New Nicaraguan Ministry for the Family, health and life

The Vatican news agency Fides reports that the new Apostolic Nuncio in Nicaragua, His Excellency, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, said during the presentation of his credentials to President Daniel Ortega, that the Holy See intends "to work for the good of the people of Nicaragua." 

"The Apostolic Nuncio works, as the representative of the Holy Father for the good of the people. We have no political interests, but the interests of the people," said the Nigerian Archbishop. 

 As reported to Fides, Archbishop Nwachukwu also expressed appreciation on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI for the government's work in family policies. 

President Ortega welcomed the new Nuncio who he said, "has our full support and respect," declaring himself "open to comments" that the new Nuncio wants to ask. Ortega stressed that his government is committed to the principles of Christianity, "to put family first." "This commitment asks for the support of the Catholic Church and also of the other evangelical churches. We are open to dialogue, to listen, just to nourish and strengthen programs to assist families in Nicaragua," said the Sandinista leader. Just in these days, the Parliament of Nicaragua, approved the creation of a "Ministry for the Family, health and life." Some sectors of the opposition reject the state system organization in the field, seeing it as an intrusion of the government in the internal affairs of families.

Holy See statement on Human Rights by His Excellency Archbishop Dominique Mamberti at the opening of the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council

The 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council commenced last week in Geneva with statements in the High Level Segment by Government Ministers and Ambassadors.

His Excellency Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States reminded the meeting that the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and its related Conventions were agreed in the aftermath of the second world war in order to prevent future repetition of the immense tragedies of the past. He was also highly critical of the tendency of the Human Rights Council to attempt to create so called ‘new rights’ while failing to uphold the genuine rights set out in the founding documents and conventions. We have highlighted some of Archbishop Mamberti’s remarks below.

Archbishop Mamberti told the meeting;

[…] the way so-called “new rights” are discussed and recognized by the Human Rights Council puts at risk the universality and indivisibility of human rights and, consequently, the credibility of the Council as a promoter and defender of the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. A fundamental question ought always to be present in our minds: are human rights universal because a majority of countries recognizes them, or are they universal because of an ethical claim which is prior to their recognition by states and which comes from the dignity of every person?

The Holy See firmly believes that human rights should be judged by their reference to the founding principles and objectives enshrined in the basic documents where the nature and innate dignity of the human person are key elements. In his 2009 Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI rightly observed: “A link has often been noted between claims to a ‘right to excess’, and even to transgression and vice, within affluent societies, and the lack of food, drinkable water, basic instruction and elementary health care in areas of the underdeveloped world and on the outskirts of large metropolitan centres. The link consists in this: individual rights, when detached from a framework of duties which grants them their full meaning, can run wild, leading to an escalation of demands which is effectively unlimited and indiscriminate.”

The Archbishop went on to say; 

[…] No lasting peace can be achieved without a true recognition of the dignity of every human person. Peace is not only reached when armed conflict ends, however important a step this might be; peace is earned by a society in the long term when the rule of law translates into action the standards of human rights as recognized by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and by the international Conventions on human rights, a task that the Holy See constantly advocates in the most diverse circumstances.

Key to this search for international peace in a globalized world is, once again, the preservation and promotion of the universality and indivisibility of human rights.

In today’s context of an ever-growing inter-connection between societies, adhering to the standard of human rights becomes both increasingly more important and a condition for social harmony and peace. This requires defending the life of the human person, from conception until natural death; protecting the rights of the child, especially the right to have a family, founded on marriage between one man and one woman, and upon whom falls the primary responsibility of education of children; defending the rights of disabled people, of migrants and of refugees; protecting freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of association and so on; combating discrimination based on sex, religion, race and colour; and combating violence against women.

In the context of the discussion on human rights and how they should be given concrete and practical application, special attention must be paid to the right to life, to its promotion and to the deepening of our understanding of it. No peace can come without the true recognition of the value of human life. Respect for the value of life is by no means a limitation or contradiction of expressions of freedom. On the contrary, freedom of choice flourishes where the deeper and prior value of human life is acknowledged and safeguarded. Indeed, “openness to life is at the centre of true development ... By cultivating openness to life, wealthy peoples ... can promote virtuous action within the perspective of production that is morally sound and marked by solidarity, respecting the fundamental right to life of every people and every individual.”[…]

Irish, British and European politicians defend anti abortion laws in Ireland North and South

Today a historic meeting took place today in Belfast when a coalition of MLA and Dáil elected officials met together with current British MP’s and former European MEP’s in a cross community coalition for the protection of unborn life.

