House of Commons Passes Embryology Bill

Cardinal Keith O'Brien says that after last Wednesday (22nd October 2008), the value of human life in the United Kingdom is eroding even further.  The cardinal said this in reference to Wednesday's approval of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill.

With a vote of 355-129, the bill passed through its third reading in the House of Commons. The bill passed through the House of Lords earlier this year. After a debate on the amendments introduced by the House of Commons, the bill could become law by November.

The bill permits the creation of animal-human hybrids for medical research, the creation of "savior siblings" genetically matched to an older sick sibling (meaning that those who do not match are eliminated), and loosens access to in-vitro fertilization for lesbian couples by eliminating the requirement for children to have fathers.

A scheduling motion precluded a vote on an amendment to the bill that would have extended the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

Christian leaders united their voices before the vote to request Westminster Parliamentarians to leave the abortion issue in Northern Irish hands.  Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, Archbishop Alan Harper, Presbyterian Moderator Donald Patton and Methodist President Aian Ferguson sent Members of Parliament a joint statement Oct. 17, asking them to vote against the proposal.

"The law on abortion in Northern Ireland should be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly," they wrote. "We would ask that, on this issue, Members of Parliament take account of the Northern Ireland political parties, and the strongly held conviction of the majority of the people of Northern Ireland, by voting against the amendment."

At the Synod of Bishops in the Word of God, the mkost commonly quoted Scripture passage is the sotory of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13:35).  The story is a great model or paradigm for catechesis, teaching, Bible study and above all for Christian living.

"Catholic schools are a concrete manifestation of the right to freedom of education and they contribute to the common good of society," says Benedict XVI.

ZENIT reports that the Pope expressed this conviction on 25th Septmber 2008 during an address in the apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo to representatives of Italian Catholic educational centres, who are taking part in a meeting organized by the Italian episcopal conference's Center of Studies for Catholic Schools.

"The Catholic school is an expression of the right of all citizens to freedom of education, and the corresponding duty of solidarity in the building of civil society," said the Pope, quoting a document of the Italian episcopate.

"To be chosen and appreciated, it is necessary that the Catholic school be recognized for its pedagogical purpose; it is necessary to have a full awareness not only of its ecclesial identity and cultural endeavor, but also of its civil significance," he explained. This "must not be considered as the defense of a particular interest, but as a precious contribution to the building of the common good of the whole society."

The Catholic school has an important role, Benedict XVI concluded, as it is the instrument of the "Church's salvific mission" in which "the close union is achieved between the proclamation of the faith and the promotion of man."

CNA reports that the British government has drafted a proposal to end the 300-year-old legal exclusion of Catholics from the British throne. MP Chris Bryant, under instructions from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has written a planned parliamentary act to revoke the exclusions.

The 1688 Bill of Rights, the Act of Settlement in 1701 and the Act of Union in 1707, combined with the provisions of the Coronation Oath Act of 1688, effectively excluded Catholics or their spouses from the line of royal succession. In recent years several royals have lost their right of succession because of their marriage to Catholics.

The Coronation Oath Act requires the British monarch to "maintaine the Laws of God the true profession of the Gospel and the Protestant reformed religion established by law [...] and [...] preserve unto the bishops and clergy of this realm and to the churches committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain unto them or any of them."

Eight years ago the Guardian newspaper launched a campaign for a change in the law, challenging the Act of Settlement on the legal grounds that it conflicts with the Human Rights Act.   Geoffrey Robinson, a constitutional lawyer who represented the Guardian in its legal challenge, argued that the centuries-old act violates the Human Rights Act’s anti-discrimination provisions and its protections of “the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” and the right to “peaceful enjoyment of possessions,” which he construes to mean possession of a place in the royal succession.

Any change in legislation would also require the consent of member nations of the British Commonwealth.

Reform of the Act of Settlement and related laws, in some experts’ opinion, would also move Britain towards the disestablishment of the Church of England and remove the rationale for the monarchy’s religious requirements.

BBC News reported on 31st August that Ministers are being urged to stop faith schools in England selecting pupils and staff on the basis of their religion.

Accord, a new coalition of secular and religious figures, wants the government to stop state-funded schools engaging in what they say is "discrimination".

It argues that all children should have equal access to good local schools and that segregating them on religious grounds harms community cohesion.

Read this article on how "Faith schools work".

VACCINATION AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER

The Scottish Government has decided to introduce a national immunisation programme which is intended to reduce the risk of cervical cancer for girls and young women.  From September 2008 all 13-17 year old girls will be offered a vaccine to protect them against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which causes 70% of the cases of cervical cancer.

HPV is spread by intimate skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity.  Most women will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives without knowing it, as there are usually no symptoms.  Most of the time, the virus does not cause cancer because the body’s immune system clears it up, but not always.

It should be noted that HPV vaccination does not provide protection against other sexually transmitted infections; nor is it a contraceptive.

Parents and teachers can be confident that the moral teachings of the Catholic Church support the use of vaccination to prevent disease.  With the consent of their parents, young people can be protected from infection before the time when they are most vulnerable to sexual pressure and to the dangers of non-consensual sex.

Vaccination against the disease should not be seen as any sort of encouragement to promiscuity.  Head Teachers of Catholic schools should ensure that any information and advice provided by Health agencies about this or any other programme is appropriate in the context of the school’s ethos, values and moral teaching.

Of course, the only 100% effective way of avoiding the dangers of HPV and other sexually transmitted infections is to abstain from sexual activity before marriage and to remain faithful to your spouse within marriage.  The HPV immunisation programme provides an opportunity for parents to discuss with their children - boys as well as girls - the virtues of chastity and fidelity and the meaning of marriage.  Opportunities for such discussions are provided within the context of the ‘Called to Love’ programme which has been developed for Catholic secondary schools.