This past Friday, 1 April, the Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Archbishop of Ottawa, in consultation with Mr. Michael Casey, National Director of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, cancelled a visit by Father Luis Arriaga, S.J., Director of the Centre Prodh in Mexico City. Father Arriaga had been scheduled by CCODP as a Share Lent speaker. Earlier last week, Mr. Casey, in consultation with the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, had already cancelled the engagements by Father Arriaga in the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. The Centre Prodh was one of the Mexican groups that had been at the source of a controversy two years ago involving Development and Peace.
The decisions to cancel the speaking engagements were made in view of allegations about the Centre Prodh and Father Arriaga, because of which it appears that "prayer protests" were being planned. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Archdiocese of Ottawa and also Development and Peace have requested clarifications about Father Arriaga and Centre Prodh from the Archdiocese of Mexico City.
The CCCB General Secretary has worked closely with Archbishop Prendergast and Mr. Casey on this and continues to do so. In addition, the CCCB Standing Committee on CCODP will shortly discuss the questions which have been raised.
Development and Peace has been working closely over the past two years with the CCCB and what was formerly its Ad Hoc Committee on CCODP. The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is committed to respect for life, and is making every effort to ensure its programs are in full compliance with Church teachings. The recent questions and concerns that have been expressed underscore the need for the CCCB Standing Committee and the importance of Development and Peace continuing to work in full collaboration with it.
D&P respects life?
Not for the unborn they don't.
Any commitment on their part to the right to life is, at best, nominal. At worst, just hypocritical: just lip-service to avoid conflict with their graces.
It does not take a pro-life genius to realize that giving money to feminist groups that push for abortion is not a sound idea.
But since they obviously don't pay attention to fetal rights issues, they don't care.
I'm a firm believer in the saying that the best predictor of future results is past results. What have been the past results of the CCCB and the professional Catholic class? Denial. Casting aspersions on LifeSiteNews and pro-life allies. Continued support for abortion-supporting groups. The only thing that change will be that D&P will make sure that the links between these groups and abortion is more nebulous. The nature of abortion rhetoric is that it's in the shadows. It goes under the cover of "reproductive rights". This vague phrase is deliberately used by feminists because it can cover a wide range of issues, whereas faithful Catholics can take it to mean something entirely orthodox.
We should really stop using the language of the enemy. If they use "reproductive rights" we have to invent a completely different phrase to make it clear that abortion is not included.
We need to make sure we are able to identify the opponents of fetal rights and the oppressors of the unborn.
All D&P reps have to do is state plainly " I support the legal right to life of the unborn" and follow through.
It won't happen. It hasn't happened up to now, even two years after the controversy started, it won't happen soon. If they were so keen on the right to life for the unborn, they'd be a bit more keen to show it, and not be categorized with people who support the murder of human beings.
But they don't really think of abortion as murder. Actions speak louder than words.
