interests,” he said.

“It is unfortunately easy to see contraception as a quick-fix solution — one that conveniently erases fertility from the picture, without seeking to address underlying questions of what is appropriate and responsible sexual behavior, and what social support can be provided for vulnerable people.”

He added: “It is odd that there is no consideration of whether the woman is mentally capable of consenting to sex, even though the judge accepted evidence that the woman does not have capacity to make decisions about contraception.”

“Consent to intercourse and consent to contraception are surely intimately linked, and if there is any doubt about the woman’s capacity to have genuinely consensual intercourse then this raises serious questions of abuse and other safeguarding issues relating to any previous, ongoing and future sexual relationships. Contraception does not solve, and may even entrench, such a dangerous situation.”

Wee concluded: “Additionally, one must not forget that IUDs can prevent the implantation of an embryo, thus leading to the loss of human life. It is therefore especially morally inappropriate for a court to intervene in this heavy-handed way.” 

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CNA Staff, Apr 23, 2020 / 11:24 am (CNA).- The bishops of Northern Ireland wrote to members of the region’s legislature Wednesday urging them to debate the abortion regulations imposed by the British government and to formulate new, pro-life regulations.

“We take this opportunity to encourage you to debate these Regulations as a matter of urgency,” the bishops of Northern Ireland wrote April 22 to members of the legislative assembly. “Insofar as they exceed the requirements of the Northern Ireland Act 2019, we urge you to take steps to formulate new Regulations that will reflect more fully the will of a significant majority of the people in this jurisdiction to protect the lives of mothers and their unborn children.”

The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020, which came into force March 31, allow elective abortions up to 12 weeks of pregnancy; abortions up to 24 weeks in cases of risk to the mother’s physical or mental health; and abortion without time limit in cases of severe fetal impairment or fetal fetal abnormality.

The bishops recalled their “responsibility to do all we can to promote a culture of care and respect for life in our society. This includes a responsibility to inform the conscience of all members of the Catholic Church and people of good will regarding the fundamental moral values at stake in the issue of abortion.”

They said their opposition to the regulations “is rooted in the Catholic Church’s teaching concerning the dignity of every human life, regardless of age, ability, gender or background.”

The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, which mandated new abortion regulations in the region, is “an unjust law,” the bishops said, “which was imposed without the consent of the people of Northern Ireland.”

The bishops added they are “morally obliged, wherever possible, to do all we can to save the lives of unborn children, which could be lost through abortion, and to protect mothers from the pressures they might experience at the time of an unplanned pregnancy. We trust that you recognise this to be an obligation we all share as concerned citizens and public representatives.”

“As the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland we are eager to enter into dialogue with MLAs from across the political parties in an attempt to explore, where possible, how new Regulations can be formulated, which express the will of most people in our society to support and protect the lives of mothers and their unborn children,” the bishops wrote.

The Northern Ireland Executive is a power-sharing body that includes both unionists and Irish nationalists.

The largest party in the assembly, by one member, is the Democratic Unionist Party, which have emerged as a leading pro-life party in the region. However, the unionist party has had links to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, an ecclesial community particularly hostile to the Catholic Church.

The next largest party is Sinn Féin, an Irish nationalist party that has historically enjoyed significant Catholic support. It supported the liberalization of abortion laws in Northern Ireland imposed by the British parliament, and its party members endorsed the repeal of the Republic of Ireland’s Eighth Amendment, which protected unborn children.

The remaining parties in the assembly allow their MLAs a conscience vote on abortion.

Jim Allister, the Traditional Unionist Voice’s sole MLA and a member of the opposition, said on the regulations’ coming into force that “From today, what should be the safest place for an unborn, namely its mother’s womb, can become on a whim one of the most dangerous places.”

And the leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, Clare Bailey, has welcomed the new regulations, saying that “access to abortion is a positive move.”

First Minister Arlene Foster, who is also leader of the DUP, said earlier this month that “I don’t believe abortion on demand should be available in Northern Ireland,” calling it “a very retrograde step for our society.”

