Irish bishops tell crisis pregnancy group to stop giving leaflets

Published: 2005-06-16

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- The Irish bishops have ordered a church-run crisis pregnancy center to stop distributing government-funded leaflets that that list agencies that provide abortions. At the end of a three-day meeting, the bishops released a statement criticizing the "Positive Options" leaflet produced by the state Crisis Pregnancy Agency for presenting abortion as a "positive option." "Having considered the question carefully, the bishops have concluded that some aspects of the Positive Options leaflet would need to be changed if it is to be acceptable. It seems clear that the aim of promoting options other than abortion cannot be reconciled with presenting abortion simply as an option among others (and) the implication that abortion is a positive option," the bishops said. Earlier this year, the bishops' agency, Cura -- Latin for care -- suspended four of its volunteers for refusing to distribute the leaflet. Abortion is illegal in Ireland, and by law, crisis pregnancy services are obliged to provide support to enable women to see other options as more attractive than abortion. However, seven of the nine agencies listed in the Positive Options leaflet said they would "give contact details for abortion clinics" if asked about them during a counseling session. Some Cura workers felt the information in the leaflets was useful, so the agency asked the Irish bishops to advise them on the matter.

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