A group of former international, human rights, judges are asking the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), to recognise that eugenic abortion of children with Down Syndrome can and should be prohibited out of respect for the rights of disabled people.
The judges of the European Court of Human Rights, of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and UN experts published an article in Valeurs Actuelles on World Down Syndrome Day two days ago.
According to the Advocacy group, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), this step is unprecedented in the history of the European Court.
“It is the first time that former judges have acted in this way before the Court and that the question of eugenic abortion has been raised in such a direct manner. It must be said that the issue of eugenics is at the heart of the abortion debate in the United States, the United Nations and now in Europe”.
In the United States, twelve states have banned medical personnel from performing abortions when they are requested in a discriminatory manner because of a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Some states also prohibit abortion on the basis of the child’s sex or “race”.
With millions trying to escape Ukraine, some insist on staying behind to help those who cannot flee. Among them are the diocesan workers, volunteers, priests and religious of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr diocese.
That’s according to an International Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need.
The charity has supported projects in the diocese for many years and has just given emergency aid of almost a quarter of a million euro due to the war.
Bishop Vitalii Kryvytsky, of the Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, is one of the many Church leaders in Ukraine who has refused to leave his flock. The Latin Catholic diocese encompasses the capital city of Kiev and the surrounding areas, which are coming under increasing pressure as Russian troops close in, in an attempt to surround the city.
Despite the immediate danger to the lives of all who stay, the clergy, led by the bishop, remain with their communities. Bishop Vitalii is adamant that at a time like this “we cannot be anywhere else”.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that more and more people have returned to Sunday worship following the lifting of Covid restrictions as the Catholic Church prepares to re-institute the obligation to attend Sunday mass.
Fr John Collins, co-priest at Swords (Drynam) in Co Dublin, told the Irish Times that mass attendance in his parish “is more or less back” to pre-Covid levels, though some elderly or vulnerable people have continued to watch online.
Come Easter, he said, he expects to be back to normal.
Encouraging reports also came from Fr John Walsh, curate at Buncrana in Co Donegal. “Numbers are up significantly,” he said, “and most are wearing masks.”
At their Quarterly Spring Meeting, Ireland’s Catholic bishops decided that from April 17th, Easter Sunday, attendance at weekend Mass “will once again be deemed an essential expression of faith”.
The little-noticed rule change is, arguably, the clearest sign yet that the Church believes the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic has passed, after two years during which almost every element of its activities was challenged.
Noting that “at the heart of the life of our parish communities is the Sunday Mass”, the bishops said they were encouraged “to see a return to full public worship in our parishes” and the resumption of all church and community life.
The French government is facing legal action at the European Court of Human Rights after censoring a publicity campaign featuring eighteen people with Down Syndrome.
The group behind the ad, Fondation Jérôme Lejeune had created a short infomercial about the joys and challenges of life with their condition, in order to tackle societal stigma, the organisation which has, for years, set the standard in research and care for people with Down Syndrome, supported the initiative and broadcast the message on several platforms in France. Yet, after a French public authority deemed the video to not be a “message of general interest”, and was “likely to disturb women’ who had abortions the foundation were prevented from sharing their message on state television.
Fighting the ban, ADF International said it was “proud to support Fondation Jérôme Lejeune in calling out discrimination against people with Down Syndrome. Freedom of speech is the foundation of a democratic society, protected by international human rights law. Why censor somebody for speaking out about their life with a disability? We hope that the court will recognise that these voices are of immensely high value, and make a stand for the rights of persons with disabilities across Europe,” said Jean-Paul Van De Walle, legal counsel for ADF International.
One Diocese received emergency aid of €53,500 for priests and religious.
Writing in response, Bishop Yosafat Hovera of Lutsk said under the conditions of war, Ukrainian society has been facing challenges with danger related to life, property, and basic means of existence.
“However, seeing the support of the international community, we do not feel left alone with our difficulties. Priests and consecrated people, enduring all the problems caused by the war, keep supporting parishioners, refugees, and soldiers who protect our country and everyone searching spiritual and material help.
Another recipient of aid, Nil Yuriy Lushchak, O.F.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Mukáchevo, said they “have been helping refugees for more than a week, supporting people at the borders, and collecting food for Kiev and other cities where it is difficult.”
Fr. Mateusz Adamski of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese, wrote to say: “We as the Church of Christ are with our people who are in danger, in need, vulnerable, frightened, wounded and weak. We are trying to get those who are in severe humanitarian crisis and serve them by delivering water, food, medication, evacuating IDPs to the safe place.”