“Instead of supporting people who find themselves in crisis pregnancies, we’re not even having any discussion around that and how we can support people in those circumstances, how we can provide perinatal care,” she added.

In contrast, Michelle O’Neill, deputy First Minister and vice president of Sinn Féin, urged that women in Northern Ireland be allowed to perform medical abortions at home.

At-home medical abortions were discussed by the region’s executive April 6, which reportedly led to a row between the DUP and Sinn Féin.

The pro-life group the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children have placed billboards in the region that urge the repeal of the regulations, and note that “Abortion kills babies”.

The poster campaign is set to expand after the Advertising Standards Authority, a regulator, rejected complaints about the billboards.

The ASA affirmed that the advertisements comply with freedem of speech defenses in the Human Rights Act 1998.

Liam Gibson, SPUC’s Northern Ireland Political Officer, said that “We intend to extend the initiative and continue to build support for the restoration of the right to life of all unborn children.”

Previously, abortion was legally permitted in the region only if the mother’s life was at risk or if there was risk of long term or permanent, serious damage to her mental or physical health.

Northern Irish women had been able to procure free National Health Service abortions in England, Scotland, and Wales since November 2017. They are allowed to travel to the rest of the UK to procure abortions during the coronavirus outbreak.

Though in England, Wales, and Scotland, two medical professionals must certify in all cases that there were lawful grounds for abortion, in Northern Ireland under the new regulations only one medical professional is needed for certification in elective abortions or in cases of immediate necessity where there is a risk to the life of the mother.

The lower threshold in Northern Ireland was adopted at least in part because “it is likely that there will be a more significant number of people raising conscientious objections than in other parts of the UK.”

Consientious objection is allowed for direct participation in abortion, but not for ancillary, administrative, or managerial tasks associated with the procedure, because that “would have consequences on a practical level and would therefore undermine the effective provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland.”

Buffer zones have not been set up around locations where abortions are procured, barring protest in the locations’ immediate vicinity. The government has decided to wait and see what the situation will be, keeping the matter under review so it can “respond to any challenges as needed at the time.”

Northern Ireland rejected the Abortion Act 1967, which legalized abortion in England, Wales, and Scotland; and bills to legalize abortion in cases of fatal fetal abnormality, rape, or incest failed in the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2016.

John Hayes, the Conservative MP for South Holland and The Deepings, said ahead of the regulations’ introduction that the process was “overriding devolution.”

“It seems likely this will be interpreted as the UK Government imposing its will on a reluctant part of the Kingdom which is doubtless disdainfully regarded by Whitehall’s liberal elite as antediluvian,” he wrote earlier this month.

The amendment to the NI EF Act obliging the government to provide for legal abortion in Northern Ireland was introduced by Stella Creasy, a Labour MP who represents a London constituency.

In October 2019, the High Court in Belfast had ruled that the region’s ban on the abortion of unborn children with fatal abnormalities violated the UK’s human rights commitments.

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CNA Staff, Apr 22, 2020 / 09:30 am (CNA).- A 45-minute phone call between Pope Francis and French president Emmanuel Macron revealed “a lot of convergence” between the two leaders on the coronavirus crisis, the president’s office has said. 

French officials told reporters April 21 that the pope and Macron had discussed the debts of developing countries, aid to Africa, the need for a global ceasefire and the importance of a united Europe. 

“There is a lot of convergence in vision and in the answers,” the Elysée said.

The Holy See press office made no official statement regarding the conversation, in line with its policy of not commenting on private talks between the pope and world leaders. But the French version of the Vatican News website reported the Elysée’s account of the discussion and noted that Macron had renewed his invitation to the pontiff to visit France. 

Macron summarized his conversation with the pope in a Twitter post April 21. He said they had spoken about “the ordeal that humanity is going through and what it requires of us: to support Africa and help the poorest countries; to alleviate suffering by a universal truce in conflicts; and to show a supportive and united Europe.”

Last week Macron echoed Pope Francis’ appeal in his Easter Urbi et Orbi message for debt relief for the world’s poorest countries amid the coronavirus crisis. In a televised address April 13, Macron called for debt cancelation “on a massive scale.”

