"In the light of various global attacks on Human Life, Marriage and the Family, which work to erode Christian and Cultural values, we urge all to join in the preparation for the forthcoming Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in October 2014 under the theme: "Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization". We congratulate all the dioceses in Nigeria which took part in recent consultations on the family initiated by the Holy See. As further preparation for the Synod, we, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, are organizing a Seminar on Pro-Life issues under the theme: 'Witnessing to the Dignity of every Human Life'. It will take place in Abuja from June 5 to 7, 2014 at This Day Dome, International Central Business District, Abuja. We hope in this way to affirm Christian families, Youth and organizations that promote the culture of life. We urge all people of goodwill to fully support the forthcoming Seminar."It is encouraging for families, pro-life and pro-family groups that Catholic leaders in Nigeria seem clearly to understand the global crisis which has been triggered by the killing untold millions of unborn children during the past half century, largely financed by western governments, and by attacks on the rights of parents.
By way of complete contrast, this crisis is largely ignored by Christian leaders, including Catholic leaders, in the West.
As I said in my address to the Legatus Convention in Orlando last month:
Yes, in the US and the UK we have had our pro-life successes. We must be full of hope but we mustn’t kid ourselves, ladies and gentlemen:
Let’s not kid ourselves. The pro-life movement, however hardworking, however well-informed, however blessed and strong we may be in our initiatives, the pro-life movement cannot defeat the culture of death on our own ... Pro-life organizations and the wider community must be fortified by unequivocal, unyielding voices of Catholic Church officials and bishops throughout the world.
- The forced abortion regime in China is funded by the taxpayers of virtually every nation on earth as the IPPF, Marie Stopes International and UNFPA, funded by governments worldwide, co-operate with the Chinese government’s policies.
- Developing nations worldwide are under pressure from our powerful western governments to legalize abortion, population control measures, and a homosexual rights agenda which threatens our children.
- And in our own nations countless millions of abortions take place annually, recorded under the abortion statistics, and unrecorded under the guise of so-called contraceptive drugs and devices so overwhelmingly accepted throughout society and widely in use even within the Catholic community.
Throughout Britain, Ireland and Europe, the failure of Catholic bishops to teach their flocks on matters relating to the fundamental right to life is directly responsible for great confusion and, consequently, for the failure of the overwhelming majority of Catholics, both clerical and lay, to provide truly effective resistance to the greatest legalized slaughter of human beings in the history of the world. Countless millions of unborn children are being killed each year and the policy of very many Catholic bishops in Europe is contributing hugely to this deplorable situation.It is time for the church leaders everywhere, starting in Rome, to follow the increasingly courageous lead of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria.
Visitors to my blog might like to express their appreciation of what the Nigerian Catholic bishops' conference is doing by writing to their head office at csnabuja@cbcn.org or to John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja at onaiyekan7@hotmail.com or at onaiyekan7@yahoo.com
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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