An Oxford College has been warned it could be unlawfully discriminating against Christians after it had previously cancelled a conference booking amid “ill-founded complaints” from students.
Worcester College, led by David Isaac, the former head of the equalities watchdog, apologised for hosting a Christian Concern training camp and cancelled a second booking after students complained they were “distressed” by the event.
But an independent review has found that no evidence for allegations including “aggressive leafleting” by attendees, who were alleged to have approached students to discuss LGBT ‘conversion therapy’.
The inquiry, by lawyer Michael Stewart, found that the college staff were not even able to find a copy of the leaflet.
The Free Speech Union has now written to Mr Isaac calling for him to apologise and to reinstate the booking for the next Wilberforce Academy conference in September.
The number of births recovered significantly in the third quarter of last year, and were higher even than 2019 levels, according to the latest Vital Statistics Report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Commenting on the release, Gerard Doolan, Statistician, said: “The number of births has increased by 2,270 (or 15.7%) from the same quarter in the previous year, up from 14,477 in Q3 2020 to 16,747 in 2021”.
The 2019, 3rd quarter figure was 15,379, which itself was a decrease from 15,428 in 2018.
In addition, the average age of mothers was 33.2 in Q3 2021, which is an increase of 0.2 years from that reported in the same quarter in 2020, while 10 years ago it was 32.0 years for the same period.
More than two in five (42.6%) of all births were outside of marriage, compared to the same quarter a year earlier when 39.3% of births were to mothers outside of marriage. Ten years ago, in Q3 2011, this proportion was one in three (34.0%) of all births.
The Catholic and Anglican Archbishops of Armagh have said they will write jointly to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow to reinforce their call for all Christians of Europe, including the Russian Orthodox leader, to unite in spiritual and practical efforts in support of an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
Speaking in Armagh on the eve of St Patrick’s Day, Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop John McDowell called for an end to the “relentless bombardment which has trapped countless civilians in a nightmare of destruction and displaced millions of others from their homes and families”.
They expressed their fear that the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine may yet accelerate before it dissipates.
“Although we are many miles away from the horrific bombardment and loss of life, the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people shockingly comes home to us this St Patrick’s Day,” they said.
Organisers of the National St. Patrick’s Day Parade said they were “committed to a secular, inclusive, non-political approach” to this year’s Festival and Parade in their response to a Christian group who had requested permission to participate.
The Evangelical Catholic Initiative (ECI) sought to include an inter-church float at the Parade with the theme ‘the authentic Patrick – hope after Covid’, and claim they were refused on the grounds that the parade is a ‘secular’ celebration.
This is disputed by the parade organisers themselves, who told Gript that the ECI could not take part because the event is a “uniquely commissioned artistic Parade made up of marching bands and productions by professional pageant companies”. They said that “unfortunately, the Parade is not able to accommodate individual groups and does not accept applications for participation.”
In its email to the ECI, the St. Patrick’s Festival team added: “This year we chose Connections as we have spent so long apart, and we are all so delighted to be coming back together. We celebrate community, inclusion, diversity, and we bring the nation together in a global celebration of Irish arts, culture, and heritage.”
They also affirmed their commitment to a secular celebration, stating: “We are committed to a secular, inclusive, non-political approach to the Parade and St. Patrick’s Festival. I hope this clears things up for you”.
Almost 1,000 Catholic convents in Poland are helping refugees from war-torn Ukraine.
An agency of women religious in Poland said on March 15 that sisters in 924 convents in Poland and 98 in Ukraine were offering “spiritual, psychological, medical, and material help.”
All of the nearly 150 religious congregations operating in Poland and Ukraine are believed to have helped people in need. Some have offered help to a few people, while others have offered assistance to as many as 18,000.
The Council of Major Superiors of Congregations of Women Religious said that 498 convents in Poland and 76 in Ukraine have organized housing.
So far 3,060 children, 2,420 families, and roughly 2,950 adults have received shelter.
In 64 institutions, there are 600 places for orphans, and in 420 institutions there are almost 3,000 places for mothers with children.
Sisters have helped to prepare and distribute hot meals, food, sanitary products, clothing, and blankets. They have also helped to transport people from areas affected by war and assist newcomers in finding work in Poland.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250669/ukraine-war-almost-1000-polish-catholic-convents-are-helping-refugees