After the discussion with the pope, Macron spoke to representatives of French religious groups, including Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French bishops’ conference. 

According to the newspaper Le Figaro, Macron suggested that public religious services could possibly resume in France in mid-June, but with a limited number of worshipers. 

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Rome, Italy, Apr 22, 2020 / 03:16 am (CNA).- Living under coronavirus-caused quarantines and stay-at-home orders, many Catholics may find themselves unable to practice the faith in the ways to which they are accustomed.

When you can’t attend Mas… […]

Rome Newsroom, Apr 21, 2020 / 05:00 pm (CNA).- Public Masses will resume in Austria on May 15, the country’s chancellor has said.

Sebastian Kurz made the announcement at a press conference in Vienna at noon local time April 21.

Fr. Peter Schipka, secretary general of the Austrian bishops’ conference, confirmed that public liturgies would begin again from May 15, according to the Austrian Catholic news agency Kathpress.

Kurz said at the press conference that church services will “naturally” still be subject to certain restrictions. In particular, churches will have to ensure “that the distance rule is observed everywhere,” Kathpress reported.

Kurz, a Catholic, also announced the news on Twitter April 21, alongside other measures to ease the lockdown in Austria.

“It is good that we can go the way of reopening and there is also light at the end of the tunnel for the economic development of our country,” he tweeted.

“Our motto for the next phase is clear: as much freedom as possible, as much restriction as necessary.”

A statement on the website of the Federal Chancellery of Austria said that church services will be permitted “subject to certain conditions and safety regulations to protect health”.

The statement added that Susanne Raab, the country’s minister of education and cultural affairs, will share further details, in consultation with religious communities, on Thursday, April 23.

Responding to the news, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna tweeted: “We will soon be able to celebrate the Eucharist together with great joy and responsibility.”

He added: “Faith needs both: the celebration together and the personal relationship with God. This is where Christianity comes from. The community of the Church is something essentially different from a club or a group of friends.”

Austria, which has a population of 8.9 million, was one of the first European countries to enter lockdown. The first two cases of coronavirus were confirmed on February 25. From March 16 onwards, Austrians were ordered not to leave their homes except for reasons such as essential work or shopping.

Almost 15,000 people have contracted COVID-19 in Austria and 491 people have died as of April 21, according to Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

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London, England, Apr 21, 2020 / 08:00 am (CNA).- Elderly and disabled coronavirus patients have the same right to life-prolonging treatment as others, the bishops of England and Wales have said. 

In a statement April 20, the bishops noted that th… […]

Rome Newsroom, Apr 20, 2020 / 10:53 am (CNA).- After receiving more than 300 letters during the coronavirus pandemic, the Italian bishops will entrust the nation to Mary’s protection on Friday, May 1, at a shrine in northern Italy.

In a video me… […]

Madrid, Spain, Apr 17, 2020 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- As Spain struggles to combat the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 188,000 cases and 19,000 deaths, the mayors of Madrid and nearby Spanish cities have expressed gratitude for the work of the Churc… […]

London, England, Apr 17, 2020 / 06:00 am (CNA).- The coronavirus crisis could have a “catastrophic effect” on the finances of England’s most prominent Catholic cathedral, officials have said. 

An appeal for donations on the webs… […]

CNA Staff, Apr 15, 2020 / 04:01 pm (CNA).- Poland’s parliament will consider a citizen-initiated bill to ban abortion in cases where the unborn child has a severe abnormality, though it is unclear whether the bill has enough support to become law.

About 830,000 citizens signed the petition for the citizen’s bill which is now set for an April 16 vote in the lower house of Poland’s parliament. The bill would bar abortion in cases where the unborn child has an abnormality. It is the most common reason for abortion in Poland, and sometimes used in cases where the child is not expected to survive.

The Catholic bishops made a general statement on abortion restrictions.

“The Polish Bishops’ Conference supports all initiatives aimed at protecting human life from conception to natural death,” Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik, spokesman for the Polish bishops’ conference, said on Twitter April 15.

