Scottish cardinal says policies to decrease teen abortions failed

Published: 2008-01-22

EDINBURGH, Scotland (CNS) -- Scottish policies aimed at lowering teenage abortion rates and reducing sexually transmitted diseases have failed and should be discarded, said the president of the Scottish bishops' conference. Cardinal Keith O'Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh condemned the policies -- based on more widespread and easily available contraceptives -- as "catastrophic." The cardinal said that "trumpeting the increased provision of sexual health clinics and services is a measure of failure, not success." He said the policies are like "permanently stationing an ambulance at every accident black spot in the country rather than educating drivers to improve their driving and to moderate their behavior on our roads." Cardinal O'Brien said the real problem was that the policies deliberately were devoid of any moral basis.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .