Comic Relief: One World Action

In the combox, Paulinus reported on a little "digging" he has done at the Comic Relief Cash in Action page. This lists the grants given last year to charities both in the UK and overseas.

One charity that benefited last year was One World Action (Zambia). One World Action is a non-governmental organisation based in London that supports projects in Africa, Asia and Central America.

One of the documents that is made available and supported by One World Action is "Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Central America." Although some of the content is specific to Central America, the document is a good summary of policy in various areas. For example (2.1.9)
One of the themes of the document is the negative influence of the Church It should be emphasised that the church’s opposition to abortion is not only due to its much trumpeted position that life begins with conception but also derives from its vision of motherhood as the destiny of all women.
The document explicitly opposes the Vatican's influence on the Millennium Development Goals, it opposes the emphasis in Catholic countries on abstinence ("not a realistic option") and regards the prohibition of abortion in the Honduras and El Salvador as "a great step backwards."

One World Action strongly promotes the "secular state" but regrets that the Church still has some influence and attacks in particular the work of Opus Dei.

In the "Notes for an Agenda for Action", the defence of the secular state is again seen as a "key political issue." There is advice on tactics for arguing the pro-abortion position:
When arguing for the decriminalisation of abortion –whether total or partial – it is important to go beyond arguments against the position of the Catholic Church, analysing the issue with all its implications. Rather than becoming trapped in a debate about abstract moral principles, the reality of the women who die every day because abortion has been forced underground should be emphasised. For this reason, the advocates of decriminalisation should demand that governments develop serious statistics on abortion-related mortality so as to make visible the problem.
In other words, rather than debate whether abortion is about killing babies, find some "back street abortion" propaganda. The document conveniently forgets the physical and psychological damage done to women by "legal" abortion throughout the world, not to mention the epidemic rise in sexually transmitted infections caused directly by "reproductive rights" programmes.

The whole document is a brief for pro-contraception, pro-abortion, and specifically anti-Catholic action.

In 2006, One World Action received a grant of £637,054 from Comic Relief scheduled over four years.

(I would be happy to post other information on "charities" supported by Comic Relief.)

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai
Read more

God bless America!

Image
I wish you all a very happy Fourth of July over there in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I thought I was a bit late but then realised that it is still early evening for you. I hope you had an enjoyable day. For the video this year, here is Kate Smith IN 1938 introducing the new composition "God Bless America."
Read more