Polish law allows abortion only in cases of rape, incest, threat to the mother’s life, or fetal abnormality. About 700-1,800 legal abortions take place in Poland each year.

President Andrzej Duda, who is allied with the Law and Justice party, has said that he backs further restrictions on abortion and would sign such restrictions into law.

“I believe that killing disabled children is simply murder,” he told the Catholic news outlet Niedziela, according to Reuters.

While the Law and Justice party-led conservative coalition controls parliament and tends to support pro-life causes, the ruling party appears reluctant to back the bill.

Law and Justice spokesman Radoslaw Fogiel said lawmakers are divided on the citizen abortion bill and party discipline is not implemented on such matters.

Polls suggest Duda is on track to win the presidential elections held May 10, but there are uncertainties because of the situation under the new coronavirus. Efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus include holding the election by mail ballot, but minority parties object that the fact the election will take place at all gives unfair advantages to the incumbent party.

A previous citizen’s bill to ban all abortions in Poland failed to pass parliament in 2015, as did later parliamentary proposals. Foes of a 2016 bill to further restrict abortions rallied about 100,000 protesters across the country.

Abortion proponents’ efforts to make abortion law more permissive have also failed. Many women who seek abortions go abroad to countries with more permissive abortion law.

Another citizen’s bill up for consideration would ban sex education and make it a criminal offense to promote or approve sexual intercourse or other sexual activity by a minor.

Backers say it will combat sexual abuse of minors and discourage promiscuity.

Authors of the “Stop Pedophilia” bill said sex educators often “groom and familiarize children with homosexuality,” Reuters reports. “The organizations and activists most involved in the promotion of sexual ‘education’ in our country are the LGBT lobby,” they charged in a document to parliament accompanying the proposed law. Sex education lessons, they charged, are used “by the LGBT lobby to achieve radical political goals,” including adoption by same-sex couples.

Schools in Poland do not often offer sex education, but teach students to prepare for family life. Last year the Law and Justice party condemned a local push for sex education in Warsaw, where opposing political parties hold control.

More than 200,000 people participated in Marches for Life and Family in 130 cities across Poland in June 2019 in protest of sex education in schools.

The Catholic Church in Poland supported the marches, and the Polish bishops’ conference thanked the faithful for participating in the marches at their June plenary meeting. According to the bishops’ press office, the bishops warned against “the promotion of ideologies inimical to natural law and Christian values and against the attempts at introducing such ideologies to schools under the guise of sexual education.”

Critics of the sex education ban objected to linking sex educators with pedophiles and said it would encourage persecution of homosexuals.

While Polish critics of the citizens’ bills claimed backers were pushing them forward under cover of the coronavirus pandemic, Elzbieta Witek said they are citizen’s initiatives which must be considered under the law, the Associated Press reports.

“I know that they are controversial,” Witek said. “But in a democratic state — and Poland is such a state — citizens’ projects must be subjected to proceedings in the Polish parliament, because that’s the law.”

Draginja Nadazdin, the director of Amnesty International in Poland, called both citizen bills “draconian.”

“Attempting to pass these recklessly retrogressive laws at any time would be shameful, but to rush them through under the cover of the COVID-19 crisis is unconscionable,” she said.

Amnesty International, a human rights organization, enjoyed significant Catholic support until it adopted a pro-abortion rights policy in 2007, prompting many Catholics and other pro-life advocates to resign. Now it is part of abortion advocacy worldwide, backed by funders like billionaire financier George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, which also seeks change on abortion in Poland and other strongly Catholic countries.

In August 2016, CNA broke the news that documents allegedly hacked from the Open Society Foundations and posted to the site DCLeaks.com included a strategy proposal targeting the Republic of Ireland’s pro-life constitutional protections for the unborn child by backing several pro-abortion rights groups, including Amnesty Ireland.

The foundations’ strategy suggested that a pro-abortion rights victory in Ireland “could impact other strongly Catholic countries in Europe, such as Poland, and provide much needed proof that change is possible, even in highly conservative places.”

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