President Obama's Reversal of Mexico City Policy 'Very Disappointing,' Says
Pro-Life Committee Chair
WASHINGTON—The decision by President Barack Obama to
reverse the Mexico City Policy is "very disappointing," said Cardinal Justin
Rigali, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
He made the statement January 23, after President Obama issued the executive
order restoring U.S. funding to organizations that perform and promote
abortion in developing nations. Cardinal Rigali's statement follows.
"It is very disappointing that President Obama has reversed the Mexico City
Policy, which prevents U.S. funding of organizations that perform and
promote abortion as a family planning method in developing nations. An
Administration that wants to reduce abortions should not divert U.S. funds
to groups that promote abortions.
"Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, wrote to President-elect Obama last week urging him to retain this
policy. As Cardinal George said in his letter:
"'The Mexico City Policy, first established in 1984, has wrongly been
attacked as a restriction on foreign aid for family planning. In fact, it
has not reduced such aid at all, but has ensured that family planning funds
are not diverted to organizations dedicated to performing and promoting
abortions instead of reducing them. Once the clear line between family
planning and abortion is erased, the idea of using family planning to reduce
abortions becomes meaningless, and abortion tends to replace contraception
as the means for reducing family size. A shift toward promoting abortion in
developing nations would also increase distrust of the United States in
these nations, whose values and culture often reject abortion, at a time
when we need their trust and respect.'"
For media inquiries, e-mail us at commdept@usccb.org
Department of Communications | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC
20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.
More from our
Bishops
|
