Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart has declared a Day of Intercession calling on Catholics to mobilise against the passage by Victoria's Upper House of an abortion law reform bill that would "provide no protection to lives in the womb and no support for women with unplanned or difficult pregnancies". Catholic hospitals are also under threat, an archdiocesan media statement says.
Archbishop Hart has written to all Members of the Legislative Council urging them to reject the Abortion Law Reform Bill as a breach of fundamental human rights
He said Friday that Catholic Maternity Hospitals and emergency departments would not be able to operate in their current form if the Abortion Law Reform Bill is enacted.
The Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008 is due to be debated in Victoria's Legislative Council on 7 October.
The Archbishop affirmed again today that Catholic hospitals will not perform abortions and will not provide referrals for the purpose of abortion.
"The Abortion Law Reform Bill, if enacted, will lead to Catholic hospitals and doctors, who have a conscientious objection to abortion, acting contrary to the law. This poses a real threat to the continued existence of Catholic hospitals," he said.
Archbishop Hart's letter to Members of the Legislative Council states characterises the Bill as "an outrageous attack" on the health services provided to the community by Catholic hospitals.
Catholic hospitals account for approximately one third of all births in Victoria.
In a pastoral letter, Archbishop Hart also declares Sunday 5 October as a Day of Intercession dedicated to the defeat of the Bill.
"I urge you to join me in an hour of prayer at St Patrick's Cathedral at 12.15pm on that day,"he said.
"I wish to stand with you in solidarity with women and the unborn who are directly at risk from this Bill".
Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail reports that the Australian government has issued its first licence allowing scientists to create cloned human embryos to try and obtain embryonic stem cells.
The in vitro fertilisation firm Sydney IVF was granted the licence and reportedly has access to 7,200 human eggs for its research.
If the firm is successful it would be a world first, the Australian government's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which granted the licence, said last week.
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(Source: CN)