The meeting took place in Northern Ireland's Parliament Buildings at Stormont.  The coalition partnership of politicians from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Britain and Europe stressed the vital importance of not decriminalising abortion in the Republic of Ireland and of upholding the 1861 Offences against the Person Act, sections 58 & 59, which prohibit abortion.

The message from the meeting of politicians was:

• Under the 1861 Offences against the Person Act, sections 58 & 59 ban abortion in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

• The role of Government is to uphold the Law.

• The weakest and most vulnerable in society must not be systematically dehumanized by catchy slogans, clever marketing, slick advertising and aggressive lobbying.

John Smeaton of SPUC has reported more fully on this historic meeting in his BLOG

New abortion law in Northern Ireland reflects alarm about Marie Stopes, says SPUC

The announcement last Friday of an amendment in the Northern Ireland Assembly aimed at stopping private abortion ‘clinics’ from operating in Northern Ireland has sent shock waves through the pro-abortion forces. The amendment, to the Criminal Justice Bill, tabled jointly by Lagan Valley DUP Assembly Member Paul Givan and North Belfast SDLP Assembly Member Alban Maginness, shows a significant measure of cross party support however it has been reported that Sinn Fein will vote against it.

SPUC the UK's leading pro-life organisation has said that new legislation on abortion introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly is a response to the level of public concern aroused by the arrival in Northern Ireland of Marie Stopes International (MSI).

Liam Gibson, the development officer for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) www.spuc.org.uk in Northern Ireland, believes that the opening of the MSI abortion facility in Belfast in October last year left the Assembly with no choice but to address the threat posed by abortion businesses determined to defy the existing law.

Mr Gibson said: "MSI has long campaigned to make the Abortion Act in Britain even more liberal and then have the amended Act extended to Northern Ireland.

"There are also serious safety concerns regarding MSI. The drugs used to procure medical abortions are extremely dangerous and are known to have caused the deaths of 15 women worldwide, including Manon Jones, an 18 year-old from Bristol and Jesse-Maye Barlow, a 19 year-old from Staines.

Mr Gibson continued: "When questioned before the Assembly's Justice Committee in January, representatives from MSI said that there was nothing to stop them from aborting babies at 18 weeks, 24 weeks or even older. They also admitted that the location of the centre, close to the Europa bus and train station, was chosen to facilitate clients travelling from the Republic to have abortions in Northern Ireland.

"At the same time they made it clear that MSI simply would not tolerate any official oversight of its activities by the government authorities in Northern Ireland. That is a position which the Assembly can't allow to continue and made the introduction of new legislation inevitable", concluded Mr Gibson.

Liam Gibson, SPUC's Northern Ireland development officer, can be contacted on:

mobile: 07535 756005

landline: 028 9077 8018

email: liamgibson@spuc.org.uk

SPUC 6th International Pro-Life Youth Conference

The SPUC International Youth Conference is the only pro-life conference of its kind in the UK. This conference has proven a huge success every year and without doubt made an important contribution to renewed pro-life efforts by young people around the country. This weekend conference has been a place where the seed for new pro-life groups has been sown and new friendships forged. SPUC has ensured an exciting line-up of expert speakers in their respective fields, along with fun evening entertainment. This is an event not to be missed!

What: SPUC 6th International Pro-Life Youth Conference 2013

Where: Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, DE55 1AU

When: Friday 22 - Sunday 24 March 2013

Time: registration from 4pm on Friday. The conference ends at 2pm on Sunday

Who: students and young people aged 16 upwards

Cost: £100 (price includes accommodation, meals, conference pack, access to all talks and evening entertainments). ***Branch sponsorship is available*** Please contact a member of staff in the London or Glasgow office for more info.

Booking: 1) Book and pay via the SPUC website. Please click on this link http://www.spuc.org.uk/shop/list_products?category=30 2) Once we receive your payment a registration form will be emailed to you. Please fill it in and email it to: conference@spuc.org.uk or post it back to: SPUC Youth Conference, 3 Whitacre Mews, Stannary Street, London, SE11 4AB.

Contact us: If you have a query about the conference please email: conference@spuc.org.uk

Speakers & topics

Professor Patrick Pullicino: Liverpool Care Pathway

Dr Lisa Nolland: Sex Education

John Smeaton: Prolife Campaigns

Ira Winter: Natural Family Planning

Fiorella Nash: Maternal Mortality

Dr Helen Watt: Pregnancy

Anthony Ozimic: Political Campaigning

Katherine Hampton: SPUC pro-life School’s Talk

Full conference programme coming soon

Entertainment: Friday night film, Saturday night ceilidh with guest band Jigabit, and of course drinks in the bar (over 18s only) on Friday and Saturday evening.