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Tuesday September 25, 2007
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Australian Archdiocese Directs 328 Catholic Schools to Withdraw Support from Amnesty International
By Meg Jalsevac
MELBOURNE, September 25, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Amnesty International is facing yet another national backlash after its recent policy decision to promote the decriminalization of abortion world-wide. All 328 Catholic schools in the Australia archdiocese of Melbourne have been counseled to withdraw all aid to Amnesty and close their school sponsored Amnesty support groups.
Mr. Stephen Elders, director of the Catholic Education Office in Melbourne, sent a letter to all the schools encouraging them to "convey their disappointment" to Amnesty regarding the new pro-abortion policy. Elders explained that his office tried repeatedly but unsuccessfully to engage Amnesty in discussion to discourage the human rights group from abandoning its previous neutral policy on abortion.
After Amnesty announced its decision to become a pro-abortion organization, Elders issued a statement saying, "Abortion is a fundamental denial of the dignity of the human person and a breach of the human rights of the child."
Amnesty International cannot claim that it was not expecting this backlash - particularly from its Australian constituents. Before the abortion policy was adopted, the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Philip Wilson issued a letter advising Amnesty to remain true to its pro-life roots or risk alienating Catholics world-wide.
"We believe that if this [pro-abortion policy] became Amnesty International policy, it would not be morally consistent for any person who believed in respect for all human life from conception to natural death to continue to support the organization. It is certainly difficult to see how Catholics could remain members. This would be deeply regrettable, since many Catholics, including bishops, are currently members of Amnesty International and many Catholic schools support its initiatives."
The Melbourne archdiocese expressed regret that it must urge its schools to withdraw support but Assistant Director of Religious Education and Pastoral Care for the diocese, Maria Kirkwood explained the decision saying, "[T]his particular issue is a very significant one for the Catholic Church and it is impossible for the Catholic Church to continue to support Amnesty with a policy of this nature in place."
One Catholic school in Melbourne has followed the directives laid out in Elders' letter and, in the void left by Amnesty's removal, has instead created a human rights group called the Benenson Society. Peter Benenson, a practicing Catholic, originally founded Amnesty International in 1961.
As previously reported by LifeSiteNews.com, bishops in several other countries have been quick to voice their disapproval of Amnesty's new abortion policy. Bishops in Canada, England, Ireland and the US have publicly condemned Amnesty's betrayal of the human rights of the unborn, the most innocent victims of Amnesty's new policy.
Read Previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Amnesty International Publicly Admits New Policy to Lobby for Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07051103.html
Canadian Bishops Conference Warns Amnesty International of Loss of Catholic Funding over Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06071905.html
Bishops to Amnesty International: We work with orgs who "do not oppose the fundamental right to life"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07082703.html
Irish Diocese Advises Catholic School to Suspend Amnesty Chapter
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07091808.html
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